Final Presentation

The end result of the quiet room is shown within this perspective. While the development was being completed of this space, I began to identify different areas. There is part of the room for more group work to be done. An area to spend time as an individual to study or relax. And an area to do personal work on the computer, etc. I have identified the paths of circulation and the different work areas within this space, in diagram form.
This core is the most centralized space of the entire building. Making this the area where a high level of social interaction occurs. This is the main connection point of vertical circulation within the entire building. Containing a stairwell and an elevator shaft. The green wall is the main form of aesthetic vertical connection. A diagram explains paths of circulation and views within the core.

Quiet Lounge Update

I have basically finished the design development of the Quiet Lounge. There is some work to be done within the 3D model of this space, But it is starting to look put together. This space is meant for students to study in small groups or individually. Or possibly take a nap. Pillows and yoga mats are provided to make yourself more comfortable within this space. I developed the shelving system , as well as a few benches for the space. The tables and stools are used in several different areas within our building. The curving wall is the modular art wall we have speced to use within our building.


The windows shown within this space overlook the auditorium. This encourages visual interaction of different occupants throughout the entire building.

Process Update

This past week I have made some changes on the core that will impact the aesthetics of the green screen (the main focal point). I have worked to make the screen resemble our concept more thoroughly. The screen will appear as if it is peeling off the green room, and flowing into the core. I found a curved green screen that we will spec out instead of the vertical screen , we priorly used.


I have been also working to develop the quiet lounge above the auditorium. This space will now have glass windows that will allow users to observe events in the auditorium. I have developed a shelving unit for the lounge that resembles the peeling idea we have in our concept. I will continue to develop this space further.

Concept

Based off last Thursday's Prefinal crit the Earthworms brainstormed and came up with a foundational concept.

Peeling layers to create overlapping forms.

This concept will appear on the exterior building and all the way down to each piece of furniture.

As I reflect on our concept and think about how peeling and overlapping layers of a building would look, I began to research. I found images from a talented architect of the 1960s and 1970s. Cynthia Eardley went beyond the norm to create building forms that remind me of what the Earthworms are trying to achieve.


This image is of the Peeling Project, of a retail space. Completed in the 1970s. Cynthia Eardley took a rectangular facade and changed it into something new and innovative. The facade appears to be peeling off.

Cynthia Eardley also created a glass underwater passage way during the 1960s. The architect wanted to create a soothing meditative passage, where you are submerged but can see underwater. Her main goal was for the visitor to enjoy a relaxing environment to observe underlake life forms through the movement of water.

Shelving Unit

With in the design of the Quiet Lounge there is a need for division of space. There is a more group oriented space when you first walk into this space. As, you move further back there is a more relaxed personal space. This would be the shelving system to separate those two portions of the quiet room. The shelving unit is meant to hold yoga mats and pillows that students can use when there in this space. Jenn and I have been working to develop this space and shelving system.

Quiet Lounge Ideas

I have been working on the quiet lounge and sketching out ideas. Jenn and I worked along side each other to encourage inspiration and ideas. We hope the quiet room will look and feel somewhat like a meditative space. The materials will lead you from a group quiet area to a more personal setting. The materials used within this space will correspond with those used throughout our building. We hope to use panels to separate space instead of full walls with back lighting for highlights. There will be skylights and operable windows to create zen views encouraging a connection with the outdoors.


This is a section of a wall partition system that will be utilized to separate the space. The wall system will be made up of several different materials including wood, frosted glass, and shelving. The shelving will be used to store mats and pillows that are provided in this space. This is to be further developed three dimensionally.

3D Core

This week I have mainly been working on the core in a 3dimensional sense. I have been imputing my ideas into sketch up as part of the entire 3D model of our building. I have also ordered several material samples for our project this week. They have slowly began to arrive. I am also on the verge of imputing my design ideas for the quiet room and lounge spaces into this sketch up model.
The Earthworms are hard at work!

Outdoor Communication

I often feel that on a nice day I am much more productive working outside. The fresh air and nature inspire my design work, and I am able to accomplish many tasks. The Earthworms met outside yesterday and got quite a bit accomplished.
1. We discussed our materials selections for our building and have come up with a list that we are planning on ordering.
-Sherwin Williams paint drove our color scheme.
- Krystal Weave laminates
- Expanko rubber flooring
- Elderado stone and brick
- Coverings, Eco cement
- Alkemi aluminum wall covering
- Greenscreen
- Recyclable counter tops
And many more...

We also bounced ideas off each other and came up with a list of words that we hope will spark a solid concept. We feel that our parti isn't strong enough to base our whole building design around. We hope to have a concept soon...
- Embrace
- Layering
-Intertwined
-Centralized
-Organic
-Interlocking
-Community
-Movement
-Acceleration
-Fluid
We hope to nail down a concept in order to make the design of our building as cohesive as possible.

Core Development

My main focus on the development of interior spaces this week was the Core. I thought about all aspects and how the users are going to perceive this 'moment' within our building. I incorporated the living wall in front of a complete glass window. I thought about vertical circulation such as stairs and an elevator. I also considered the horizontal circulation of the bike trail and walk ways that puncture through the core.


I also thought alot about how the bike lane users will move through this space. We plan to provide bicycle storage that can be used easily and then circulation near by. This way users can get to where they need to quickly without having to leave their bike on the opposite end of the building.

Bike Lane

In an Earthworm brainstorming session we came up with an idea to have transportation within our building because of it's size. We agreed that a bike lane may be the best way to achieve this idea. We are planning to have a bike lane that stretches horizontally from one end of the building to the other. We hope to have two entrances into the bike lane. One will enter into the first floor on the west side of the building. The other will enter/exit on the east side of the building onto one of the green roof terraces. We are still developing this idea and doing research on different types of bike lanes, and bicycle storage.

Brainstorming

The Earthworms have been hard at work on our building form over the past few days. We have come to a consensus on quite a few aspects of our design. The building will now be three levels at the most. The first level most likely will be underground. We have also added two building forms to the rear of the building to provide more space. Below are some sketches of the general form and our ideas.


This is the front view of the building as if you were standing on Lee Street , looking north.


This is the rear view of our building as if you were looking south, towards Lee Street.


This a side section cut of the building looking east. This would be a potential space to put an outdoor classroom in the center.

Assignment 4.1

The Earthworm group worked hard on making a detailed schedule for the rest of the semester. We collaborated and came up with many dates to get together and work on our project. We have also set a goal of when we would like to be done, so we have enough time to put all the finishing touches on our project and put our presentation together. As a group we chose to separate ourselves into areas we are interested in. For example, I am focusing on Interiors, environmental psychology, 2D hand drawings, and other areas that need attention. These subjects I will focus on heavily, while contributing ideas to other area of our building/project. Below are our final documents for this assignment.

Personal Exploration

I began to take from our gestural concept and think about what kind of environment this will create within our building. Based off the book The Ice Palace That Melted Away, I began to formulate ideas. I chose to think about places of civility + grace that are created within our space. This can be seen as a place that creates a moment. Also, I considered places where the campus and community can be connected. As you can see, I have diagrammed the living wall, penetrating wall, and atrium as places that create a moment within the space. The auditorium and community work spaces within the studios are places where people will come together.



After thinking about our space conceptually, I chose to focus on what some of those areas may look like. This wall resembles a living wall that is penetrating from the outside, into our building. Connecting the outer world with the interior community.



Another area which I feel could be a main focal point within our space is the vertical core, which penetrates through all levels of our building. I feel this would be a prime space to create a sculptural living wall, with flourishing green life. This is also a space where everyone in the building can come and be united by this form of art and architecture.

3.0 Materials Study

Photo taken at Herman Miller Showroom



I selected this translucent material because I feel it could be beneficial in the project we are designing. Mainly because we hope to keep the space very open . This could be a solution to dividing a space without putting up drywall. The material is considered sustainable and comes from many different manufacturers.


Rubber Floor Sample

This material was made while considering the environment. The rubber that makes up this flooring is made from recycled pieces. This flooring comes in several different colors and is manufactured by a company called Reztec.



Living Wall in Portland, OR

I feel that our building would benefit from having a living wall, green wall, or green screen within it. This wall pictured not only replenishes the environment around it, but it is somewhat sculptural. With the combination of different plants, tile, and metal this wall is aesthetically pleasing. I believe that having something of this nature within our space would create a place for the community to unite. As well as, a place of civility and grace.

Spring Break

Newport, OR

For spring break my mom and I traveled to Oregon for the first time. We left from Charlotte on March 7th 2009. We had a connecting flight in Dallas, TX then to Portland, OR. We spent our first night in Portland and explored the city. It didn't take long for us to realize it is an amazing place. Portland, OR strives to consider the environment by providing a trolley called the 'Max', street cars, buses, and bike lanes throughout the city.
During our stay we traveled from Portland, down through Corvallis (a small college town). We drove through the snowy mountains to get to the west coast. We cruised the ocean highway spotting several exciting things. 2 lighthouses, a beached whale, and sea lion caves 200 feet below ground. We cut over from Florence, OR leaving the coast for Eugene, OR.
In Eugene, we toured the University of Oregon and immersed ourselves in the culture. We tried restaurants and coffee shops recommended by locals. We did as much site seeing as possible. From what I can see Oregonians are striving to help the environment. Majority of students at the U of O ride their bikes or take the bus instead of driving. There are recycling bins located all over campus. As well as, a LEED Certified- Silver building housing the business department.
We traveled to Washugal, WA to see where Pendleton originated. Then, finished our trip in Portland.
Overall our trip was very rewarding. I was able to visit somewhere I had never been before, admire different types of architecture, and see the green revolution at work. I would highly recommend visiting Oregon if you haven't yet!!!

The Max in Portland, OR


City Bible Church in Portland, OR



Alternative Transportation in Eugene, OR



Lillis (Business Building) LEED-NC Silver Certification

Atlanta Trip

On March 2nd and 3rd as part of the fourth year students of Interior Architecture, I participated in traveling to Atlanta, GA. I was very excited about this opportunity because I hadn't been to this part of the United States yet. As a group we were given the opportunity to visit many different places. Furniture showrooms, architecture firms, and design firms.





Furniture Showrooms:
Herman Miller
Knoll



Design Firms:
HOK
Lord - Aeck - Sargent
Perkins + Will
TVS Design

Assignment 2.2: Concept

I began working on the concept statement in my group, and this is what has been developed thus far.

We have allowed an abstract organic gesture to represent our concept which has served as inspiration for the form of a structure. Based off this gesture, an organic form has emerged in the shape of architecture. Visually speaking, we imagine these two simple strokes as a secure, almost nurturing symbol. With the intention of drawing passersby into the center. Appearing to emerge from the ground, this form will provide many visual elements from Lee Street and penetrate through to the train tracks.

Assignment 2.2: Process

As part of the group, Earthworms. The first task our group achieved were a list of goals we hope to achieve in this assignment.
-Consider how the building fits in with the community, campus, and Greensboro.
-Slowing down traffic by considering aesthetics of the street and building.
-Consider pervious vs. impervious surfaces to maximize green space.
-Considering LEED credits
-Interaction between site + building
-Limited parking + access to parking deck
-Identify between public vs. private space

We then proceeded to work on form and identifying ideas for our building and the interaction with this site. Below are sketches on process.

Assignment 2: Models

For the final models produced for assignment 2, I placed my ideas in each category that makes up the sustainable model.



Environment: Solar Panels

Social Aspects: This model represents the many different types of people that will be occupying our site/building. Based on Age, gender, race, ethnicity, etc.


Economics: Local Zoning setbacks must be taken into consideration as part of our project. Yet, this does not need to limit the creative design of our site/building.

Aesthetics: Borrowed Views- Vegetated roof system