Question 4 : Theory of Design Thinking
- LOW HUI YIH | 1001540522
- Mar 9, 2016
- 4 min read
Q: What sort of "life style" is the world obsessed with today? Show an example of a project that best showcase your point.
One of the most prevalent trends ("life style") in the architectural world today is the shift towards a reduction in the consumption of energy; a reduction in carbon emissions, a focus on green principles. A new "life style" of Adaptive Reuse has become one of the hot trend in today society.
ADAPTIVE.REUSE
Adaptive reuse can be refers to the process of reusing an existing site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Besides, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation, the reduction of urban sprawl and consumption of energy.
A building is not necessarily be newly built buildings on the cutting edge of architectural genius, but rather using the existing shells of buildings to build around. Buildings which have a rustic industrial aura, church buildings, factories and buildings with historical character are all existing buildings or derelict shells have character features which are difficult to recreate in modern design. It’s a wonderful endeavor that helps to save historical beauty as well. I had found a building that shows a good example of adaptive reuse, Bastard Store by Studiometrico.
BASTARD STORE | STUDIOMETRICO
This building shows the transformation of an old cinema to a new skate store. How incredible is this?
Original Old Cinema
Studiometrico had converted an old cinema in Milan from the 1940’s, into the new Bastard flagship store, which also includes a suspended bowl and offices for Comvert. Studimetrico has first observed and gathered information concerning habits, attitudes and wishes of Comvert employees. On the other hand, they also done a deep researches on the interior and outdoor spaces, on both existing buildings and new constructions.
The cashier desks and the clothes displays have been assembled using left-over wooden panels from the offices construction, the dressing rooms have been fitted out with the left-over wooden elements from the bastard Bowl. A system of wooden elements has been designed to display skateboards, sunglasses and goggles.
BEFORE | AFTER
DRAWINGS
SECTION
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
SPACE
E N T R A N C E | S T O R E
The main entrance of the Cinema has been transformed in the first bastard store, conceived not only to sell products, but mainly to meet the people that belong to the bastard universe.
F O Y E R | A D M I N S T R A T I V E D E P A R T M E N T
The half-moon shaped old foyer, flanked by two eliptical staircases leading to the upper balcony and connected through several glazed windows. It works as barycentric element of the cinema, it connects all the principal spaces. The original marble floor lays on a slightly slanted plane, the stairs have solid curved wooden handrails, two light fixtures composed by metallic circular elements are placed on two pillars. The administrative department offices have been organized on a larch platform that straightens the level of the floor and hosts the necessary electrical installations. Three banisters work as containers and provide the necessary privacy protecting the employees from the curious eyes of the visitors of the adjacent bastard store.
S I T T I N G S T E P | D E S I G N D E P A R T M E N T & S H O W R O O M
This Department has been built on the slanted stepped surface of the balcony. This choice has provoked a structural and architectural challenge on one hand, and has permitted to positively respond to the problems related to the dynamics of work on the other. The balcony, suspended over the pit is, together with the bastard Bowl, the most spectacular element of the project.
A steel structure has been fixed onto the existing concrete beams of the balcony to carry the different wooden platforms that modify and adjust the levels of the old steps without changing their nature.
The platforms are fitted out with three-layered larch panels that constitute the banisters and the desks for the individual work stations. The differences in levels provide privacy and exposition at the same time for the employees.
The lower steps of the balcony have not been modified or adjusted in order to guarantee the access from the curved staircases from the lower foyer and to obtain a free, flexible open space. These lower steps are mainly used as showroom for the products that are presented to the sales representatives. The showroom can be used, from time to time, for informal meetings, video projections, fashion shows to present the collections or, more simply, as a chill-out area.
M O V I E H A L L | B A S T A R D B O W L & P R O D U C T D E P O T
Suspended at 6m over the products depot, placed in front of the design department, the bastard Bowl is too important not to find a location inside the new headquarter of a company founded by skateboarders. It is the pride, attraction and ‘dream that comes true’ for Comvert partners (employees).
The idea of placing this bowl on top of the products depot came from the need of saving space and from the desire of establishing a visual and spatial relation with the design department. The bastard Bowl is composed by glue laminated wooden element and steel curved beams.
PERSONAL.PERSPECTIVE
Reusing existing buildings can also create exciting spaces. Adaptive reuse deals with the issues of conservation and heritage policies. Whilst old buildings become unsuitable for their programmatic requirements, as progress in technology, politics and economics moves faster than the built environment, adaptive reuse comes in as a sustainable option for the reclamation of sites. Factors such as the reuse of materials and resources as well as a lesser need to involve energy, both in terms of labor and machine powered. Bastard Store is a good example that design carefuly in all aspects and transformed it into a very exicting space that I never think of it before. In a nutshell, I think this is a glad practice in growing trend of the society now.