Studio Final: Research and Exploration

Studio Final: Concept Statement

Studio Final: Site and Roof Plan

Studio Final

Studio Final: Plan

Studio Final: Section

Studio Final: Elevaions

Studio Final: Model and Perspectives

Studio Final: Structure

Studio Final: Code Analysis

Studio Final: Building Services

Studio Final: Detailing

Shading study

noon December 21 - Natural daylight makes it to the studio space at the second level... but not so, at the first level.... the only part that is in shadow is the circulation are

noon June 21 - Natural daylight comes full bore into the first level studio (Iwill need some sort of shading device there... and I am really excited that the second level studio space will be shaded well with the light shelves bringing in the light throughout the studio space.

noon March 21 - Natural daylight seem to make it into the studios in the upper level window area and diffused with the light shelf, while the bulk of the studio will be shaded by the sun shades .

Final Studio: Code Analysis - Prelim

Did I get everything? I think I need to go back and do an area modification calc for having multipul buildings on one site per 704.3 and maybe a diagram of where the uses are in the building....

Moving things forward....

I have done some research here about the materiality of the building.... with the structural system in place (and it mostly being a modular system) it makes sense to me that the a zinc panel rain screen system is a great choice. It also helps reinforce the lineal approach that i have taken. In this image the rectangles outlined in red are where the glazing is, in some areas, for example the glazing in the mechanical room will be blacked out while i still am able to maintain the horizontal feel of the building.

structural progress

STRUCTURAL PROGRESS

Here is an update for the structural system with some details that apply and work for the system.... i will clean these up for the final submission.

I have decided to us a HCS (Hollow Core Slab) system. I feel that this system is great for this project in that it has a thin section, I can still clear span. I feel that I have kept the intent of the lineral concept with this system. The studio/admin. building will utlize this floor system (apply the curtain wall connection detail) as well.

Some time for reflection before the final push...

This semester has been extremely intense... from the first week during the sketch problem (my first attempts were very hectic and busy) to the first day at the intensive where we meet up with the new 20-something students and a lecture to the last few weeks were detailing, clearer elevation/plans sections created new issues and solutions for me.

I look forward to the final reflection for this semester... I have learned a great deal.

Not everything I may want to be true is true, it is much harder to work backwards than forwards although sometimes backwards can further your progress, there is a lot outside my environment (Las Vegas, my firm, my consultants, jurisdictions, etc) that I am not familiar with and stepping into these areas can be frustrating as well as very rewarding both personally and demonstrated in design/thought process.

I feel that I spent 80% of my time doing 20% of the product.... This last week will offer, I hope; a lot of resolve to my design, motivation, thought process and knowledge base. To critically look at all the parts as a whole rather than small wholes that work individually has been the the most influential part of the semester to me. Looking back at the initial Parti (to be honest.. really the first time I started consciously and graphically to define a project from the start), I feel that I have still retained the individual parts... but may have missed on the whole and am eager to see how I these will start to have a better language and come together as a whole. I look forward to the thesis, professional work and other design problems knowing that I am armed with these new skills, thought process and critical review.

Studio Final: Site and Roof Plan - Prelim

The Boylston Street facade is addressed with the residential portion of the program, following the spirit of the street (residential language) with a strong linear presence. The 'business' end of the program (studio/admin./gallery) starts to press through the residential near the corner of Mass ave., hopefully creating a strong gate way to the the business end of the campus. I know that Werner and I have had, at some length, a conversation about "fancy" words and how and if they are really accomplishing the intent. A feeling of 'Gateway' comes to mind as one starts to feet the strong presence of the linear residential bar and how the business end of of the program starts to engage the public area.

I had always had a strong urge to acquire the "rest" of the site (the inadequate parking lot parcel) and include it into the project. I propose that the difficult parking remain true to its use, however, the parking would be better accommodated below grade. The entrance for BAC faculty parking, service area and potential revenue generating parking spaces would enter from Ipswich St. Doing this would allow for a much larger green space, gaining over 6,000 s.f. of usable green space where less than 300 s.f. of green space would of been able to been retained; an increase of 1,800%! Initially I had explored only impacting the black top area of the original site's parking area (9,000 s.f.) leaving the remaining 10,400 s.f. alone, essentially allowing nature to reclaim that land. Further review of the existing conditions, that resolution felt somewhat ignorant to the cause. Accruing the adjacent lot was the best solution to addressing my initial desire... allow nature to reclaim land within an urban setting, while also providing ample parking, additional parking revenue (parking in that area can get $30 per space per Redsox home game, while normal everyday parking was about $8 a day). A response to those who would question this accusation, is that I feel strongly that one should be sensitive to issues that surround the entire project impact, this is one area that the revenue generated would justify the accusation, not to mention the other positives... service access, environmental gains and cleaning up the street facade presence.

some side notes...
these points will make themselves more clear, hopefully, with the model images for the final sheets.
The sidewalk edge transitions to sandstone plaza steps (3' landings) descending 30" to the main entrance to the studio, green plaza, residential building. The gallery space that engages the sidewalk (under the second level of the residential) smashes into the plaza steps providing a visual way finding device to the entrance to the campus. This 30" elevation change allows for less cut/fill (I want to have these final numbers for the final presentation) as most of the business end building bar is at that grade.
a goal of 100% of storm water collection seems obtainable... the natural slope and building locations allows for roof run off water to be directed to a holding area where the water can be treated and used for irrigation, distributed to the nearby Groundwater Conservation District and reintroduced back into the earth to replenish the water table.

Studio Final: Section - Prelim

Chris,
I think i can get this intake/exhaust to work at the 2-4th floors but not to sure about the ground level floor... any ideas? I will have more details this weekend.

Final Studio: Structural - Prelim

Clear span capablities...
As the plans started to take shape, simple/formal/clean lines emerged and the natural selection for the structural system seemed to be ICF, open web steel trusses and concrete over metal decking at both floor slab and roof deck.
The largest width being 25' at the circulation areas (9' and 16'-8" bays), the majority of the width being 18' at the living areas (three 24' bays) and a small section having a width of 21' at the lounge pod area (13'-8").

at the ground level, the roof deck will detail to the ICF as in Detail B

reposted...

Studio Final: Elevations - Prelim

Elevations run the length of the Boylston relating (over emphasizing) to the linear floorplan of the dorm rooms and address the residential street presence that has been established from the residential building shown on the left. While the height address the neighborhood. I feel that that space between the first and third floors will allow for adaquate sun to reach the studio space will providing shadow at key times of the day.

Response to the comments

Thank you, thank you....
I agree that this type of conversation is extremely valuable and inportant.. and most times we use "fancy" words to express things that the architecture miss or fail at. I reall want this space to work (the "underneath") but feel that it will not really be the gateway it could be. As far as the structure goes... I will send it out to Kurt in pdf format... The framing plan really is for the 2-4 floors (they did not include the "breeze catcher") the exterior walls will be the ICF material and they will be constructed on the concrete over steel deck as this stacks up. The ground floor will be ICF on the grade slab. I will do a quick exploratio of a full section and structural system.

The use of collums I have been avoiding (to be honest) in hopes of keeping the linear/horizontal feel of the Boylston street scape. I will look at alternate options to achieve the root of linear.

There is so much to say and discuss... But at this stage is will be create,post,test,fail,rework and repeat...

This all said, I still need the deliverables... a functional building, a sense of space and an experiance that is natural to the site, BAC and profession.

As I continue to work through these things I am confident that all will work with solid backing without hiding behind fancy words...but supported by the root of the fancy words.

Posted via email from my cool Q.

Structral system - Studio/Admin

The structural system for this building will be virturly the same as the dorm... the roof system will be different and i will look at how that all goes together this weekend.

Kurt... if there are any suggestions for the curved steel truss systems... that would be a great help. I do have a few resources here... and will call upon them.

Structural systems... Dorms

Clear span capablities...
As the plans started to take shape, simple/formal/clean lines emerged and the natural selection for the structural system seemed to be ICF, open web steel trusses and concrete over metal decking at both floor slab and roof deck.
The largest width being 25' at the circulation areas (9' and 16'-8" bays), the majority of the width being 18' at the living areas (three 24' bays) and a small section having a width of 21' at the lounge pod area (13'-8").

at the ground level, the roof deck will detail to the ICF as in Detail B

reposted...

Comments to the forefront...

This series of comments I felt may get lost in the shuffle and I wanted to address some of these comments in one location... these comments come from the 'Elevation schemes revises...'

3 comments:
werner said...
Ken,I see you are drawing 4 floors in your elevations.Yoyr (only) plan so far shows two. Are you proposing to revise th eplan any time soon?
September 10, 2007 5:27 AM
Ken Ballard said...
I will repost the plans (dorm) as they have changed a small bit... each dorm sleeps one and there is still a jack-n-jill bath between two rooms, with one small lounge-pod per level.In scheme one, the 2nd and 4th flor swings out towards Mass Ave and in scheme two all four levels stack with a breal inbetween the 2nd and 3rd levels. I will repost when I get home.
September 10, 2007 8:19 AM
werner said...
Ken, together with the plans I understand the "swinging-out-thing". I appreciate the framed entrance to the academic building, but the proportions are not comfortable at all. The opening is oppressively low and the span way too big. We do have a building here in Boston, where a dormitory wing spans a courtyard below. The span is about the same as yours, it is twice the widths, but the opening is at least four stories tall (see link: http://www.boston.com/news/galleries/magazine/2004/0222/harvard3.htm ). The space underneath is hardly ever used. Turning the idea into a gateway seems more promising. But I think you would have to reduce the span and turn out the third floor instead. I don’t understand the horizontal openings (on the left floor 2 and on the right floor 3); they seem useless for occupancy, difficult to build and rather unsightly, especially in the city context.In plan the stair wrapping the elevator does not meet code: Exit stair cannot contain any non-stair related element (incl. elevator)
September 11, 2007 8:51 AM

I agree that there is something interesting yet odd in the space that would be created under the second level. The difference here vs the MIT dorm is the space its self, at the MIT dorm is appears to want to be a sun bathing plaza or some sort of social gathering space whereas I feel that my 'under the dorm' area is the "gateway". The idea of engaging the public with a public space (gallery) in normal public (pedestrian) area intrigues me... I also have some reserve about hoe that space will feel to be in... my thought process goes instinctual back to last semester to Herb's class and how social awareness in regards to our built environment is often thrown out the back window and "good" design often becomes architecture for architects... Who uses these spaces and how do these spaces get used and why are they being used? I think the appropriate answers to these questions follow as such: students, faculty, guests, public will be engaging this 'underneath' space, the space, minimal in size (the area that would actually be used) is minimal (20-25 feet), and the primary use would to be to enter into the 'business' end of the campus... studio and admin areas.

American Hertiage Dictionary defines "Gateway" as such:

gate·way (gāt'wā') n.
1. An opening or a structure framing an opening, such as an arch, that may be closed by a gate.
2. Something that serves as an entrance or a means of access: a gateway to success; the gateway to the West.
3. Software or hardware that enables communication between computer networks that use different communications protocols. Also called router2.

The physical passage from the street scape to the campus naturally creates the gateway, the question is more of, will the passage be right? The clear height of the dormitory above is currently 11'-4". I would like to use roughly 40' bays with 4' W flange beams carring steel trusses... that would mean that the entire structure would have to grow an additional 8-10' to accommodate the section.

The horizontal openings, if one can recall the dorm section, is the area above the green roof and the summer breeze "wind catcher" (that will need some sort of mechanical fan to help draw the air into the rooms and then exhaust out). I agree that there is some sort of a difficult task of construction... but I don't feel that it is a reason to abandon it, just that it wil require some great engineering and detailing.

The space above the green roof and the floor above should be large enough to accomindate maintance, wich will also dictates a controlled sun pattern to fall into the larger green plaza. Another benifet to the horizontal opengings is the oppertunity for the controlled sunlight to make its way into the studio/admin. areas.

Dorm Room Plans

Detail Vignette

Site Study - explorations of entrances...

okay... is it to late to have this up for debate? the second story of the dorms is at 11-12 feet above the side walk.... creating a covered area (where the blue lines are) a series of plaza of steps step down into the site 3-5 feet... during this transition the public space of the main building will start to engage the public realm as it climbs up the stairs under the dorms...

a clearer site plan and detailed (connections) sections to come.

Elevation schemes revised...

Scheme 1 - runs the length of the Boylstonrelating (over emphasizing) to the linear floorplan of the dorm rooms and address the residential street presence that has beenestablished from the residential building shownon the left, while scheme 2 in a lesser fashionspeaks to the massing size and proportions.With each scheme the floor plate remains thesame, there are two dramatically differentelevation ideas. Hopefully this study will help re- relate the dorm building to the site and startcreating a connection to the the studio/admin.building and site cirrculation.

Elevation schemes

Scheme 1 - runs the length of the Boylstonrelating (over emphasizing) to the linear floorplan of the dorm rooms and address the residential street presence that has beenestablished from the residential building shownon the left, while scheme 2 in a lesser fashionspeaks to the massing size and proportions.With each scheme the floor plate remains thesame, there are two dramatically differentelevation ideas. Hopefully this study will help re- relate the dorm building to the site and startcreating a connection to the the studio/admin.building and site cirrculation.

Intensive - Mid Crit

Some comments from the crit are listed below with some responses as to how these may need to be addressed:

comment - the current site plan feels a little under developed

response - revised site plan speaks more to a fully developed plan where the circulation and site movement patterns are more deliberate.

comment - the symmetry is hurting the resolution... how to get from one to another... studio to main entry from the site 'entry'?

response - the symmetry of the two buildings (dorm and admin/studio) are in response the the major axes (Boylston and the 'Pike'), there is a subtle axis created by the below grade parking in response to the Boylston Apartment Building adjacent to the site.

comment - must look at shading elements for the South facade...

response - the placement and sizing of the South facing glazing in addition to shading elements will play a part in the design and function of the dorm rooms. The dorm rooms are used sparingly and I believe that there is a way to allow morning sun in to aid the awaking of the students and also eliminate the heat gain from the sun during the day.