Birkimork Half Way House - PK Arkitektar

We noticed this building while reading the Jan/Feb issue of A10 magazine. its another example of concrete and timber working well together, something which we would like to adopt in our overall design - in particular the dentistry. The neutral aesthetic achieved from these 2 materials is something which could match the versatility required in a commercial style building.

PK Arkitektar

3D model - 1st Floor Apartment

Initial 3D modeling of the 1st floor apartment. The bookcases can be seen off to the right, with the addition of a cavity behind the bookcase which a sliding screen can be stored in. The idea is that the screens can be slid across to cover the entire window when privacy is required. The slanted ceiling with a curved edge can also be seen in these captures (similar to the El mirage style ceiling). The curved dividing walls of the study do not continue all the way to the ceiling. As the study is quite a small area, leaving this distinct gap will hopefully open the space up a bit . It also implies that it is a utility style room instead of an independent bedroom. In adition to all those reasons, it creates a nice aesthetic which beaks the mold of the straight, modular look.

Looking east at the living/meals area from the entrance (above)

Looking west at the living/meals area from the hallway (above)

Close up of the curved wall which separates the living/meals area from the study (above)

Revised Apartment Floor Plan

We decided that floor plan design 1 was probably the best option at this stage and we decided to develop it further. We adjusted the dimensions and positioning of the bedrooms and added a small study area in front of bedroom 2. The curved wall creates an interesting focal point when entering the residence and also contrasts the modular layout and look of the apartment. The use of plywood (see previous post) could possibly be used in this instance. Along the southern wall 2 large windows will provide natural ambient lighting for the residence. Also, along the southern wall three bookcases will run the entire length of the wall and protrude approx 500mm. The ends can be used for book storage/shelving while the front of the bookcases can be used to store an entertainment unit or additional storage. I also like the idea of a fold-up dining room table. Having all this storage means that when something is not being used it can stored away, opening up the area and creating the illusion of more space when entering the residence.

Apartment Floor Plans

Playing with various layouts for the residential apartment. The focus here was to try out different positions for the wet areas (kitchen/bathroom) in order to create the maximum amount of space for the rest of the apartment. As such, the bedrooms are not particularly accurate in terms of size/dimensions etc, just trying to get the basic placement correct.

3D Site Model

We should have posted these images weeks ago.

VH R-10 gHouse - Darren Petrucci

From an aesthetic standpoint Darren Petrucci's gHouse is quite similar to the direction we are currently heading with our design. From the start we were pretty interested in using some sort of vertical or horizontal slatted timber as a cladding for the 1st floor residential apartment, as well as using unpolished concrete for the ground floor dentistry with additional wood in order to complement and soften it somewhat. gHouse also has a few features, such as the the sliding rain shutters, which we feel we could adopt and develop further in order to suit our design and brief. The use of a clean, straight, modular look is also an aesthetic we recently decided to adopt. Our design however will utilize a few very important focal points which will be used to contrast this aesthetic.

VH R-10 gHouse - Architectural Record article

Wooden rain screens slide open (above & below)

El Mirage Cafe, Brunswick

Took these photos on the weekend of El Mirage cafe on Lygon st in Brunswick. It has an interesting roof made entirely out of plywood with a clear lacquer finish. The curved plywood works really well and with the slight angle from one side of the building to the other it really creates a focal point for the interior (last pro shot shows it the best). Spoke to the owner and he said it was really quite cheap to do...

Floor Plan Ideas

Im not sure if I even like this floor plan and I think its hit a bit of a dead end now anyway. In the end I think it was just too many angles and in such a small space so many angles could become a bit overwhelming. We were hoping the use of angles would create more space, but in this instance it seems to have created a lot of useless space. We tried altering a few things, eg: the outdoor area, but it didnt seem to help much. We might keep it going for a bit longer and see what happens... not sure

Kitchen Designs

Monaco House - McBride Charles Ryan

Another nice solution for a multi use building on a small block.

McBride Charles Ryan website

Wet Area Design

DESIGN 1A
Pros:
- Relatively Small footprint
- Hot water outlets all close together
- Bathroom basin and mirror positioned opposite the door
- Swing of bathroom door divides the space between the toilet and bathroom and also blocks the view of the toilet when entering.
- Creates quite a large living/dining area.
- Kitchen island creates a more sociable space
Cons:
- Kitchen space probably larger than it needs to be
- No private access from bedroom to bathroom. Must pass through living area to access bathroom.
- Simplicity of design does not create many opportunities for storage
- Toilet still visible in mirror when entering
- No ensuite


DESIGN 2A
Pros:
- Very small kitchen and bathroom footprints
- Most of the hot water outlets are positioned close together
- Hidden laundry area with small shelving beside it
- Further (removable?) storage could be added above the W/M if no dryer is required
- private access from bedroom to bathroom due to position of corridor
- View of toilet completely blocked by door swing.
- Kitchen island creates a more sociable space
Cons:
- Corridor between bathroom and bedroom may prove to be wasted space.
- No ensuite for master bedroom


DESIGN2B
Same as 2A but with the addition of ensuite access. It also creates another storage area for the laundry/bathroom. However, the view of the toilet is no longer blocked by the door swing. I think i prefer this design to 2A.


DESIGN 3A
Pros:
- Very small footprint
- Lots of storage and shelving areas
- Hidden laundry
- Toilet is pushed back into the wall and is not as noticable
- bathroom basin and mirror located opposite door
- Further (removable?) storage could be added above the W/M if no dryer is required
- Kitchen island creates a more sociable space
Cons:
- No easy access to bathroom from bedroom


DESIGN 3B
Same as 3A however access to to bedroom is now closer to the bathroom. The W.I.R has been widened in order to retain storage space and to allow for the door.


Click on pictures to enlarge.

Scale will be incorrect as pics were converted to jpeg format.

Brooke Street House - James Russell Architect

Found this house in an old issue of Green Magazine. The site is an old carpark with buildings built up to the boundaries on either side. The site has limited frontage and is also located in between 2 major roads. So in terms of the site, it is pretty similar to the current project. Interesting use of carparking underneath, although I'm not sure if this would be allowed in our project. I thought it was a nice design - it used recycled materials, and incorporated a small courtyard in the centre of the residence. The slatted timber at the front ensures privacy but lets enough light into the living room (check pic on website below). I couldnt find any pictures on the internet of it, but the rear of the house it pretty much all glass, which I think works pretty well in this instance. I also like the use of that raised section at the front to bring in more light. Thats the sort of idea we were trying to get at with our brainstorming.

James Russell Architect

Site Photo

Smithsonian Institute Canopy - Norman Foster

I came across Norman Foster's canopy addition to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. Thought it was a nice solution to the natural lighting problem and kind of relevant to the current project. It's not particularly suited to the brief though.