VISITOR CENTER Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge
Chaitanya Korra
M.Arch Fall 2017 The University of New Mexico
Visitor Center Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge
Project Type: Cultural Studio 604: Professor Geoff Adams Location: Albuquerque, USA Tools: Autocad, Revit, Rhino, Illustrator, Vray Fall 2017: The University of New Mexico Project Brief The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area of New Mexico managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Numerous tributary creeks to the Rio Grande flow through this unit, which abuts Rio Grande Valley State Park.The land that was operated for decades as a dairy farm. After the closure of this facility, it became a potential development site for suburban homes, but in 2011 the site was earmarked for federal improvements, and in 2012 it was transferred to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Site Plan - Valle de Oro
The proposed visitor center acts as a medium between visitor and natural habitat at the refuge. The prominence of the location along the Rio Grande corridor is providing the scope for Aquia to be a prominent feature with in and outside the building. The site has a great views all around, the Sandia mountains to the east, the Rio Grande river to the west and agricultural fields all around providing the opportunity to create open spaces and views throughout the building.
Cylinder
Expansion
Ramp
Cylinder is chosen as the most logical shape considering the scenic views all around the site to provide 360 degree views for the visitors.
Expansion of Cylinder in order to provide bigger top platform and inner courtyards and to accommodate the programs based on climatic conditions.
A 1:20 continuous ramp with bicycle track provides accessibility to the roof to any visitor and cyclists.
Visitor Center
Acquia
360° Experience
The prominence of the location along the Rio Grande corridor is providing the scope for Aquia to be a prominent feature with in and outside the building.
The building with decks, ramps and bigger viewpoint platforms provides a whole new perspective to the visitor to experience the nature.
top Front view of the Project bottom Massing Diagrams
Visitors Center
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7
4 1
3 5
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1.Entry 2.Visitor Parking 3.Staff Parking 4.Visitor Parking 5.Waterbody 6.Green House 7.River 100’
Site Plan design
Deck
Observation Room
Courtyard
Ramp (1:20)
Pargola
Glass facade System
Waterbody
Aerial View
Visitors Center
LVL +1' LVL +0' RAMP UP (1:8)
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5
5 4
5
5
LVL +1'
3 6 LVL +1' WATERBODY LVL -1'6"
2
COURTYARD LVL -1"
1
7
RAMP UP (1:8) LVL +1'
LVL +1'
LVL +1'
LVL +0'
2 11
UP
DECK
2
LVL +6"
8
LOBBY LVL +1'
2
COURTYARD LVL +6"
RAMP UP (1:8)
LVL +0'
LVL +1'
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9 10
Second Floor
First Floor
20’
1.Lobby
6.Conference room
11.Visitor center Store
2.Administration Spaces
7.Exhibition Space
12.Deck
3.Restrooms
8.Auditorium
13.Cafetaria
4.Storage Room
9.Environmental Classroom
14.Observation Room
5.Officers Rooms
10.RM Youth Corps Office
15.Ramp (1:20)
50’
A
B
B
A
30’0” Second Floor LVL
13’0” First Floor LVL 1’0” Fin. Floor LVL 0’0” Ground LVL
Section AA
23’6” Living Ridge LVL 20’0” First Floor LVL
1’0” Fin. Floor LVL 0’0” Ground LVL
10’
25’
Section BB
Visitors Center
Visitors Center
View through the Deck
Visitors Center
Building
View from Ramp
Roof
Second Floor
Upon the initial thought of how to protect and preserve Wildlife Refuge and make it accessible to people at the same time, the building’s design sought inspiration from scenic views all around the site. The visitor experiences the 360 degree views all around the site through decks, ramps and bigger viewpoint platforms. The structure allows the bikers to bike to the top of roof throguh 1:20 slope ramps. The materials used for the strutcure would primarily be concrete walls, glass curtain walls, white stucco finish coat for concrete walls, glass curtain walls and vertical aluminium louvres system for shading.
First Floor
Plaza
Visitors Center
East Elevation
West Elevation
North Elevation
right Elevations bottom Sectional Elevation opposite page Axonometric View South Elevation 10’
20’
Visitors Center
View from deck
Interior view
Visitors Center
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2
3
4
5
13 14
6 15 9
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Wall Section
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1.EPDM Roof Membrane 2.Rigid Insulation
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3.Metal Deck 4.Water Proofing 5.False Ceiling 6.1” Gypsum Panel 7.Cement Slurry Finish
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8.Concrete Slab 9.Gravel 10.Water Proofing 11.Rigid Insulation 12.Vapor Barrier 13.3” dia Steel stud for vertical shading 14.Intermediate Channel slip Connection 15.Double Layer Glass wall system
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16.Rigid Insulation
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17.Drainage Mat
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18.Water Proofing
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Courtyard View
Conceptual Model
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