Chang Chu
We used different materials and forms to differentiate the residential and public spaces (film production & showcase). The design uses translucent polycarbonate on public-side building facades that are next to the existing commercial area. On one hand, the translucent polycarbonate facade shows the indoor cinematography activities’ shadows and movement to the exterior, which allows an interaction and viewership with the pedestrians on the street. The translucent polycarbonate increases the light exposure in the space for the interior users as well.
The design retains the original alley that runs through the middle of the site. It intentionally uses the streetscape as a set for filming and to showcase the wealth of activity in the community to the curious pedestrians that wander in. From the alley entry, brick materials began to be added to the facade. This represents the beginning of the visitor's entry into the more interior part of the community.
The commercial strip faces the main thoroughfare in the neighborhood where the rest of the commercial activity is concentrated. For this reason, the exterior of the building is full of fenestration to allow passersby to glance inside and come inside for the programming. The programming is consequently highly publicly oriented including a cafe/library, retail stores and an exhibition space and a large anchoring theater at the corner. This programming also doubles as an income / revenue source for the commune. Bisecting the commercial strip is a central arcade inviting the public in with more all-glass views into the interior stores and exhibition space and leading out into a change of scene into the superset space.
The film operations high bay is an holistic creative production space where members can design and build entire sets for their films.This space is intrinsically linked to the stage set space but separated from the theater and other spaces. The space consists of one full workshop for wood, metal, and electronics. Two dedicated high bay spaces for set production and one reserved high bay space for either set production or finished production. The set consists of three large entry doors and one large exit door to the “Set Space”. Catwalks are cantilevered out in order to allow easy access and give potential to large and stage sets.
There will be about 50-60 residents in our community. They will be film-makers, including directors, editors, actor and actress and so on. The primary living and sleeping units are on these three main residential buildings.And the shared space of the residential area is concentrated on the first floor including the dining hall, gym and shared living room.Through corridors, balconies, and large floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the residents can always watch and observe the activities of the set, engaging in the relationship between the audience and the stage.
Therefore, the residential area focus on dealing with the relationship between the existing buildings and the shooting set. Therefore, the distance from the existing buildings is modified according to their location, making it an extension of the sets in the center. At the same time, the buildings are transformed into passageways and entrances that connect the inside and outside of the building. With the removable garage doors, these sections can also be turned into one of the special sets and invite visitors to come in.
Here we can see our final portion of the community centered around film production space. We have various sets that can accommodate a varying array of project types and conditions. Green screen sets apply a new wave of technology to film production while traditional sound stages occupy a classic form of the art as we can see here. Ideally, these spaces are transitional and can be changed and reformed based on the needs of the community. Wall partitions line the cross road to allow for the entire sound stage to have the possibility to be a set itself. In the next portion fo the project, we will explore the avenues that the wall partitions could take from a design perspective, whether that be rendering them for a specific scene or having each partitional area have different scenic attributes. The set and prop building area has the opportunity to spill into our set area to allow for seamless transitions. Theres a blending of residential and work areas as our sets enter under our residential towers and morph with the entire structure to create a cohesive whole.
Our community allows for those with a passion to explore their interests and be around those who are like minded and passionate about film. They can eat, explore, present, and create with the support of an institution and community. With this in mind we will move forward into project 3 and create renderings of how our space could exist in a more realistic mindset. Sets and materials will be integrated along with the personal touch of actual residents.