Re-envision Ideas

The Vitra Design Museum gives its visitors a bold and abstract feeling and the exterior construction itself may become heavy to the eye at times. Today, people stress over tiny things in this competitive society and can hardly find time to stop and have a break. Therefore, my main intention of the re-envision would be to transform the museum into a lighter piece of architecture so the original strong impression will not mentally overwhelm this stressful group of people.

Inspired by Philip Johnson's 'Glass House' and 3deluxe's 'The Leonardo Glass Cube", the main material would be glass or any sort of material with certain transparency to create the "light" idea and how it effectively blends in with its environment. Certain glass facades with tinted colour could add an extra touch to the design museum. I also intend to keep the white plaster for particular areas along with timber [inspired by Nicholas Tye's 'Studio Space'] for the material is natural and corresponds to my intention of a lighter appearance. I would like to relocate this building to something similar to famous Japanese stone gardens for they are well known for their tranquility, a space they created with only rocks and gravel which calms the mind.

Simple organic shapes in these stone gardens contribute to psychological benefits. Therefore, I intend to experiment with linear shapes or soft curve shapes like the stairs of the museum itself which Frank Gehry incorporated for the exterior re-envision.

Site examples:
Zen Garden in Ryoanji, Kyoto - simplicity

Architectural precedents:

Philip Johnson's Glass House - "The building is an essay in minimal structure, geometry, proportion, and the effects of transparency and reflection".

The Leonardo Glass Cube - the glass facades allowing the building to appear 'lighter' to the eye yet giving it colour at the same time.


Studio Space by Nicolas Tye Architects - The new studio, its materiality and simplicity which rests in the countryside

Materials

Glass facade - clear transparent effect of the Leonardo Glass Cube

Timber - a more natural, simple and light approach

Structural Details:




Simple lines/soft curves which calms the mind

Functions:
Psychological benefits

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_House
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Glasshouse-philip-johnson.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RyoanJi-Dry_garden.jpg
http://www.phototravels.net/japan/photo-gallery/japanese-rock-gardens.html
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/Japan/Japanese-Meditation-Zen-Garden-Kyoto/1525
http://www.e-architect.co.uk/germany/leonardo_bad_driburg.htm
http://coolboom.net/architecture/studio-space-by-nicolas-tye-architects/