Week 9: Design Development

Iterations over the three month period

During my weekly peer meetings, my peers had suggested that I changed the location of my folly around the site over the months, so that there were different viewpoints for every month. This was a very good idea as it was a solution to my issue with the folly being stagnant and only providing the same set of viewpoints over the 3 month period.

Another suggestion I received from my tutor was the idea of having the folly build itself up over the following months, showing a visual progression to the folly. I believe this enhanced the acknowledgement of building over reclaimed land, and the language of scaffolding: constructing towards a bigger city (Auckland).

Plan in action

I decided that the folly will progress over time, starting from Fort Street -> Fort Lane -> Custom Street

Stage 1: Fort Street & Fort Lane Intersection

This is where the folly will start, in the beginning of summer (December). The folly will consist of 2 levels, with a skeletal scaffolding appearance to show the foundations of the structure. There will also be a small platform on the bottom level which may indicate a stage, or a resting area to sit.

Stage 2: Fort Lane

Located in the middle of Fort Lane, this is where the second stage of the folly will take place. It will be located outside Imperial Lane and The Jefferson, where there is a platform & open area across the entrance. This could be used as another stage, or for people who would like to dine (under the assumption that Imperial Lane is active as a cafe/restaurant) within that area. The folly will highlight these places in particular by framing the entrances with the scaffolding. The fire escape and balcony that is present in this area will also be highlighted through the facade panels.

Stage 3: Fort Lane & Custom Street Intersection

The folly will spend its last month in this location, having evolved into 4 levels, spilling over onto the “hi well/le creuset” store roof. This is where large scale programmes can take place, provided with an elevator in the middle of the folly for easy access (especially for those on wheelchairs or those who need to carry heavy weight utilities). The elevator shaft will be covered by metal mesh netting for safety purposes, as well as all “empty gaps” that are present in the facade. There is also an addition of a fire pole that travels across all 4 levels, to add playfulness to the folly.

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