From: Popping Bubbles
The project draws inspiration from Peter Sloterdijk’s book 'Spheres,' which proposes that human existence fundamentally resembles bubbles, with individuals existing within larger shared bubbles of concerns. In our fast-paced era, many feel overwhelmed by progress and a growing sense of disconnection from the broader community—the shared bubble sphere. With the recent rise of AI technology, the anxiety of being replaced by these tools is also increasing among people. Therefore, the proposed project, inspired not only by the playful form of bubbles but also by their nature of emerging, expanding, and popping in an architectural context, underscores the critical need for a large community space where individuals can unite, exchange ideas, and feel connected.
The site, Stockport, with its strategic proximity to Manchester, Europe’s fastest-growing digital city, and its location along the route from London, stands as a prime location to realise the ambition of establishing a globally iconic AI fabrication scheme, which welcome enthusiasts to engage and learn.
The key features of the project include spiral ramps acting as continuous exhibition spaces along the journey, with bubbles projecting as private study spaces on the facade. Users of diverse backgrounds are placed at the forefront of the design, where strategies such as the main spiral ramps in all towers serve not only as circulation devices but also as a journey that encourages people to slow down, enjoy the space, and interact with the exhibition pieces. Additionally, individual bubbles protruding from the tower facade offer private study spaces and a quiet atmosphere that caters to the needs of individuals with mental disabilities such as autism, facilitating a conducive learning environment. When promenading the building, spaces are dynamic, exposing users to a variety of thermal environments that echo natural ecosystems, enhanced by the greenery that follows the spiral path of the facade.
