Architect's Cabin
The design qualities of Dunbar have directly influence my design for Architects Cabin. I took inspiration from Dunbar's spatial qualities between public and private sectors of the house as well as its ability to constitute the natural environment into the built environemnt. Outlined below are a series of sketches and diagrams that make up my design thought process, followed by a set of plans for the proposed cabin and a detailed description of its design principles.
. . . .
A Series of Plans
A house as an Environmental Filter- The proposed site for 'Architects Cabin' is located at Kelvin Grove Urban Village. Kelvin Grove Urban Village is a master-planned community situated approximately 2kms from Brisbane's CBD. In designing for the environment it was firstly important to recognise the subtropical climate inwhich the proposed site is situated. Subtropical zones are proned to hot-wet summers and moderately cool winters. Architects Cabin has been designed specifically for the subtropical agenda. It's design offers its occupants protection from both the sun and the rain whilst holding true to the value of openess and an engagement with nature.
The orientation of Architects Cabin is directed along the north-west to south-east axis, exposing its longest surface prodominately towards the suns path. With long roof eaves together with adjustable window shades on the north-east and a covered balcony to the north-west the cabin is fully protected from the unwanted solar gain that the subtropical summer has to offer. For the winter, the cabin is fitted with brick and concrete render walls which act as a thermal mass working to retain heat from the low winter sun before gradually dispursing it into the cabin's interior. Further to this, each room within Architect's Cabin promotes a natural cross-ventilation from its multiple openings including the internal courtyard breeze. Natural daylight it also penetrated throughout the cabin via the design of the glass ceiling that works to minimise electricity usage whilst still minimising direct solar gain.
A house as a container of human activities- Like Dunbar, Architects Cabin has the ability to act as a host to a range of activities whilst maintaining the function to compact into a small family home for two. This is made possible through the open-plan living design between the main social areas of the cabin including a retractable wall that connects to the internal courtyard. An open-plan living approach is appropriate to the long narrow site as it allows for each space to become continous by leading into the next space. Privacy is offered to its occupants with rooms that remain purposefully seperated from the rest of the cabin. This includes the bedroom and the working studio, both which are only excessable via a single set of stairs. The working studio in submerged slightly into the ground and contains only high window openings. This further increases the rate of privacy whilst still allowing the occupant panaromic views into the cabin's internal courtyard and out to Kulgun Park and the interactive social strip. Architects Cabin has been design specifically for the choosen exemplar architect and their partner, acknowleding the need for an adaptable atmosphere that accommodates for both the social and private aspects of their lives.
A house is a delightful experience- The experience of Architects Cabin starts at the very beginning. The journey to the front door entrance consists of a series of sharp changes in direction aswell as a change in floor level height. Almost automatically the observer is forced to become a participant and they have only reached the front door. As the front door opens up in connects directly with views into the distant courtyard . Whilst the particpate works their way through to the "bigger element" they are slightly distracted by the elongated views out to Kulgun Park on the left side. The long shape of the cabin helps to draw out this journey as a series of downward stairs work to heighten the ceiling level as well as the anticipation into the internal courtyard. With the retractable wall fully folded away the line between the built environment and the outside natural environment becomes unclear. Eventually the participant steps out onto the grass of the courtyard an takes a moment to adjust to the fact that they still remain inside the perimeter of the cabin walls. The courtyard offers the mothership of experience opening up directly into Kulgun Park and lined with a series of large trees, it offers a place to sit in the shade to relax and reflect.
The End.