ben prager
master of architecture 2014
by coming to architecture, i have found that the simplicity of a solution must not preclude its beauty. i strive, therefore, to make beautiful things as much as i strive to make beautiful solutions. i believe that a sustainable solution, from the perspective of building science, is not a sustainable solution if it ignores beauty, economy, policy, and society as relevant sustainable design criteria. i have, therefore, slowly developed a design lexicon to incorporate these interdisciplinary notions into a productive design methodology. what follows is a compiliation of both built and unbuilt work, academic and professional, that stands on the conviction that an architecture that moves the soul both knows how to transform experience and count carbon, how to make jaws drop and rates of return rise, and how to balance practicality with whimsy.
powerful design demands both poetry and pragmatism.
2
not all roofs taste the same
14 - 31 the willamette value
32 - 35 straub hall detailing
36 - 41 big roof for buddha
42 - 49 intervention at the palatine
50 - 51 SEED maker space
52 - 59 acoustabooth
thesis
8 - 13
details
willamette thatch
studio
4-7
built intern
title microsoft excel ink, pencil, etc. laser cutter cnc router 3d printer analog fabrication project management finance environmental sustainability
revit
arcgis + qgis
processing
illustrator
photoshop
autocad
sketchup
vray + maxwell
grasshopper
rhino
page
3
4
willamette thatch (built) material research + sculpture location | primary stakeholders | intent |
eugene, oregon green finance executives
in preparation for my thesis, i developed a thatch installation for the finley wildlife refuge. the piece started with a 400 foot trail laid out in paired reed couples that made horizontal the height of the missoula floods 13,000 years ago. the installation culminated in an arched form that spoke to the structural possibilities and durability of thatching material while simultaneously mimicking the growth pattern of reed rhizomes and the capillary action with which reeds moves water throughout its rhizomatic system. modeling |
reed twine ice
5
the surface coating of reed is waxy and flaky rendering the material useful for whisking water away quickly but prohibiting any individual piece from directing the water with intent due to the lack of sufficient surface tension. it must be bundled for control. the bundling and layering of reed generates average roof thicknesses between 18 inches and 36 inches with an r value of 11 per 12 inch thickness. even though reed is durable, lasting up to 60 years as a roofing material, the craft of thatching with reed is nearly a lost art in the united states, rendering the low carbon material nearly extinct domestically. the few master thatchers that practice in the united states have been trained in the united kingdom where the practice of thatching still thrives.
6
the thatched arch was erected overnight in order to allow frost to accumulate on the reed. the tip of the arch was frozen with additional water to accentuate the curve by adding ice weight to the end. an ice block footing stabilized the arch. as the ice melted throughout the day, the tip of the arch dripped, lightening the load on the end of the bow, allowing for the tension of the arch to relax with passing time, recalling the seasonality of the missoula floods.
7
8
not all roofs taste the same (research) thatch market research + work placement
location | primary stakeholders | intent |
pembrokeshire, wales ecological reserves, green markets
in order to further understand the possibilities of and obstacles for thatch use, i put together a proposal to travel to pemborkshire, wales to meet with alan jones, master thatcher on a work placement. though knowledge around thatching exists in limited areas within the united states, the practice is much more common and abundant in the united kingdom. through investigation of alan’s practice, i gained an understanding of thatching techniques, the interconnected network of reed beds, wetland maintenance, and insulative value of thatching, as well as the possibilities of improving agrictulture through building construction and thatch. materials |
reed straw willow oak twine
9
1 sf
exposed reed roof coverage that one bundle of reed will provide
harvest
dry
rake
rebundle
perfect long bundle with taper bundle unsuitable due to uneveness bundle unsuitable due to kinks bundle unsuitable due to length
the value of planted reed increases with age as a function of its ability to remove nitrates from ground water along agricultural land. by removing nitrates from agricultural runoff, reed indirectly prevents algal blooms within the willamette river which promotes the reintroduction and invigoration of salmon. reed also adds to wetland biodiversity in the willamette valley, in particular, serving as a nesting habitat for the northern harrier.
subsequently, the value of reed decreases as an envelope material with age as a function of its resistance to water. a 300 millimeter layer of reed, a typical depth with an R-value of 11 per food (untested), will, in 50 years, degrade down to 180 millimeters. fortunately, this 25 times the time necessary for the reed bed to recover the reed necessary for roofing a median sized home in the united states.
6 sf
necessary for making one dirty bundle of reed
45000 sf of reed bed necessary to thatch the median single family home
2169 sf median size of new single family house
11
12
in order to better understand how reed functions as an enclosure material, i proposed and completed a 4 day work placement with alan jones, master thatcher, in pembrokshire, wales. the search for master thatchers practicing within the united states yielded a key obstacle to thatch adoption domestically: a labor force unfamiliar with the peculiarities of building with thatch. next steps to complete preliminary research include performing controlled tests for r-value, flamability, and durability along with life cycle analysis and market comparison to other roofing materials.
13
we want to develop an architecture that transforms traditional notions of value, making explicit the implicit worth of the imperceptible.
14
massing explorations used a process flow that iterated through the following sequence: 2D sketch, scale wood gridshell build, sweet potato carving, 3D printed plastic scale massing, repeat. the use of a sweet potato greatly increased efficiency in decision making and kept in line with the low carbon ethic of the studio by foregoing typical foam models for a low carbon, starchy alternative.
the willamette value (thesis)
alternative valuations + environmental art location | primary stakeholders | intent |
monroe, oregon green entrepreneurs, accountants
where a market does not exist, in particular, for the immaterial, the value that we as designers create is either hard to quantify, as in the case of contingency value approaches to determining the monetized cost or willingness-to-pay for the maintenance of an endangered species, or impossible, as in the case of the consumption of an intriguing idea or a pleasant experience even though we can not deny that value exists in both. the proposal for this environmental art museum demonstrates how design makes visible the value of the immaterial, transforming normative notions of value into alternative valuations. media |
modeling |
rhino 3d + vray + grasshopper adobe illustrator + photoshop chalk pastel ink sweet potato + broom twine wood rammed earth
15
perceived influence actual influence
knowledge value the artists in residence program does not restrict the definition of artist to any particular species. by critically examining and developing a language of unit-to-unit value interactions, overlaying them on top of program, and resequencing light, sound, and water access to the program, the willamette value artists in residence design proposal attemps to architecturally decrease the decisional distance between human and non-human entities from a relationship that presumes independence to one that celebraties a unified-converging value proposition.
existing roofing material acquisition model (asphalt)
proposed roofing material aquisition model (reed)
as individual consumers, we make purchasing decisions on a daily basis. we base the decisions we make on imperfect information even though basic economic theory teaches that as consumers in a free market economy, we make purchasing decisions based on perfect and available information. similarly, when financiers trade commodities, they trade based on a limited subset of information. their consumption of commodities, and therefore the price and cost of those commodities, fails to take into account the underlying externalities generated by those commodities trades. by reducing the decisional distance and encouraging decisional proximity, we move closer to perfect information and bettere decision making.. sound
light
water
independent
independent-separated
independent-inviting
independent-dissolving
independent-excluding
independent-filtering
independent-converging
independent-diluting
tangential
tangential-separated
tangential-inviting
tangential-dissolving
tangential-excluding
tangential-filtering
tangential-converging
tangential-diluting
overlapping
overlapping-separated
overlapping-inviting
overlapping-dissolving
overlapping-excluding
overlapping-filtering
overlapping-converging
overlapping-diluting
unified-inviting
unified-dissolving
unified-excluding
unified-filtering
unified-converging
unified
and ortl to p
to portland
amtrak
99 W
ge from eu
1”
18 to eugene
250’
slough extension
1000’
displaced residents
2014 wetlands
20 year wetland growth
ne
60 year wetland growth
during summer months, the willamette value environmental art museum opens to the public. july and august are the dryest months in the valley, and as the flood waters subside, the site and building open up to access via alternative forms of transportation. a nearby, previously defunct railroad offers rails-to-trails access while a newly installed bus station deters individuals drivers and favors public transportation.
temporal value
as the site opens to the public in july and august, subsiding waters invite an influx of birds. the choreography of public exhibition of artists’ work along side the exhibition of non-human species reduces mental distance between human and non-human and allows for humans disconnected from long term cycles to gain increased awareness.
on site parking is availble for only the director of the museum and for a delivery truck
summer guests arrive via public transport due to lack of on-site parking and a convenient bus stop
artists in residence arrive in the winter via the willamette river, trecking up the reintroduced slough to the boat dock at the museum
site access maximum grade is 1:20 offering a seamless undulation throughout
bathrooms in the wild decrease decisional distance of waste management
reed harvests provide roofing for nearby housing on 2 year alternating cycles
ecological stock ticker displays site valuation data
at the bus stop, museum goers are asked to change their boots for sloshing through the wetland
an amphitheater allows for large scale installations, outdoor performances, and an ecological valuation data matinee
a rails-to-trails system encourages museum goers to access the site via additional alternative means of access in summer months
the site design responds to the challenge of decreasing decisional distance by proposing increased proximity to ecological functions. it re-introduces a slough and reed bed to restore ecological function and give access to the site and the building for artists in residence by boat in the winter while also acknowledging the subsiding of flooding in summer months and foregoing public parking by introducing an additional bus stop to bring museum goers on site. lcd displays of ecological financial data emerge from the reed bed displaying trading data to the financial management artist while a roof display connects the same data to a variety of species of commuters flying overhead.
altered site value
1”
25’ 100’
22
23
ff
ee
catalyst program
performance criteria
dd
cc white box
white box roof
environmental art generator
minimum thatch angle 30
optimal thatch angle 45
material optimizer
it simply can not be a straight line. a straight line has two control points, a start and an end. however, a curve or spline has at least three, a start, end, and a “hidden� control point. the hidden control point defines the curvature of a curve, adding value to the geometry without explicitly being seen. by introducing curvature into the formal expression of the environmental art museum, we make visible the value of the control point.
optimal solar angle 68 solar collector
bb
formal + structural exploration
angle collisions conflict resolver
slow discovery value
average angle + white box idealized section
program expansion
program compression
program responder
by iterating through overlays of reed performance requirements, the catalyst of an artist in residency program, and the deman for a formal expression that was evocative of a modern, marketable design, an idealized section was discovered.
roof punctures light unconditioned galleries
solar panels protect vulnerable thatch
thatch has a stated R-value of 11 per foot of thickness
four layers of 60mm x 90mm ribs layer in a gridshell
wall curvature adopts to gridshell intersection points
main footings change height to adopt to undulations in thatch roof
wood flooring undulates to continue site path through museum
25
1. a carve away of thatch scoops visitors into a liminal space between programs. c
2. a shoe cubby gives museum goers a final thrshold to cross where they can deposit their mud boots and mark their arrival.
b
a 13 7
3. a shoe cubby gives museum goers a final thrshold to cross where they can deposit their mud boots and mark their arrival.
4
4. a shop space connects to an exterior deck and provides noisy workspace for artists in residence. 5. covered, unconditioned, galleries invite art to respond to microclimatic conditions. 3 2 6
1
6. a small restaurant serves as kitchen and eating area for artists in residence and as celebratory summer retreat.
b
a
8. the water catchment area. it feeds the magic mechanical room.
c
7. a large, conditioned, indoor gallery space houses long term exhibitions and collections.
12
1�
4’
26
16’
f
9. the mechanical room. magic happens here to let magic happen everywhere.
e
d 16
10. storage
12
11
11. this ecology lab offers the slow passage of moments to heighten an artists awareness of ecological time.
14
12. the installation deck offers the slough an opportunity to visit the artists through capillary action.
10
13. ramp for entrepreneuring non-human access to the building from the slough.
5
15
14. dull bathrooms. a necessity.
8
9
15. individual artists studios.
21
f
e
16. the boat dock acts as a coat hanger for kayaks in the summer, marking seasonal change like leaves fallen from a tree.
d
17. the fun bathrooms offer visitors and artists an opportunity to experience privacy while breaking their notions of traditional boundaries.
17
27
solar panels run along the flat spines of the thatched roof, protecting the thatch where it is least durable and gathering energy to power the facilities
the outdoor work area steps down towards the reed bed to the west of the willamette value environmental art museum in order to allow artists in residence to engage intimately with a boundary, that by code, does not require a railing. the absence of a railing makes a small contribution to eliminating boundary between human and non-human
1,060
cubic feet of concrete for 265 footings to support and lift the structure
28
uncanny value 14,000
square feet of thin film solar that provide energy to power equipment and heat harvestted rain water
47,500
bundles of reed needed to thatch the roof of the willamette value environmental art museum. at 6 square feet per bundle, we desire a reed bed of just under 6.5 acres for the roofing material
section aa in certain areas, the thatch roof dips its toe in the water of the slough and reed bed, a small demonstration of its susceptibility to wear from direct water contact, but also a marker of the changing flood levels and the passage of time
30
intangible haptic value before we had a microscope, we did not understand the value of a healthy cell. once the microscope was developed, we were able to grasp the importance of rna, dna, osmosis, anything the human eye could not previously perceive. we need to see it to believe it. or touch it, hear it, smell it, or taste it, in that specific order. it’sdisplaying troubling for because what wethe history of a local a designers timeline that incorporates ecology involves deciding the beginning and end of make by putting together walls, necessarily beams, columns, systems, lighting, that ecology even exist though such distinctions and so on, is an experience that doesn’t through the lens of are, in most capacities, aribitrary. however, is rather difficulttotothe draw infinity. any one sense, but rather transcends all itsenses through realm of perception. how then can we make an argument for an improvement, not just of architecture, but of a general sensibility as a species to be stewards of things not immediately perceptible?
how can we create an architecture that generates a shift in embedded awarenes that makes known the value of experience?
we make the thing. we make the thing that creates the experience. we make a building more pourous to allow for an ecology to permeate and shake hands with an artist in residence. we invite non-human interaction rather than hide it. we make a table to serve the sheep and the people.
31
Double Pane Glazing 10” 20 Gage Metal Stud Kawneer 451 Extruded Aluminum Window Copper Flashing Silicone Sealant Backer Rod Blocking for Thermal Break Brick Vaneer Mortar Weather Resistant Barrier Rigid Insulation Brick Vaneer Anchor Spray Foam Insulation Steel Angle USG Densglass Gypsum Sheathing Blocking for Nailing OSB 3/4” OSB 1/2” Finish Maple Ply Copper Rain Gutter HSS Tube Spray Foam Insulation C Channel Glass Canopy 1”x1” Canopy Steel Perlin
Steel Bracket for Attaching I Beam Custom I Beam with Taper
Kawneer 451 Extruded Aluminum Window Header Glazing
32
straub hall detailing architectural details location | primary stakeholders | intent |
eugene, oregon john rowell
as part of required coursework, students were asked to detail elevations, sections, and axonometrics of a main entry at straub hall in eugene, oregon. required drawings included a facade elevation, a section through the main entry, a jamb detail, header detail, canopy detail, and a parapet detail. the building combines a brick facade with connections to a steel supported glass canopy.
media |
revit autocad
33
1/2” Finish Maple Ply Blocking for Attaching 1/2”Maple Ply Kawneer 451 Sill Kawneer 451 Double Glazing Silicone Sealant Backer Rod Kawneer 451 Extruded Aluminum Jamb Blocking for Thermal Break Steel Lintel with Copper Flashing Copper Flashing Light Gage Steel for Attaching Copper Flashing Weather Resistant Barrier USG Densglass Gypsum Sheathing 1/2” Finish Maple Ply 3/4” OSB Sheathing 10” 20 Gage Metal Stud 3” Rigid Insulation Brick Vaneer Anchor Tie Brick Vaneer Mortar
Precast Concrete Parapet Cap Flashing Vertical Expansion Joint Running Bond Brick Vaneer
Flashing with Steel Angle Bracket
Kawneer 451T Type B Assembly
Flashing with Steel Angle Bracket Canopy Glazing 1.25”x1.25” Steel Perlins 7.5” Steel I Beam with Taper C Channel Steel
Kawneer 451T Type B Assembly
Kawneer 451T Entrance Door with Husky Closer
34
Precast Concrete Parapet Cap HSS Tube for Roof Decking Running Bond Brick Vaneer HSS Tube Column Steel Angle with Copper Flashing (See Drawing 8) 20 Gage 10” Steel Wall Studs
Kawneer 451 Extruded Aluminum Windows Glass Canopy Rain Gutter C Channel (See Drawing 9) 1”x1” Steel Canopy Supports with Rubber Gasket Tapered I Beam HSS Tubular Steel Support for Canopy
Center Line
35
a facade study that explored standing seam metal roofing, cedar siding, and steel cross bracing as potential facade composition elements. it also determined the appropriate level of height for roof lines and floor decking.
36
big roof for buddha
spirituality + ecological restoration location | primary stakeholders | intent |
portland, oregon fender’s blue, buddhist community
this proposal addresses sustainability through multiple lenses (environmental, fiscal, social, personal) to marry them with the programmatic needs of a spiritual client while considering an architecture of infill. the big roof creates flexibility within a space so that it suits the immediate needs of the existing client, the future needs of the same client, and the potential needs of a new inhabitant. it determines a framework that supports a variety of activity without being overly prescriptive, generating a variety of complexity based on the elegance of simplicity. media |
modeling |
rhino 3d + vray autocad adobe illustrator + photoshop chalk pastel red ink museum board wood plaster gelatin
37
plaster and gelatin models identified programmatic configurations. the gelatin molds explored the role of diffusion and blurred thresholds in a buddhist space. through collaboration with students in the department of landscape architecture, i developed the endangered species web above to identify which endangered species could benefit most from wetland restoration on site while also benefiting the client financially. the fender’s blue butterfly became the ideal stakeholder ecologically and financially as the site could generate fender’s blue restoration while also generating funding through tourism of a fender’s blue monastery.
the meandering path set out through the site to highlight day-lit streams that were once buried throughout. simultaneously it solidified locations in the built form that completely dissolved the threshold between the built form and the landscape by varying decking height.
developing a module that varied sufficiently in section allowed for small, medium, and large spaces that accommodated the needs of the buddhist client for congregating, private meditation, and a blurred edge that continuously connected the interior and exterior.
right | the model casts identified the ideal conceptual section, highlighting a need to lift the building off of the ground to allow a permeability underneath for low-lighting biology to thrive and through the center of the building for communal activities. to flourish.
=
$
by focusing on incorporating the restoration of the fender’s blue butterfly as part of the core design criteria, it was possible to consider ecotourism as part of the additional revenue stream that the buddhist client could recognize in order to maintain its regular operations and continue serving the community.
left | the final ascent from domitian’s circus, a shift from a large outdoor room to a small indoor room, frames the final view, a glimpse of the colosseum that connects the final view with the initial sight of the colosseum from the bus stop at the san gregorio gate.
42
intervention at the palatine landscape urbanism location | primary stakeholders intent |
rome, italy city and citizens of rome
this design proposal for intervention at the san gregorio, the south-east entry sequence to the palatine hill, balances a socially sustainable design ethic within an ancient roman palimpsest. the existing above-grade design displays little of the site’s rich history. sparsely posted signage serves as the only indicator of important historic features devoid of a greater urban connection. through layering excavation maps, i devised a path that, excavated, shows variegated layers of buried roman history using a sequence of compression and expansion. a copper line turned wall turned ceiling turned floor highlights the history, offering a new celebration of public space. media |
modeling |
rhino 3d + maxwell autocad google sketchup arcgis adobe illustrator + photoshop chalk pastel graphite museum board graphite
43
center (top to bottom) | a section model through a core of the sequence demonstrates how the copper (black) serves as the datum against which a roman can read the palimpsest of the excavated hill (white). the copper weaves from the landscape above (top), down through an opening that sheds light into the compressed passage below (middle), unfolding into expanse of finish flooring in the following room (bottom).
right | the sliver of copper that continues from the model on the left shows the material embedded in the street, rising up to form a wall and then an overhead covering before it wraps back down to begin weaving through the palatine hill itself, alternating services as a floor, wall, ceiling, line, and frame, compressing the individual and then releasing her onto the climactic view of the colosseum. 44
45
46
a compression into darkness before the penultimate release of the journey into domitian’s circus 47
48
an eruption of light into domitian’s circus (center) precedes a compression into a darkness for the final ascent towards the colosseum (right) 49
size
construction cost in 1000’s @ $250/sf
cultural value
sample program (one parcel)
artist’s studio | studio
800 sf
$250
S
moonbrine pickles| artisan food manufacture
400 sf
$100
XS
32ohm| highh-end audio equipment
1322 sf
$330
advocacy group| non-profit
1600 sf
$400
M M
nutcase helmets| athletic equipment
4000 sf
$1000
L
architecture studio | architectural services
3000 sf
$750
fiction| brand strategy
5031 sf
$1258
mame| restaurant
2000 sf
$500
arakawa hanging systems | picture frame hanging systems
4400 sf
$1100
M L M L
SEED maker space
conceptual design + feasibility study location | primary stakeholders | intent |
eugene, or client, eweb, city of eugene
as part of a riverfront redevelopment master plan, the SEED project was a conceptual design and feasibility study for a mixed-use light industrial building in downtown eugene, or. as part of the design team, my work involved pro-forma analysis, demographic and socio-economic research, and conceptual architectural design work. i assisted with presenting work and findings to the client, members of city planning, and the Eugene City Manager. i also provided regular feedback and critiques to a team of four model builders and assisted with conceptual renderings, cost of construction estimates, and programming analysis. details |
speranza architecture winter 2013-2014 mixed-use light industrial 60,000 sf
51
52
acoustabooth (built)
acoustically responsive installation + furniture location | primary stakeholders | intent |
eugene, oregon student body, faculty advisor
every architecture school has an acoustics problem. studios are wide open. no privacy. hallways are noisy. there’s nowhere for a student to take a phone call. the digital media collaborative of the university of oregon decided to make a place. we called it the parametrically designed acoustically responsive phone booth (PDARPB). the curved ribs take on a human form while the external skin both responds to the rib curvature and offers a medium against which LEDs flickering in response to the human voice notify passersby that a phone call is in progress. media |
modeling |
roles |
rhino 3d + grasshopper autocad adobe illustrator + photoshop maple ply steel acoustically controlled LEDs project management digital design fabrication
53
project cost (hard + soft) materials (dollars)
router bits threaded rods, nuts, washers stain, eye bolts, cable ties cable clamps, cable 1/8� maple ply 3/4 maple ply Tygon tubing LED strip lighting
materials total labor (hours)
the problem there’s nowhere to take a phone call in lawrence hall. studio spaces are too public and phone conversations held inside studio disrupt the flow and energy of design students.
72.52 17.01 12.19 53.48 103.60 522.30 25.20 207.76
users wanted a place to sit that was both comfortable enough to sit in for a brief call and long enough to accommodate a quick nap. the school also required that the structure be free standing so as to not damage the existing walls and floor.
$1,014.06
users also wanted to feel as if they would not be seen or heard while holding a conversation in order to have a sense of perceived privacy, regardless of whether the privacy was real.
schematic design (8 weeks) 132.5 design development (12 weeks) 383.5 construction documents (4 weeks) 32.5 manufacturing + assembly (6 weeks) 1092.0 general + administrative 80.0
labor total
1720.5
we instituted a workflow that moved quickly between digital and analog design. numbering and routing all components in order to minimize construction time with over 600 unique parts. the human spine served as the starting point for form generation of the seating structure. it also served as the catalyst for the waffle connection that ultimately created sufficient corner stiffness to make the whole structure free standing.
L35
L23 d23
d35 d34
d47
d59
d71
L83
d83
L59 L11
L34
L22
d12
d22 d46
d33
d58
d70
d82
L71
L47
L82
L10 L58
L33
L21
L70 L81
d11
L46 d21 d32
d45
d10
d57
d69
d81
L9 L32
L20
d20
d9
d68 d44
d31
L31
L55
d42
d41
d65
d77
d64
d76
d51
d63
d75
d50
d62
d74
L24
L36
L60
L75
L40 L51
L63
L26 d38
L14 L2
L39
L50
L62
L74 d48
d1
d13
d25
L48
L64
L27
L3 L37
d26
L76 L52
d36 d14
L84
L65
L41
L15 d39
L53
L4
d27 d15 d3
L72
L42
L28
L16
d52
L78
L66 L77
L5
d53
d28
d40
L54
L29
L17
d24 d17
d16 d4
L67
L43
L6
d78
L79
L44
L30
L18
d66 d54
d2
L68
L56
L19 L7
d55 d43
d30
d29
L80
L8
d79 d67 d19
d18
d5
L57
L45
d80
d56
d8
d7
d6
L69
d37
d49
d61
d73
L25 L1
L13
L12
L38
L49
L61
L73
d60
d72
d84
the solution
phone conversation begins
lights illuminate panels to indicate conversation is ongoing. passersby quite down.
sound sensor measures dB
56
(1)
.132”
” .20
.1067”
(2)
1.245” (3)
.0966” .4293”
7” 1.1 .743” 1/16” steel wire rope 1/16” ply sprayed black
1/2” stainless steel washer 3mm black wire ties 1/8” stainless steel wingnut 1/8” stainless steel threaded rod
4” 2.3
(4)
1”=1” happy connection detail
note that the connection detail does not connect one panel at every meeting of 4 panels. this allows sufficient flexibility to allow the panels that form the skin to bend to structural spine curvature. (1) early sketch models define the skin connector schematic (2) various shape , size, and material tests for strength and aesthetic quality. (3) different slot and fastener type trials for identification of sufficient tolerances to allow the skin to flex dynamically. (4) finish color tests created clear branding identity for the acoustabooth. (5) the final connector, a matte black spray painted 1/8” plywood.
(5)
58
human factors were the primary concern in the design. rib sections were derived from the actual curvature of a spine in order to accommodate the human body. the corner of the booth was directed at an angle so that an individual looking to make a phone call in comfort, perhaps with a pillow and blanket, could do so in the fetal position, frequently claimed to be the most comfortable.
everything has value. not everyone can see it.