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...