Ahmad Assi

Academic  /  2024

The Eye

A courtyard on the Carleton campus reorganised as a single lens, with a circular water feature at its centre and everything else arranged around that one figure.

Project type
Courtyard landscape proposal
Location
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
Status
Academic
Area
Campus courtyard between existing buildings
Role
Sole author, ARCH 4105 final design assignment

The courtyard is a leftover: a rectangle of paving between two campus buildings that people crossed rather than used. The proposal gives it a single figure to be organised by, a lens set into the paving, with a circular water feature at the centre where the two curves are widest.

Everything follows from that one move. The paths trace the outline, so crossing the courtyard means going around the lens rather than straight through it, and the pace of the space drops. Inside it the ground is given over to lawn, raised community garden beds, a faceted canopy over a small gathering area, and seating both in the open and under the trees. The programming diagram sets out which part does what; the inventory records what was already there, including the trees worth keeping.

The two entrance renders are morning and evening on purpose. A campus courtyard in Ottawa is used in the dark for a good part of the academic year, so the lighting along the paths and under the canopy was designed rather than added afterwards.

Overhead render of the courtyard showing the lens shaped lawn, the circular water feature at its centre, planting beds, a faceted blue canopy, curved seating and the paths that trace the outline
Axonometric render of the courtyard between the existing buildings showing the lens geometry and the canopy structure
The whole figure, from above and in axonometric. The paths draw the outline; the lawn and planting fill it.
Second axonometric render from the opposite corner showing the seating, the planting beds and the circulation around the lawn
The whole figure, from above and in axonometric. The paths draw the outline; the lawn and planting fill it.
Render of the courtyard entrance in morning light with people crossing the paved approach
The main entrance, morning and evening. The lighting is designed for the hours students actually cross the courtyard.
The same entrance in the evening with the path and canopy lighting on
The main entrance, morning and evening. The lighting is designed for the hours students actually cross the courtyard.
Render of the raised community garden beds with planting in flower
Inside the lens. The community garden, the curved bench and the seating under the trees.
Render of the serpentine timber bench on the lawn
Inside the lens. The community garden, the curved bench and the seating under the trees.
Render of the seating area shaded by trees beside the water feature
Inside the lens. The community garden, the curved bench and the seating under the trees.
Render of the secondary entrance to the courtyard
Second entrance, from the opposite side of the courtyard.

Drawings

General site plan of the courtyard showing the lens geometry, paving, planting, the water feature and the surrounding buildings
General site plan
Site inventory plan recording what is already on the courtyard, including existing trees, paving and access points
Site inventory
Site programming diagram allocating the courtyard to garden, gathering, seating and circulation
Site programming