The final model of the pop-up structure was made out of balsa wood of sets pieces of different sizes for structure and cladding. At 1:10 scale this model represents the structure and cladding precisely, defining how the actual structure could work. These photos portray the model in its wholeness as well as some of the descriptive details of the building.
To achieve more plausible and practical structure, the form was simplified and the timber structure reduced to straight timber beams. This structure would consist of a dynamic structural framework, with interchangeable configurations of an opened and closed form, and timber cladding. During the night the structure would be folded up with closely laid cladding and side walls of windows and a door. When preparing for sales, the side walls would fold down, under the structure and raise side beams at the front of the structure. Then the cladding could be dragged upwards, leaving empty spaces between the timber slabs and the sides of the structure would fold down into a triangular shape. During the day the kiosks structure would be very open, connecting the inside space with the outside and creating a light weight illusion. I would leave the timber not painted, as the kiosk could function as a canvas itself. To try a pencil, before buying it, to paint something, over time becoming a metaphorical symbol of time. When this pop-up structure would need to be transported, it could be folded down onto itself, as it consists of one size rigid structural elements mostly.
To further understand my imagined structure and to construct it in more precision I took my sketches on board and dove into Rhinoceros. First I drew up a front elevation of the open form, a broken up triangle constructed from connected timber slabs, their ends showing in the elevation. After that I transferred the number of slabs onto the same closed elevation. Starting to think about, how these forms would transform from one to the other and back, I thought about where the material form one of the forms would go in the other. A fold up counter and a shading would be the main parts of the transformation, all the other material from the closed form, might be set up as stools and tablets when not needed in the open form.
Later I explored the options of the whole form, bending the timber slabs by their wider side to achieve sloped sides to the shape. After putting a fair amount of thought in to, how could each of the design ideas evolve, what could they fit in themselves, and what could they mean, I chose to develop the idea of the pencil.I thought of a structure of two forms. One a pyramid, open, a display itself, would allow the salesman to move from one side of the shape to the other, communicating, and the sloped sides of it would be a shelf for the products, as well as a resting spot. The timber slabs could be drawn and painted on, pined up on, becoming a celebration of time, maybe, a piece of art itself. Second form of this structure would be a rectangle. Closed up to the outside, calm, allowing rest. Simple and optimal in space, it would allow minimal use of material to achieve maximal size. I started to figure out, what should be the dimensions of the shape and what timber slabs they could be made out of. As a part of trying to understand the form and function of this concept, I analysed the site, Victoria Square. I thought of how people move through it, where they can sit down, to rest, I thought about interest point near by and which plausible locations would be better visible from all angles. I put the pop-up location options near bigger junctions of routes people take and resting points. The most successful location for my pop-up would be near these routes, but not in the way of them. An arts supply shop is a subtle experience, I fell like it should have a certain amount of intimacy. It does not need to scream, advertise it self, it just needs to be there.
After having done the cut&fold only model making, sketching a few of those and imagining spaces inside them, after Rhino explorations and making shelters from broom sticks and warping paper (blog post on which following the link bellow) we were introduced to the Project 4 brief. Our task is to use all of the work done and knowledge gained in the pre-project task, and design a timber pop-up structure, which would work both as a kiosk to sell goods from and a shelter, to pass a night in. We had a choice of site for the pop-up to be designed in between busy spaces in Birmingham, from which I chose Victoria Square, very much a heart of Birmingham's culture, from which the lively streets, veins, expand. Another choice we had to make was what was going to be the product, or product range sold in the pop-up. I had two immediate ideas, things I would like to be the seller of: candy or arts supplies. The two kinds of shops I can spend irrational amounts of time in, adoring the products. I went for art supplies. This choice corresponds to the choice of site, after wondering the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, get yourself a pencil, a piece of paper and create art yourself. Or feel the buzz of New Street echoing the gracious shapes of it, and then document it. The kiosks range of products would not be refrained by classical tools of visual arts, it would sell film cameras for rapid capturing and supplies of musicians. Some refreshments would also be available, for when making art becomes physically tiring. Three concept ideas emerged, two of which based on the shapes form pre-project. One, the pencil, a triangular shape, like the tip of a pencil, other, a paper ship like shape, another, a super-size arts supply box. All of these ideas were connected by the notion of motion, changeability. One shape, space whilst selling, different, when being a shelter, by opening up during the sales, and closing down, becoming more private, when acting as a shelter
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