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!

daylight in architecture by benjamin evans

the newest addition to my book collection is titled Daylight in Architecture, by Benjamin Evans. in my overall opinion, light is what makes a successful piece of architecture. with light comes ventilation, passive systems, and most importantly the dramatic affect within a structure. no matter the cost or prestige of a structure, if it does not conquer the aspect of light it is not a successful piece of architecture; plain and simple!

im really hoping that this book will give me greater insight into the aspect of utilizing light in design and i am really excited to see what it has to offer.