CS - Intensive Week Final Review

Comments to come later - feel free to add more.

CS W3 D1: Vision and Intent

I have fairly broad goals for the project, and they all seem to flow between categories. Most important to me is to address the pedestrian scale, to invite the public, and to provide daylighting.

CS W2 - Programming

The bubble diagram reflects the adjacencies I see as crucial:
1. Sleeping rooms away from the rest of the program
2. Dining/Break Room as flex space for the exhibit space
3. Exhibit space as almost a lobby extension, where students/faculty will travel through on a daily basis.

Space efficiency is key, as students will be sequestered in the classroom wing for most of the day but will need minimal travel distance to computers, food, lounge, etc. A secured storage room solely for students will save them lugging laptops, supplies, purses etc. everywhere with them. Lounge rooms in the dorm area are important not only for relaxing but also for late night group study or chats. The rooms themselves should be very utilitarian but comfortable, providing ample space to not be bumping into your bunk mate.

AT W2 - High and Low Priorities

3 High Priorities
- Renewable Material Construction
- Natural Indirect Daylighting
- Environmental Impact on Neighborhood

3 Low(er) Priorities
- Sustainability of Building Materials (last a long time and do not soon need replaced or repaired)
- Indoor/Outdoor Spatial Relationships
- Easy Adaptability for Future Use

One thing that I see so often, especially in Ohio, is that old schools that have been in use for nearly 100 years are being torn down and replaced. These buildings are still beautiful but have unfortunately reached the end of their life-span as school buildings due to new requirements for schools. The down side is, that the buildings they are replacing them with are barely made to last 30 years - single ply roof systems, kynar gutters and downspouts, split-face block that will hold onto all graffiti - because of such tight budget constraints. The schools are built to the inch with the "ideal" square footage per student per classroom, but the world doesn't work that way. One year there may be the ideal 25 students per class, the next there could be 33.

I think it is important that buildings are built with renewable materials and with a deisgn that makes it simple to change use of spaces from year to year. Also, sites should not be clear cut or impose on their neighbors, as the energy-efficient effects of one building may counter-act another.

AT W2 - Ecological Footprint

Ecological Footprint

I have taken this quiz before, and I really think that even with just a few short questions it has a strong impact on thinking about the way you live. I live in a small brick house and drive 15 miles a day, create just 1 average size bag of trash per week and yet if everyone lived like me we would need 3.9 planets! My total footprint is 18 acres, with the average in the US being 24 and with just 4.5 biologically productive acres per person worldwide.

I live in a walkable neighborhood with grocery, restaurants and bars all within walking distance. I mow my small lawn with a push mower with no motor, drive a fuel-efficient vehicle, and rarely water my plants or lawn. I recycle just about everything I can, at work and home. I could improve my score by eating less meat and dairy, but I love cheese! I would love to travel by motorbike, but I am not quite ready for that kind of commitment. I don't really need to use air conditioning, but my boyfriend works from home and I think he would have gone insane if he had no AC these past few weeks! We do have a programmable thermostat.

I am so interested in everyone's scores! Can't wait to see them.

CS W2 - Initial Program

For comparison - will add more as I think more about it.

AT W1 - Climate Analysis

Boston, Massachusetts is located at Latitude 42.35, Longitude -71.07.

Sunpath:
At the Fall and Spring Solstice, the sun rises just before 6:00 AM and sets just after 6:00 PM and rises to an ultimate height of 47 degrees above the horizon. At the Winter Solstice, the sun rises at approximately 7:30 AM and sets at approximately 4:30 PM, rising to 24 degrees above the horizon. At the Summer Solstice, the sun rises at approximately 4:30 AM and sets at approximately 7:30 PM, rising to 72 degrees above the horizon.

Wind Rose:
Boston seems on average to have wind consistently from all directions over the year. In the winter months (January through March), most wind comes from the East and West, with the majority coming from the northwest. In the spring (March through June), the wind is mostly from the west. In summer, June through September, the wind comes from all directions, with strong winds from the northeast. In fall, September through December, the wind is very strong from all directions except the southeast.

The wind temperature year-round is between 35 and 70 degrees. Monthly, the wind temperature is between 35 and 70 from the east except for July, when it raises to 70 to 75 degress. The temperature from the west varies throughout the year, from below 32 degrees in January to 75 to 100 degrees in June, July, and August. Most humidity comes from the east winds, due to the Atlantic Ocean.

Temperature and Relative Humidity Range:
The January design temperature low is 5 degrees, and in July the design temperature high is 92. The monthly means of relative humidity hovers around 67% for all but 3 months of the year, February, March and May, when it is around 60%.

Wind Speed and Direction:
Wind speeds are fairly consistent year round, monthly means staying between 10 and 15 mph, with the stronger winds in the winter months. Mean wind direction is from the south west.

Sunshine:
Annually, Boston sees an average 58% sunshine, although the average low percentage of sun is approximately 22% and the average high percentage of sun is 92%.

Psychrometric Chart:

CS W1 - Process Sheets

The Source

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What the article doesn't mention is that the biggest investors, including British Petroleum, Mitsubishi, and Fiat, will receive major carbon-credits for their investment.

It fascinates me that the layout of this city is so opposite any development going on in the US. It is so reminiscent of ancient cities, with buildings close together with interior piazzas. This development is taking place in one of the most oil-rich nations in the world. It is not entirely self-sustaining, although I don't know that any land in the UAE could be. Since the development seems to allow no agricultural land, is being "only" carbon neutral enough?

CS W1 - Revision 1

OK, so I took the comments and thought about it more. I kept the simplicity of the original but tweaked the gradual transition and the separation of 1A and 1B.

CS W1 - First Draft

First draft below. I don't know that the spaces created are very interesting, but I tried to create the necessary transitions with the least moves possible for simplicity.