Blimp: A Smart Dock for ONE Lab

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RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Blimp: A Smart Dock for ONE Lab is a design proposal for the One Prize Competition led by Gretchen Wilkins, with Ian Nazareth, Hesameddin Mohammad and Kelvin Chai. The Smart Dock was envisioned as a balloon-like space that billows into and out from the existing industrial shed, to be filled with design, images, information, art, sound, light and people. Physically and symbolically hovering between the factory and the city, 'Blimp' provides a new iconic image for ONE Lab - a light, dynamic and vibrant space that simultaneously produces and publicly displays creative, cultural work. From ground level a spiraling ramp floats up into the balloon-like space; providing a series of exhibition spaces, lounge areas, and small, informal presentation surfaces. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: The Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York is a massive industrial facility currently being transformed into a centre for innovation, state-of-the-art digital fabrication facilities, tenant-occupied and shared works paces. The goal of the competition's "Smart Dock" is to provide a dedicated space for design collaboration, exhibitions and workspace, with an iconic image for the facility. The winning entry will be built. Wilkins' proposal contributes to a broader spectrum of design research around post-industrial urban sites and reclamation of disused, toxic or obsolete buildings and infrastructure. The proposal is innovative in the manner of occupying this existing structure and also shifting its cultural appearance and visibility. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: ONE PRIZE is an Annual Design and Science Award to Promote Green Design in Cities, organised by Terreform (nonprofit organisation for philanthropic architecture, urban, ecological design), with the New Lab and New York University. This entry was shortlisted from a pool of 92 entries from 22 countries. The jury was comprised of leaders, academics, practitioners, and thinkers from a wide spectrum of international practices.