Bliss Plaza

The design process for this project

I was thinking about biophilic design: bringing greenery to our living places. Biophilia helps us to work with nature, instead of taking greenery out of where we are. In my research, a website called GREENROOFS.COM from one of the Sustainable Design and Development sections in PPN Professional Links. GREENROOFS.COM did a project called Shell Petrol Station @ Tampines Avenue 2. The green walls improve customer experience and employees’ well-being for nearby businesses especially Mcdonald’s and Shell petrol station. 

“Four panels of Elmich Green Walls totaling 55m² were established across the station and filled with verdant plants, giving the station a welcoming green façade while simultaneously helping to reduce ambient heat and airborne pollutants. A rainwater harvesting system, projected to save more than a million liters of water per year, helps to irrigate the plants on the green walls, as well as to flush the toilets” (Greenroofs.com 2017).

The project, Shell Petrol Station @ Tampines Avenue 2, shows how much benefits and influence of incorporating the principle of biophilia.

This design exercise gives me both opportunities and constraints

opportunities 

Lots of free forms are created. 

Great way to think outside the box.

Help to overcome Paralysis by analysis-over thinking so I can just start the project.

Different people think of abstract lines differently so it gives me the opportunity to show my own taste and interpretation of those random shapes and lines. 

constraints

Objects might have acute angles.

May have weird positions relative to each other.

Do not have a specific form as a theme, such as circular or angular, which may create a lack of unity.

Theory

Halprin’s theory on nature is about taking how you feel in nature and transforming it into forms that give you the same feeling. 

Whenever I visit national parks I feel relaxed and refreshed. My design of planting islands help to make subspaces and bring prospect and refuge just like how humans used to live in the cave. At the same time, they help with circulation in the plaza. The concert is like birds chirping; the water fountain represents a waterfall.

Program/ Story

Art-Destination-Memorable place.

More often our dreams while we are sleeping come from the thoughts we have had, people we have seen, or places we have been. I was visiting some museums and shopping centers during my winter break. When I look at those abstract lines and shapes drawn by my classmates, I feel I’m in a shopping plaza that I enjoy a lot when I’m there. 

When I look at Roberto Burle Marx’s work, it has a very strong paving pattern. It brings intense energy and thrill into a landscape. All the stores around my garden plaza are trying to attract customers. Thus, by making my paving pattern simple and crisp, users will feel relaxed and calm in the space. Those planting islands are inspired by blobby Amoeba to create fluidity and flow in this garden plaza. 

There must be at least a main circulation for the walkway and secondary circulation.

People who live in urban cities tend to have high stress so grasses will be incorporated. Because grasses can dance in the wind and have a soft texture, grasses can calm people down visually. 

Also, the thin needle-like sheaths of grass can reduce evapotranspiration which fits its local Mediterranean climate in California. 

Varieties of seating material, color, texture, and arrangements bring interest to the space, yet they are in harmony with each other in function and visual from the same modern look. 

Having a focal point as a big theme in the space also acts as a way-finder.

There will be an art gallery every Saturday with movable art pieces or sculptures, depending on local artists.

A stage provides an opportunity for jazz bands of 2 to 6 people to entertain the site users. When the jazz band is not performing, the fountain will be on to create a year-round interest between day and night time. 

The fountain calms users’ hearts with its soothing water sounds. 

The design journey continues.