Studio Final: Concept Statement

Studio Final: Site Analysis

Studio Final: Research and Exploration

Studio Final: Site and Roof Plan

Studio Final: Plan

Studio Final: Sections

Studio Final: Elevations

Studio Final: Model and Perspectives

My virtual test pin up space - please pick up after yourself

Potential "Story" Shots

Hard lining what I know to be true

First Floor Building Plan



Second Floor Building Plan


I 95% set on the building plan, and the program for these areas, so I have them up for comments. Presently reworking the lower plaza definition via "Urban Trees" and the upper level real landscaping.

Need to complete third level, and fourth level of Gallery Tower.

Elevation - as it were

After fighting with these elevations over a long 5 day stretch, I'm declaring the elevations the winner, and me the clear looser.

So many things I'm wrestling with still:

• Making the transparency I'm trying to portray read correctly. I thought I had the solution, but in the end, particularly at this scale the drawing looks terrible washed out and extremely flat.
• Material choices: Does it make sense for this thing to be as simple as a giant glass box? I continue to want to break up the facade more, against everyone's opinion. For now, that's how I've left it.
• And I'm sure numerous other issues I'm too exhausted to consider now.

So for now, I'll let the elevations be, and hopefully revisit them later in the week. Perhaps a different medium (physical model, I'm thinking) can better illustrate my vision, rather than 2-d elevations.

I shall bid farewell to this frustrating week, and hope for new inspiration in the morning.

I would dance and be merry...if I only had a brain

I'm having a bit of a rough time rendering in elevation how I can properly portray the look I'm after which is this:




When I show the floor lines it doesn't read like I'd like it too, but they are an important element to show on the elevation...not sure how to fix that yet. Maybe it will work better in section.

All for tonight





Edit: The giant floating thing above the building is merely an unrelated detail sketch that has nothing to do with the building in case you are easily confused as some might be.

Edit #2: This elevation is cut in front of my tower...that is through the "bridge"...wow I should've been a little clearer on this.

Conversations with Enno 11 Feb 08

Enno, this is a recap of my notes as I feverishly wrote while we spoke. Any additional nuggets would be greatly appreciated:

• Summary of phone crit comments:
• View of model from Pru looking through stair - most important
• Program under bridge troubling - work on extending facade
• Consider making the bridge opening wider to encompass the opening above the stair
• Connector between two main buildings needs to be light, airy
• Remove platform mass at top of tower
• Tower could become exhibit space
• Work on elevations - does not need to look like a 1960's school
• Consider removing mullions
• Extend glass facade past roof
• Openings in the glass could vary
• Research transparent skin precedents
• Make the facade more playful
• Glazing needs to be more transparent - interest is within the inside of the building
• Refine "transfmation" - consider it related to breaking down masses within the site
• Focus on Urban Tree design, and the space/circulation created between

Site sections, lessons learned, and the Big Push

After taking a look at the vertical tower housing the elevator for the main building, I realized the footprint of it was way too big. I have scaled it down considerably, as is reflected in the site section - I will need to go back and adjust it in plan.

These site sections were a bit difficult to cut - my most important one barely cuts through the building itself - and with it being at an angle, there is some distortion that makes it a bit difficult to understand.

I found the sketchup model to be absolutely essential in studying the final massing, and I'm finally pleased with the results.

Looking forward to the final two weeks: beyond developing the main building section and elevation, I need to revisit both my site analysis and concept to hone them again as my concept has tightened up. I am back to a 3 story mass, so I will need to generate that plan, as well as modify my existing plans based on what I have learned from the site sections and massing. Lastly I would like to spend some time exploring both the bridge design and the urban tree clusters I have created, as well as refining the landscaping in the elevated park. Wow....that's a lot to do.

Sketch-up Massing

I thought I'd try my hand at attempting to learn Sketchup and study my massing a bit more. Here are some shots from a very rough study.

I get by with a little help from a model

I decided to work on a physical sketch model to help me understand the heights and volumes of some of the spaces of my program as well as nail down the correct sizes for the green spaces and pockets of program on the upper level plaza. I'm convinced that three stories - or at least 3 floor heights of a total of 50'-0" is the right amount for the massing of the site, particularly when the forward pavilion grows in height. I also studied the vertical circulation atrium housing the elevator - the model tells me it needs to be a taller, distinct element from the building.

I envision the majority of the facade to remain a combination of transparent, translucent, and colored glass to allow street site glimpses into the park beyond. I've included a couple overall shots, and some "Eye level" views of the model depicting the areas I've been studying this evening. Materials on the model are not necessarily representative of the finished skin - I used various bits of stuff around the house to help define some volumes so that I can study them clearer in section.

Edit: For some reason the enlargement of the photos look terrible on my laptop - way too grainy. I think the thumbnails are clear enough to see - I'll try to fix the image quality later.


Overall progress



Shot showing height definition for pavilion and Atrium element beyond



Eye level view from Convention Center Colonnade - Elmer's glue bottle not to scale



Approaching site from Boylston Street




Atrium element relative to main building - keep in mind there will be another horizontal plane (the roof) on the main building at 15'-0" above the mezzanine area shown

What a difference a section makes

I spent a little time exploring an initial site section, and began to study the observation platform's height per Michelle's and Enno's recommendation. As I began to grow it in height I thought it started to take on a more meaningful character - HOWEVER compared to my revised building it seemed to dwarf it and the massing of the main building seems to beg to be 3 stories again - as I had in the original massing in Boston.

Vis-a-vis the program of the building I don't think this creates a huge problem. I think the VIP lounge would move up a level, and that previous area becomes another cafe or two to compliment the food court. And then Club simply gains mezzanine space....not a bad program addition....

I've tossed up one of the rough sketches I was messing with for the tower and another story on the main building.

Thoughts, anyone?

Final Site Plans (for this week)

Some more minor tweaking on the first floor plan based on Enno's suggestions:

Pavilion has been shifted now giving the main site stair more prominence from the street level. The pavilion itself creates a "cocoon" of sorts - the interior of it shrouded by larger masses of double thickness walls to allow for an ever transforming display depending on the time of day. I also added a secondary site stair to the top level of the pavilion.

The geometry of the lower plaza paving has been modified slightly to improve and direct movement through the site from all entry points.

The urban tree clusters have a more organic layout and also help to enhance and direct the movement through the site.

The second level plaza has geometry similar to the site movement rules established by the lower level. The building is sliced in two by the connector to the plaza - and this helps establish each side of the nightclub.

The upper level park is populated with trees - visible through the building to entice passers by to the upper level, and at night the park is transformed into MEGA DISCO.

One step back for two steps forwards...

I decided to back up a step after Enno's comments on the Wednesday posting, and really tried to address some of the critics comments with my original parti. The major issue was a bland, horizontal facade that was not engaging. Beginning with my original massing I began to study how to better activate the street level plaza that my building created, and be mindful of some of the comments as well as my theme of metamorphosis. One of the original ideas of this building transforming was that the pavilion out front could be an appendage or a mini "birth" from the main building and I think this concept works quite nicely with some of the imagery I am trying to portray. I studied how this "birthing" might occur, as well as working on activating the facade - this is illustrated in the massing study evolution below. So, I present the revised street level plan with the following items address:

Stairs should be rotated: The main site stairs have been angled congruent to the movement through the site that I have established and organizes the geometry.


Activate facade: I believe I have better accomplished this in the plan study, and certainly it will carry through to the elevations


Push building toward street: I feel I have grown the main building as much as the site massing allows, and still maintain two distinct plazas on each level. I think the technology pavilion is now more integral with the street and pedestrians, that hopefully this has been addressed.


Work on space in front of pavilion: I have started to address this in the plaza design, I hope to do another site scaping study of the lower plaza further.


Engage pedestrians: I think I have set up some fairly strong movement through the site, and the building, to hopefully create a more fluid and active space.


I certainly welcome any comments that anyone could give.