lmts design: the convertible skin

‘the convertible skin’ by lmts design, london images courtesy of lmts design

bangkok-based studio, lmts design have created ‘the convertible skin’ as part of living architecture’s ‘a room for london‘ competition. the design proposes to lift the structure to a level even higher than the rooftop of the queen elizabeth hall to capture a more extensive view, leaving space beneath the room for connections and services.

convertible skin

the temporary hotel room, designed to suit one or two people is programmatically broken into three zones each with their own viewpoints and connections to the cityscape. zone one, the semi-private living room is only partially enclosed with zone two, the bedroom, branching off of it through a set of stairs. zone three, perhaps the most prominent, is a lighthouse tower where guests can fully immerse themselves in their height and surrounding landscape. due to the temporary nature of the room which will remain on the roof of the hall for the year of the 2012 olympics, the structure sits independent of the roof with a truss system that is designed as a mat foundation. the column and beam supports act as a ‘superstructure’ with a balloon frame and tension structure further strengthening the unit.

3/4 exterior view

enclosing the unit is an exterior wall composed of two layers: the first layer is a polycarbonate shell used for its lightweight and translucent characteristics that reflect the light while allowing it to penetrate. the second layer is a fabric membrane that can be pulled over the first layer acting as an ‘energy screen’ as it filters light and controls the interior temperature. the double layer walls give the exterior structure a translucent quality allowing it to blend more seamlessly into the existing atmosphere and provide the interior spaces with an ever-changing ambience that is affected by weather and the time of the day and year.

see some of the other entries here, here and here.

exterior view of lighthouse tower