Masterplanning

Dallas and myself met up for a masterplanning session. No idea where the other 2 got to. anyway, we powered through the plan, i think we tend to think along same lines, so we dont really argue over different ideas or clash. We debate, and bounce off each other, which is what you want in a group. Which is good:)

Looking at how the 10-12 area would fit in with the whole school, we developed a general idea of linking it to the 7-9 building and providing what the 7-9 building didn't have, while hijacking some of the existing services. This way we can maintain a better environmental balance, by not doubling up on services.

We noted that some subject and services are needed in high school, and some arnt needed all the way to year 12, so we tried to provide a bleeding of needs between the 7-9 building and the senior school. These we identified as a dedicated high school library, art, science and technology dedicated spaces. The seniors can hijack the existing sports areas, and as Home Ec. is more a VET subject, hijack the 7-9 cafe as a catering project, possibly incorporating a kitchen garden using water from the roofs, and cared for by the junior students as part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program.

As for Cafe services, we thought the seniors would be better served with a kitchenette in their year level common rooms(rec rooms)

As the art, technology and science rooms require venting, sound and lighting controls, they remain rather artificial compared to the exterior environment, we didnt see them as adequately provided for in the 7-9 building. We also included the Hall/Gathering Area/Performance Space, as it fits in with the needs of the other spaces.

we decided to keep the existing admin building and, gut(internal partitions), re-clad (to match the rest of the new buildings) and extend it, to create the Admin and Library block, as we saw the needs of those areas blending well.

General classrooms, small tutorial spaces and the common rooms, toilet blocks, changerooms, PE workout rooms, and outdoor learning spaces, we decided to set out as communal area pods. As if the needs of the School change they can grow or disappear as needed, and the perminant buildings can become a community recreation centre.

looking at the video. i think we could have put in more detail. while we looked into all the environmental aspects, they weren't explained too well in the video. The arrows for the passive cooling and heating cant be seen, and the plan wasn't included for some reason, tho it was detailed heavily in CAD.

all good to watch for next time.

video-assignment one

well the video was put up, and upon looking at it, the details didnt show up too well, so i've decided to post the images here in the hopes it shows more.

capabilities of triangles.

after making the frames, i've tried to come up with different layouts of the pods, based on the hexagram, and honeycomb.

in our group meeting we decided on the third one, with an interstitial space in the middle of two pods that are each classrooms.
i like the first one with a few added pods. it allows for the frame work to be smaller, and easier for one or two people to manouver and build, rather than whole pod as classroom. to get the right size for that, the triangles have to be 1.2m on each side.








Other plans we came up with involved, having a secondary floor, where the top one- the pieces can be lifted up and you can sit with your legs hanging into the secondary floor. this allows for the space to be flexible in use, no chairs, and the children sit on cushions, the tables can be stacked in a corner and floor closed up at game time, story time, or activity time. the other advantage is for a removable cladding around the outside of that pace and the passive ventilation that can be user controlled. the air is pulled out through an openable window in the roof.


Rainwater is collected in gutters at he base of the building, in which sit potplants. These can be class projects, experiments or school landscaping. it also provides a filter against dust coming into the class and hot winds. Water is then fed through the gutters to nearby plant beds. this provides a windbreak against the structure.

schemeing - framework

Well we have decided to go on the modular idea, with the building breaking down into easy to transport parts. As we explored the triangle, we continued with this theme.
i came up with a design where a pole n sleeve connection allows the triangles to angle around till pinned in place. This frame can be used to hold any cladding material, so is quite versatile.

Apparently tho(after speaking to tutor) i'll need to seal the gaps after it is clad, so it will have to be clad before transport, or a rubber seal that the glazing can slip in to.
the sleeve/pole is made from bamboo, as well as the flooring and cladding where possible, other than recycled timber from local areas. The rest of the group liked the idea of bamboo due to its physical properties, ease of manufacture and environmental credentials. I personally tried to persuade them otherwise, simply as i've been practically obsessed with bamboo since i was in second year, and while i know some stuff about bamboo and still like it, i was looking forward to exploring something new.

geodesic domes

http://www.ozarkdome.com/
PRINCIPLES OF THE GEODESIC DOME:I. The economy of the sphere. (1) the circle contains more area, for a given perimeter, than any other planar shape.Corollary: The circle exposes less perimeter, for a given area, than any other planar shape. (2) The sphere contains more volume, for a given surface area, than any other polyhedral shape.Corollary: The sphere exposes less surface area, for a given volume, than any other polyhedral shape.Corollary: For given volume and given amount of material, the sphere will form the thickest structure.II. The conservation of materials. (3) As the surface area of a structure rises, for a given volume, the amount of construction material generally rises, other things being equal.(4) The cost of a structure rises as the amount of material used in construction rises, other things being equal.III. The control of air temperature. (5) When brought together, two substances (or masses) of different temperatures will each change their temperature toward the other’s, until they are at the same temperature.(6) For a given mass, (such as the interior air-mass of a structure), as the amount of surface area it exposes to its surrounding environment increases, the faster it will change its temperature toward the temperature of the surrounding environment.Corollary: For a given mass, (such as the interior air-mass of a structure), as the amount of surface area it exposes to its environment decreases, the slower it will change its temperature toward the temperature of the surrounding environment. IV. The distribution ability of the sphere. (7) The more distributed (spread out) a force, the easier it is to resist (or stop).Corollary: The more concentrated a force, the harder it is to resist (or stop).(8) For a given force, a sphere will more evenly distribute that force than any other polyhedral shape. V. The nature of the lever. (9) The lever can be used to move things, or hold things in place.(10) A triangle is composed of interlocked levers which allow it to self-stabilize with a minimum of effort.VI. The firmness of the triangle. (11) The triangle is the only polygon that is inherently stable.(12) When interconnected triangles are closed into a spherical shape, the resulting structure is stable.(c) W. Lauritzen 1996

Kotsatsu

this is a traditional japanese hearth furniture, whereby a pit is cut in the floor, 40cms deep with the table sitting above, and a heater in the pit to warm cold feet!!
great for winter in classrooms!!!

it traps the warm air from below to use, while the rest of the room is drafty.

"Generally, a blanket is draped over the frame under the table-top. A person then sits on the floor with their legs (or most of their body if napping) under the table with the blanket draped over the lower body. Though this only heats up the lower body, it can keep one quite comfortable even in an unheated/under-heated room. In the summer, the blanket may be removed and the kotatsu can be used as a normal table.
Most Japanese housing is un- or under-insulated, and they rely primarily on space heating. Heat is expensive because of the lack of insulation, and the draftiness of housing. A kotatsu is a relatively inexpensive way to stay warm in the winter, as the futons trap the warm air.
The kotatsu was originally designed for people wearing Japanese style clothes, where the heat would enter through the bottom of the robes and exit around the neck, thus heating the entire body." - Wikipedia

Simon Velez

For inspiring designs and use of bamboo as a green and vernacular material, take a look at Simon velez from Colombia, which has its own native species of bamboo.
http://www.deboerarchitects.com/BambooThoughts.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3575/is_1279_213/ai_111105947
http://www.theotherlookofcolombia.com/images/simon_velez.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.theotherlookofcolombia.com/news.html&h=308&w=500&sz=278&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=RRg8YPUxu5k20M:&tbnh=80&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djoinery%2Bbamboo%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SUNA_enAU261AU264

laminaterd timber beams

apparently this has won awards...
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/study_proves_go.php
i thought it looked cool.