Building Blocks for Better Communities - Studio Final Project

Shelter/Bus II - The final studio project was to design an inventive and thoughtful shelter | bus to meet the needs of the following four hurricane relief workers in
Eastern North Carolina:
• Lynn : a visually-impaired teacher, plays guitar, conservative Jew
• Chris : an African American nurse, training for a marathon, works 3rd shift
• Siu : a language teacher, Montagnard, broke leg recently and on crutches
• Chi Chi : a nurse from New Mexico, has a pet bird, Hispanic

With this came Building Blocks for Better Communities.
Concept: Building Blocks are a collection of basic shapes that stimulate the imagination of children. The idea of a manipulable environment lets children do what they do best: construct their own world, break it down and rebuild it. Building Blocks for Better Communities provides a bottom up approach to disaster relief, while maintaining the functional and entertaining aspects of simple building blocks. Transformation, material and color are linked to explain spaces and movement.



FloorplanCross Section 1 / Cross Section 2
Interior Playground Detail
Interior Playground Detail
Interior 2nd Floor Lounge Perspective
Section in Perspective
Site Transformation: the unit is site dependent, on a narrow site the unit is stacked vertically, on a wider site, the top and bottom portions can be detached and placed adjacently

Room/Box Transformation: rooms slide out of mainframe on a track system to create more interior space

Roof Transformation: Roof panels expand up to increase interior ceiling height


Furniture Transformation: movement of furniture and appliances reflects building blocks in that it can telescope, nest or stack

Process Work: Studio Final Project (Complete with Coffee Stains)

Vernacular Innovation - Snaggle & Snaggle Design

Snaggle & Snaggle Design, Inc. would like to present the latest in Bus Shelter design for the Community by Design IARC Studio. Last week, we were challenged to design Bus Shelters for the Weatherspoon Gallery and A&T Campus. Of these, four finalists were chosen. This week's challenge was to modify these finalists, and come up with more complete designs and concepts. The Clubs, or Snaggle & Snaggle Design, Inc. would like to present Vernacular Innovation.

Concept Statement:
Although the term sustainability has become increasingly prevalent in everyday vocabulary, it has yet to infiltrate the built environment in a similar way. Many people may still think of sustainability as an expensive, distant, idealistic value, meant for design magazines and wealthy environmentalists, but in fact, green design can take the form of something as simple and common as a bus shelter. A familiar, understated structure can make a powerful statement. The detail in the simplicity of the structure demonstrates that, even using recognizable materials such as glass, aluminum and stainless steel, a vernacular structure can still be sustainable.

Change often happens slowly and subtly, step by step, so by introducing a green roof system to a familiar form, this shelter can begin to inspire change not only in the bus system, but in society as a whole. Each of the different materials incorporated into the structure is sustainable, demonstrating the way in which sustainability can and should permeate all levels of society. The green roof of the bus shelter does not impact the function of the structure per se, but it does stand as an icon for the way in which the bus system itself can be an eco-friendly transportation option. Furthermore, the use of glass, which in this case creates the ability to see through the entire structure, as well as the use of clean lines and corrugated aluminum roofing are in keeping with the contemporary architecture of the North Carolina A & T campus nearby, testifying to the fact that green design can be integrated into a variety of aesthetics.

The Clubs: Lauren Shepulski, Christyn Dunning, Diana Stanisic, Emme Zheng, Heather Link, Jamie Hilton, Jayson Parker, Kurt Huizenga, Laura Dipasquale, Lauren Foster, Maiken Schoenleber, Nacarra Lessane and Sara Easterling

Geometric Illumination - Bus/Shelter

Last week's project was to design a Bus/Shelter on A&T campus. The shelter was located on East Market, between A&T campus and St. John's Lodge. We were challenged to create a shelter that fit with the site, but could also potentially be built. For this particular site and shelter, I pulled cues from the buildings on A&T campus and from the Church across the street. On campus, I noticed that the buildings are very modern looking, in that they emphasized rectilinear forms and structural severity. The main building materials seemed to be glass and steel. The church across the street was stone, and emphasized triangular forms on the facade decoration. In designing for this shelter, I thought that it was very important to recognize these two very obvious influences for the community in this area, the campus and the general community, embodied in the church. I wanted to pull influences from both together to create a cohesive design.

The concept for the shelter was Geometric Illumination. I used rectangular forms horizontally and vertically to reflect the architecture on campus. These forms are articulated by natural light during the day. Then I used the triangular forms from the church across the street, and articulated them by backlighting plexiglas cutouts inside glass columns. By emphasizing the two elements in the same structure, the design presents a combination of communities.

Transforming Spaces - Shelter/Bus

This week's challenge was to design a shelter:bus for four hurricane relief workers. I chose to design a bus for preservation students aiding in relief efforts by documenting damaged historic buildings. UNCG and Mary Washington have both sent students to New Orleans in the past to hand draw and digitally record compromised buildings. In these instances, the students stayed in a motel for an extended period of time.

CONTEXT:
When disaster strikes an area, countless people and buildings are affected. In historic areas, significant historic fabric may be lost or compromised, requiring preservation efforts through the means of historic building surveys. The concept of this project is the transformation of actual spaces and their uses through the collapse and expansion of large and small scale elements. It provides a work and living space for four students who are documenting historic buildings after a hurricane, much like the team that UNCG sent to New Orleans several years ago.

Transformation is achieved through the expansion of sections to create additional interior space, while sliding glass doors convert open, public space to compartmentalized, private and work spaces. Tables collapse to become folding sofas. Swinging doors serve as posting boards and beds serve double duty for sleep and storage.

The use of windows, skylights and solar panels transforms contained space into an interactive environment that relates the structure to the street, but allows free flowing air to circulate throughout. Aesthetically, the structural simplicity and bright colors of the interior help to generate artistic energy and a positive environment.

THE PROJECT:

Dear John Linn

I addressed my postcard to John Linn, who spoke about the 2030 Challenge. I was mainly interested in how Historic Preservation could be incorporated into this challenge, so much so, that I'm turning it into a preservation brief for the semester.

Precis - Tying up loose ends

Time for reflection: the Shelter/Bus/Shelter project charrettes seem to be winding down (for now). These precis help to give a visual tour of the last couple weeks work.