Panorama is a soft, sculptural take on Level 5 of the Mathew Building, transforming it into a laidback breakout area where students can sit, chat or simply take a break from the everyday. Evolving from a desire to exploit the natural light and magnificent sunsets from the large panoramic window currently hidden from sight by the wall that separates the print unit from the rest of the level 5 thoroughfare.
This exploration into light as a material evolved into the idea of "Terrafirma". Land, sea and sky meet man-made design. With these concepts tied together by the changing position of the sun throughout the day, light becomes the panoply of natural materials. Polished concrete dominates half of the floor, emblematic of the hard brutalist architecture of the Mathew Building.
This hardness is contrasted by Ø by Kilo Design, soft, sculptural forms as furniture. Upholstered islands on a sea of solid concrete. The other half of the floor forms a promenade of Scottish beech, hardwearing and durable against the flow of students through the building.
A thin 'canal' of water runs along the length of the window acting both as a visual and sensorial feature. As the changing light hits the shallow trough of water throughout the day, sun sparkle is projected across the ceiling, floor and walls depending on the position of the sun. The water feature acts as a sensorial feature encouraging students to indulge in the almost meditative act of running their fingers across the water surface, breaking the calm of the still water and, in turn changing the patterns of the shadows cast by the reflected light
