project taking form

this weekend has proven to be a very productive one for me with my project design.  I rationalized ground, second level, and typical floor plans and started to really shape the exterior form of the building.  all of the floor plans function well and have great potential to improve, which is very exciting for the design.  I have realized that doing the floor plans first enables me to understand how the building will FUNCTION for an occupant, and in turn that affects the overall form.  this understanding is something I have always struggled with because I try to create a beautiful form from the onset and apply floor plans afterwards.  doing the opposite and establishing functioning floor plans first will allow the building to take a natural form; a form that is successful not only aesthetically but practically.  this is the kind of architecture I want to create.

with all of this in mind, I started doing research on sustainable practices, curtain walls, material uses, and other topics.  this research has given me a better understanding of how I want my building to work.  ultimately I want to accomplish these main goals:

-  Use materials local to San Diego
-  Curtain wall system is sophisticated and has multiple functions
-  Green and Active rooftops
-  Colors of facade are affected by sun's orientation
-  Form reflects San Diego culture and CELEBRATES the area
   *  this building should be representative of San Diego
-  Sustainable systems; passive and active

below are the floor plans I have created as well as some of the initial building articulation:

Ground floor plan
*  Everything at this level is public

Second level floor plan
*  These amenities will be offered only to residents

Typical floor plan of unit layout
*  Variety of options would entice developers

Subtle curves are dramatic with the scale of the project

Changes start to show the building's skin "peeling" away

Active roofs will reduce heat island affect, sun reflectivity, and utilize flat roof space

The tower flows with the commercial floors below, which is an important aspect to the project

the colors of the project go back to the initial concept I had of the sail cutting through the blue ocean.  white is great for albedo (sun reflectivity = less heat gain) and also has a great contrast with the blue glass of the building and the blue skies that occur daily in San Diego.  Im initially thinking that the white walls will be made of white concrete.  however, I will have to play with that idea because not all of these white walls will be structural making the use of heavy concrete unnecessary.

I am going to continue to develop this idea and concept and hopefully take it to a higher level of sophistication.   the ultimate goal is to have, not only a beautiful structure, but an innovative design with intricate details that will attract spectators at a smaller scale than just the overall building form.

one aspect that I was wanting to incorporate with the building was the use of wood.  more specifically, after some research, I was wanting to use western red cedar because of its natural beauty, workability, and potential for interior finishes.  if I continue to work mainly with white and blue colors I will not see the ability to use wood.  however, there is still a potential to use the wood solely in the interiors and exclude it from the exterior.

I want to get some feedback about this progress I have made and from that point I will make the necessary changes to start truly detailing my building.  going into the 5th week, I will have about 1 1/2 weeks to continue the design before I prepare for the midterm presentation.  right now, I feel like I am at a very strong point in my design and am extremely excited to see how much more I will progress.