Watts proGene?: 2007

Purpose for Retail Stores

In today's internet driven world, its seems that everything can be done via the world wide web. Why would someone drive to a store and purchase a product, when one can sit comfortably at home click a few buttons and have the product deliver to their home? For me, the reason for a retail store is for the consumer to have a playground to test out the products before purchase, which they cannot do over the internet. A place where they can ask questions, touch the product, feel the product, and experience the product before they bring it home.

Design Concept

In my design of the Sony Retail Store, I will explore the idea of creating a Sony playground, in which, the customer can play around with all of the products prior to purchase. My goal is to provide a flexible space in which the costumer can view and experience the product as he or she does at home. Giving the consumer a full preview before taking something home.

One big open space, where all the products are displayed (on floor, wall, etc.)
Responsive Architecture through wall/floor/ceiling system. Products will present itself to the user when he or she is viewing it. While one deformation is going on another product is setup for the user to view after the one he or she is view currently. Therefore the product and the architecture dictates the circulation of the user.
Programable Architecture. The sequencing of products can be programed accordingly based on product availbility, and viewing order.
Showcase of products. The architecture will deform into a position in which the product should be viewed. For example a Television might be viewed sitting down rather than standing up. The architecture will deform to maximize the users' experience of the products.

Concept Model

The Automotive Complex in Abu Dhabi design by Kas Oosterhuis in 2005 is a master plan for an Automobile Complex on a 6 square kilometers site between an Airport and the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway. The Automotive Complex is designed as 2.5 kilometer long terminal with satellites branching out. The Complex serves as an automobile central, being a one stop complex for everything about cars; from selling to customizing.

The theme for the development of the Automotive Complex is: SPEED & FRICTION. In today world, everyone is driving cars, selling cars, buying cars and living their life in and around cars. The culture of cars is related with driving fast which matches with the culture of SPEED. The people driving and using cars is the culture of FRICTION. Everyone wants to go fast but the constraint of reality compromises the speed, the same relation between SPEED and FRICTION.

The master plan can be divided into 6 zones. Zone 1 is a fast track and SUV track, a landscaped setting with wet and dry areas for test driving vehicles. Zone 2 is the Automotive Complex with its Terminal and Satellites and the open park area between the Terminal and Satellites. Zone 3 is the buffer zone between automotive complex and commercial areas, which can be used for storage of used cars. Zone 4 is the commercial zone with medium size plots housing simple industrial boxes. Zone 5 is the park strip which act as a green buffer between the commercial and residential zone. Finally zone 6 is the residential zone which could hold 500-600 dwelling units, either semi-detached with double garage or apartment housing.

The concept for the Automotive Complex is inspired by the idea of FLOW of cars, people, energy and information. The circulation of the complex is based on this concept. All aspects of movement in the Master plan will be smooth and continuous for both cars and people, even the architectural expression. The concept of flow is exemplified by the three-dimensional weaving patterns of circulation for cars and people. The circulation begins on the south-west entrance of the complex. Once in the complex, the visitor will be informed digitally, through the navigation system provided by the complex, and by signage, where to go. There are 3 basic choices while navigating the site: one going straight into the Terminal to find a parking space near your destination; two turn right to the used car and car part sector; three turn left to the new cars sector toward the highway side.

The Automotive Complex is designed to house 300 car dealers both new and used. The free flow design of the Master plan of the Terminal and the Satellites provide rentable oval shaped capsules of variable sizes. The Complex contains more than 100 capsules which each of these can be subdivided into 3 smaller capsules therefore satisfying the 300 capacity. The sizing of the capsule is based on the Fibonacci sequences from 1000 square meters to 8000 square meters.

The Automotive Master Plan’s free flow system of capsules and communication between the capsules is based on a parametric system allowing for maximum flexibility as the design develops. The free flow system is an interlacing system of trajectories joins in nodes every 120 meters, which can be adjusted. Each curve has “handles” that brings the trajectory more to the exterior to certain limits not exceeding buildable area. By sliding the handles outwards, it increases the capacity of the capsules, in steps from 2000 to 3000 to 5000 to 8000 square meters. The positions of the adjacent capsules reposition themselves to the change in size of the others. The Automotive Master Plan also allows for maximum expandability in the X, Y and Z direction. To expand in the X axis, the “legs” of the Terminal can be expanded over time until the maximum configuration. To expand in the Y axis, the handles can be adjusted to create bigger and bulkier capsules, or by adding more satellites to the Terminal. Finally to expand the Z axis, each capsule allows the spinal cord of the Terminal can be replaced by a tower, hotel, or office tower therefore expanding in the vertical direction.

The complex double curved shapes expressed in the architecture of the Automotive Plan are now feasible through CNC File to Factory production techniques. The File to Factory techniques allows for industrial production of a system of unique elements for standard price. Although the building is comprised by thousands of unique elements, it is based on one single construction principle. Utilizing 3d modeling and scripting the designer of ONL are able to manage every detail of the system. The reason why I chose this project for my case study is not just based on its aesthetics appearance but rather the thought behind the expandability and flexibility of the project based on a virtual design system. The system Oosterhuis use to control the size and configuration of the Master Plan is a very interesting take on urban planning. Usually this type of design technique is utilized in a smaller scale project, but seeing this technique in an urban scale is very intriguing to me. The idea of virtual design system controlling and interacting with urban planning fit very well because the complexity of an urban project. There are many changes and altercations in urban planning projects but with a flexible and yet controllable system of design, the architect or planner can have more control over the design without losing the initial idea and concept.