In Brief:
The winning proposal for STLC Next, Transparence, (re)considers the relationship between spaces for the performing arts, as state-of-the art as they can be, with community life beyond the boundaries and hard delineating edges of the building envelope. It “masterfully brings the theatre to the street, and the street to the theatre – creating in one deft move a seamless theatre and civic space open to the world.” (Meg Graham, Partner, Superkül and Jury Chair).
My involvement with the project was within the fabrication studio. As is typical with all projects within the firm, models provide an additional layer of thinking through ideas in tandem with hand sketches, digital renders, and the planning of spaces as per specific program requirements, and site constraints (shadow planes were a major hurdle). Asides from expressing design intents from the project architect, requirements expressed by the project manager, and ideas proposed by the rendering team, the fabrication studio also had latitude to explore ideas and specific spatial and architectural gestures, as well as, at the direction of the project architect, to propose and test particular moments (such as slab openings and staircases).
openings, stairs, and lilypads
The capacity for vertical circulation, beyond that of simply moving from one elevation to another, has been of particular interest to the firm. Drawing from past projects, stairs and landings (or “lily pads”) encouraged moments for chance encounters, of pause, and of rest in between the life of the building. At the interim presentation, I was asked to experiment with a series of overlapping openings that facilitated a ribbon-like staircase with a series of lily pads, coordinated with spatial gestures expressed in a series of sketches by the architect.
berczy Park
Articulating how the existing park on the north side of Front Street related to the proposed design in the 1:300 model, and explorations on the exterior space adjacent to the west facade of the new art centre, were delegated to the fabrication team. Although the scope of the project did not include for changes to the existing park, communicating the proposals relationship to the park and the proposed exterior theatre through the final physical model were given careful attention.
Sketch by J.M
Final Model
I was involved in the production of an interim model (for the interim presentation), and a final model. My jewellery background served well in the fabrication of the intricate brass components (stairs, balusters, and canopies), in addition to aiding with the production of most of the building components and context buildings.
