New Orleans Center of Documentation Xing He
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Program Mission
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Site Analysis
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Program Analysis
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Conceptual Design
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Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Program Mission New Orleans Center of Documentation General Mission
With the city’s unique history and its tradition in art, the New Orleans Center of Documentation is to be a community engagement center that assists natives conveying their own life, culture, and history. Through filming, writing, recording, photographing, drawing, printmaking and display, the work is developed and edited, creating portraits of the people and places of New Orleans. Not only does the Center allow professional artists access to resources and facilities, but it encourages and catalyzes
City scale
community and school engagement by offering documentary classes, exhibiting documentary works, and creating a social environment. The Center serves both at a small local scale and a large city scale. At a small scale, students from nearby schools, including International School of Louisiana, St. Alphonsus Catholic School and Waldorf School of New Orleans will be able to participate in the programs provided by the center to learn documentary technologies and skills such as writing, drawing, and
Local scale
animation; university organizations from Tulane University and the University of New Orleans will cooperate with the Center to run the programs; workers from Hope House New Orleans program will be able to share and document their stories in the center; local resident artists will come to work. At large, people living in the city are all encouraged to come, to share their experiences with others, and to portray the history and culture of New Orleans. The Center is to be a place to learn, to share, to document, and to present.
Portraits of New Orleans
Students New Orleans residents
Workers Artists
Culture History Life
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New Orleans Center of Documentation Environmental Mission
Considering the fact that most regions in New Orleans exit below sea level and the resulting flooding catastrophe brought about by
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Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Center is to be an exemplary architectural response to the city’s problematic topography. Seeking for a harmonious
relation with nature and finding a sustainable solution are key goals of this project.
Building Users
The New Orleans Center of Documentation is to be used by: 1. Resident Artists: film makers, audio makers, photographers, painters, writers, editors, graphic
designers, architects. 2. Schools: students, educators, parents 3. Building constituents: administration staff. 4. Organizations: organization members 5. Community: residents of the
community from all fields. 6. City of New Orleans: all people living in the city of New Orleans. 7. Volunteers
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1
Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Site Analysis Site Context
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International School of Louisiana
St. Alphonsus Catholic School
Waldorf School of New Orleans
Hope House New Orleans
Thomas Mann Gallery Galeria Alegria UP/ Unique Products SKUBA Design Studio
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Students
Workers
Artists
About ten percent of the Magazine Street site population are students from age six to seventeen.
About sixty percent of the population are adults from age eighteen to fifty, mostly African American and white workers.
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The Nature and Characteristics of New Orleans at City Scale
As the fact that a large portion of the population do not possess vehicles, the city is extremely pedestrian friendly. Porches in the front of shotgun houses and the narrowness of the streets both encourage the communication among residents. The poor road conditions and a large number of one-way streets deter the traffic and stimulate walking even further. Houses in New Orleans have a wide color spectrum. The intense color distinguishes each dwelling unit and enables it to stand out. From another perspective, the vividness of these colors corresponds with the city’s tropical weather and its exuberant vegetation. Colonnades on the perimeter of commercial buildings to support upper structures provide an intermediate zone between the streets and building interior. This area is the most lively area in the city since it is shaded and well protected from the harsh sunlight. It is the “living room� for all local people, a space to gather and to talk.
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Music has always been played a significant role in people’s lives. Record stores can be found in almost every neighborhood. Bands proceeding down the streets playing music and artists performing in cafes and restaurants are common scenes in this city. The rich tradition in music suffuses every corner of New Orleans, creating an “artistic” atmosphere. Most restaurants and bars that spread out in the city have outdoor sitting areas, which offers places for their patrons to connect to the outside world and be affected by the surroundings. New Orleans is a city that builds upon artistic atmosphere and people’s emphasis on community. It is open and welcoming. Since the city’s significant damage and loss in Hurricane Katrina, people are seeking for solutions to fight against the fact that most of the city is built below sea level. Newly constructed buildings are raised up much higher than those built before the Hurricane. Some of the new buildings are elevated from the ground so high that their connection with the streets is almost lost. The question about how to design a building that is capable of resisting flooding but meanwhile still maintains good connection to the ground is crucial to engaging architects. 10
The Nature and Characteristics of Magazine St. Site
The Magazine Street site is at the center of a conjunction where five streets intersect. Therefore, it is naturally a focal point that draws the public’s attention. It is situated in a dynamic urban context with three different zones: industrial zone to its southeast, commercial zone along the Magazine Street which the site is adjacent to, and the surrounding residential zones. Two parks, one park two blocks away to the east of the site and the other to the north, posit a possibility for the me to design the site in such a way that it ties with these two parks so that as a unity, they could serve their community at large.
The way approaching the site is an interesting issue since Magazine Street is a one-way street. Where to place the entrance of the building that allows easy drop off, and at the same time announces itself to the public and welcomes visitors needs to be carefully considered and properly addressed. Most residential houses in this community are elevated from the ground about two and half feet. Commercial buildings have front colonnades with the columns standing apart about ten feet from each other. The consistency of the residential housing elevation and the rhythm of the colonnades create an architectural datum for this area.
Shallow front porch is the architectural element for all residential houses. They allow the narrow streets to breath and create a more pedestrian-friendly environment. With residential houses around, the new building faces the issue of how to respect its neighbors and blend in with the surroundings. From the site, the Central Business District to the north can be seen at a distance. The outline of the high-rises backgrounds the low residential houses in the front, creating an amazing view.
Churches Galleries Restaraunts Retail stores Residential zone Commercial zone Industrial zone
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Tropical plants are growing on the site which is aesthetically peasant. When designing, taking the role of plants into consideration and incorporating them with the design is important because not only can vegetation be adopted as a passive environmental stratagy, but it is a character of NO. Residential buildings around the site are mostly two-story high. After visiting the site, I discovered that residents living in this area tend to use the upper floor more than the lower floor. They like to stand on their upper floor balconies watching pedestrians and enjoying the weather. A flower shop is located cross the site with the New Orleans typical colonnade. It is at the center of the five-street conjunction, which is a little bizarre but it serves as a safe island for pedestrians. How to respect this exisiting building is an important consideration.
The tree on the edge of the site can provide shade for the building or the outdoor space. The street is partially stone paved. The weathered stones give this area a nostalgic and timeless feeling.
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Climate
Sun path
South & North shading
Section
Winter sun
Plan
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East & West shading
Summer sun
New Orleans sits in a humid semi-tropical climate, surrounded by bodies of water nearby in all directions; namely Lake Ponchartrain, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mississippi River. Over the past 2 million years, the Mississippi River has deposited clay, silt, and fine sands that make up a fine-grained soil condition. To
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accommodate these expansive soils, a pile foundation should be used to utilize soil of better capacity found deep below. Considerable rainfall impacts the region as a place that is barely kept dry by pumps. Areas of low elevation create an environment that is not only completely surrounded by water, but also susceptible to water-related problems.
December
The hot spring and summer months as well as mild winter and fall months lend themselves to a culture of outdoor urban life, promoting the design of passively ventilated spaces and shaded outdoor spaces. These climatic factors have revealed themselves in local building tradition.
April
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Corner Condition
Views
Open
Corners
Chatting
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Linger
Vertical Layers of Venacular Houses
Green space layer: each residential house has a front garden where a wide variety of vegetations are planted. They provide shades for the house and cool the air. Natural ventilation brings the cool air in which reduces cooling load of the house. Exuberant plants are also acoustical retardants that reduce the noise from the streets. This space is the first layer of social space. People relax in the shade, chat with neighbors in their garden. Porch layer: this space is well shaded. It is the second layer of social space and is semi exposed to the streets. People sit in the porch watching, reading, and relaxing. Most of the residential houses in Magazine Street site are elevated from the ground about 2.5 feet, which prevents the houses from potential flooding but still maintains an active social atmosphere.
Porch layer
Public layer
Private layer
Private layer: bedrooms and bathrooms are in this layer where more privacy and quietness is needed.
Green space layer
Public layer: living room and dining room are in this layer where family activities take place.
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1
Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Program Analysis
Production space
Post-production space
Display space
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Vertical layers Production space
Private layer Black Box Theater: it is a flexible space that accommodates various uses including story-telling events, film projections, lectures to present discussion of exhibition work, teaching for students and adults, documentary production space for photography and film shoots, and space for public events. It is to be lit by natural light, but the light can be blocked if needed. Natural ventilation is desired in the space to reduce the cooling load in the hot summer.
Post-production space
Display space
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Black Box Support: The black box support spaces would contain storage of lighting fixtures, audio, and video equipment. It would also house a sound and lighting control room which would overlook the space.
Radio Station: it will be open up to views of the public. However, the noise from the streets needs to be carefully considered to assure the space be functional. Exposing the public to the radio station can achieve the educational purpose.
Storytelling Studios: it is the space where stories, interviews, and music are recorded. It will be located away from the streets since it is a relatively private space. Clerestories instead of big windows will be more proper to this space since distractions from the exterior might be a problem. Classrooms: it provides a place for students and adult learners to have workshops.
Dark Room: it will be used for film development.
Teachers’ Offices: offices will be provided for teachers who teach the art classes and workshops to students and adults. Administration Offices: the administrative offices will allow for the staff of the building to have permanent office spaces. The space will have a larger space for meetings and presentations.
Public layer
Porch layer
Working Studios: studios provide working spaces for resident artists. The space is partially exposed to the public so that the public will be able to see the professional aspects of document works and learn.
Outdoor Recording Booths: they are used for after hour recordings. Workers in the neighborhood will be able to use these booths after their work.
Public Lobby: it is the transitional space between exterior and interior. As an intermediate space, it is responsible for both welcoming the public and allowing building users to gather; and it is intended to establish a dialogue between indoor and outdoor spaces. By opening up the public lobby to the streets, even extending the lobby to the streets, a social atmosphere is to be created.
allows dynamic communication with its community. Both indoor and outdoor galleries are to be connected and cooperated with the public lobby for the purpose of encouraging visitors for the exhibitions. Cafe: it serves for people from the entire city. Located on the ground floor, it maintains the same language of Magazine Street where the lower floor is mostly for commercial uses. It also provides a space for building users lounge. Shop: the shop sells documentary works produced by students, adults, and resident artists to the public, including books, films, paintings, drawings, prints, records, and photographs.
Lounge: it provides a place both for teachers and administration staff. Editing Room: it is the place where aural and animated documents are edited, including stories, interviews, music, and films.
Exhibition Gallery: the role of exhibition gallery is a communicator. It displays documentary works and share the information about ongoing activities and programs. It is a window through which the public sees and understands the building. There are to be both outdoor and indoor galleries. Outdoor gallery not only draws attention of passerby, but
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Hours of Operation
Users
Students
Community Residents
Artists
Volunteers
Organizations Workers
7:00 am 9:00 am 10:00 am 12:00 pm 2:00 pm 4:00 pm 6:00 pm 8:00 pm 10:00 pm Programs
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Events
Workshops
Exhibitions
Book Sells
Radio Station Workers
Administration Staff
The time period that the building is intensively used is from 9:00am to 5:00pm when professional artists, administration staff, radio station staff, and workshop instructors are working. After 5:00pm, the building is to be used mostly for special events and as a public place for people to gather. It is possible that after-hour workshops and book selling will occur. People in the local community might visit and use the outdoor recording booths at night. Since daytime is long throughout the year in New Orleans, it is valuable for the building to be naturally lit during the most intensively-used hours.
Recording bo
Exterior
Gallery
Public lobby
Radio station reception
Black box theater
Black box theater storage
Black box theater dressing
Black box theater prep
Radio station
Equipment Storage
Data storage server room
Radio station server room
Interior
There are three major programs: black box theater, radio station, and recording studios. Aural works produced in the recording studios and the black box theater might be used in the radio station. Supporting spaces for these three programs might be shared to reduce the construction cost. Because of their tight inner connections, it will be wise to arrange them near each other. Recording studios need to be adjacent to the building perimeter to have connection with outdoor recording booths.
Private spaces such as postproduction and editing rooms will be more enclosed for privacy and quietness.
Radio station office
Recording sp
Post-Produc
Recording booths Black box theater dressing Black box theater storage
Public lobby
Gallery
Black box theater
Black box theater prep
Radio station reception Radio station library
Radio station
Recording spaces
Administration office
Radio station office
Radio station server room
Post-Production
Staff Lounge
Data storage server room
Recording booths
Exterior
Public lobby
Gallery
Black box theater
Black box theater storage
Radio station reception
Administration office
Staff Lounge
Radio station office
Recording spaces
Black box theater dressing
Black box theater prep
Radio station
Equipment Storage
Data storage server room
Radio station server room
Interior
Post-Production
Recording booths Black box theater dressing Black box theater storage Black box theater prep
Staff Loung
Spatial Relationships
Equipment Storage
Public spaces such as lobby and black box theater will be open to the exterior. Administration offices and radio station will be adjacent to the building parameter to take advantage of the natural light.
Administration office
Public lobby
Gallery
Black box theater Radio station reception Radio station library
Radio station
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Administration office
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Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Conceptual Design
A continuous folding piece to define floors
Slope roof for water drainage
Create a grand stair
Split to create more dynamic volumes
Cut to create a corner opening
Insert volumes
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The folding structure create well protected outdoor gathering spaces by providing adequate shades.
1st Version
2nd Version
3rd Version
4th Version
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By folding up the street, the wrapping blurs the boundary between exterior and interior. It brings the outdoor social atmosphere into the indoor space.
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Horizontal Layers Non Commercial Commercial zone
Non Commercial
Commercial zone
Non Commercial
Commercial zone
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Vertical layers
Private layer
Public layer
Porch layer
Non Commercial
Commercial
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Conceptual Drawings
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DN
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15 17 16
3rd Floor
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North
Equipment Storage Mechanical Room Janitor’s Room Performance Control Room Performance Dimmer Room
DN
BB
CC 30
9 9 DN
DN
UP
10 12
11
DN
UP
DN
OPE
N TO
2nd Floor
North
9 Resident Artist Studio 10 Performance Storage 11 Performance Room 12 Exhibition Gallery
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BELO
W
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UP
1 UP
7 8
2 2
3
3
3
3
CC
4
UP 6 5 5
1st Floor
UP
North BB
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Administration Classroom Post Production Room Live Air Radio Supporting Studio Radio Station Reception Kitchen Cafe
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Rich ard S t
AA
Magz ine S t
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Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Conceptual Building Performance Analysis Environmental Factors
Overhanging roof prevents harsh sunlight from entering the interior space
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Egress
3rd Floor
2nd Floor
1st Floor
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For a business use, an occupant load of 100 sq ft per occupant is specified. Thus, the egress system on each floor must designed to accommodate 190 occupants. For my building which has less than 500 occupants for each floor, at least two independent exists are required. The maximum distance to the nearest exit is 200 ft. in a unsprinklered Business Occupancy building, which indicates that at least one exit of the two is to be fire exit. I determined that the exit locates in the lobby area is not to be fire proof and the exit on the north end of the building is to be fire proof. In addition, for safety and design intension, a grand stair connecting the first and the second floor is to be constructed, and an exterior stair on the west side of the building as well. With two exits, the occupant load per exit is 95. I must provide 0.2 in. of width per occupant for door, corridors, and stairs. Therefore, the stair may not be less than 19in. However, there is a 44 in. minimum width requirement for stair. Thus I used 44in stairs.
Mission
Program Diagram
Workers
Artists
Students
New Orleans residents
Culture History Life
Mechanical and Supporting Performance Administration Education Post Production Radio Station
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Structure
3rd Floor
2nd Floor
1st Floor
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Mechanical
3rd Floor
2nd Floor
1st Floor
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Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Precedents Institute of Contemparory Art, Boston
Award-winning architects Diller Scofidio+Renfro designed the ICA, conceiving the building both “from the sky down” as a contemporary art and “from the ground up” providing dynamic areas for public enjoyment. The design weaves together interior and exterior space, producing shifting perspectives of the waterfront throughout the museum’s galleries and public spaces. Continuous Wood
The north wall of the café features sliding glass doors that face the harbor. These 6’ x 12’ glass panels extend from floor to ceiling and slide over and stack to create an open air dining space.
The Putnam Investments Plaza is a 3,500-square-foot area adjacent to the museum café and the bold grandstand of public seating.
Cafe
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The wood of the plaza merges with Boston’s 47-mile HarborWalk, which then continues inside the building as the floor and ceiling material of the theater.
Boston HarborWalk
The museum’s flexible column-free galleries feature moveable walls, 15 1/2-foot ceilings, an expansive adjustable skylight system allowing natural light to be filtered evenly throughout, and polished concrete floors. A glass wall facing the harbor is a special feature of the Founders Gallery. Grandstand
Gallery
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Skylight
Yale 55 Park Street Laboratory, Connecticut
The steel-framed building is clad in a high-performance curtain wall system combining highly-insulated panels with either clear, colored silk-screened or opaque glazing. These are systematically applied in response to a combination of facade orientation and the diverse requirements of the interior functions in
order to temper the indoor environment. The result is improved user comfort through providing, where required, light reflection, shading, and vision panels of varying size providing all workspace / conference rooms with views and framing vistas to the New Haven Harbor and the West River Park. The resulting external appearance sees the strict rectilinear building form broken down through the careful play of glazed elements of differing degrees of reflection, color and opacity.
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1
Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents
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Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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Building Performance Analysis Water Drainage System
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Revised Structure In order to preserve the thin profile of the floors and roofs, I determined to use a hybrid structural system with steel frames and site-cast post tensioning concrete slabs. The building is designed to the International Building Code. The total area of the building is about 19,000 square feet, thus type II-B Unprotected Construction is to be used. Structural steel may be used without applied fireproofing materials or fireresistive ceilings; Post tensioning concrete is in no need for applied fireproofing materials as well.
Supported by the steel frame, the concrete slabs are post tensioning one-way slabs solid slabs. The edges of the slabs are cantilevered out by10 ft.. I assumed the thickness of the slabs to be 1 ft. to accommodate its overhang.
The tributary area of the building is about 3680 sq. ft. (3 levels * 35 ft. * 35 ft.), which indicates that a W10 may be used. I assumed its dimension to be 10 in by 10 in. On upper floors, I will also use a lighter weight version of the W10 shape. Maintaining the same nominal size will simplify connections between column sections. Girders spanning 35 ft. will need to be about 2 ft. deep and composite beams to be 1 feet deep.
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The skin of the building is held by aluminum mullions, which are supported by the main structure.
The horizontal structural members are concealed by a suspended ceiling.
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Revised Egress
3rd Floor
2nd Floor
1st Floor
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Revised Mechanical VAV system is to be used in this building. 20,000 cfm of air is required for cooling for a floor area of 19,000 sq. ft. Main supply and return ducts will total about 10 sq. ft. Each duct will have to be about 3.5 sq. ft. ( 10 sq. ft. / three floors) in area. At a depth of 12 in., each duct will be about 3.5 ft. wide. Branch ducts will total about 20 sq. ft. in area for all three floors.
3rd Floor
A mechanical room for the boiler and chiller with at least 300 sq. ft. in area is needed. Main ducts will run parallel to the girders. 24 in. of plenum height beneath the beams is commonly needed. Adding the depths of structure and plenum, with the beams to be 1 ft. deep and the concrete floor slab to be 1 ft. deep, I arrived at a total depth of 48 in., or 4’.
2nd Floor
1st Floor
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Skin System Transparent Panels
Translucent Panels
Opaque Panels
Mullions
Structure
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Performance Space Configurations The tension grid system is composed of a tightly stretched 5’ by 5’ grid of steel cables that create a taut floor that is strong enough for technicians to walk on. Lighting instruments can be hung on the pipe grid just above the tension grid; there is no need for holes, as the light can shine through the grid, virtually unobstructed, to the stage. Cables and electrical wires can pass through, and special fixtures may be used to allow beams and other solid material to pass through.
Thrust stage: 90 Seats
End-stage: 75 Seats
Thrust stage: 93 Seats
End-stage: 90 Seats
Arena stage: 108 Seats
Thrust stage: 75 Seats
Sound absorption panels are installed on three sides of the room to control flutter echo.
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1
Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings 9 Perspectives
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UP
10 11 UP
7
8
9
6
12
5 AA
1
UP
4 2 2
UP
3 45’
ard S
59
treet
BB
Rich
10’ 30’
20’
Mag
azine
Stree
t
35’ 45’ 10’
UP
Ground Floor
Scale: 1/8” = 1’
1 Live Air Radio Station 2 Supporting Studio 3 Staff Office 4 Radio Station Reception 5 Administration Open Office 6 Classroom 7 Teacher’s Office 8 Storage 9 Kitchen 10 Data Server Room 11 Mechanical Room 12 Cafe
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15
15
15 UP
16
14
16 17
13
UP UP
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UP
P
2nd Floor Scale: 1/8” = 1’
13 14 15 16 17
Multi-Purpose Perfomance Room Storage Resident Artist’s Studio Sound Lock Exhibition Gallery
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22 22
23
22
DN
20 21
20 18
19
DN
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3rd Floor Scale: 1/8” = 1’
18 19 20 21 22 23
Lighting Control Room Dark Room Post-Production Room Storage Story-Telling Room HVAC Fan Room
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Building Details
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Roof Assembly:
Wall Assembly:
Floor Assembly:
Wind Blanket 3” Growing Media Separation Fabric Moisture Management Mat Root Barrier Primary Membrane Fabric Underlayment Rigid Insulation 3 Concrete Slab 1’ Thick Steel Girder 2’ Deep Gypsum Board 3/8” Thick
Polycarbonate Sheet 1/2” Rigid Insulation 3 Vapor Barrier Plywood Sheathing 1/2” Spray-Foam Insulation Polycarbonate Sheet 1/2”
Wood Pavers Wood Sleepers Rigid Insulation Vapor Barrier Concrete Slab 1’ Thick Rigid Insulation 3” Wood Sleepers Wood Pavers
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AA 69
Scale: 1/8” = 1’ 70
BB 71
Scale: 1/8” = 1’ 72
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Program Mission
2
Site Analysis
3
Program Analysis
4
Conceptual Design
5
Conceptual Building Performance Analysis
6 Precedents 7
Building Performance Analysis
8 Drawings
9 Perspectives
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Perspectives
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