MA (Interior + Spatial Design)

Throughout the duration of my MA course, I became increasingly intrigued in how we can form a more intimate and thoughtful relationship between the inhabitant and architectural or spatial elements. Through comprehensive research and empirical observations, it brought into focus a plethora of almost unnoticed moments, and the potential of subtle changes that could create major improvements in user experience. Here, came the idea of slightly altering and inspecting two spatial elements - the wall and the terrain - in order to create these personal connections, which later came to be considered as conversations between the individual human and the space through which they move. I argued that we must begin to dissolve spatial estrangement and weave intricate webs of interrelation between the spatial and the social, but too the physiological. We must begin to give glory to the pedestrian as an inhabitant of the city not just for its social or economic benefit, but in recognition that they are the main stage act in the theatre of spatially social intercourse. Though this style of motion and manner of moving through city space is commonly experienced, it can be spatially and socially prosperous when viewed through both the urban and the human lens. Taking these chosen phases of pedestrian transition on the site, Waterloo Station, this project explores ways in which we can spark this conversation between the spatiality and the inhabitant. Touching on elements such as accessibility, this spatial conversation was also aimed to be legible in different forms. In a sense, space should be bilingual in its communication. How can we design space and spatial elements that speak to the city dweller on a more spatially thoughtful, romantic level? It may not be noticed or appreciated by the mass, but for those that do, it is a cloud of companionship full of curiosity and subtle poetic quirk. Let us have walls that emulate the body and terrains that nudge to the wonders of walking. A symbiosis between the writer and the performer, it takes the everyday and creates a literature in the architectural allure.

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Site Plan
Picking apart and examining these pedestrian zones of focus, this piece expresses the foundational ideas to the project. The sectional physiology of the pedestrian, this urge for urban pedestrian prioritisation that is more thoughtfully considered, the coded textural subtleties that lie within these pedestrian zones and conversationally bilingual space that aims to be more diversely legible.
Hatching 3D Elevation
Intrigued by this idea of bilingual spatial communication, this piece explores some of the coded urban floor textures that are commonly met on the commute and how we can again, speak to the inhabitant on a more subtly intimate level.
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Textural Drawing Extrusion
Wanting to present the project ideas through typical architectural drawing, with a twist, this piece is an expressive interpretation of the floor textures that can be found in the city. Throughout the year-long duration of the MA, after a writing task in the first few weeks of the course, I became increasingly interested in what emotive writing alongside a piece of work can do. To provide context but to also elevate the viewers reading of the piece, the drawing is accompanied with a small extract of emotive writing. 
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Body Speaking Wall Models
With two key architectural elements chosen as a focus to spark this spatial conversation - the wall and the horizontal surface - I designed these 'body speaking walls'. After meticulous tests, research and iterations, these two forms were chosen. Intended to be implemented in the transition zones on the site, and with directionality considered, one was designed for 'to work' and the other for 'coming home'. Cut into large plywood sheets, each wall design was handmade into these scaled physical models. Layering and glueing piece by piece, with intricate internal engineering using dowels, a segment of each wall form was crafted.
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THE HAND
THE HAND
THE SHOULDER
THE SHOULDER
           Body Sections        
            Again taking a 'traditional' architectural drawing method, sections, but this time using the human lens, I inspected the designed 'body speaking walls' in               relation to the whole and specific parts of the human body. As it performatively passes by in its pedestrian stride, interacts with the architectural element                on a daily basis, could we imagine this intricately woven and deepened spatial interrelation between the person and the architectural entity/wall? 
The Architectural Braille Handbook
This handmade book is a complimentary tactile guide to the redesigned exterior pedestrian space on the site, Waterloo Station. Digitally modelled using ones own bodily imprints, the horizontal surface is wrinkled and subtly undulated to awaken a more unique mode of pedestrian motion. Embossing the paper with a 3D printed model of the terrain space + hand punching Braille text, this accessible guide was created.
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Projection Film Stills
To further explore the physiology and motional form of the pedestrian, this film was created. Projected onto the hand crafted wooden wall models, this moving image piece further explored the relationship between the inhabitant and the form of these designed 'speaking walls'.
CRITICAL RESEARCH PAPER
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