WWF Observation Cabins

-Three observation points & a visitors’ center- competition - Public Building may 2021 - june 2021

Location:

Area:

Lagoon of Orbetello, Italy

950 m²

Status:

Special Mention Winner in best Project of Public Building or Facility By Golden Trezzini Awards

Architects:

DNA Group, Gelareh Saneyi

Brief:

In this project, we were supposed to design three different types of observation points (located on the ground, at water level, and a raised observation point), dedicated to the observation of the lagoon fauna by professionals and visitors, and a visitors’ center. The site of the project was located in the lagoon of Orbetello, an amazing environment rich in different flora and fauna. We designed the project considering different circumstances. The main concept of the project was maximum adaptation with the surrounding nature.

Contributation to the project:

Idea Development

Modeling: Rhinoceros 7.0

Rendering: Enscape 3.3 & Lumion 11

Presentation: Photoshop 2021

Visitors’ Center

The visitors’ center was supposed to be positioned backward from the observation points, and it had to provide services for the oasis’ visitors. These services had to be accommodated in two buildings and they included training center, bookshop, exhibition space, guest house and restaurant ,and a reception. In the facade of the visitor center, we used recycled and reused terracotta shingles which were used in roofs of houses in Orbetello buildings for solid parts of the facade, and polycarbonate sheets for transparent parts of the facade to integrated our design with sustainability and reduce the impacts of construction on the environment.

Land

Guest house Exhibition Training center Exhibition Ticket office

Polycarbonate

Ramp stair

Roof cover Facade Structure

Watchtower

This traditional watchtower was supposed to be at maximum of 2 aboveground floors, and the structure had to enable the observation of maximum of 5 people at a time on each floor. In this watchtower, the choice of materials & architecture promotes spatial and local conscious- ness. The goal of semi-prefabricated methods used in construction is to reduce the length of construction and use of heavy machinery on-site to eliminate tension in the environment. Used materials are chosen in a way to be sustainable and locally available with easy transportation.

Water Observation Point

Requirements for designing such a fixed or floating structure included ensuring observation of the lagoon from the level of water, which is the least traditional typology since the height of the observation window was supposed to be a maximum of 30 cm above the ground. The structure

Wooden grid had to be waterproofed and allow the observation of maximum 5 people at a time. We used Gabion walls for the structure and used stones to show Tuscany architecture which was based on what could be sourced locally.

Straw roof cover

Wooden frame

1. The traditional form & 360 degrees view

Cork cover panels

Natural wooden columns

Short wooden beam

Wooden deck

Wooden foundation

2. Mixing forms

3. Softening edges

Opening some windows with the force of bird's weight.

4. Final plan

Cork panels

Roof wooden structural beams

Compressive ring

Gabion wall (use of old & used rebars in cage)

Sliding observation windows

Interior space of the observation point

Piling in water

1. Inspiried from the Spanish mill in the site

4. 360’ lagoon view

2. making an icon in respect of the site

5. Gabion walls local materials

3.Sky view and natural light

6.Seprate Pathes for normal & disabled people

This traditional watch hut had to be located at ground level on one floor to host 10 people at a time to rest and observe. It had to include one or more sighting windows at visitors’ eye level (1.6 meters in height from the ground).

In designing the watch hut, we tried to take advantage of the interaction of children with nature because there are tremendous benefits of connecting children with nature. Fostering a connection to nature is one of the best ways to spark the love for learning at early age and cause children to learn the techniques of nature conservation and friendship

Concept development

-Designing a modular lifestyle for students-

Type:

Year:

Competition - Residential

November 2020 - December 2020

Location:

Area:

Tehran, Iran

480 m²

Status:

Architects:

Honorable Mention, Container City UNI.xyz competition DNA Group, Gelareh Saneyi

Brief:

Rising rents in urban areas and shrinking the quality of living is a huge problem urban areas face because of land prices and construction costs. Modular construction is a way to address this problem. The design brief was to design a student housing concept made out of 15 shipping containers. We were supposed to devise spaces and the requirements based on how many people ideally could fit in this shipping container setup.

Aim of The Project:

This project tries to answer the student housing crisis in Iran by setting up an affordable and adaptable system for plots that have not yet been invested. we set some rules for neighboring the containers properly. Due to this goal we designed a rectangular structure based on modules that their ratio’s are based on container dimensions. However, it is adaptable to different site locations.

Contributation to the project:

Idea Development

Modeling: Rhinoceros 7.0

Rendering: Enscape 3.3 & Lumion 11

Presentation: Photoshop 2021

Generative Design

The project is flexible to adapt to various parcel sizes and morphologies. It can be inserted in a dense context or scattered context. On the top of a hill in the city, among a historical context, or a cliff. It also can be bordered by two buildings or have four open sides.

Selecting the appropriate site plan among various solutions

Determining the basic dimensions of the basic grid based on defined rules

Generating many alternatives using programming and generative design techniques

Calculating total the area of containers

Selecting better alternatives by comparing the analysis of the previous step

Calculating the amount of direct received sun

Choosing the best alternative from the options selected in the previous step based on aesthetic issues and architectural qualities

Exploded Diagram Domestic Flexibility:

In this project, two modules were defined by rules. One with 6 meters long, and the other with 12 meters long. Thus, we tried to design the interior of these two modules based on different tastes and personalities. Alternatives are different in terms of capacity, furnishing, planning, entrances, and quality of living, and users are given freedom in the organization. A multitude of configurations are possible and inhabitants can customize the space with remarkable ease.

Architectural ideas & Decisions:

Insulation Importance

Insulating a shipping container is an important step of the building process if you are planning on making a container livable and comfortable They bake in hot climates and freeze in cool climates because heat moves easily through steel.

Several places were designed to let the students gather and have group activities such as studying, having fun, reading, playing, even working and earning some money as a part time job. All the details-everythingdesigned to help students have a better experience of living.

On the ground-floor, we designed a greenhouse that uses a recirculating process to grow and harvest plants and farm fish. This place provides an astonishing place where students can interact and enhance their social responsibilities.