Micro Living

By: Patrick Szczecina

            The Architect Gary Chang lives in downtown Hong Kong, in an  apartment that he designed that would be able to transform into 24 different rooms. The apartment is 32sqm (344sqft) which contains in view only walls, a couch, bookshelves and other shelving units.

            Chang has lived in this apartment since the age of 14 and once his parents moved out he started to modify the interior so that he can maximize the space. In 1976 the apartment had a kitchen near the entry, a bathroom, seating area, 2 bedrooms (master) and an office space, which all created a tight space with little movement. That was the layout in 1976, in 1987 he started to configure the space and by 2006 the apartment was able to be transformed to 24 different rooms. So how does it work (Link below shows a better explanation).

            The apartment came with 3 renovations, which all in overtime created the apartment it is today. The apartment uses moveable walls, which are suspended on steel tracks which are connected to the ceiling. The main areas that are tucked into the wall are the kitchen (slides out), bed, bathroom (doesn’t move instead it’s a space in the wall), closest (opens out), dining area (table that comes out of the wall). The rooms that can be created are ones such as a library, spa, laundry, game room, guest room. This shows that the need for large areas isn’t necessary instead it is a “Want”, while Mr. Chang shows that his apartment is able to create multiple different spaces that are used only when they are needed. This idea falls into my thesis in the idea that we are wasting space. We aren’t utilizing spaces very efficiently, in this aspect its how much time we spend in them. For instance a bedroom we use to sleep (6-10 hours daily), study for 2 hours and the rest its not used. Now the kitchen, this area is used in the morning 30min and for dinner 1-2 hours, and the rest of the day it isn’t used due to the fact people are at work or out of the house. The idea of having the rooms be used only when needed (Mr. Changs apartment) is a good idea, it saves on the space and the energy needed to cool / warm the apartment (or a house).

Shows a walkthrough of the structure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0zZfpe2v1g

This shows 24 layouts - http://www.archdaily.com/59905/gary-chang-life-in-32-sqm

My experience with Rhino 3D and Grasshopper 3D software

By: Kristina Shrestha

We are half way through the spring 2016 semester. After the spring break there were tons of things that we were supposed to do like prepare for review 2 presentation, Professional practice exam and projects of Global Traditions. This spring break I was learning to use Rhino 3D and Grasshopper. Rhino is very good in making malleable structure which could be made within seconds that would take days to do in Revit. I started learning Revit in the fall 2015 semester and I did my fall project in Revit. Since, I started using Revit my life has been so much easier.

Rhino was very helpful to create surfaces which are curve and those which are very complex. Grasshopper is a 3D application which work with Rhino 3D. You can place complex mathematical equations that can be used to form the form. It has in build functions like voronoi cells, Delaunay triangulation, different geometry, etc. which would take hours to work in Rhino. The lines and surfaces that are created in Rhino 3D can be manipulated in multiple of ways. The functions of grasshopper are designed in tabs and it has wires which joins one function with the other. Also, there are plugins like Lunchbox, honeybee, human, etc. which can be installed in grasshopper which are used to make complex structures. 

Many experimental research of pre fabrication system are done through the grasshopper 3D tool. It is also useful to 3d print with accuracy of complex structures. I have been using Rhino 3D and Grasshopper 3D applications for my thesis. It has been about two – three weeks that I started using these software. It is time consuming for me as it is a heavy file as I have a large building for my thesis. I have been using these software to design a roof for my project. I have been experimenting with voronoi cell walls and honeycomb roof.

Some of the pictures of my experimental projects are as follows:

Curve Wall

Hexagonal Wall Design

Waffle Roof

Planned Communities

By: Josh West

Alternative design developments and how developers incorporate passive and progressive strategies into a harmonious balance between humans, architecture, education and nature will improve the lives of the people in multiple ways. By understanding what the people want and need and not just what the city would like to see, can help fix all of the underlying problems a community has. Many major cities across the country and around the world are fighting with the great amount of economic, social and environmental issues, and coming to realization of not enough space. A development that can bring all these problems together, fix them and create a stronger city – Planned Communities. Planned Communities, or New Towns, are nothing new. Undeveloped areas, once started and left to never finish, are found everywhere around the world. These spaces are left sitting without a purpose, once knowing how much of an impact they could be, within their community. Planned Communities are a realistic option that can one, utilize the undeveloped areas around cities and two, push a development that can maximize growth and enhance the surrounding communities.

Planned Communities, or new towns, is defined as a newly developed or expanded urban center. These communities should be self-contained, self-sustaining, and balanced community, with a relatively independent economic base and minimal commuting patterns. A well balanced community should have a diversified mixture of residential, commercial and institutional uses to minimize commuting behaviors and within the community is a land-use pattern that should offer a variety of employment and housing to its residents. It should also be self-governed within its distinct physical boundaries and should preserve and enhance natural environments.

The urban quality of life is primarily linked to the social quality of the urban environment. The new town concept is directed toward providing an ideal social atmosphere through the careful consideration of all physical elements in terms of their social implications. From here, we try to understand the significance of satisfying human relationships. This is where the city decides if they develop for the people or just the area. Urbanization has resulted in far larger numbers of inhabitants per community and it has been virtually impossible to bring all these residents into a large-scale socialization. People have always been likely to socialize with others who are geographically near than with the great numbers of people in large urban centers (Golany, 1975).  One major discussion of any community concept is to have multiple uses within it to bring functions and people together. Many larger cities have been breaking their surrounding communities, encouraging total land use segregation, leading to the minimization of social interaction.

Architectural Diagramming

By: Ken Howder

            Diagramming our ideas and concepts to clearly  communicate with clients, other architects, and the general public is an important poart of what we do in this field.  The main reason we do this is because, like any other profression or hobby undertaken by a person, is that the more you work with something specific, the more you understand it – the better you are at interpreting the information in front of you whether graphical or not.  However, throughout my 5 years of academic architecture, I have noticed a vast difference betweent different peoples diagramming skills.  This raises a question of whether or not there should be certain defined standards for presenting a concept (referring specifically to the “common” concepts of flow, solid/void, relation, etc).  With that being said, I would like to give a few examples of some poorly done diagrams vs some that are fairly decent – Note that these are just diagrams found on google from the generic search parameter of “architectural diagram.”

http://buildipedia.com/images/masterformat/Channels/At_Home/5.25.11_house_of_the_month/plans/House_of_the_month_Fairfield_Residence_Fairfield_concept_diagram.jpg

1)      First up, we have this “evolution diagram.”  Apparently the owner of this was attempting to communicate how and why he/she came up with the design style and shape.  This sounds like a reasonable attempt of communication I suppose, but why are diagrams such as these needed?  Could this person not simply have explained how they came to their final design?  From looking and the simplicity of this design, I would have to argue a strong “yes” and that this diagram serves no purpose whatsoever for their project other than to provide “eye candy.”

https://www.pinterest.com/linseed813/architectural-diagrams/

2)      Next is this diagram.  This designer has provided someone with their four-step process that led them from a box to, well, a box with a couple more boxes added onto it.  This is another example of what I would consider a diagram that is worth nothing.  What is this even telling us? He/she started with a box, cut out the front for an unexplained reason, slapped a slab on top and offset it a bit for another unexplained reason, then sent something in the lower right corner? (as represented in the final illustration with the two red arrows pointing in that direction).  Again, this diagram looks neat, but how can we be taken seriously if this is the kind of information that we provide?  Were these decisions made for climatic reasons, regulations, or just to create a “modern” looking box?

Both of the designs shown above also have what one might consider (for lack of a better word) a laziness to them.  They proposed boxes offset from boxes to produce some kind of complex box.  Looking at such designs from several angles would give the same result.  However, at least the first one attempted some element of design, as well as what appears to be some kind of decisions on why it has formed that shape.

I found several other diagrams/images that could be torn apart, but for now I will turn this to a couple decent diagram examples.

https://www.pinterest.com/linseed813/architectural-diagrams/

1)       This diagram is ok I believe although It still has a fair amount of “fluff” filling up some areas.  It clearly communicates the different areas of the building and their designated associations.  I am assuming that this diagram (as well as the others) are part of a much larger project, and I would actually be interested to see what else this one had to offer.

https://www.pinterest.com/linseed813/architectural-diagrams/

2)       This is, by far, the best diagram that I ran across from my search.  It’s clean and to the point of what it is trying to explain.  Sound flow and reverberations in the form of the dotted lines is clear.  The labels tell what materials are being used – but more importantly, why they are being used (their absorption properties).  Furthermore, the function of what is going on here could be picked up from a mere glance at the image.

The purpose behind this rant isn’t to bash on other people’s work or say anything too insulting.  It occurs to me, and hopefully some others, that a lot of what we learn and draw in this field (or program) function as “eye candy” at best – Neat looking drawings and diagrams to impress those who look at them, but possess very little needed communicative properties.  Art is a genuine field – perhaps some belong there instead, least we ultimately have to encumber several Frank Gehry's distorting our world with funky architecture.

Norwegian Stave Churches

By: Hunter Wilson

            The religion of Christianity reached the borders of Norway around the year 1000 A.D.  Once Christianity became more prominent, Stave Churches began appearing throughout the land.  These churches contain a rich history that is filled with mythology and traditional craftsmanship.  Stacked, gabled roofs sit atop the dark wooden framing that contains interesting joints.  All of this creating strong and rigid structures that have survived Norway’s conditions for nearly one thousand years.  Only around thirty of these structures still stand to this day and have become a popular destination for visitors.  Visitors are attracted by their unique exterior and intricate mythological detailing.

            Around the mid-1300s, the Black Death struck Norway causing mass disease.  It is believed that nearly 800 to 1,200 stave churches existing throughout Norway.  A few of these churches also reached the lands of Denmark and Sweden.  With the devastation of the Black Plague, stave church construction came to a halt.  Why the art and technique of the stave church disappeared is still in question.  What followed was a method of wood construction very similar to the American western log cabin.  Notched-log construction, as is normally called, was proven not as effective and less stable overall.

            It is important to consider the surrounding landscape when admiring these great structures.  You will not find these stave churches residing in warm weather or in colorful villages.  Rather, these structures rest nestled in the valleys of mountainous Norway.  The churches are largely alone when it comes to proximity to civilization.  The snowy, icy mountains swallow the vast valley in which most of these churches sit.  When viewing the exterior of these stave churches, one can see how the mountains may have been a direct influence on the architecture.  Layered gable roofs mimic the peaks of the mountain tops in the distance.  Despite the snowcapped mountain ranges in the backdrop, the valleys, themselves, contain blossoms and birch foliage that bloom bright during certain parts of the year.  This is the common setting for a majority of these stave churches.  On the other hand, a small number of churches either rest on a green hilltop or at the base of a river fjord.  But what is interesting is how the architecture shifts depending on the setting.  

Continuing Spring Break

By: Jeremy Clow

            As I spoke about in the last Blog I visited three countries over spring break. Mexico, Honduras, and lastly Belize. In the city of Belize and in my previous blog I was traveling through the countryside on a bus experience vast amounts of architecture as well as environments. From empty landscapes and fields to thick jungles that seem impassable. The architecture of the country seemed so different than anything I had seen before. The sleeping portions of the homes were built on stilts, walls, or platforms. The space below used passive cooling from the breeze that flowed through it as well as the shade provided from the structure above. The winds also cooled the floors of the sleeping quarters above which would be a huge plus due to the lack of air conditioning. Locals explained that the homes were built up high not only to provide this cool congregation space below but also to stay clear of the “creepy crawlies” that lie below. With thousands of species in the jungle all the homes are in close proximity for exploration. These species also included almost one hundred snakes with over 10 being venomous. One woman told me so many homes appear to be condemned, abandoned, or under construction because loans are nonexistent in the country of Belize. The typical family saves for a couple years, begins construction with the provided funds once this money runs out they start to save again for a couple years before the second phase. The average home can take more than ten years to fully construct for most families. A unique part of Belize is also the construction types and locations. As I spoke of in my last blog the zoning allows for property owners to construct whatever they please. In some areas we passed through a single family would own multiple acres on both sides of the highway. In these key points where two major roads may connect they could construct a variety of shops and opportunities on all sides of the road making each intersection appear to be a small town in itself. Below are some photos I took from the river of new constructions along the water. 

Unconventional Means of Evacuation

By: Hanan Rawashdeh

When having a crisis happening and the situation demands immediate exit of the building such as in cases of fires, tornadoes, hurricane attacks, earthquakes and even terrorist attacks sometimes the standard emergency staircases are just not enough for evacuation. Chutes have been used before by firefighters to increase the speed of evacuation in these cases. But can architecture play a role in enhancing that fast escape?? And has it done so before?

Earlier in the 1880’s metal sliding tubes were added to buildings to provide quick escapes for people to use in severe cases such as fires. Nowadays we don’t see such fire escapes in schools, despite the fact that this method can evacuate a large number of people within a very short period of time.  During the 1870s fire escapes were permanent iron structure attached alongside the buildings, some were normal staircases others were straight ladders but these techniques proved to be inefficient when needed as  some would be in a poor case of erosion and in need of maintenance or simply because people were not used to them. When emergencies that require rapid action are present people tend to escape the same way they normally do on regular times since they are programmed to do so. In hasty moments people tend to quickly jump to the first solution provided without really considering other options and weighing their success. Some didn’t even have knowledge of the location of these exits. As a response architects started to place fire or emergency escape stairs in apparent locations where they are visible and can be used without hazardous situations. This improved the implementation of using the emergency stairs but didn’t exactly help in decreasing the time needed to escape. Furthermore the use of staircases for emergency egress isn’t suitable for the elderly and people with disabilities.

So why not reincorporate what was used before as a means of quick escape from a building? A metal tube, but like the development of fire staircases. This method of escape shouldn’t be just added to the building with no other function, but can be incorporated in the design of the building itself to be used as regularly as any type of circulation method. There are some modern cases where Metal tubes are represented in the design of the building to add dynamic and a sense of lighthearted environment to the place. For example the metal tubes used in Technische Universitat in Munich, Germany and other offices.  It has been taken as a design approach to enhance the environment of the space making it more fun and adaptable to ones needs but can be further exploited to means of quick escape for instance in educational facilities, public buildings and even in hospitals.