A Stage for the Town of Floyd Building Section 18

Building Section

The auditorium in the center of the structure is a beacon for the entire Town. The apex of the tetrahedral roof is constructed of translucent glass and it towers above the rest of the building and the Town. The space will be used mostly during the evening and night hours, and the glowing point of the roof acts as a signal to the town that something is happening. The roof structure thrusts outward on the polished, faceted concrete walls whose form are a reaction to that thrust and in attempt to bring a gem-like quality to the walls. A series of study models assisted in verifying the appropriate angular nature of the walls, and the selected wall is shown in Photo 04 on page 19. The central space stands alone. The surrounding spaces and their roofs are pulled back out of respect toward the precious center resulting in an outdoor space between the

studios and the auditorium.

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Faceted Wall Study Models 19

Photo 02Photo 01

Photo 04Photo 03

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Auditorium Study Models 20

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Building Section 21

12

48

16

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Building Section Model 22

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Screen 23

ScreenThe horizon that the plinth makes with the eyes of those at the street begins to generate a rich section. The spaces that face that main street (Rt. 221) evolved into dance studios, and I felt that these spaces should reveal glimpses of the action within to those passing by. The majority of the action of Appalachian dance occurs below the waist. Using the body as a unit of measure, my intension is to frame the feet and screen the upper body with a wood louver and metal frame system. Through the layering of this space, from the street, one passing by would clearly see the feet of those dancing, while their upper body would appear like a silhouette. As one moves closer to the structure, the figure becomes more clear, and again the building offers an invitation to those viewing from outside.

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Dance Studio Daylight Studies 24

8:00 A.M. June 21

12:00 P.M. June 21

4:00 P.M. June 21

8:00 A.M. December 21

12:00 P.M. December 21

4:00 P.M. December 21

Screen

A series of model studies assisted in verifying the density and the depth of the screen. The final iteration (next page, Photo 04) is composed of three distinct areas of different density. The lower section screens the upper body of the dancers; the middle section is operable and is less dense to allow for natural light to be controlled in the studios, and the upper section changes in depth in order to create an ending, a capital, to meet the sky. After careful consideration and a precedence study, I chose the warm color and texture of wood, over the more durable steel or aluminum for the louvers and a powder coated steel for the structural frame.

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Screen 25

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Screen Density Study and Wall Section 26

Photo 03 Photo 04

Photo 01 Photo 02

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Concluding Reflection 27

Concluding Reflection

In the early stages of this project, I failed to realize the possibilities and responsibility that the project has to the Town. The physical limits of the site are a given factor, but the phenomenal limits can reach far beyond the edge of the physical. Through out the project I work in three scales – the scale of the Town, the scale of the building, and the scale of the screen. After spending the first half of the design process at the scale of the town, I was able to make a better informed decision about what the project should be and how it should extend into the Town. The building is informed by the environment that surrounds it. Existing buildings, streets, and the people that interact with the architecture as they pass by are all factors in the evolution of the project. No building is without a context. Whether the site is in a town, a forest or a field, there are always elements that should speak to the project. Using these existing conditions will aid in making a better informed architecture.

A Stage for the Town of Floyd Bibliography 29

Bibliography

Antoniades, Anthony C. Poetics of Architecture – Theory of Design, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1992

Brown, G.Z., Dekay Mark. Sun, Wind and Light 2nd ed , New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2001

Brownlee, David B.,and DeLong, David G. Kahn: In The Realm of Architecture. Los Angeles: The Museum of Contemporary Art, 1997

Buchanan, Peter. Renzo Piano Building Workshop Complete Works. 3 Vols. New York: Phaidon Press, 1993

Clark, W.G.. “Replacement” Modulas. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc, 1987

Crosbie, Michael J. Generating Context – The Practice of Perry Dean Rogers Partners Architects, Boston: Birkhauser, 2001

Fromonot, Francoise. Glenn Murcutt Buildings and Projects 1962-2003. Trans. Charlotte Ellis. London: Thames and Hudson, 2003

Hofstadter, Albert, and Kuhns, Richard, eds. “The Republic” Philosophies of Art and Beauty. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1964

Lobell, John. Between Silence and Light, Boston: Shambhala, 2000

Stuggo, Naomi. Wood: New Directions in Design and Architecture. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2001

Twombly, Robert, ed. Louis Kahn Essential Texts, New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2003

www.floydcountrystore.comwww.floydvirginia.com*All images are by the author.*

Works Studied for Material Precedence

Chapel on Mt. Rokko, Tadao Ando

Koshino House, Tadao Ando

Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum, Tadao Ando

The Carte d’Art, Norman Foster

Cranfield University Library, Norman Foster

Tjibaou Cultural Center, Renzo Piano

Peninsula House, Sean Godsell

Marie Short House, Glenn Murcutt

Douglas and Ruth Murcutt House, Glenn Murcutt

Marika- Alderton House, Glenn Murcutt

Zwischen den Gleisen, NSB Arkitektkontor, Jan olav Jensen

Bowali Visitor Information Centre, Glenn Murcutt

VitaChristopher A. Phillips

Education

Master of Architecture Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Thesis: A Stage for the Town of Floyd

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology Fairmont State College Fairmont, WV Specialized in Architectural Engineering Technology

Associate of Science Fairmont State College Fairmont, WV

Experience

Oliver, Webb, Pappas and Rhudy, Inc - Architects and Engineers Blacksburg, VA Designer/Drafter

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University College of Architecture and Urban Studies Blacksburg, VA Graduate Teaching Assistant

Awards and Honors

Recipient of the William “Bill” Brown Award and Scholarship Vice President of Fairmont State College Chapter of the AIAS 2003-04 Associates Award of Technology for Academic Excellence 2002 West Virginia AIAS Spring Competition Second place entry – “Downtown Fairmont Infill” Baccalaureate Achievement Award in Architectural Engineering Technology Inducted into Epsilon Phi Tau and Phi Theta Kappa Academic Honoraries Governor’s Honors Academy Scholarship West Virginia Space Grant Consortium Scholarships