A HEADQUARTERS FOR IDEO
PLEASE NOTE: The following design proposal does not represent a real design for the company IDEO. The design proposal was part of a university School of Architecture project and the name 'IDEO' was used in a hypothetical scenario where it would be the best choice of company to reanimate the old Port Elizabeth Central Business District in South Africa.
FIGURE 01: Night-time render of Main Public Entrance on Govan Mbeki Street
Project Background:
Over the past three decades, the old Port Elizabeth Central Business District has suffered a dramatic decline in being a safe place of business. This has caused businesses to retract from the area, resulting in buildings falling in a dilapidated
state ridden with crime hotspots and illegal occupation. The general safety of occupants in the Central Business District was therefore up to no standard.
Project Proposal:
The project proposal was to identify a company that would hypothetically best suite as a business, social and economic incubator or hub.
I chose the company IDEO, due to its business moto, and believes as the best solution. The design proposal was to design a Headquarters for IDEO, that stems in collaborative, interactive business, therefore setting itself up as a business incubator for the CBD and to be beneficial to the occupant who currently live and work in the CBD area.
The new proposed building would be composed of several different types of small businesses in the creative sector that would be dependent on each other and to allow the use and training of a bigger skillset.
FIGURE 02: DAY-TIME render of Main Public Entrance on Govan Mbeki Street
FIGURE 03: 3D VIEW depicts how the proposed building sits between existing neighboring buildings. The public entrance sits on the lowest level with access from Govan Mbeki Street, while the private entrance sits on the top level with access from Chapel Street
FIGURE 04: Proposed floor plans. The building is designed to be orientated to the north, to capture plenty of daylight. This allows the building to breathe, since the neighboring building to the north is eight storeys height, therefor blocking out most sunlight.
FIGURE 05: Main entrance foyer and reception from Govan Mbeki Street.
FIGURE 06: Terraced floors allow for external public spaces and easy access to all floors.
FIGURE 07: Terraced floors also serve as part of the internal courtyard allowing a connection between the two streets at both entrances.
FIGURE 08: Reception and waiting area in one of the office units.
FIGURE 09: Private entrance with access from Chapel Street entrance.
FIGURE 10: Chapel Street entrance with a coffee shop and reception.
