Materiality and Assembly // Journal Entry 3 // SOHO pt.2

 1. STOREFRONT FOR ART AND ARCHITECTURE.

Painted Metal:

This gold painted metal gives the storefront a very interesting and fun look. The modernity of this finish gives a very simple and minimalist look to the building, leaving the spatial experience leaving the viewers interested in the building.

 

Iridescent Windows:

This Iridescent window is one of the main attractions within this buildings storefront. The rainbow effect it has when passing by it is very interesting and fun to look at as well as interact with. Because of how interesting this element of the building is, people stop to look at and admire it because of the spatial experience and curb appeal it provides the city with.

2. THE NOLITAN

This hotel is very unique because of its material uses and how it creates an interesting experience upon entering the building.

Mirror:

The application of mirror in this space provides a clean and interesting element to the feel that this hotel lobby has. Not only is the mirror a decorative element, but it actually assists in spreading natural light throughout the space to take advantage of as much light as possible. The way that this material has been applied, as well as the spatial experience is provides is successful for this hotel lobby. Using this possibly otherwise unused space, is creative and useful for the hotel.

Layered fabric:

As seen on this wall of the lobby, layered cushioned light blue/grey fabric has been used for a couple reasons. For many people it is seen as a decorative element within the room, and although this is true, it is not its main purpose. The layering technique used is to help in minimizing noise throughout the space, and instead of bouncing sound waves around, it absorbs them to keep the room quiet rather then echo-y.

Concrete:

As seen in the photo below, concrete was used in an unconventional way for the actual structure of the building. The concrete was poured on-site upon construction to form the walls. This is obvious because of the layers that were formed during the construction process. This use of concrete works perfectly with the spatial experience that The Nolitan was trying to achieve. Because of the clean and cold look that concrete provides, the designers of this building then paired in nicely with other materials in the space to create the interesting vibe that this building has.

Tempered Glass:

This glass is used for many reasons. With the main purpose of it being a separator between this level of the Hotel and the rest of the lobby space. This single pane glass has been tempered for safety purposes, in that if someone were to hit the glass it would shatter rather then break into large, and possibly dangerous, pieces.

Steel:

Steel has been used in this space as a wall application. This was used for aesthetic purposes, while also assisting in spreading light throughout the interior as it is slightly reflective, but not fully polished.

3. THE NEW MUSEUM

Aluminum:

The entire facade of this museum is made up of the same material. 4×8 Sheets of mesh aluminum sheets were made and then stretched onto the facade. When the material is stretched, the tension it creates actually makes it stronger, thus is a great material for a facade. As a result of the entire building being covered in this one material, it creates a clean, monotone look across the whole structure. Also because of its unusual material makeup, this building stands out among others in the area.

4. AESOP NOLITA

Oak:

Oak has been used as the application for the cashier desk. This clean and simple desk works well with the rest of the store, because of its minimalist look, and orange-light brown tone that is in the colour palette of the store.

Plywood:

The shelving throughout the store is made up entirely of plywood. This, similar to the desk, works well because of the clean and simple visuals it provides. Since this material has been applied in a way that is so simple yet beautiful, it works well with the stores atmosphere, as it is a very minimalist and organized place.

Layered Newspaper:

This is one of the most interesting and well used materials that I have ever seen. All of the walls in this store are made up of stacked newspaper. You can drag your finger down it to expose the edges of the different papers. One very interesting this about the material is that it actually has changed colours over time, just like a newspaper would do. The designer knew this would happen, and actually used it to their advantage. The designer (Jeremy Barber) chose this material because he wanted it to turn the colour of one of AESOPS best selling products, and according to the sales person in the store at the time of our field trip she said he basically nailed the colour perfectly. What makes this material so interesting is that people have to look really closely in order to understand what the material actually is, and it is truly amazing!

Concrete:

The floors of this store are made up of poured concrete. The previous retail store that was in this spot had the floor painted a colour, so when AESOP entered they put this on top, but in some places has become to rub off which actually works well with the stores aesthetic. The concrete overall provides a sleek and clean visual aesthetic which goes hand in hand with the rest of the stores design and desired feel.

5. 290 MULBERRY STREET

Brick:

The masonry used for the facade of this building is extremely unconventional, yet very well used and successful overall, making it a building that stands out among others surrounding it. The bricks are placed in a way that create the facade to shift inwards and outwards, giving a ripple pattern effect. The building was not assembled brick by brick,  but instead are made up of large panels previously made, then put together onsite. The spatial experience of this building is unlike any other I have seen, which is why I find it so interesting. Using masonry in this fashion is something that creates amazing street appeal, and makes people stop and admire it on their daily walks.

6. 10 BOND STREET

Terracotta Panels:

This application of Terracotta is very interesting and unusual because of its scale and function. This Terracotta has been used as the facade of this apartment building. The clay was fired which is why it is shiny and clean looking. This material will actually have a long life span because of its strength and durability. This building is so interesting because the material is unconventional, and usually used as an interior or decorative element. The fact the entire facade structure is made up of it is amazing and makes it so much more interesting, and giving it lots of street appeal.

7. 40 BOND STREET

Glass:

The facade of this building is absolutely amazing. From far away it is intriguing because of its shiny quality and turquoise coloured finish. What also makes this building so interesting is the fact that it is hard to figure out what it is really made of. The turquoise elements of the facade are in fact made up of glass. This glass was casted and custom made to the building’s dimension specifications which means the building was extremely expensive to make and construct. This unusual and unconventional use of glass on a buildings exterior gives the building amazing curb appeal, and gives a very interesting and unique spatial experience when passing by the building. The dominant colour of the building and its distinct appearance is what has made it so popular and identifiable among others throughout the city.

 

Aluminum:

At the bottom of the building, Aluminum has been shaped into swirly organic shapes to create a sort of mesh divider between the street and the entranceway / lobby of the building. Although some people think that this does not work well with the rest of the buildings design, it is still interesting to see how other common material is manipulated in an unusual way.

Blue Stone:

This unusual type of stone has been used in a couple ways to make up the facade of this residential building. Blue Stone is a type of sandstone that is only found in North America. It has a very nice grey/blue tone to it, and is used in a very nice way on this building. It is a very smooth type of sandstone, having characteristics like being fine and consistent. This stone has been used in two different types of finishes. The first, seen on the upper right hand corner of the photo below, shows the stone having been smoothed down and finished in a clean way. The second, as seen in the bottom right hand corner of the photo, is left in its natural state, giving the brick a more rough and rustic look in comparison to the others. This stone is very interesting to see in this type of application, as it is not commonly seen in architecture. Due to its different applications, the stone gives the building a very interesting and intriguing spatial experience for passers by the building.