Reflective Journal

 

 The Truffle House

This structure has been built over time by nature and the forces of the earth, this is how such a natural shape has been achieved. The Truffle is a piece of nature built with earth, full of air. A space within a stone that sits on the ground and blends with the territory. It camouflages, by emulating the processes of mineral formation in its structure, and integrates with the natural environment.

NYC Apartment 

One of the main issues with flats in inner cities such as New York City as this one is, is the amount of natural light being let in to the space. This apartment only has windows at two sides of the apartment meaning the large communal area is dark and dingy, to get around this a glowing green cube has been positioned in the room emitting light round the space but also creating a small interior cubed room.






This is the interior space the large cubed light creates. The structure is also functional in that it created a book shelves and storage. This is the users get away space where they can either be alone or have company.










ROtated

'rotatED' has been developed as a single modular entity capable of being turned on any of its seven sides to create an outdoor place with infinite possibilities for activities such as play, learning and performance within a sheltered, natural environment.



Graham Edwards, Divisional Director at 3DReid, said: "The concept has been developed in response to feedback from pupils, staff and stakeholders seeking quality outdoor space that promotes healthy living, environmental awareness, social interaction and opportunities for personal development. The simplicity of this creative and flexible design enables pupils and staff to use and personalise the space in various ways to suit their needs. No two 'rotatED' will be the same." (http://www.e-architect.co.uk/concept/rotated.htm)















This is a pice of interactive architecture that reacts to human movement. It achieves this though the aid of 10000 fiberoptic sensors that monitor movement. This is meant to replicate the workings of the human lungs contracting and expanding.

Multifunctional Furniture and Interiors

In todays society living and working in small spaces in the city is becoming increasingly relevant, with the use of multi functional interiors we are able to design functionally interesting spaces, where depending on the required function the room/space can take a different form.

Boxetti are a company that have created a stylish and sleek interior. When none of the items such as the sofa, tele, bed or kitchen area are not in use the user can store them away so the unit doesnt look like a functional space. To use the sofa you have to remove part of the section to reveal the seating area, the bit your remove can be used as the coffee table so there is no waste, if you take a part out it can be used somewhere else in the space.

This smart seating arrangement has been designed to suit many needs. Twenty different arrangements can be created depending on the functionality the user wants from the space. It can be made in to a small eating area for children to storage area and play space.

Diagrams showing how the above furniture can be set up in multiple ways depending in the function needed at that time.

Another example of a modular seating system that applies to an older generation, each individual slab of wood can be reversed 90 degrees, turning the seat upside down creating a flat working space, another benefit some people may find with this bench is you could make it so no one could sit straight next to you.

Autodesk Office

The Autodesk office defiantly reflects the same amount of detail as their software does. Both open plan large meeting rooms are included in the design. The use of internal cubes are a great way to create small meeting rooms with added privacy, also break up a large open space, often an atrium space.






A large void has been created to allow for a four story atrium to be created in the existing build and a sky light allows natural light in.

A wooden geometric structure has been designed any manufactured to weave through the space joining the different areas, the wooded feature connects different floors winding down walls, along roofs and emerging on other floors.

Google Headquaters

 

Google might be the epitome of hi-tech cool - but it's new London HQ is a mix of the old and the new.

A gym, relaxation rooms and even - at a stretch - a massage parlour and dance studio are the sort of uber-posh additions you might expect at the multi-billion dollar firm's new offices in Covent Garden.

But architects Penson also added some rather eccentric touches in a huge nod to all things typically British.

Furthermore the overall look and feel of the building was designed to reflect the nature of the future occupants of the building: young start-ups who are just about to kick off their careers rather than well established corporate companies. By stripping back the building to its core, exposing all services, revealing the existing structure of ceiling slabs and columns and combining this with utilitarian and inexpensive materials such as linoleum and plywood a raw aesthetic has been created not dissimilar to a garage or workshop.

The design challenge was to take an unprepossessing seven-storey office building and to create an interplay between dynamic, open, social spaces and more intimate working hubs, with flexibility to accommodate a shifting workforce and a diverse program of events. "Granny Flat" area is kitted out with rocking chairs and cosy vintage furnishings.

Albert Square legend Arthur Fowler would be blown away by the allotment space where Google employees can grow their own herbs and vegetables, while the Famous Five would enjoy tucking into scones with lashings of cream and homemade lemonade in the "Secret Garden" on the roof.

And there is even a "Town Hall’ meeting room which seats up to 200 people.

Thomas Heatherwick TED Talks

http://www.archdaily.com/architecture-ted-talks/

In this very interesting episode of TED talks Thomas Heatherwick talks us through some of the design process he uses to create both his revolutionary products and awe inspiring architecture. He explains projects from a folding bridge, the bridge explores a new way of constructing retractable bridges that do not 'break' when folded away, to Long Champs flagship store design that is design concept was a unique       hand bag designed by the company that zips out to 1 long continuous piece of fabric.