LAURA GIBSON
Architecture & Design
DIGITAL DESIGN M1
CIRCULATION AND THRESHOLD OF THE MOMA PS1 AFTERPARTY PAVILION
The MOMA PS1 Afterparty Pavilion was a temporary structure designed in 2009. It was used as a space for people to gather after a party, where they can talk closely with their friends in smaller groups. It is made up of several large cone shaped structures which are open at the top, inviting air flow through the space. The denser the cone shapes, the more intimate the space becomes due to coverage and darker lighting, as well as a lower temperature.
CIRCULATION
The Afterparty Pavilion utilises air temperature as a way to create a comfortable microclimate for it's visitors. Through utilizing the large concrete walls to cool the internal air down, it flows through the pavilion. The more intimate section towards the back is one of the coolest temperature locations throughout the site because it is dense with cones, meaning it also has many chimney holes at the top. The openings at the top of the pavilion work to let the air rise as it is heated inside the pavilion, meaning that the inside of the structure stays cool and comfortable for it's inhabitants.
Air circulation directly influences the circulation of people throughout the structure. As people move across the site along the horizontal axis (indicated by the straight, dotted arrow), they also move around the site in a curved shape underneath the pavilion structure. The heat map above shows how people tend to spend a longer amount of time in the more intimate areas as the microclimate is comfortable and inviting. The green indicates that people generally just pass through these areas rather than sitting for long periods of time.
THRESHOLD
The thresholds throughout the Afterparty Pavilion help to create the levels of varying privacy required in a social venue. Each archway of the structure creates it's own individual threshold, helping to control the internal parts of the pavilion. The openings within the concrete of the pavilion also act as their own thresholds, helping to both invite quests into the pavilion and separate different areas of spatiality within the structure.
Diagram showing intial zones of the site, where the open space diverges into sheltered space where the cone structures cover. The space inbetween acts as an intermediate space or as its own threshold, inhabiting a place between privatised enclosed space and more public open space.
Further breaking down the zones of the space, the largest pink zone is entered through primary threshold. Then, the cone structure forms the secondary threshold. Finally, the tertiary threshold is formed between the enclosed spaces which create more private areas.
DETAIL IMAGE
The circle cut outs at the top of the pavilion promote air flow as well as changing lighting conditions throughout the day. This image shows how they open towards the seating below, and as the sun moves across the sky these characteristics change. This can mean that certain seating arrangements may change throughout the day depending on sun position, weather and overall temperature.
MODELLING PROCESS
1
2
3
Initially, the plan drawing was used to map out the shape of each cone unit with the cut out in the top with simple linework. These were then arranged on the horizontal axis using the section drawing provided. The walls and seats were added as solid objects.
Secondly, using the mapping explained in step 1, the archways were made between each structure. The framing was created around the archways to connect them to the opening at the top of the structures.
Finally, using the patch and loft command, the outer surface was added to create the flowing external structure over the top of the framework. This step required care and precision, particularly when creating the taller structures towards the back wall of the pavilion.