My Space
Year:
2023
Koning Willem 1 College:
1st Year
Project:
1
For the My Space project, I designed a hangout space for teenagers located in the Westerpark in ’s‑Hertogenbosch. I began the project by visiting the site, taking photos, and analyzing the atmosphere and movement in the park. The main requirement of the assignment was to create a design built from exactly five cubes, which could be connected, split, or repositioned in any way as long as the final concept remained based on those five volumes.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
The goal of the project was to create a comfortable and functional hangout spot where young people could relax, meet friends, and feel at home in the public space. By exploring different ways to arrange the five cubes, the aim was to develop a design that felt playful, safe, and inviting while fitting naturally into the landscape of the Westerpark.
APPROACH & PROCESS
I began the project by exploring different arrangements of the five required cubes through small clay models, which helped identify strong compositions in terms of openness, height, and interaction. From these studies, I selected the best options and developed three schakeling‑schetsen to test the spatial flow. Each variation was then translated into simple mass models in SketchUp, allowing me to compare proportions and usability. After choosing the most convincing concept, I refined it with a two‑point perspective drawing and began developing the structural system in SketchUp, including wind bracing and material tests. The project concluded with a fully detailed SketchUp model that combines form, structure, and atmosphere into a functional hangout space for teenagers.
CHALLENGES
One of the main challenges was creating a design that felt open and welcoming, while still offering enough privacy for teenagers to feel comfortable using the space. Another challenge was keeping the structure inviting while still making it durable and vandal‑resistant. Finding the right balance between openness, protection, atmosphere and robust materials required testing several design versions.
OUTCOME
The final design presents a playful and functional hangout structure that blends naturally into the Westerpark setting. The project includes clay models, schakeling sketches, a perspective drawing, structural studies, and a detailed 3D model. Together, these elements show how the five cubes can be transformed into a hangout spot that feels inviting, sturdy, and well suited for young people.
REFLECTION
This project helped me explore how simple geometric rules can still lead to creative and functional architecture. I learned how important it is to test different forms, study the site conditions, and understand what teenagers actually need. Moving from clay models to sketches, structure studies, and a detailed 3D model strengthened my ability to develop a concept step by step into a complete design.
GALLERY
