Claire Ison
Architecture, 2023
I have a strong interest in the way the built environment affects human engagement and interaction. Built forms that invite people to engage with and feel connected to them are fascinating to me.
I would like to create spaces that invoke such a connection between both the environment and the people that interact with it.
I enjoy making physical scale models of my designs and try to represent materiality within the process. The translation of digital models to physical prototypes improves my concept development and brings the designs closer to resolution.
Selected Portfolio
Interstice Atelier
Interstice Atelier is an urban space designed to foster artistic and creative exploration within the hub of Civic Canberra. The moments of beauty are found in the undefined; the space between. Interstice Atelier blends thoroughfare with moments of pause and interaction, light and scattered shadow, collaboration and seclusion, enclosure and exposure, and contemporary design with the continuation of pre-existing elements from the old Garema Centre.
Library of Light
The Library of Light is an adaptive re-use and expansion of the University of Canberra campus library. The objective of this project was to increase the library’s usable floor area by at least fifty percent, and better integrate it with the surrounding campus, in congruence with the university’s proposed Campus Master Plan Sustainability vision. The conceptual focus was based around opening up the study floors to increase natural light, as well as improving the means of circulation between each floor.
Reflection Pavilion
The Reflection Pavilion is a space designed for students to retreat to on campus as a means of decompression and meditation through movement. Developed from the initial function of a multi-faith room, the pavilion stretches the moment between on campus and off campus, allowing a mental and emotional resting place before continuing on with university responsibilities. Located near a high traffic path from parking lots to the campus hub, the pavilion would draw many busy students in need of mental reprieve.
Pianist's Retreat
This laneway loft is a designed for a performer who lives and breathes their craft. A dwelling, a performance space, and a basement practice studio within the same site allows the resident to share their music with passers-by that frequent the adjacent café and alleyway. Initially inspired by the treble clef, the concept revolves around an immersive performance experience. Visitors enter the building able to see the performer, but as they ascend the performance is enjoyed through sound alone, creating a unique and exclusive experience. The concrete ramp wraps around the room, inviting visitors to experience the building as they hear the music, and the glass follows the ramp, providing a constant view to the outside. At the top of the ramp, a ring of skylights allow visitors to view the performance from above, whilst providing a halo of natural light onto the performer.