Fragmented Ideologies
I am Maria, an architecture and art enthusiast who draws inspiration from the creative fields and the surrounding world. My third-year projects were heavily influenced by the humanities learning, which started with the quote ‘In the end, you are not just working with the physical reality of the moment, but with the reality of everything that has been there as well, that has built up the place’ – Enric Miralles.
The site visit and a take-away represented the starting point of developing ideas. As the atelier's name implies, making is a continuous activity, and ideas came along at various stages of the design process. Model making was an effective way to establish principles, generate shapes, explore possibilities, find forms, test ideas and therefore inform the decision making and unveil a resolved concept. Site investigation, with an emphasis on Cloughbank Farm, aided in the development of the notion of fragmentation, which served as the foundation for my interests and architectural ambitions. When applied to an architectural project, this method generates a well-defined hierarchy of spaces and strategic circulation routes. This was adequate for a whisky distillery concept combined with visitor activities, since every space may accommodate a distinct purpose and users may explore the building according to their preferences.
The technologies learning and case studies influenced the building's environmental and functional requirements. A distillery needs carefully designed lighting, shading, ventilation, and cooling systems. The proposal incorporates the concept of fragmentation into the cladding techniques as well, since it includes a double skin façade designed according to the technological requirements. It has a perforated brick outer layer and a curtain walling inner layer. Therefore, the whole concept comprises a holistically positive, restorative, inclusive and equitable scheme that embraces fragmentation conceptually, theoretically and literally, along the design phases.
