UNCG Senior Year

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2009-06-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

The NEXUS that Connects us

2009-05-27T06:44:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-12T11:07:00.001-07:00

Lee Street Studio Final

2009-05-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

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!!

2009-04-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-04-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-04-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-19T19:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-02T21:52:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-01T20:02:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

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."

Detailed Design Plan

2009-03-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Individual Design Focus
We have each chosen an aspect of our group project that we want to focus on as individuals. We will work as a cohesive whole but focus on the integral parts.
Jessi    Landscape (public art park)
Matt    Core/Entry
Kemena    Retail (book store/art supply store)
Debbie       Food Service (cafe, signage)
ME    Studios and work spaces (environmental psychology)
Marianne Product Design (studio desks)

Individual Responsibilities

Each of us will act as the coordinator for a different aspect of our project. The coordinator will make sure everyone is pulling their weight in that section of the project and will be responsible for organizing files and bringing together that part of the project.

CAD      Marianne
3-D Model      ME
Perspectives   Matt
Model      Jessi
Presentation Debbie and Kemena

Important Due Dates

March 26 General Building Form Finalized

March 31 Group Pin-up: Individual Schematics

April 2 Informal Class Pin-up:

Templates for Presentation

Preliminary Individual Design Work

Working CAD drawings

April 7 Charette 5

April 9 Group Pin-up: Pre-Pre-Final

April 14 Layout Discussion

April 16 Formal Pre-Final Critique:

Individual Design Work Finalized

Final CAD Drawings

Materials, Working Perspectives

Model of Bldg/Site

April 20-24 Production Week: final tweaking and producing

April 24 GOAL FOR COMPLETION

April 25 Annual Iarc Beaux Arts Ball

April 28 Print Presentation Boards

April 29 Model Finished

April 30 Official Critiques

I love free books!

2009-03-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

So I went to a Sustainability Book Fair on campus today and put my name in for a raffle... and won!! I got to pick one of the featured books! I chose Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken which addresses "How The Largest Movement In The World Came Into Being, and Why No One Saw It Coming." I'm super excited about it! Definitely the highlight of my day and I'm sure I will be sharing tidbits from it once I have a chance to dive in!

Individual Design Exploration

2009-03-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

*How can a space enhance human functioning and well-being?
*How can a space with nature foster social ties and relationships?
*How can work/school settings with attributes such as natural lighting and natural ventilation, improve satisfaction, enhance performance and reduce stress?
*How can contact with nature enhance intellectual performance and problem solving?

As we move to the next part of our project these are some of the questions that arise in my head. I want to focus on the studios and the work spaces in our building and deal with the environmental psychology aspect of space, with a sustainable approach. These are some sketches and brainstorming I did for our pin-up.

exploring different ways of sunscreening the south wall. There is an opportunity for lounge spaces on the north-east corner because of its great potential for views downtown and over campus which can help de-stress, during a break.

Opportunity for lookout at the top of the "core" tower that has amazing views all around the building.

Necessary development of landscape and park. What brings the community into the space and welcomes instead of excludes?

Blog Wordle

2009-03-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

Jimmy was talking in class about this online tool called Wordle so I decided to check it out. It's a really cool tool that you can insert a bunch of text and it produces a graphic using those words, making the ones that occur the most the biggest, and you can pick your own color scheme. There is an option to type in a web-address and it will use the words from that website. So I decided to make a wordle of my blog and this is what I got!

St. Patrick's Day Pipes!

2009-03-20T01:07:00.000-07:00

Travis gave us a special treat and played a piece from his Irish Pipes on St. Patrick's Day. Matt was able to video tape this musical treat, check it out here

Material Study

2009-03-19T11:17:00.001-07:00

Investigation of materials, both exterior and interior, for our design that are contextual, sustainable, regional and innovative.

Nysan Solar Control

Smartfix

Green Screen

Goldray Industries Ltd.

Modwalls

Johnsonite

Atlanta Trip!

2009-03-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

The senior class from our Interior Architecture program was able to take a trip to Atlanta where we visited some furniture showrooms along with several leading architecture firms.

View from our hotel room

Herman Miller Showroom

Eames molded plywood chair

Coconut Chair

Knoll showroom

Baby Diamond Chair

The Womb!

Group Shot outside of Perkins+Will

...and last but not least, Travis in the baby diamond!!

Site + Building Review

2009-03-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

From our review on March 5th this some of the feed back our group received regarding our project.

* Exaggerate the gesture of the building, make core taller, emphasize views and importance
* Think about the park and the exterior more. How does the ground floor open to the outside?
* Maybe the beams on the first floor lobby/gallery space extend down into the site and up into the interior
* Core needs to be exaggerated, made more important, grow in footprint and in height
* Spread out the building to connect to the site
* Core should connect better to the site to represent the trunk/root idea
* Ask yourselves what is Lee Street missing? what can we give to Lee Street?
* Show the active park. Why do people want to be there?
* Think about progression to the building. The minute you park is the minute you being the experience with the building. Where do you park? How do you walk to the building? What do you experience along the way? What brings you inside?
*Missing drawings that would have explained our ideas better:
Sections to explain stacking and how ground floor interacts with the site
Secondary circulation diagrams
Site plan showing park and parking (at least location)

Site + Building Design

2009-03-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

When beginning our building design, our group decided to do a little thing we call "Form-Storm". We each started a drawing of what we thought the building should look like and after 1-2 minutes we passed it to the next person, until we each had drawn a little on each one. The three above were the most influential to our design process.

This is a conceptual plan of how the space in our building will be laid out. There is an emphasis on a central core with two separate wings containing different program spaces.

We began exploring with how the exterior of this building will appear. Going back to our goals, we want to emphasis the central core, create a gestural movement for those driving by or pedestrians on the site, while also having an innovative use of materials

These perspectives illustrate our final idea for this portion of the project. We want to continue to develop the exterior materials and park space but we are excited as to where this project is headed!

Night-Light Study

2009-02-24T17:10:00.000-08:00

Our group decided to take a walk around campus at night and look at other campus buildings and the way the light interacts with the site around it. I found this inspirational and helpful when thinking about how we will integrate lighting in our building not just during the day but at night as well... when many students will be in the space.

Large rotunda above the back stairs at the EUC

Large rotunda at the front entrance of the EUC

View from the Library tower, looking over the EUC, the Mossman building and the Oakland parking deck

Looking the opposite direction from the Library tower over the Caf and fountain courtyard (a little blurry b/c I took it through a window)

Entrance to the Library from College Ave.

Newly constructed Pedestrian bridge from College Ave to the Petty Building

Bridge from another angle

Detail of the material on the bridge to petty with lights below highlighting

Bridge to Petty

Bridge to Music Building

The New Science Building

Gatewood Studio Arts Building

Goals for our Building Form

2009-02-24T10:25:00.000-08:00

Our group decided to set some goals for our building and some guidelines for how we imagine its form to help us get started in collaborating as a team.

1. Iconic building for Greensboro and UNCG
2. Support a sustainable environment
3. Create a gestural movement for commuters driving by and pedestrians on the site
4. On-site park/ public art area that connects to the building
5. Innovative, non-traditional use of materials
6. Walkways/terraces that lead you outdoors, throughout the building
7. Juxtaposition of curves and linear form (representing where greensboro was and where it is going)
8. Consideration for day-lighting and night-lighting
9. Playing with solids and voids
10. Creating a landmark

Design Charette

2009-02-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

When I first began thinking about the building I was approaching it in a very conventional way. I imagined a building with a large rotunda on the corner and two wings extending from either side, acting as a "welcoming gateway" to UNCG and the city.

I then realized that have a wall lining the street wasn't very welcoming at all and began to reshape this idea thinking of the wings opening up towards the corner like an actual gateway.

I began thinking about the program and how I would organize space within the building. I imagine the offices, resources etc all being on one wing and the studio space on another with an open two-story atmosphere.

I wanted to explore ways of manipulating form to increase interaction with the building and the site. This idea creates a rhythm that interests people driving by, while creating a form that allows pedestrians to interact directly with the front of the building instead of just a long flat wall. The roof structure extends over the back of the building creating covered areas for outdoor use.

For our sites location there is opportunity to bridge across the railroad tracks to the main part of campus, and i wanted to explore the option of a pedestrian bridge incorporated into the building. This design lacks an interesting footprint but i felt that there was opportunity to experiment with innovative materials to bring interest.

After thinking about bridging to the campus I thought about ways to actually have the building bridge the railroad tracks. This could create some interesting studio spaces that overlook the train. Also if the building is over the tracks, it leaves more space on the site for courtyards or interesting mixed use buildings to support the studio arts facility.

I tried to push myself to think more conceptually and played with forms that don't look like typical buildings.

Continuing with my exploration of abstract form I came up with a concept that reflects the activity occurring in the building. The shape creates interest when driving down Lee Street and the progression and scale of the building reflects the progression of the design process and students ventures into the future.

So What Now??

2009-02-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

The main thing that stuck out to me in our review from Thursday was Patrick and Travis' question: "So What Now?" What does all of this programming and research stuff mean? Where do we go from here? What conclusions can we draw from our findings?

I think that this is important for everyone to answer individually, because this is how ideas and concepts will begin to form themselves. The idea that stood out most for me is this idea of our site acting as a seam that binds the community and the campus. Another point that was brought up on Thursday was the idea that our site is a transition. A transition from campus to community, a transition from past to future, a transition from consumption to sustainability etc. Using our site as a gateway into Greensboro and as a face for UNCG has been an idea from the master-plan that all of us have embraced, but how do we integrate all of these concepts into a building? and how do we make that building portray the message we want while still holding all of the activities and programming needs that it requires?

This is what I have begun to explore for this week's charette, and we are now challenged to face the question

So What Now?

Late Night!!

2009-02-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

Now I know that the programming/precedent/site analysis portion of any design project is extremely important because it lays the foundation for your design... but man am I glad this part is over! I'm ready to design and I'm ready to be working in smaller groups! Organizing one document with 17 people is difficult especially when everyone doesn't pull their own weight. Its been a really long time since I stayed in studio until 4:00 am and I almost forgot what it feels like! but I know the hard work will pay off in the end.

Over and out

Reinvestment Corridor

2009-02-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

I noticed this sign on my drive home one day!

Site Design Narrative: First Draft

2009-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

Please feel free to comment... I'm not sure if I should elaborate more on each point or leave it concise and up for interpretation of each design group. Let me know your opinion!

1. Seam vs. Edge
2. Gateway
3. Pedestrian Access
4. Sustainability

Our site is situated on Lee Street and is part of a large corridor that the City of Greensboro is looking to re-invent. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s vision for the future is to redefine the university as an inclusive, collaborative, and responsive institution that makes a difference in the lives of the students and community it serves. By investing in this corridor plan and extending UNCG’s campus onto this site, it will allow the university to have a greater influence on its surrounding community thus realizing its vision.
Currently, the other three sides of campus are integrated into the adjacent neighborhoods and the campus merges with the rest of Greensboro. The south side of campus doesn’t allow for this same intermingling, but is abruptly cut off by the railroad tracks and a chain-link fence that has been erected. Our goal is to break these boundaries by extending campus to the other side of the tracks and allowing it to become a seam that binds together campus and the south side of Greensboro.
The UNCG campus is right on the other side of this stretch of land, but from Lee Street there is no evidence of this diverse and exciting community. We plan on using our site as a gateway that invites travelers commuting from I-40 into Greensboro, and also as a face for UNCG on this important corridor.
One of the main issues dealing with this site is the fact that is on the opposite side of the railroad tracks from campus. This aspect will really help when dealing with integrating the community instead of blocking them out, but the problem that arises is how to get students and faculty from the main campus to this site safely. Through our design we plan to address this problem thoroughly and investigate different options of pedestrian access from bike lanes, bus routes and access bridges.
The City of Greensboro strives to be a leader in sustainability and we feel that this is a very important aspect to consider when dealing with the site. Since this land will act as a gateway into our city and our university we want it to represent what we stand for and lead by example for the rest of the community. We plan on designing and building on this site using the guidelines from the LEED reference standards and focusing on site specific credits such as parking capacities, pedestrian access, community connectivity, heat island effect and site development.

Site Images

2009-01-27T07:55:00.000-08:00

These are some photographs of the site, before my camera decided to die!

This is the corner of Lee Street and Tate Street, looking at the bridge that leads into campus.

Industries of the Blind. This building is on the corner of Lee and Tate and is currently owned by the University, but what to do with it?

Looking through the parking lot of Industries of the Blind. In the background, past the RR tracks is our Studio Arts Building

This sidewalk is very narrow and unappealing, you almost get scared to walk down it. With the cars flying past you and the building reaching the edge, it is just not comfortable or enticing to students or others in the community.

Lee Street

2009-01-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

These are images of our site from the Greensboro GIS website, and google earth

Site Analysis

2009-01-25T20:34:00.000-08:00

UNCG's campus is growing more with each semester, and with a higher student population there is a need for more student housing, parking, classrooms and other needed facilities to support this educational network. Currently the south end of campus is marked by the railroad tracks between Spring Garden Street and Lee Street, and there is a chain-link fence blocking access to the tracks, i suppose for safety reasons. UNCG is planning to purchase the land on the other side of these tracks along West Lee Street to use for overflow of campus needs. This land is literally and figuratively, "On the other side of the tracks" and isn't viewed as safe or appealing by many of the students and locals.

I am working in the Site Analysis group and there are a handful of things we are investigating and measuring about our site.
We want to consider the other edges of campus that seem more integrated into the surrounding community. Things such as landscape and pedestrian accesses help them feel like a part of the community and not fenced off or separated. The overall curb appeal has a lot to do with this as well; how wide are the streets, sidewalks, medians? are there trees and plants that make people want to walk down the street and feel safe and comfortable?
The land has a clear gradation, starting level with the RR tracks at the west end, and sloping down at the east end, so that the tracks are higher than the land. This topography is important to understand as we develop our site, and will shape where we place our building, and the form that it will take. We need to also consider different ways to protect students and faculty from the RR tracks without fencing them off, causing a separation to the rest of the campus.
Pedestrian access from this plot of land across the tracks to the rest of campus is going to be a challenge we will face in the design process and needs to be considered early on.

The City of Greensboro and the University both have developed masterplans for this land and its use. The both have a distinct idea of what types of buildings or parking etc. should be placed here, and what style they will have. Once we acquire those documents it will help us make more decisions regarding our project and its development.