Computer Clubhouse Competition, Misr International University, Final Submission

Mombasa, Kenya

Team 1 Concept

Vision:
The proposed project is envisioned to adhere to four basic principles dictated by the brief:
1. Transparency of Activities between spaces: Learning by Design (evaluating alternatives through others' eyes).
2. Easily-accessed, varied activities: Following your interests (providing users with a great deal of choice).
3. Interaction between different users/age-groups: Building community (sharing ideas and collaborating).
4. Safe, confident Environment: Respect & Trust (where users would experiment, explore & innovate).

Concept:

Building Concept:
The main aim of the project's design is to welcome and attract local citizens by using local resources and by giving the building a local character. The computer clubhouse with its high technological equipment should not seem alien to the people. To achieve this, local images such as the wood and trees are adopted by the building design to function as a magnet for all types of users. Furthermore, the building is meant to symbolize the Evolution of Technology and the Protection of Nature to achieve a User and Nature Friendly building

Landscaping concept:
The Shockwave of technology twists the direct lines of pathway axis of the site as they approach the building. This symbolizes that the building aims to trigger the society.

Objectives:
* Attract local citizens
* Integrating Technology and Nature.
* Modifying Technology to Preserve and Enhance Nature.

Design Imperatives:
* Ongoing Evolution of Technology => Spiral Stairs in the heart of the building
* Interaction and Integration of Different Spaces => Spiral location of spaces
* Conserving and Interaction with Nature => Trees in the heart of the building

Design Decisions:
The building accommodates various functions and provides high level of technology, yet maintaining the intimate and communal quality by the articulation of easy and straight forms used in the design similar to their culture.

Opening spaces and staggering them around the food court (center of socialization), is intended to maximize the spirit of intimacy. Utilizing computers in all club spaces, aiming at increasing the casual spirit.
This building aims at achieving an overall design experience that integrates all three types of aesthetic qualities,
* Formal (concerning appreciation of forms, shapes, rhythm, etc.)
* Sensory (concerning pleasurable simulation and sensation) and
* Symbolic (concerning positive and negative attitudes by symbolic meanings and associations)

Understanding & appreciating the site: Respecting the surrounding limits & existing grid as key for achieving intimacy
Direct connection with surrounding school
Entrance located along the main entrance axis of the academy

Orientation and climatic considerations: Creating an optimal micro climate is a key element to successful design
* Openings are wide towards wind direction to suck in soft-breeze into court and distribute it along the different spaces.
* Rotation of spaces and articulation of landscape creating wind catchers and breeze distribution
* Location and orientation of verandas towards wind direction for allowing better air current & providing cross ventilation
* Staggered spaces forming optimum aerodynamics
* High trees in court for shading
* A wooden structure is made of available local materials, also acts as climatic modifier
* Building interface constituted of two layers, enclosing air in-between for heat insulation.
* Strategic location of spaces with respect to aero-dynamics
* Adjustable louvers at windows for shading

This building is intended to not only focus on technical excellence. Rather, it aims at:
Fostering partnership of the concern, commonality and cooperation.
Bridging any divisions of identity, specialization or income level.
Promoting for sharing experiences, evoking skills and sustaining cultural values and ethics. That is to say: "an Architecture for all"

Team 2 Concept

The philosophy of the intended computer clubhouse is centered on the metaphor of "reproduction." Community based organizations, which are selected to host a computer clubhouse, are provided with resources as well as assistance and training to set up such a center that would operate as an effective technology reproducing program.

The goal of the computer clubhouse is to motivate and inspire youth to discover their own innate interests, in such a manner that would develop their intrinsic capabilities and skills through the use of technology. It aims at providing an environment where clubhouse members not only learn to be effective users of technology, but also to be producers, and developers of that technology. Thus, the computer clubhouse is first of all a community builder, whose produced work acts as the motivating factor for reconstructing social relationships, so that what used to be guarded, professional and remote relationships are transformed into open, friendly and mutually appreciative ones.

VISION:
We envision our building as flexible generator that develops and grows, parallel to time line. The main objective of this building is to introduce the latest technological enhancements to a modest community, while fostering adoration through communication and interaction. A second objective of the building is to endorse a learning willingness through supporting productivity and team-working.

We also envision our building as a main focal point, for all surrounding campus users and visitors, including children, youth, students as well as the entire community members of Killindiny. Upon its materialization, the computer clubhouse would act as production unit, engaging its members in effective participation within their communities as well as the outside society.

Concept:
We have chosen the "cell" as a reproductive element. Reproduction here proposes the production and reproduction of technology. A notion that keeps recurring along time and never stops from spreading, just like our building. Our building, therefore, is conceptualized as a "talent factory", fueled by technology and operated in an edu-fun manner, persistently developing and reproducing.

Freedom: Materialized in the accessibility and openness of spaces.
Entertainment: Materialized as the optimum way for gaining knowledge.
Socialization: Materialized in the building configuration intended to foster interaction of activities and integration between people.

Design Decisions:
The idea of the main reproductive element of our "talent factory" is the heart of the building. Such a heart is designated as the main core, a place that absorbs and processes technology, then, evokes, spreads and communicates talents.

This core is also a middle-of-the-project wind tower, a huge space for people to gather, while, at the same time acts a climatic modifier for the hot and humid weather of Kalindini. This is achieved through employing breeze-catching and cross-ventilating techniques.

Activities are then accommodated in octagonal spaces, linked with the heart on geometrical basis, demonstrating the notion of reproduction, where the octagon is the abstraction of the cell as reproductive element. Inside the octagons, activities are freely arranged, allowing for maximum visibility and interaction among users.

As for the big tents covering the verandas, they are act as shelters for clubhouse members, protecting them from various harsh, undesired climatic factors, while acting as connector of spaces. The tents are stretched to continue over the window openings of the main spaces, acting as shading devices, breaking and absorbing the sun rays while allowing indirect light. Nature is also reproduced inside the building spaces as green areas. The configuration of the building as proposed, adheres to our vision, materializes our concept and draws on our key words as imperatives for design decisions undertook.