SHIP ME SHELTER
We understand the need for this space as it provides protection from the outdoors. We acknowledge shelter as an inviting place, rather than a place one might dread to step foot in. We believe shelter should be a place one wants to use to all year round. We read shelter as a gathering place; a place with room for rediscovery. We see public permanent shelter as a space that is well integrated in the urban landscape. We understand shelter as a place of refuge, where thoughts, ideas and emotions can be regenerated, restored, recharged.
Our personal findings:
After a brief physical survey of the space, we noticed the following: a lack of air circulation due to the enclosed glass structure, seating installed taking too much surface area, a non-functioning enclosed LCD monitor, a small panel with a bus schedule and two small outdoor heaters fixed on the ceiling of the shelter. Adjacent to the shelter is a paved path with an additional space for shuttle users to queue. We noticed potentials for maximizing the space, allowing the shelter to be part of the urban landscape and to promote the use of this shelter for more than protection from unfavorable weather conditions. Being a space that would be used by commuting Concordia students, we created a survey published online through various student social media groups.
The survey brought the following results:
- 90% of our respondents have used the shelter
- 40% use it all year, 25% only during the winter and 17% during the fall and winter months - 65% use it for protection from weather conditions, 28% for convenience
- 34% want a bigger space, 18% want more adequate heating and 7% want better lighting
- 84.2% are concerned with environmental issues
- 65.8% would use the shelter more if it were solar powered.
The survey's results were our springboard to reconsider the current design. These answers allowed us to seek information on various materials and building instructions. We were able to contact former teachers, contacts within the construction and engineering industries for more accurate leads on our choice in materials and budgeting. We acknowledge the need for being in contact with our local community, as we are better equipped to understand the needs and limitations of stakeholders. Through these contacts we are also breaking barriers between sectors, since we are demonstrating interests
We decided to create a space that would have both indoor and outdoor areas. The space would potentially be off grid, with a series of solar panels placed on the south side of the extended roof. The panels would supply enough energy for lighting, charging 20 electronic devices and heating. The indoor space would have sliding doors, allowing them to open only when users need to enter the space, and can remain open during the summer months and reduce heat loss in the winter. We believe that the temperature issues of the shelter, not being warm enough in winter and too hot in summer, comes from the fact that is it currently too open to contain the heat but not open enough to allow a cross breeze. We also considered installing a green roof for this space, which would also permit a cooler environment for warm days (from May to October). The roof would be installed with an insulated layer, so the frozen earth won't decrease the heating capacities of the heaters. This would provide protection for users in the queue and shade during the summer months. The glass panels could be partially salvaged for safety and visibility of the users, but reconfigured to allow more natural air flow.
The space would be available during campus hours and the users would be made aware of their contribution towards more sustainable practices. We will place a pressure counter to measure the amount of people who use the charging devices. This information will be displayed identifying how many people have charged their devices, and how many KW were used, and how much CO2 was saved through collective transportation (as we assume the users are there to wait for the bus) This will be displayed on an LED display screen we are planning to build ourselves, with the help of fellow CART students and the Helios makerspace if Concordia's sensor lab is unavailable. The point of the display is to provide a positive feedback for the user's actions so they can continue their actions, rather than propose a lifestyle change, like many advertisements for environmental causes currently practice.
An integrated heating element was a more expensive choice, however it will allow the integration of elements to be displayed on the screen, placed on the ceiling of the inside shelter. The intention for the display is to allow the users a place to generate inspiration, to discover local works and to possibly think about looking up more often during their time spent outside. The works' authors will also have another opportunity to participate in an unconventional space, reaching out to a different audience. The works will be curated in order to offer a greater variety of works from different mediums, demonstrating diversity.
(Competitor's text)
(Upcoming)
8 scanned / 8 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Elevation
- Axonometric Drawing
- Sketch
