Urban Foyer Sheffield  
       
   

The Foyer is "An integrated approach to meeting the needs of young people during their transition from dependence to independence by linking affordable accommodation to training and employment."

  


Cafe terrace acrylic painting seasonal animation

  
       
   

The building is designed with young and visually impaired in mind, but the building is also designed to bridge gaps between different sectors of society by creating an integrated community learning from and interacting with one another.

The building aims to encourage the development of job and communication skills by running training sessions and group activities and providing research and resource facilities for both private and public use.

Model north west view

  
       
   

The main building form was positioned on a diagonal to create a tactile garden shielded from the main road, this also allowed all the accommodation to receive east light and created a gateway to the CIQ (central industrial quarter).

Model north west aerial view

  
       
    Model south east view to garden terrace  
       
   

Building forms generate different spaces internally and externally, encouraging meeting points and places to talk.

 

 

 

Model aerial view

  
       
   

 

Different tree species were used in the tactile garden to create different textural and acoustic feelings of space. A raised terrace linked to the cafe / restaurant overlooks the garden.

Ground floor plan: Central reception and meeting space, wc's, plant room and thermal gradient stair well. Cafe overlooking tactile garden and kitchens situated to produces aromatic environment to the North entrance.

 
       
   

The windows for the accommodation were orientated to collect east sunlight in the morning, enable views down Charles Street, open into the tactile garden and channel light around room via the angled ensuite.

First floor plan: accommodation, flexible seminar and training rooms, fire escapes at ends, disabled rooms also positioned at the ends to encourage integration, computer room situated below timber terrace.

  
       
    Second floor plan: accommodation, night assistant with views over all rooms, laundry, kitchen and communal common room with timber projected terrace into garden at tree level, the terrace also gives solar shading to the computer room below.  
       
    Section A: Cafe and terrace overlooking tactile garden, accommodation above, accommodation window cill level at 500mm to allow clear view for wheelchair users.  
       
    Section B: Central naturally ventilated atrium and high level roof garden.  
       
    Section C: Main vertical circulation, shaded computer room, and double height common room with timber terrace projecting into tactile garden.  
       
    East elevation  
       
    North east elevation  
       
     

The entrance is heightened for partially sighted users by different coloured and textured floor surfaces and two steel hand rails, red and green. The handrails also continue and prevent people walking into the curtain wall around the cafe.

North east elevation sketch acrylic painting

  
       
   

The top lit stair gives vertical orientation by temperature changes and light intensities. The stair case is 1.3m wide to enable people to pass without the need for a middle hand rail.

Sketch acrylic painting thermal stair well

  
       
    Sketch acrylic painting cafe  
       
    Sketch acrylic painting cafe terrace at night  
       
  ArchiCAD model renderings and fly through    
     
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