Environment Description

Fabricating the Bodo Cultural Centre for Stage One; concluded with solid foundations for a successful environment within Crysis. In order to maintain a coherent submission, we felt that we should identify the significant areas we intend to address for Stage Two. These areas are:

Research and Collabaration
Considering research is an integral part of the design process, we felt that the fabrication process shouldn’t differ. After several attempts to contact the architects to attain any information possible, we were fortunate to finally receive a response from the leading partner of Langdon Reis Zahn Architects, Ross Langdon. The information sent allowed us to further understand this environment holistically.

Context Realisation and Development
Being a highly conceptually motivated building, we have expressed particular efforts in modelling the environment and context of which the Centre belongs. This has delved deeper then just the immediate surrounding buildings. In order to emulate the ‘natural glacial topographies and the rigid city grid’, we have further developed the surrounding roads and walkways, and also the mass housing that is a distinguishing element within Bodo. Furthermore, Bodo does not typically display sunshine and clear skies, so we have conveyed the likely harsh weathers through adjustable elements such skyboxes, fog density, rainfall, ocean colour and positioning of azimuth and altitude of the sun.

Building Realisation and Development
After realising that the forms and masses of the Culture Centre emulate carved forms and a same solid mass; we thought it would be wise to further develop and refine the angular and irregular walls that make up the shell for the Culture Centre. We have managed to accurately emulate the glacial like shells whilst maintaining a sense of fluidity and movement. It is this contrast that the architects envisaged, and now thanks to real-time technology, we have managed to emulate this vision such that it can be practiced through an immersive experience. Through an extensive range of model development, trial and error and research, we have also managed to display the ideology behind ‘the large planar surfaces that include subtle creases and directional lines that relate to views, wind and access to light’. Whilst within our environment the geometries of the buildings create vistas that are almost horizon like.
Furthermore realisations within the floor plans have been implemented. Whilst we did have information that assisted, much of this was done based on educated guesses. The floor plans, along with the interior spaces have been further resolved with close connection to conceptual analysis. Realising the architects intent for design, has allowed us to answer many questions effectively and appropriately.

The architects proposed a tunnel that connects the two main buildings. This feature has been used as an invitation directly to the concert hall behind the library. The tunnel also further develops the notion of circulation and a dynamic synergy within the Centre. These ideas have been successfully implemented in our real-time environment.

The concert hall is intended to be a reflection of the grandeur the Culture Centre upholds. Emulating view points and sights of vision assists in understanding the dialogue between the stage and the audience. The sheer size of both the void and array of seating, assist greatly in conveying the aforementioned.

Interactivity & Artificial Intelligence
The most significant element to any Cultural Centre is how well people can use the spaces created by the forms. We have considered people using our space from a macro perspective (walking through the city) and then from a micro perspective (using the actual Centre). Through artificial intelligence we have been able to analyse and understand the dialogue between The Cultural Centre and the people who use it. This interaction would assist the architects in considering and judging how effective they were in fulfilling the following criteria (for the competition):

· a social, public and communal space;
· a space that connects both the local community and its visitors;
· a space that responds to the expectations and imagination of both the local community and its visitors – tourists and/or migrants;
· a space that enhances the local democratic and social traditions, as well as the natural and pre-existing built environment;
· a space that seeks interaction (open to communal and diverse ranges of activities), playfulness and poetic contemplation
· an accessible space, a place to be proud of and belong to.
· a glistening jewel which plays with the diverse qualities of light in the arctic region and brings the spectacular atmosphere of the northern landscape into the buildings
· an urban project that seeks to create a cultural ecology
· a space intrinsically linked to the sense of human scale, participation and creativity.

Analysis
Finally, we intend on capitalising the use of real-time analysis through analysis. This will allow us to consider elements such as circulation and public verse private areas; along with climatic elements such as wind flow and solar studies.

All quotes have been extracted from landonreiszahnarchitects.com