Pattern Development

Further to the two dimensional development of the patterns, I began to consider the 3-dimensionality of the lines and shapes. Certain rules were applied to the patterns, which would enable this process to begin.

1. Folded ribbons based upon the geometry of components 3-6 (as shown in previous post), to create a layered field:




2. Folded vertical planes, based around the location and geometry of components 1-2. Where the pattern breaks down into chaos, the fold breaks. Horizontal planes are located within the recesses on the right, the heights of which were dependent upon the shade of the component below. Darker components for example become synonymous with dark conditions, and lower horizontal planes:




3. Folded vertical planes, based around the location and geometry of components 3-6. Where the pattern breaks down into chaos, the fold breaks. Ramps are located over components 1-2, the trajectory is determined by the shade of the component below (the darker shades cause the ramp to slope downwards):

Olal Nicolai- Rewind Forward

This pattern composed by Russian artist and designer Olaf Nicolai, was first seen on the cover of rewind magazine, and later became the inspiration for a building facade. It is comprised of several components which are repeated to create a continuous matt without gaps, by adhering to a strict grid formation. the components make up a unit which is repeated and adheres to the grid. The vertical lines of the grid are evenly spaced, however the black horizontal lines (whilst also being evenly spread) are manipulated and stretched to create an elongated surface. The perpendicular lines in this pattern, are created by using a secondary grid (red) of vertical lines, which distorts the individual cell at particular points.

The various shades of each componeny become significant in the illusion of created a 3 dimensional structure, where areas of the pattern are extruded away from the flat surface:



1. The pattern in its simplest form: the secondary grid lines are realigned to the the primary black grid lines:



2. The regimental vertical lines of the grid are respaced at various distances, and instantly the pattern is distorted:



3. The horizontal lines are then altered in a similar method, but this system also introduces the idea of pulling the secondary red grid in a different direction, away from the original lines:



4. This system tests the idea of the horizontal and vertical grid by skewing the vertical lines to various distances. Each unit is unique from the next:



5. The horizontal lines of the grid are also skewed, and the homogenous pattern becomes heterogeneous:



6. In addition to the manipulation of the grid, this pattern can be altered by playing with the various shades of each component. For Nicolai, the shades are essential to creating a consistent and 3 dimensional effect in this pattern. The first of the mirrors the shades of certain units (picked at random), whereas the second is a chaotic alteration of the shades of each component:



7. To test the methodololy used in stage 5, the vertica lines of the grid were skewed at a more extreme angle. This resulted in the overlapping of black and red grid lines, which causes the shades of various stretched components to collide and overlap. A new rule was developed which would control this problem, by making darker shades dominent to the lighter shades:



8. The vertical lines were angled further to stage 7, which resulted in the chaotic collision of compenents. In this stage, the 3 dimensional form of the pattern disappears and reappears in various locations on the field of the pattern:



9. By returning to an earlier stage, where chaotic overlapping of areas of the pattern had not yet occurred, further methods could be tested. In this stage, the bifurcation and bending of the horizontal grid lines was used. It becomes difficult to assess the location of the grid lines, partly due to the overlapping of grid lines, but also because the grid lines separate and move the connection points of each individual unit to different locations. A new rule was also incorporated which stated that if the grid line bifurcates, one half of the unit follows one grid line and one half adheres to the other, resulted in completely distorted units:



10. The vertical grid lines were altered in conjunction with stage 9:



11. As previously stated, the importance of the shaded components is that it is fundamental to the 3 dimensionality of the pattern. In these tests, not only are new shades incorporated at random (or wherever i decide that they should be), but also lines are introduced and removed where shades collide to create larger and new components within the pattern

The folded city

· Accessibility

· Dichotomy of open and narrow spaces, unique spaces which cater for unique experiences

· Sense of community

The ideal city is based on three key components. These being: accessibility, sense of community, and dichotomy of space. The latter of these three enables the inhabitants of the city to experience unique moments and chance encounters with both people and the spaces around them. The richness of city life is born out of a variety of both expansive and enclosed spaces, and in order to achieve this the ideal city must be able to evolve naturally. The use of folded forms will allow the city to merge seamlessly with the natural landscape and create a society which is free from boundaries both physical and hierarchical, and connect communities through continuous spaces. The fold avoids the creation of separated spaces, which leads to alienation, and instead creates forms that are anti-hierarchical. In principle, the external space of the city will be dedicated to circulation, with the internal space being used for inhabitation and living. In this way, the landscape becomes fully accessible to citizens

Architecture principe: the oblique city (Parent and Virilio)

· Leave existing cities and promote new urban complexes

· Dominate the site, become the equivalence of natural reliefs, change dimensions. Become artificial relief, landscape… faced with the uncertainty of the psyche, faced with anxiety, anguish, collective fear, the advent of violence, architecture must manage to tip the mentality in two key ways.:

· Inclined planes of installation and use in space

· The cantilever in the obliqueness of masses (the interior is dwelling, the exterior is circulation)

Mistakes of the 20^th century which led to inaccessibility, monotonous spaces and breakdown of community

The vertical cities, embodied through social housing, resulted in the collapse of communities, the paralysis of the inhabitants, and the monotony of spaces. Most of all it enforced an idea of hierarchy onto its inhabitants, which tended to be people of low economic status. Through increasing rates of crime, paranoia was induced into these communities, to the extent that one became suspicious of their neighbours. The elderly and the infirm became segregated and cut off from the outside world, and the vast open spaces provided externally at ground level (intended to promote healthy and active communities) became unused or worse still, breeding grounds for crime.

The Performance Hotel

The hotel will incorporate the programmatic components of the theatre (programme x), which can inform and test the rigidity of the hotel typology. The design process will also strive to consider the overlapping of programmes to create a unique hotel experience for the guest, for example the overlapping of the stage and the lobby, and the atrium and fly tower. The hotel will in this way begin to blur the boundaries between performer and hotel guest. lobby/stage crossover: Through the generative design concept of the fold, which has the potential to create continuous forms, the project will seek to rectify the numerous barriers both physical and hierarchical that exist between the city and the water on the site. The folded landscape creates a space free of separation and alienation, and instead creates forms that are anti-hierarchical. This is a leading concern of the existing site situation. The hotel which will inhabit this space, will then through the continuing use of the fold, attempt to create an uninterupted space in which guests can enjoy theatre and hotel simultaneously, without barriers. This system has influenced the use of a folded landscape within the hotel (shown above), which provides various suitable areas for performances to take place. The various amenities that must be provided can be located within an open space that it free of physical barriers. Elements requiring an enclosed space such as kitchens and dressing rooms, can be located within separate volumes that read differently from the open space. These volumes also provide structure to support the folded landscape of the public roof terrace above. The two volumes which contain vertical circulation cores provide the structure for the four floors that contain rooms and guest gymnasium. The atrium at the centre of the rooms doubles as a fly tower for the stage below. In this way, hotel guests have an immediate connection with the pulleys, stage lighting and gangways: Ground floor plan: Second-Fourth floor plan: The overlapping of the two programmes should be bold and apparent from the start, and this approach can inspire a variety of new experiences that place the hotel user in the place of a performer. View from the rear of the auditorium towards the stage/hotel lobby area: The design began by envisaging an open plan space that could be adaptable and versatile in order to host a variety of performance types. The folded ladscape provides several internal external performance spaces, with the use of ramps to not only connect spaces, but also provide each audience member with a suitable view of the performances wherever they may occur. Waiting area (which also provides space for unused scenery which guests can explore) and restaurant which overlooks the Bosphorus (to the rear right- the auditorium and raised bar can be seen to the rear left): The folding black concrete floor throughout the space compliments the idea of a continuous space- the colour reflecting the dark colour of a stage which hotel guests are encouraged to circulate through. the hotel services such as cloakrooms, receptions, administration, and kitchens are found within black volumes clad in soundproof rubber- used to contrast the hard and solid nature of the floor. The raised bar which overlooks the stage and auditorium- views to the Bosphorus can be seen past the waiting area: I am interested in blurring the boundaries between performer and guest. I have observed during my time in Istanbul and in my research that often the performer takes control of a particular space which becomes a stage. In general, audience members are not permitted. The stage has become recognised as the place only for performers, and so by blurring this boundary, a surreal and provocative space is created. Since the birth of film and cinema, these boundaries have been tested, particularly with performances including audience participation. German playwrite Berthold Brecht became interested in the idea of making the act of performance the real draw for theatre goers. The theatre became a place where the audience were no longer tricked, instead it became associated with the formal idea of being entertained, and the connection between performer and audience member. Design strategy- The diagrams above illustrate the thought process of creating the experience of entering the hotel- beginning with the concept of the crossover of the stage and lobby looked onto from the auditorium which becomes visible only when the guest has fully entered the hotel. Another important concept is the connection to the Bosphorus- which is immediately visible from the main entrance and waiting area. The second diagram illustrates the theatre as a black box, which is surrounded by the hotel amenities that are arranged in a band. Thirdly, the connection of all hotel spaces as an open folded landscape with only hotel staff services internalised into separate volumes (such as the kitchen, storage, or the administration department). Lastly, the use of the hotel ciculation cores as structure to support the floating volume of the rooms, accessible and in full view of the reception area, and using the folded landscape to create various internal and external performance spaces. Facade- The lower element containing public and semi-private amenities are physically separated from the private upper element that contains the hotel rooms. This element appears to fly above the hotel, with each room afforded a spectacular view to the Bosphorus with a private balcony. On the facade, each room has a steel wire mesh curtain which can be electronically operated by each inhabitant, to provide extra privacy and solar shade. Therefore, the facade is constantly changing during the day, with the shining metal visually contrasting the matt black concrete. Site- The general inaccessibility and oppressive nature of the site as it exists must be addressed. The historical connection of the city to the water can be reinstated, and can form part of a new public zone that makes use of the existing historic and cultural attractions. The connection between water and city is fundamental to life in Istanbul and is seen as a luxury. Therefore, by giving the water back to the city, the proposal seeks to afford this luxury to the general public. In relation to the secondary programme of theatre, the proposal will also seek to establish areas that are suitable for public performances, which are common throughout the city. Entrance perspective: The design of the external landscape began with the objective of creating informal performance spaces in front of the hotel on the Bosphorus side (south). The external ramp which leads to the public roof terrace looks down onto the main performance space, which through the use of black concrete, creates a contrast to the surrounding light Turkish travertine stone. The parapit wall to this ramp (also made of balck concrete), continues into the ground and then emerges on the other side of the public street to form a bench. This bench wraps around to provide seating for potential audiences.