NATHAN MITCHELL
A Design Research Academy 1 Two Cottages in Cabbagetown 11 The Saltbox Home 17 Cardboard Cavern 21 Solid/Void Exercise 25 Diagramming Home 29 Personal Artwork 33
A Design Research Academy Marisabel Marratt, Studio Critic Fatima Jarquin, Project Partner Several structural screens were produced from an in-depth study of Art Nouveau tendriling. One screen was chosen to structure a Design Research Academy in San Francisco. The Academy would have students independently study the traditional architecture of a foreign culture and then collaborate with others on a project exploring how the architectures can work together and complement one another. This idea (of individual parts coming together to form a stronger whole) relates both to the diverse “melting pot” history of San Francisco as well as Art Nouveau tendrils wrapping, filling, and bundling to provide structure. 1
Traditional Japanese Architecture
Traditional Israeli Architecture
Collaborative “Melting Pot” Design
Present
Collaborative Studio
Traditional Argentinian Architecture Traditional Ugandan Architecture
Fabrication
Traditional Mexican Architecture
Present
Research Studio
Auditorium Galleries
Interactive Research
Collaborative Studio
Interview Rooms Guestrooms
Collaborative Design
Primary Research Individual Research
Fabrication Creating & Testing Labs
Library Material Sampling
Entry/ Administrative
Research Studio Independent Research
Telegraph Hill
Embarcadero
Jackson Square
10 min. walk
5 min. walk
Financial District
Chinatown
Belden Place The East Cut
Rincon Hill
buildin g
business
building
park
attrac t i o n
l ot
parkin g /g arag e
reta i l
pa r k
district
i nst i t u t i o n
pa r k i n g
Oaklan d Bay Bridg e
h o u s i n g/l o d gi n g
s i d ewa l k
m ain road
par k
c a b l e c a r ro u te
ar terial road
par k i n g/t ra n s p o r tat i o n gro u n d s
ferrr y routes c able c ar route bike lan e BART rail station bus station
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Door Jules Lavirotte (1899-1901)
Door Jules Lavirotte (1899-1901)
Filling Repelling
Wrapping Filling Repelling
Grate Hector Guimard (1905–1910)
Hotel Tassel Wall Victor Horta (1892-1894)
Filling Repelling
Wrapping Filling Repelling
Railing Charles Girault (1900)
Sofa Designer Unknown Date Unknown
Filling Repelling
Wrapping Filling Repelling
Chandelier Designer Unknown (1890s)
Wrapping Repelling
Window Designer Unknown Date Unknown
Wrapping Filling Repelling
Pass 1
Pass 2
S Curve
Spiral 270°
Branching
C Curve
Vertexed
Enclosed
<270°
180°
180°
270°
>270°
0°
90°
90°
0°
104° 84°
- Control Points on both sides of the curve - Smooth curve without a vertex - Single line that does not split into multiple branches
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-Control Points on one side of the curve - Figure curves at least 270° - Smooth curve without a vertex - Single line that does not split into multiple branches
-Single curve splits into two or more branches -Branches do not rejoin or cross
-Control Points on one side of the curve - Figure curves less than 270° - Smooth curve without a vertex - Single line that does not split into multiple branches
-Direction changes sharply at a vertex - Single line that does not split into multiple branches
-Single curve splits into two or more branches -Branches rejoin or cross themselves
Wrapping
Filling
Repelling
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
E
Seed
mirror along y-axis
shift up + align along x and y axe, joining splines
make copy + scale down
make copy + shift right + align along y-axis
make copy + scale down
shift up + align along x and y axes
make copy + scale down
make copy + shift down
shift right + align along y-axis
module 1
make copy + shift down
B
make copy + shift right + rotate 180 degrees + align along y-axis
Seed
mirror along y-axis
make copy + scale down
make copy + scale down
module 1
seed x2 scaled to alignment
module 1
make copy + shift down
rotate 180 degrees + align along y-axis
align along x-axis
align along x and y axes, joining splines
K
L
make copy + shift down
make copy + shift right + rotate 180 degrees
align along x and y axes
seed
make copy + shift right + align along y axis
M
shift up + align along x and y axes
make copy + shift right + 180 degrees rotation
seed
make copy + scale down
G
shift down + align along x and y axes
make copy + shift down + align along x and y axes
seed x2 scaled to alignment
module 1
module 1 copied + rotated 4x about center
make copy + shift right + align along y-axis
shift up + align in both x and y axes
make copy + shift down + align along x and y axes on intersection
Step 1: Reflecting Step 2: Scaling Step 3: Rotating Step 4: Spacing Texture
make copy + shift right + align along x and y axes
Density Gradient
Need an Organizational/Structural System to Continue
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Organizational/Structural System Mirror
Scale
Rotate
Transformed seeds are nested and locked into place within the triangle.
Seeds are placed tangent to the triangle sides at each side’s midpoint.
TEMPORARY CONNECTION LINES
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x0.8
x1.2
x0.9
x1.3
x1.0
x1.4
x1.1
x1.5
Materialization and Multiplying Studies D
DBBD B
E
EBEBE B
E
ECECE C
B
BAAB A
x2 Core
x6 Support Tendrils
x9 Façade Tendrils
6
3
7
Left. An axon illustrating the three layers of structural screens and how they define the building. These layers are the Core, Support Tendrils, & Facade Tendrils. 7
Above. The lobby. One would typically travel through the base of the core to the elevator on the opposite side. Notice the cafe to the right. 8
Above. The collaborative studio. Notice the loose arrangement of the tables which promote a more informal, relaxed atmosphere. Also notice the furniture which is also formed from the original seed. 9
Top. A view looking down into the core from the roof. Bottom. The auditorium. Once again, notice the seating is formed from the seed. 10
Two Cottages in Cabbagetown Yousef Bushehri, Studio Critic Two homes were designed for “makers.” Each had specific requests for built-in cabinetry and furniture. Based on the makers’ requests, a study of their processes, site analysis, and required setbacks a parti diagram was developed. The footprint of each home was then compared to other footprints on the block. The exterior style of those precedent homes were heavily referenced in the design of the new homes. Facade repetition is common in Cabbagetown and allows the new homes to fit seamlessly into the existing community. 11
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Above. Cabbagetown site analysis including Yard Size, Traffic Direction, Sound, Other Artists/Makers, Corner Orientation, and Sun Path. Left. Development of the Parti based on character requests and the surrounding style. Below. The general shape of the footprint developed as a Parti (to the left) were compared to other footprints on the block face. Existing homes with similar plans heavily influenced the exterior style of the new homes. Homes with nearly identical facades are common in Cabbagetown.
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Baker (Requested Yard View)
Quilter (Requested Street View)
Push in for Requested Rectangular Space
Move to Front to Maximize Street Views
Bite in for Continuity with Living Space
Push Out to Shade Porch
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Section A – A. In the baker’s house on the left, notice the kitchen, living space, bedroom, and loft above. In the quilter’s house on the right, notice the kitchen, dining space, large porch, and loft above. Section B – B. The baker’s house. Notice the long kitchen with a double oven and numerous cabinets. Also notice the garage for the electric mixer, large drawer for bins of ingredients, and commercial refrigerator in the pantry. Section C – C. The quilter’s house. Notice the bedroom, dining space, kitchen, and quilting room at the far right. In the quilting room, notice the large counter and raised cutting counter. Right. Rendering of the quilting room. Notice the sink, U-shaped sewing counter, pull-out ironing board, and armchair for hand quilting. 16
The Saltbox Home Yousef Bushehri, Studio Critic After a detailed study of six vernacular Saltbox homes from across the United States, the most generic, archetypal Saltbox was designed. The precedents ranged from initial construction in the 1660s to the 1850s. During this large time frame, there were a variety of Saltbox design trends which would not be compatible in a singular representation. Therefore, this house design draws mainly on Saltboxes from the 1700s. However, most design choices are representative of all historic Saltbox homes. 17
Top. First floor plan. From the Entry Hall at the southwest and moving clockwise around the chimney core: Entry Hall (with staircase to second floor), Parlor, Kitchen, Dining Room. Off the kitchen to the left, notice the storage room and stair room to the garret. To the right, notice the small bedroom. Bottom Left. Front elevation. Notice the symmetry. Bottom Right. Side elevation. Notice the window symmetry in the front of the house and the lack of window/door symmetry/alignment in the back. 18
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Above. An isometric drawing illustrating structure. Notice the chimney core and timber frame. Left. A site plan. Note that Saltboxes are traditionally even more rural and do not align with the cardinal directions. 20
Cardboard Cavern Yousef Bushehri, Studio Critic A choreographed, experiential path was created by “carving” out of a solid mass. From the exterior, the cavernous nature of the interior is only made obvious by a low, intense sun. The ground floor acts as a transition from the blocky exterior into the more organic cave system above. After passing through and winding around a large atrium, the occupant comes to a place of contemplation. Just beyond is the place of arrival, which offers views into the atrium and out onto the outside world. Although the path is straightforward and without dead ends, the seemingly unrefined and often tight path encourages the occupant to feel a sense of exploration and discovery. 21
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Solid/Void Exercise Michelle Rinehart, Studio Critic Two three-dimensional compositions were created under the rule that whenever two or more solids overlap, that shared space becomes a void (boolean difference). All of the cubes in the first composition are orthogonal. However, the second composition is created when two non-orthogonal systems collide.
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Top. These process drawings show different ways solids and voids can interact, as well as various options for the two colliding systems in Exercise B. Bottom. Scaled Play-Doh cubes were used to design the second system, which would shoot through the first system at a 45° angle and define the interior of the composition. 26
Top Left. Model for Exercise A: Orthogonal Cubes. (5” x 5” x 5”). Cardstock. Bottom Row. A series of measured drawings illustrating the composition’s formation as cubes are added. (12” x 18”). Graphite on vellum. 27
Top Left. Model for Exercise B: Two Colliding Systems. ( 5” x 5” x 5”). Cardstock. Bottom Row. A series of measured drawings illustrating the composition’s formation as cubes are added. (12” x 18”). Graphite on vellum. 28
Diagramming Home Michelle Rinehart, Studio Critic Three figure-ground drawings were created at different scales. Each drawing sought to find a balance between realism and abstraction that would highlight the organization and history of Milledgeville, Georgia.
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Above. This map is scaled at 1” = 3,000’. It illustrates how Milledgeville was a planned city located along a river. It also shows how in more recent years, development has primarily pushed northwest. (10” x 10”). Adobe Illustrator. 30
Above. This map is scaled at 1” = 300’. It illustrates how homes, driveways, and yards have all been carved out of the woodline along a major highway. (10” x 10”). Adobe Illustrator. 31
Above. This map is scaled at 1” = 30’.It shows my home and the public, private, and transition areas in and around it. (10” x 10”). Adobe Illustrator. 32
Personal Artwork I like to learn about people —their stories and inspirations. These two men are significant within my primary areas of interest: themed entertainment and theatre. One lives in my room at home and the other in my dorm. Each image reminds me of their initial struggles and eventual success through persistence. Those ideas give comfort and inspiration as I work through this first challenge of architecture school. 33
Above. Walt Disney. (16” x 22”). Graphite. 34
Above. Andrew Lloyd Webber. (14” x 14”). Ink. 35