FINAL DRAWINGS

Explanation of my Rooms

"Upon a watchtower, sits a housewife: who with letters from abroad hopes and waits to welcome the author; her husband, home"

Following the narrative of the housewife awaiting her husband, I chose to build a watchtower, as a place where she can look out for him. At the top, you could imagine the scene of Vermeer's painting existing, where this top room is her provate sanctuary, for her to read the letters she recieves, store her belongings, and hold the relics that remind her of her husband. With a downwards curving arch, her view out the window is forced down rather than up, which refelcts her desire to view onto the road for her husband. Below is a open roof top courtyard, where she could sit and wait for him, exposed to the elements she could hear and see him or possibly the postman to arrive. On the otherside is the entry point to the glass tube below, which acts partly as a light tunnel, but on the courtyard it acts as a 'wishing well', symbolising her desire/wishing he'd return. Then below inside the main room, a small space exists for her to sit in more privacy, away from any suggestions of the lonely road where her husband would return.

The bottom half acts much more as a welcoming point for her husband. The cathedral liek triangular would first welcome him there, in a grand gesture. THey would move through this enclosed point to a smaller point which would then open up to the main room, where they would be met wiht a burst of light, and a welcoming glass mounument. Then they'd proceed up the stairs, in a ritual that would begin witha space to dine. This then could proceed to that private small space, where the couple could sit together and converse, and catch-up. However this space could be bi-passed and they could return to the open courtyard, and therefore return to their own lives together, in the openness of the public. Thus here more activites could occur; including reading/writing/eating/create workings/relaxing. THe top room would remain as the lady's personal space, where husband would not enter.

FINAL MODEL

Section

The Tower at Night, shining as a "beacon" to guide the traveller home. The light source is within the glass monument inside. Showing the effect of the light to internal spaces

Tower Development

Building on the Site: on the end of a one street country town, so that the wife has one focus to look down, to wait for her husband.

Section of Sketchup Model, showing stairs/levels and central glass figure.


Precedents

Louis Kahn

I looked at Louis Kahn was a precedent for my building. This is due to initial Gothic inspiration, and then further with trying to exlore use of light and space in building. Yale Centre of British Art
After an initial low roofed area you are lead to a large 3 story square opening; light flowing from above and large concrete sculptural cylinder; where stairs are kept. This was somewhat inspiration for way the main room in my building was entered and experienced.
National Assembly Dacca
The plain flat surface with large standard shaped openings, was an inspiration for my building and creating a sense of monumnetality and grandness; an upwards focusing feeling.

Toyo Ito

Tod's Omotesando Tokyo, Japan

The shape of my building was somewhat derived from my knowing of this photo of the building. The light shining through various sized gaps was also another idea that made me look at this Toyo Ito structure. It shines out and is clearly distinguished from the other ones, inspiring idea of a shining tower acting as a beacon.