Reflective chapter Hind-Site At the end of semester review, it was suggested by the critics that I consider changing my site

to a more central location within the city centre as they believed that the proposed MediaHub would benefit from a more exciting and challenging site. I took this advice on board and after analysing potential sites around the North inner city, I decided to locate the MediaHub on Moore Street. I feel that this site is more appropriate to my thesis objectives as it exposes the MediaHub to a more diverse user type compared to the site I chose in Smithfield. As the new site is located in the Ilac Centre, and is adjacent to Henry Street, it will experience a high volume of footfall during retail hours. The area is also rich in culture due to the ethnic diversity in the locale with Moore Street recently become home to number of multi-ethnic businesses, a lot of which are computer orientated. The location of the MediaHub on Moore Street also allows it to provide for less privileged members of society, particularly those in the social housing developments on Dominic Street and surrounding areas. This is important as one of the main arguments to emerge from my research is that less privileged communities are being marginalised further as they lack the technological hardware required to become a digital citizen resulting in a digital divide. I also believe that by locating the MediaHub on Moore Street, it will promote a regeneration of an area that is becoming increasingly neglected. As Henry Street and Moore Street are primarily made up of retail outlets, the area becomes desolate and unfriendly at nighttime. The situation is not helped by the Ilac Centre which becomes an impermeable block once it closes its doors in the evening. Therefore, one of the first moves I made in terms of urban design was to externalise the Ilac, thus returning its internal routes back into the streets from which they came. I feel that this would promote the Parnell Street are by building on popular pedestrian routes between Temple Bar and Henry Street.

Design Process I initially found the design process difficult as I had formed an intangible ideal in my head that I was almost intimidated to sketch for fear of getting it wrong. It was the advice given by a lecturer to a student in a similar situation I inadvertently overhead that sprung me into action; you have to crack the eggs to make an omelette!1. So I did. I began by assessing the site to see what influences it would have
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Simpson, K, (2011) 5th year studio, WIT

on the brief. The fact that it was located in a prime retail area as well as the historic significance of Moore Street, an area famous for its markets, were avenues I wanted to explore. I had always imagined the MediaHub as being a social and intellectual commons; a place where people went to meet and interact with other people. The idea of introducing a market element to the brief not only fitted in with this vision but brought with it its own dynamic. I began to test the revised brief on the site through the use of models and sketching. I also applied the concept of a market element to the aforementioned precedents to explore what influence it might or might not have on their designs. I found this process particularly useful as it allowed me to visualise the potential relationships between spaces and how they might be organised. A concept quickly began to develop around the idea of a permeable, flexible public space on the ground floor with the original brief of the MediaHub located above and below. A large central atrium would visually connect the spaces thus creating an awareness between users of the market to the activities above and visa versa. I also began to develop the concept of a book spiral: a ramp that facilitates in vertical circulation while also providing book storage. Although the idea of a book spiral began as a relatively small element it soon became the driving force behind the design. As the design developed I had considered removing the book spiral altogether due to initial problems I had in working within the minimum slope requirements etc. However I was encouraged to explore the idea further and I was glad I did. I feel that I learned more about the design process by developing the ramp concept into a strong idea, than I would have if I had changed my concept every time I ran into difficulties. I believe that the use of a ramp is appropriate to my thesis objective as it provides a fluidity of movement. The ramp breaks the horizontal barriers that floors create and encourages movement up through a diversity of activities. Further research has identified that a lack of opportunities to use technology is a major reason why people experience a digital divide2. By employing a ramp as the primary circulation in conjunction with a large central atrium, users become exposed to activities and opportunities they might not otherwise have been aware of.

Final Thoughts The experience of writing a thesis and then applying that thesis to an architectural design has been a challenging but rewarding experience. Having a clear idea of what I imagined the MediaHub to
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Servon, L (2002) Bridging the Digital Divide, London: Wiley-Blackwell. P.69

be before embarking on the design process was a huge help as I returned to this aspiration many times during the design process for inspiration and to maintain focus. I also feel that I have strengthened my ability to develop concepts from initial stages right through to the very end and I believe that this skill will be essential to me as an architect in a professional capacity. Im pleased with the final outcome, not necessarily because of the result but because of the process I undertook to achieve the result. By keeping a sketchbook of my thoughts from the beginning of the design stage, I can clearly see how the early concepts developed into the final design. For me, this represents a much more successful outcome than designing something brilliant right at the end without having gone through proper concept development and exploration. It is this skill that I hope to develop further in my future career as an architect.