Project 01: Space into Form​

​How does space create and control architectural form, and how is space enhanced through the process of detailing and construction? Space in architecture is defined as “the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move”. The idea of this project was for me to explore architectural space to generate a form then investigate tectonics to detail and construct space within the constraints of the real world. My task for this project was to design a small architectural folly in a landscape of my choosing. Unlike your average folly, my structure served a function and was based on multiple factors that affect how the building looks and operates.

Hollowed space

Blurred space

Changing space

Spaces

When given this driving question I was asked to sketch/draw what I thought some of the chosen spaces represented in my head. These would later become potential ideas for my folly's theme.

Project Requirements

 These are the requirements I had during the process
 The functional space was not bigger than a 12 ft cube
 The folly had to accommodate the average human in two of these four ways standing, sitting, laying down, or kneeling/crawling
 The entire folly's structure had to consist of wood framing

The Site: Part 1

For the folly, I had to select a generic landscape/ecosystem from anywhere in the world. The intent of the project was for the folly to exist in an uninhabited natural landscape. The folly then had to be designed to work with the inherent characteristics and qualities of this landscape. After lots of research and a few different ideas I began to lean toward a desert environment; then one day it hit me, I wanted a folly inside of a desert oasis. When I think of an oasis I think of this jewel of an environment, a hard to find object with immense personal value to he who discovers it. Now with an environment in mind I could begin research on all of its aspects and how to build a structurally sound folly in it. 

Preliminary Work: Part 2

Now that I had a site it was time to begin working on the folly design and how it would be incorporated into the environment. I started with sketches and later moved on to study models as a way to work with ideas. As time went on I had several conferences with my peers on how I could improve the design structurally. The ideas changed drastically each time something new came up that I could use to my advantage until I had something completely different than what I started out with.

Drawings

Sketches
Now that I had measurements and a design figured out it was time to create different drawings to represent the folly. During this project I was able to test out the axonometric drawing for the first time (a floor plan rotated at an angle (usually 45°) that then becomes 3D drawing from that perspective). While it was extremely complicated it really worked out for me in the end. Along with that I made various section and and floor plan drawings that helped me visualize the final design.
When I began making sketches I had three main ideas of space that I was working with. Hidden space, complex space, and relaxing space. Although in the end I came up with a single idea. A culmination of the three, the reflective space.

Study models

Final model and Axonometric: Part 3

The next step was the final model. The idea of this folly was to represent reflective space, a double meaning because of mirrors on the outside that reflect the desert environment and the acoustic paneling on the inside that creates a reflective sound barrier once inside. The folly itself is only 8' tall while the steps on the outside go from 1' to 2' to 4', creating a small staircase that gives you access to the inside of the folly which you enter from the top. I wanted to stick with the wood framing idea so instead of using a typical steel ladder for entry I used a thick wooden pole with pegs much like a telephone pole to climb up and down. On the inside of the folly there is a small wooden block you can sit on in the center that is used to launch you into the reflective perspective. While inside the acoustic paneling creates a quiet zone where you can experience complete silence, the mirrors and depth into the folly also help to cool down the inside.
The final axonometric was used on milar so I could paint, color, and shade to get the desired effects. To show the process of creating this I put the floor plan I used to create the axonometric underneath it. I also cut the model in half so you could see the wood framing that made up the entire folly, and painted the outside a brown color to symbolize the desert environment it inhabited.

Project 02: Ft. Worth Cultural District Hotel

 The How can the design of a new building use form and space to enhance the experience of an urban district while adapting to and respecting the integrity of its architectural neighbors? How can we create dynamic, useful, and carefully considered urban space? The goal of this project was to design a hotel in the lot across the Kimbell Art Museum that not only respected the Museum itself but worked with and enhanced the cultural district as whole. The objective was to only design the hotel but to get the word out about how our ideas may influence the design itself.

Research: Part 1

Once the project was made known it was time to begin researching the issues towards a problem such as this, after reading lots of articles and doing reading on the building issues I had a good idea of what was going on. The next step was to go view the site, and the Museum that its construction threatened. The designer of the Kimbell Art Museum was Louis Kahn, and lucky for me the current exhibit on display was Louis Kahn's: The Power of Architecture.

The Kimbell

The Site

Preliminary work: part 2

Looking into the Kimbell and the site helped with the understanding of the project and made it a lot easier to work on. Now that the project research had been completed it was time to begin working on the design and think about how it would reflect what I thought a cultural district hotel should look like

Sketches

There were a few ideas that I was working with when I started, how would I create this hotel that was supposed to have so much meaning in such a small space. Given time it all came down to a more structured design that I believed was the key to my hotel.

Drawings

Now that I had a starting design it was time to figure out where everything would go and how big it would be. As things fit together old ideas were tossed out and new ideas were added in to make an effective hotel design.
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Study models and Sketch up
Visual Aids to help with the design process by holding it in your hand were super important to how I work. Having something like this to work with is always helpful. The design changed a lot from whenever the the first study came to the second although it may look similar.
Sketch up not only helped with the measurement aspect and how it would look, but also with testing of materials and lighting that would effect the area outside the building. Materials were so important to how I made this because in a way they were a tribute to Louis Kahn.

Final Drawings and Final Model: Part 3

Lastly there was the final drawings and final model, the exploded axonometric was the main feature of the drawing and the model. Something I really wanted to respect in the design was the environment, it's important for an area like that to have an open space that is accessible to the public. Secondly views were also fundamental in this design process, the view of the Kimbell and the area around it were very important to the hotel. Overall my idea of a cultural district hotel is a hotel that isn't just a resting point in the area but an image of what's to come and a reflection of what you have experienced while in the area, that's the effect I want this hotel to have on people as they experience the Cultural District hotel.