Yuzhe Yang
This building is located to the west of Ann Arbor, adjacent to the Dozer Coffee Bar. It is a single-story portal-frame structure housing HOMES Brewery, where beer is brewed. The exterior walls and roof are constructed using corrugated steel panels, with a black and white alternating color scheme. There are no interior partitions. The building has large doors on both sides for loading and unloading goods with vehicles, and on the side facing the coffee bar, there is also a larger door for unloading and a smaller pedestrian door.
We can see, the interior space of this factory building is extremely open, without structural columns and walls. The ceiling is equipped with ventilation ducts, plumbing pipes, electrical lights, rafters, beams, and diagonal braces. The overall height of the spatial structure is 11 meters, and taking into account the pipelines, the clear height is 7 meters. The original factory interior houses brewing equipment and numerous beer barrels.
The image contains everything from the original factory: the external gantry crane structure, the sizable door frames and glass ribs, beer barrels and shelves, electric lights, as well as tables and chairs for enjoying beer.
I chose two items as the themes: perfumes and kitchen stuff, and transformed the entire building into a perfume shop. I primarily selected three perfumes as design elements and used the path of the staircase to symbolize the evolving scents of these three perfumes at different time points. Within the kitchen stuff theme, I opted for porcelain, using the cracks on the surface of the porcelain to divide the overall space, with each room representing a different aromatic scent. The entire space progresses from left to right, corresponding to the early, middle, and late stages of the perfumes. As the staircase passes through these spaces, it encapsulates the unique essence of each perfume during that particular period.
The design approach involves translating the patterns of porcelain into spatial partitioning, delineating distinct areas. Progressing from left to right, each room corresponds to a different stage of perfume, with a unique scent. Additionally, three pathways, derived from the three different perfumes, traverse their respective scented rooms. Based on the duration of each stage—early, middle, and late—these pathways guide visitors through different spaces. The interplay between walls and staircase paths creates functional zones, enriching spatial dynamics and reinforcing the building's purpose.
Lastly, at the entrance, a sculptural block is created. The staircase extends through a tunnel-like passage to the plaza outside the building. This configuration forms a olfactory guide, enticing people to enter the structure. The narrow entrance tunnel contrasts with the expansive interior space, offering a diverse spatial experience.
Lastly, at the entrance, a sculptural block is created. The staircase extends through a tunnel-like passage to the plaza outside the building. This configuration forms a olfactory guide, enticing people to enter the structure. The narrow entrance tunnel contrasts with the expansive interior space, offering a diverse spatial experience.
This animation illustrates the spatial layout of the entire area. Following the path of the staircase, you can observe various sections such as perfumes, display stands, kitchen utensils, resting areas, shelves, and more. In the space characterized by the base note of woody fragrance, a tree has been planted within the atrium.
This video provides a clear view of the undulating staircases, symbolizing the evolving changes in fragrance over time. Simultaneously, you can observe the various functional spaces intertwined within them. Certain sections of the walls have been replaced with glass, allowing outsiders to catch glimpses of the interior spaces, enticing them to come inside. The interplay between the glass and solid walls creates a sense of balance, combining transparency and solidity.
To complement the neighboring café, the overall ambiance of the space is relaxed and unoppressive. The environment alternates between brightness and dimness. When the fragrances reach their peak, the corresponding staircase might even extend beyond the building, creating an intriguing spatial experience. Despite significant alterations to the internal space, the original structural integrity of the factory building remains largely untouched, minimizing construction complexity and saving costs. Additionally, considering the experience for individuals with disabilities, although they cannot use the staircases, there are elevators available within each functional space to accommodate their needs.