Experimenting with umbrellas

Experimenting with umbrellas

I used cardboard and tin foil in order to create a model of a potential structure that would form the roof. The model I made does not really represent the scale that the umbrellas would have to be to for the roof structure however it does give me an idea of what it could potentially look like. I also like the idea of the base looking like a sandcastle and this could hold some sort of food and beverages such as an ice cream stand or fish and chip stand.

Research: Umbrella buildings

Umbrella building structures

I took these pictures of the umbrellas hanging down near borough market. It provided a great feature for the people sitting in the bar and also a great shelter from the sun while they were eating. 

I went on to do some research in to existing umbrella structures.

After doing more research into using the umbrella shape for my building I think it would be a great feature that relates to my indoor beach and will provide an eye catching feature from both inside and outside of the building. Next I think I will try to attempt to make a model of the idea so I can visual see what this feature might look like.

Standsted Airport

Stansted Airport

Once I started looking in to the umbrella design idea, I came across a fairly similar design feature at Stansted airport where the roof and structure of the building is made up of separate supports which hold information stations with metal structures coming from them to  form the roof. 

I could use a similar concept for my building with umbrella like structures expanding from the base.