Work experience is always interesting, but our most recent Year 10 Student Sam produced work that was more interesting than most. We thought it would be good to commission her to build a 1:50 physical model, as at that scale the model has a more tangible engagement.
We chose one of the street facing apartments in our Braybrook Social Housing Project. This was of special interest for us as we are just starting to document it and we wanted to test the relationship of the living areas, balconies and kitchen overlooking the street.
Having worked diligently for 4 days on the model, which included a limited palette of materials, we suggested that Sam take the model outside into the sunlight, orientate it in it’s true cardinal direction and photograph it. In this way she (and we) could see how the views out, the light in and the room relationships were all working.
Reviewing the work we can see subtle ways for improvements. The entry passage can have a stronger outlook to the street with a subtle adjustment of a window sideways. The living room window can also adjust for better light, air and room use.
So thanks to this this exercise and Sam’s diligence, we have can improve the design of the apartment and the everyday experience of the future residents, who we hope can move into the apartment within the next 12-15 months.
A perspective view through the living room, awash with light
A perspective view looking down an arterial hall, towards the sunlit kitchen
An aerial view of the delicately constructed doll house
The model soaking up the afternoon sun