Designing student dormitories is a rather demanding task, especially when it’s combined with extensive public functions like the case of the new TEPAK Dormitories. Our proposal “The Jolly Boomerang” endeavors to solve such an intensive architectural program in a bold and imaginative yet feasible and down to earth approach. In order to achieve that, we set four fundamental principles to which our proposal would have to correspond in the most creative manner possible.
Project
The Jolly Boomerang
Timeline
2021
Status
Competion - Honorable Mention
Location
Lemessos, Cyprus
Our main concept begins from a simple yet fundamental idea:
How to redefine the circulation model of such a highly populated building while avoiding the conventional central corridor typology which creates dull and dark spaces, leaving no space for sociability and interaction.
That led us to the placement of the central corridor on the southern side of our building, which will later constitute the “key” element of our proposal. The corridor is external, thus allowing direct contact with the environment and nice climate of Cyprus while ensuring natural lighting and ventilation for all the rooms.
Circulation & Volumetry
The circulation model we chose will drastically affect the volumetry of our building. The linear placement of all the rooms next to each other, results in a remarkably longitudinal structure extending way beyond the plot’s limits. In order to both preserve the initial structure and fit all the program inside the plot’s limits, we proceeded to an elaborate “bending” process. The iconic bended line resembles a series of boomerang-like shapes that spread around the plot.
This shape not only allows us to preserve the linear organization of the courier model but also creates a variety of different places and plazas all around the proposed building.
In addition, we make sure the angles between all the wings of the broken line are always obtuse thus providing an unobstructed view towards the green surroundings for every single room.
All the public program is placed on the ground floor and it’s nested between the plateaus and edges implied by the rooms building above. Taking advantage of the different spaces and qualities that the organic shaping of the building created.
e endeavor to activate all the ground floor area through creating a homogenous public landscape rather than strict building volumes.
The public landscape will fit naturally in the existing height contours of the plot, while some big organic staircases will be formed leading to the upper structure of the rooms. As a consequence we notice a smooth transition from public to semi public and then from semi private to private.
