I did some sketching tonight about ideas for this boathouse. Without much research I broke down the function of the building into three main things: loading/unloading boats into the house, changing, and meeting. I wanted to try and incorporate the height of the used space when occupied by people and reflected that into the height of the designated space. Also trying to incorporate movement somehow, either by spaces being open to the outside like the dock or transparent with the use of glass and then compare that to a space where occupants are seated and discussing like the meeting area and conveying that as closed off and stagnant, private even.
The site is another story. Since boathouses generally dont depend on the weather to dictate when they are used, I find that the one element that effects placement is the height of the building, with the footprint being secondary. If the building is going to be tall enough to interfere with tree cover or view from the living spaces, then the building should be located where it does the least harm. I am still working on what makes the most sense with my ever-evolving concept as far as location, but I think my ideas for form and purpose for the structure itself are starting to point in some interesting directions.

Boat House Site Analysis Model

Although the photos are in reverse order.....this model represents the height of persons occupying spaces of the esplanade with different uses. The solidness/or void of each element reflects if person using the space is moving or still and the directional point or lack there of shows the direction of movement. Each piece stands alone, but can be pushed together to create the whole site. From Left to right there is the living space, only has the possibility of movement upward so the top is void, then vehicular traffic on storrow drive in which the users are relatively low to the ground and the triangles indicate movement in both directions, next a jogging path in which users are slightly taller than the vehicles beside them and are also moving in both directions, followed by sitting space that is relative in height to a car and is solid to reflect no movement, then the play space which is the shortest to reflect use by children and points in many directions to indicate irratic play and not a straight path as in jogging, followed again by jogging that switches to mainly a single direction, then sitting space again, another jogging path again one directional, and lastly the rocks that lead down to the water which are solid because they are rarely used.

Boat House Project

Some attempts at modeling my ideas in 3D. Struggling with trying to develop
a concept that I think will take me through the rest of the project.
I enjoy the idea of what I've started but there may be too many dimensions.

The heights show the height of the occupants, or in the case of the living space the
multitude of heights built upon one another, also this shows progression from living
to the play space(in this case) and the open or closed sides of each segment shows either
movement-open or fixed-closed nature of the activity that occurs in that space.

The progression of spaces show left to right is, living, driving, running, sitting,
and then playing. That is what I have as of right now. I think the next attempt may need
to include far less factors to be successful because I see this as flawed.

BOAT HOUSE SITE ANALYSIS/REPRESENTATIONS
Here is an analysis of the spacial requirement for each use of the space
in the section I am focusing on. Each box represents an individual and the
groups are the potential amount necessary for the use of the space.
The red signifies living space, purple driving, blue running, green sitting, and
yellow playing. The heights are respective of the height of person when in that space.
The first is a plan and sectional analysis with two 3 dimensional representations.

Mapping

view from ramp, pedestrian area, interaction with folliage, natural/vehicle/pedestrian land use, natural elements

Tree cover



























Ground activity









Ground material