Two Precedents

Looking at precedents is a key part of the architectural design process. While particularly crucial for us as students, I imagine that the importance of this process continues into practice, and is relevant for all types of ‘making’. It is invaluable to see how ideas similar to your own can be executed in reality, and what elements have to be taken into consideration.

Precedents also spark new ideas – in general, becoming familiar with a wide body of work (in a variety of disciplines) enhances one’s own creative practice. The mind, both consciously and subconsciously, absorbs and processes information around us. This then connects, morphs and trickles into what we produce. The magic of art is that each individual, with their own experience of the world, has a unique way of processing information, and the end result will be similarly distinctive.

The value of learning the history and theory of architecture is similar: knowing the work that has come before makes decisions taken in the present all-the-more purposeful and relevant.

Below are two of the precedents that I shared with my group.

Laban Dance Centre

Herzog & de Meuron
London, UK

This is definitely a useful precedent in relation to our brief, specifically in the encouragement of partial public observation and an internal ‘transparent labyrinth’ experience. These layers of observation and the emphasis on viewership built into the architecture (both from inside and outside) is a useful way to think of the varying conditions (and, by extension, effects on the person) this concept could create.

Here it is mostly the ‘outside’ observer that is used, not the students themselves – perhaps we could consider observation between the students as a stimulant for the creative process. The reflective floor is an interesting feature we could re-purpose for walls (to create a sort of partial self-awareness in isolated, ‘boredom’ zones). Choices such as this would allow us to explore observation as a multifaceted tool.

More notes are on the slides below:

Bristol Old Vic

Foyer by Haworth Tompkins
Bristol, UK

This precedent shows how old masonry (in this case, brick) can be preserved and incorporated in a striking way. There is a careful, thoughtful interaction between the resulting materiality and colour combinations, which both honour the past and effectively transform the space.

While I am not certain we will use such an approach to the existing stone on our site for cultural, practical and formal reasons (such as the white stone of the buildings we are replacing, and the Albert Barracks wall), it is still useful to consider how we are positioning ourselves in relation to the heritage elements on our site.

More notes are in the slideshow below: