St. Mary's Writer's Retreat

The objective of this project was to design a place for a visiting writer at UNCG using the historical site of St. Mary's, located off of Tate Street. In my design I wanted to create a very functional living and gathering space for the visiting writer. The front of the building was designated to fit the needs of visiting students and for large to small group readings. This front area also branches off to a secluded office space for the writer, connecting to bar seating for small meetings with students. Various nooks are dispersed throughout the area for quiet writing, reading and reflection.

This is the Plan View of the building

Following the intimacy gradient deeper, there is a dining/ conference table for more formal gatherings. A mobile side bar can be positioned for refreshments after group readings.The kitchen separates the public from the private areas. 

These are a few section cuts of the space

One area that finds itself floating between those two realms of public and private is the reflection tower. Somewhat like a greenhouse in nature, it breaks through the traditional boundaries of the house and is constructed of steel and glass. There is a platform and swing-like seating and cushions. It is a place for the writer to experience isolation in his own home. It is an oasis. 

The top drawing is a perspective of the greenhouse tower space, the lower left drawing is a perspective of the entrance to the tower, and the lower right drawing is the conference/ dining area.




During the critique I was told that my greenhouse tower did not comply to the historical guidelines in the neighborhood, but was given suggestions about how to make it work in my plan. 

These are some pictures of the model some of the class made of St. Mary's as it stands. Because of historical guidelines, none of the outside is really changeable, so understanding its form is important.

The mapped out the land St. Mary's owned also, to give a feel for how it fits with its surroundings.

This is the floor plan already in place in St. Mary's. It was interesting to reform an already designed space.