The light brought life to it. I really like it.

Could you also look for ground or other upper level opportunities to connect Colombo House with the site when you are taking photographs. [ie I am interested in the openings (windows and doors) and ways in and out/and through the building.]

It would seem that icebars operate at minus five degrees. The original -[http://www.scantours.com/Absolut_Ice_Bar.htm] The concept gains traction -[http://randomnessmind.blogspot.com/2008/05/icebar.html] The concept is adapted -[http://www.london-eating.co.uk/venues/venue.asp?venue=61] (So you can experiment in London with your level of asceticism!)

In this design I am not being conceptually strict about an ‘icebar’ rather the notion that it is possible to create other ‘experiences’ in what might otherwise be unusual comfort conditions. So if you use the ‘uncomfortable’ conditions naturally provided creatively???

Building design often uses climate data to set indoor comfort conditions. According to John Martin in his paper ‘Evaluating comfort with varying temperature: a graphical tool’ [published in Energy and Buildings Volume 35, Issue 1, January 2003, Pages 87-93] for outdoor conditions the wind chill index and the index of thermal sensation use air temperature and wind speed to determine ambient temperature conditions. Colder climates are said (hmm this can definitely be qualified) to have less temperature variations throughout the day.

However most interesting is the following assessment of human activity and climate;

“The daily rhythm of activities will include the journey to work, exposed to the outdoor temperature and conditions in transport vehicles, the conditions in the office, factory or other work place and the return journey with different outdoor temperatures.

Adjustments in clothing and activity levels are possible within certain limits, though a complete change of clothing to respond to different environmental conditions is unusual, except in extreme cases such as workers in refrigerated storage or blast furnaces, participants in sports activities, etc….”

The book exchange is a great idea for the British Library site. I have always loved the idea of the bohemian part of Paris, I am not sure if it is Montparnasse [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montparnasse], where second hand books were sold. Or Montmartre [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmartre]. It was not so much the seediness or sinfulness of the area which attracted, but the exchange of ideas. See Gibert Jeune:[http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Paris/Shopping/Paris_bookstores.shtml]

I agree Stefan the idea of steam emerging from the ground at a heated bar area is an evocative one! I think we keep all these ideas in the virtual sketch book until we have a clearer idea about site conditions etc.

From the map you sent Tom the site looks substantial in area. Do you know if it has a current use (ie car parking?). As an architect I am itching for photographs of the buildings surrounding the site (ie internal court and street side). There are some of Blackfriars Road on this site.[http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=457359]

There are patches of greenery surrounding the site. It would be great to have a clearer idea of what they are…if there are any opportunities for habitat connection or reinforcement?

Also some idea of the surrounding uses of the area: ie. I noticed Blackfriars Road has nightclubs, resturants, cafes, office space….

It would also seem Martha Schwartz has given some consideration to the area in her Green Hub proposal. She says of Blackfriars road;

“Blackfriars Road is one of the major corridors leading into and out of central London. It is an important route for vehicular traffic and a clearly defined route for foot travel. It is a well-worn thorough fare resulting from hudnred of years of travel by countless people. Although it cannot be called a beautiful or great street as of yet, ithas presence and a place within the soul of London.

The years of wear and changing circumstances have worn the street down to the point of having an air of neglect and sadness. Few people walk down this street in order to experience the ambience and savor its environment. The to the contrary, people dash across the busy street dodging traffic. People have to negotiate their crossing carefully, and those who wish to travel along its length tend to find alternative ways to travel so as to avoid its noise, speed and frantic energy.”

The road leads down to Southbank and the Thames. [http://wiki.worldflicks.org/waterloo_east_station.html#coords=(51.50519652784749,%20-0.10433793067932129)&z=16] WHAT A FANTASTIC SITE!!

ps. if we’re using radiated water to heat the bar area, perhaps we could get steam emerging from the ground. that would look cool!

Outdoor heating is not a technology I have given a lot of thought to recently! There seems to be quite a few applications for outdoor heating that I wasn’t aware of….
[http://www.warmzone.com/SnowMelting/danfossgx_installation.php] [http://www.outdoor-heating-guide.com/blog/88_blog.php]
[http://www.flogas.ie/flogasforworking/outdoor_heating_systems.php]

I suspect some or all of these systems, like the gradual warming of London from Elizabethan times until the Thames stopped freezing over in winter, contribute to global warming, as well as human comfort and convenience.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames_frost_fairs]

Does this suggestion mean there is not much support for the idea of an ‘ice bar’? (ie. designing the space so that it can be enjoyed in naturally cold/variable weather conditions? Perhaps by encouraging particular ways of occupying the space and dressing for the environment?)Or does this idea also remain on the drawingboard?

The paper by Simos Yannis ‘Toward more sustainable cities'(published online by ScienceDirect Feb 2001)on microclimate might be of interest. Of particular note is the suggestion that mid-winter sunshine values in London are again reducing due to traffic pollution! Perhaps once Stefan has visited the site we could agree on the environmental aims of the design. For example one might be a nett reduction in the heat island effect for the site? [See the brief in the paper for the Athens site.] The paper is also published in Solar Energy Vol. 70, No. 3, pp. 281–294, 2001.

Or we could make a wish list and then add and subtract from it as the concept progresses!!

I have briefly considered that there will be property related issues in the design concept (ie access to the adjacent building for the water curtain installation and for use as a screen and signage surface.) I am not sure how far property and planning constraints should limit our conceptual thinking?