Tej Vibhani: April 2018

The Process

Design Concept

"Weak forms are established from a formal deconstruction of a simple shape"

"Light cuts through the space"

"Light cuts through a formally deconstructed simple shape"

This combination of concepts is really just looking at the relationship between space and light. So, I simplified my design concept down to "Space-Light" and explored the relationship between them.

My understanding of their relationship:

Light and space are very much alike. They tell each other how to bend.

I planned on incorporating both light bending space and space bending light in my light rail stop design so I took this understanding into my original sketchup model to further develop it.

The Original Sketch up Model (Combination 1)

The Development

Location

The reason for picking that area as the location is because this light rail is mostly going to be for UNSW students so I wanted it to be as easily accessible to UNSW as possible.

Design

My approach to this design concept was to apply the original idea of "formal deconstruction of a simple shape" again but instead of applying it to a simple shape apply it to the original sketchup model (Combination 1). After deconstructing each component think of a way to practically apply them as a light rail stop whilst also exploring "Space-Light".

With this component I tried to apply the idea of both space bending light and light bending space.

This is where I thought of the light rail as light itself (the component as the space) and I also realised that this idea had a lot of potential to fit within the UNSW context so I decided to push the idea further to actually fit with in the context.

I stretched out the component so that almost all of the light rail could be sheltered. To fit it within the context I created this form of bend so that there was enough space on the road for cars/busses to travel across. This is how I successfully incorporated both ideas of light bending space and space bending light whilst also serving its purpose as a light rail shelter.

I then quickly created a very simple base following that arch to get on and off the light rail. (Not based on any components)

The roof was designed from the component on the right. It was scaled to match the width of the base.

After stretching it was just repeated across the length of the base and trimmed to fit over it.

Then I just added a little bend to it and put glass wherever there were holes in the roof to further enhance the concept of "Space-Light" by allowing light to cut through a curved space.

Then I just scaled it a little to fit within the context of UNSW.

The Structural element

This component was used as the structural element to put emphasis on the idea of light (component) supporting space (roof).

This component was not changed much at it already was in a great shape as a structural element and I also didn't want to take that bending light aspect away from it by changing its shape. It was just scaled to fit within its context.

Seats

For the seats the following component was used but it was changed a little to look like a seat.

The structure with "UNSW" written on it was later added to the model to easily grab someones attention and let them know their current location.

Textures Used in the Model

LIGHT

MEDIUM

DARK

The Final Renders

The arch like structure bending around the light rail represents light bending space as space (the structure) itself wraps around the light (light rail).

The bending structural elements represents light which is supporting the roof (space) and the roof allows light to penetrate through it. This explores the sacrificial relationship between space and light.