3.0 design principles

GRIMSHAW DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT PONTIO PROJECT MAY 2010

3.0 DESIGN PRINCIPlES

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OPENINGS - The control of openings allow a balance between framed openings and transparency.

In solid forms openings are arranged and controlled to provide varying degrees of transparency, be it a framed view from within to the landscaped park and city beyond, or, views into internal public spaces e.g. the animated main foyer and its cascading balcony fronts.

Stone (either natural or reconstituted) is continued into the reveals of openings and exaggerate the mass of walls thus reinforcing the ‘weight’ and solidity of various parts of the new building.

Flush silicone butt jointed external glazing

‘Framed’ view out to garden and city beyond

‘Framed’ views into entrance and main foyer



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TRANSITION - Connecting interior and exterior

Glazed curtain walling overlaid externally with a terracotta louvre assembly unifies areas of irregular glazing bringing about a resolved backdrop to the activities located at the external amphitheatre in the centre of the new Pontio Project. viewed from either inside or outside, it will provide varying degrees of visual transparency, depending on orientation, whilst maintaining an immediate link with beyond.

Curtain wall with Terracotta louvre assembly unifying areas of glazing



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FACADE TREATMENTS & MATERIAlS

SCAlE & PROxIMITY - Intimacy.

The intimacy of Penrallt Road is brought about by the domestic scale of adjoining properties and the lower ‘fluid’ rear elevation of the Pontio Project. The plasticity of the Penrallt Road facade is accentuated by the continuity of curved, yet diverging, surfaces

achieved by the use of a light coloured render.

light Coloured Render

Extruded self supporting glass chan-nels

JUNCTIONS - Translucency linking front and back.

The approach from upper Glanrafon Hill is animated by the junction of the Penrallt Road elevation and the Auditorium block - where theatre related back of house accommodation is located behind a translucent material, thus providing privacy internally, yet animating the link externally.



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ACTIvE FACADE - Revealing of the Theatre wall.

The architectural expression for Pontio Project has been developed to communicate bangor University’s objective for a building that expresses synergy between the arts, science, technology, business and industry. The theatre is a critical component of this both in terms of the brief and conceptually. volumetrically the theatre and main auditorium form the anchor around which the other volumes are arranged as they terrace and step down from Aethwy Ridge as an extension of the landscape. The mass of this block has been eroded to reveal the ‘skin’ of the theatre volume held within, and in order to breakdown and articulate the different functions. The spectacle of ‘theatre’ is expressed as an active facade whose materiality allows for movement, light and an ability to transform, either through backlighting or use of lED, that assists in animating the ground plane to create and active and engaging frontage. The facade is further animated with large recesses revealing access and movement around the theatre itself.

The main lecture theatre that straddles the auditorium below benefits from a glazed end wall providing natural daylighting to this space when required with direct light controlled by means of a series of vertical lourvres. The end wall at this level is also splayed back clearly distinguishing and differentiating the two volumes within whilst emphasising the prominence of the corner. This establishes a hierarchy between the end wall and the main facade which defines the route through the site. This louvres and glazed end wall also allows the upper volume to dissolve and break down the mass when viewed from certain angles whilst simultaneously allowing the building to act as a beacon through backlighting.



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ROOF - The fifth elevation using materials as wall cladding.

As the overall height of the Pontio Project is kept below the level of the Main Arts building terrace, its roofscape is easily visible from various positions and is considered as a fifth elevation. Its treatment is considered as important as elevational treatment elsewhere. For example, the main entrance block is perceived as a sculpted ‘solid’ mass and its smooth stone finish is continued over its roof emphasising its sub-ordinate relationship with adjacent elements. Elsewhere, e.g. at the Student’s Union, the roof is treated as an extension of the Main Arts building lower terrace and is landscaped in order to provide a seamless connection between the new Pontio Project and the existing College Park

Same material as wall cladding

Student’s Union roof terrace


4.0 ACCESS STRATEGY

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APPROACH & ENTRANCE

With multiple points of entrance spread over a steep, inclined site, the approaches to the building are varied and numerous.

This plan shows the key pedestrian approaches to the Pontio Project, identifying access roads and paths leading to and through the site.

Legend

Entrances

Pedestrian Routes

Pedestrian Access

Disable Drop Off / Coach Drop Off

College Park

from High from High

from Station Pedestrian Crossing

Stair and Lift Access to Main Arts

3.0 design principles

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