Initial Design Concepts

Initial concepts for this design project began with ideas of movement and the human body and how it could be expressed through building form. Not wanting to be too literal with that concept I began looking into the expression of Cirques production process.
Borrowing from Cirques commitment to performance, connection with the audiences and community I began looking into a building program which would highlight and tell the story behind each of the productions.

In terms of program, I wanted visitors to be taken along a path which expressed the process from bottom to top- from classrooms, to training to final production elements to create a gallery of sorts.

In creating an internal gallery space, people become the attraction. In making each of these activities visible to visitors and athletes alike, it can act to invite people to take part in the activity, encourage cross collaboration and awareness within the building and above all else highlight the artists themselves.

Playing off the gallery theme I am looking to create a series of paths from which visitors are able to see into these spaces without actually entering them. Acting as attractions and points of interest along the way I am also suggesting that costumes and artefacts from past cirque shows can be put on display

In terms of the envelope, I am looking into a façade which plays with the filter and control of direct sunlight-where it is a possibility that light and shadow will play a role in directing/ guiding visitors through the space. Another thing I am looking into but haven’t fully resolved is the way in which light can indicate the passing of time-translating to the temporal aspect of the athletes (coming for brief or long periods/ in an out of different productions etc.) Cheesy?...Maybe…