AD4 Project: The Warehouse

THE WAREHOUSE Hedy Lemus Bird Architecture Design 4 Palaščák/Šimonová Studio Summer 2017

NEW ARCHIP The Design Warehouse

ARCHIP is a small international architecture school located in Prague, Czech Republic. It opened its doors for the academic year of 2011/2012 and has been the home of several talented students since then. However, as the years pass by, the student population and demand grows, and so should the school facilities in order to comfortable accommodate students, faculty, and staff. The task was to do just that, design an architecture school that can be feasible, durable, sustainable, and affordable.

With a high demand of 150 students + faculty and staff, the new school needed enough space to host 6 design studios, 4 lecture rooms, PC room, space for a spacious gallery, a fab lab, a workshop, library, art studio, kitchen, administration office, meeting rooms, among others. This is not just a building design project, but also a project in which we carefully evaluate the needs of us, as architecture students, and think about where would we like to spend our time, what do we have, and what are we lacking and wish to have.

Besides designing structure, other elements such as spacial composition, circulation, lighting, and acoustics were taken into consideration in order to provide the best approach to the project proposal. My main focus on this poject was to provide with enough spaces to have a confortable and good quality educational life; to design a place where architecture students will be please to go. Because at the end, school is where we spend most of our time. With the idea of recycling materials, sustainable methods, and cheap construction, I decided to base my project on the main idea of a warehouse.

A warehouse is not only an inspiring space, but also something that feels somewhat incomplete. This was the main idea of it all. Architecture should not only be theoretical, but it should be put into practice, specially at a bigger scale. The warehouse gives the opportunity for students to add into the project and keep on building or adapting their own school. It is an all inclusive package university experience.

ARCHIP, the warehouse, is a place intended for inspiration, creativity, connections, and, most importantly, good design.

The Location

Prague 7 is an upcoming interesting neighborhood where the arts and design are being developed. We can see that showcased in several places such as bars, coffee shops, galleries, restaurants, and schools. Besides its great culture, the location is very convenient as it is close enough to the city center and other areas in Prague.

More site specific, Holešovice is a great place to be at. With several mixused building around, and more under construction, it is the perfect location to relocate an architecture school. Železničářů 640/23, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice, Czech Republic

A small administrative building that showcases quietness, concentration, education, and professionalism.

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The Concept contrast + connections

A warehouse that promotes creativity and production; where ideas come to life.

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A central courtyard that helps with relaxation, unifies the two buildings, and gives back to nature.

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New Archip: the design warehouse

Art Gallery

Looking out from Building A

The Program enjoyable academics

The program of the wearhouse is pretty straight forward. The two buildings have their own unique and particular function, which separates and contrast them between each other, but at the same time, they are united by one same function: provide the students with the best facilities. The buildings are separated in order to, firstly, resolve the problem of the ventilation shaft in the middle, and to provide with an open courtyard to give back to nature, secondly, to reduce the weight and heavy load putting into the site, as the metro tubes pass right under it, and thirdly, to facilities factors such as circulation and accessibility.

The scale of both buildings is intended to be kept at its minimum since the project is about quality instead of quantity. It is about maximizing functional spaces without compromising confort, instead of creating unused, unnecesary, and expensive areas.

Students are able to easily move from one building to the other according to their own academic needs: if they need to study, read, concentrate, or have a meeting, for instance, they go to building A; if they need to design, build, and interact with one another, they go to building B. In between buildings, they can go through the main shared courtyard which creates a nice natural environment.Â

Circulation Study

The circulation is smooth in and out the building. People can move around and come into the site from any direction without any blockings.

The fact that the project is divided into two buildings, gives the opportunity for several entries and easier circulation in between buildings, parks, and streets. from/ to station

Accessibility

Accessibility and flexibility are main points in the project. For that, 5 big industrial garage doors are installed in the main facade of the warehouse to create easy access, as well as flexible and movable entries, depending on the school needs. As for building A, a generous double glass door has been place also in the main facade for a welcoming entry.Â

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Sun & Shadow Study

Natural lighting is a great thing to have in a school, but too much of it can be problematic as it can interfere with visibility. Sun studies were made in order to make sure that negative sun light wont be a problem for students and faculty throughout the school year.

The studies were made for February, May, October, and December.

The Buildings One space, 3 floors

Underground floor / 1:500

Ground floor/ 1:500

Loft floor / 1:500

B.1

Administration Hub

Sloped roof

Allowing higher floor-to-floor distances = opportunity for second floor/loft

Lofted Space

Library/ Study Room/ Conference Room

Main Floor

- Open Library/ Study Room/ Reception - Office management - Staff Room -Departamental Office

Glazed Facade

Facing north to connect with courtyard and building B

Multi-use library The open, high, bright, and airy space gives the opportunity for a multi function environment where the area, besides being used as the main library of the school, can also function as meeting rooms, study areas, waiting rooms, and reception. Since the space is meant to be quiet and calm, tranquility can be perceived at the moment one enters the building. This characteristic is also reflected in the selection of construction and decoration materials as well as in the color palette.

B.1

Administration Hub

View from loft bridge

B A

Section A / 1:200

Section B / 1:200

B.2

Main Warehouse

Structure

Based in columns and beams for the main support of floors and roof

Lofted Space

Extra space for design studios, yet connected with the rest of studios on the lower floor

Main Floor (flexible) - Main studio space - Workshop/ fab lab - Art studio/ Gallery - PC room

Glazed Facade

Multiple windows for natural lighting and easy and adaptable access

Underground Level - Student zone - Lecture room - Resting areas

Studio Spaces The studio space is the most crucial element in an architecture school, and since it is the place where students spend most of their time, and where the creativity has no limit, it has to be a pleasant, open, and bright space.

A place where the students want to be at.

The flexible layout  of the main warehouse allows multiple studio combination, to create enjoyable and inspiring spaces, multiple entry options, to maximize the use and circulation, and huge adaption possibilities for any type of program change needed. Light enters the space smoothly by the big industrial windows and doors, but yet it does not hit hard enough so that it bothers the students while working. The lofted environment creates extra space for studios without disengaging them between the rest of the spaces in the main floor.Â

B.2

Main Warehouse

Section C / 1:200

C

B.2

Main Warehouse

Section D / 1:200

D

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Connecting Couryard

Courtyard/ park The central courtyard/park is the hub for interaction, relaxation, and connections. It is the space that interlocks both buildings and that ties the entire project together.

Besides serving as a connection, it has two other main functions: 1. A place where students can relax, take a deep breath, a smoke break, or maybe a nap. Having nature around a space can help the environment feel more pleasant and calm, just what architecture students need.

2.Architecture is not only about building buildings, but also about its relationship with nature. Giving back what has been taken away from it is important, and this courtyard does just that.

Additionally, it is a public space that other people unrelated to ARCHIP can enjoy.

Landscape Section / 1:250

North Elevation / 1:500

South Elevation / 1:500

East Elevation / 1:500

West Elevation / 1:500

Student Life The Student Zone

In an architecture school, the main needs are all the academics classrooms, studio spaces, administrative offices, production areas, etc. But, at the end, the people that spend the most of the time in these spaces are the students, and therefore the school should have enjoyable spaces to serve as relaxation, breaks, eating, playing, etc.

Spaces to go when you get that common design block, or when you are just too stressed out. At the end, the school is for the students, and the students are the ones who make the school. The student zone is a space in where students can disconnect from the stress of the architecture life, and take a break. It is big enough to accommodate several people and it serves as kitchen, playground, resting room, eating area, etc. It is also where the bathrooms are located. Even though it is located inside the warehouse, its underground step down helps separate the two spaces so that there is no problem with distractions or acoustics.  The Warehouse is a mixed-used space where students can design, study, learn, create, and most importantly, enjoy.