Rowan Frazier: Architectural Design I 


Project 01: City Pavilion

 
My design objective for this project was a proportional cube pavilion that reflects the essence of Phoenix, Arizona, US.  Grids of various kinds were apparent in an aerial (site) view of the city. My pavilion was designed to be located within a park or other public urban space. People should be able to walk thru the structure and interact with a series of video images related to the subject city. I analyzed the grid structure, and from there turned the grid patters into a structure for my pavilion. 

Aerial view of Phoenix, Arizona

City Research 

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The city I was assigned was Phoenix, Arizona, located in the United States. Throughout my research, I learned the details about Phoenix's society, history, climate, and common architecture styles found there. The research really changed my perception on the city, because before doing research and looking up questions I had, I though Arizona was a southern ghost town in the middle of a desert, and I ended up being wrong. However, Phoenix is in the middle of the desert, and here is a common occurrence of southern-style buildings located throughout the city. Leading into some huge elements of the city's structure that I noticed. The climate is very dry and hot, therefore architects would need to be creative with the drafting systems to ventilate the buildings. This leads to various building shaped, window designs and differences in building materials. 

​Drawings and Model 

Final Cube Pavillion

Axonometric Drawing

My final drawings and model show the process of the assignment and reflects a perspective of Phoenix, Arizona and its unique characteristics through creativity and trial and error. Many ideas that came up did not work, but the process in which I went through taught me a lot about perseverance and road blocks. 

Project 02: East Texas Cabin

The design objective was to create a unique and livable forest cabin located in the East Texas woods. There was a site plan setback consisting of 100x150 square feet accompanied by random tree placements throughout the site as well as topographic landscape measurements to work with. The  objective for the house itself was to have all the basic things you would find in a house, but also an activity/hobby space somewhere in or near the house while making it a cozy home, allowing the beauty of nature around it to be experienced as well. 

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East Texas/Architectural Research: 

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The area that was assigned was a forest in East Texas, US. While learning how to acquire the proper information and do research for this project, specifically the climate and common weather patters that occur yearly along with common architecture in that area/structures that thrive there. Learning about interior heating and cooling in the winters and summers there was beneficial for my design plan and how this assignment was approached t as well as learning what types of wood and materials absorb/release heat. 

Drawings and preliminary models:

My concept designs shown in a study model. 

These are all drawings I have completed through my design process.

Final Model:

My final model reflects the essence and beauty of East Texas and what it has to offer. My design provides a livable and comfortable home, all while being able to take in the beauty of nature all around it. With places throughout the house to enjoy solitude and peace, there is eventful entertainment areas inside as well. The reason the building is elevated this way is to provide a unique was of a house layout. The foundation is slightly slated down due to the topographic elevation change on the site. 
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