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The NEXUS that Connects us

So its been one week since class started and I've already completed my site analysis, developed a design concept, researched relevant codes, and began to diagram conceptual ideas as they apply to my building... whew!

After looking closely at the target group (age 20-29) I found several characteristics that define this generation. They value growth, social networking, diversity, self-expression, and sustainability. They are very competitive, optimistic, independent, ambitious, adaptive, flexible, and always on-the-go. After analyzing this information and looking at the historical context, along with the program uses and the site, I have begun to move forward with the idea of NEXUS which is defined as: 
A connection between things, persons or events that is part of a chain of causation; 
A connected series or group; 
That which unites or bonds; 
A connection or center for something.  

Because of the sites central location downtown, the coffee bar will act as the bond between the group, the central place to connect, network, interact and come together, forming a diverse and eclectic group of people that feed off of each others ideas and energy. 

My project is being driven by this overall idea of Nexus but I am focusing specifically on the venation of leaves. A leafs veins are a very complex system that connect and spread about the leaf creating a dynamic pattern that provides structure for the leaf while also transporting water and nutrients for growth and contributing to the process of photosynthesis. 

The Beginning of the End

Today was the first day of my summer thesis class and I'm beginning to see what a packed out, fast paced summer it is going to be. We have about 8 weeks to complete our project and 2 weeks after that for production of documents... what have I got myself into??

I am going to be designing a mixed-use facility with a coffee bar and residences targeting upper-level college students and young professionals. The chosen site is on S. Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, NC in a currently vacant building that is flanked with railroad tracks on either side. 

I have been spending my time leading up to the start of class programming for what will be in this facility and conducting a site analysis that looks closely at the historical and social context, climate, immediate site and the physical building itself. Using the information gathered and ideas formed in these research applications, it is now time to move into the conceptual development part of the project... and so, it begins... 

Final Feedback and Reflection

During our review we got a lot of positive feedback as well as some constructive criticisms.  Our reviewers felt that we were very successful in the consideration of the vehicle activity on Lee street but that the pedestrian gets lost in our design. One suggestion to alleviate this problem would be to switch the placement of the retail space and the auditorium on the first floor so that the retail space could then open up to the community park and to Tate Street. This would help to encourage pedestrian activity through the park and up into the building and feed off of the existing activity on Tate Street. 

One of the guest critics, Thomas, was an architecture professor at UNC Charlotte, and he gave us great feedback.  Our building had "problems, but good problems, not problems that make you scratch your head and say 'what were they thinking?' " as Thomas said.  He said that as interiors students, we executed architecture better than he has seen any architecture student handle interiors, which was probably the best compliment we could have received. 

I feel very lucky that I had the opportunity to be a part of this studio and I would personally like to say Thank You to Travis! Having a professor that is an architect that works in a firm on a day-to-day basis and has knowledge of how processes and projects go in the real world was very beneficial. I learned a lot this semester and have a great project for my portfolio. Its been a long semester but in the end totally worth it. 

I also want to say thank you to The Form Stormers! (Matt, Debbie, Kemena, Jessi, and Marianne) We had a great team and thanks for making it a great semester and for all your hard work. 

Final Perspectives

Lee Street Studio Final

I know I'm a little overdue for this post but after our final review on May 5th I took a much needed break! So here it is my final board for the Lee Street Studio Project. 

Louvers!!

The sun louvers are in the model!!! These louvers line the south facade of the building within the studio space acting as a sun screen while creating a really interesting texture, and look at the shadows!! Oooooo Aahhhhhh!!

The studio space is taking shape, there are some changes I am doing but this plan will mostly stay the same. After talking with Travis yesterday there are a couple things I need to develop further. He pointed out that the kitchen being closed off in the top right corner (of this image) isn't a successful place b/c the views from that corner are prime and you don't want to block them off. The kitchen will probably move to the other side, adjacent to the fire stair. I am going to manipulate the ceiling planes which will act as visual cues throughout the space as well as bring down the ceiling in intimate areas. More images will follow!! 

Shaken, Not Stirred

So even though the semester is now in crunch mode, we still found time to have fun this past weekend at the Annual Iarc Beaux Arts Ball and for my 22nd Birthday!

One week left!

For my individual design of the studio spaces I think I'm at a pretty good place. This image shows the overall schematic for where everything is going to be within the space and now what is left to do is detail. I want to further explore materials, ceiling heights and textures, and lighting within the studios. But i need to do this only for maybe 2 more days because it's time to produce! We are going to begin final production of our group design and hopefully everything will wrap up smoothly with the rest of the week. Our goal as a group is to have everything complete by Sunday 3rd, so that Monday we can print and be rested for Tuesdays presentation... hopefully all follows as planned.

Countdown to Cinco de Mayo!

Since our pre-final review I have taken a step back from our lee street studio because my program document for my summer thesis project is due tomorrow! Needless to say I've spent my last few days focusing on that... but now its done and its time to hone in on the home stretch of this semester! 

... 13 days and counting

Pre-Final Review

This past Thursday we had our pre-final review, the last time to present our work and get feedback before the final. Our main goal for this review was to have our overall building design nailed down. This included space planning and floorplans, sections, exterior materials selections, form of the building etc. Our group has gotten a lot accomplished in the last week or two and I think it showed in our review. We got great feedback on how the building has progressed and reached its final form.
This perspective shows the front facade of the building as you would see it from Lee Street. The west side of the building houses the studios and offices and the east side houses classrooms, labs, library, auditorium, art supply/book store and a cafe. Because this facade faces south there will be a great deal of direct light into the spaces. On the studio wing we are proposing to use custom louvers that span through all 4 studio floors and can rotate to block the sun into the studio. These louvers will always be moving and will create interest on this facade. The east wing features undulating windows made of photovoltaic glass. This will help absorb some of the light and use the energy to operate things within the building. There is a feature wall right inside these windows that acts as the hallway to get to the different spaces on this side of the building. This wall is going to be made of slats of wood laid horizontally with small slits between them. They will be back lit and will create very interesting light patterns especially at night. With this space acting as the hallway, there will be a lot of movement as the students and professors move back and forth across this facade. 
There will be a green roof on the east wing that will follow the extrusions on the back facade of the building. The west wing will house solar panels, and we are also exploring rainwater collection systems.

We did receive some criticisms on the back side of the building (facing the RR tracks) that I do agree with. This side of the building is mainly about the views that it has to downtown and over the tracks to the rest of campus, so we wanted to make sure there were ample windows to take advantage of these views. We also incorporated vertical extrusions to this side of the building (more visible in the model) that begin to break up the horizontal elements while informing the user what is behind the walls. Our critics pointed out that these extrusions need to be covered with a different material so that you can notice there presence and see its importance. Also the windows on this facade of the building look too "condo complex-y" and we need to rethink the use of such traditional windows on such a modern structure.This section is cut through the studio wing. 

Basement/ ground floor- wood shop

1st floor- offices

2nd floor- first year studio

3rd floor- second year studio

4th floor- third and fourth year studio

5th floor- fifth year and grad studio

The doors aligned on the right side of this section, show where the fire stair is located and along the left signed you can see how the louver system will penetrate through all the studio floors.
This section cuts through the entire building and shows the atrium space that is adjoining each wing. The large brown vertical element illustrates the location of our feature stair that is still in development. There is a floating critique room that peeks into the atrium and looks out over the green roof on the east wing. 

Studio Environments

These are some images of studio spaces that I find inspirational when it comes to break out spaces for teams, pairs or individuals. I want to make sure the studio environment that I design has an atmosphere that is dynamic and enforces team work and creativity. 

Whistle while you work

To be productive and focused, students need to be well motivated, and the design of their workplace can make a big difference. These are some of the things that I want to implement in my design of the studio spaces

*Natural Light- Every student must have views to the exterior from 

  their desk

*Color that alleviates boredom and creates interest, but still allows 

  student work to be the focal point of the environment

*Comfortable and ergonomic furniture

*Shared social spaces- encourage interaction
          Team break out spaces
          Lounge break out spaces

          Class gathering area (discussions, announcements...)

*Pin-up space for casual critique 

*Communal Storage for scrap materials, magazines, supplies etc.

*Open, collaborative, contextual environment

*Clear signage for visitors/new students

*Individual space where students can personalize 

*Environment that supports departmental values (Bauhaus)

I found a few helpful websites, they specifically address workplace design in relation to offices but I believe that the same principles can be applied to student studio spaces. 

Psychological Principles of Workplace Design 
Principles for creating a good office
Building places where people can work together

Design for the Changing Workplace

Window to the World

I went to Arizona this past weekend with my boyfriend and his family for his cousins Bat Mitzvah. It was 6 am as our first flight was taking off, I was sitting by the window overlooking the planes wing which intrigued me to think about flight. The fact that this massive structure with 100 people inside it, is floating in the air is phenomenal to me. Technology has allowed us to do so many things and it brings me back to Zumthors words...

"There is power in the ordinary things of everyday life... we only have to look at them long enough to see it."

This was my view of the world that morning.

Pushin and Pullin

Our group is continuing to refine our design and the images below show some of the sketches that we have worked on in this process. We are thinking of the floor plates as continuous and eliminating the boxy feel of the atrium area. We have also decided to have the front of the atrium pop in 15 feet so that it lines up with the hallway wall and allows the floor plates to visibly connect without something piercing through and cutting the building in half.

Group Progression

So we have had a lot of progression on our project in the last couple weeks but still have a lot to develop. The images below are diagrams that illustrate our plan (as of the pin-up today). We extended the shape of the studio wing so that it is longer and more narrow to allow more "real-estate" against the windows for the views to campus and downtown that we feel are so important to our design. We also established a structural system as far as columns/beams and structural walls. 

Everyone in our group has very dynamic ideas for the spaces within and outside of the building and unfortunately the images we showed in our pin-up today (like the ones below) do not properly illustrate where our group is headed as an overall gesture. The programatic diagrams seem boxy and the sketchup model we showed only has floor plates and columns modeled. I really hate that we didn't properly convey our vision to everyone today, but it is a lesson to ourselves for the future to make sure the message is clear... lesson learned.

We met as a group after studio and decided that in plan, we have lost the dynamic feeling that we had in previous iterations. The space within the building that each of us are detailing will have great qualities but in plan it is getting lost, we have refined and refined so that it has gotten to plain, and safe!  We are attempting to bring some spirited shapes back into the building form and I think that nailing down a solid concept will help us to accomplish this.  

Below is my beginning exploration of the studio wing, that began to inform how this wing of the building could be reshaped to bring interest back into the form.  Having the long wall on the north side is very important to hold onto because it utilizes the views and allows everyone in the studio to take advantage of them. But the south and west sides have potential to be pushed/pulled/angled...

Possible Thesis Sites

I've begun to look at different buildings and sites off of Lee St. near downtown that could possibly be used for my thesis project. This one is the Old Greensborough Gateway Center which currently has space leased out for studios, shop areas, storage, light manufacturing etc. This might not be the best choice as it is currently occupied but it offers a great location on the corner of Lee St. and Elm St. and has the most potential for a very successful mixed use facility. Its size is and original features are appealing and I could see it being an interesting modern renovation. 

This building is on the corner of Lee St and Eugene St, which is also a great downtown location. It is a smaller footprint but I could imagine having the residential portion of the building added on top. I don't know if structurally I could add additional floors on this building but it would be an interesting contrast between the original base and new top. The site also has an open area to the left of the building on the corner which I envision as an interesting corner cafe or small gathering area.
This building is a little further from downtown but is on Lee Street, just before you get to Tate St. It was built between 1924-1926 and is listed as a historical structure.  I know this building is currently occupied, either a auto garage or a metal working shop... not sure. Maybe its both, one on each level? The size of it is appealing but would need some major exterior (and I'm sure interior) work because it looks pretty worn, but seems structurally sound.... I see potential. 
This building's address is on Fulton Street, but its site goes all the way up to Lee so there is potential to use this building as a main facility and incorporate new buildings on the site that connect to each other. This and the one above are in walking distance to UNCG and Greensboro College so this is a plus.  Built in 1910, this building is listed as a historical structure, it is currently vacant but once was the Wysong and Miles Company Offices. 

Thesis Proposal

So I know its been a week since my last post but boy has it been a busy one... I'll have to catch you up! I will be doing my thesis this summer which begins on May 20 so there is a lot of preparation going on now for that, because the summer thesis is only 2 months!  My thesis proposal was due today to Anna Marshall-Baker, who will be my professor this summer, and I've typed it below so you can take a look.  Anyone feel free to comment or give me suggestions etc. 

This semester I am in the Lee Street Studio, which is focusing on the revamping of West Lee Street as proposed by the City of Greensboro in the Lee Street/High Point Road Corridor Plan. Currently I am working on an educational building that would house the “School of Architecture” and act as a face for UNCG by extending the campus onto Lee Street. The corridor plan explains what is in this area now and what the city envisions for its future. It is broken down into three separate areas:

• The University/Mixed Use Village (from Eugene to UNCG)
• The Sports and Recreation Village (Coliseum Complex area)
• The Convention and Hospitality Village (Koury Center and I-40)

For my summer thesis project I want to do an extension of this semesters work. I plan on continuing to focus on the UNCG/Mixed Use Village (area from Eugene to UNCG) but working on a project that addresses housing and retail as opposed to the educational portion of this area. The Lee Street Corridor Plan indicates the demand for both student and faculty/staff oriented housing near campus, and encourages the adaptive reuse of existing structures whenever possible.

“Given the connection to area universities, and the district’s location proximate to Downtown Greensboro, a marketing strategy would emphasize the area’s eclectic character an interesting mix of land uses. Rather than wholesale demolition of industrial buildings and service uses, there is potential for an interesting mix of uses that would be appealing to new residents while also serving the needs of businesses in the downtown area.”

The plan also outlines specific market niches the want to aim for in this area of town:
• Housing: UNCG, A&T, Greensboro College, Bennett College, Elon Law School
• Industrial: Craft industries, contracting, bakery/foodservice
• Entertainment: Industrial dance clubs
• Retail: Ground-floor convenience in mixed-use; sales & service
• Specialty: Artist live/work, gallery space


What is the project?
Mixed-Use facility encompassing housing, and one other market niche listed above (dependent upon location, building and site)
Who does it affect?
The Greensboro Community, students/faculty of universities, young professionals, neighboring building owners and users…
Why is it necessary? What is the significance?
Help to accomplish the cities vision for enhancing this area of town and follow through with the master plan already in action. Also it responds to the growing university populations and needs, while enhancing Greensboro’s growing eclectic downtown area.
What will your design response entail? What do you intend to do?
I intend on renovating an existing building on Lee Street to create a unique and interesting place for students or professionals to live that is upscale but affordable with the excitement of a mixed-use living situation. I will design with sustainable principles and use research in environmental psychology to help me make design decisions throughout the project.

Thinking Architecture by Peter Zumthor

When reading this book for class I was very inspired by Zumthor's words. Below are some of the points that really stood out to me and gave me a new look on design. 

"We must constantly ask ourselves what the use of a particular material could mean in a specific architectural context."

"Architecture has its own realm. It has a special physical relationship with life. I do not think of it primarily as either a message or a symbol, but as an envelope and background for life which goes on in and around it, a sensitive container for the rhythm of footsteps on the floor, for the concentration of work, for the silence of sleep."

"Details, when they are successful, are not mere decoration. They do not distract or entertain. They lead to an understanding of the whole of which they are an inherent part."

"There is a power in the ordinary things of everyday life... we only have to look at them long enough to see it."

"We must construct a radial system of approach that enables us to see the work of architecture as a focal point from different angles simultaneously: historically, aesthetically, functionally, personally, passionately."

"Works or objects of art that move us are multifaceted; they have numerous and perhaps endless layers of meaning that overlap and interweave, and that change as we change our angle of observation."

"... accept the challenge of looking long, patiently, and exactly and of discovering and understanding things."

"...it is only between the reality of things and the imagination that the spark of the work of art is kindled."

"The strength of a good design lies in ourselves and in our ability to perceive the world with both emotion and reason."

"A plan, a project drawn on paper is not architecture but merely a more or less inadequate representation of architecture, comparable to sheet music. Music needs to be performed. Architecture needs to be executed. Then its body can come into being. And this body is always sensuous."