Urban Housing and Barras Complex
AB317: Urban Housing: "Terpsichore” -
On this project, I aimed to create a housing block focused on dancers and performers in the South part of a wider master plan in the Candleriggs site in Merchant Square downtown Glasgow.
"Dance is a form of artistic and athletic expression which generally refers to the movement of the body, usually rhythmic and in accordance with the music."
Dancers communicate and express different emotions through their body. The housing block offers communal spaces like dance studios, practice rooms for people that come from the same background to interact. It also offers a physiotherapy centre that provides help and relief of muscle pain with chill baths or massage rooms and a central stage on the ground floor for workers to perform and provide entertainment, while being in a safe place. When studying this user group I divided them into 3 categories. People that lived alone or travelled and were looking for a temporary stay, couples with kids or single parents with a child and finally people living by themselves. Living in a co-housing environment can help in maintaining mental health and well-being.
AB318: Undergraduate Thesis: "Barras Complex" -
This project was focused on the design of a performance space in the Barras area in Glasgow. The site we were given was pretty interesting with the Pipe Factory buildings standing out the most to me. I focused on the two buildings on the South part that were away from the residential parts of the site and had nicer views like the Barras Gate and St. Luke's. By having a multipurpose building more daily life would be brought to Moncur street as well. "PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW" could be by connecting sports and culture and thus creating unique spaces. Following this idea and developing it further, I provided spaces such as galleries, interactive museums, cafes and extreme sports arenas where people could come together.
AERIAL VIEW- URBAN HOUSING
A critical factor of the dancer's everyday life is time. Many performers need to travel long distances to get to their practice areas or dance studios. The need for a multipurpose building led to the design proposal to have communal spaces, stages and even a terrace for people to calm down and take a break. The green rooftop is also used to bring more greenery to the site and upgrade it. It connects the proposal design with the East and West side proposals.
FRONT ELEVATION AND SECTION A- URBAN HOUSING
The existing stone facade of the 144 Trongate building has a significant pattern on the windows and the design of the proposal facade follows it, giving the impression of a smooth transition between the old and the new building. Likewise, in "Done Space" in Edinburgh by Malcolm Fraser the existing facade will be reused and repaired. The entrances on the ground floor are kept the same to give a feeling of grand access. Section A shows the cut on the main communal spaces used for practice, as the ballet and yoga areas. Creating an atmosphere that improves concentration and productivity is essential for a practice room.
EXTERIOR VIEW- PERFORMANCE SPACE
This project is targeted at people active in the field of sports and culture, all in one multipurpose building in the Barras area in Glasgow. In the past years and due to climate change, indoor snow sports have grown around the world. Indoor ski facilities do not rely on weather conditions making them easier for people to use. Working with an existing structure has several possibilities but also needs to be treated with respect, concerning the history and atmosphere behind it. One objective of this project is to make available spaces, where opportunities for face to face interaction between the people using the complex and the design elements of the cultural world are given. There are not many boundaries between sports and culture as both equally focus on the physical and spiritual world of a person.
EAST ELEVATION- PERFORMANCE SPACE
The east elevation shows the different existing window types and patterns that keep the history. During the developments, glass facades were introduced as the main elements of the exterior walls. The transparency of the high glazed barrier facade creates enclosed spaces with enough light and views to the outside. People tend to think that Glasgow is too conservative and prefers to follow old design patterns rather than bringing in modern ones.
WEST ELEVATION- PERFORMANCE SPACE
The west elevation shows the relationship of solid and void between the proposal and the surrounding buildings of Barras.
SECTION B- PERFORMANCE SPACE
The main performance areas are shown in detail as well as the internal balcony on the second floor. Ground Floor- Curling space First Floor- Skiing simulator Second Floor- Main seating area with internal balcony Third & Fourth Floor- Rock climbing space Areas with an adventurous atmosphere is a must when dealing with extreme sports.
INTERIOR VIEW, SKIING AREA- PERFORMANCE SPACE
To understand better the movement of skiers on slopes, I compared them with people on rollercoasters. Movement is never horizontal or vertical- but both at the same time. The ski simulator slope opens up to the second floor, where there is seating around the internal balcony so people can enjoy the show.
INTERIOR VIEW, CLIMBING AREA- PERFORMANCE SPACE
INTERIOR VIEW, CURLING- PERFRORMANCE SPACE
CULTURAL STUDIES- URBAN HOUSING
Terraced Houses are significant and need to be treated with respect, as they form the foundation of cheap housing in Glasgow since the 1960s. People’s history is written in these houses and should not be kept and hidden away.
CULTURAL STUDIES- URBAN HOUSING
The image shows the awful, poor conditions people lived under in the 60s and 70s. Kids playing outside with dirt or working to help their unemployed families, while their houses were getting demolished and replaced by Tower Blocks. The wall on the back is basically the thin line that divides the past with the future.
CULTURAL STUDIES- URBAN HOUSING
People were under poverty conditions, lived under gang violence and worried about losing their homes. The whole era of the demolition of Terraced Housing seems like a chess game, with the bulldozers being the pawns of the rich.