THE NEW NEWSCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

the final project for my fall 2010 quarter was to design a new campus for the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego.  the site location is just north of downtown and south of balboa park.  we were given the freedom to design our own program with the only true requirements being that it had to at least entail the same facilities we have now at school.  

when given this project, the first thing I did was look at the current facilities at the present newschool of architecture and design (NSAD).  the basic premise of this project was to design a new campus for NSAD in balboa park, so I felt it was necessary to evaluate the current facilities.  I realized such flaws such as a small library, minimal wall pin-up space, and lack of studio space in some areas.  also, for this future school an increase in student/faculty would be immanent, therefore, i increased the overall program size about 30%.  this would give the projected campus an adequate sq footage for immediate move in as well as future growth.  additionally, i added on campus housing for freshman and transfer students in order to give a good option for students coming to NSAD that do not have roommates or housing situations lined up.

after i created my specific program, I started to analyze the site and all that it has to offer.  I took away a lot of information but broke down my research into three main criteria of the site that I thought would most directly affect a strong design.  they are as follows:

CURRENT VEGETATION

balboa park has beautiful natural vegetation that is
desired to not be destroyed/removed

ENTRY INTO THE SITE

the site has two main entry points from a main parking lot
along with a minor entrance from a southern parking lot

 VIEWS

there are magnificent views from the site to the downtown
 area as well as the coronado bridge

taking these three main site characteristics into consideration, my building started to take its form.

I address the most opportune location of the site
according to my analysis  

Opening up the center allows for a public outdoor  plaza

Pulling up the west end of the form creates a better response to
the entrances into the site as well as creating two new public plazas

Tweaking the form to better respond to the program as well as the
site creates a more intriguing form overall

Building Layout:
floor plans for the school are wide open in order to establish an efficient layout that can be used for universal purposes.  immediate entrance into the school takes you to the front of the auditorium.  placing the auditorium in this location allows for easy navigation for visitors coming to see a guest speaker or other shows in the auditorium.  located next to the auditorium is a gallery that will be used to showcase student work and other projects to create a stronger identity for the school amongst the community.

studio floor plans are open for maximum use of the space.  studios should be centered around community and with an open floor plan like this, students will have the freedom to see other work being completed around them in order to induce dialog amongst everyone.

Building Responses:

with all that I put into my design I wanted to invoke sustainable practices throughout.  using thermal walls, north vs south facing windows, and positive/negative pressure, I establish a lot of passive heating and cooling systems throughout the structure.  this will not only serve as an example of what architecture should stand for but will also make the structure comfortable and conducive to student work.  

Perspectives:

[almost] finished model

although the model looks close to finished, I still feel that I can add more to make it that much better.  first of all, I want to fix the topo that it sits on because it is not very attractive in the front.  also, I want to put in trees and people (only in the event my 1/16" = -'1-0" scale people arrive by tuesday) and also the concrete paths that I will incorporate on the site design.

with that in mind, I know I need to move onto the rest of my drawings in order to make sure I have those completed to a quality standard as well for the final presentation.  everything is due on monday but with work, margaret, and holiday parties, my time will feel a lot shorter than I think.  im simply going to work in overdrive because I want to complete work that resembles the amount of time I have put into this project and then I can relax even more during christmas break.

model progress

after three very late nights this week, I am about 80% done with my model.  this gives me the plan of finishing the model 100% tomorrow which leaves putting together all of my drawings on a board by monday.  I am actually quite pleased with where I am at with the deadline and believe that Ill have enough time to really complete some good work.  this all along with finishing two final papers for a couple other classes.  ill try and post some quality pictures using my roommates T2i camera.

facade

This is a little taste as to how the renders are going to work.  However, the facade
is going to be changing tonight!

articulation

tonight I really started to articulate the school.  using a main steel and concrete frame, the structure allows for the usage of a lot of glass to incorporate natural light into the interior spaces.  also, the wood siding adds a great texture to the overall composition of the building.  although my building is by no means finished, it is heading in the direction I want it to.

I want to incorporate a green roof system on the building to utilize all of the space
I am taking up on the site.  this photo shows that intention but I have yet to
really design the roof garden.  I plan on putting in benches and paths to create a
nice retreat for students.

progress

after a very reassuring critique from my studio instructor about my design, I am starting to get more in depth with articulating the building now.  I know that the overall form my building has taken is a very strong one with great reasoning.  now, I want to make it even more successful with great interior spaces as well.  here's a quick snapshot of the school, and I will try and update with another photo tonight as I plan on getting a bunch of work done on it.

p.s.  my finals week has been switched from 11th week to 10th week.  that means that I will be even more crunched for time in this next week since I will have 3 finals, and 2 papers due.  its crunch time!!

I made the south wing (studio section) larger to fulfill a greater program and
have started to play with the idea of a hard vs soft shell.  More on that to come!

continuing the process of design

throughout this project I have constantly tried to find the best design for the desired program.  ive done the site analysis, researched school layouts, analyzed the program, and done everything to create a strong design.  however, I have felt like ive been fighting myself and the design this entire time.  so yet again, I took a step back in the design, and truly looked at what was desired.  I kept it simple, and because of this I have made a radical change to my plan and it is definitely for the better.

below is the concept description of how my new building's form has taken shape.  this time, I have found what I believe to be a strong solution for the school and I have a new found push to create some good work.

new program!

I was given the privilege from a fellow classmate, the program called V Ray.  it is a 3D modeling program, with this one being specifically linked to Google Sketchup.  now, whenever I need a quality render of my designs all I have to do is simply click a few buttons, change a couple settings, and then I get the improved photos as shown. this project could very easily be one of my very best...in presentation terms at least.

also, we had a preliminary pin up today and I must say that I have a ton of work in front of me.  I realized that I was trying to hard to FORCE a design, rather than let it develop.  I latched onto one strong idea from the beginning, but was not open to other possibilities.  that is why tonight I am going back to square one and really analyzing the program at hand as well as the site in which the campus is placed.  from there, I hope to come up with a more cohesive design that responds to the site as well as my concepts and design goals.

for now, i'm enjoying this wonderful program!

*notice how elementary and cartoon-ish it looks

*this program transforms simple drawings into what

appear to be actual built models with shade and shadow

 *this program will not only present my project better, but serve

as a learning tool throughout the process.  for example, I can do

thorough sunlight analysis and studies that I could not have done before

site adjacencies/circulation/concept

I made great progression tonight with the project as I was able to design a preliminary site plan with adjacencies, circulation, and program layout are initially solved.  I use the words 'initially' and 'preliminary' because it is still a little too early to have a finalized scheme.  my hopes are to print these photos and get as much feedback tomorrow as I possibly can.  once the program layout is finalized, the fun parts of design are able to take shape, such as material selection, form, in between spaces, and interior design.  I have many ideas floating in my head and many of them on paper so I cant wait to get them out and further explore them.

Much focus is placed on the studios and library in order to go with the 

concept of "learning with practice"

This plan largely came from earlier diagrams of the flattest parts of the site 

along with the areas in which the least amount of existing landscape and 

trees would need to be demolished for construction.

This diagram shows the main green spaces that will be designed.

This diagram shows the main circulation through the site and indicates 

where areas of high traffic occur, creating nodes.  The largest and most 

central node will be landscaped and developed to be the place of main

interaction on the site between students/faculty/visitors.

keep it simple, achieve a lot

these are the most basic ideas/concepts that I will be mainly working with for my newschool design:

1)  Simple volumes

2)  Lots of glass

3)  Controlling Light

4)  Cantilevers

5)  In-between green spaces

6)  Inspiration for community/architectural world

the new newschool

our newest project entails the design of a "new" newschool architecture school.  the hypothetical scenario pits the school against an ever-growing student body in need of updated and larger facilities.  our site is located south of balboa park near many historical buildings and structures.

right now we are in the analysis phase of the design.  we are currently analyzing the present day "campus" and making notes about what facilities need to be updated and the square footage of the overall program.

for myself, I am currently reading case studies and analyzing how current schools are programmed and laid out.  I really want this project of mine to have a strong concept focusing on these main points:
     1)  circulation throughout the school
     2)  "crossing/interaction" zones where students are forced to interact with one another
     3)  symbol of what architecture really is
            - sustainable, new technology, strong concept in the context of the site
     4)  regionalism
            - what makes this school special to San Diego
     5)  community interaction
            - allow all visitors to feel welcome and utilize the campus for presentations, speakers, showcases, etc

this project is going to be very demanding on me and I want it to really showcase my ability to design.  I want to really focus on the entire project as a whole.  from the concept - form - presentation, I want this to be my best project yet.  I plan on using all means necessary to do this.  one thing I hope to accomplish with this project is importing my sketchup model into 3d rendering software in order to showcase amazing perspectives and other final drawings that really convey my building's intention

stay tuned throughout these weeks as I will try and update as much as I can.

final presentation

I wanted to show the progression that my board took throughout creating it.  I did the drawings by hand and in Sketchup and then arranged and enhanced all of it in Photoshop.

*the final board made a drastic change from 

the one i turned in last week.  major changes were 

to eliminate unnecessary color and change the 

title to something a little more appropriate

updated drawing

here's a glimpse into the future drawings I will have completed for the final boards/presentation. this one is a semi-exploding axonometric, meaning the drawing is to scale when measured.  this drawing shows two bays of the project, simply intending to show the construction of a bay and how it will look when resting on the structural posts.  this drawing was completed in sketchup and photoshop and I also intend on doing some hand rendering to it as well.

*although I only completed this one drawing tonight, it

will serve as a strong representation of what my

project will entail.  I simply wanted to show the layers

of the structure and also how it will connect to the bridge

and i feel that this drawing will serve as one of my more

influential drawings on my final board

shade structure update

after a week of gathering information and testing out concepts for the shade structure competition, I have started to whittle down to a solid idea. my basic premise revolves around a simple modular structure consisting of a steel frame with a wood roofing system. here's a quick breakdown of some of the key points for my current design:

form:

the modulars are repeated throughout the bridge, and although each terminus of the bridge still has undecided factors the long span of the bridge has a solid form taking place. each modular structure will span 20' and rely on drilling into the bridges concrete walkway and the existing steel fence that is being built. creating a simple steel frame, the consecutive placement of these modular structures takes the form of a wave. this is to represent three main aspects: 1) the function that is taking place within the space below the shade structure: movement, 2) the waves of San Diego, which is the first major city in which people will experience in the United States, and 3) the conceptual idea of a free flowing American life that has the duality of free form and thinking.

*this perspective drawing showed me the initial form

and the structure of the new design and enabled me to

build a model of it to further my understanding

*the structural posts create smaller niches on the bridge

and repeat every 20'

materials/structure:

the basic modular will consist of a steel frame that is welded to the existing bridge. this material, coupled with a strong bracing structure, will establish a strong shade structure that will resist lateral forces such as human pressure and wind. recycled wood from old buildings, demolitions, junkyards, etc., will be used to not only give a textural quality to the form in which a metal sheet could not but also to represent a strong movement in US economics: sustainability and green design. vertical posts will be drilled into the existing concrete bridge and steel welding will also occur to create a strongly unified structure.

*this is a prelim section sketch showing the structure

in simple detail and how it will attach to the bridge

with studio tomorrow, I look at receiving a lot of feedback from my instructor and fellow classmates and look forward to establishing an even stronger design. with the project needing to be finished and turned in no later than next friday (Oct. 22), there is no time to waste!

san ysidro land port of entry pedestrian bridge shade competition

our first project of the new year will be a nation wide competition that requires entrants to design a shading structure over/on the new pedestrian bridge that is being built down at the US/Mexican border in san ysidro, ca. the old border patrol center is being torn down and replaced by a winning design from the Miller Hull Partnership firm. clicking on the link will give you information as to what the rest of the center will look like. our job, however only entails building on the pedestrian bridge.

however minor this bridge may feel to the rest of the project, it is an important element to many visitors because, for some, it is the first glimpse into our great country. therefore this bridge needs to be a symbol of what the United States stands for and how we want to be perceived by oncoming visitors.

i have already started researching materials, forms, other bridge designs, etc., in order to spark some inspiration. stumbling on a few materials that are also being incorporated in the new border patrol center, strong progress has already been made on my part in the design process.

elements in the design that will need to be addressed first and foremost:

- shading from the weathers elements; sun, wind, rain, heat...

- what materials to use to keep cost down, construction possible, and durability

- passive heating and cooling systems for pedestrians on the bridge

- form that establishes inspiration and excitement into this wonderful country

- connection from US to Mexico and the surrounding san ysidro area

the project must be received in SF by Oct. 27th which means i have a little under three weeks to complete the project. this will definitely test me as a designer and as a student because i will need to allot enough time for each element of the design process while also staying current with my other school courses. i am very confident that i can produce great work and will strive to establish a successful and thoughtful design. when it comes down to it all, even though the first place prize is $5,000, having my design actually built and realized comes at a simple cost...priceless

new pictures of an old project

while i was home in mid september i took out one of my old models from first year studio. it was for a project that required us to build on the ruins of a small chapel on the hillside in san diego. i titled my project the sacred study, however i did not document the project as well as i should have. so i took this opportunity to take some better photos to better showcase my work. because in the end, if you dont photograph your work well all you have are words to explain how much energy you put into a project. enjoy!