Project 1 Part C :: Application - Finished Design

During the task of designing a holiday cabin for Architecture Owen and Vokes, The Newmarket house designed by Owen and Vokes was used an exemplar as shown previously.  In the final design of the Cabin named The O.V Escape Pad, important design elements from the Newmarket house were incorporated into the cabin.  The O.V Escape Pad meets the criteria of being a house that contained human activity, created delight and was an environmental filter as shown in the following paragraphs.

Human Activity

The layout of the house has been designed specifically to incorporate human activity.  On entering the house, guests can immediately identify the main ‘public’ area of the house which is placed in the centre of the house, facing the courtyard.  The living area and the kitchen have been placed at two corners both facing each other, making it easier for conversation to occur between these two areas.  The dining room has been placed outside, in the courtyard to submerge the residents in nature.  Bringing this domestic space into the courtyard also ties the interior and exterior space together and blurs the boundaries.  

Private areas such as the bedroom and reflecting area has been placed on the western side of the site as it is the most quiet and private area on the site.  The abluting space (bathroom) as well as the laundry cupboard has been placed in between the public and private spaces so that when guests are over, they do not invade the owner's personal areas yet is easy to get to from the bedroom.  Lastly, the studio is placed closest to the main road in a glass box, separate from the rest of the house.  Here the architect can be kept away from the distractions of the activities of the house. 

Sense of Delight

The sense of delight created in the cabin was largely influenced by the form of the Newmarket House and can be seen by the use of repetitive, simple geometric shapes pared with the smooth white walls resembling the art deco style.  Concrete floors have also been used to create a natural essence and accentuating the cabin as a shelter. 

A main aspect of the sense of delight is created by the framing of exterior spaces.  The reflecting area and the courtyard both resemble the Newmarket House’s ‘outdoor room’, as the walls containing these areas have been ‘eroded’ and transformed into dwarf walls which allow for quiet and calming views of greenery provided by Kulgan Park.  In addition, the spaces are all placed in a specific way to take advantage of the views provided by the courtyard and the greenery surrounding the site.  For example, the sofa in the living area is positioned so that it views the courtyard and the L shaped bench top of the kitchen faces both Kulgan Park and the courtyard. 

The secluded placement of the studio allows for the architect to be immersed in the landscape of the Victoria golf club and exposed to the urban life evident on Victoria Park Road.  Delight can also be experienced by the public in the studio space because while being exposed to his surroundings, the public can also enter the house and view the architect’s work as bi fold doors are used as an alternative entrance straight into the studio. 

Environmental Filter

The aspects of environmental filtering the house exhibits have been heavily influenced by the analysis of the location of the site as shown previously.  For example, the house has been split up into two main areas; the studio and the public space and as a result, both of these spaces are able to be flooded with the morning sunlight as shown in the sections. This then reduces the need for unnecessary electrical lighting during the day.  The cabin is also designed to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the year through passive design.  For example, the bedroom has been placed on the western side as it is the coolest position within the boundaries due to the fact that there will soon be a 10 storey building behind, which will block out the afternoon sun. 

 

The design has also addressed the wind which flows through the area as demonstrated in Wind Diagram 1.  Due to the fact that the site is half surrounded by built up areas, most of the wind is forced to squeeze through the buildings from the south west and towards the north east.  The building has been designed so that maximum ventilation can flow through the entirety of the cabin (both interior and exterior); there have been large windows and open walls placed on the north and south faces of the site.  Wind Diagram illustrates the occasional possible wind flows coming from northeast and proves that the house will be able to cope with versatile changes in wind directions which may occur throughout the year, thereby, making the cabin a wonderful escape for the architect all year round.  There are also louvers located at the top of the raised roof at the entrance as seen in the perspectives of the proposed building.  These can be opened through the use of a turn wheel positioned at human height.  This allows hot air to escape while also allowing cool air to enter as well.