AARON CHOI Gensler Architectural Intern Applicant
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CONTACT + AARON CHOI + 300 S. SANTA FE. AVE #3-385 LOS ANGELES, CA 90013 + 714.308.0244 + AARONXCHOI@GMAIL.COM
PROJECTS 001
X-SCAPE: A TRANS-DISCIPLINARY INITIATIVE
002
ST. CROIX MARINE RESEARCH FACILITY
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A PROTOTYPE FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
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VISITOR CENTER: KITT PEAK NATIONAL OBSERVATORY
x-square design competition / Spring 2012
acsa sustainable lab competition / Spring 2012 multi-family housing studio / Fall 2011
concrete + light studio / Spring 2012
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S.H.A.D.E. solar decathlon 2013 / Fall 2012 + Spring 2013
RESEARCH TRAVEL: BIOMIMICRY ecuador + peru / Fall 2012 + Spring 2013
001
Competition
X-SCAPE
a trans-disciplinary initiative
Date: 08/2012
Instructor: Philip Horton
X-Scape is a 35-foot by 45-foot multi-level and multi-purpose seating, lounging, and performing space that the community is currently using as an area for lunches, studying, and relaxing. This project is the result of an interdisciplinary initiative that aims to transform an otherwise unremarkable brick courtyard, located in between an art building and a design building, into a vital gathering place for students, faculty and visitors. The inspiration for the project is derived from its context. Access points and pathways through the space are created based on a month-long circulation study and the colorful fuchsia cladding draws inspiration from the colors created by a 30-foot high Bougainvillea that climbs the adjacent south wall of the design building. Throughout the year the Bougainvillea drops colorful bracts (often mistaken for flower petals) that are blown and scattered amidst the project. This turns what some considers plant litter into an ephemeral addition to the space. The design integrates boxed thorn-less Palo Verde and Mesquite trees as well as Jasmine, Coral Fountain, and Red Fountain Grass, which are all hand-watered by the team. The result is a natural canopy that links beyond the limits of the project, essentially borrowing from the landscape. TEAM MEMBERS: AARON CHOI - lead architect DIEGO VALENCIA - lead landscape architect BRETT BERGER - landscape architect CHRISTINE PHU - photography KIM STEVENSON - music student PHILIP HORTON - faculty advisor
PUBLICATIONS + azure magazine - July/August 2013 + landscape architecture magazine - Oct. 2013 ADDITIONAL AWARDS + asla honor awards 2013 - student collaboration + az awards 2013 finalist - a+ student work + architizer a+ awards - popular choice award
AllAll images images courtesy courtesy ofof Tim Tim Trumble Trumble Photography Photography
THE COMPETITION The X-Square competition is a transdisciplinary initiative of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University, aims to transform an otherwise unremarkable brick courtyard on the northern edge of ASU’s Tempe campus into a vital gathering place for students, faculty and visitors. The now empty square resides between the Art Building and the Design South Building, a space at the fulcrum of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. PRIZE: $20,000 Budget + Construction + Program KEY 1 MODULE CONNECTORS 2 3/4” OAK PLYWOOD 3 STANDARD PLYWOOD 4 BENDER BOARD 5 3 GAL. PLANTERS 6 3’ BOX TREE 7 4’ BOX TREE
KEY 1 STANDARD PLYWOOD 2 BENDER BOARD 3 TURF 4 STANDARD 2X4 5 WOOD SCREWS
X-SCAPE not only provides a variety of seating typologies, but also provides a natural source of shade to allow prolonged periods of stay for users. The logistics of the seating modules are based on the perfect angle for a comfortable seat. Furthermore, the turf enhances the comfort level by mimicking the feeling of sitting on grass.
PROJECT SPECS X-Scape works hand-in-hand with the dimensions of a typical 3 ft. and 4 ft. boxed tree from a nursery. It is strategically designed at 2 ft. or 4 ft. wide modules in order to minimize waste and maximize the use of a standard 4 ft. by 8 ft. sheet of plywood. The vibrant cladding was cut using a CNC router, followed by stain and varnish. The various shades of burgundy as well as the countless sizes of the cladding are utilized in order to obscure the seams of each module. Furthermore, these colors create a high contrast to the walking plane, serving as a caution for tripping hazards. The base of the project is elevated at 1/4� off the existing brick surface using rubber pads allowing the project to weep and provide the necessary drainage of water.
002
Competition
ST. CROIX
marine research facility
Date: 01/2012
Instructor: David Newton
The St. Croix Marine Research Facility embodies a fundamental architectural language that satisfies root functional requirements by responding to natural conditions (with an emphasis on minimizing site disruption) aiming to exploit basic sustainable methods to accommodate both today’s sustainable technologies as well as future innovations, and by responding to social and cultural responsibilities. The building itself becomes a learning tool that invites and engages faculty, students, and community members to re-examine their natural surroundings. TEAM MEMBERS: Aaron Choi - co-architect Fred Bellaloum - co-architect Devon Leonard - co-architect David Newton - Faculty Advisor [all work produced as a team]
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DOCK LAB LAB STORAGE CONFERENCE ROOM OFFICES PRESENTATION LAB
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STUDENT LAB
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
LECTURE HALL COMPUTER LAB + CLASSROOMS COLLECTION ARCHIVE ADMINISTRATION LOBBY THEATRE RESIDENTIAL TOUCH TANK + GALLERIES
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12 1
8
3 2 4
5
5
5
10
7 9 15
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11
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SUSTAINABLE CONCEPT
IMPORTING MATERIALS + EQUIPMENT TO THE ISLAND
containers arrive to St. Croix containing all building materials and taken to a warehouse where they are assembled and moved on-site for ďŹ nal placement.
SUSTAINABLE RESOLUTION Sustainable strategies in regards to architectural manifestation were critically analyzed and dictated by a fundamental understanding of site conditions, construction, materials, process, and
efficiency (user efficiency, energy efficiency, and material efficiency). By designing for predictable conditions and implementing strategies to accommodate less foreseeable conditions, in regards to advances in sustainable technology, the
St. Croix Marine Research Facility provides an efficient, adaptable, responsible reaction to programmatic, social, ecological, and cultural conditions. Avoiding stagnant building practices, the modular design allows for expansion, re-configuration, and site adaptability, culminating in a user friendly plug and play installation.
PLUG AND PLAY ENERGY GENERATION
PLUG AND PLAY DATA INTEGRATION
TRANSPORTABLE LABS + OFFICES
4% PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE TOUCHING THE SITE
EDUCATIONAL UNITS
RESIDENTIAL UNITS
LABORATORY MODEL Interaction occurs on a multitude of levels as required by programmatic responsibilities. Elevated walkways direct movement, provide views, and strategically preserve the natural systems in place. Providing juxtaposition is a strategy taken to foster contemplation regarding natural systems and marine research. By providing elevated walkways and direct land paths, a seamless integration between the project and the existing ecological footprint is accomplished. Furthermore, these elevated walkways create a free owing ground path, allowing visitors to fully experience and understand the surrounding ecological facets in place.
OUTDOOR PREP AREA
VIEW OF LABORATORY MODULES FROM GROUND PLANE
RESEARCH LABORATORY
TYPE VARIANTS
INSULATED PANEL
FULL GLASS
OPERABLE WINDOW
GARAGE DOOR
DUAL GLASS DOORS
LOUNGE AREA ELEVATED WALKWAY
COMPUTER LABORATORY
SECTION OF LABORATORY MODULES
003
A PROTOTYPE
for transitional housing in uptown phoenix
Course: ADE 321
Date: 12/2011
Instructor: Philip Horton
CONTEXT The construction of the lightrail transit system shut down businesses along its path. The strip of restaurants and retail stores along Camelback Road is a region that has taken a significant impact from the lightrail. The one-way street access crippled these stores to stay afloat during the economic downturn and 3 years after the completion of the lightrail, the curb-sides are still lined with vacant lots. These lots become prime real estate in hopes of revitalizing uptown Phoenix. In order to make this work, the constant need for automobiles must be eliminated and public transportation integrated. By integrating retail into housing developments, all within close proximity to public transportation, we can create a safe, walkable area that people can easily access to carry out their daily activities. A PROTOTYPE This project seeks to address these issues and create a prototype for a more T.O.D. friendly housing complex. The curb-side is lined with retail spaces that attracts the public. These retail spaces are dual-sided and open up to a courtyard space. Because this region of Camelback lacks any sort of community gathering space, the public courtyard becomes a “go to” space for the public. Furthermore, a private community space is projected out towards the street front to further attract attention as well as provide views of the Phoenix skyline.
thrift store
cafe
LOCATION: 1610 W. CAMELBACK RD.
DIAGRAMS
CIRCULATION
PROGRAM
STRUCTURE
Transitional occupants enter the residence through the reception area, while marketrate occupants have the ability to bypass this security and enter directly.
Community and residential spaces are extended out towards street to provide a visual connection with the surrounding urban context.
The structure is comprised of TYPE v construction with the exception of the cantilevered community space, which is comprised of HSS truss framing with angled steel column supports.
Angled windows provide each resident with views of the surrounding urban context.
Steel boxes lining the residential corridors provide a visual mask for the corridor itself as well as a physical mask for the plumbing necessary to draw water to the courtyard for harvesting.
MARKET-RATE
TRANSITIONAL
TRANSITIONAL
Amenity spaces on the ground floor provide daily interaction between residents, both transitional and market-rate.
COMMUNITY
cross ventilation
water harvesting
Porous concrete pavers line the floors of the sunken courtyard to allow proper drainage of water into the storage tanks, and in turn, provide water for the vegetation on-site.
FLOOR PLANS
market-rate units
FOURTH FLOOR
transitional units
THIRD FLOOR
NS SECTION
community spaces
retail
SECOND FLOOR
EW SECTION
GROUND FLOOR
E ELEVATION
S ELEVATION
004
Course: ADE 322
VISITOR CENTER kitt peak national observatory
Date: 05/2012
Instructor: David Newton
CONCRETE + LIGHT STUDIO This studio was designed to develop a visitor center that encompasses the phenomena of light for the Kitt Peak National Observatory. The studio began at the detail scale with one 8”x8”x8” concrete block that captures and distorts natural light. With this block,we moved to the scale of a wall, to see how it can be assembled to create larger scale effects. At the building scale, research on light and geometry were further developed to articulate the topics of modularity, parametrics, field conditions, and relational thinking. RHYTHMIC LIGHT rhythm n. movement or procedure with uniform or patterned recurrence of a beat, accent, or the like This project tries to articulate how the phenomena of light deals with rhythm within a space. The entire skin of the building is composed of a repetitious vertical screen wall system that captures rhythm through both light and concrete. This screen wall begins to alleviate from the exterior form of the skin to create unique moments for the visitors to experience. Furthermore, the screen wall frames views of the context to tell a story as they meander through the building.
LOCATION: KITT PEAK, AZ ELEVATION: 6,875 FT.
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
S ELEVATION
DIAGRAMS ORIENTED WITH SUMMER SOLSTICE
SCREEN WALL INTRUDES INTO SPACE TO CREATE COMPRESSION AND RELEASE
ORIENTED TO VIEW HORIZON + CAPTURE NORTH LIGHT
SCREEN WALL LINES ENTRY WAY TO PREPARE VISITORS FOR LIGHT PHENOMENA
MULTI-DIRECTIONAL SCREEN WALL CREATES DIFFERENT VIEWS OF CONTEXT
SCREEN WALL INTRUDES INTO SPACE TO CREATE OUTDOOR SEATING
SCREEN WALL OPENS UP TO CREATE DOOR
NE/SW SECTION
THE SCREEN WALL SYSTEM CREATES DYNAMIC VIEWS OF THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT. AS VISITORS ENTER THE SPACE, VIEWS OF THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE ARE EXPOSED, ALLOWING VISITORS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT (LEFT). CONVERSELY, AS VISITORS EXIT THE SPACE, A VIEW OF THE SOLAR TELESCOPE IS FRAMED, DRAWING ATTENTION BACK TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT (RIGHT).
NS SECTION
Roof Deck
005
S.H.A.D.E.
d.o.e. solar decathlon 2013
Course: ADE 421 + ADE 422
Date: 10/2013
Instructor: Philip Horton
BACKGROUND In the American Southwest, only those species most adapted to our extreme desert climate can thrive. In spite of fragile balances, suburban sprawl throughout the region leaves behind an ecologically destructive landscape of resource-intensive housing, and inefďŹ ciencies of use. TEAM ASUNM Team ASUNM (Arizona State University and University of New Mexico)is a collaboration, across the desert Southwest, to build a campaign, highlighted by an inviting and innovative residence, to be showcased during the Solar Decathlon 2013 competition. OUR GOAL Our goal is to motivate our communities with a stimulating new direction for affordable, adaptable, solar-powered homes that root themselves in our urban/suburban landscape, fostering sustainable growth of local community, local economy, and local ecosystem. INSPIRATION We take inspiration from the mighty saguaro cactus, a plant which has evolved highly specialized mechanisms for life in the desert. Like the saguaro, we are developing with minimal resources, conserving water and energy, adapting size and function to meet needs, adjusting to drastic diurnal and seasonal temperature swings, and minimizing impact on the immediate environment while anchoring a fragile, long-sustained, ever-growing community of desert dwellers.
Role: Website Creative Director + Architecture Team + Communications Team + Construction Team [all work produced by TEAM ASUNM as a whole]
OVERVIEW S.H.A.D.E. (Solar Homes Adapting for Desert Equilibrium) is an 800 sq.ft. home that celebrates its unique equilibrium with the living environment. It takes advantage of the ecosystems by sitting within the landscape creating micro-climates. The home engages indoor and outdoor spaces through its use of multiple patios, including a generous southern patio that extends the living space of the home. The flexible space adapts instantaneously to any special demand. Set in the typical southwestern suburbia, SHADE is an adaptable home that is innovative by using solar panels and water storing utilities, which supplies the fun lifestyle of the home through technologies and flexible spaces.
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ENTRY RAMP FLEX SPACE KITCHEN MASTER BEDROOM BATHROOM
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LAUNDRY ROOM MECHANICAL ROOM OUTDOOR DECK SPACE CARPORT EXTERNAL STORAGE
DESIGN CONSTRAINTS SOLAR ENVELOPE All elements of the home must be contained within the solar envelope to ensure that shadows are not cast upon other houses
0”
50’
0”
18’ 0”
’ 60
BUDGET To get full points in affordability, teams must have a cost estimate below $250k. Teams that have cost estimates under $300k incur limited points deductions. Teams over $300k incur points deductions on a falling scale.
74’
0”
14’ 0”
14’ 0”
LOGISTICS SHADE must be built and shipped from Phoenix, AZ to Irvine, CA for the Solar Decathlon. Due to the shipping constraints, the house must be built in two modules, which adhere to the standard dimensions of a semi-truck trailer bed.
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14
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36
’ 9 ”
’ 11
9”
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13
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SOLAR CONCEPT Components of SHADE, such as the solar canopy, may be used for both suburban infill and adaptation to existing houses to increase value, lifestyle quality, and sustainability within existing neighborhoods. Feasibility and logistics problems can spark creative new neighborhood opportunities to foster community around shared infrastructures.
Typical solar installation requires a south facing roof in order to reach maximum efficiency.
The current trend leans towards getting the most efficient panels, in order to take up the least amount of roof space
By liberating the solar from the roof and creating a solar canopy, the roof can take on any form.
Because the solar canopy also serves as a shade canopy, cheaper, less efficient panels can be used, making solar more accessible for the average homeowner.
The solar canopy now enables homes with east and west facing roofs to benefit from solar power.
The solar canopy can shade a patio space, the harsh south facade, or a part of the roof. The canopy can also be installed away from the home, or in shared yard spaces providing unique opportunities for joint investment between neighbors.
Flex Space
Kitchen + Dining
Bathroom
Hummingbird Garden
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Course: None
BIOMIMICRY
research travel to Ecuador + Peru
Date: 06/2012
Instructor: None
“The more our world functions like the natural world, the more likely we are to endure on this home that is ours, but not ours alone.” - Janine Benyus -
BIOMIMICRY n. the copying or imitation of a natural phenomenon’s or environment’s efficiency and survival mechanisms in manufacturing processes SEAN MURPHY PRIZE The Rio Salado Architecture Foundation annually sponsors a travel scholarship in the amount of $5,000 to students of the Design School at Arizona State University. This travel prize has become the single largest scholarship in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts and through this travel scholarship, I was able to travel to the Amazon rainforest, the Galapagos Islands, and Machu Picchu in order to research biomimicry and it’s possible influences on architecture. TRAVEL ITINERARY Week One: Amazon Rainforest Week Two: Galapagos Islands Week Three: Machu Picchu
WEEK 1: AMAZON RAINFOREST “GARLIC OF THE FOREST” The natives of the amazon rainforest utilize the “garlic of the forest” tree to cleanse their sinuses during the cold seasons when congestion is high. METHOD: 1. break off a small branch 2. with a knife, create shavings 3. pour water onto the shavings 4. pour this water into nostrils
“SANGRE DE DRAGO” The “Sangre de Drago” or “Dragon’s Blood” tree’s sap is used as a natural antiseptic to provide relief of small flesh wounds. The sap is a dark red color, hence the name “Dragon’s Blood”. METHOD: 1. cut the trunk with a knife 2. hold a leaf under the cut to catch the sap 3. apply sap to skin 4. rub sap until it turns into a soft, white cream
WEEK 2: GALAPAGOS ISLANDS MARINE IGUANA The Marine Iguanas of the Galapagos utilize this forest of lava rock as a nesting ground for their young. The natural black color of the rock allows the iguanas to camouflage from predators until they are strong enough to swim out to sea.
BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY Blue-footed Boobies are known for their ability to dive into the water to feed. This is made possible through two key features. First, their nostrils are permanently sealed making them impeccable swimmers. Second, air sacs within their skull act as “air bags�, protecting their brains from the highimpact when diving.
WEEK 3: MACHU PICCHU SOLAR ORIENTATION Because of the high altitude and the strategic placement in the center of a surrounding mountain range, the daily amount of sun they received was minimal. Therefore, the solar orientation of Machu Picchu was critical for their survival. The terraced farming was oriented towards a low point in the surrounding mountain range where the sun was able to peek through every morning as seen in the picture.