Paddington Basin "Water Love Nest"

Conceptual Diagram of Concept

Below shows the original Plan and section drawing of the new site Paddington Basin....

Model of Original site:

Development of Concept

Incoorprating my idea onto Paddington Basin site, therefore testing and trying to make my inground sitting nesting to adapt to this site.

Firstly, i changed the shape and direction of the existing canal to run across the site. Also making my concept sit in the middle of the canal. As shown below:

NB: Green represents Pedestrain Movement

Blue represents Movement of water around the nest

Further changes to the original shape of the site by trying to soften the edges by making the shape of the canal edge curvy.The Nest sits just in the middle of the site.The Hard straight edges of this nest represents “Her” while addition of trees to soften the nest represnts “Him”But this hasnt be resolved as a nest because the nest needs water for it to be complete for this couples to have a their romans bloom. As shown below:

I decided to bring the nest to the edge of the canal in other to include water in their romanic nest rather than it been in the middle of the site. The same Hard straight edge represents “Her” but i tried to include “Him” by adding a Planting Screen around the edge of the nest and also some trees to soften the hard paving too. From this plan i havent included enough of the soft side therefore “He” has not been brought into the nest yet. As shown below:

Experimenting with Model below:

I was experimenting ways in which i can bring both “Her” + “Him” + “Water” = NEST

i.e combining the Hard Edges with a Soft edge together with water.

The Hard straight Egde Steps is represented by the Cardborad while the “Green” bit represents a “Soft Corrugated Grassed slope” which will be suited between the steps of the Hard Straight edges. Then the “Blue” represents “Water”.

Making this model has enabled me to resolve the question “HARD + SOFT + WATER" = “LOVE NEST” .

The plan below shows the Nest along the edge of the canal with the “Soft Corrugated grass slope between the steps” of the nest as shown in the model above.looking at the plan above, the hard straight steps doesnt seem to fit or stay properly on the Paddington Basin site and also doesn’t suit the canal shape too.

I have explored ways in which the steps can fit and flow with the canal.I decided that the Hard straight edge steps should be parrallel to the existing building structure and also did the same method to re-shape the canal too.
Secondly, i decided to continue the pattern of the steps on the surface of the site in other to create a concrete paving pattern. As shown below:

Final Plan

Fully resolved concept: HARD +SOFT + WATER = NEST. On the plan i continued the soft bit over the paved area by adding onto the suface 1m high “Grass Moulds” across the soft and also the grass still runs along the corrugated slope between the hard edges.

Plan & Section Drawings: