ACUPUNCTURE [ ARCHITECTURE ]
PREFACE
The following booklet is meant to reflect the complete design process of the project. Unlike a timeline, the research booklet is not organized chronologically but rather according to thought process – more of an interconnected web of nodes that developed non-linearly over time. Each node represents a major idea or critical opportunity for exploration. The major ideas, or nodes, of the design process are then explained through words and graphics. Some ideas were more integral to the design process and, thus, are larger just as some nodes stand alone to represent an idea that was discovered but did not ultimately lead to any sort of implementation in the design proposal. The booklet must be realized at the macro level in order to understand and grasp the development of the design – it is a visual mapping of the design process.
APT. 36FL
HOTEL 36FL
PODIUM 6FL
BACKGROUND As the site is located in the Central Business District of Ho Chi Minh City, there is a great opportunity for success. With support of the city government infrastructure in this area of the city is a high priority, supporting premium site access. The average income of Ho Chi Minh City residents is increasing, and this trend is expected to continue into the future. The premium site access, along with the location makes this a prime location for a top tier multi-use hotel apartment. The large concentration of tourist attractions in the surrounding area, and he increasing tourist arrivals, implies there will be continued demand for top-tier hotels. The limited quantity of luxury residential in the central business district and immaturity of some of the early luxury developments, ensures the success of a modern, high-quality residential project.
Exploration of possible materiality and
TEXTURE
TECTONIC
interior. How can the skin begin to relate to the site? Can this idea of pressure relate to the context?
PRESSURE
week_01 week_01
week_02
Exploration of form in a sculptural sense. What does the material allow you to do? What is interesting about each model and how can it be translated into a concept?
week_03
week_04
Development of formal exercise. Begin to construct based loosely on tower & podium requirements (shape). Specify a concept and explore it multiple ways.
Exploration of conceptual models. How can the manipulation of the models allow the discovery of qualities that were not initially noticed? How can these new-found qualities of each model inform a new design?
important.
?
Development and exploration of a clear concept - the idea of pressure points based on program creating the form and informing the facade.
week_05
FORM
HOW DOES THIS BECOME A BUILDING? FIGURE IT OUT LATER I GUESS.
?
WHAT DOES EACH MODEL TEACH ME ABOUT THE CONCEPT? WHAT DO I LEARN ABOUT THE MATERIAL IN EACH MODEL?
?
WAIT, HOW IS THIS FACADE SUPPORTED? HOW IS THE WHOLE BUILDING SUPPORTED? CAN IT RELATE TO THE CONCEPT?
EXPERIENTIAL
Move into digital modeling allowed an opportunity to check dimensions of spaces, a re-exmination of form and spatial composition and relation.
MATERIAL
?
DOES THE STRUCTURE MAKE SENSE? DOES IT WORK LOGICALLY? DOES IT HAVE AESTHETIC EFFECTS/QUALITIES?
Midreview physical model sought to express the formal nature of the design and the relationship between facade and core.
week_06
week_07 an understanding of entry, circulation, general layout of program, and also begins to show the relation of the interior to the facade.
week_08
Midreview allowed the project to be presented as a whole. The explanation of the concept and how the design embodies this idea of pressure through technical drawings, diagrams, and renderings. Structural qualities were presented although the structure wasnt completely resolved.
week_09
week_10
The modeling of a chunk of the building was an opportunity to explore details and understand the structural systems. It also allowed for an exploration of the facade
STRUCTURE
?
WHAT IS THE FACADE MADE OF SPECIFICALLY AND DOES THAT MATERIAL HAVE TO DO WITH SOME PERFORMATIVE ASPECT OF THE DESIGN?
PROJECT TIMELINE The above graph is meant to present, quantify, and visualize the design
modeling, photo-manipulation, conceptual development, digital representation and iteration, and technical drawing - the design process and development of the project as a whole becomes clear. IDEA
EVIDENCE
?
QUESTION
_B0
PRESSURE
Focus on this idea of pressure - types of pressure, application of pressure, and the resulting conditions of pressure. How can this action be controlled? Does it want to be controlled? Are there varying degrees to which it can be applied? What are the differences of those degrees?
_B1
_B2
TEXTURE
The exploration of material quality along with this notion of pressure suggests that putting pressure on different types of material creates varying formal results - whether that material be wood, foam, or plastic. Which material is most intriguing in its being pressured and what about its qualities make it interesting?
_B3
_B4 The action of creating pressure can be understood both literally (action) as well as figuratively (formally). A formal study of pressure where pressure points became subtracted areas soon evolved into a study of pixel-form solid/void relationships. Wood naturally lent itself to the latter idea being both linear (after being cut) and rigid.
LINEAR PRESSURE
_B5
_B6
FORMAL DEVELOPMENT Formal exploration allowed for a rationalization of the facade. If this concept of pressure was to be further justified it needed to be based on more concrete conditions besides composition or aesthetic. Formal development was based mostly on program but also incorporated ideas of entry, contextual relevance, and circulation.
_B7
I
_B8
II
_B9
III
_B10
IV
_B11
V
_C0
MODEL
Final physical modeling sought to express the form of the design and the relation of the skin to the inner-core. Site connection and programmatic elements were also shown in the model.
_C1
_C2
FUNCTIONALITY Operability of the facade not only allowed for the regulation of heat gain and passive ventilation but it also allowed for the users to have a more dynamic experience in certain spaces. In that sense, the design no longer simply becames a representation of pressure having been applied, but the facade is literally pressured into opening. With the latter idea came an exploration of technology and kinetic facades.
_C3
_C4
SURFACE PRESSURE
_C5
COMPRESSIVE PRESSURE
_C6
PLASTICITY Heating and applying pressure to plastic was a major discovery in the design process as it linked the concept to formal operations. Through mutliple iterations came more control of the plastic and allowed for more intention in how, where, and why the pressure is applied.
_C7
_C8
A
B
C
SPACE PLANNING
The structure of the design should not simply be out of neccesity and function but rather should relate to the formal qualities, the systems, and the concept if possible. The structural logic, in this case, was based on the facade and the rule that pressure points must be maintained as open - relatively strucrture free spaces. It was that logic that then began to inform the structure as a whole, from major steel framing to the skin-subframe system.
_C9
A
B
C
_C10
STRUCTURE
The structure of the design should not simply be out of neccesity and function but rather should relate to the formal qualities, the systems, and the concept if possible. The structural logic, in this case, was based on the facade and the rule that pressure points must be maintained as open - relatively strucrture free spaces. It was that logic that then began to inform the structure as a whole, from major steel framing to the skin-subframe system.
_C11
_C0
_C1
_C2
RESEARCH
The materiality of the facade was designed in a way that considered both compositional and aesthetic “effects� as well was functionality and relation to interior space. The facade design is meant to express the pressure points in a subtle yet meaningful way while maintaining all the practical needs of an apartment or hotel room - views, ventilation, natural daylight, etc. In the exploration of possible materials Signal Box, Herzog & de Meuron 1994 / One Ocean Thematic Pavilion, SOMA 2012 / Phare Tower, Morphosis Architects 2009
_C3
_C4
MATERIALITY
The materiality of the facade was designed in a way that considered both compositional and aesthetic “effects� as well was functionality and relation to interior space. The facade design is meant to express the pressure points in a subtle yet meaningful way while maintaining all the practical needs of an apartment or hotel room - views, ventilation, natural daylight, etc. In the exploration of possible materials, the reading of the building during the day versus during the night became an important idea. The facade being a reflective, protective skin during the day - that blocks harsh sunlight while allowing ventilation into the spaces - and being a porous, light frame at night - that reveals the structural systems as well as the primary envelope beyond the skin - was eventually established. Elegance and intrigue along with performance and practicality.
_C5
_C6
_C7
_C8
EXPERIENTIAL Exploration of the design in section allowed the development of more interesting interior spaces which would not only provide a unique blending of apartment residents and hotel users but also introduces an idea of interior pressure. This idea of interior pressure eventually led to a re-examination of form as the concept became more complex - now having both interior and exterior, surface and pinpoint pressures.
_C9
_C10
4
1
5
2
6 3
7
1
SKIN PULLED BACK TO REVEAL FLOOR SLABS AND STRUCTURE
4
ROOFTOP CLUB/BAR
2
INTERIOR ATRIUM SPACE WHERE HOTEL & APTS MEET
5
SKY RESTAURANT/LOUNGE + ATRIUM SPACE
3
DOUBLE HEIGHT HOTEL LOBYY SPACE
6
OUTDOOR POOL AREA + VIEWING BALCONIES
7
RETAIL SPACE CONNECTION TO INTERIOR WALKWAY THRU SITE
_C11
GLASS CURTAINWALL Low-e textured glass curtainwall secondary skin system
GLASS CURTAINWALL Low-e textured glass curtainwall secondary skin system _gradient
GLASS CURTAINWALL Low-e textured glass curtainwall secondary skin system _hexagonal
GLASS CURTAINWALL Low-e textured glass curtainwall secondary skin system _square
OPAQUE PANELS Perforated opaque aluminum panel system
OPAQUE PANELS Perforated opaque aluminum panel system _pressure flow
OPAQUE PANELS Perforated opaque aluminum panel system _gradient
OPAQUE PANELS Perforated opaque aluminum panel system _pressure points
PRESSURE
Focus on this idea of pressure - types of pressure, application of pressure, and the resulting conditions of pressure. How can this action be controlled? Does it want to be controlled? Are there varying degrees to which it can be applied? What are the differences of those degrees?
TEXTURE
The exploration of material quality along with this notion of pressure suggests that putting pressure on different types of material creates varying formal results - whether that material be wood, foam, or plastic. Which material is most intriguing in its being pressured and what about its qualities make it interesting?
FUNCTIONALITY Operability of the facade not only allowed for the regulation of heat gain and passive ventilation but it also allowed for the users to have a more dynamic experience in certain spaces. In that sense, the design no longer simply becames a representation of pressure having been applied, but the facade is literally pressured into opening. With the latter idea came an exploration of technology and kinetic facades.
MODEL
Final physical modeling sought to express the form of the design and the relation of the skin to the inner-core. Site connection and programmatic elements were also shown in the model.
SURFACE PRESSURE
The action of creating pressure can be understood both literally (action) as well as figuratively (formally). A formal study of pressure where pressure points became subtracted areas soon evolved into a study of pixel-form solid/void relationships. Wood naturally lent itself to the latter idea being both linear (after being cut) and rigid.
LINEAR PRESSURE
FORMAL DEVELOPMENT Formal exploration allowed for a rationalization of the facade. If this concept of pressure was to be further justified it needed to be based on more concrete conditions besides composition or aesthetic. Formal development was based mostly on program but also incorporated ideas of entry, contextual relevance, and circulation.
STRUCTURE
SPACE PLANNING PLASTICITY
Heating and applying pressure to plastic was a major discovery in the design process as it linked the concept to formal operations. Through mutliple iterations came more control of the plastic and allowed for more intention in how, where, and why the pressure is applied.
COMPRESSIVE PRESSURE
The structure of the design should not simply be out of neccesity and function but rather should relate to the formal qualities, the systems, and the concept if possible. The structural logic, in this case, was based on the facade and the rule that pressure points must be maintained as open - relatively strucrture free spaces. It was that logic that then began to inform the structure as a whole, from major steel framing to the skin-subframe system.
The structure of the design should not simply be out of neccesity and function but rather should relate to the formal qualities, the systems, and the concept if possible. The structural logic, in this case, was based on the facade and the rule that pressure points must be maintained as open - relatively strucrture free spaces. It was that logic that then began to inform the structure as a whole, from major steel framing to the skin-subframe system.