sarahsomervillespace31

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Re-imagining the size and scale of the pod

I have scaled down the pod to be 2200mm tall above ground, so the pod feels more personal and comforting.

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Final SCAPE Proposal Booklet

My project is called Pods of Flow. Pods of Flow is a series of seven spaces around Christchurch Central, designed to allot the creatives of Christchurch to achieve the state of Flow. Flow is the mental state in which you are completely immersed in the task at hand, While everyone has a different activity that they find immersive, Pods of Flow is perfect for people who read, draw or meditate. The state of Flow is known to help those with PTSD, anxiety and depression; some examples of mental illnesses the people of Christchurch have because of the earthquakes.

The pods are unique egg-shaped spaces, placed strategically around Christchurch. Their placement will guide people around and to the various artworks, galleries and iconic spaces in Christchurch. Each pod has a different treatment, unique to it location, that is inspired by the site itself, from the nature, buildings and ideas.

The seven pods are placed on Cambridge Terrace, at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, the Bridge of Remembrance, Wilson Reserve, Cathedral Square, Manchester St and the Christchurch Casino.

The egg-shaped structure of the pods is made from recycled rimu, and each pod has the same inner structure. What makes each pods different is the material of the shell. The rimu structure is set into a concrete base.

Cambridge Terrace sports a pod with an acrylic glass shell, making use of the great sunlight. The inspiration for this material was the Lane Neuve building that has beautiful, reflective windows. 

Botanic Gardens has a pod with mixed colourful flowers encasing it. This will mirror the flower bed nearby.

Bridge of Remembrance is a memorial to this lost in war. So my pod has a shell of plastic red poppy pins that take inspiration from the bridges message. 

Wilson Reserve has a pod with no shell but the pod has additional vertical struts. This has ties to the nature through the beautiful wood, and allows the sun through.

Cathedral Square has a pod with a brightly patterned plastic construction wrapping, which is a contrast to the grey and drabness around it.

Manchester St has a shell of grass which blends in with the surrounding riverbed.

Christchurch Casino has a pod covered in canvas fabric and surrounded by colourful fluorescent LED lighting, taking inspiration from the many instances the material is used in the Casino.

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The Final Rendering of the Cathedral Square pod

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The Final Render of the Manchester Street pod

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The Final Render of the Botanic Gardens pod

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The Final Render of The Bridge of Remembrance pod

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The Final Render of the Wilson Reserve pod

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The Final Render of the Cambridge Terrace pod

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The Final Rendering of the Christchurch Casino pod

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Site Map

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Design for Cathedral Square pod

Ultimately I went with this design. It has a shell of MDF, painted with the bright colourful pattern. I chose it because the Square used to be this wonderful space, full of life, but now it is a little drab. This bright pod will brighten the space up and create a moment excitement, hopefully bringing more people to Cathedral Square.

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Design Ideas for Christchurch Botanic Garden

When looking into this area, greenery was the thing that popped out. There are some beautiful flower beds, with colourful flowers and roses. There is also the Peacock Fountain nearby. 

The top design draws from the Peacock Fountain. The pod is encased in acrylic glass, which has been given a ripple effect, as if a waterfall was cascading down it. 

The next design would allow the pod to blend into the flower beds, with the pods being covered in bright and colourful flowers, similar to those in the flower bed.

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Photos of Site (Christchurch Botanic Gardens)

Above are a few images, taken from Google Maps, of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, the site of one of my pods. The space is full of greenery, colourful flowers. I am particularly intrigued by the bright flower beds.

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Design for Bridge of Remembrance pod

I chose to go with the Poppy idea as it furthered the purpose of the Bridge. It will serve as a further memorial to those lost to war. The pod will be covered in plastic poppies, interlaced over the wooden framework.

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Design Ideas for Cathedral Square pod

A few things caught my eye when researching the Cathedral Square, as of now. The first was the ‘Chalice’, a steel structure by Neil Dawson. The second was the whare covered in plants and moss. The third was the creative and colourful motifs scattered around the Square.

The top design is inspired by the ‘Chalice’. It has steel hexagon connected around the pod’s wooden structure, which allows light to come in and creates some cool shadows. 

The second design is inspired by the ‘living’ whare. The pods is covered in moss, in the style of a living wall. It’ll bring more greenery to the Square, as the Square has quite a lot of concrete.

The third design is taken from the fun, colourful motifs. It is covered in mdf and painted with bright colours and a bold pattern. It would bring some much needed fun and colour to the Square.

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Photos of Site (Cathedral Square)

Above are images of Cathedral Square, the site of one of my pods and the then ChristChurch Cathedral. It is the geological centre and heart of Christchurch. What draws my eye is the steel sculpture ‘Chalice’ by Neil Dawson. It stands tall and strong in the Square. The bright patterns scattered around the Square are also very interesting. 

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Design for Cambridge Terrace pod

This pod is encased in acrylic glass, as a reference to the big, beautiful windows of Lane Neave, a building near the pod. I chose this design due to the sunny and bright atmosphere of the site, and thought it would be a shame to not take advantage of the sun.