FAQ
Overflow was the culmination of weeks of research looking into how the pandemic had begun to change the way we work and play and understanding the possible real world, long term effects of it. Through understanding that the pandemic both restricted us and gave us freedom Overlfow was imaged to bridge this divide as we move back into the community. The social divides exagerated due to COVID acted as another source of influence to it's imagination. While many of us were able to safely lock ourselves away from the pandemic and continue to work, study and play, many others did not have that luxury and were left disconnected and disadvantaged. People took advantage of the extra or free time to learn new skills or share their own knowledge online, but due to the impacts of Covid, many couldn't access these resources. This is why Overflow aims to ground the physical and digital worlds together and allow a cross contamination to occur that ensures more people have access to knowledge.
Overflow uses a couple different elements to create an accessible space.
1. The design uses separation via floor levels to make clear distinctions between functions, laying out each function as wide, open community spaces that have enough freedom to be controlled and defined by the needs of the community.
2. The circulation towers integrate lifts and stairs into the same tower to create clear traversal vertically through the space and allow for a more equitable interior experience.
3. The Overflow companion app aims to allow people to better navigate the site, providing directional information, chat functionalities, site information and the ability to remotely access the debates and microphones of the site.
Overflow focuses on allowing the existing shell to remain, seeing it as a protective element to the new ideas growing within. It has managed to survive years since decommission and so this ability to survive and persist is leveraged in the new function. In this way new additions to the site don't intend to demolish or take away much of the exisrting heavy materiality that is normally consisted construction waste. So rather than wasting materials, transport and energy to reform them into new ones on site, they are intended to be maintained and sustained in their current state. Making only changes that are required for health, safety and structional stability.
The new materiality focuses on sourcing from suppilers that are economically, environmentally or socially sustainable. Utilising as few materials as possible to reduce transporation costs and allow easier maintainence of the spaces while still allowing each of the spaces to stand on their own through unique palettes which speak to the function and feel of each space.
