Based on the content within the week 3 lecture, it was obvious that my intial design concepts were practical responses to the site and site users without much abstraction or theoretical background. Due to this, I went back and re-read my notes on the week one reading regarding Bernard Tschumi's La Villette folies which in my opinion depict the experiental qualities and success that we are trying to achieve.
The three key messages learnt from this reading were that folies can SYMBOLICALLY EXCEED THEIR FUNCTION, BECOME A SIGN FOR THE SITE and become ACTIVATORS OF SPACE. The activation of space is a key aim of the folie design and one of my initial design concepts was using the folie as a sign for the site. So the only thing missing from Tschumi's guide is the symbolic nature of the design. It is important to create symbolism which is explicitly unique to the site for which you are designing. Therefore, I believe the best way to incorporate unique symbolism into Howard Smith Wharves is to utilise the intials HSW.
These elements could appear in an abstracted manner in which site users would need to move around the site and structure to gain full meaning. This would help to activate the site, as would the intended function. My intial design concept suggested the interaction with the predominant site users - exercises and cyclists by creating an area for additional exercise and a place to stop, rest and enjoy one of Brisbane's best (yet uncelebrated) views. This intial function will be carried forward into the design as I believe it is the most practical funtion for the current site as it appears as a halfway point on the exercise route linking the Botanical Gardens and New Farm Riverwalk.
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