With fairy lights and fir branches slowly taking over the city - you can easily guess what time of the year is coming up. Christmas is just around the corner! Well, technically we are not quite there yet, but let me use this phrase as it just fits so nicely:)
In addition to family gatherings and national celebrations, for many Christmas also means consuming lots of festive delicacies; and what's more representative of that than all the gingerbread treats. In particular gingerbread houses.
ARCHITECTURE ft. GINGERBREAD
Architecture is an industry where one does not allow him/herself to be fully relaxed and playful with their work on the everyday basis. However when it comes to competitions - architects are able to unleash the creative genius and go all out with their unprecedented designs ideas. Naturally, it was only a matter of time until one realized that gingerbread house making activity was made for architects.
And it was not very long until one decided to set up an official architectural exhibition, which is now called - GINGERBREAD CITY.
This annual event is hosted by the Museum of Architecture in London. Every respectable architectural practice in UK aims to take a part in it to showcase their talent, at the same time entertaining the citizens as well as raising funds for a charity. As a result a whole Gingerbread megalopolis grows up every year and remains open for a public eye during the winter months.
MY TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE
I am currently working at The Manser Practice. Our architectural firm has decided to participate in this year's Gingerbread City exhibition with a plot related to transport object.
The overall running theme for all the architectural practices was REWILDING in a sense of taking the abandoned, usually overlooked areas and transforming them into the apotheosis of unity between the nature and everything man-made.
Below is my take on the Gingerbread challenge. The building had to be a boathouse.
My proposed design praises simplicity and modular construction as a structural strategy for the practical reasons of having an actual task to bake and construct this building on a smaller scale in real life.
Main material for the construction is undoubtedly gingerbread, which I strategically positioned to create structural stability and for it to carry critical loads. The proposed scheme is punctured with translucent 'glass' planes, allowing daylight to flow freely in and out of the building, shaping internal areas. In reality these planes would be made out of melted candy. The front part of the building extends into the landscape, inviting the nature and boat-users inside, emphasizing the critical symbiosis between them. The waterfront itself extends further into the building allowing for an easy access to boats.
At night the building would be lit from an inside out, highlighting key areas and access points, thereby inviting an occasional passerby to go inside, wander and admire the surrounding nature from a higher perspective.
OUTCOME
All in all I spent amusing 4 hours designing this on a Friday afternoon, wishing there would be more chances like this to have fun with your profession.
Merry future Christmas to you all :)
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