Diploma Unit Two. Architectural Association School of Architecture

Tools for Architecture is a research unit based at the Architectural Association in London formed by a team of MArch AA Diploma students and lead by Space Popular directors Lara Lesmes and Fredrik Hellberg.

Town Square

full render 1

In this town, objects and forms are animated. People are encouraged not only to view but to interact with objects and architecture in a different way. This new relationship with form relies on the inhabitants becoming empathetic with the forms and projecting on to them various characters, scenarios or degrees of livelihood.

cafe

These restaurant chairs are reminiscent of both human and animal forms, when customers see them they will usually say what animal they think the chair is meant to represent and then they will pick and choose which chairs they want to put together for their table.

playground 1

Children particularly love these forms, The idea of entering into a block reminiscent of the head of a woman excites them and it encourages them to project other body parts on the structure. Many of then describe the slide as going down the slippery tongue.

staircase 1

Climbing up this staircase is reminiscent to climbing into the belly of a fat snowman. When the person gets to the top they can enjoy a view of the town square through the “snowman’s head”

back render

After spending time getting used to animating objects in- habitants begin to see the walls much more like a “skin” of a character and are able to relate to the forms on a physical level.

top view

Through several viewpoints and podiums, people are able to get an overview of the all the objects in the town square. From these view points people can imagine how the objects as characters might inter- act and relate with each other.