Design team: Julia Hamer, Katherine Lee, Desmond Lum, Giao Pho
The Infinity Center is an intellectual retreat that brings together people from all walks of life into a shared space that actively facilitates the exchange and development of new ideas. Using the uninterrupted continuity of the infinity symbol to inform the overall design strategy. The projects architecture is a direct expression of the internal wayfinding strategy.
In thinking about the conception of interdependence, flow, and clarity of space, the conception of using the infinity sign was formed as our primary source of inspiration. Not only does the infinity symbol embody the philosophical basis for the project, it is also the foundation of our overall wayfinding strategy.
Humans are becoming more and more connected to one another by technology and social networking, and although it can sometimes be isolating, it also has made us more linked to people we normally wouldn’t be. The notion of “Interdependence” is most clearly expressed in nature; much like our technological networks, the human neural system is a highly complex organic system with components that are either physically or functionally connected in order to accomplish various tasks and create systems of output. Much like a biological system of hyper-linking, neural networks are connected through a series of synapses that facilitate the exchange of information between the independent bodies. This “network” principal is expressed through a webbing pattern that will be implemented in various parts of the overall site of the project. It serves both aesthetic and structural purposes, and is used in several applications as a type of landmark pattern to orient visitors throughout the site. The center’s secondary wayfinding systems will also be modeled on these networks in order to allow stakeholders to move through interior and exterior spaces freely in a manner that enriches the development of new thought and encourages collaboration.
This project will be situated in the serene expanse of Grand Traverse Bay in Northern Michigan; a region not particularly known for its multiculturalism, but filled with creative thinkers and intellectual individuals on vacation. We often think of the great lakes as independent bodies of water, but in fact, they are a highly interdependent system. They all share water, flow, and resources, and are ultimately connected to the Atlantic ocean and therefore the rest of the world through the Saint Lawrence seaway. Just like the lakes, the Infinity Center is ought to have separate interior and exterior programs that are still somehow dependent on other programs both structurally and functionally.
Progress
Interactive Technology
Hyper-linking; All floors of the building contain embedded paths that will be digitally customized for each user upon their arrival. Their initials will be translated into pre-cognitive generative graphics that will essentially direct them to wherever it is they need to go throughout their day at their conference. A digital handheld device will also be handed to each guest and will be programmed with all of their essential information, including their daily itineraries, meeting topics, menus, library catalogs, and activities that might be of interest to them both at the center and onshore. When the center is at capacity, the idea is that the many pathways will interact and flow together to create a dynamic and constantly changing piece of art.
In addition to the handheld devices visitors receive when they arrive, the facility will be equipped with LED-screens that are programmed with each attendee’s travel and business itineraries, stock exchange updates, customizable music, menus, weather forecasts, site activities, directory, transportation information, as well as items they might be interested in in the library. It will be on the same server as the handheld devices, so the entire system is linked and customizable. It exists to make the visitor’s entire experience as streamlined and free-flowing as possible.
Interactive led screens are featured throughout the center that contain vital information, including train schedules, daily menus, events, and weather information. The Infinity Conference Center is clearly visible in the distance; this is an intentional placement, further highlighting the transparency of the system as a whole. While visitors orient themselves, the Infinity Conference Center will always be visible, and will allow them to begin orienting themselves with their surroundings and the experiences to come.From the welcome center, visitors then are directed to the electric train station where they board the trains that will take them to the main center itself. The train is located at water level, and will provide a seamless, direct, and transparent mode of transportation that will help the stakeholders to better orient themselves with the conference center, as well as their natural surroundings.
