The Vortex of Conjunction: St James Theater, Courtenay Place

Abstract

Wellington has always been renowned as the city primed for the sea that latently flows adjacent to it, which often assumes an obviousness and specific uniformity corresponding to the dual nature of technical and symbolical. Consequently, Courtenay Place is one of the main focal point in the city that projects vibrance and life force. Taking on the position of an interior space in architecture should be shaped by where it stands and everything that surrounds it or else by the objects contained by it and perceivable by us, the orthogonal city grid of the city overlayed on top of the natural landscape becomes an important theory for the project. Without falling into the idea of replicating real streets inside the building, the statement is regarding it as an indoor continuation of the city. Thus, Courtenay Place is like a stream that through the grids that defines the the space for culture and entertainement, crossing from one edge of Kelburn hill to another of Mount Victoria. This motion that traverses between both hills can be seen metaphorically as fabricating through the nature of turbulence, causing the creation of a vortex in the St James Theatre in conjunction to both hills. In reference to the fundamental side of nature it is simultaneously physical actuality and crucial essence, it is an inspired morphological notion that sculpts form. Moving through the interior of St James building, the existing structural columns and beams portrays the linear and symmetrical order of the orthogonal city grids. Which could be seen as an opportunity that could liberate a tangible impact upon the space around it. Many would think of such structures as a limitation to architectural designs. Subsequently, interior architecture is all behind the main force that allows the structures to speak expressively mutually with the forms that intervenes it.Simultaneously, when the organic forms that derives from the representational nature inhabits the building; the free standing structural columns in the building generates a spatial field about itself and interact with the form. As a result, the columns speak metaphorically as a cage that embraces the organic form yet concurrently allowing the form to cling on to it. Instead of being a muted element that serves to function as a load bearing structure, it has in turn become a representational and symbolic structure that encompasses different degree of explicitness.Interiors of such could widen the chances of encounter and generate a catalyzing outcome on seeing and being seen, thus contributing and expressing to what it is that unites the community collectively.