T.R.A.I.L. [an exploratory hike to create]
Our project was inspired by the quote: “The moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow” by Henry David Thoreau. We truly believe that mental and physical health are crucial for creative minds to thrive. Essentially, our building acts as a framework that integrates active living and sharing with exploration and innovation. Our building encourages and celebrates unique programmatic experiences through a continuous circulation loops, where the circulation ultimately becomes a program in itself. Additionally, the residents and larger community of San Francisco are encouraged to collaborate and mingle by means of this institution.
Sectional Moments
Throughout the housing volumes, circulation widens as a language for gathering spaces. Different scenarios can be observed, engaging the exterior spaces as private, but common grounds.
Plans and unit types
Based on precedent unit plans, we created two types of units: a co-living loft and a studio.
Models
Moving Forward
Overall, this review was very helpful and really made us think about how we can push our concept more architecturally. Currently, we can conceptually present the ideas in a narrative way, but these ideas aren’t clearly reflected through the architecture. In our project, the circulation space is one of the most important spaces, so we really want to develop it further and glorify the experiences where the circulation and program intersect. In order to do this, we really need to go and ask ourselves questions about what exactly happens in each of our spaces (ex. how is being in the food lab different than being in the tool resource library and how can circulation begin to affect these experiences?) and begin to overlap and blend more of the indoor and outdoor spaces.
We will pursue the idea that the circulation must be a space in itself, but cannot be taken apart from the project. It must transcend all programmatic elements. Pushing boundaries and creating different spatial experiences using more extreme moves is what we need to put our efforts towards.
