architectural conceptions

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b.a. in architecture university of pennsylvania 176 Woodbine Avenue Merrick, NY 11566 mjcafiero@gmail.com 516_524_6884

3-dimensional crop study of cranberry fields; collapsed past, present and future geometries

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By radically reprogramming an abandoned infrastructural entity in Philadelphia, the revitalization of a severed part of the city could take place. Crossprogramming the Reading Viaduct with a vast urban farm, an educational health initiative and public space would help constructively engage the community.

By collaborating with nearby schools, the entire viaduct would become a classroom in which the community could learn about sustainable farming and dietary practices.

Mapping spatial masses/voids and contextual cues from the surrounding area established the idea of pixilation and directionality. Standardized crop beds are based on their distinguishing natural characteristics and create the public classroom spaces.

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c o n t e x t u a l p a r a mete rs The bridge conditions and the landfill conditions of the viaduct are two distinct existing conditions that engendered the project’s design concept.

In bridge conditions, heavy crop beds suspend above the city on the existing structure, demonstrating the juxtaposition of both light and heavy elements.

In landfill conditions, the crop beds are dug into the existing soil structure, creating spatial voids in which both plants and people can inhabit.

view of bridge from street, rendering

view of mass from street, 3/32” scale

typical bridge condition, 3/32” scale

typical mass condition, 3/32” scale

typical mass, 1/8� scale

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Education as culture presents various programs that require architectural expression on the viaduct. Spaces for crop research, art, learning/entertainment, and consumption of food are given not only a perscribed volume but also 3 dimensional directionality that pulls the public onto the viaduct.

edu-cultural center sections

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auditorium

mass-void transition

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art energy research

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The biological study of the Drosera capensis or Cape sundew generated a mechanical analog. The leaf of the plant envelops its prey and metabolizes its nutrients. The prototype model mimics the formal qualities of the leaf as well as its curling motion. With a slight, tense tug on a mylar stip that runs through a track, the physical model quickly rolls up.

analog model; baltic birch, mylar

u r b a n i n t e r v e n t i o n The second part of the biomimicry project builds upon the previous analogical studies to create a functional installation for a courtyard on campus.

By “pulling back� the z-plane of the analog model, the form becomes more 3-dimensional and corkscrew-like. This better lends itself to an architectural piece that could shape a space such as a courtyard. Just as the cape sundew envelops its prey, the installation serves to envelop courtyard occupants.

1/8� model in baltic birch

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p u b l i c i n s t a l l a t i o n Within the courtyard, the installation manipulates traffic flow and frames seven of the most important gateways. The portal tapers and curls into a bench providing much needed seating. Embedded into the opposite side are spaces for waste receptables, critical components of a courtyard that were previously missing. The programs serve to enhance the dynamic within the courtyard, creating a more interactive environment for the university population.

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photomontage renderings, v-ray

1/8”=1’ model in birch

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The translation of a habit to an inhabitable space. The object of this project was to “house� a particular habit in a vessel that woud enable one to perform it more efficiently.

A rigorous study of the most pivotal motions and trajectories helped identify the 3-dimensional movement and the extent to which the body moves during certain steps. This subsequently informed how the space would be shaped.

Made from rib-like sections that form to the motion of the body, each of the walls are meant to filter light into the space at two different gradations. The ribs impart an inherent rhythm to the space which can be seen in the habit itself.

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time-motion mapping

1/4� study in museum board

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Serving the culture of athleticism and leisure on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, a pavilion of reshment and relaxation became the product of my personal habitation.

The pavilion descends into the river providing fresh water and seating.

A viewing platform and skylight reorients the participants to the river’s edge. The ampitheater registers the rising and falling of the tides as seen in the plan/section diagram.

1/8� model; chipboard, museum board, acrylic

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temporal plans and sections

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This design explores a more dynamic way of achieving the same conceptual principles of the first iteration. As participants engage with the kinetic screen, the space seems to change indefinitely due to the apparent 3 dimensional curving of the panels. When fully closed, the interlocking horizontals fill the negative space of the middle panel and change its elevation.

6”=1’ scale study model

3” scale model in acrylic

3� scale study model in acr

3� scale model in baltic birch

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Using fabric as a metaphor for the urban culture and society, the foundational ideas behind weaving and pattern were transformed into an architectural element that would perform on various levels within the city of Philadelphia. We explored what it means to be a “face� to the urban environment.

Located in the heart of Center City, the building site looks over Rittenhouse Square and performs not only as an urban citizen but also as a passive design strategest. The fabric’s dual nature in form and concept inspired questions of dichotomy in society such as public vs. private, transparency vs. opacity, mass vs. void, and obstruction vs. openning.

weaving studies

analog studies

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As an “urban citizen”, the façade must be cognizant of its presence within the city environment. Because of its south facing position within Philadelphia, the façade employed passive design strategies to offset the negative effects of a temperate climate. Ecotect was one feedback mechanism to test our designs.

Because Philadelphia has more heating degree days than cooling degree days, angled black thermal mass walls were implemented in the design to store heat in the winter.

Voids penetrate through the mass to provide views of the park. While one side is more dense and therefore is more private, the other side houses a sunroom/ balcony and therefore becomes more public. To offset the heat gain in the summer, calibrated sunshades mask the thermal walls.

average incident solar radiation december 21 2301.359 Wh/m2

average incident solar radiation december 21 2582.291 Wh/m2 +12% Wh/m2

sun room projection view maximization

section, interior/exterior elevations

secondary sunshade implementation for summer offset

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Ecotect thermal analysis data showing the reduced heating and cooling loads on the building

illuminance studies, Ecotect

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16� site model in chipboard, facade model in acrylic

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dichotomous building sections

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e c o l o g y a s o i k o s Part of speech: ecology (noun), o i k o s ( n o u n ) E t y m o l o g y : E c o l o g y c o m i n g f r o m t h e G r e e k w o r d “ o i k o s , ” w h i c h m e a n s “ h o u s e , d w e l l i n g p l a c e , o r h a b i t a t i o n . ” C o g n a t e f o r m s : E c o l o g i c a l ( a d j e c t i v e ) o f o r r e l a t i n g t o e c o l o g y , t e n d i n g t o b e n e f i t o r c a u s e m i n i m a l d a m a g e t o t h e e n v i r o n m e n t ; E c o s y s t e m ( n o u n ) a b i o l o g i c a l s y s t e m c o m p o s e d o f a l l t h e o r g a n i s m s f o u n d i n a p a r t i c u l a r p h y s i c a l e n v i r o n m e n t , i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h i t a n d w i t h e a c h o t h e r . D e f i n i t i o n ( s ) : 1 ) T h e b r a n c h o f b i o l o g y t h a t d e a l s w i t h t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n l i v i n g o r g a n i s m s a n d t h e i r e n v i r o n m e n t , 2 ) T h e i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n a n y s y s t e m a n d i t s e n v i r o n m e n t o r t h e p r o d u c t o f t h i s . T y p i c a l u s a g e : “ A l l t h e r a c e s i n v o l v e d w o u l d s o o n b e c o n t r i b u t i n g t o c o m m o n n e i g h b o r h o o d [ o i k o s ] e v e n t s i n t e r m s o f t h e u n i f y i n g i n t e r c o m m u n i c a t i o n s b y a i r . “ ( F. L .

W r i g h t , 1 6 3 ) “ [ F r a n k L l o y d W r i g h t ’ s ] d e s i g n w a s c o m m i t t e d t o a s o c i a l e n d : t h e l i b e r a t i o n o f t h e A m e r i c a n f a m i l y [ o i k o s ] f r o m t h e c e l l u l a r s p a t i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d t h e i s o l a t i o n o f f u n c t i o n s i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l h o u s e ( a n d w i t h t h i s , t h e i r l i b e r a t i o n f r o m t h e r e s t r i c t i n g f o r m a l i t i e s o f b e h a v i o r t h a t t r a d i t i o n a l p l a n n i n g p r e s e r v e d ) . ” ( J .

A c k e r m a n ) . “ L e C o r b u s i e r w a s p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h t h e c o l l e c t i v e d w e l l i n g i n o n e w a y o r a n o t h e r t h r o u g h o u t h i s c a r e e r … t o p r o v i d e m u l t i - s t o r e y a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g s c o n s i s t i n g e f f e c t i v e l y o f s t a c k e d t w o s t o r y h o u s e s [ o i k o s ] , c o m p l e t e w i t h h a n g i n g g a r d e n s . ” ( K .

F r a m p t o n ) . “ A a l t o b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e p a i n t i n g ’ s p r o f u n d i t y l a y i n t h e w a y t h a t i t d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e p r o m i n e n c e o f t h e h u m a n i n t h e u n i t y o f r o o m , e x t e r n a l w a l l a n d g a r d e n . ‘ T h e g a r d e n ( o r c o u r t y a r d ) b e l o n g s t o o u r h o m e [ o i k o s ] j u s t a s m u c h a s a n y o f t h e r o o m s . ’ H e a f f i r m e d t h e n e e d t o s e e t h e g a r d e n a n d i n t e r i o r a s ‘ a c l o s e l y k n i t o r g a n i s m , ’ a n d t h e n e e d t o t a k e ‘ t h e p r o b l e m o f f o r m o r g a n i c a l l y . ’ ” ( S . M e n i n 7 0 ) R e l a t e d t e r m s : h o u s e h o l d , h o m e , e s t a t e , c o m m u n i t y .

B i b l i o g r a p h y : A c k e r m a n , J a m e s , “ T h e V i l l a : F o r m a n d I d e o l o g y o f C o u n t r y H o u s e s , ” ( P r i n c e t o n , N J : P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 9 0 ) .

F r a m p t o n , K e n n e t h . “ To w a r d s a N e w H a b i t a t . ” I n L e C o r b u s i e r , 1 5 0 - 1 6 6 .

L o n d o n : T h a m e s & H u d s o n , 2 0 0 1 .

M e n i n , S a r a h a n d F l o r a S a m u e l , “ N a t u r e a n d S p a c e : A a l t o a n d L e C o r b u s i e r , ” ( N e w Y o r k : R o u t l e d g e , 2 0 0 1 ) .

W r i g h t , F r a n k L l o y d .

T h e L i v i n g C i t y .

N e w Y o r k : H o r i z o n P r e s s , 1 9 5 8 . s u s t a i n a b i l i t y P a r t o f s p e e c h : n o u n E t y m o l o g y : S u s t a i n c o m i n g f r o m t h e o l d F r e n c h w o r d s u s t e n i r , w h i c h m e a n s t o “ h o l d u p ” o r “ e n d u r e . ” T h i s c o m e s f r o m t h e L a t i n w o r d s u s t i n e r e , w h i c h c a n b e b r o k e n d o w n i n t o s u b o r “ u p f r o m b e l o w ” a n d t e n e r e o r “ t o h o l d . ” S u s t a i n a b i l i t y c o n t a i n s b o t h s u s t a i n a n d a b i l i t y, w h i c h c o m e s f r o m t h e L a t i n w o r d h a b i l i s o r “ e a s y t o m a n a g e . ” C o g n a t e f o r m s : S u s t a i n ( v e r b ) t o s t r e n g t h e n o r s u p p o r t p h y s i c a l l y o r m e n t a l l y . S u s t a i n a b l e ( a d j e c t i v e ) a b l e t o b e s u p p o r t e d , .

S u s t e n a n c e ( n o u n ) t h e n o u r i s h m e n t n e e d e d t o s u r v i v e , t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f s o m e t h i n g i n e x i s t e n c e . D e f i n i t i o n ( s ) : 1 ) t h e a b i l i t y t o b e s u s t a i n e d o r m a i n t a i n e d o v e r a c e r t a i n p e r i o d o f t i m e 2 ) t h e a b i l i t y t o h a r v e s t o r u t i l i z e a r e s o u r c e i n o r d e r t h a t t h e r e s o u r c e i s u n h a r m e d i n t h e f u t u r e 3 ) t h e l i f e s t y l e p r a c t i c e o f b e i n g s u s t a i n a b l e 4 ) t h e a b i l i t y f o r c o n t i n u e d d i v e r s i t y a n d p r o d u c t i o n w i t h i n

e c o l o g i c a l a n d b i o l o g i c a l s y s t e m s 5 ) t h e p r o s p e c t o f m a i n t a i n e d w e l f a r e r e l a t i n g t o e c o n o m y, p o l i t i c s , s o c i e t y a n d t h e e n v i r o n m e n t . T y p i c a l U s a g e : “ S i x t h , e d u c a t i o n r e l e v a n t t o t h e c h a l l e n g e o f b u i l d i n g a s u s t a i n a b l e s o c i e t y w i l l e n h a n c e t h e l e a r n e r ’ s c o m p e t e n c e w i t h n a t u r a l s y s t e m s . ” ( D . O r r , 9 2 ) “ A s i d e f r o m i t s e f f e c t s o n t h i n k i n g , p r a c t i c a l c o m p e t e n c e w i l l b e e s s e n t i a l i f s u s t a i n a b i l i t y r e q u i r e s , a s I t h i n k i t d o e s , t h a t p e o p l e m u s t t a k e a n a c t i v e p a r t i n r e b u i l d i n g t h e i r h o m e s , b u s i n e s s e s , n e i g h b o r h o o d s , c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d t o w n s . ” ( D . O r r ) “ T h e c o n c e p t o f s u s t a i n a b i l i t y i m p l i e s a r a d i c a l c h a n g e i n t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d p a t t e r n s t h a t w e h a v e c o m e t o a c c e p t a s n o r m a l . ” ( D . O r r , 9 4 ) “ M a y n e t o u t s a r e s e a r c h - i n t e n s i v e d e s i g n p r o c e s s , o n e t h a t i n t e g r a t e s s u s t a i n a b i l i t y w i t h i n t h e o v e r a l l b u i l d i n g p r o g r a m , r a t h e r t h a n t a c k i n g o n g r e e n f e a t u r e s t o s c o r e L E E D p o i n t s o r a d v e r t i s e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i s m . ” ( T. S .

B o w e n ) “ T h e u n i t y o f f o r m a n d f u n c t i o n i s r u p t u r e d i n a n o t h e r w a y b y t h e a l t e r n a t i v e a r c h i t e c t u r e t h a t t a k e s a s i t s p o i n t o f d e p a r t u r e q u e s t i o n s o f e c o l o g y a n d t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n o f h i s t o r i c a l l y d e v e l o p e d q u a r t e r s o f t h e c i t y . ” ( J .

H a b e r m a s , f r o m M .

H a y e s 4 1 8 ) R e l a t e d Te r m s : m a i n t a i n a b i l i t y , g r e e n b u i l d i n g , p r e s e r v a t i o n i s m , e n v i r o n m e n t a l m a n a g e m e n t , c o n s u m e r i s m B i b l i o g r a p h y : H a b e r m a s , J u r g e n . “ M o d e r n a n d P o s t m o d e r n A r c h i t e c t u r e . ” I n A r c h i t e c t u r e T h e o r y S i n c e 1 9 6 8 , e d i t e d b y M i c h a e l H a y e s , 4 1 3 - 4 2 5 .

C a m b r i d g e , M A : M I T, 1 9 9 8 .

O r r , D a v i d W . “ E c o l o g i c a l L i t e r a c y . ” . ( A l b a n y , N Y. S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w Y o r k P r e s s 1 9 9 1 ) B o w e n , Te d S m a l l e y . “ T h e A r c h R e c o r d I n t e r v i e w : T h o m M a y n e o n G r e e n D e s i g n . ” A r c h i t e c t u r a l R e c o r d . c u l t u r a l e c o l o g y Part of speech: n o u n E t y m o l o g y : C u l t u r e c o m i n g f r o m t h e A n g l o - N o r m a n a n d M i d d l e F r e n c h “ c u l t u r e , ” w h i c h i s t h e a c t i o n o f c u l t i v a t i n g l a n d / p l a n t s . T h i s i s a l s o t r a c e d t o t h e L a t i n “ c u l t ü r a , ” w h i c h m e a n s c u l t i v a t i o n , t i l l a g e . T h e s u f f i x “ - a l ” d e n o t e s t h e s e n s e o f o r r e l a t i n g t o t h a t w h i c h i s d e n o t e d b y t h e f i r s t e l e m e n t . ” E c o l o g y c o m i n g f r o m t h e G r e e k w o r d “ o i k o s , ” w h i c h m e a n s “ h o u s e , d w e l l i n g p l a c e , o r h a b i t a t i o n . ” C o g n a t e f o r m s : C u l t i v a t i o n ( n o u n ) T h e t i l l i n g o f l a n d ; t i l l a g e , h u s b a n d r y , I m p r o v e m e n t ( o f l a n d ) ; i n c r e a s e o f f e r t i l i t y ; E c o n o m y ( n o u n ) T h e m a n a g e m e n t o r a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f t h e m a t e r i a l r e s o u r c e s o f a c o m m u n i t y , d i s c i p l i n e , o r o t h e r o r g a n i z e d b o d y ; t h e a r t o r s c i e n c e o f m a n a g i n g s u c h r e s o u r c e s ; E c o s y s t e m ( n o u n ) A b i o l o g i c a l s y s t e m c o m p o s e d o f a l l t h e o r g a n i s m s f o u n d i n a p a r t i c u l a r p h y s i c a l e n v i r o n m e n t , i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h i t a n d w i t h e a c h o t h e r . D e f i n i t i o n ( s ) : E c o l o g y 1 ) T h e s t u d y o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n p e o p l e , s o c i a l g r o u p s , a n d t h e i r e n v i r o n m e n t ; ( a l s o ) t h e s y s t e m o f s u c h r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n a n a r e a o f h u m a n s e t t l e m e n t 2 ) T h e b r a n c h o f b i o l o g y t h a t d e a l s w i t h t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n l i v i n g o r g a n i s m s a n d t h e i r e n v i r o n m e n t 3 ) T h e i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n a n y s y s t e m a n d i t s e n v i r o n m e n t o r t h e p r o d u c t o f t h i s T y p i c a l u s a g e : “ I n s t e a d o f a n o t h e r c u l t u r a l w e e d [ c u l t u r a l e c o l o g y ] g o i n g t o s e e d i n u r b a n m u n i c i p a l b a r r a c k s a l l n e a t l y l i n e d u p t o r a i s e m o r e w e e d s i n d o o r s t h a n o u t d o o r s , h e r e w e s e e a u s e f u l g r o w i n g p l a n t t o s o w m o r e s e e d s o f t h e h e a l t h y g r o w i n g s o r t y i e l d i n g a v a l u a b l e m a n c r o p f o r i n c o m e . ( F. L . W r i g h t , 1 5 5 )

m i c h a e l j o s e p h c a f i e ro