OAP Filming

Spending an afternoon filming and interviewing 3 OAPs about their life, technology and age discrimination proved to give excellent feedback. The key things that came out of the interviews as being important are family, and gardening space. Gardening becomes a way to generate food, relax and exercise. A massive thank you has to go to all involved.

The interviewees: Brenda Johnson, Molly Mannering and Bette Pearson
Organiser and interviewer: Natasha Hayes
Lighting: Matt Hill
Film: James Harrison
Sound: Callum Skipworth

Filming document: 22/03/12

A group of elderly people will be filmed to help with the design of the project. Attached are the documents that will be used for their feedback.

Formative Notes

Sponsored by the government or help the aged, this will lower the level of elderly in care.
Green roof- notion of trees (Mayer of london scheme to have green roofs)
Basement plan is well considered
Simplify the building and less shape making
Draw activities without walls
Bathrooms need to be larger- disabled need larger bathrooms
Revisit planning of pods
How do people operate?
'the amazings' good
Back of house needed: cleaners/ services (fundamental elements: fire escapes, service room, storage in pods.)
extension: create access breaking through the window points in the existing
Pods: express that they are tilted through and towards sunlight.
Punching through architecture
Shapes need to be inventive and bespoke. they should sit proud in the building.
Cycle of life: The circle of movement to create a circulation of life
Larger wider steps and more noticeable handrails that allow for ease of design for elderly
Comforts in old people's things. Value over style.
Why bother having the shape. Adjust the shape and link into public space differently?
How does it all link together, basement and ground floor.
What is existing and new build?
Pods need to stand alone and have a gathering point.
Urgent re-looking of floor plans
Work with a plan
The central point? need to park?
Level of information needed
Legs could act as a gate to close off the building
Means of escape. Need two in the building
Facade impact- Legs? How does it all stand up?
Red and blue colours: If they are a bold red and blue are bright and contrasting it helps people with sight impairment to be able to see them better.
Lifetime homes require walls to cave away.
How can bathroom configure
Entrance sequence into the building.
Different entrances for living, lab, goods delivery
Skin of extension. How does it look?
Can the glass be used to create a solar gain?
Family is a vehicle for prototype and personalisation. It creates a personality for how to inhabit. Are the people varied enough. How does it work for a real encounter. How to make the box more appropriate.
Needs more lifts on either side.
Means of escape. PROTECTED staircases.
Need to go to fitness centre.
Schedule of accommodation: FITNESS BUILT INTO APARTMENTS


MAKE OLD SEXY: Reward for having been young

People of influence:

Jibby Beane:   http://www.jibbybeane.com/html/life.html
Jean Paul Gutier (Junior Advertising)     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Paul_Gaultier    
Veruska
Being sexy old + living
Carl Lagerfeld      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Lagerfeld
His film and Henneys

Green. Made more skin area but use of green. Potential photovoltaics and green power?
Visual with fleur de lis: Evokative.
LA TOURETTE LE CORBUSIER
COLVAX & FOWLER super deluxe interior

Basement initial renders

The first renders of the basements of the two buildings, One containing a knowledge library which allows for people to leave onjects, books etc in the walls that double up as shelves and create intimate spaces inside them (2 Visuals)

The other looking up at the small lecture space based to allow for people to attend public talks

TheAmazings

The perfect company to incorporate into the project  http://theamazings.org/

 http://theamazings.org/

exploded zoning

conceptual interior

conceptual renders

External Examiner feedback

Professor David Dunster's feedback:

The internam geometry of the spaces needs to be more free and not following so much of the regimented formed grid with the idea of the pattern maybe being different. The skin itself is a skin not a system so treat it in a unique way. The mesh punctured pattern can help to prove this.

The boxes can be redesigned. The proposition needs to gain a conjunction Raise up a corner in the design and keep the rest rectangular. This could allow for rooftop terraces. Intentions need to be loosened up.

LOOK AT JOHN HEJDUK (Berlin Mask?) and LE CORBUSIER HOUSING PODS.

There could be a different room to each story. You could crawl up a stair and escape.

Old people like being with younger people. design something for the average 20-25 year old. but gentler. Something Gran could use.

Not a need for so many boxes. Maybe 8?

8 DIFFERENT BOXES FOR GRAN AND HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

It becomes the story of gran and her sisters/ brothers. Brings in the personal touch and breaks out of the system. Each pod is designed for her relatives.

Need to interview family members and understand their stubbornness. Its about personalisation of space. Creating an area that is yours even though it is the same as the houses around.

Mesh pattern for the pods

External Examiner Sheets

St Pauls Sight Lines

Elder Street Conservation

early renders

Experiments on making sure that the corten material looked correct with the basic model. Here the middle structural walkway has not been fully designed, hence the floating glass object.

Synopsis

Intentions: 

The rebranding of the idea of 'elderly', 'old age' and 'retirement' to 'the knowledgable'. Many skills that were developed during the first and second world war have been lost. London became a city based on finances but as the banks failed and the recession hit the City; London is having to turn towards technology and the creative 

industries to push forward the economy. David Cameron has 

announced that East London will be the hub for creativity and the main focus point and drive for Technology, expanding the 

ideology to Stratford with the rejuvenation of Greenwich Peninsula and the development of the Olympic Site. There is a general 

opinion that Britain should become how it used to be, a country of construction and making, Made in Britain. Some of these skills of craftsmanship have been passed down generation to generation, but having that Britain can't compete with the low cost mass 

construction in the middle east, it is in high quality products where the economy of Britain can be rejuvenated. 

Retirement should not be seen as an option to stop working, but as a way to continue and create a new lease of life in ourselves. We do not retire to die. We retire to express ourselves freely and use all the skills that we have learnt in our lifetime to our own benefit. This can be in an entrepreneurial sense to create our own 

businesses or help to give something back to the community by teaching and educating the less fortunate. To become the 

knowledgable. As Socrates states love is the quest for knowledge, to become a Lover of wisdom, and by doing so one will give birth to intellectual children of greater immortality than any conceived through procreation.

The scheme offers the opportunity for the knowledgable to extend their life by keeping mentally sharp and becoming the new 

entrepreneurs. Working closely with the 'life extensionists' will allow for their theory to extend the human life, if wanted, to 120 years to be implemented through healthy living and keeping mentally sharp in their laboratory and fitness centre.The housing units on this floor work offer the knowledgable the opportunity to live and work in the hub of activity and creativity. Their health will be watched closely to make sure that they are getting the biggest benefit to push 

themselves.

The knowledge bank, lecture theatre, workshops and teaching 

classrooms will allow the knowledgable to offer their services to communities in the surrounding area, the high levels of eastern ethnicities and undereducated youth, as well as university students and wealthy inner city workers. Companies set up by the 

knowledgable will have access to the workshops as well as office/studio space or a retail unit where their creation can be sold. This will also be incorporated with the youth being given the opportunity to work with and learn.

The top of the units becomes a bar and restaurant for members only (with the ability to invite guests). This allows for social events, debates, parties, and networking sessions to be held in the space. The housing units running from this work with the idea as of that of a Gentlemen's club; if as a young man you came into 

London with no where to live; the club would be able to provide you with a bed space until you could afford to move out. In return for the accommodation, you help by offering your services, what ever that may be. The whole scheme is derived around the opportunity to share and gain knowledge, to grow and to encourage that there is life after retirement. 

Site: The buildings are part of the old Nicholls & Clarke 

warehouses, located on Fleur De Lis Street, which is just off Shoreditch High Street and Commercial Street. The two buildings on the site have 4 floors, including the basement. The Victorian 

Warehouse was occupied between 1875 and 2003 by Nicholls and Clarke Company, the glass, lead and colour merchants. The site, full of character, is situated in the Olympic borough of Tower Hamlets, on the edge of the creative and financial sectors. 

Key Issues: Ageing Population, Recession, High Unemployment, High  rates of Cancer and incurable diseases, High levels of immigrants unable to get out of the circle of working in family shops/

restaurants, High level of youth dropping out of education, Debates involving the extension of life/ anti-ageing techniques.

Research Methods: Governmental statistics, Council plans for 

development, Interviewing of locals & elderly, Newspaper/book/

internet research, school education statistics, family members, 

doctors.

working sheets of scheme and research