DEVELOPING IDEAS THROUGH MAKING

PRESENTING PROPOSALS FOR DISCUSSION

ERGONOMIC TESTING

The students then worked in pairs to further test and develop the proposal – exploring dimensions and layouts for the ‘whole’ a well as considering the design of their individual module. Students considered specific activities which their module would enable, for example reading, playing cards with a partner or watching a film projection. Ergonomic studies were completed to ensure that designs worked with the proportions of the body.

The students arranged themselves in height order to establish who was the average height and what were the dimensions of their eye level, reach, etc.

A DIFFICULT SELECTION PROCESS

The four groups presented their schemes. The student vote was very tight and in the end the tutors couldn’t select one proposal to take forward. Instead it was decided to combine concepts from pairs of groups to create two proposals which would be developed by the combined groups. These were presented in a ‘final round’ competition judged both by students and tutors. 

One scheme developed the steps proposal combined with concepts of user participation and variation in configuration taken from the hexagon proposal. The other scheme combined the pivoting elements with ideas of stepped seating from the platform proposal and created a ‘room’ of pivoting screens.

The final selection process was long and difficult and considered factors such as budget, overall impact, material use and opportunity for students to take design ownership of their module.

In the end, the pivoting screen proposal was selected. It was felt this better fulfilled the brief, had the most potential for enclosure or 'room within a room' and would have a great overall impact. However this was the more complex and expensive scheme so the challenge is now on to realise this project within the tight budget and timescale.

GENERATING IDEAS

To generate initial ideas for the project, the students were divided into four groups. Each group had to work together to develop one proposal for presentation. This was a quick exercise and the students had to work efficiently to select one scheme, develop it and produce drawings and models to convince the jury of its merit.

Group 1 proposed a 'forest' of 22 standing elements - each with a seating bench and timber post. On the post are timber pivoting elements which act as desk, shelf etc. Each student has an individual element - the height of the post is their height, the span of their pivoting arms is the span of their arms. These arms will overlap with their neighbours so they will have to negotiate to agree heights so that the do not clash. Depending of how the pivoting arms are arranged clearings can be created or enclosures formed.

Group 2 proposed a system of plywood slats and infill panels which form a tiered landscape which people can climb over, sit on, work at, watch events etc. The scaffold slats would be interlocking plywood pieces 2.4m long. Each student would have two elements to design and build. These would be the infill pieces which would fit into the scaffold and create the surface as well as containing storage etc.

Group 3 proposed a honeycomb structure of extruded tessellating hexagons. These would be different heights depending on their function: seat, desk, storage, screen etc. There might to some areas where the hexagons form domes to create enclosure. The hexagons would be formed from timber frames which could be wrapped in a translucent material (fabric, plastic, etc). Each student would have a module of 1 or 2 hexagons to design and build plus some involvement in constructing common elements (domes).

Group 4 proposed a series of large stepped elements which would be used for seating, working, storage and watching events. There would be 22 stepped modules (one per student which could be arranged in different configurations. Each day a different configuration could be formed depending on the scheduled events.