Development Week 9

Looking into exemplars for this project I Research into smart/responsive environments in the world of architecture. This is the direction that i want to go with this project. Their project 'Hi drone" is an example that i have been looking at. The way that they re-organize the space is so simple yet it works so effectively, creating the opportunity for thousands of possible combinations. Looking at this project has given me a few ideas, especially about how to tansform a space between peak hour and non-peak hour.

The first idea that I had relates to linear space, and how to open and close this space when the flow of pedestrian traffic requires it. Basically what I was looking at was creating a floor grid that can be raised and lowered, so that during peal time it could all be lowered, creating a flat, empty space, however during off peak times, sections of the grid could be raised, creating seating and chairs, as well as other spaces for people to use. This can be seen in the diagram below.

I was also looking at the idea of using a system similar to this to help raise people from ground level to higher points in the ‘vertical public space’ that I am trying to create. It would work like and a amalgamation between a lift and an escalator (see image below). The floor grid would move up and down in a way that the user does not feel as if they are walking up stairs, simply walking up a ramp. However there are a lot of problems with this idea, chiefly that it could only support 1 person using it at any time, making the design useless in peak hour. I am beginning to think that to get around this I am going to need a network of escalators; however I will continue to look of alternatives to this.

The full article can be found here http://www.archdaily.com/15014/ad-futures-4-sparc/