Designing a single space for an artist to live and work in, while also having it temporary can create some challenges. My client is a female artist who collects sea shells and uses their form and texture as a source of inspiration. She prefers minimal space and keeping her work and living area separate. My starting point with the design was to explore the sea shells and how she interacts with with her collection. I wanted to be able to divide the room, but also allowing her to adjust the movement of the furniture easily. I researched different types of sea shells, and I was especially inspired by the shape of the nautilus shell and used that form to create sketches for a wall. At first the wall was too rigid and didn’t have the correct flow to it. While it was functional, it didn’t move enough with the room and relation with other pieces in the room.
Playing with the Fibonacci circle, I was able to create a wall that could spiral into a sofa space, and be removed and moved along the wall from the living space into the artist studio. The sofa space then serves as a place to relax after work, but once moved, it is a place for contemplation in the studio. I was happy with the result but I would very much like to extend the design of the wall. Factoring in the bed and work desk. Maybe they can be connected to the wall and continue with the idea of the Fibonacci circle.
