Design Development Brief:

Sketch up Design I In evaluating design solutions for the Lightning man who’s occupation is to install lightning rods. The idea of vertically has been explored, in particular the vertically as it relates to roofing. As you can see from the Sketchup 3d modelling bellow I have used simple expressive triangulated forms to articulate an undulating ground plane. Areas of habitation remain completely horizontal, meaning that all angular planes are planes of transition. The undulating surface washes over chiselled out caverns meaning that roof planes reversed in some situations have become floor planes. The residence is suspended off the ground by four wedge shaped pillars maintaining the angular form of the structure. The main tower has very little use in this design an seems somewhat as an eye saw but uses a carefully angled mirror to reflect the inhabitant of the private room.

The Lightning man has an extremely active working life and efficiency in his home is essential. The house planning has purposely been arranged to emulate a closed circuit of electricity. When navigating through the house the longest travelling to any particular room is half way. This form restricts movement in a mostly singular direction at any one time. This brings to mind a rather interesting analogy of the possibility of “off and on” “positive or negative” entities that could be explored.

Sketch up Design II
The second Sketchup design has moved away from the angular undulating form but has retained a few features of the first. The structure is still suspended from the ground plane but now with the introduction of using the space underneath as a public space in which people can use for shelter or children may play. This structure remains very open in a manner to maintain the feel of being free in open air as if on a roof. This is achieved by the large outside voids and glass atrium located towards the rear of the structure. One of the main new developments is the reflection space situated in the centre of the building on a raised platform. The Mirror suspended off the main tower is only visible from this space. A 1500mm partition draped around the exterior boundary of the building excludes distracting views, providing a private place of reflection without the need to be closed in.

Sketch up – Analogue Design III
The move from digital to analogue proved quiet difficult especially at the form of 1:200. Using the material thickness an altered version of Sketch up Design II the ground plane was simplified into geometric shapes leaving partitions out and focusing more intensely on the structural qualities and basic shapes. The internal programming has been tweaked to become more inviting. One of the main changes was the reflection room. The platform was lowered into the building once again and a multi angled mirror was suspended from the tower that allowed viewing of the sky as well as ones self. This is a poetic gesture of placing ones self in the context of something larger such as the sky or even the cosmos.
Analogue Design IV
The final analogue design I wanted to explore the Sketch up design I further. Using white card I devised a repetitious 2000mm wide (in scale) beam. In the interest of exploring the triangular forms from the first design, this beam was then bent to form a triangular shape when affixed to the ground plane. By altering the length and position of the bend I was able to devise an interesting formation of rooms and transition places. This design still had the circuit arrangement of rooms but now it is becoming less obvious. The tower was changed to a carefully crafted tensile structure with a mirror fixed to the top of it facing down. The roof structure is a draped high density plastic fixed to the exposed roof beams on the model. The form of the model has become more organic in form by becoming fixed to the ground and curved shaped being introduced that was only explored when using the expressive nature of hard modelling.