The Opposite House Hotel Restaurant Design.

This restaurant design in the Opposite Hotel in Beijing reminded me of a piece in the Susan Hiller Exhibition and I thought it was an interesting technique the designers used when considering the lighting. Because the lights are all positioned at different levels, it makes the room more spatially interesting and it also makes use of the ceiling height, which is something I must consider when designing.

Via.

The Coat Hooks.

Some research into interesting coat hooks to for inspiration when designing the cloak-room:

1) The use of hands as a means of communicating emotions and messages is widespread and instantly recognisable.

These hands grow from the wall in a series a familiar gestures portraying welcome, pleasure, farewell and indeed hostility to create wall art or somewhere for your coats to call home

Via.

2) These Sparrow Hooks give a decorative lift to the conventional coat hook, and look equally good perched on their own!Each set features two hooks. To attach to a wall the branch insert is screwed on to a wall and the branch inserted over so no fixings are shown. The Sparrow Hook is then inserted into the branch to secure the whole thing.A great design to bring you one step closer to nature Sparrow Hooks are available in green, pink and white.

Via.

3) Designed by Seletti, the Hamlet coat hook can be fixed to the wall to save on floor space.

Via.

4) The 'Six Coat Stand' is made from six precision-formed segments. There are six hooks facing inwards and six more hanging points at the top of the segments, giving this coat stand a large capacity as well as a compact footprint.

Via.

5) The Giant Paperclip would make an interesing contrast in scale.

 Via.

6) 'Rack Oh Deer Antler Coat Hooks'

Via.
 

7) An assortment of coat hook/coat stands

Via.

8) A natural, tree inspired coat hook, the giant fly could inspire the idea of changing scale.

Via.

The Merry-Go-Round Coat Rack

Described as a "spatial ballet for coats," the Merry-Go-Round can be found at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, the Dutch port's History of Art museum.

It was designed by Studio Wieke Somers, the Merry-go-round is attendant free. It works via a hook and pulley system – whereby the visitors to the museum simply hang their coats on a hanger and use a pulley in the middle to hoist it up into the air.

Entrance to the Coat-Room.

The coat can then be kept safe with the use of a lock and key.

Via.

The Visit to Shunt.

Just a quick post about the visit to Shunt Lounge off Bermondsey Street.

© Genevieve Edelmann

It was an interesting start to the project because it defined the idea of working with a performance structure and constructing/designing it to fit into a given space so that it provided an area for the performers, seating for the audience, refreshment area etc which were all aspects to consider when designing a public performance space.

Although initially, I found it hard to be inspired by the visit, however, looking back to it I believe that my initial idea for creating a space for the user to move around in was subconsciously inspired by my visit to Shunt. This is because the artists decided to create a space for the audience to move through in in order to view the different performances that are taking place throughout the massive three-storey structure.

'As the audience is led inside, the action starts to unfold around, above and below them, revealing a world on the brink of collapse...' via.

The key element is that performances are taking place all around the audience, consequently making the space a much more interesting place to be in and move around.

An aspect I can refer back to when designing my own space is how the audience views the different performances (through glass, looking up, looking down, through doors etc.) and how they access them (steps, doors, windows, mirrors etc) making it so different to the conventional method of viewing a performance. In some ways it can be said that the structure itself is more of a performance than the activities that take place within it...

http://www.shunt.co.uk/
http://www.shuntmoney.co.uk/

The Tutorial 25.03.11

Notes I took from the tutorial with tutors on the 25^th

I had somewhat come to a halt with designing because I was struggling with the concept of working ‘spatially’ and I felt that I had lost my intention for the project. I was beginning to feel uninspired and stuck…

What does it mean to ‘design spatially’? What is ‘Spatial Design’?

            Spatial Design: It concerns the relationship of people to environments - how do people move and interact with the space?

The notion of design and spatial (space)

The notion that people, design and environments are all connect together is the primary idea behind spatial design.  It represents an active response toward the creation of efficiently operating environments that serve the purposes and needs of people. 

Via.

Therefore, it suggests that I need to explore the emotions I want the customer to feel as they are moving throughout my space and start designing what the room looks like and the type of things that will go inside it.

How can I create innovative and interesting spaces without sticking to the original/given layout of the three tunnels?

            It was suggested that I tear pieces of paper (that are roughly to scale) to create ‘spaces’ or ‘rooms’ and arrange those different pieces to form new layouts.

Other things to consider:

• When arranging/designing rooms that require pipes or water connections (i.e. toilets or kitchens), these should all be placed on similar walls to avoid having piping all over the room.

• I need to clarify the ‘story’ of my restaurant, by illustrating through words/drawings/collage/photos etc what is happening in each tunnel and how the customer moves throughout.

• I also need to take into consideration how the space is used by the passer by, the waiter, the chefs and the customers. How do these people move about the space? How do they feel when moving through? How does the space affect the way the user moves?

• Spatially I need to consider levels, so that the activity is not concentrated to the floor of the tunnel; this could be achieved through the use of ramps, slides, stairs etc

With thanks to Harriet for making a clear initial ‘To Do’ list, to help me focus on what I should be aiming to achieve:

*Design arrival point to the building

*Design arrival point to the restaurant (tunnels)

*Think about the journey around the space

*Think about the idea as a sequence of events of experiences, rather than a stage set.

The Brillare Dining and Party Space

Forgot to publish this post.

Whilst doing research for dining spaces, I came across a Japanese dining and party space that was designed as an addition to the Risonare Wedding Resort. 

I was initially drawn to it because of the long dining tables which are reminiscent of the Mad Hatter's Tea party and I wanted to incorporate an element of nature (perhaps continuing this from the previous project?) whereby the building would have a 'natural' flow to it and this building is surrounded by trees and contues the natural patterns for the interior design, thus creating an a smooth flow from the outside elements that are reflected in the mirrored outer walls, to the interior which incorporates a botanically-inpired ornamental pettern that stretches the length of the ceiling. 

What is really interesting about this room is that it is designed around the 18m long table, that seats 44 people. This table gradually becomes narrowaer towards the end, which allows the person who is seated at the head of the table to see everyone, and as a restult it creates the illusion that the table seems to go on forever. This is something I will want to consider when designing my own space in order to incorporate the idea of altered or distored perspactive and also the theme of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party whereby everyone is seated at the same table.  

   

Via.

Klein Dytham Architecture

The Anthony McCall Exhibition.

© Genevieve Edelmann

 

Earlier in the week I decided to visit the Anthony McCall ‘Vertical Works’ Exhibition, which I found to be an incredible experience. His work was so much more than ‘four light installations in a big dark room’; I thought I was amazing how he managed to create an incredible sense of space through the simple and minimal use of light and smoke. McCall manages to evoke a sense of intrigue because of the delicate barriers or ‘walls’ that he creates, it would suggest that one is stepping into another room, however, these walls can be broken so easily, it becomes almost unnerving when you walk into the smoke screen.

The Food.

Taking into consideration the Channel 4 programme ‘Heston’s Feasts’ I feel that I can maintain the idea of an entertainment space in a restaurant by creating a sense of a ‘performance’ through the way the food is cooked and presented.

The first episode of the programme focused on the Victorian period, a decadent era fuelled by absinthe, opium, and prostitution, or as Blumenthal calls it, an era "filled to the brim with invention, madness, and above all, imagination…” and he takes his inspiration from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland.

He uses the basis of this story to stage the Mad Hatter's Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland, creating dishes such as ‘Mock-Turtle Soup’ and ‘Mad Hatter Tea’. This began as the rabbit’s gold watch, over which was poured boiling water that dissolved into a broth and was consequently poured over the ox tongue and a turnip and swede puree.

The Rabbit's Gold Watch

via.

The Wonderland.

Drawing on the idea of Surrealism and taking in to consideration the variety of people who pass through my site on a regular basis (young children and families), I have decided to use elements from the story ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to create an interactive and entertaining dining space. Because I have chosen a site with three tunnels I feel that I should make use of the separation and create three different dining sections for the starter, main course and desert. As a result of the separation, the idea is that the diners enter the first tunnel to have their starter and then after a set amount of time all the diners then get up and move to the next tunnel to have their main course and again, after a set time, they all move to the final tunnel to finish the dining experience and have desert; consequently creating a ‘performance’ will involve the diners…

I will have to take into consideration how people currently use the tunnels, because the tunnels act as a pedestrian passageway from one side of the bridge where there is housing and parking, to the other which leads onto a main road and a pub.

As a result, I intend to create a space for pedestrians to pass through that will link in with the theme of Alice in Wonderland/Surrealism and the space will have the potential for the passers by to see through into the restaurant, therefore making the pedestrians the audience and the diners the ‘performers’.

To be continued...

The Surreal Experience.

Having been inspired by Tom Dixon’s innovative, ‘surprising and obscure’ restaurant and ‘entertainment experience’ for the Circus, I decided to draw on the idea of surrealism because I am interested in exploring the use of dreamlike and nonsensical imagery and ideas in order to create a space that feels as if it is just an illusion.

“Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur”

via. The Persistence of Memory (1931) by Salvador Dali

Surrealism is about deceiving the viewer, and presenting a visual description of a space that is so artificial and incomprehensible that the viewer cannot believe what they are seeing. This is something I plan on considering when designing in order to combine my two ideas of creating a dramatic and enigmatic space for people to be in.

Whilst Surrealism is heavily connected to the world of art and literature, I decided to research its effects on architecture in the hope that I will be inspired by some existing buildings.

via. The Surrealist Movement and its Influence on Modern Architecture by David Poole

‘The architectural forms of Gaudi, Le Corbusier (with his Chapel at Ronchamp) and Frank Gehry all…take cues from a variety of organic forms found in nature. It’s likely these architects were responding to works by artists like Dali, De Chirico, Ernst, as well as many others in the surrealist movement.’

   

“Indeed, the Surrealist movement included no architects, with the exception of Frederick Kiesler... Kiesler’s exploration of egg-shaped, womb-like constructions such as his Endless House, certainly resonates with Surrealist preoccupations with intra-uterine spaces…”     via. Fantasy Space: Surrealism and Architecture

via

 via

via

Having looked into the work of Frederick Kiesler I feel that I have been inspired to incorporate the notion of creating a a free-flowing space into my own work, because my site currently consists of three separate tunnels and I would like to achieve a space that flows from one room to the other:  “…his house was to be "endless like the human body—there is no beginning and no end.”

The Susan Hiller Exhibition.

A performance based artist whose work includes installation, video, photography, performance and writing. It was useful to explore the work of an artist who exploits the concept ‘performance space’ her work uses a range of media which was another interesting element to consider. 

'The exhibition will focus on Hiller's interest in the subconscious or unconscious mind, whether in the form of dreams and memories or as supernatural or visionary experiences.'  - Tate Britain.

Spatially, I thought this was a very provocative piece that was pretty unnerving because of the way the difference voices overwhelmed you as you walked through the room, passing the different speakers.

 Tate: Susan Hiller

The Inspiration.

Restaurant. Theatrical.
Cirque Du Soleil?

I remember looking up ‘The Circus Bar & Restaurant’ for a previous project so I decided to revisit it for inspiration…



Designed by Tom Dixon, the Circus Bar and Restaurant is described as a ‘performance restaurant…boast[ing] a stylish surrealist interior…which transports you into a decadent world of glamour and escapism from the moment you enter.’

Now this is exactly what I want to achieve.

I am totally inspired by the way the diners can also become part of the act because they are so close to the performance

image via. The Contemporist

Circus Bar & Restuarant.



The Performance Space.

per·for·mance  (pr-fôrmns)

n.

1. The act of performing or the state of being performed.

2. The act or style of performing a work or role before an audience.

3. The way in which someone or something functions: The pilot rated the airplane's performance in high winds.

4. A presentation, especially a theatrical one, before an audience.

5. Something performed; an accomplishment.

6. Linguistics One's actual use of language in actual situations.

I like to define what it is I am actually employing as the basis of my design concepts. In this case the aim is to design a ‘Performance Space’.

Exploring the idea of a performance, this can encompass anything from music to theatre to street art, etc…

I want to avoid the traditional idea of a ‘performance’ such as a play, a concert or a display of art work. However, as a starting point I want to explore the idea of creating a place that has a sense of drama; a place that has a theatrical element to it that will draw people in.

the·at·ri·cal . THēˈatrikəl

Adjective

1. Of, for, or relating to acting, actors, or the theater: "theatrical productions".

2. Exaggerated and excessively dramatic


I'm not sure how I reached this decision, but I have decided I want to design a restuarant.

The Vaults at Albannach Bar and Restaurant, Trafalgar Sq.

via: Propeller. 

The Site.

© Genevieve Edelmann

I became interested in this site after finding it amongst my photos from a previous project and knew this was the area I would be working on for this project. I was drawn to it because I like the way all three tunnels are connected, but separated at the same time. I think the huge graffiti mural would make an interesting starting point to the idea of a performance space…

The Intervention.

An extract from a lecture I attended a few months ago presented by:
Rare [ www.r-are.net ]
Data Nature [ www.datanature.com ]
MUF art & architecture [ www.muf.co.uk ]
6A architects [ www.6a.co.uk ]
Surface [www.surfacearchitects.com ]

‘…we are interested in discussing differing strategies of INTERVENTION. As designers, we are constantly asked to intervene in a variety of existing systemic, social and architectural contexts. When presented with these situations, we are immediately faced with a number of questions:

• How does one structure an appropriate response to the conditions one is presented with?
• What procedures structure this response?
• How does the pre-existing condition shape and sculpt this response, and to what extent is it dialogical?
• To what extent is an engagement with historical and cultural enquiry appropriate?
• Which layers of material or information become primary working elements as part of a design strategy?
• What becomes masked, what is erased, and what is retained?
• To what extent are the decisions involved ideologically driven?’

These are key questions I have to always consider when working, no matter what the project requires. As a Interior and Spatial student I aim to explore methods of recieving new programmes of habitation and how people respond to those spaces. I also intend to explore what those space have to offer, i.e. pleasure, commodity...ultimately I have to strive to find the answer to those questions.

Spatial Design:  'the glue that joins traditional built environment disciplines together'

The Creation.

'Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.'  - Salvador Dali

via Mocoloco

This photo by Sarah Hobbs pretty much sums up my attempts at achieving perfectionism. Her carefully staged images serve as a metaphor for the various psychological states of mind, which also include 'Obsessiveness', 'Vanity' and 'Indecisiveness'. 'Untitled (perfectionist)' illustrates the contrast between the, almost unattainable, idealistic tidy stack of paper on the desk and the dissatisfaction that is represented by the pile of paper practically engulfing it.

I don't want to feel like I am doing something that has already been done. I want to break out of the box. I need to break out of the box. I don’t want to believe that perfectionism is unattainable, a challenge yes, but I believe that ‘perfectionism’ is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. I intend to do everything I can in order to start on the long (and possibly never ending) journey and this will be a starting point where I will keep a log of that journey; documenting my struggles and my achievements, my inspiration and my ideas…let the journey begin.