DESIGN INCUBATOR

FOR ACADEMY OF DESIGN (AOD) AT BAMBALAPITIYA

• Name: Amandra Senalankadhikara
• Year: 2018
• Studio: Level V
• University: University of Moratuwa

Project Description

• Project: Design Incubator for Academy of Design
• Location: Bambalapitiya
• Land extent: 1400 sq.m
• Client: Mrs. Linda Speldewinde (Founder & the Director of AOD)
• User:
  • Primary user: Designing Students
  • Secondary user: Design Incubators
  • Investor: Academy of Designing and Northembria University, London
  • Resource person: Mrs. Linda Speldewinde (Founder & the Director of AOD)

This project seeks to create interactive nurturing spaces for young designers in Colombo to work and grow in the industry. By bridging the interaction between students, young designers and veterans of the industry benefit the creative industry of Sri Lanka. How to groom design talent through architecture? How would a design incubator help enrich the bustling fabric of Bambalapitiya? are some of the key questions asked within the project.

DESIGN CONSIDERATION

Concept formulation

The design concept was derived from a cocoon, where caterpillar turns into a new creature. For a longer period protection is given by the cocoon cells. This is adopted to the design as, how students and young designers will be protected until they exposed to the industry. Providing guidance and knowledge throughout the incubation. Adopting properties of a cocoon to the building, the cells which protects the living creature inside likewise the façade itself will be a protective cell which shelters inside spaces.

Having a design incubator in a prime location such as Bambalapitiya gives young designers an opportunity to showcase their brands and boost in profile and exposure. The intention of this design is to build up networks between students, lecturers, young designers, public and those in the industry in order to create a more sustainable design community in Colombo. It is also a commonly known fact that the best form of learning is through involvement and peer evaluation. Having spaces for the whole design community to interact in, allows students and young designers to better themselves through shared knowledge rather than simply studying off books. Thus, the gathering spaces are the primary space which needed to be highlighted in the design.

The building was divided into the different zones as per function. The common gathering spaces between these different spaces is the primary space. Creating open spaces adopting essence of a cocoon inside the building. Here primary space is the negative space of the building. Featuring the solid spaces around creating the cocoon walls open space becomes the living creature inside the cocoon and the mode by which everyone is connected. To highlight this open space plan, the structure was taken out of the building and services were connected as a separate core at the rear of the building.