Unit 1 Project 1 Reflection

Floor Plan Design

My design incorporates a live-work studio for my client and his collection which involves growing native plants and studying them, specifically from Surrey where he grew up. He transforms them into green walls and other green installations all to promote nature into interiors and the built environment. He does this outside his space, so my client focuses on growing and cultivating the plants himself.

Client Profile

My space is divided into two, the left as his living and right as his work space with 2 access doors on either side. This separation allows my client to freely come into his work space from the outside without spoiling his living space with dirt and other contaminants from the plants and outdoors. I have provided a space for my client to grow his plants with shelving racks with artificial lights along the right side of the room since there are three large south facing bay windows. I have created a plant unit in the centre which incorporates a built-in sofa, sink and desk study which acts as a tunnel between the two spaces. This allows my client to have a direct connection with his work but also live within it. Since he has a passion with plants and with regards to nature having a positive impact on our well-being, it only seemed fit to have the collection worked within the space and not have it segregated.

Rashid Johnson, Plateau

The plant unit also utilises layering with hollow cubes inspired by the artist Rashid Johnson. This ties in with the tiered system in my previous study of the Glossier seating area. I have included a bedroom and W/C mezzanine unit for space-saving, inspired by the use of levels in the Yurikugo House. The raised plants and bedroom allows my client to have an immediate view of his collection and this maintains relevance with the way he peacefully lives with his plants and his practice of promoting awareness of nature around us.

Elevation
Elevation Collage
Hand drawing of my space, Scale 1:20

I found drawing my space by hand and to scale of 1:20 really helped me set out my initial layout and how I wanted to divide up the space. This tool really aided me in finding the correct proportions of my live-work ratio in relation to the room and it is something I will be taking on forward in future projects and my career.

H&T Project 1 Studies

Yurikago House in Barcelona, designed by Mas-aqui

This semi-basement apartment has been renovated with the use of half levels, utilising the height of the house. It has created more space on the upper storey and the levels are connected by small steps and internal stairs. It uses a mezzanine with a wooden slatted structure to let light to flood through. And the living room is raised with a tall arched window. I feel this will influence my project as I have tall arched windows surrounding my room which I could fully utilise by bringing the floor levels up to reach this window height as my client grows plants, this could be very beneficial for them.

Newry House by Austin Maynard Architects, Melbourne

Austin Maynard Architects works within the narrow space with the addition of a raised indoor bed beneath a skylight that sits above the dining area. A range of species are planted in the bed including a philodendron and ferns which creates a leafy border and a living backdrop to the built-in dining room. It has a greenhouse-like/conservatory effect, blurring the lines between the indoors and outdoors. This will help my project as I also explore this concept of building my client’s collection of plants within the way he lives and uses the space.

Communal seating area in Glossier Seattle, 2019

This seating area is designed to look like a terraced landscape or a set of hills, which is portrayed by stacking layers of thin cushions covered in green surfaces of leather and fabric. This could be an inspirational design for my project as I would like to incorporate my client’s work of growing plants into the space by stacking cube structures in this layout. The cubes will hold the plants so it will be very similar to the green layered design here.