Where I stand.

I spent the past week looking at interior spatial organization, as well as a level deeper into the structure. Ultimately these two will be intimately connected. I think its easiest to assume the loads need to be transmitted through three points located at each corner of the base. For this reason, the corners of my shape will have to be more structurally robust. The "infill" structure can be used to define space, or as structure for floor plates. I've include two examples below. As far as the interior space is concerned, the size of the shape is good. If I place floors at a similar interval to Gehry's building the interior would be 30,000 sq. ft. This allows for the removal of 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space presenting the opportunity for multiple volume spaces. The images below present a few option for breaking up the interior with multiple volumes and circulation. I think the next step is pairing down my program and figuring out adjacencies so I can figure out the sequence of spaces.

Work Update - Program

This post includes a few program diagrams which I am using to make sense of the proposed program distribution.  In addition to the structural concepts explored in my previous post, I am hoping this weekend to expand on these ideas with more decisive plans and sections (working on that now).  The main idea I want to express through my program diagrams is that of a serial experience, in other words, the affect of "passing through" different distinctive program elements.   I will post more this weekend as I finish up my plans and site sections.

Where I'm at? See below photos...

Where am I headed?
I need to continue working on form as it relates to my concept. As it is now, the form is a little harsh and too literal. The good news is, the process of going through this week's assignment has led to some clarity which I hope I can express in the next week or so. I would like to focus on how the form can create the experience for the user that I intend. Circulation and interior spaces are critical. Talking with a friend led me to realize that my current form as it expresses my concept is sort of upside down. In other words, if credibility is the main concept, each fragment of digital information is a subsidiary. As the building makes its way from foundation to roof much like the fragments of information combining and making their way to the surface as a whole, the building should read more as a collaboration than as fragmented parts. In the plans, you could see how if the floors were reversed, it may reflect this idea better. That is not to say by just flipping them, I will achieve what I'm looking for. As I mentioned, it is still too literal of a translation at this point.

Evan's Work

Latest Design Iteration and Structural Concepts

Sorry, this is going to be a little long...but just to reiterate, my concept is to create a satellite to the BPL - an annex that breaks with the rigid formality and protectionist ideals of the traditional library. This is a response to a tendancy for people to prefer more relaxed work environments that are centered around social environments, such as cafes and book stores.

I think the traditional library excludes a large percent of the population, who wish to work and access its resources, because it creates an environment unsuitable to their habits.

My satellite, would offer, several different workspaces that vary in "loudness" which could be used for individual work, club meetings, business meetings, job interviews, etc, etc, etc. It would also offer a cafe, a small lecture space, auditorium, computer area, free wi-fi throughout, loaner laptop computers, limited magazine, newspaper, and book stacks that are set up on a 'browsing' basis, not a rigid system. Being part of the BPL, however, it would also give access to the main collection. Requests can be put in at a circulation desk, and every hour or so, a truck would bring requested material back and forth from the big library.



This is an the massing that I was initially drawn to from our first massing study. I liked how it worked with the site, being on a corner, and how it had somewhat of a porosity...which could open opportunities for it to express a welcoming feel. It began to disolve a fabric of continuous, stuck together, buildings.



It had some issues though...it was comprised of separate, very vertical structures, that would not lend themselves to practical circulation. Also, they were still somewhat rigid and sterile...something I was trying to get away from with this new library.




Above is a program study that I did to study ways that the programmatic elements could arrange themselves...I plan to do more of these as I progress, however, I think I have a basic understanding of how they will organize.

In my next (and latest) iteration (see below) I tried to literally combine the forms produced by the program study, with my initail massing concept. The idea is to use the organic and highly functional program organization to hover/hang "freely" within the rigid, vertical masses, and begin to contrast and breakdown their formal character.



I also rotated the western two vertical masses so that they connect fully with the neighboring building, and create an 'opening' along the facade along Newbury, for a main entrance. The main program spaces hover within the vertical masses and the vertical masses primarily become circulation and support space (bathrooms, storage, mechanical).

I welcome feedback as to the direction things are going. In my next steps, I will continue to refine my concept and manipulate both my program and form to bring it through another iteration.

Structural Concepts



Essentially, thus far, my building consists of vertical, tower-like elements, with horizontal masses that hang, bridge, and hover between them. The intent for the vertical massing, is that internally, they can be vertically open and not require regular and stacked floor plates. I think the diagrid structural system will be most suitable for that. I believe (someone please clarify) that the diagrid system will essentially turn the entire mass into a big shearwall, carry most of the load through the exterior structure, and require a minimum of internal, horizontal bracing. This can be seen in the top sketch above.

The second sketch is an alternative, more traditional structural system, using a steel grid and floor plates. This system, I believe, will limit how open my structures can be on the inside. The advantage to this however, is that it will be more suited to carrying the loads of the horizontal structures/spaces. If I use the diagrid system, described above, the horizonatal structures/spaces will have to be more self-supporting.

The third sketch shows a simplified diagram of how the horizontal structures will "hover" within the vertical massing. I think the structural system of these elements will be a more traditional steel grid with floor plates, due to their horizontal nature and because they are mostly only one storey in height.

Thats where I am....I hope to get some good feedback.

annex/satellite libraries

i found this little article about the chicago satellite library that is really tiny and really successful.

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/green-your-library/245-square-foot-library-success-story

More Library Case Studies

I'm sure most of you will be seeing this link shortly, but here are some more modern library precedents, many of which we haven't studied as a class: http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/building_types_study/TypeIndex.aspx?bts=LBS. Enjoy!

Concept: Structure and Deformation

Based on a decision to span the subsurface roadway, the proposed structure will have to be lightweight and high-strength.  As a design goal, I want to avoid simply spanning the gap with a slab-on-truss structure.  Since the building will be seen from below, I want to employ a structural system which allows the bottom façade to relate to the other elevations.  As I mentioned in studio, I am proceeding with the courtyard form since it allows (besides program considerations) a concentration of structure around the site perimeter which (I hope) would allow me to combine structure and form into a coherent façade.

To address these requirements, I have been researching a hybrid of lightweight, post-tensioned concrete shell construction and typical high-strength concrete slab construction.  Capable of spanning large spans, a concrete slab of varied thickness is formed to create shallow arches (which will be evident in the interior program).  This undulating structural shell would touch down at foundations anchored to existing structural framework and some new shear walls or columns along the perimeter.

I have been exploring this form and concept in a series of digital models subjected to stress and deformation analysis.  The attached animation shows clearly the main areas of instability in the structural slab (high-strength H50/60 concrete) based on my preliminary design.  The model was subjected to gravity loads as well as typical live/dead loads (150 psf LL for libraries).  The animation exaggerates the combined loads to 210x allowable deformation (way beyond failure).  Since I can’t provide a structural engineering solution to these areas of instability, the analysis tells me where to focus on trimming back variables (perhaps reduce the live load, make the floor plan narrow to trim back the slab, or adjust the areas of slab lifting). 

[Click to animate] : Deformation of preliminary concrete shell design.

The second component of the proposed structural system is the wall/roof assembly.  I am still exploring options for this component but have narrowed it down to two types: a structural façade or a post and beam system.  Both options would be fixed to the structural slab.  The structural façade has the advantages of allowing a column-free interior and a rigidity that could reinforce the floor slab.  Since the building will be one-story, the post and beam strategy could be a light-weight alternative to reduce floor loads.  I will continue to work on some diagrams which illustrate these options.