week eleven - reflective practice

I refined my floor plan to accommodate the feedback I had received last week to a point to which I was happy with it after many alterations. I completely changed my design, spread it across all three floors, and I managed to keep the light chimneys but still chose to not include the other stairs or obstructing ramp down to Jefferson's. I still chose not to include these because no matter how many floor plan variations I made to include them, I found that they took away from my original design and the floor plan was not as balanced or as pleasing. Also I want this space solely for members of this women's fitness centre or for women who are in need of urgent safety and I think that maintaining those alternative purposes and entrances for the building defeats the purpose of keeping it as a protective space.

These are my refined floor plans:

Also I want to elaborate more on why I think this women's fitness centre idea is an effective way to create a safe and supportive community and is a space that can easily be identified and associated as a safe space where women can go to feel supported. I have heard and read a lot about women feeling uncomfortable and being sexualised by men in co-ed gyms. It is commonplace for sexual assaults to occur. That is why women's gyms were created in the first place, so that women could feel empowered and not have to worry about assault, unwanted confrontation, or being watched. Those issues are very similar to the issues that I wanted to confront when beginning this project, the sexual assaults that occur in Auckland's night life which is prevalent in the Fort Lane area.