California Academy of Sciences

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Kiah Hixon | Kane Tanaka | Arch 341-04 | Hirsig

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES San Francisco, California Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Building analysis by Kiah Hixon and Kane Tanaka Arch 341, Fall 2018 Lab instructor: Alexander Hirsig

Cover image: California Academy of Sciences

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1_Project Summary 2_Place 3_Form and Assemblies 4_Perception and Performance 5_References

1_PROJECT SUMMARY PROJECT DATA Location: San Francisco, California Year of completed construction: 2008 Total area: 410,000 sq ft Total construction cost: $488 million Certifications: Double LEED Platinum

TEAM Client: California Academy of Sciences Architect: Renzo Piano Building Workshop & Stantec Architecture Landscape: SWA Group Engineering and Sustainability: Ove Arup & Partners Civil: Rutherford & Chekene General Contractor: Webcor Builders Living Roof: Rana Creek Aquarium Life Support: PBS&J Exhibits: Thinc Design, Cinnabar, Visual-Acuity

1.1 California Academy of Sciences Photo: SF Public Works

ARCHITECT PROFILE | ‘UNO SPAZIO PER LA GENTE’ Renzo Piano Building Workshop believes that people are the center of architecture. They strive to ensure that everything they design focuses on a personal experience with the building and tries to improve the lives of those who live and work within. Renzo Piano’s firm emphasizes the importance of collaborative work, meaning that the more people who work on a project, the better the overall finished product.

The Renzo Piano Building Workshop philosophy: ‘UNO SPAZIO PER LA GENTE’ - A Space for the People.

In addition to creating buildings for the people, RPBW focuses immensely on creating architecture that is light and elegant as well as construction that leaves little impact on its surrounding site. This architectural practice understands the impact a building can have on its surrounding context and aims to leave as small an environmental footprint as possible. The California Academy of Sciences is an incredible example of this philosophy at work, as it contains many architectural elements that are setting industry precedents for the definition of green, environmentally friendly buildings.

The Renzo Piano Building Workshop is an international architecture firm that has won numerous awards for its buildings located throughout the globe. With offices in Paris, New York, and Genoa led by ten partners inlucing the founder, Renzo Piano himself, it’s no wonder this firm has made such a major impact on modern architecture.

In the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, each team sees one project from concept design all the way to completion of construction. By following each project from start to finish, the architects and designers can ensure that every detail is functional and beautiful, exactly as they originally presented to the client. They also believe in collaboration, saying, “Good work comes from teams where no one accounts for the origin of the idea.” This goal is held in high standard as each project develops from an idea into a fully functional, fully occupied building.

1.2 (Left) THE SHARD : London, United Kingdom Photo: Marc Cluet

1.3 (Upper Right) ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES : Los Angeles, California (in construction)

Photo: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

1.4 (Lower Right) CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU : Paris, France Photo: Centre Pompidou

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESIGN PROCESS After the Loma Prieta earthquake, the original 12 structures of the California Academy of Sciences were heavily damaged and required reconstruction. The new design planned on using primarily recycled materials and restoring 3 of the original buildings.

Renzo Piano Workshop’s design aims to combine nature, science, and people under one living roof. The roof’s form is inspired by the seven hills of San Francisco. It also encourages natural ventilation and rainwater recovery while the glazing helps with natural lighting and solar energy gain.

1.5 Hills and initial sketch

Photo: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

1.6 (Top) Roof concept model

Photo: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

1.8 (Bottom middle) Developed building sketch Photo: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

1.7 (Top middle) Original California Academy of Sciences Photo: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

1.9 (Bottom) Site model

Photo: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Roof Plan

2

1

14 5

Ground Floor Plan

5 6

Massing Model scale: 1/64” = 1’-0”

13

3

7

9 8

4

10

13

11

12

Basement Plan

15

15

16

MASSING AND CONFIGURATION

1 Living Roof Terrace 2 Living Roof (Inaccessible) 3 Planetarium Exhibit 4 Rainforest Exhibit 5 Office Space 6 Swamp Exhibit 7 Central Piazza 8 Entry

9 African Hall Exhibit 10 Store 11 Theater 12 Cafe 13 Climate Change Exhibit 14 Evolution Exhibit 15 Administration/Office Space 16 Aquarium

15

15

Private

15

Public

2 Inaccessible

0

25 50

100

200

PROGRAM

STRUCTURE

EGRESS

CIRCULATION

CLIMATE 1.10 Map Given to Academy Visitors Upon Entry California Academy of Sciences

GRAPHIC SUMMARY

THERMAL AND VENTILATION

ENVELOPE

2_PLACE LAKE ELEANOR CHERRY LAKE

HETCH HETCHY RESERVOIR

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

SUNSET RESERVOIR SOLAR ARRAY

BIOMASS

LOCAL SOLAR CELLS

SUNOL VALLEY WATER TREATMENT PLANT

WATER TURBINES

KIRKWOOD POWERHOUSE

OCEANSIDE TREATMENT PLANT

PACIFIC OCEAN

2.1 Aerial view of the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park Photo: greenroofs.com

REGIONAL RESOURCES

CONTEXT

The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir supplies a majority of the water to the California Academy of Sciences. The water travels down the San Joaqin Pipelines, is filtered at the Sunol Valley Water Treatment Plant, and continues down the Bay Division Pipelines. All waste water heads to the Oceanside Treatment Plant in which treated water is disposed in the Pacific Ocean and waste is processed into energy via biomass system. Energy can be sourced from the Kirkwood Powerhouse (powered by Hetch Hetchy) and various solar arrays throughout SF.

The California Academy of Sciences is located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, a three mile long green space that is currently the fifth most visited public park in the United States. The building itself has a strong connection to the park, with its green roof acting as a continuation of Golden Gate Park despite the obstruction of the 410,000 sqft building.

100%

80%

60%

.028

90%

WET-BULB TEMPERATURE DEG. F 80

.024

DEW POINT TEMPERATURE, DEG. F

80

70

60

50

40

10

.012 60

.008

40 30

20

20

70 .016

50

30 10

.020

HUMIDITY RATIO

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

.004

20 10 0 30

40

50 60 70 80 DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE, DEG. F

90

100

110

CLIMATE ANALYSIS AND RESPONSE

2.2 (Above) Climate study on Golden Gate Park

San Francisco is a temperate to cool climate and typically has winds from the north-west. The mornings are foggy until the ocean breeze blows through and brings in the warm sun. The building uses this humidity to water their large green roof while capturing as much sunlight as possible. Using mainly internal gains, solar gains, and natural ventilation, it did not require much more active heating and especially cooling.

2.3 (Left top) Overhang in the morning and midday

Photo: California Academy of Sciences Photo: California Academy of Sciences

2.4 (Left bottom) Wind rose and psychometric chart Photo: Climate Consultant

3_FORM AND ASSEMBLIES

3.1 African Hall Exhibit Space

Photo: California Academy of Sciences

Cafe Exhibit Space Administrative/Research Space

3.2 Private Research Lab

Photo: California Academy of Sciences

Central Piazza Store

PROGRAM As a public institution that also houses private research, the California Academy of Sciences has well organized and easily accessible public spaces, while housing more private program away from the main public circulation. The public exhibit spaces occupy the majority of the ground floor, and extend to specific parts of the basement and second floor. The main retail space and cafe are placed together in the front of the building, inviting people in. Most of the administrative space is located in the basement or in the back corner of the ground floor, extending up to occupy most of the upper floors.

3.3 Central Piazza

Photo: California Academy of Sciences

GREEN ROOF SYSTEM

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE SYSTEM

STEEL BEAM/GIRDER/ COLUMN SYSTEM

3.4 Breakdown of roof construction Photos: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

STEEL FRAME SYSTEM

GLASS FACADE SYSTEM

STRUCTURE The building aims to incorporate three existing buildings part of the original California Academy of Sciences complex; these buildings were badly damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake and required remodeling. In response to this, the new structure features spread footings which allow the building to rock back and forth.

However, the concrete basement continues these systems leaving much of the aquarium anchored to the ground. The roof structure is held up by a pre-bent beam and girder grid on columns and concrete shear walls.wW

3.5 Model of existing masonry wall and new steel grid and column system Photos: Renzo Piano Building Workshop

3.6 Living Green Roof

Photo: California Academy of Sciences

Concrete Slab Supporting Soil

ENVELOPE: LIVING ROOF AND PHOTOVOLTAIC OVERHANG The living roof is made up of 6 inches of soil that sits on the concrete form. The soil is crucial for the heating and cooling of the interior, acting as natural insulation while also preventing stormwater runoff. 1,700,000 species of plants were planted on the museum’s green roof. The photovoltaic solar overhang runs along the outside of the green roof and contains over 60,000 photovoltaic cells, which produce about 5% of the Academy’s annual energy needs.

Living Roof Soil/Plants

Photovoltaic Canopy

3.7 Photovoltaic Overhang

Photo: California Academy of Sciences

Photovoltaic Canopy

ENVELOPE: CONCRETE AND GLASS FACADE A portion of the current facade reincorporates three facades from the original 12 buildings of the California Academy of Sciences that were damaged and taken down after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. The new green roof symbolically unifies all of the previously existing California Academy of Sciences buildings under one roof. The newer portions of the facade are made of glass walls (which let in diffused natural daylight and emphasize the connection to the outdoors) and concrete slabs that follow a consistent paneling pattern.

New Structure for Reinforcement of Existing Wall

Existing Masonry Wall from Original CAS

4_PERCEPTION AND PERFORMANCE

Energy Model

Daylight Model

ENERGY AND DAYLIGHTING PERFORMANCE The current standards for energy and daylighting performance for a project such as the California Academy of Sciences is an Energy Use Intensity of 50. This building, due to its combination of living green roof, production of onsite solar energy, passive heating a cooling strategies, and strategically placed natural daylighting opportunities, has a much lower EUI than what is expected of a San Francisco museum. Most museums use an extraordinary amount of energy on HVAC systems, but The California Academy of Sciences is able to make

great use of an automated ventilation system and radiant floor heating, both of which help to dramatically lower the building’s energy use. The living green roof also plays a major role in aiding the building’s heating and cooling efficiency. This building, with it’s 30 ft shading overhang, focuses on daylighting while collecting very little direct sunlight which could harm the exhibits. One of the few locations where direct sunlight is encouraged (and required) is the rainforest exhibit, where circular, operable skylights placed directly above the sphere allow for maximized sunlight.

operable shading

skylights

photovoltaic shading

PEX tubing

boilers

chillers

THERMAL AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS The roof, insulated by thick, cotton batting (from recycled jeans) has various operable openings for natural ventilation. The sweeping roof pulls hot air up and out of the building. The courtyard features operable shading while the photovoltaic hangar around the perimeter of the building provides permanent shading in order to control solar gains. In terms of active systems, PEX tubing in the floor provides both radient heating and cooling through a hydronic system; due to San Francisco’s temperate climate, cooling is typically unneccesary.

4.1 Passive solar and internal gains, active hydronic system Photos: Renzo Piano Building Workshop / Uponor

roof ground floor basement

CIRCULATION

MASSING

CIRCULATION The main floor acts like an open space with a courtyard and spheres in the center; after entering through large glass walls, people cycle around the central spaces. Vertical circulation to the aquarium and roof are found at approximately thirds of the building. The museum emphasizes exploration, openness, an free circulation throughout the building.

4.2 Main entryway and central courtyard Photo: California Academy of Sciences

Floor Two

Ground Floor

Basement

EGRESS AND FIRE SAFETY Each of the four concrete sections of the building has two sets of egress stairs for those who work at the Academy. There are two additional egress stairs located towards the center of the building for Academy visitors/ the general public. All of the egress stairs exit directly to the exterior of the building except for the two public stairs which take patrons through the fire-rated lobby before exiting to the exterior of the building.

4.3 Fire-rated Stairs for Administrative Program Photo: California Academy of Sciences

5_REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY Arup. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2018, from https://www.arup.com/ California Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://www.calacademy.org/ California Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2018, from https://www.sftravel.com/explore/arts-culture/californiaacademy-sciences California Academy Of Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2018, from https://arcspace.com/feature/california-academy-of-sciences/ California Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2018, from http://www.tabpi.org/2010/f16.pdf California Academy of Sciences (CAS) Living Roof. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/ california-academy-of-sciences-cas-living-roof/ California Academy of Sciences - Rpf. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2018, from http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-ofsciences/ California Academy of Sciences / Renzo Piano Building Workshop. (2008, September 28). Retrieved November 5, 2018, from https:// www.archdaily.com/6810/california-academy-of-sciences-renzo-piano D. R. Young Associates. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2018, from http://www.dryoungassociates.com/ Hetch Hetchy Power System. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2018, from https://sfwater.org/modules/showdocument. aspx?documentid=3747 How our work comes together. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2018, from https://www.stantec.com/en Renzo Piano Building Workshop. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2018, from http://www.rpbw.com/ site by spill.net Rutherford Chekene : Structural | Geotechnical. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2018, from http://www.ruthchek.com/ Uponor Case Study: Exploratorium Museum Project. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2018, from http://uponor.media-resources-ordp. com/casestudies/caos.shtml

IMAGE CREDITS

Cover image: photograph © Tim Griffith “CAS_016.” 2008. California Academy of Sciences. Accessed October 30, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/

2.2: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Climate study on Golden Gate Park.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ 2.3: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Overhang in the morning and midday.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ 2.4: graphs © Climate Consultant (edited by authors) “Wind rose and psychometric chart.” September 22, 2017. Climate Consultant. Accessed November 18, 2018.

1.1: photograph © SF Public Works “California Academy of Sciences.” February 27, 2015. SF Public Works. Accessed October 30, 2018. https://www.sfpublicworks.org/

3.1: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “African Hall Exhibit Space.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 21, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/

1.2: photograph © Marc Cluet Manzambi, Armani. “THE SHARD: London, United Kingdom” September 11, 2018. Medium. Accessed November 17, 2018. https://medium.com/@armanipersonal/renzo-piano-hon-ra-the-art-of-making-buildings-186f0a7c2386

3.2: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Private Research Lab.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 21, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/

1.3: photograph © Renzo Piano Building Workshop “ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES : Los Angeles, California (in construction).” September 29, 2017. Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Accessed November 17, 2018. http://www.rpbw.com/

3.3: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Central Piazza.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 21, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/

1.4: photograph © Centre Pompidou “CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU: Paris, France.” Centre Pompidou. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.centrepompidou.fr/ 1.5: sketch © RPBW Renzo Piano. “Hills and initial sketch.” May, 2007. Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects. Accessed November 15, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 1.6: model © RPBW “Roof concept model.” Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects. Accessed November 15, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 1.7: photograph © RPBW “Original California Academy of Sciences.” Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects. Accessed November 15, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 1.8: sketch © RPBW “Developed building sketch.” March 2003. Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects. Accessed November 15, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 1.9: model © RPBW “Site model.” Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects. Accessed November 15, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 1.10: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Map Given to Academy Visitors Upon Entry.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 25, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ 2.1: photograph © Greenroofs.com “Aerial view of the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.” September 2018. Greenroofs.com. Accessed November 5, 2018. http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/california-academy-of-sciences-cas-living-roof/

3.4: photograph © RPBW (assembled by authors) “Breakdown of roof construction.” Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Accessed October 25, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 3.5: photograph © RPBW “Model of existing masonry wall and new steel grid and column system.” Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Accessed October 25, 2018. http://rpf.ice.spill.net/project/91/california-academy-of-sciences/ 3.6: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Living Green Roof.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 6, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ 3.7: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Photovoltaic Overhang.” December 2013. California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 6, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ 4.1: photograph © Nathanael Bennett O’Reilly, John. “Passive solar and internal gains, active hydronic system.” May 8, 2008. Uponor. Accessed. November 18, 2018. http://uponor.media-resources-ordp.com/casestudies/caos.shtml 4.2: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Main entryway and central courtyard.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 14, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ 4.3: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “Fire-rated Stairs for Administrative Program.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 18, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ Back image: photograph © California Academy of Sciences “California Academy of Sciences.” California Academy of Sciences. Accessed November 17, 2018. https://www.calacademy.org/ All other images were created by the authors