EDMONTON RIVER VALLEY BARGE




THIS PROJECT RESPONDS TO THE ‘CAPITAL REGION NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER VALLEY’ WHICH IS AN 88 KILOMETRE PARK SYSTEM THAT IS A PART OF THE LARGER NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER WHICH FLOWS OUT FROM THE COLUMBIA ICE FIELDS IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND MEANDERS FAR EAST ACROSS THE BROAD SWEEP OF THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES. THIS SPECIFIC ‘CAPITAL REGION’ OF THE RIVER CONNECTS A NUMBER OF SMALLER COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE LARGER PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OF EDMONTON AND UNIFIES THEM ALONG A ‘RIBBON OF GREEN’ THAT TOGETHER COMPOSE ONE OF THE LARGEST RIVERFRONT PARKS IN THE WORLD. BOTH NATURAL AND URBAN FEATURES COMPOSE THE PARK, AND STRETCHED ACROSS ITS BANKS ARE NATURAL FORESTS, ANIMAL MIGRATORY PATHS, HIKING AND SKIING TRAILS, BOAT DOCKS, AND A VARIETY OF URBAN FACILITIES FOR VARIOUS SPORT AND RECREATION. THIS UNIQUE COEXISTENCE OF NATURE AND URBANITY IS WHAT DEFINES THE STATE OF THE CURRENT RIVER VALLEY AND ANIMATES ALL DISCUSSION ABOUT ITS FUTURE, WHEREIN MANY FAVOUR IT AS A PROTECTED NATURE PRESERVE AND OTHERS THINK IT CAN BEAR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT.

TOWARDS THIS THE RIVER VALLEY BARGE IS PROPOSED AS SOMETHING OF A NEUTRAL BASE FOR CONTINUED DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VALLEY, BY LAUNCHING FOURTH A MOBILE INTERPRETIVE CENTRE THAT CAN ACTUALLY VISIT THE MANY ATTRACTIONS ALONG THE RIVERS EXPANSE WHILE NOT ADDING ANY DISRUPTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THE PARK ITSELF. PART EXHIBIT SPACE, PART SCHOOL, AND PART HOSTEL, ITS ROLE IS INTENDED TO ACTIVELY EDUCATE AND ENTERTAIN BOTH LOCALS AND TOURISTS ABOUT THE MANY NATURAL AND HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF THE RIVER VALLEY WHILE DIRECTLY SETTING THEM INTO IT. 

THE MAIN EXHIBIT SPACE OF THE BARGE IS AN OPEN CONCEPT HALL AMENABLE TO CHANGING PROGRAMS WITH 360 DEGREE VIEWS ACROSS THE RIVER. UPSTAIRS THE CLASSROOMS AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICE ARE SET TO ONE SIDE AND IN THE MIDDLE IS THE CAFETERIA WITH LARGE SOLAR TRAY CONES FOR GROWING NATIVE VEGETABLES AND PLANTS. ALL THE SERVICES AND KITCHEN HAVE BEEN CENTRALIZED TO SIMPLIFY PLUMBING THROUGH THE  MECHANICAL ROOM AND DOWN TO THE PLUMBING TANKS BELOW IN THE HULL. TO THE OTHER END IS THE GUEST AREA THAT PROVIDES SPACE FOR RELAXATION AND FIXING PRIVATE MEALS AND SNACKS. INSIDE HERE ARE ALSO THE ‘SLEEP PODS’ DESIGNED AS  BUNK-BEADS THAT STACK UP ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH THE ROOF DECK . AND ON THE ROOF DECK ARE AREAS DEDICATED TO RECREATION AND ALSO, A ROOF GARDEN OF PLANTS NATIVE TO THE RIVER VALLEY.
IN NATURE, AND FREE TO MOVE WITHIN IT, THE RIVER VALLEY BARGE HAS BEEN CONCEIVED TO ENSURE MANY AREAS OF THE VALLEY ARE VIEWED AND STUDIED IN CONTEXT, AND IMPORTANTLY, ALSO TO BE SHARED WITH ALL THE COMMINUTES A PART OF IT.


    THE CAPITAL REGION NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER VALLEY 



    EXHIBIT AREA



    EXHIBIT AREA

     BARGE ELEVATION 


      BARGE MAIN FLOOR PLAN

       BARGE SECOND FLOOR PLAN

No comments: