Marcella Perez
Motivated by the human experience, and fascinated by the notion that curiosity and innovation are essential in creating unique environments, Marcella aims to produce spaces that are meaningful and influential to people. Marcella believes that her attention to detail and ability to push the boundary can yield quality human-centric design. She is passionate about exploring how spatial design is relative to the psychology of human behaviour, and she hopes to collaborate with like-minded designers to improve the connection between people and their environments.
Live/Work | Collective Hub
Live/Work | Collective Hub aims to bring attention to the creative industry, and the strong correlation between the creative sector and the economic success of a City. Designed as an alternative solution to the missing housing typologies in Toronto, it aims to bridge the gap between housing and working space available to accommodate the needs specific to the creative industries. This environment supports live/work structures, cultivates collaborations and overlaps diverse industries with spatial types sharing an overall purpose. L/W | Collective Hub can advance Toronto as a centre of design, as well as a City that develops creativity, and encourages overlap with the built environment.
Rationale and Design Narrative
Creatives hold a central position in the economy as they produce creative activities, and supply other sectors with creative inputs that increase innovation and productivity. As such, it is essential to our economy to retain this creative talent in Toronto. As middle housing is increasingly missing due a drastic division into two opposites, and with the influx of creative talent, this indicates that an innovative housing type can help solve the housing imbalance, and support new live-work models in Toronto. Creative industries thrive on creation and collaboration, and by using the implications a space can have on users, the design of the physical environment is used to influence the activity and attitude of creatives. Live/Work | Collaborative Hub emphasizes human-centric perspectives, and the design strategy focuses on a space conducive to living and working that will ultimately encourage collaboration, productivity and strengthening the connection between people and place.
Design Connection to Research
An adaptive reuse of 21 Ossington Avenue aligns with the middle housing that is needed in Toronto; as it promotes gentle density within a walkable neighbourhood. Live/work environments offer the alternative housing typology that allows residential and work activities to be pursued on the same property. A sense of place is accomplished by implementing four key components of placemaking: Accessibility, easy to get to and get through; users are engaged in activities there; the space is comfortable and has a good image; it is a sociable place. Thresholds are integrated to the interior architecture to promote a highly collaborative environment: Private vs. Public | clear division between residential and workplace signifies change in space or a shift from activities; Visual Connection | the interconnected staircase signifies transparency between users; Guide | user passage acts as wayfinding and intermediary spaces introduce to the spaces to follow, allowing smooth transition in use or activity.
Character of Space
Spatial characteristics are utilized to manipulate behaviours and interactions within each space. Each spaces’ modular composition is designed to be tweaked to alter the nature of interactions: Posture (lounging vs. standing); Orientation (facing one person during a presentation or facing each other to share ideas); Surfaces (orientation of work surface, display vs. create); Ambiance/atmosphere (active & energetic vs. relaxed & quiet); Density (open space allow for an alone/reflective state vs. concentrated spaces encourages interaction). As well, 2 color palettes are utilized to ensure that the environments complement the activities within each space to benefit the users: 1. Promotes a sense of calm + comfort , which is intended to promote activity and interaction 2. Creates a feeling of calm and relaxation, it reduces anxiety and eye strain and increases productivity.
Program Consideration
There are four main components that are utilized to support creatives within their spaces: Concentrate + Reflect, a space for users that require more privacy for productivity; Support Spaces, provide services that support surrounding activities, ranges from kitchenettes, storage room, printing areas & intuitive for users to easily recognize; Collaborate + Engage, multi-functional environment with a combination of open space and private enclaves; Recognize + Familiarize, provides the platform for people to connect to a place, welcomes pedestrian traffic + encourage the community to familiarize themselves with the facility.
