1. The Retreat Cube (p.4-7)
2. The Blackford Hill Project (p.8-11)
3. The Tower Project (p.12-21)
4. Design Flotilla Project (p.22-31)
The brief was to design a small scale personal space to escape from city life, a little bit of home, a place for ourselves to relax that is within the beautiful natural context of the Meadows. The dimensions of the cube had to be 2x2x2m and will need to be at least 1/2 underground.
The site where I’ve located my retreat is the Sun Dial. It is a quiet corner of the Meadows because there are not any sports or activities being played there besides walking dogs and outdoor gym equipment. It is also surrounded by trees.
This site is next to a road that leads to the hospital that gets very busy, especially during the day. Since my retreat would be mostly used during the evening/night time it would not be an issue at all.
Development Sketch Development Sketch
Watercolour Sketch
Precedent Precedent
Precedent Model Concept 1 Model Concept 2
2 Point Perspective
1 Point Perspective
My final concept is a retreat which is 3/4 underground, and which therefore has only the roof overground. The roof is made out of opaque glass which allows me to see the outside but still keeping the privacy. The entrance to the retreat is actually the roof, which unfolds upwards.
The activities that I’ve chosen for my retreat are part of my hobbies. During the evening time and night, this retreat allows me to contemplate the sunset and the stars. During the day, I can use the retreat to sing and listen to music, or even to play music with my guitar if feel like bringing it.
For this project was asked to individually design a small scale visitor centre placed in my chosen site in Hill, which responds to the local built and natural context and will serve as an information point for all individuals visiting the area. The maximum footprint is 30sqm. visitor centre
The concept is inspired by the natural descendent form of the tilted floor on the Hill Top in Blackford Hill. The architecture of the building follows the nature of the ground, blending in with the site and it’s landscape.
1. ENTRANCE
2. TOILET
3. VENDING MACHINE
4. RECEPTION
5. VIEWPOINT
6. DOG’S WATER BOWLS
7. TAP
8.STAIRS
The building is divided in two spaces: reception+toilet and view point or glass room. Stone and glass are the predominant materials, which relate to the natural environment and provide an true experience with the comfort of being sheltered from Scotland’s rainy/ windy weather.
The Four Winds Pavilion is a 19th century industrial brick building on Glasgow’s Clydeside. It was formerly a hydraulic pumping station used to power the cranes on the dockside housing a number of steam engines and water tanks.
The internal footprint is 6.8m square and it is a tall vertical space 14.9m high. It is an empty shell and the internal walls of the tower are exposed brickwork. There are 3 potential points of entrance, 2 of which are a doorway openings on the south face at ground level and in the same location at a height of 3m.
The only other windows tall slots at the top of the space – these tall windows are 9.2m above ground level. They offers great views of the city.
Precedent from https://decoracion.trendencias.com/casas/casas-poco-convencionalesvivir-en-una-torre-de-agua
Precedent from https://www. remodelista.com/posts/thearchitect-is-in-a-nyc-firm-answers-your-questions/
The client is a light blacksmith (or metalworker) who creates objects such as gates, railings, sculpture, tools... The materials that they use the most are wrought iron and steel.
The tools that they use are a hammer, an anvil (which is the surface on which the material is worked) and a chisel (used to cut hard materials).
Blacksmiths work by heating pieces of wrought iron or steel until the metal becomes soft enough for shaping with hand tools.
To make their work, the metalworkers need:
1.A Forge: a type of hearth used for heating metals
2.A Smithy: where a forge is located
3.An Anvil: surface where the material is worked
4.Vises/Grinders/Belt Sanders
5.Storage
At first, I had chosen my concept 3 to be my final concept. But after experimenting with the light realised that the design was not helping the light to come through the building. So I worked out a new concept which would solve the lighting issue making use of half floors in between floors and also of glass floors and open concept stairs.
In concept 3, I decided to place the workshop at the top because all the fumes from the forge would go up to the roof and would not spread through the floors, as well as if there was a fire. But then I realised that could add a chimney to guide the fumes to the roof and I could also close the workshop stairs that go up to the living room so no fumes would spread upstairs.
Placing my workshop downstairs in 1st floor in an open floor connected to the shop gives more sense to the design because it immediately creates an experience for customers to have: when they come in to visit the store, they get to watch the metalworker create her work and they get to see how a workshop looks like. It also leaves the last floor for the most private room: the bedroom.
On the 2nd floor there is the living room which has a toilet and which has the kitchen above it on an open concept 3rd floor with glass balustrade.
The floors are ordered from the least private to the most private. This way, the client gets to have her personal space, but also has room to bring guests over and socialize; and most importantly, has a place to work where she can be in close contact with her customers/co-workers and provide them a nice experience.
Section AA’ Scale 1:100
Section BB’ Scale 1:100
Brick Chimney
Brick Walls
Marble
Wood Wood Floor
Concrete
Ruth Balaguer Schmidt 40496767
This project explores designing micro architecture and human experiences in the context of transience. I’ve explored innovative design proposals located on the hull of a wide beam barge and designed a flotilla suitable for the Union Canal, exploring innovative responses to the opportunities and constraints of confined dimensions whilst maximising the potential of changing context.
The idea for this design is to have Edinburgh Gin Festival as a client and suggest an extension of the festival to the Union Canal, floating over water. This business attracts a customer’s profile of mainly woman between 18 and 55 years old. The activities that are carried on board are Hen’s parties, Gin Tasting Experiences, Staff Nights Out and Birthdays, all being sophisticated events with a dress code.
Concept Sketches Concept Montage
This concept explores the geometry of the waves, which leads into triangular shapes incorporated to the architecture.
This concept studies the shapes from the bridge located at the Union Canal, incorporating that tilted structure and the gaps that the steel creates into the design through modelling.
Concept Model
The Hybrid Concept is a combination of the triangular shapes from concept 1 and the tilted structure and gaps from concept 2. Ruth Balaguer Schmidt
Final Model: Shell
Final Model: Interior
The final design is divided in four areas: toilets, bar, sitting area and herbs garden. The toilets are situated at the very back of the barge, in the most private area. Next to it there is the bar along with a stall where all the Edinburgh Gin products get shown and sold. The bar is sheltered by the roof.
The sitting area is situated next to the bar, half covered by the roof and half in the terrace area. At the very front of the barge, there is the herbs garden, which is on a half floor over the floor level of the rest of the inside, providing an experience for the customers of learning about herbs and picking up their own for their drinks.
The colours used in the design are directly inspired by the brand, Edinburgh Gin. The hull is made out of steel, as well as the window frames. The floors are made out of wood in a triangular pattern, which responds to the design. The couch material is an exterior, water proof acrylic fabric. The bar has a marble counter top, giving that touch of luxurious feel, as well as the golden structure of the stall. All in all, it is a colourful, bright design which is very eye-catching to the customers.
