Media And Lifestyle Centre Part 1 Project 2001 David Cox De Montfort University | UK Media and Lifestyle Centre, Salford Quays:The overriding approach to the lifestyle and media centre was a desire to create effortless interaction between various areas of work, play and living, a casual interaction producing a creative output through meeting fellow workers in corridors, stairways as well as in the specified work areas.The building is designed in what could be considered three main zones of living, work and studio space although these are intentionally blurred together to create a unity between a place of work and the home.The work zones are split into an informal and formal workspace, the canal side front portion, on the upper level of the building contains formal offices for the necessary client meetings in a traditional 'board meeting' style environment which enjoys impressive views over the public external spaces and canal area.The intended aesthetic is to relate the building back to the historical context of Salford by being very industrial in its construction and visual impact, the lofts are designed to relate back to the original visual impact of loft living, exposing roof beams and ceilings to achieve both industrial and traditional loft qualities.Flexibility is a key factor within the design, constructed of a steel frame with in-fill of non-loadbearing blockwork to allow a wide range of potential loft configurations to the buyers requirements.The project was primarily about the way contemporary culture has affected work and lifestyle; this building attempts to create what I feel is the contemporary way of working.Gone are the days of closed cell offices, travelling to work in traffic jams and having to drag yourself to work, this design attempts to create a very stimulating living environment allowing creative thinking to be exploited by bringing together people's work-life and their home-life into one satisfying environment. An emotive response to expression which is grounded in a good knowledge of technology is a characteristic Dave's work. However, in the final analysis, the image of his architecture reflects a concern with formalism and organic expression.The sources he quotes in his work are the expected ones of Aalto and Scharoun, and more recently Peter Zumthor. This delight in visual dexterity may also be observed in his interest in the cinema. In that context he is keen to quote influences from the film work of Kubrick and Jean Nouvel particularly in terms of narration and the presentation of atmosphere.To an extent the choice of projects over the year aided his approach. The studies involved investigating alternative systems of learning as well as the lifestyles to be encountered by media people. Yet, the approach of Dave's work is that of the manipulation of expressive organic form into feasible architectural propostions.