Site Visit to Northside Residence Hall at Washington State University

  

Site: Northside Residence Hall  Location:  Pullman, Washington State Budget: $32,600,000...so far Project team: Architect: NAC/Architecture Mechanical Engineering: MW Consulting Engineers Electrical Engineering: NAC/Architecture Structural Engineering: DCI Engineers - Spokane/Seattle/ Portland Design Builder: Graham Construction & Management, Inc. Landscape Architect: Kathy Shultheis      Today I had the chance to visit a construction site on my campus at Washington State University. The Washington State University is constructing a new dormitory that will house 300 residents. We approaching the entry of the site as it was still under construction. There is still quite a bit more time until the site's complication date, but I believe that too truly understand how to design buildings, one needs to be able to imagine its construction from the ground up.       When I moved through the building up to the second floor, I was exposed to some of the "bones" of the structure. The contractors seemed to of had a problem with the architects design because they had to change a type of material that was specified for a support joint. The material that was chosen instead was glued wood panels (as seen in the image below).      When walking through the corridor on the second floor, I asked our guide "Tom Golden and Louise Sweeny" some question about the construction of the site. The first question was about the structures LEED certification. The Louise said that they where aiming for a LEED Silver certification, this is not required for university structure's  but the designers believed that this was an important aspect of the structure.

     As I was walking through the buildings I saw that some rooms on the floors where accessible for people with the need for a wheelchair. The hall ways where at an exceptionable size, but the overall hallways design was quite abstract when thinking of how it will be used. There were many strange angles all throughout the design.

     When I saw where the master plan was kept, it made me think of how easily it could be damaged.
This could be from water to ware and tare. There has to be a better way to keep plans on site that will be keep in better conditions.


     All and all the site visit was a lot of fun. I learned how this site was being constructed and some different ways they where going about it. Not too riveting, but interesting none the less.




Uris Giron

Bathroom Design

The uniting space was designed to give the patron a welcoming, open scene. This was accomplished with Warm colors and horizontal elements, with a hint of white paint to offset all the warm colors in the space so that it does not seam to small. 

Concept Statement

IDEA GENERATOR

THE LYRICS FROM THE SONG, HOME, FROM THE WIZ, IS THE GENERATOR FOR MY DESIGN. THE SONG CARRIES MANY POINTS THAT SEEM TO BE UNIVERSAL THROUGHOUT MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES AND THEIR HOMES.

FORM-GIVERS

MOST HOME OWNERS SEEM TO LEAD IN THE DIRECTION OF DESIGN HARMONY; A RELAXING PLACE TO GROW OLD.  HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS CREATE A RELAXING SPACE AND CIRCULAR ELEMENTS SEEM TO UNIFY IT AND ITS INHABITANTS. WARM COLORS ARE WELCOMING, RELAXING, AND COMFORTABLE. HARMONY CAN AND WILL BE ACHIEVED WITH THE RIGHT APPLICATION OF THESE ELEMENTS.   

APPLICATION

   

ACCESSIBLY LEADS THE DESIGN BY KEEPING IN MIND UNIVERSAL FUNCTION AND CODES. THIS FACT MAKES IT USABLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PATRONS. FOR THE interior of the bathroom, unity was created through the use of tiles and painted walls, the tile partners seemed to transformed into the wall paint, this was done similar to the weaving seen in the concept model. Warm colors where used to make the space welcoming. . WHITE PAINT IS CHOSEN TO GIVE THE ILLUSION OF A LARGER SPACE, BALANCING THE INFLUENCES OF THE WARM COLORS.

Throughout this project I learned that one needs to think of these spaces in a new way, a way that makes the space functional and ecstatically pleasing. People do not like to be in a space that is accessible and looks accessible, they want to be in a space that is accessible but that dose not look it. This takes away the stigma that is though of when thinking of universal design.

3 Form

Going to the 3 Form was an interesting unexpected event.
I have seen many of the 3 From product, but never really knew anything about them.

Kitchen Plan

This kitchen plan was infulenced by my current concept statement below

Idea Generator

The lyrics from the song, Home, from the Wiz, is the generator for my design. The song carries many points that seem to be universal throughout many different cultures and their homes.

Form-Givers

Most home owners seem to lead in the direction of design harmony; a relaxing place to grow old.  Horizontal elements create a relaxing space and circular elements seem to unify it and its inhabitants. Warm colors are welcoming, relaxing, and comfortable. Harmony can and will be achieved with the right application of these elements.   

Application

Accessibly leads the design by keeping in mind universal function and codes. This fact makes it usable for many different types of patrons. Round tables and furniture are chosen to influence unity through the use of circular elements. The warm color scheme and kitchen soffit make the space cozy. White paint is chosen to give the illusion of a larger space, balancing the influences of the warm colors.  The kitchen is design to encompass two cooks; open space and implied walls are designed to create a connection to people in the dining area with a separation of space with strong horizontal elements. 

     I learned from first hand experiences  why kitchen are so hard to design, hard but fun. They can be the most expensive room in a home, and the most impotent. I need to make sure for the next time, to manage my time a bit better so that I can make a better presentation. I think that my rendering came out nice and I will work harder to make them even better for the future presentation I will have to do.

Ride Don't Walk

House of the Immediate Future/ Knoll

 House of the Immediate Future

Seattle had many thing to show use, but I did not expect to see some of habitat for humanity work that day. The house of the immediate future designed by Miller Hull Partnership, was an interesting concept for a fast build home. All utility in one box was a good idea. It is vary similar to many of the mauler home design that are starting to get popular. Like I said it is an interesting concept I think I could use some more work. The function of the space is OK, but there are some things that just make the home seem not like a home. I think that the designer should have thought a littler more about how the user might use the spaces. For example, I have lived in a home with the washer and dryer on the 3 floor, the thing over flowed and it cost a lot of money to fix the damages. This has happen to many people not just my self and for again for the designer to do the similar thing without including a drain is a little forgetful.

Knoll
Knoll was a fun place to go to. I learned so much and I never thought about home much work goes into design a chair or any other product. I can now understand why they cost so much. They are good, long lasting, and made for the people and their needs not just a general need. I will make sure in the future to keep an eye out for some old knoll products.
When I was their I drew the womb chair by Saarinne
One great chair I want to own one day.

Urban Sketchers

      When I was in Seattle, I was given a chance to go on an Urban Sketch Crawl. We where at the olympic sculpture park sketching some of the art work. We joins some great artist that day, it was interesting to see these people at work. I met and talked to two out of the, I believe five artist.I met  David Hingtgen a designer and a sketch artist. He was vary kind and had some good information he shared with me. It was interesting to learn that he was a bit color blind, but yet to see how vivid hes works are.


    I also met Frank Ching, a person I did not expect to met at of all people. To meet the guy that wrought the book on sketching for most designers. It was a bit intimidation, but he was a kind person who gave some great advice. I hope to go one day on another sketch crawl with these artist to get better and to learn from some masters in their craft.

And these two sketch are some of the of the sketches I drew that day.

Gensler Job Shadow

    During a trip to Seattle, I had a chance to go to the Gensler for a job shadow in Seattle WA. It was a trip that I will always remember. I was great to see how a leading firm like Gensler works really opened up my eyes on how I should go about reaching my goals of becoming a professional designer.
     Growing up I learned from many professionals, that no one ever becomes successful on their own, that critical thinking and collaboration is one of the most impotent aspect of a successful company. Gensler showed me how they use these skills, this could be the reason why they create great designs. Gensler's office is oriented in a way that makes it possible for all of the workers in different profession to talk, collaborate, and help out one another. This fact makes Gensler one of a kind, just the way they are unified as a company is fascinating.
     Everyone in the office was kind and open to answer any questions I had that day. I was shown around some of the office by Bruce Dahlstrom (AIA, LEED AP). He talked about what it was like in the field, one great thing he talked about was how green their office is and explained it in such a way that made easy to understand  He gave an amazing in depth explanation of what LEED certification was and all the different LEED levels (Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum). A bad part about the LEED certification for companies is how much more it cost to make a sit LEED certified, it is sad to say that a LEED certification is the first thing to go when they need to save money He also talked about the living building requirement in Seattle.Then he started showing some of the project they are working on. It was interesting to see how they design projects and the reasoning behind why they did it. All of their design chooses seem to be backed by some kind of research. a great example of this is from the way they designed their windows for their ......... project. The building is in a large space where the plans are built, for this reason they when with an interesting window design. the windows are cut out in a way to but noise from the exterior from getting into the interior. You can see this in the image below. the smaller windows let in less sound where the bigger windows let in more.
     I had a chance to sit in some meeting when I was at Gensler. I was taken to the first meeting by Susana Covarrubias (LEED AP), she lead me around for most of the day. She took me to a pretty open space that they use for meeting. They where talking about a design job they had for Microsoft. To hear how these professionals talk to one anther was a great way to see what it would be like to be a  profession. Team work is a was evident throughout the whole meeting. From their collaboration, I learned about what colors where in this season.
   
Though out the whole day I learned a may great things. From codes to how to interview a client and how to collect their information, as well as the impotent of lighting. I even had a chance to show and talk about some of my work with a professional. It a great thing that I have this blog, because if I did not, I don't think i would of had the chance to do that.