Dubrovnik Hannah Bloor

Richelle Daniel

Eleanor Downs

Viviana Garcia

Andy Hadley

The City A beautiful coastal location. A walled city protected by thick walls from the raging sea.

One thing that is noticeable straightaway is the contrast between sweeping views over the city walls across the sea to wide sunlit plazas to narrow streets and steps between tall buildings. As you get further from the strada and the main public spaces, the streets get narrower and the interminable stairways lead you up into seemingly forgotten corners of the city enclosed by the massive city walls. It seems like a different world in there.

The Site The site we chose is in the South West side of the city. It is a small site in a dense area surrounded by narrow alleys and stairways. The site is sloped and has a huge palm tree in the middle. It is currently a garden.

N

An example of the measurements we took of the site and surrounding streets.

The site itself from the west.  

The surrounding buildings

The steps that lead to the site on the west side are important, they heighten the significance and mystery of the approach and frame views of it. We measured the steps either side of the site (in red).

Using measurements of the site and the surrounding facades we created an ‘unfolded drawing’. These facades will be significant to the design as they are in such close proximity to the site.

A diagram showing the density of the area illustrating the site and the neighbouring buildings as solid mass and the narrow alleys as void. A section from the north.

More diagrams showing the area around the site and the slope of the land.

Another section showing the rise of the land past the site.

approaches  

Looking up at the main corner of the site.

The approach to the site is important. It is hidden and not always seen clearly until one is stood right by it. When climbing the steps or nearing the site, only a corner is glimpsed leaving the passer by wondering at what it could be. This mystery and secrecy of the site can be played upon in design. Here are four photos of the four different directions from which the site can be accessed.

Approach from the East From the West From the South From the North

Drawings of the approaches or the different views of the site.

textures  There are many different textures displayed in the facades and buildings around our site. There are subtle variations in colour and shape and size of stone.

Investigating these textures in sketches and rubbings

As a different way of analysing the site, we made rough sun path diagrams. The first from the bottom corner of the site at street level and the second from the top of the site. They show, again how enclosed the site is but also how, as a result, the site receives little direct sunlight; only for a few hours in the summer mainly. This is an advantage in this climate as direct sunlight in summer would be unbearable to stand in.

We also looked at wind on the site. It is quite sheltered due to the tall buildings all around but the narrow alleys do funnel the wind a little.

Montage of the building to the East of the site. We had difficulty photographing elevations around here due to the size of the site and the density of its surroundings.

A photo taken from the window of a neighbouring window showing an aerial view o the site and the palm tree.