Library Building - Developing the Architectural Language

Myself and Ed had a meeting with Steve yesterday which proved very useful and an important step in the project. Steve had us pin up drawings at the scale we aim to present them and it soon became clear where there were gaps in the design, for example certain areas of the site plan were more define than others and the main school entrance seemed insignificant. Besides tweaking the floor plans and site plan, the elevations needed a bit of re-thinking, particularly the elibrary elevation facing the school.

This is what I pinned up and presented to Steve:

This was directly developed from the model that I have previously posted images of and the general consensus was that there was no unified architectural language, there are three or four different styles forming and it makes the elevation untidy. The vertical timber boarding had promise but the differing window heights, horizontal boarding and most of all the 'Swiss Lodge' overhanging eaves to the entrance just don't work.

So, I revisited this and have developed a more uniform language, one I'm still working on but am substantially more happy with.. I have taken the vertical boarding and laid them in 250mm wide elements, the windows are now all the same height and the widths are all a multiple of 250mm (thanks for that idea Ed!); they have also been recessed 100m and give extended openings above and below. The roof has been made completely flat, with parapets and green roofs throughout. The colours have been toned down to become softer, pastel shades.

The two options below show one with vertical timber boards (top) and the other with the timber painted in 10 different colours (plus white) to create a pattern.


Personally, I find the elevation with the timber boards to be the more successful; the coloured boards seems disjointed and perhaps too overwhelming considering that this will face the school.

I'd be interested to hear what people have to say regarding these, any preference?