PODS

University of Auckland, Homework Studio Project, July - October 2012

Located on the corner of Alex Evans Street and St Benedicts Street, Newton, Auckland, the site is bordered by numerous parking lots and St Benedicts Church. The site also overlooks Auckland’s CBD, giving it a fantastic view. The site is exposed as nothing large crowds the area, making it a primo location for a new monumental building. Symonds Street is the main hub for the Newton, which is parallel to St Benedicts Street one block over, this is where the local bus stops, restaurants and dairies are located. 

PODS is a place where both living and work takes place. 

The idea behind PODS is that you will go here to work for a temporary period, 6-12 months, where you will live and work intensively. 

The entire building is covered in glass, making the structural steel columns visible from the exterior. The idea behind this is that everyone passing by will be able to see what is happening within and the people within the building will have a constant connection with their environment. 

The bottom double height space is an open plan that is divided up by large steel columns in a grid. This space can be used for virtually anything, making it a flexible building. In the instance of this project, HOMEWORK, the space is used as a factory where mechanical arms and table work will primarily take place. The workers of the factory will then retire for the day in a Pod, situated above them. A large steel staircase and glass elevators connect the work and living parts of the building. The work and living spaces are constantly in contact with each other through a steel grate walkway suspended above the double height workspace. This walkway is part of the primary structure of the building and helps to keep the Pods aloft. The Pods function as the live-in part of the building. They too are flexible in their use as they are interchangeable and could potentially be swapped out with a Pod functioning as an office, if more workspace is required. The live-in Pods come in two different sizes; one story or two stories. 

The idea behind these two flexible spaces is that they can be programmed for any function desired. The Pods could even be placed on the workspace floor and function as both living and working spaces for each person or client. They could even function as shops, small restaurants or mini-galleries, the options are endless. 

The overall expression of the building is very simple as only three main materials are used; glass, steel and wood. The roof of the building extrudes at different heights allowing for functions to take place below on top of the Pods if there is enough space and if wanted, such as a garden. The meaning behind the extruded roof is to create something new to the location and to produce a dramatic expression once lit up from within by the Pods, creating an intended look of a floating cityscape.