Form3 designed and developed a custom balcony to be integrated into the Oakridge Development, following Henriquez Partners Architects and Westbank's vision to create a unique outdoor space, named 'Sanctuary'. Several hundred units will be installed on the residential towers.
Features
• 3510mm x 3100mm x 2765mm high • Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete Shell • Privacy wall • Curved glass railing • Integrated heated seating with removable upholstery • Ottoman • Folding table • Ambient perimeter lighting • Task lighting • Integrated audio system • Wireless tablet controls smart home features • Thermally decoupled from building
Our Focus
• Configuration concepts • Optimization of balcony form to respond to building conditions, thermal separation and manufacturing • Design of integrated elements including seating provisions, folding table, ambient and task lighting • Assembly considerations • Full size development models • Scale models to support marketing activities • Coordination of a full size visual model accessible to the public installed at the Oakridge presentation center
CLIENT
Westbank Corp.
ROLE
Concept Design, Full Scale Model Coordination, Marketing Visuals
Form3 designed and developed a custom balcony to be integrated into the Oakridge Development, following Henriquez Partners Architects and Westbank's vision to create a unique outdoor space, named 'Sanctuary'. Several hundred units will be installed on the residential towers.
Features
• 3510mm x 3100mm x 2765mm high • Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete Shell • Privacy wall • Curved glass railing • Integrated heated seating with removable upholstery • Ottoman • Folding table • Ambient perimeter lighting • Task lighting • Integrated audio system • Wireless tablet controls smart home features • Mechanically attached to building, addressing thermal bridging
Our Focus
• Configuration concepts • Optimization of balcony form to respond to building conditions, thermal separation and manufacturing • Design of integrated elements including seating provisions, folding table, ambient and task lighting • Assembly considerations • Full size development models • Scale models to support marketing activities • Coordination of a full size visual model accessible to the public installed at the Oakridge presentation center
“We are working at Oakridge to create something completely different. Homes will not have a balcony, but a Sanctuary – a private cocoon, sheltered from weather yet open to the views and furnished with elegance and a beautiful functionality. With heated seating, custom lighting and audio at your fingertips, this will be the first place you will go when you want to sit back and relax – like a metaphorical tree fort or a reading nook, a place of refuge from the world, and equally, the best place to entertain”.
Form3 worked with Westbank and HPA to conceptualize an integrated space with physical and smart home features to enhance the owners experience. Efforts were directed at optimizing the space to facilitate changing needs: reading, entertaining, stretching. The flowing curvature of the surrounding walls provide privacy with a smooth transition to a transparent railing.
Integrated heated seating, including an ottoman, enables flexible sitting arrangements. A reclining backrest is recessed into the privacy wall and the ottoman tucks into the seating to form a daybed / meditation bench. A folding table can be stored in the ottoman when not in use.
Early Development
High Fidelity Presentation Models
Presentation models illustrate task and mood lighting and finish treatments.
Material Selections
Full-Scale Presentation Models
Multiple rounds of full scale models were used to evaluate and adjust fine details.
Public Exhibition
We coordinated the fabrication of a full scale model which simulated the finish and features of the intended production units. The model included, all smart home mood and task lighting, heating, and audio features controlled by a tablet.