design changes: existing zoning & circulation

As discussed, the existing space is used more like a shell rather than an actual interior. It is very straight forward, basically having the ground and mezzanine levels be used as a bicycle store. A portion of the area has been converted into a small bicycle shop that is separated by a wall from the rest of the space. Similarly, the same area is converted into toilets of the same footprint. Different areas and spaces are created using the steelwork scattered in the bicycle store that not only acts as Access to the mezzanine can be achieved via stairs and a small lift. If seen a whole, the bicycle store takes up “half” of the overall space, with the other “half” is used as a bin store. This presents an opportunity to potentially combine the two spaces to create a larger whole. With simple zoning comes simple circulation. As shown in the existing plans, the path created is purely functional. It is simply the way the space is used that creates this simple yet effective circulation.

A couple of things are required to be done for the existing in order to maximize its potential. I will start by demolishing any internal walls and connecting the 2 “halves” together to create a large singular space. Approaching it as a restaurant, I divided the space into a dining and service area. The previous space occupied by the bicycle store is to be converted to the designated dining area, while the bin store is to be converted as the service area. considering how prominent the dining area is to the left hand side, a proposed mezzanine level will be added that serves as secondary dining space. This will make the improve the balance and overall distribution of guests. As shown by the diagrams, the entrance is positioned at the far end of the site to ensure space use is maximized. A study by La Trobe University published an article in 2017 mentions that “Roughly 90% of humans are right-handed and this is one of the traits that separates us from most other primates who don’t really show any overall preference for left or right handedness”. (La Trobe University. (2023) Why are most people right handed?, News, La Trobe University. Retrieved April 09, 2023, from https://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2017/ opinion/why-are-most-people-right-handed ). This means that there is a bias for people turning to the left as supported by an article by www.Physlink.com. (Physlink.Com, Anton Skorucak. (2023) Why are left turns on a cycle easier than right? Also, when I run track I notice that everyone always runs counterclockwise. (Retrieved April 09, 2023, from https://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae678.cfm).

There are 2 ways of entering the main dining area in the proposed design. The first one being stairs, while the second being the accessible ramp. To better explain why these were the 2 methods chosen, I will discuss them into 2 separate parts.

Access to dining via stairs:

Option 1 uses the traditional stairs. Simple, effective, and accessible to most people. Out of the two, this option will get guests to the dining area the quickest. Narratively, the act of going down the stairs is a more visceral experience compared to the accessible ramp, as if guests are quickly jumping head first into the sea. Visually enhanced by the difference in levels compared to the entrance. I see this as symbolic of the trade routes sailors would use to traverse the vast oceans, with different areas having higher and lower foot traffic as if they were ocean currents. Hearkenning back to the fact that indonesia is a maritime country. I played with the idea of “slower currents” as a buffer area where guests can linger for a while looking at some points of interests, before getting to their tables. For this instance the buffer areas are the 1st set of waiting area seats, fresh coconut juice, preparation table, and live fish tank.

Access to dining via accessible ramp:

Option 2 uses an accessible ramp that spans almost the full length of the space. This was something that I had planned very early on in my concept to have guests snake around the dining area and have the it be the centerpiece of the proposed design, in addition of it being inclussive to guests who are in wheelchairs. As opposed to using stairs, the accessible is considerably slower. However, it can be argued that it feels more immersive as guests gets to experience more of the space. Similar to how stairs are symbolic of going into the sea, the ramp is intended to symbolize indonesia’s rainforests and land expedition. The buffer areas for access via ramps are the built-in aquarium, floating benches, large planter, and the 2nd set of waiting area seats.

Out of the 4 mentioned, the aquarium is the most complicated as it has the most moving parts in its most literal sense. The idea for having the aquarium right next to the accessible ramp came about when thinking about balance. On the opposite end, guests who take the stairs to get down to the main dining area is greeted by a live fish tank. Not only is it a point of interest, it is also a design element that involves water. It makes sense to have the aquarium on the left-hand side. Similar to how the mezzanine level was added to the right-hand side, this sort of positioning benefits guest circulation and distribution. An issue that arose when deciding to have it installed on the same side as the ramps means that there will not be enough clearance for both the aquarium and circulation. The solution was to have it be built in to the wall, making sure it was concealed as best as possible. I needed to design it in such a way that it appears seamless at a glance. In the proposed design, the entire wall is decorated with timber slats. This was intentional to not only create interesting texture, but also as a form to hide the gaps in the access panels. To elaborate further, there are 2 types of panels that are built in. The first type of panel is situated at the top of the aquarium that is placed on a track, allowing it to be pushed back like a drawer. This is meant for fish feeding the fish and general water cleaning purposes. The second type of panels are larger and are simply bolted on to the wall. It is situated under the aquarium and houses the pumps, water filters, and any other miscellaneous equipment or machinery. Right behind the aquariums, a series of lights that aids in regulating water temperatures and lighting up the water to make it appear as though the water is glowing from the perspective of the guests.

Water Feature:

The water feature was a concept that was conceived quite late in the design process. I needed to sell the idea of an underwater environment in a way that simple but convincing. Originally the idea I had to achieve this effect was to have actual water in a glass container. Small water pumps are to be installed to create gentle water ripples that would cast a refraction on the floor. This would make the refractions dynamic feeling. The container itself will be reinforced with steel support structures. Beneath it, light fixtures will be added for lighting up the main dining area. Inspiration was taken from automated stage rigs that can be lowered using a series of pulleys for quick set changes. (Laser Show System. (2023) PDF.js viewer. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https:// www.jrclancy.com/downloads/JRC_Cntrwt_Rigging.pdf). While that initial concepts works in theory, a couple of maintenance issues started to reveal itself with the design. First reason, having water would mean that water changes need to occur often. This may disrupt the operational times as no guests would be able to have their meals in the main dining area when it is time for a water change. Second reason, having water may result in potential leakage, a liability best avoided early. Water is also considerably heavy. Potentially the water level could be kept to a bare minimum, but it would greatly impact the ripple effects and refractions created on the ground floor. Shallow waters would create less ripples. The water pumps proposed while small, can make or break the design as a faulty pump would mean that there would be no ripples at all, making the feature useless. Third reason, having light fixtures installed right beneath the water container may cause shortages, meaning extra care and effort would be needed to ensure the system works overall. As a response to these 3 issues, I have decided to replace the water with a water sculpture, made of glass or acrylic. This will be cheaper in the long run as there would be no water changes necessary, ensuring that guest dining can be maximized. In addition, while the effects created by actual water is nicer, it is very inconsistent. A glass or acrylic sculpture as shown in this picture achieves the same effect consistently. Another advantage would be that the water feature can be installed more permanently. A pulley system might not even be necessary for this specific application.

Accessible Ramp:

The accessible ramp was added to be inclussive, accommodating to guests in wheelchairs. A decision was made to have it be split into 3 main sections that wraps around the main dining area. Earlier attempts had the ramp stop in 2 sections and even in 1 section. Given the 2 meter height difference however, it was not plausible as the slope angle would be too steep for wheelchair access. (Registering. (2023) What are Ramps and How to Design Them? - The Constructor. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://theconstructor.org/practical-guide/ ramps-design/164670/). The proposed design with 3 sections is then further broken down to have a series of flats instead of one continuous slope. The intention behind this design choice is too deliberately slow guests down, which may seem counterintuitive at first. However this allows the guest to immerse themselves for longer. Creating more of an experience to the journey. The accessible ramp is made in a steel construction. Steel is a strong and sturdy material with plenty of room for customization for any property, as mentioned in (Checking This Box. (2023) 4 Types of Materials for Commercial Ramps | EZ-ACCESS. Retrieved April 10, 2023, from https://www.ezaccess.com/post/4-types-of-materials-for-commercial-ramps). Although the construction makes it heavy, the permanent nature of the ramps intended for the main dining space makes this a non-issue.

Floating Bench:

Construction for the floating benches uses the same principal of a floating shelf, using internal brackets and a series of metal rods to achor it to a surface with a minimal look. All access to the support structure are hidden away within the bannisters itself The benches are installed to the side of the accessible ramp banisters to encourage guests to slow down to take a look at the aquarium, which makes it a buffer area. Given the small size, these benches should not intervere with the overall flow and circulation of the ramp. Right behind the benches, the tall trees in the large planter provides a level of privacy to the guests sitting.

Upon completion, I am satisfied with the outcome I have managed to produced. All the elements work effectively and efficiently. Progress wise, I find that this project came together really quickly as I decided to tackle it head on by spending as little time as possible on the intial concepts, and spent more time refining it through a selective elimination. Making sure to compare and contrast the concepts thoroughly, deciding on praticality and feasibilty. The decision to have the ramp circle the main dining area proved to be effective and the mezzanine provided the necessary balance for guest distribution. However, there are still a few things that I would have done differently given more time.

For instance, the main entrance could be moved 1 pillar to the left along with the mezzanine stairs and kitchen walls. This will make the kitchen more appropriately sized for the high demand of the restaurant. This would not comprimise the overall flow, just make it more compact. As shown above, moving the entrance to the left would make the space in between the mezzanine and dining area not as big. In addition, the added space in the far right-hand side of the building allows room for storage. Possibly a room where a generator and electrical components can be stored. Not only that, service access could be greatly improved by not having to go around the train station to use the service lift. The storage in the kitchen could be repurposed as a small employees bathroom, access way to be confirmed. There are 2 options for the mezzanine. One option would be to add more banquette seating on the side. Alterntaively, the kitchen wall from the ground floor can be extended up separating the area and closing the kitchen further. The kitchen now has a double height space which could be used for storage or even a split level kitchen, where different stages of preparation could happen or perhaps add more dish variety.

A possible consequence however would be on the live fish tanks and the accessible ramp. Currently in the proposed design, 9 tanks are present. Should the kitchen walls be moved forward, it would mean that either the number of tanks are to be reduced, or possibly making the space in between the preparation and the tanks smaller. The latter seams to be more ideal option. In regards to the accessible ramp, moving the entrance would mean that the overall length of the ramp would be reduced. With a shorter distance, the angle would get more steep. Should not be a problem in the grand scheme of things, but it is worth noting. Potentially, an accessible elevator could be added to allow guests in wheelchairs to get to the mezzanine. Shifting the main entrance to the left provides more than enough space accommodate for it. It would be installed in line with the stairs to create symmetry and to generally have the access points be in the same area.

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