HIJACKING THE
O V E R - S T I M U L AT E D M I N D
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY We have been programmed into a society that places ego and materialism above everything else. By 2030 70% of the world’s population will be living in densely packed cities around the world. Over population and busy cities create a host of negative attributes to health & wellbeing. Mental health can be affected with the never-ending amount of over-stimulation the body receives through the urban environment. All cities need a form of escape to get away from this intensification and over-stimulation. These traits of city living bring on a host of mental health problems being classed as the ‘21st century illness’. To reduce issues such as depression, mental exhaustion and anxiety, the project creates an intensive detox retreat with a hybrid of therapy and rehabilitation for Genoa’s city inhabitants to seek respite from the intensification of the urban metropolis.
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Site Location Site Topography Creating the Program Organisation Precedent Study
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PROCESS
Form and Massing Spatial Analysis Arrangement Layering
42 - 45 46 - 47 48 - 51 52 - 61
DEVELOPMENT
Implementation External Character
64 - 67 68 - 71
CONCEPT
CONTEXT
Genoa; The City Polycentric Cities Masterplan Born Again Genoa Hijacking the Introverted Mind
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COMPOSITION
Structural Concept Materiality Construction Design In Detail
98 - 99 102-103 104-105 106-107
STRUCTURE
Environmental Concept Environmental Design Sustainability Strategy
110-111 112-113 114-117
Cost Reduction Strategy Cost Model
120-121 122-123
SUSTAINABILITY
Site Plan Floor Plans Elevations Axonometric Sections Perspective Visuals
COSTING
CONTEXT
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GENOA
CONTEXT Genoa is made up of three components; the mountains, the city and the sea. It is home to the largest sea port in Italy and has a rich cultural history. It has 600,000 inhabitants that live in 73.54km2, representing 31% of the municipal area. The territory of the city is surrounded by the mountains of Liguria which are an underutilized asset of Genoa.
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CONTEXT
POLYCENTRIC CITIES Polycentrism is where a city has no single centre, but several. By looking at the urban form of the city, different centres are discovered which attract amenities and interactions with an altered context of each node. As with any city, Genoa can monopolise on this allowing a collection of intensified areas and have morphological dimension through the urban environment. Our urban design project ‘Born Again Genoa as an Urban Polycentric City’ emerged by looking at the principles of polycentric cities and the premise of having different polycentres at an urban level. We identified centres that required intensification to enhance the city fabric. By giving each node a unique and definitive characteristic, the areas can be enhanced and exaggerated based on their theme. By creating a sense of hyper-reality throughout each district, the spaces can be reinvented and re-branded, thus; Born Again Genoa. The diagram opposite examines each node and its site in terms of its disposition, physicality and its activity.
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CONTEXT
MASTERPLAN The proposal for Genoa focusses on four specific districts; The Hedonist, The Fantasist, The Interaction and The Escape; the names for these were derived from the existing context in these areas. The Hedonistic characteristic was attained due to its geographical location on the waters edge, together with its social engagement of wealthy clientele. Due to its functional context, The Fantasist is situated at the ferry terminal and specifically targets the tourist. The Interaction was conceived firstly because of its historical, cultural and physical context, and secondly because of its functional context as an important transport node. And finally, The Escape materialised first and foremost as a result of its topographical context. Each of the four districts in the urban design proposal are rooted with both a temporal and hyper-real context, all intended to be some form of temporary release or escape for different types of people.
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CONTEXT
THE FANTASIST
THE HEDONIST
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THE INTERACTION
THE ESCAPE
M A S T E R P P LA N
Overall Genoa is a city full of potential, however a blurred sense of purpose fills pockets of the urban fabric, under-utilized and unloved. After studying the existing urban fabric, the focus is on several areas which stretch from the port into the mountains. The areas will be defined by a series of nodes or mini centres. Four nodes have been identified with different characteristics but are currently lacking atmosphere, a sense of place and an aesthetic of urbanism. Building on the characteristics of each area can allow for a heightened sense of illusion of each loci, creating an overstimulated reality of the node.
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CONTEXT
The Hedonist is for the self indulgent, a person who believes that the pursuit of pleasure is the most important thing in life, and someone who is satisfied by spending an extortionate amount of money. Aimed towards the upper class, this area features a monumental tower that exudes affluence, home to a panoramic restaurant and bar with fine dining, casino, luxury hotel, serviced apartments, penthouses, spa’s and internal golf course.
In order to entice the tourist and encourage them to leave the cruise ship and explore what Genoa has to offer, The Fantasist requires some sort of statement building. The proposal for this is a new cruise terminal which is designed based on the theme of a fantasy land. This node is targeted towards tourists in particular, these tourists may vary from families, couples or groups of friends of all ages.
The Interaction is for those who like to engage with other people which is symbolic of the interaction between the old town and the new port. With San Giorgio metro station acting as the anchor for this node, it becomes a destination instead of a place that was just passed through. The permanent market structure gives opportunity to the local trade and the community centre would be a social hub for the local community.
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BORN AGAIN GENOA
The Escape provides people with the opportunity to break free from the confinement and everyday life of urban living. It is a place of retreat for both tourists and the locals to explore and enjoy. By providing a range of different activities for example; an outdoor centre, spa resort, bars and restaurants, Righi would put itself back on the map and become more of a destination and place to go. This would allow the rediscovering and exploration of the forgotten forts which could become a tourist attraction.
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BORN AGAIN GENOA
CONTEXT
Upon arrival at Righi funicular station, the explorer may be disappointed to find a lack of entertainment amongst the green desert. The mountains are home to a number of ancient forts which hold so much of Genoa’s history, yet they lie derelict and abandoned. The nodes central to the city create a hyper-real situation, stimulating the individual. The escape is seen as the counter-action to these nodes. In contrast to the other nodes, this is the ideal type of escape from the city, the intensification between the environment and nature. The over stimulation caused by the city needs to be balanced.
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CONTEXT
HIJACKING THE INTROVERTED MIND We have been programmed into a society that places ego and materialism above everything else. Intensifying the city builds on the different characteristics currently lacking atmosphere, a sense of place and an aesthetic of urbanism. Using the characteristics of each area can allow for a heightened sense of illusion of each loci, creating an over-stimulated reality of the node. The nodes central to the city create a hyper-real situation, stimulating the individual. The escape is the counter-action to these nodes. There are many environmental elements that impact an individual: Urbanization, crowding, noise, mass media, technology etc.
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CONCEPT
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SITE LOCATION
CONCEPT
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SITE LOCATION
CONCEPT
The Genoa mountain peaks are currently under-utilized with breathtaking views and solitude on offer, when escaping the city. Located in the green landscape, the project will be housed on a Ligurian mountain’s edge, creating a dramatic building sloped down the land, attempting to place itself carefully without causing too much disruption to the rural character.
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CONCEPT
SITE TOPOGRAPHY
CONCEPT
The site sits on mountainous slope, with difficult topography and terrain to fight with. The dramatic changes in level has lead to develop a stepped building, which sits into the hillside. Excavation of the steep land will allow penetrations of space to be carved, with fragments of building receding into the mountain, while others will be propped up using columns and cantilevers creating dramatic volumes.
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CONCEPT
CREATING THE PROGRAM
CONCEPT
By 2030 70% of the world’s population will be living in densely packed cities around the world. Over population and busy cities create a host of negative attributes to health & well-being. Mental health can be affected with the neverending amount of over-stimulation the body receives through the urban environment.
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CONCEPT
Our first initial thoughts on the escape; ‘an ascension to escape from the urban lifestyle’ ‘the green desert in search for a tranquil retreat’ ‘a destination’ With genoa the stimulation is created around the waterfront, peaking at the old town. Residential areas de-escalate the stimulation until hitting the mountains. As a counteraction to the overstimulated environments the city of Genoa holds, I want to create a typology for the over stimulated.
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CREATING THE PROGRAM
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Individuals who are chronically overstimulated and feel incapable of exercising control over their environment may be at higher risk for developing feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and then depression. Sensory overload occurs when one or more of the body’s senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment.
The solution could be a new typology, that of a short stay ‘hotel like’ facility. It would offer “asylum in the true sense of the word” – calm, restorative, with a range of therapeutic activities for patients’.
“The defining concept of residential acute care [to] shift from that of a medical ward towards that of a retreat; providing humane, respectful, personalised care in a comfortable environment…. There should be more options for people in crisis – more gateways into help and more kinds of help so that the requirements of all groups and communities can be satisfied.”
An individual would spend 2-3 days in the retreat, to connect back to nature and revitalise their mental health.
Intensive detox retreat with a hybrid of therapy and rehabilitation for Genoa’s city inhabitants to seek respite from the intensification of the urban metropolis.
CREATING THE PROGRAM
CONCEPT
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CONCEPT
ORGANISATION
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Gatehouse/Entrance Reception Space Toilets Staff Base
SQM 30 65 5 20
QUANTITY 1 1 2 1
TOTAL 30 65 10 20
Main Kitchen Dining
45 30
1 1
45 30
Group Therapy Private Therapy Meditation/Yoga Workshop
20 11 30 16
1 3 1 2
20 33 30 32
Spa – Pool area Spa – massage therapy Change
100 20 30
1 2 1
100 40 30
Spiritual centre
90
1
90
TOTAL
Parking Courtyards Private Gardens
20 spaces 150sqm 200sqm
575sqm
I explored the ideas of creating different thresholds, public, private and solitude, allowing users to develop their own level of self-contemplation. As this is a new typology in the sense of creating an intense mix of escape, well-being, mental health, there are no exact buildings to reference. I explored a number of precedents which I am keen to take design principles from and apply to my design.
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Sparrenburg Visitor Centre In Germany, this is a recently restored gatehouse for a fortress. The gatehouse creates a threshold of security, which may not be as in the traditional sense it once was, but I like the idea that when you go through the gate house you are part of a secluded world, something I want to take as a design principle to my building.
Balnea Pavilion des arbes Located in Canada, the building is perched on a mountainside overlooking a nature reserve. It holds a health and wellness centre including yoga, relaxation, ritual bathing. Outdoor walks are forced buy the designated pathways, this idea of pilgrimage Separate pavilions hold more private functions
Strom Spa Nordique Set in Canada, described as a new type of playground for the body and mind. Three separate buildings are placed delicately on a man-made topography. Holds saunas, massage rooms, relaxation spaces. The spa element in my design is very important, as this is something that can really de-stimulate a persons mind.
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PRECEDENT STUDY Proyecto Hombre Response for new facilities for a place where social problems are identified that lead to addiction to then deal with the problems and seek to integrate back into society. Similar to my idea of a quick fix retreat to revitalise a person’s mental state before it gets worse.
CONCEPT
Belmont Community Rehabilitation Centre Located in Australia, this building is an active goal focused rehab programme in a residential setting. Tries to prevent further disability by supporting clients to reduce chance of relapse and improve well-being, something that my building will focus on extensively.
Encuentro Guadalupe In Mexico, 20 independent rooms sprawled across the landscape. The premise was not to interfere with land and respect the nature in every possible way. Placed far apart creating this idea of solitude.
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PROCESS
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PROCESS
FORM & MASSING
PROCESS 43
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PROCESS
FORM & MASSING
PROCESS
Section crawling down the mountain, offering different levels of public and private spaces. Playing with contours, how the separate buildings fit on the site.
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PROCESS
Exploring the layers and thresholds through the space
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SPATIAL ANALYSIS
IMPLEMENT
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PROCESS
fitting the massing into the landscape
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ARRANGEMENT
PROCESS 49
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PROCESS
IMPLEMENT
“a process of unwinding until you’re ready to be released back into the city” 53 51
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PROCESS
LAYERING
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PROCESS
“fragmented wall which becomes less solid as you escape further”
PROCESS 55
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LAYERING
PROCESS
embedding the building into the steep topography
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PROCESS
massing to formulate views
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enhancing the defence
LAYERING
IPMRPO L ECME ES NS T
creating routes and thresholds
embedding into the landscape
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PROCESS
The Genoan mountain peaks are currently under-utilized with breath-taking views and solitude on offer, when escaping the city. The steep topography has been integral with my design, and this idea of the route to the top of the peak to reach the building could become a form of pilgrimage.
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DEVELOPMENT 65
IMPLEMENT
DEVELOPMENT
staggered buildings enhance the ascent of the beacon tower
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SPATIAL DESIGN
IMPLEMENT
DEVELOPMENT
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DEVELOPMENT
dramatic changes in the topography allows for executed views over the mountains
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SPATIAL DESIGN
DEVELOPMENT
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DEVELOPMENT
EXTERNAL CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT
As our masterplan covered a large area of Genoa I have focused on the node area of Righi. From the original masterplan, we placed massing blocks on the edge of the peak similar to where my building sits. I wanted the building to be accessible so still relatively close to transportation links and road networks.
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DEVELOPMENT
EXTERNAL CHARACTER The original dense landscape means the proposed landscaping will try to diminish the need for the removal of lots of trees, only the ones needed. The building is structured with the entrance here with the car parking and entrance yard feeling part of the overall aesthetic of the building. This part of the building will hold a more formal courtyard with low waterbeds to create this zen like space. As you move further through the building the landscape becomes wilder and the solitude pods feel hidden in the trees.
DEVELOPMENT
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COMPOSITION
A place to treat the 21st Century illness for over-stimulated individuals to escape the intense city and break from the urban landscape, to a hybrid of treatments and therapies to de-stimulate and retreat from society. The building will be a new typology, a mix of spaces of therapy, thermal spas, workshops, accommodation and spiritual rooms to all provide a sanctuary to offer to mentally clear a person’s mind to prevent further issues to occur.
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SITE PLAN
IMPLEMENT
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COMPOSITION
FLOOR PLANS COMPOSITION
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COMPOSITION
ELEVATIONS COMPOSITION
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AXONOMETRIC COMPOSITION
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COMPOSITION
SECTION
COMPOSITION
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TECHNICAL SECTION COMPOSITION
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COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION
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COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION
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COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION
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COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION
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STRUCTURE
The construction method is a hybrid of blockwork, insitu concrete and steel frame retained on embedded foundation pads. The defence wall follows the natural contours of the site, sat on pile augering foundations to hold the weight of the solid wall. Parts of the building will be immersed in the ground, others will lightly touch the mountains edge. The beacon tower will be a subtle landmark with a striking corten steel metal finish against the grey stone. The solitude pods are nestled into the green landscape with the timber materiality reflecting its surroundings.
STRUCTURAL CONCEPT
STRUCTURE
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STRUCTURE To use the piles to act as a retaining wall too, the continuous flight augering pile wall will need for the piles to be placed 600mm apart then infill with aggregate. A front wall will be needed for water tightness and insulation. Strip footings will be suitable for walls with no loadbearing weight. The solitude pods will be hovering over the mountain in which structural pillars will support a thin concrete slab. The beacon tower is lightweight in relation to its height thus the load can sit on a 600mm raft with small piles attached.
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CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
STRUCTURE
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STRUCTURE
Roof Elements The roof is mainly flat throughout the building due to its slimline nature nestling into the mountain. This will be a seeded planting system to help blend in with the surroundings. The two elements which have a sloping roof are embedded into the land with the roof becoming part of the landscape. They will be treated as a green roof structurally, with the rising slope overlooking the scenery to maximise views. Beacon Tower As this element will be a striking vision seen from the other side of the defence wall and from across the Ligurian mountains I intend the materiality to be a recognisable landmark. I am drawn towards materials that age and blend with the landscape overtime, which has lead me to choose a copper cladding system to be fixed to a steel frame. As the tower is fully open to the elements, this will create weathering to the material which I want to encourage. Defence Wall The wall will be structurally formed with in-situ cast concrete with a stone cladding system to reduce costing. The stone will be a random rough cut thin brick style, with a colour palette of mixed greys for subtlety. Detailing this wall be necessary to explain the structure and theory behind the wall. Solitude Pods I intended for the solitude pods to be a contrast to the rest of the building, more organic with the materiality to reflect the positioning nestled into the trees. The materiality will be a simple steel structure with timber panelling to create a lightweight feel, hardly touching the ground.
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MATERIALITY
timber cladding air gap steel structural frame mineral wool insulation 100mm marine plyboard
STRUCTURE
Solitude pod construction
cladding ties in-situ concrete mineral wool insulation stone cladding system
Stone cladding system
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STRUCTURE
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STRUCTURE
SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY
Facade design to allow south light into the spaces
Biomass boiler configuration onsite to produce heat in the cooler months
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ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPT
PV panels on roof ensuring limited disruption from the tree canopy
Prevailing wind direction
SUSTAINABILITY
Geothermal energy collected from mountain bed
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BIOMASS The winter months in Genoa can dip to around 10°C, meaning a method of heating is needed. As the building is fragmented over the landscape and the self-sufficient nature of the project buries into the hills, biomass boilers are the best strategy to support the design. I researched the size of boiler needed to heat each space, which I discovered was 540mm x 725mm x 1170mm for the larger boilers, with the smaller biomass boilers measuring 750mm x 650mm x 800mm. I envisaged the larger boilers to be integrated as they will be maintained by staff, not spoiling the minimalist aesthetic. The defence wall has a thickness of 900mm, which could allow for space for the boiler to sit flush inside the wall. Widening the walls which house the boiler to allow for insulation and create extra storage. The smaller boilers in the solitude living spaces would be manually loaded by the individual if heat is required and also in the yoga and meditation space, which could become a feature. A ventilation grill will be required near to the boiler to provide ventilation, and can force cross ventilation of the space. PHOTO VOLTAICS As the project should be as self-sufficient as possible, the use of photo-voltaic’s could provide a renewable energy source for the electricity usage of the building. It does not require a large amount due to the nature of the building, with natural lighting used as much as possible and natural ventilation in place with the cross winds and solar shading of the surrounding trees. Most the roofing is flat which can house 724sqm area of photo-voltaic panels. Allowing for a deduction for some shading from the tree canopy, there is still a good area to provide a collection of energy. The areas most efficient for photovoltatics are unshaded from surrounding buildings and will be exposed to sun all year round. The calculated energy use sits around 55,670 kwh/pa, which is relatively low thus would not need surplus energy from the main grid.
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
SUSTAINABILITY
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SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
SUSTAINABILITY
To provide a stable thermally comfortable level throughout the building, a cross of natural and mechanical strategies are in place. The careful placement of openings to allow controlled sunlight into the building has been considered, and as most of the fenestration is north facing this keeps the building airy and light but without comprising the internal temperature. Cross ventilation will be used to naturally ventilate the spaces, with the wind blowing from the sea to the exposed mountain side.
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SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
SUSTAINABILITY
The spa will make use of the Geothermal water found in the Ligurian Mountains. Geothermal water originates around 2000m below the surface, in which the hot fluid is pumped to the top through a steel pipeline insulated with rock wool and aluminium sheeting. The temperature varies between 37°C and 40°C, the recommended temperature for spa pools. As the spa is contained indoors vents will be always open to allow for air circulation and in the warmer months the glazed fenestration can be fully opened from floor to ceiling.
The biomass boilers will provide m cooler months and it is more enviro heating systems. The defence wall which allows for space for the biom the wall. The smaller boilers in the s be manually loaded by the individ also in the yoga and meditation sp required near to the boiler to provid cross ventilation of the space.
Geothermal water found in the rmal water originates around which the hot fluid is pumped to ne insulated with rock wool and mperature varies between 37°C d temperature for spa pools. As s vents will be always open to the warmer months the glazed ed from floor to ceiling.
The biomass boilers will provide much needed heat during the cooler months and it is more environmentally efficient than other heating systems. The defence wall has a thickness of 900mm, which allows for space for the biomass boilers to sit flush inside the wall. The smaller boilers in the solitude living spaces would be manually loaded by the individual if heat is required and also in the yoga and meditation space. A ventilation grill will be required near to the boiler to provide ventilation, and can force cross ventilation of the space.
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COSTING
COST REDUCTION STRATEGY Topography The initial design already took into consideration the steep topography, however parts of the site still needs to be retained up to 5m. This can inflict large costs due to process of the moving of land and constructing the retaining wall. With a likelihood of reducing costs by the design by 30% alone, looking further into how the building sits into the landscape could generate a substantial saving. Materiality Originally the spine wall was to be constructed with masonry brickwork in Limestone slim bricks to represent the history and nature of the surrounding sites linked to the limestone forts and walls of Genoa. However constructing a 160m with a thickness of 700mm would have huge costs. To reduce this the cheaper construction method would be casting a thinner thickness wall (500mm) with concrete and reinforced steel then use pre-fabricated cladding panels made of facings of the limestone bricks to attach to the concrete structure.
COSTING
Standard Components The living pods embedded and nestled into the woodland could be constructed off-site as a prefabricated component and positioned on site, reducing costs of this space by 40%. To cut costs each pod would be a standard component with all aspects of the design and materiality being identical.
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Glazing The design of the spaces are placed to frame the views over the Ligurian mountains to help the users to connect with nature. The glazing panels were envisaged as full floor to ceiling panels however reducing these in the spa, meditation space and therapy rooms will cut costing. It may have a design implication Circulation The design incorporates a vast amount of circulation against the spine wall, which I originally designed as full glazing with a solid roof. With the climate of Genoa and the idea of crossing thresholds to move through spaces, a suggestion could be to remove the glazing and have only a roof canopy over designated pathways as the trees and defence wall protects the spaces from wind elements. Landscaping The provisional landscaping would be an additional design feature mixing the indoor/outdoor spaces and incorporating the building into its surrounding. Prescribing the landscape using a more ‘wilderness’ approach with minimal intervention would save on planting and hard surfacing.
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COSTING
COST MODEL Site Clearance Removal of trees and planting, removal of top layer of site and back clearance
SQM 3000sqm @ 150
Substructure Pile Foundations Strip Foundations Pad Foundations Waterproof concrete lining walls Frame & Structure Stone brick clad walls with concrete lining Steel frame Roof Timber Pods Corten Steel Curtain Walling Drainage System Internal Structure Concrete cast staircase fixings and bannisters Internal structural elements Blockwork Partitions Doors and windows Keycard access system of back of house Polished concrete flooring Plaster and paint Furniture and fittings Sanitaryware
200000 75000 100000 20000
2500sqm @ 295
429sqm @ 100 163sqm @ 80
1751sqm @ 200 640sqm @ 100
Services Services equipment Space heating and cooling treatment Lighting Installation
375000 40000 75000 50000 75000 300000 10000
90000 42900 13040 12000 8000 350200 64000 250000 85000
100000 108000 90000
Main Contractor overheads and profit @ 5% Management costs, site establishment, site suspension, contractors preliminaries @ 15% Design reserve @ 5%
2,533,140 126657 379971 127000
Overall Total
ÂŁ 3,166,768
COSTING
Total
http://www.building.co.uk/cost-model-hotels/5053371.article
Total Cost 450,000
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Lauren O’Donnell // Comprehensive Design Project