Between Thinking and Making

Group Work

The concept behind the enclosure model was to create a similar experience to some of the best spaces the group had visited, which were Gothic Cathedrals. So following this concept, a nave and supporting aisle was created, each with different spatial qualities. For the aisle, pieces of arching concrete were layered to create a darker, heavier atmosphere which the transition into the nave would then contrast. Another quality of gothic construction is the incredible amount of light entering the space using lightweight stone construction.

Thus to receive as much light as possible and play on gothic’s lightweight construction, paper was used to carve with gothic motifs that were again layered to control shadows across the space. A very similar concept was used when designing The Community Fulfilment Centre. Since a poorly designed extension is currently masking St Marys historical identity, the idea of multiple layered elements organised in a similar fashion as St Marys is a suitable way of creating a sensitive design that is contemporary yet is intimately tied to its context, the founding ideas of critical regionalism. Disconnected elements also allow the opportunity to reveal the church's history and its many alterations while also allowing the play of light.