To design a weather station situated on Dartmoor which will record weather observations and relay its findings back to the MET office in Exeter. The weather station has to provide habitation for a maximum of two people. The structure should acknowledge its environment, but it should not defer to it.
The weather station is cut into the hill by a twisting curving foundation which channels the wind flow up the hill through the wind tubes to the wind sacs. Constructed from reflective mirrored metal which takes on its surrounding so that it appears to be submerged into the ground.
The Living pods are constructed out of opaque mirrored one way glass, so that externally people can not see in, but when inside the pod people can see out. The glass allows natural light to enter the living pods through the wind sac membrane. The frames of the living pods are made out of light aluminium with the glass curved over the structure. The wind sac acts as a second membrane to the living pod, inflating and deflating ventilating the space within. Wind sac membrane is made from Mylar fabric stretched between the wind tubes. When wind passes through the area, it inflates and deflates in reaction to the winds pressure and speed. The wind sac traps the wind so that it can be used as ventilation for the living pods by entering small air holes in the walls of the living pods, which filters the wind so that habitation can take place in the pods. The wind sacs also create a continuing moving structure which captures the natural element and makes the structure react to the change in weather. Wind tubes filter the wind into the wind sacs and pass it from one vacuum to another.
Living pods are entered by suspended walkways which emerge out of the landscape. Entry into the living pods is by means of a tube which the person has to crawl through to give the impression of emerging into a large void space. Automatic doors help decrease the threat of wind escaping from the wind sacs and wind from outside gaining entry into the living pods. Tubes with turbines in them at the end of the weather station’s foundations allow for power to be generated to the living pods
The weather station is cut into the hill by a twisting curving foundation which channels the wind flow up the hill through the wind tubes to the wind sacs. Constructed from reflective mirrored metal which takes on its surrounding so that it appears to be submerged into the ground.
The Living pods are constructed out of opaque mirrored one way glass, so that externally people can not see in, but when inside the pod people can see out. The glass allows natural light to enter the living pods through the wind sac membrane. The frames of the living pods are made out of light aluminium with the glass curved over the structure. The wind sac acts as a second membrane to the living pod, inflating and deflating ventilating the space within. Wind sac membrane is made from Mylar fabric stretched between the wind tubes. When wind passes through the area, it inflates and deflates in reaction to the winds pressure and speed. The wind sac traps the wind so that it can be used as ventilation for the living pods by entering small air holes in the walls of the living pods, which filters the wind so that habitation can take place in the pods. The wind sacs also create a continuing moving structure which captures the natural element and makes the structure react to the change in weather. Wind tubes filter the wind into the wind sacs and pass it from one vacuum to another.
Living pods are entered by suspended walkways which emerge out of the landscape. Entry into the living pods is by means of a tube which the person has to crawl through to give the impression of emerging into a large void space. Automatic doors help decrease the threat of wind escaping from the wind sacs and wind from outside gaining entry into the living pods. Tubes with turbines in them at the end of the weather station’s foundations allow for power to be generated to the living pods