With the next review moved to Monday, it is important that, as a studio, we continue advancing the concept and ideas we have developed to date and not let time pass ideally. All three teams have honed in on aspects the initial design ideas shared and how they complemented each other during the individual concept design, as it pertains to those in the same group. As such, each team has begun to develop styles that are very unique and provide three very different design directions for the next round of reviews.
Some of the points our group has focused on are: simplicity of form, archetypal form, repeatability of building members, panelized cladding, and bringing a larger amount of usable space outside of the enclosed structure. This idea of having a structure that somehow interacts with its environment to create an implied space that is larger than the actual enclosure is what we have been focusing on as an overarching idea.
How can a form develop the space around it, and not just inside of it? To test this, we have taken our simple structure and begun to experiment with the ways it interacts with other farm stands at a variety of scales. From being an individual stand, to working in conjunction with multiple. How are the operable portions used to create an authentic yet novel experience that will set the Farmstead apart from a roadside market. A lot of this experience that we want comes, not from the material palette or the structure, but from the way people will interact with it. How can we take the area outside and include it as part of the “inside” of our produce stand?
In addition to this inside-outside interaction our group is playing with, we are at a point where portions of the concept need to be developed more fully. As such, certain areas of the projects are becoming more concrete for groups as they internally agree on issues like structure, ground connection, materials, shelving/display standard, design form, etc… Needless to say, there is much more that will be coming in the next few days as the groups continue progressing. Having teams work on three separate design iterations for the same review should provide plenty of excellent ideas with a variety of directions for the client to react to. I am very excited to see what we can produce over the next few days, and I know y’all are anxious to see it as well. Until next time!