Upload
geoffrey-april
View
220
Download
3
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
a portfolio that wraps up all work through December 2011
Citation preview
wor
ksg.
d.ap
ril20
09.2
010
image produced with Real Smoke
wor
ksg.
d.ap
ril20
09.2
010
[CT]
_con
tent
s
[DS]_ Design Studies1. Ephemeropolis2. CHIP_Solar Decathlon 20113. Broad Museum4. Rec_cen5. SCI_Arc Library6. 4th St. Infl l
[VS]_ Visual Studies1. Embellished Facade2. Worm Wholes3. Papaya4. Sound Box5. Sketches
[AS]_ Applied Studies1. Craftsmanship in Milan2. Professional Practice3. CHIP’d DD4. Communications5. ABS6. Fiberglass
[CS]_ Cultural Studies1. Iacchetti 2. Urban Studies With Bergman3. Digital Tectonics4. Boundaries5. Levittown
[DS]_ Design Studies
1. Ephemeropolis
2. CHIP_Solar Decathlon 2011
3. Broad Museum
4. Rec_cen
5. SCI_Arc Library
6. 4th St. Infl l
[VS]_ Visual Studies
1. Embellished Facade
2. Worm Wholes
3. Papaya
4. Sound Box
5. Sketches
[AS]_ Applied Studies
1. Craftsmanship in Milan
2. Professional Practice
3. CHIP’d DD
4. Communications
5. ABS
6. Fiberglass
[CS]_ Cultural Studies
1. Iacchetti
2. Urban Studies With Bergman
3. Digital Tectonics
4. Boundaries
5. Levittown
[ST]
_sta
tmen
t
Reinhabitation surrounds us. Habitation is transient. Entropy
reins, yet we fi ght it. In an era that is consumed with stalled
construction, a rising interest in the reinhabitation of these struc-
tures has begun to defi ne itself on paper and in the digital. Stalled
construction projects offer a unique starting point; foundations
and structures are there, the extent of their level of completeness,
varied. Enclosures can be full, partial, or non-exsistant.
An unfi shed painting...
Reinhabitation seeks to build upon these skeletons, using their
anoniminity to fuel an intervention of new formal strategies. Of
current interest is the morphosis of construction scaffolding into
linked monocoques, from which they are dispersed through and
around the donor structure. The intention is to clearly make a new
intention of architectural organization in a plated structure, that
does not limit itself to said plates, while revealing itself,
eccentrically, as an imposter. A contradiction of means of
construction, programatic organization, and formal strategy,
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
e·phem·er·al _ [ih-fem-er-uhl] _ adjective
1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory.
met·trop·o·lis _ [mi-trop-uh-lis] _ noun
1. any large, busy city.
2. a central or principal place, as of some activity.
Downtown Los Angeles has been rediscovered. A creative
captial is emering. Cross disiplinarian relationships are forming. The
scene is ever changing. Abandoned buildings are fi nding new life,
skid row is dancing with the yuppie. The opportunity for a creative
hub has emerged. Situated in the heart of the historic core,
Ephemeropolis rearranges the skyline of DTLA. A plated tower
rises, stretching itself from Spring to Main, atriculating a new cross
grain path for pedestrians. Articulated strucutral pods reinhabit
the plates, redefi ning path, portal, and place. Ephemeropolis is
a nesux for the creative; alternative education for the curious; a
temperorary home while passing through; a fi rst offi ce; a constant
source for the impermanent.
Summer 2011
Michael Rotondi
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
dark ro
om
print center
kitchen
artist
game design
fashion design
architects
urban designersphotography
chefsonline business HQ
social media
non profits
cons
ultin
g fir
ms
prod
uctio
n co
mpa
nyfilm
tech
firm
s
envir
onm
enta
l firm
s
magazines/p
ublishingadmin services
music industry
sleeping pods
storage
bathrooms
conference
gallery
dog park
comm
unal area
Theater
classrooms
computer lab
stud
io s
pace
woo
dsho
p
met
al s
hop
mus
ic stu
dio
plan strategies indicating Hub and Site [DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
low change rate
medium change rate
high change rate
education fl oor plan
hostel fl oor plan
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
offi ce fl oor plan
plan @ 15’
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
frontage on main st.
main st. and 6th st.
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
faci
ng n
orth
, har
lem
pla
cefa
cing
eas
t
[DS
]_Ep
hem
erop
olis
[DS
]_C
HIP
_201
1 S
olar
Dec
athl
on
Solar Energy is one of the fastest- growing industries in the U.S.,
with California leading all states in market growth. The Compact
Hyper-Insulated Prototype, or CHIP, is a new, affordable net zero
home built just for them by the SCI-Arc/Caltech team. Solid design
backs CHIP’s unconventional and cutting-edge appearance.
Durable vinyl retains the insulation which has been placed outside
the structural walls to eliminate drywall and expand the interior
space. CHIP uses an array of solar panels that are designed to
maximize solar power output at the lowest possible cost to the
owner. Inside CHIP, the space is designed for maximum fl exibility.
CHIP’s design eliminates unnecessary rooms and walls,
transforming it into one continuous open space organized by
ascending levels. This allows the homeowner a lot of freedom in
using the space as they wish.
Spring 2011
Dwyange Oyler
Wes Jones
[DS
]_C
HIP
SOFT FURNITURE& DINING TABLE
PROGRAMMABLECABINETS
CHIPPING AWAY FOR CARPORT &SOLAR ARRAY
CHIPPING AWAY EXCESS FOOTPRINT
CHIPPING AWAY FOR WINDOWS &SOUTH OVERHANG
[DS
]_C
HIP
[DS
]_C
HIP
[DS
]_C
HIP
22 68212
3639312
239 6812
312399
12
12Cabling Strategies
[DS
]_C
HIP
[DS
]_C
HIP
[DS
]_C
HIP
North Elevation
South Elevation
[DS
]_C
HIP
[DS
]_A
nti-A
liase
d
The primitive here, was invoked as a strategy for mantaining
manageability over complex formal investigations. A 1/2 scale
system of cubic aggrigation (Octree) A 3D fractal of a building
with relentless use of the grid, Pushing the cube to its potential
as massing volume to ornamental detailg. Homogenization and
repetition make for a muted building. Expressive yes, but obscure
architecturally. Systems emerge for organizing space within our
particular set of constraints. The cube produced overall organic
qualities: Cascading, erosion, spanning and bifrication. Physical
anti ailiasing, bridging and defi ning the volume of the building.
Physical and Graphic Aliasing, Stupid shapes make life easier.
Cubes are fast. They are easily replicable, and manipulated by
both digital and analogue media. Strict adherence to the grid was
an organizational parameter . through algorythmic agrigation, we
were interested in utilizing these expeditious primitives to derrive a
Contemporary art museum that accomodates programatic needs
and preents a sort of architectural investigation.
Fall 2010
Marcelo Spina
Teammate_
Tyler McMartin
[DS
]_A
nti-A
liase
d
octree nugget
geometric intrusion
enclosure
circulation
[DS
]_A
nti-A
liase
d
[DS
]_A
nti-A
liase
d
[DS
]_A
nti-A
liase
d
[DS
]_A
nti-A
liase
d
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
The typical formal conditions of Recreation Centers are
generic and do not offer opportunities which challenge or enhance
programmatic values or user engagement. This project, through
the basis of programmatic organization, seeks to challenge the
genericism of rec centers. Driven primarily by a strong desire to
have a clearly defi ned and distributed program allowing for visible
and logical understanding of function, the building disperses
activities and zones along the site edges. The interior implication of
this organization are a visible understanding of program
surrounding a central void. The circulation through this void
becomes a highly visible affair, with those circulating able to see
and watch those engaging in activities, and vice versa. The major
formal interest and direction is derived from the interaction
between the user and the viewer. implication of the circulation
is carried through the extrior, where the pressures exerted by its
growth are expressed within the buildings deformed roof and walls.
This second orgranizational system intices the user to enter.
Spring 2010
Ramiro Diaz-Granados
development of wood module [DS
]_R
ec_c
en[
]
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
hierarchy
field [DS
]_R
ec_c
en
25’
45’
25’
20’
20’
16’
32’18.5’
40’
30’30’
16’
52’
25’
program volumes formal intervention
park kp
arkkk
park
kpark
parkpppp
kparkpp
pa
pa
arar
roof plana
b
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
circulation
circulation deforming envelope
a
b
plan @ 18’
10
10
10
10
10
11
a
b
plan @ 36’
12
11
12
12
12
12
ING
RA
HA
M S
T
OU
TDO
OR
PAR
KIN
GB
IXE
L S
T
ALL
EY
ING
RA
HA
M S
T
OU
TDO
OR
PAR
KIN
GB
IXE
L S
T
ALL
EY
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
section a
section b
plan @ 6’
1. administration2. mens locker3. womens locker4. sauna
5. steam room6. reception7. equipment8. bouldering
9. climbing10. squash11. yoga/rec12. spinning
1
6
8
8
9
8
2
35
53
3
section b
elevation N
elevation W
a
b
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
[DS
]_R
ec_c
en
[DS
]_S
CI_
Arc
libra
ry
The development of an addition to Kappe Library contained
four critical points of focus; circulation, enclosure, program, and
structure. The extension is to double the size of the current library,
providing space for archiving, digital media viewing, and generous
reading spaces. Being sited above the existing library, a unique
opportunity arose in differentiating itself from the binary, open or
closed system of the building beneath the extension. Beginning
with an exploration into the circulation of the space, itself inspired
by a sailors Bowline knot, the project developed into a volumetric
intersection, where horizontal planes morph into vertical planes.
The points of morphology refl ect pivotal points within the library,
the main location being the new entrance, where all the volumes
collide into one another. To further differentiate itself from the rigid
linearity of its sponsor building, the circulation is skewed, a subtle
difference that is easily noticed when walking through, begining
with the entrance to the extension, a volume protruding the east
wall of the library.
Fall 2009
Dwayne Oyler
development of circulation [DS
]_S
CI_
Arc
libra
ry
circulation development [DS
]_S
CI_
Arc
libra
ry
PLAN @ + 34’ [DS
]_S
CI_
Arc
libra
ry
site plan
PLAN @ + 20 ’
PLAN @ + 44’PLAN @ + 34’
[DS
]_S
CI_
Arc
libra
ry
section
[DS
]_S
CI_
Arc
libra
ry
[DS
]_4t
h st
. infi
ll
The premise of lightweight is a site specifi c intervention that
explores the sectional space of a body occupying an urban void.
Attention was focused on understanding the intervention as a
wholistic body and in a striated sequence of parts. Through
developing certain degrees of facility for moving between these
two poles of seeing, an exploration of spacial effects is created,
exploring radical vs. gradual elevation changes and more
importantly, a manipulation of the intervention to form strong
relationships between its body and the situation surrounding it.
The 4th street bridge site is bound to the north by the incline of
the automotive bridge, to the south by a multistory building
relegated to storage. The site has minimal frontage along its only
street face and is immediately adjacent to a tunnel. Thus, the focus
of the intervention was to elevate the user from the street level
to the roof, at a incline that was in tension with the incline of the
roadway.
Fall 2009
Dwayne Oyler
sectional diagrams illustrating relationship between form and sight lines
[DS
]_4t
h st
. infi
ll
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t process photo
inser t final model photo
inser t final model photo
inser t final model photo
[DS
]_4t
h st
. infi
ll
[DS
]_4t
h st
. infi
ll
transverse section
[DS
]_4t
h st
. infi
ll
longitudinal section
[DS
]_4t
h st
. infi
ll
[VS
]_Em
bellis
hed
Faca
des
As a shift away from the paradigm of the ‘continuous envelop’,
this class will focus on the frontality of the Facade, the highly deco-
rated semblance of buildings. With: cornices, windows, frames,
doors, brise-soleils, canopies, balconies, as the elements that
converge in the facade, we will revisit them formally and will build
up a vocabulary of artifacts that enhances the building’s face. This
class will work in collaboration with the University of Buenos Aires
in Argentina, we will research case studies from prominent build-
ings in Argentina and will extract architectural elements that will act
as the platform for research. The fi nal output of the class will be
exhibited at UBA, University of Buenos Aires.
Spring 2011
Florencia Pita
Teammate_
Linda Yang
[VS
]_Em
bellis
hed
Faca
des
[VS
]_Em
bellis
hed
Faca
des
[VS
]_Em
bellis
hed
Faca
des
[VS
]_Em
bellis
hed
Faca
des
[VS
]_W
orm
Who
les
Fall 2010
Florencia Pita
Teammate_
Giovanna Orozco
Architects can no longer afford to be intimidated by the puritani-
cally moral language of orthodox Modern architecture. I like ele-
ments which are hybrid rather than “pure,” uncompromising rather
than “clean,” distorted rather than “straightforward,” ambiguois
rather than “articulated,” perverse as well as impersonal, boring as
well as “interesting,” conventional rather than “designed,” accomo-
dating rather than excluding, redundant rather than simple, vestigal
as well as innovating, inconsistant and equivocal rather than direct
and clear. I am for messy vitality over obviious unity. I include the
non sequitur and proclaim them duality.
Robert Venturi
Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture
[VS
]_W
orm
Who
les
[VS
]_W
orm
Who
les
[VS
]_W
orm
Who
les
[VS
]_W
orm
Who
les
[VS
]_pa
paya
“Analogue technologies of reproduction work through imprints,
traces, and transfers. The image may shift in scale or value, but
its iconic form is maintained throughout. Internal hierarchies are
preserved. A signifi cant shift occurs when an image is converted
to digital information. A notational schema intervenes. “Digital
electronic technology atomizes and abstractly schematizes the
analogic quality of the photographic and cinematic into discrete
pixels and bits of information that are transmitted serially, each bit
discontiguous, and absolute - each bit “being in itself” even as it
is part of a system.’ A fi eld of immaterial ciphers is substituted for
the material traces of the object. Hierarchies are distributed, value
is evened out. The ciphers differ from one another only as place
holders of code.”
Stan AllenFrom Object to Field
1997
Spring 2010
Kelly Bair
Teammate_
Jane Suthigoseeya
graphic diagram illustrating growth, characteristics, and distribution of the Papaya
wor
ld
usa
levels
of rip
eness
BR
IN
ZR
ID
US
MXpapaya
injest or store at > 38°f
24hrs24hrs
24hrs24hrs24hrs24hrs24hrs24hrs24hrs
24hrs24hrs24hrs24hrsIndigenous to various tropical locations,
Papaya reins as the superior fruit, in both
nutrition and medicinal purposes. Papaya
grows directly from the stem of a
branchless tree at consistent pace. Able
to grow year round, due to the climate of
its growing locations, papaya farming is a
lucrative business, with Brazil leading world
production of the fruit. Many different vari-
eties of the fruit are available, with Hawaii
leading the way in genetically altered fruits
that have a higher resistance to rotting. Sizes
can vary from half pounds to twenty
pounds, and the shape can be either
cylindrical or pear shaped. With hints of
Mango, Banana, and Peach, the flesh of the
fruit is delicious. Little know to the public,
papaya seeds are a main component in
powered meat tenderizers because of its high
concentration of papain.
ID
pounds, and the shape can be either
cylindrical or pear shaped. With hints of
Mango, Banana, and Peach, the flesh of the
fruit is delicious. Little know to the public,
papaya seeds are a main component in
powered meat tenderizers because of its high
concentration of papain.
MMMMMMMM
USSSSSSSS
24hrs24hrsMMMMX
w year round
its growing location
lucrative business, wi
production of the fruit
eties of the fruit are ava
leading the way in geneti
that tttt have a higher resistanc
can vary from half pounds t
ZRRRRRR
IN
14[VS
]_pa
paya
quincepapaya
[VS
]_pa
paya
longitudinal section and family diagrams
1
a
2
b
3
1”
2”
c
4
d
5
e
6
f6. section @ 0”
5. section @ 3.5”
4. section @ 7”
3. section @ 10.5”
2. section @ 14”
1. section @ 17.5”f. section @ 1”
e. section @ 2”
d. section @ 3”
c. section @ 4”
b. section @ 5”
a. section @ 6” [VS
]_pa
paya
[VS
]_pa
paya
[VS
]_so
undb
ox
“The fi rst place anyone looks to fi nd geometry in architecture is
in the shape of buildings, then perhaps in the shape of drawings
of buildings. These are the locations where geometry has been on
the whole stolid and dormant. But geometry has been in the space
between and at either end. What connects thinking to
imagination, imagination to drawing, drawing to building, and
buildings to our eyes is projection in one guise or another, or
processes that we have chosen to model on projection. All zones
of instability. I would claim that the engaging questions of
architecture’s relation to geometry occur in these zones.”
Robin EvansThe Projective Cast: Architecture and Its Three Geometries
Cambridge, Mass: MIT, Press, 1995.
Fall 2009
Dwayne Oyler
development drawing and plans
[VS
]_so
undb
ox
sections and elevations [VS
]_so
undb
ox
[VS
]_so
undb
ox
exploded axonometric of selected 3D form
[VS
]_sk
etch
es
sitting on a wall along the water, looking into town, realize how
alive with movement town is. not literal people movement, but
laundry fl uttering in wind, as well as canvas tarps over porches and
balconies, fl ags, some wind instruments, quite captivating, when
all layered on top of one another and mixed up...
there is such a difference in campo life here. people fl ock to
them to play futbol or what. the campos here are always bustling,
and are a great size. tallest surrounding building, 5 stories. little
church and a plaza large enough for a small futbol fi eld, yet small
enough to let your children out. this really feels like a living room...
in the middle of the hike, at Corniglia, the americans are so easy
to spot because they are not wearing speedos and the girls in
bikinis are fake. i just heard “i wonder how far it is for them to get
to their nearest home depot...”
[VS
]_sk
etch
es
[VS
]_sk
etch
es
[AS
]_C
rafts
nam
ship
in M
ilan
Lamborghini. Within that word is a power so great, grown men fall
to their knees. If it’s elegance and sensuality you want, look elsewhere.
It’s lines are fi erce and aggressive, encapsulating a brutality that cross
town rival Ferrari could never achieve. In fact, send your thanks to Enzo
Ferrari, for if it were not for his faulty clutches, used in the very farm
tractors Ferruccio Lamborghini produced, the only rival Lamborghini
would have is John Deere. With the help of ex-Ferrari engineer Giotto
Bizzarrini and the infamous Gian Paolo Dallara, Lamborghini sought to
out race, out class, and out Italian Ferrari in the only way possible; a
better car.
Forty-eight years have passed since the fateful day of the failed
clutch, and Lamborghini resides in its original building. The birthplace
of the companies two current models, the Gallardo and Aventador, the
assembly of both exotics is quite anti-climatic. Robots and mechanized
assembly lines are non-existent. With the exception of some specialty
tooling, the assembly of both the Gallardo and the Aventator are done
with the ten digit hands of the proud Italians that work there. In the case
Summer 2011
Elena Manferdini
Illaria Mazzoleni
Teammate_
Steve Chien
of the Gallardo, though, it’s Italianness is questionably
diluted by German owner, Volkswagen Audi Group. This
is not to insinuate that the car in any less lust worthy
or less nationalistic. VAG has brought to the table a
plethora of valuable electronic software and systems
manufacturing allowing the Italian beast to be itself
more reliably. In addition to electrical systems that work
consistently, VAG has allocated the manufacturing of the
Gallardo frame to it’s robotic German brethren, allowing for
swift and precise fabrication. After a quick submersion in
paint, the frame is shipped back to its homeland (of heart,
not material) for fi nal assembly. It is here the Gallardo
spends the next 3 days, being manually pushed through
25 stations. Everything is done by hand. Imbued within
this is a carefulness for detail and a respect for both the
car and the owner. It did not matter that a majority of the
parts being installed bore the iconic 4 rings of its owner.
In the case of the Gallardo, it appears that the sum of the
parts is greater than the parts themselves.
Though sharing the same building, the Aventador
is more dominantly Italian. An evolutionary design that
carries that DNA of the sci-fi Contouch, the Aventador
becomes a slightly softer, sinuous affair upon assembly. It
may still receive parts from Big Brother, but the Aventador
is a decidedly in-house affair. From its carbon fi ber
monocoque passenger cell to its aluminum chassis,
the Aventador is premier in 21st Century automotive
technology. Its heart, a clean sheet 6.5 liter 12 cylinder
fi ghting bull, was also designed and is fabricated in
house. As with the Gallardo, robots are an endangered
species, only available to use when a task exceeds
human capabilities. With Italians, that is rarely the case.
The only time the Aventador leaves its coddled birthplace
is to visit its paint maker. An affair that takes more than a
day, the Aventador is scrubbed, sanded, fi lled, sanded,
primed, sanded, and painted. The obsession of detail
here goes so far as to only allow one person to paint
the exterior of the panels, while another Italian paints
the interior, assuring a consistent coat of paint. Final
assembly parallels that of the Gallardo, though more time
consuming. Seats and full leather lined interiors are all cut
to order from fl awless hide. Colors? Your choice. Try to
even fi nd one they won’t produce. Similar to the Gallardo,
that Aventador progresses through the assembly line in a
time logged by days, not hours. The penultimate moment
for any assembly associate is the last stop on the line.
It is here that both the Gallardo and the Aventador start
for the fi rst time. With virgin V-8’s and V-12’s revving
and coughing, the supercars are tested both in house
and on public roads. It may seem like the perk of the
[AS
]_C
rafts
nam
ship
in M
ilan
job, for who would not want to drive their creation, but
it is the last measure to ensure the car is assembled
to the strictest of standards. Anything less, and not
only would the company suffer, but the country as well.
Lamborghini embraces both the most innovated use of
materials and technologies with the care and emotion of
hand assembly. It doesn’t matter if the car speaks a little
German. Really, who isn’t impressed by
the multilingual?
Fiery horses or raging bulls are not the only focus of
the Italian engineers. To the common observer, Dallara
holds no importance. Yet, Dallara remains at the forefront
of design and racing pedigree. Instead of tamed road
going cars, Dallara focuses on chassis and automotive
development for Formula 3, Indycar, Grand-Am, GP2
and LeMans. These cars are engineered to be dominant
machines, their monocoque bodies calculated to take
loads to the tenth. The manufacturing of these carbon
fi ber shells begins with the engineers, who study load
calculations and aerodynamics to make the cars as
strong and as slippery through the air as possible. The
cars are modeled to completion in 3D, allowing the
engineers to test them in a virtual environment. This
modeling is a huge asset for Dallara, for the fi eld of racing
is highly competitive and the digitization allows for a lower
cost of development. To further evidence the success
of computer modeling, Dallara has built an in house
simulator. Here, drivers can test out the dynamics of their
car before hitting the track. A crash on the simulator is
free; a crash in a prototype is worth millions.
After a thorough evaluation and digital simulation,
production begins on the prototypes. Similar to the
experience at Lamborghini, the factory remained free from
major digitization that large-scale manufacturers employ.
Instead, a 5-axis mill cuts molds for the vacuum former.
Using extremely high-density foam, carbon fi ber and
resin are baked in an oven that doubles as a vacuum
chamber. The molds are
two-piece affairs, allowing for easy reuse. All other
assembly is done by hand. There is an importance to
hand assembly here, both for emotional and practical
reasons. By piecing the car together by hand, the
assembler can not only pick out imperfections, but can
most likely assemble the car with more care. Furthermore,
the development of a fully automated assembly system
is cost prohibitive. There is simply not enough volume to
satiate the needs of robots and thank goodness for that.
A large part of the Italian culture is emotional, and I could
not envision a place like this with the cold heart of a robot.
[AS
]_C
rafts
nam
ship
in M
ilan
Dallara embodies evolutionary through digitization, yet still
crafts by hand.
The exchange of both practices and technology
between automobiles and architecture is both prolifi c and
infant. Though always sharing a similar design process,
stemming from global ideas to detailed manufacturing,
it was not until the digitization of design and advanced
fabrication techniques, such as the monocoque, that the
two fi elds began to form a symbiotic relationship. Both
fi elds allow for computerized manufacturing for speed and
accuracy of production, yet still rely on hand craft with
small batch items and exotic designs. The R&D in carbon
fi ber and lightweight technologies currently spearheaded
by Audi, Toyota, and BMW will undoubtedly play a role in
building techniques and material applications, as already
seen in Greg Lynns carbon fi ber hammock chair. It seems
only a matter of time that the idea of customization of both
architecture and cars reach a new level. Imagine ordering
a monocoque from your local dealer and outfi tting it as
you see fi t. Economically viable only on a global scale,
like that of an automobile, this has potential to afford a
mass produced architecture with global outreach. The
reciprocity between the automobile and architecture
worlds is integral to their growth and evolution of the fi elds.
[AS
]_C
HIP
’DD
“The notion of tectonics as employed by Frampton -- the fo-
cus on architecture as a constructional craft -- constitutes a di-
rect challenge to current mainstream thinking on the artistic limits
of postmodernism, and suggests a convincing alternative. Indeed,
Frampton argues, modern architecture is invariably as much about
structure and construction as it is about space and abstract form.”
Spring 2011
Dwayne Oyler
Wes Jones
Teammate_
Solar Decathlon
11/2" = 1'-0"NORTH WALL SECTION
11/2" = 1'-0"SOUTH WALL SECTION
'10 11/2'
1/2" '10 11/2'
1/2"
T.O ROOF17'-4"
SOLAR ENVELOPE18'-0"
MODULE SPLIT10'-3"
MODULE SPLIT10'-3"
A1
FIRST LEVEL1'-9"
A4 [AS
]_C
HIP
’DD
0 1000' 2000' 0 100' 200'1"=1000'VICINITY MAP
1"=100'LOCAL SITE MAP
LEGEND:
POTOMAC RIVER
CONSTITUTION GARDENS POND
WASHINGTON MONUMENT17TH
ST S
W
TIDAL BASIN
KUTZ BRIDGE
POTOMAC RIVER
INDEPENDENCE AVE
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
MLK MEMORIAL
14TH
ST
SW
OHIO DRIVE
FDR MEMORIAL
ARLINGTON
MEMORIAL
BRIDGE
23R
D S
T S
W
REFLECTING POOL
SOLARDECATHLONSITE
DECATHLETE WAY
TIDAL BASIN
EVENT TENT
EVENT TENT
OHIO
DRIVE
OSU
MASS NY
GHENT UMD UH
CALG TONG UIUC
TENN PARS FIU
PUR MIDD APPST
FLA NJ
NZ VA
ONE WAY CONSTRUCTION VEHICLETRAFFIC
OHIO DRIVE
CHIP
FDR MEMORIAL
APPROXIMATESHUTTLESTOP
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
A1
1. TRUCK ROUTE PENDING APPROVAL
2. CRANING OPERATION SUBJECT TO CHANGEAWAITING SITE CONDITION INFORMATION
A4
3
3. REFER TO O-101 FOR SITE OPERATIONSPLAN DETAILS
1. TRUCK STAGING AND CRANING LOCATION
N N
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
SUBMISSIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERSBURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
EXTERIOR SKINTHE VINYL INSTITUTE1737 KING ST, STE 390ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.TEL: 571.970.3400
BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONRJC BUILDERS, INC.3509 W 6TH ST.LOS ANGELES, CA 90020TEL: 213.388.9327
REVISIONS:
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SET 03/22/2011
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION SET 11/23/2010
3/25
/201
1 12
:42:
28 P
M
G-101
SITE MAP
GENERAL SHEET NOTES
REFERENCE KEYNOTES
SHEET NOTES
L103
A1
L103
A3
4' 8'0 2'
0 1/2' 1' 2' 4' 8'0 2'
0 6" 1'3"
0 6" 1'3"
4'0 2' 8'1/4" = 1'-0"WEST RAMP AND PLATFORM PLAN
1/4" = 1'-0"EAST RAMP AND PLATFORM PLAN
3" = 1'-0"RAMP DETAIL
1" = 1'-0"RAMP SECTION
1/4" = 1'-0"RAMP SECTION
3" = 1'-0"RAMP DETAIL
1'-7"
4'-81_4"
2'-7
1 _ 4"
5' -2
"
6'-6
1 _ 2"
2'-5
"
4'-111_4"
5'-1
1_ 4"
5'-3 3_4 "
5'-0"
2'-4
1 _ 4"
4'-1
01 _ 2"
8'-41_2"
2'-7
"3
'-0
"
3'-113_4"
31_2"
3'-113_4" 3'-113_
4" 3'-113_4" 3'-113_
4" 3'-113_4" 5'-23_
4"
5'-0
1_2 "
4'-0
"
3'-0
"
4'-10"5'-4"
5'-4"
5'-5
"
4'-41_2"
1'-41_2"
4'-41_2"
5'-0"
CLR
4'-0
"
4'-0
"
4'-0
4'-0
"
4'-2
3_4 "
4'-0
1_ 4"
4'-0
1_ 4"
4'-0
1_ 4"
4'-0
1_ 4"
4'-0
1_ 4"
4'-0
1_ 4"
4'-1
"
29'-5
1_ 2"2
9'-5
1_2 "
1-1/2"
1. GRATE SUNKEN INTO RAMP STRUCTURE
2. 2" X 2" STEEL ANGLE BENT CLOSED 5 DEGREES
DIVISION 05 - METALS05 05 23 FASTENERS
1/4" STEEL PLATE05 05 23.10C12 X 30 STEEL05 12 23.B4
B1 B3
C5
A1 A3
C5L-103
B5L-103
B5
1
05 05 23.B7 1/4" LAG SCREW
05 12 23.H37 5" X 3" X .1875 STEEL TUBE
2" X 2" X .3125 STEEL TUBE05 12 73.L693" X 2" X .1875 STEEL TUBE05 12 73.L263
05 12 36.A128 2" X 2" X .3125 STEEL ANGLE
STEEL DECK GRATING05 53 00
1/2" LAG SCREW06 05 23.B2
05 73 00 DECK RAILING
DIVISION 05 - WOODS, PLASTICS,
1/4" LAG SCREW06 05 23.B7
2" X 6" REDWOOD DECKING06 15 13.A1
AND COMPOSITS3/8" 3.5" LAG SCREW06 05 23.B1
DIVISION 08 - OPENING
SOUTH BI-FOLD (4 PANEL) DOOR:08 35 13.13 NANAWALL
DIVISION 07 - THERMAL AND
BATT INSULATION07 21 16.A10MOISTURE PROTECTION
2X8 HANGERLU28
06 16 23 PLYWOOD SUB FLOOR
05 12 23.B4
05 12 23.H37
05 12 36.A128
05 53 00
05 12 36.A128
2
05 12 36.A128AND GROUND TO ACCOMMODATE SLOPE TRA-NSITION
05 12 73.L69
06 15 13.A1
05 23.EZ GRATE SADDLE CLIP
4
3. 2" X 2" STEEL ANGLE FASTENED TO EDGE OFDECK TO FORM 2" ADA WHEELCHAIR GAURD
05 05 23
05 73 00
05 23.EZ
05 53 00
05 12 23.H37
05 12 36.A128
05 12 23.B4
05 05 23.10
05 12 73.L6906 15 13.A1
05 73 00
4
5
4. JACK ASSEMBLY FOR ADJUSTABLE RAMPHEIGHT
5. ROLLING ASSEMBLY FOR ON-SITE MOBILITY
6
6. 36" HIGH CONTINUOUS HAND RAIL
3
05 12 23.B4
05 73 00
05 12 36.A128
05 73 00
05 23.EZ
4
5
05 12 36.A128
06 15 13.A1
7
05 73 00
05 12 73.L69
05 12 23.H37
05 12 23.B4
05 12 73.L69
05 53 00
08 35 13.13
06 16 23
05 12 36.A128
06 15 13.A1
05 12 73.L69
05 05 23
05 12 36.A128
06 05 23.B1
ALLOWS CHANNEL TO FORM CONTINUOUS
N N
07 21 16.A10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
SUBMISSIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERSBURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
EXTERIOR SKINTHE VINYL INSTITUTE1737 KING ST, STE 390ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.TEL: 571.970.3400
BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONRJC BUILDERS, INC.3509 W 6TH ST.LOS ANGELES, CA 90020TEL: 213.388.9327
REVISIONS:
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SET 03/22/2011
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION SET 11/23/2010
3/25
/201
1 12
:43:
14 P
M
L-103
RAMP DETAILS
GENERAL SHEET NOTES
REFERENCE KEYNOTES
SHEET NOTES
11/2" = 1'-0"NORTH WALL SECTION
11/2" = 1'-0"SOUTH WALL SECTION
0 1' 11/2'
1/2" 0 1' 11/2'
1/2"
T.O ROOF17'-4"
SOLAR ENVELOPE18'-0"
MODULE SPLIT10'-3"
26 31 0005 14 13
07 21 13.B406 16 00.D1006 11 00.G14LU28JOISTHANGER07 21 16.A10
06 18 13.A10
32 05 19.1307 21 13.B4
06 16 00.D6
06 48 13
09 64 1906 16 23
07 21 16 A1006 16 00.D10
06 19 1306 11 00.F1
1% SLOPE ROOF
06 11 00.F2
06 16 2307 21 16.A1006 11 00.G3
LU28
06 11 00.L6LSSU210
05 05 2306 11 00L.606 11 00.G7
08 52 00
06 43 00.C2
26 31 00
05 14 13
05 50 00
05 12 69.K6
06 16 00.D10
LU28
06 11 00.G14
06 18 13.A12
06 05 23.B0
26 31 00
07 21 16.A10
06 18 13.A10
06 16 00.D6
06 16 00.D10
06 16 00.D6
07 21 13.B4
13 31 00.A1
13 31 33
06 16 00.D606 16 2309 64 19
06 11 00.G7
08 35 13.13
06 15 13
LU2807 21 16.A10
06 11 00.G7
05 05 23
06 11 00L.6
05 05 23.A3
06 05 23.B1
08 52 00
07 31 00 CT
MODULE SPLIT10'-3"
A1
FIRST LEVEL1'-9"
A4
DIVISION 07 - Thermal and Moisture
BATT INSULATION07 21 16.A10METAL GRATINGS05 53 00
DIVISION 05 - METALS05 05 00 ALUMINUM RAILNG
SHEET METAL (FALSE PANELS)05 50 00METAL GRATINGS05 53 00
DIVISION 26 - Electrical26 31 00 PV Panels
2" ALMINIUM TEE, 2" ALMINIUM ANGLE05 14 13
2" OR 3" RIGID INSULATION07 21 13.B4
DIVISION 06 - WOODS, PLASTICS,
FRAMING- RAFTERS06 11 00.G14
PLYWOOD- EXTERIOR WALL SHEATING06 16 00.D6PLYWOOD- UNDERSIDE AND06 16 00.D10
EXTERIOR GRADE FINISH PLYWOOD06 48 13
PLYWOOD- EXTERIOR WALL SHEATING06 19 00.D6
4X10 LAMINATE VENEER LUMBER06 18 13.A10
DIVISION 32 - EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS32 05 19.13 GEO-TEXTILE GROUND COVER
-06 11 00.F1-06 11 00.F2
-06 19 13
DIVISION 09 - FINISHES
NORTH WINDOW ASSEMBLY08 52 00
-06 16 23
FRAMING-4x8 BEAM06 11 00.L6
2X8 HANGERLU28ADJUSTABLE HANGERLSSU210
05 05 23 1/4" STEEL PLATE
FRAMING- FLOOR JOSITS06 11 00.G7
1-1/2" ROUND RAIL06 43 00.C2
DIVISION 08 - OPENING
FLOORING MATERIALS09 64 19
SOUTH BI-FOLD (4 PANEL) DOOR:08 35 13.13
3/8" 3.5" LAG SCREW06 05 23.B1
3/8" 3.5" LAG SCREW06 15 13
6X10 LAMINATE VENEER LUMBER06 18 13.A12
10" LAG SCREW06 05 23 B0
AND COMPOSITIONS
ROOF SHEATING
Protection
NANAWALL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
SUBMISSIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERSBURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
EXTERIOR SKINTHE VINYL INSTITUTE1737 KING ST, STE 390ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.TEL: 571.970.3400
BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONRJC BUILDERS, INC.3509 W 6TH ST.LOS ANGELES, CA 90020TEL: 213.388.9327
REVISIONS:
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SET 03/22/2011
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION SET 11/23/2010
3/25
/201
1 12
:40:
19 P
M
A-311
WALL SECTIONS
REFERENCE KEYNOTES
202
101
201
1/4" = 1'-0"PLANS
4' 8'0 2'
5'-0
3 _ 4"
6'-9
3 _ 4"
2'-1
11 _ 4"
7'-1
1 _ 4"
11'-0" 1'-11"
3'-0
"9
1 _ 4"
6'-7 1_2 "
5'-9 1_2 "
3'-0"
5'-11"
111_
2"
9'-10"
1'-0"
7'-1
1 _ 2"
3'-6
1 _ 4"
1'-3
3_4 "3'-1
3_4 "2'-8
1_2 "
1'-8
"
4'-0
"
5'-3
1_4 "
2'-111_2"
21'-4"
18
'-6
3 _ 4"
12'-1
01_4 "
3'-0
"
12'-51_
4"
18
'-4
3 _ 4"
11'-01_4"
2'-7
"5
'-0
"5
'-8
3 _ 4"
10'-33_4"
31_2"4"
1. SEE SHEET L-102 FOR DECK DETAILS
1. DIMENSIONS (ON THIS SHEET ONLY) DRAWN TOPARTITION WALLS ARE TO FACE OF STUD.
A1
301
A4
C4
A-213
A
31
A-213
2
1
1
A2
D4A4
C1
A-213
A3
D3
A-211
2
301
BATHROOM
401
DRESSING
402
LAUNDRYROOM
202
KITCHEN
201
101
LIVINGROOM
A-301
A2
A-202
A1
A-202
C1
A-201
C1
A-201
A1
UP
A-301
A2
DECKAREA
102
302
GROOMING
RAMPDOWN
RAMPDOWN
UP
C
DINING
FOF +10'-1 1/4"
FOF +7'-1 1/4"
FOF +5'-1 1/4"
FOF +2'-7"
FOF +1'-7"
FOF +1'-7"
B
501
BED LEVEL
1
FOF
FOF
FO
S
FO
S
FOF +2'-7"
FOF +2'-7"
2
2. SEE SHEET L-103 FOR RAMP DETAILS
EXIT
ENTER
2. THE GRID "B" IS THE LINE OF ROTATION FORROOF.
4R@
7 1_2 "=30"
3T@10"=
30"
4R@
71_2 "=
30"
3T@10"=
30"
C.1
FOS
FO
S
FOF
3. THE GRID "C.1" IS THE AXIS OF ROTATION FORCANTILEVER EXTERIOR ENVELOPE.
3. LINE OF OVERHANG CABINETS ABOVE, TYP.
4. LINE OF REMOVABLE CABINETS, TYP.
REF
DW
A-302
C3
A-302
C3
5
5
5. =LINE OF ELEVATION CHANGE, TYP.
3
4
N
1
31 2
FO
SFO
S
FO
S
A
C
B
FOF
FOF
FOF
C.1 FOS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
SUBMISSIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERSBURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
EXTERIOR SKINTHE VINYL INSTITUTE1737 KING ST, STE 390ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.TEL: 571.970.3400
BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONRJC BUILDERS, INC.3509 W 6TH ST.LOS ANGELES, CA 90020TEL: 213.388.9327
REVISIONS:
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SET 03/22/2011
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION SET 11/23/2010
3/25
/201
1 12
:39:
02 P
M
A-111
PLAN
GENERAL SHEET NOTES
REFERENCE KEYNOTES
SHEET NOTES
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
REVISIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
BURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
3/25
/201
1 12
:42:
01 P
M
G-001
PROJECT COVER
PROJECT INFORMATION:PROJECT NAME: CHIP 2011
LOCATION: NATIONAL MALL, WEST POTOMAC PARKWASHINGTON DC
OCCUPANCY: R-RESIDENTIAL
CONSTRUCTION TYPE: TYPE V
BUILDING DESCRIPTION: NEW SINGLE STORY MODULE DWELLING
MAX BUILDING HT: 18'-0"
DESIGN TEAM: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
PROJECT MANAGER: REED FINLAYCOMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: ELISABETH NEIGERT
CHIP’S ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT IS DRIVEN BY THE TWO SIDES OF THE SUSTAINABLE LIVING EQUATION:ENERGY PRODUCTION AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION. CHIP’S DESIGN IS BOTH RESPONSIVE TO THE SUN INITS ORIENTATION AND MASSING, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPRESSING THE PERFORMATIVE DUTIES OF ITSENVELOPE WITH RESPECT TO ENERGY CONSERVATION.
THE MOST SINGULAR FEATURE OF THE DESIGN IS CHIP’S UNIQUE EXTERIOR ENVELOPE STRATEGY: A SKINAND INSULATION ASSEMBLY WHICH TURNS CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ON ITS HEAD, WEARING ITS THERMALPERFORMANCE “ON ITS SLEEVE”. SEPARATING THE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS FROM THE INSULATING LAYER,AND WRAPPING THE INSULATION ASSEMBLY IN A FLEXIBLE VINYL MEMBRANE, GIVES CHIP A AN EXTERIORENVELOPE WITH THE EXTREMELY HIGH R-VALUES NECESSARY FOR A NET-ZERO HOUSE, AT ASIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED COST, WHILE INDEXING THIS PERFORMANCE IN ITS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.
CHIP’S MASSING BEGINS AS A PRIMITIVE BOX, WHICH IS THEN FACETED IN SEVERAL DIMENSIONS: FIRST, INORDER TO NEGOTIATE BETWEEN AN OPTIMAL ROOF ANGLE FOR YEAR-ROUND SOLAR ENERGYCOLLECTION, AND A COMFORTABLE, VAULTED INTERIOR SPACE. FURTHER FACETING OF THE PRIMITIVESHAPE SHRINKS AND TORQUES THE PLAN TO MINIMIZE THE BUILDING’S FOOTPRINT ON THE EXTERIOR,WHILE ACCOMMODATING THE PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS OF THE OCCUPANT ON THE INTERIOR.
CHIP’S FLEXIBLE, STEPPED INTERIOR ADOPTS THE ETHIC OF DOING-MORE-WITH-LESS, ALLOWING A SINGLE,CONTINUOUS VOLUME TO PERFORM IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO SERVE THE OCCUPANTS DAILYNEEDS. THE PROGRAM IS DIVIDED INTO A SERIES OF PLATFORMS WHICH ARE TERRACED UPWARDS ANDINWARDS, FROM MOST PUBLIC TO MOST PRIVATE. THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROGRAM FROM NORTH-TO-SOUTH, AND HIGH-TO-LOW, FACILITATES THE OCCUPANTS’ DAILY RHYTHMS: A PROGRESSION DOWNHILL INTHE MORNING, -BED/GROOM/DRESS/EAT/LIVE/WORK- AND VICE VERSA IN THE EVENING.
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS DESIGN SUMMARY
THE HVAC AND WATER SYSTEMS MAXIMIZE ENERGY SAVINGS OVER A TYPICAL YEAR OF OPERATION INCALIFORNIA WHILE LEVERAGING THERMAL SYNERGY BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS. IN THE HOUSE’SDESIGN CLIMATE, THE LARGE MAJORITY OF HVAC LOADS ARE MANIFESTED IN COOLING LOADS. THE COREOF THE SYSTEM IS A THERMAL STORAGE WATER TANK THAT ACTS AS BOTH A THERMAL MASS AND A HEATTRANSFER MEDIUM. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH HEAT CAPACITY OF WATER, THE THERMAL MASS EFFICIENTLYEXTRACTS HEAT FROM THE HVAC SYSTEM WITH A MINIMUM OF ENERGY USE. IN ADDITION, THE HEATEDTHERMAL MASS PREHEATS THE DOMESTIC HOT WATER, THUS MAXIMIZING THE COMBINED EFFICIENCY OFTHE TWO SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, THE HVAC SYSTEM MAKES USE OF SIMPLE, CHEAP, YET COST-EFFECTIVETECHNOLOGIES THAT REDUCE ENERGY USE BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE CALIFORNIA CLIMATE.ECONOMIZERS AND WHOLE-HOUSE FANS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE COOLING DEMAND IN THE SUMMERAND IMPROVE OCCUPANT COMFORT AT MINIMAL COST AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
DESIGN NARRATIVE
CHIP'S STRUCTURAL DESIGN STRIKES A BALANCE BETWEEN THE UNIQUE GEOMETRIES OF CHIP'S MASSINGAND THE DECATHLON'S AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS. AS WITH OTHER DESIGN ELEMENTS IN THEPROJECT, THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN SEEKS TO ACCOMPLISH ITS OBJECTIVES (A SIMPLE MODULARASSEMBLY WHICH ENABLES THE APPEARANCE OF A SEAMLESS UNIFORM BUILDING) IN A ROBUST, LOW-TECH FASHION, USING AS MANY ELEMENTS FROM TYPE V CONSTRUCTION AS POSSIBLE. ADDITIONALLY,WE HAVE WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AT BURO HAPPOLD TO REDUCEREDUNDANT AND UNNECESSARY STRUCTURE FROM TYPE V ASSEMBLIES WHERE POSSIBLE IN ORDER TODELIVER A LIGHTER, MORE EFFICIENT BUILDING. THE RESULT IS A UNIQUE PROJECT WHICH USES EVERY-DAY CONSTRUCTION METHODS TO LOWER THE OVERALL COST OF CONSTRUCTION AND TRANSPORT,WHILE ENABLING A STABLE PLATFORM FOR THE PROJECT'S OTHER ENGINEERING AND DESIGN ELEMENTS.
STRUCTURAL DESIGN SUMMARY
BOTTOM OFFRAMING
9 1/2"
SOLAR ENVELOPE18'-0"
GRADE LEVEL0"
MODULE SPLIT10'-1 1/4"
A
S-301
A4
H
S-503
BC
06 11 00.F19
06 11 00.G14
06 11 00.G706 18 13.A10
06 18 13.A8
06 18 13.A7
06 11 00.L1
06 18 13.A8
06 11 00.L1
11
11
11
2
06 18 13.A10
05 05 23.I0
06 18 13.A12
05 05 23.A3
05 50 00
23
06 18 13.A10
05 05 23.A3
06 18 13.A12
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
SUBMISSIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERSBURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
EXTERIOR SKINTHE VINYL INSTITUTE1737 KING ST, STE 390ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.TEL: 571.970.3400
BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONRJC BUILDERS, INC.3509 W 6TH ST.LOS ANGELES, CA 90020TEL: 213.388.9327
REVISIONS:
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SET 03/22/2011
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION SET 11/23/2010
3/25
/201
1 12
:54:
20 P
M
S-301
FRAMING SECTION
GENERAL SHEET NOTES
REFERENCE KEYNOTES05 05 23.A3 3/4" A307 BOLT05 05 23.I0 1/4" STEEL PLATE05 50 00 METAL FABRICATIONS06 11 00.F19 2X6 RAFTERS @ 16" O.C.06 11 00.G7 2X8 JOISTS @ 24" O.C.06 11 00.G14 2X8 RAFTERS @ 24" O.C.06 11 00.L1 4X406 18 13.A7 4X4 LAMINATE VENEER LUMBER06 18 13.A8 4X6 LAMINATE VENEER LUMBER06 18 13.A10 4X10 LAMINATE VENEER LUMBER06 18 13.A12 6X10 LAMINATE VENEER LUMBER
3/8" = 1'-0"C1 SECTION FACING EAST
1 1/2" = 1'-0"A1 MODULE CONNECTION AT RIDGE BEAM 1 1/2" = 1'-0"A4 RIDGE BEAM CONNECTION TO WALL
0 4' 6'2'
0 1' 1 1/2'1/2" 0 1' 1 1/2'1/2"
SHEET NOTES11 SHEETED23 3/4" WELDED STUD
05 LU 28
06 16 00.D6
06 11 00.D05
06 11 00.G13
06 16 0013 31 33
06 16 00.D10
06 11 00.F12
08 14 00
06 16 00
06 16 00.D6
13 31 33
1-1/2" = 1'-0"EAST WALL SECTION
1-1/2" = 1'-0"WEST WALL SECTION
32
0 1/2' 1' 2'0 1/2' 1' 2'
MODULE SPLIT10'-3"
MODULE SPLIT
KITCHEN LEVEL2'-9"
GRADE LEVEL GRADE LEVEL
LIVING ROOM LEVEL2'-0"
10'-3"
T.O.PLYT.O.PLY
05 12 73.L263 / 05 50 00
2.
26 31 00
07 21 13.B4
07 21 16.A10
07 2116.A10
07 2116.A10
07 2116.A10
A4A2
1
2
3
4
05 14 13
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
B5
L-103
B4
A-321
F.O
.S
F.O
.S
[AS
]_C
HIP
’DD
0 1/2' 1' 2'
0 1/2' 1' 2'
06 05 23.J29
06 05 23.J29
07 21 16
13 31 33
06 16 00.D6
06 16 00.D10
06 11 00.G7
05 05 23.I0
05 05 23.A2
06 11 00.L6
07 21 16
06 16 00.D10
06 11 00.G7
06 11 00.L6
05 05 23.A206 11 00.G7
05 05 23.I0
06 16 00.D10
07 21 16
06 16 00.D10
06 43 00.C2
2" = 1'-0"FLOOR SECTION
2" = 1'-0"FLOOR SECTION
1/2" = 1'-0"PV MOUNTING DETAIL
0 4' 8' 16'
26 31 00
26 31 00.A1
05 05 23.A1
05 05 23.A2
05 12 69.K6
05 50 00
13 31 33
07 21 13
06 16 00.D10
06 05 23.E7
06 11 00.G14
06 05 23.J29
07 21 16.A10
06 16 00.D6
06 05 23.B0
06 11 00.A01
06 11 00.L6
06 05 23.J29
06 16 00.D10
06 11 00.G7
06 16 00.D10
06 11 00.L6
06 11 00.G7
A1
C1
B4
DIVISION 05 - METALS
05 12 69.K6 2" STEEL PIPE2" STEEL HALF BATTEN PIPE CLAMP05 50 00
DIVISION 06 - WOOD, PLASTICS, AND
06 05 23.E7 1/4" LAG SCREWLU28 2X8 JOIST HANGER06 05 23.J29
2X8 FLOOR JOIST06 11 00.G7
DIVISION 07 - THERMAL AND
07 21 13 RIDGED INSULATIONBATT INSULATION07 21 16
DIVISION 13 - SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION13 31 33 CONTINUOUS VINYL COATED
DIVISION 26 - ELECTRICAL26 31 00 PV PANELS
IRON RIDGE ALUMINUM EXTRUSION26 31 00.A1
FRAMING RAFTERS06 11 00.G144X8 FRAMING BEAM06 11 00.L6
05 05 23.A1 3/16" 24X2 HEX BOLTS1/4" 20X1-1/4" HEX BOLTS05 05 23.A2
06 16 00.D6 1/2" PLYWOODUNDERSIDE AND ROOF SHEATHING06 16 00.D10FRAMING RAFTERS06 11 00.G41-1/2" ROUND RAIL06 43 00.C2
10" LAG SCREW06 05 23.B0
BLOCKING06 11 00.A01
05 05 23.I0 1/4 STEEL PLATE
COMPOSITES
MOISTURE PROTECTION
POLYESTER MEMBRANE
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
B
C
D
E
LOT NUMBER:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
COPYRIGHT:
CONSULTANTS
NONE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYSOLAR DECATHLON 2011
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OFARCHITECTURE
[email protected]://solardecathlon.sciarc.caltech.eduwww.chip2011.com
SCI-ARC / CALTECH
RF
#402
DATE: 03.22.2011
SUBMISSIONS:
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
TEAM SCI-ARC / CALTECH
960 EAST 3RD STREETLOS ANGELES, CA 90013
1200 EAST CALIFORNIA BOULEVARDPASADENA, CA 91125
COMPACT HOUSE, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
CHIP 2011
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERSBURO HAPPOLD CONSULTINGENGINEERS, INC.9601 JEFFERSON BLVD. STE BCULVER CITY, CA 90232.TEL: 310.945.4800
EXTERIOR SKINTHE VINYL INSTITUTE1737 KING ST, STE 390ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.TEL: 571.970.3400
BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONRJC BUILDERS, INC.3509 W 6TH ST.LOS ANGELES, CA 90020TEL: 213.388.9327
REVISIONS:
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING SET 03/22/2011
DESIGN DOCUMENTATION SET 11/23/2010
3/25
/201
1 12
:41:
04 P
M
A-321
DETAILS
GENERAL SHEET NOTES
REFERENCE KEYNOTES
SHEET NOTES
Parties Involved_ Elisabeth Neigert Fei Yang Reed Finlay Brain Zentmyer Scott Davis Ann Epstein Doug Caldwell
Dwayne Oyler Melany Hunt Phil Lee Richard Murray Wes Jones Anders Fuentes Valentin Florescu Wilson
Chang Andrew Gong Ben Kurtz Cole Hershkowitz Ka Suen Sam Jones Adam Dunn Catherine Caldwell Chuy
Le Geoffrey April Hyungbin Im Michael Piscitello Mike Nesbit Paul Cambon Robert Gilson Giovanna
Orozco Harris Silver Jaques Lesec Jane Suthigoseeya Joel Ochs Lanna Semel Nathan Meyers Rachel Perez Bitan
Rinaldo Perez Robert Cardenas Hima Hassenruck-Gudipati Judy Mou Richard Wang Sara Ahmed Zeke Millikan
[AS
]_C
omm
unic
atio
ns
Looking back at the Fall of 2010 reveals the competitive nature
of the team. Embracing the idea of a soft exterior, the studio
sought to both embellish and control the degree of softness the
exterior exhibits, and soon, a tufting strategy arose to the fore-
front. It became clear, though, this articulated soft facade had no
counterpoint, since no other proposals had been presented. That
blight was soon corrected. The studio split in half, with each team
tackling their proposals at full scale on the fresh mock up. Through
the weeks of October and November, each team worked endlessly
to learn to manipulate the fabric exterior, producing the wanted
effects. It was not long before the house procured this Jekyll
and Hyde attitude. Half of the house, seemingly inspired by the
triangulated surfaces of a jet fi ghter, pointed to both the horizons
and the sky, its fabric skin taut against an auxiliary frame. It was
a seriously impressive feat to achieve such tightness and control
with the fabric. Typically, fabric carries with it small irregularities that
create creases, crinkles, or ripples when pulled taught, especially
Spring 2011
Ann Epstein
Teammate_
Solar Decathlon
[AS
]_C
omm
unic
atio
ns
those fabrics that are inelastic in both directions. This
condition, or the tectonics of the fabric, did not affect
the puffy side, though. Their scheme, which employs
a soft exterior, illustrates a new idea in the expres-
sion of a house’s insulation. An early problem was the
articulation of the fabric on the skin. When fl at against
the insulation, those small imperfections stood out as
glaring disobediences to the intention. However, once
the skin was tensioned through a tuft, the disobedi-
ence disappeared, as the fabric reorganized itself to
the new condition. In the end, the puffy side remained
victorious through its true intentions, and clear logic in
both tectonic and material. The team has now come
together to embrace and lust after the puffy side,
with many visions of its possible fi nal iteration being
subjected to the scrutiny of an infl ux of new students.
2011 promises to be a phenomenal year.
say hello to
www.chip2011.com
a compact hyper insulated prototype
SCI-ARC CALTECH
US DEPARMENT OF ENERGY SOLAR DECATHLON 2011
at a MINIMUM COSTMAXIMUM PERFORMANCE
CREATE MORE and CONSUME LESS
CHIP is a solar powered home, but its goal is n ot only to PRODUCE ENERGY. CHIP REDUCES CONSUMPTION. CHIP is able to accomplish this by reimagining conventional builing practices through innovative design and cutting edge technology.
CHIP might seem small because uses a MINIMUM FOOTPRINT. But its unique shape and interior features make it feel and function like a much larger
space. So while it is small, CHIP MAXIMIZES LIVING.
The end result is a new prototype for construction and
living. CHIP is affordale, efficient, innovative, flexible, and most importantly FUN!
CHIP is SHAPED TO PERFORM
CHIP has a central open volume that can FLEXIBLE.
The kink in plan allows the space to feel LARGER and differentiates the public spaces and private spaces.
Instead of rooms, CHIP has platforms. These platforms offer the FUNCIONALITY of rooms while allowing the space to be FREE and OPEN
ParkYour Car
Start Here
End Here
AdjustThe Interior
Now MakeIt Smaller!
meanwhile on the inside...
X
Tilt Your Roof
1
3
4
ZZzzz
TIERFIVETIER
FOUR
TIER
THREE
TIERTWOTIER
ONE
2
CHIP IS MAXIMUM LIVING
CHIP IS
FLEXIBLE
CHIP’D BEEFFEB 3 2011Team SCI-Arc/Caltech 2011
T SHIRT CONTEST
SITCOM
interior/exterior
t-shirt contest! prizes!WHERE DOES CHIP LIVE?
http://www.facebook.com/solardecathlon2011
Thank you to those who voted for CH:IP’s exterior
scheme options. Option one (tufted), two(draped) and
four (cables) were the victors. However we're still
thinking about using a combination of the 2-4 and are
still conducting tests. We're anticipating making a
decision soon. Currently there are four interior
schemes being worked on (all sporty) 1) Anti-Dwell 2) Ski
cabin 3) Contemporary... Stay tuned
http://www.chip2011.com
http://twitter.com/CHIP_2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfa76e6h9wM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sciarc_caltech2011/sets/
http://vimeo.com/user5126776
Currently we are deciding where in California CHIP
wants to be located? Maybe it wants to be a mountain
cabin or a desert cabin, maybe it wants to live in
Topanga Canyon. What do you think? Do you have any
If you do let us know via email: [email protected]
PRICE GIVEAWAY! DON’T BE LEFT OUT....PARTICIPATE!!
The SolarD invites you to contribute to our
fundraising effort! Our first fundraiser this
year will be a chance to be in the studio
audience of a brand new tv show with Fran
Dreschier. The SolarD will be paid 18 dollars
for each person who shows up to to be in the
studio audience (RSVP info at bottom). Here's
some info about the tv show (and if you can't
make this one, or don't like Fran Dresher, don't
worry there will be more opportunities to help
us out including a drinking night at
Wurstkuche): Happily Divorced is a new comedy
for TV Land based on Fran Drescher's real life
divorce situation. In addition to
co-writing/exec producing, the former
"Nanny" actress will star in the project,
about a woman who re-enters the dating
world after finding out that her husband
is gay. It focuses on how she juggles her
relationship with her boyfriend &
ex-husband.
when: Tuesday, or Thursday
time: afternoon
where: CBS Studio Center, Studio City, CA
if you are interested please contact and
RSVP to Val at
SolarD Fundraiser
We want a seriously cool CH:IP t-shirt and
we want you to help us design it. More
information about prizes soon!!!
Submit your 11x17 pdf (300 dpi) file by 12pm on
feb. 16 via email: [email protected]
the winner will be announced by feb. 17
the winner will have their t-shirt design
printed on the solar decathlon t-shirts that
will soon be on sale.
questions? ideas? via e-mail: [email protected] [AS
]_C
omm
unic
atio
ns
Make your own CH:IP 2011
it’s a pull toy!
it’s a football!! [AS
]_C
omm
unic
atio
ns
I
I
HH
GG
B
bottom
bottom
top
top
ED
F F
A A
C
E
D
CB
cut
fold
m= mountain foldv= valley fold
m
m
m
m
m
mv
v
v
m
m
m
Make CH:IP your own! Parties Involved_ Elisabeth Neigert Fei Yang Reed Finlay Brain Zentmyer
Scott Davis Ann Epstein Doug Caldwell Dwayne Oyler Melany Hunt Phil
Lee Richard Murray Wes Jones Anders Fuentes Valentin Florescu Wil-
son Chang Andrew Gong Ben Kurtz Cole Hershkowitz Ka Suen Sam
Jones Adam Dunn Catherine Caldwell Chuy Le Geoffrey April Hyungbin
Im Michael Piscitello Mike Nesbit Paul Cambon Robert Gilson Giovanna
Orozco Harris Silver Jaques Lesec Jane Suthigoseeya Joel Ochs Lanna Se-
mel Nathan Meyers Rachel Perez Bitan Rinaldo Perez Robert Cardenas Hima
Hassenruck-Gudipati Judy Mou Richard Wang Sara Ahmed Zeke Millikan
[AS
]_A
BS
In the world in which we live, there is a limited supply of natu-
ral resources. Traditional energy sources (oil, coal, gas) are fi nite.
These sources are rapidly increasing carbon dioxide emissions,
which leads to global warming. We are in a critical time in which
society needs to make a conscious choice to switch to a more
sustainable way of life. The design, construction, and mainte-
nance of buildings have a tremendous impact on our environment
and our natural resources. All around the world, a huge amount of
buildings are being constructed with many more to be done. The
challenge will be to build them smart with a minimal usage of non-
renewable energy, minimal production of pollution, and minimal
cost of energy dollars. Other important issues in building include
increasing the comfort, health, and safety of the people who live
and work in them. Indeed, buildings consume many of the natural
resources and are responsible for many problems.
Usama Mohamed Ahmed El FekyToward Applicable Green Architecture
Fall 2010
Jeff Landreth
Illaria Mazzoleni
Teammate_
Linda Yang
Liz Von Hasslen
Kyle Von Hasslen
[AS
]_A
BS
1.2 Site Analysis: Solar and Shading
WINTER SOLSTICE 8 AM
WINTER SOLSTICE 12 PM
WINTER SOLSTICE 4 PM
1.2 Site Analysis: Solar and Shading
FALL EQUINOX 8 AM
FALL EQUINOX 12 PM
FALL EQUINOX 4 PM
1.2 Site Analysis: Solar and Shading
SUMMER SOLSTICE 8 AM
SUMMER SOLSTICE 12 PM
SUMMER SOLSTICE 4 PM
[AS
]_A
BS
[AS
]_fi b
ergl
ass
The initial design proposed to test the structural potential of an
aggregate of catenary curves formed from resin-coated fi berglass
strand draped from a sequence of escalating heights. The form
of a staircase suggested the structure should support the weight
of a person. The treads were initially designed as a single sheet
of formed fi berglass fabric. This was abandoned as it appeared
unlikely that this surface would allow suffi ciently secure
connection points for the strands. A 1” thick grid of corrugated
cardboard strips was integrated into the proposal. The hanging
strands were abandoned in favor of a design in which the strand is
woven between two surfaces. The upper surface is a corrugated
cardboard tread laminated with a layer of fi berglass. The strands
are connected to a matrix of hooks below. This allows for a
network of strands in tension, that maintain rigidity once the resin
is set. The density of the strands allowed for a high amount of
weight to be distributed along the stairs, much like a balloon
framing system in homes.
Spring 2010
Rob Lay
Matthew Melnyk
Teammate_
Sarah Blahut
Courtney Morris
Youngmin Im
Alan Silay
Steve Chien
Paul Stoelting
[AS
]_fi b
ergl
ass
[AS
]_fi b
ergl
ass
[CS
]_Ia
cche
tti
Giulio Iacchetti is a self-made industrial designer who has
contributed much more to the profession than just household products.
Strolling up to his white offi ce, two icons let you know the body of a
creative resides within; a white Citroen 2CV and an old Vespa. Born
October of 1966, he pursued an education at Milan’s polytechnic
in Architecture. Since 1992, Iacchetti has run his own successful
Industrial Design fi rm exploring new typologies while maintaining an
active professorship at numerous institutions, both local and abroad.
Like a true entrepreneur, he made his own luck when breaking into
the fi eld. With a design for a door handle, Iacchetti set off looking for
local manufactures that would produce said design. Truth be told, the
manufacturer he chose was based on proximity, for it was the Citroen
2CV he was driving there. The rest is published history.
When fi rst looking at Giulio Iacchetti’s work, it comes across
as playful and simplistic. His designs are very intentional, and both
the lines and the concepts are boiled down to their essentials.
Biodegradable utensils? Well, not as simple as one thinks. The idea
Summer 2011
Elena Manferdini
Illaria Mazzoleni
of fl at, biodegradable, inset utensils was revolutionary
in 2001, enough so that MOMA New York added
“Moscardino” to his permanent collection and he, with
co-designer Matteo Ragni, won the Compasso d’Oro.
One of his most lasting pieces exemplifi es the intense
thought, conceptual development and social commentary
he is able to achieve in his work. To some, an interesting
juicer; others, though, know the real story. Shaped like St.
Peter’s Basilica with a copula as the squeezer is a blatant
commentary on the church squeezing money from born
and bred Italians. Though prominently of local appeal and
understanding, Iacchetti prefers those designs that have a
global audience, such as his line of
Moleskin products.
Iacchetti has not only contributed timeless designs to
the world of Industrial Design, but he was responsible for
re-invigorating professional collaboration and democratic
design. Unsatisfi ed with the behind closed door policies
of he and his peers, in conjunction with the high price for
design, he sought to begin a program where collaboration
was both cherished and allowed for affordable products.
Thus spawned the ‘Design alla Coop’ project. A total
of twenty designers created everyday products and
became so successful, the effort led to ‘Eureka Coop’.
For the fi rst time, products of design created for people
and their homes were distributed through supermarkets.
In 2009, the project won the Premio dei Premi. With the
profession once again collaborating together, the sky is
the limit for what they will contribute to the world of
design next.
GA: How has being in Milan shaped your work as
an industrial designer?
GI: I see two major elements that create a special
environment for designers in Milan. The fi rst is the strong
connection between industrialization and design. Through
the reality of industrialization, there arises a phenomenon
called district networks. The glass district is Venice and
the Veneto, marble from Tuscany, Automobile Design in
Turin, ceramic tiles in Modena. There are expertise and
masters of industry in all these districts. The other reason
why design in Italy is so successful is because Italians,
as a culture, as used to problem solving. We are living in
a society where instability is the norm. As Italians, we are
able to fi nd beauty within the limits of the resources we
have. After World War II, Italy was coming out of the war
without any resources, which only strengthened Italians
need to make something out of very little. An example of
this is not something from my own work, but from that
of my teacher and a designer whom I respect, Enzo
[CS
]_Ia
cche
tti
Mari. Out of necessity, Enzo Mari would always produce
products that were simple and functional. He was one of
the fi rst designers to work under the philosophy of making
something of incredible beauty out of very little. This is
where the idea of Italian design as deliberate moves, free
from excess comes from.
GA: How was technology infl uenced your
design process?
GI: I am tempted to tell you that nothing has changed
from when I did the door handle to now. I still work solely
with hand drawings. I sketch by hand and then I pass
it to the people in the offi ce for them to implement in
Rhino. I am the originator of the sketch, though. When
designing by technology, using Rhino or 3D max, you
end up designing what you can, not what you want. This
is not an issue about being against technology. In fact
I love technology. It is just that I am able to draw either
on paper or on my iPad exactly what I want. Technology
has an advantage for production, though, because it is
very fast. All of these products done by Enzo Mari were
done in a time in history where there were no computers.
Doing a prototype of a complex shape would take a
model maker over a week to do, whereas now I can
have a 3D print of the model in a few hours. Also, for
instance, when the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, I
was able to make a fl ag on my iPad that combined both
the Japanese Flag and the Italian fl ag to show our support
and unity as Countries. Because it was on the iPad, I was
able to email it immediately to the industry as a sign of our
support. Technology is just a tool, though, not the end of
design.
Three dimensionality is best left to be solved in your mind
and with your hand.
GA: Does the intelligence in design transcend
scale?
GI: I do not believe that scalarity is always possible.
Historically, industrial design used to look at architecture
for inspiration, but it seems we are now at a point in
architecture where architects are looking at objects to
infl uence their projects. There is a sketch that I really love.
It’s a coffee pot for Alessi, but the shape of the coffee
pot comes from the Duomo Novara. This refl ects Aldo
Rossi interest in the miniaturization of architecture into a
product. I am critical of the opposite fl ow of design, where
architects take an object and scale it up.
GA: What role does narrative play in your design?
GI: Everything that could be done has been done in
[CS
]_Ia
cche
tti
design already. What we do now is make connections
from objects to objects, or objects to cultures. This is how
the narrative is created. There is a project I care deeply
about for its narrative. It is a sheet of stamps, and I took
out the shape of the cross from the stamps. The cross
is a very interesting symbol because there is no other
symbol that is both simple in form yet deeply passionate.
With the stamps, the design is about taking away rather
than adding. The person that is on the stamp is a judge
that has been killed. I know the place in Milan where he
was killed. I have a passion for places where history has
happened. By taking away 9 stamps on the sheet, it
symbolizes the loss of the judge and also illustrates the
sacrifi ce of this person for the wellness of the country. The
son of the judge called me personally to thank me about
this project. For me, the real ethic content of design is the
symbol of, rather, the evocative power of design and not
only the form. The concept comes fi rst, the form follows
that. The evocative power of the content is the most
important thing.
GA: What is the role of social ethic in design?
GI: Yes, social agenda is really part of design. In this
project by Enzo Mari, the point was to avoid the necessity
of a hinge. Installing a hinge on this bowl would have
been a bad job for a worker to do. The social agenda
of the object goes beyond the consumer to reach the
manufacturer. There is a fi ne line between social ethic and
socialism. Usually the designer is a left wing intellectual,
the concept and the message in the project has always
been a part of design. The problem is those fi rst so called
democratic designs had a price point that was out of
reach for most people.
GA: What is the role of politics in Design?
GI: Zero.
Th is map is displaying the disbursement of male age groups, 0-32, 33-37, and 37-84. Th is becomes an indication of where single males, married males , and married males with families reside within the city limits. Typically, families seem to located themselves on the periphery, whereas single men are more central.
By displaying the % of white populations, the diversity of Colorado Springs can be interpreted. Firstly, Colorado Springs is a very white city, with only one zone where it may be less than 73%. Th at zone is around central Colorado Springs, a place where I would assume is the lowest income bracket.
BY measuring the Median House Hold income, one can understand the socioeconomic map of Colorado Springs. Here, we can see that the lowest income bracket is surrounding downtown, where it is also the most diverse portion of the city. Th e highest income brackets are on the permitter of the city, indicative of families and commuting parents.
[CS
]_W
estc
hest
er
Los Angeles as a city is a wonderful place, physically and culturally.
A melting pot of style, infl uence, and personality, it comes off as a no
bars, anything goes town. Creativity is king, pragmatics not so much.
How else would you describe a city whose only way of transport is the
car and is known better for Lindsay Lohan’s latest missteps than the
majestic orange groves that once rules this territory?
To appropriately pay homage to the clear materiality of LA, because
image is everything here, W2 becomes a statement of the fl uid ebb and
fl ow this city. Rising high from the ground, it becomes a pure statement
of rebellion against the sprawl of the city. The fi rst six fl oors within this
tower are retail mall, a place of Herculean history. Vertically from there
appears offi ces, a hotel, and fi nally, residential units that offer the world to
it’s inhabitants for a typically exorbitant price price of entry. W2 ushers in
a new era of town centers, because it becomes the town itself.
Fall 2010
David Bergman
Teammate_
Linda Yang
w1
crisped edge
geoffrey april
threads and needles
weight loss america
[CS
]_W
estc
hest
er
w2geoffrey april
pride rock
office space
the contents of the world
[CS
]_D
igita
l Tec
toni
cs
Architecture, thus far, has maintained a deep relationship with
tectonics in the sense that each has been infl uential in the others reality.
Though continuing in much the same way today, the introduction of
digital design and media has cemented a rift between the two entities.
Understanding the evolution of tectonic, through its varying defi nitions
and applications as the expression and realization of a construction that
is clear in its material intentions, the viral use of the computer in modern
design apparently threatens the basis for which tectonics survives,
specifi cally materiality. Though it can be evidenced as such, a more
appropriate assertion would be to evolve the defi nition of the tectonic, as
it is already malleable, to incorporate both the new form and materiality
that the digital age presents towards architecture.
Despite the dearth of material on the implications of digital design
in regards to tectonics, it is important to understand that digital design
is relatively new in respect to the standards of architectural design and
representation. Despite its infancy, two camps have clearly emerged,
defi ning both the virtual technology as a tool and the “concept of
Fall 2010
Todd Gannon
the virtual as that which is in dynamic tension with the
actual.”(Hayles, Gannon, 2) The former begins to allude to
digital design as a tool. Highly formalist, it is feared that its
lack of materiality, scale, and weight would compromise
tectonics. This is effectively assuaged by the realization
that “architecture will never loose its materiality,”(Picon,
115) and, more importantly, that “materiality can not be
specifi ed without reference to context…”(Hayles, Gannon,
6). Understanding that materiality and its consequences
occur at its realization, design and rendering through
digital means is no different than representation by hand,
for “even the best forms of architectural representation do
not correspond fully to reality.”(Picon, 115)...
It is easy to succumb to the seduction of virtual
forms, with their lack of gravity, structure, and scale.
Yet, when it comes time to realize a project, the gap
between the fl uidity of the virtual work and the weight of
reality is more evident than ever. A look at any of Frank
Gehry’s Catia designed buildings illustrates this discrep-
ancy, where the formal nature of the building has little
correspondence to its structural considerations. This
a-tectonic expression has been countered by some
who have sought to balance the line between form and
tectonics more delicately. A look at the entries for the
[CS
]_D
igita
l Tec
toni
cs
Yokohama Port Terminal reveals entries which bridge
the gap between the new single surface form, and the
age-old defi nition of tectonics. The winning submission by
FOA is perceived as an application of both free form and
tectonics, revealing the “tension between the fl uidity of the
original design and the technologies mobilized to realize
it.”(Picon, 117) The uniform surfaces in the virtual realm
must be treated with a materiality, and specifi cally, the ne-
gotiation of its construction regarding seams and texture.
In this application, which in essence is a long span roof,
the fl exible surfaces are treated as slabs, yet adhere to
plan symmetry, yielding a “globally monolithic typology that
is locally fl exible for its transitions from slab to slab.” (Lynn,
3) Though a monolithic typology, the implementation of
a Beaux Arts organization allows for a reading of parts,
despite the free form section, undermining the formal ef-
fect of a single surface. This appears to be a concession
made in order to maintain functions within the space itself,
or space as we currently defi ne it. If space, though, were
to be redefi ned, would the redefi nition of tectonics
also ensue?...
Moving beyond single surface modeling, digital
design is challenging the static convention of space.
While single surface modeling and its blob revealed a
much greater interest in formal affect and atmosphere,
the forms were merely designed digitally, and realized
statically. The digital world had yet to coexist with the
physical world simultaneously. This coexistence, ren-
dered in physicality would display the new tectonic, one
in which the assemblage and incorporation of both virtual
and physical is apparent and its mutualistic symbiosis is
clearly legible. An attempt at such a relationship can be
seen in Diller and Scofi dio’s Blur Building for the Swiss
Expo. Justifi ed as an experiment in the “construction of
de-emphasis,” (Diller, Scofi dio, 184), Diller and Scofi dio
eschew traditional formal interventions, instituting instead
an architecture of atmosphere. Achieved through the
use of mist to blanket the building in a layer of fog, the
space becomes formless, deapthless, and scaleless,
while simultaneously reducing the reliance on the built
form as a decipherable system of understanding. Visual
and audible codifi cations replaced architectural cues,
and were to be controlled by not only the users of the
physical site, but users of the virtual website as well. It
was designed to have cameras monitor the weather, and
change the density of the mist accordingly, thus creat-
ing a responsive and adaptable system. This fl uid motion
system, though occupying both the virtual and physical
world, can not escape the notion of gimmickry. Regard-
[CS
]_D
igita
l Tec
toni
cs
ity that they lacked, or as deep as having morphological
structures changing depending on user data, allowing for
an continually evolving volume. Semantics of the future
projection aside, it is the defi nition of tectonics that needs
to be redefi ned to incorporate the new digital realm, rather
than the digital realm adapt to an antiquated defi nition of
tectonics.
less, the mist is able to achieve what the blob is meant to
achieve, an ambiguous form type that slowly incorporates
its surroundings, yet because mist is immaterial, it lacks
any material affect that can implicate the future of built
morphopological form.
The embodiment of tectonics within the built
form, to date, has relied on the physical materialization of
form. The methods of construction and selection of mate-
rial are those responsible for the tectonic understanding
of the built form. However, as we approach an emphasis
on form and fl uid surfaces, either tectonics as an entity
has failed to materialize any greater understanding, or the
notion of fl uid surfaces has become static in the moment
of realization. Diller and Scofi dio experimented with the
coexistence of both digital and physical worlds of infl u-
ence and habitation, though the resultant was not solidly
grounded in architecture. Regardless, this illustrates the
future of tectonics as a mediation of both physical and vir-
tual worlds, much like the mediation of gravitational forces
or material changes. By developing tectonics within this
new confi ne, a whole new fi eld of architecture begins to
open up, as architects begin to think about the interaction
and mediation of the virtual and physical domains. This
tectonic could be expressed as simply digital projections
onto buildings that offer them a rendered dimensional-
[CS
]_bo
unda
ries
It is apparent that the current trend in architecture is based upon
theoretical innovation. Deformation, augmentation, scripting have all
become commonplace, where technical means and outputs are at the
forefront of design. The hyper-architects creating these formal scenarios
defend themselves and their forms, with technical processes and
evolution of past work becoming their only allies. How has the defi nition
of architecture been manicured so as to displace emotive and guttural
designs to sculpture? Furthermore, can architecture and sculpture exist
simultaneously in a built work? Lastly, why are those practicing under the
realm of spirituality and the metapoetic brushed aside like cigarette butts
on a streets edge?
Argentinean born architect Emilio Ambasz has done a
commendable job staying true to his ideologies and passions of form
and nature throughout his tenure, which began in the late 1970’s.
Not succumbing to come and go styles, Ambasz created a brand for
himself that is all but uniform and diffi cult to classify within the modern
movement throughout the 20th century. Filling architectural voids with
Spring 2010
Dora Epstein Jones
wonder, mysticism, and myth making, Ambasz uses
architecture as a medium for exploring space and time.
He focuses on a solution to boundary of a site, seeking to
create coexistence between man and nature. His highly
emotive and metaphoric forms are superlatively natural,
creating a catalyst in which environmental redemption
may take place. Emilio Ambasz truthfully has built upon
the precedents and ideals of the infl uential fi gures that had
preceded him, including those of Le Corbusier, Luis Bar-
ragan, and Giovanni Muzio, and has developed and built
upon his own ideals and values.
It has been noted that Emilio Ambasz’s work tran-
scends classifi cation. This is a dubious claim, for Emilio
can be classifi ed as a post-modernist. Even though his
works may not be in the same stylistic category, each is
capable of being classifi ed within the realm of the 20th
century modern movement. Infl uenced by artists, such as
Robert Smithson and Luis Barragan, Ambasz fl ourished
as a designer, turning to fables, rituals, mysticism, his-
tory, nature, and the artifi cial for insight to the world that
has been and the world to come. In doing so, Ambasz
sought to turn back to the primitive, as Le Corbusier
had done, prioritizing innovation over invention. It is in this
context that Ambasz was able to carry out his surrealist
development of the landscape, utilizing architectural meth-
ods, such as masses which give the illusion as to being
hollow in the center, within and around his constructions.
Ambasz’s structures are unusual because they rarely sit
on the ground. Rather, the earth is shaped around them,
enveloping them to create a womb like atmosphere
where nature and man can intimately react. This is the
scenario where the depths of Ambasz metaphors and
naturalistic declarations are most prominent and poetic
narration of form and myth climax.
Ambasz’s 1975 design for Casa de Retiro
Espiritual epitomizes his early postmodern philosophies.
Designed as a casual retreat from the surrounding world,
Casa de Retiro Espiritual was responding to the chaos
of the 1960’s and 1970’s. The retreat is reduced to the
utmost pure form; two vertical white walls situated at right
angles to one another with an ornate balcony at the top
overlooking the valley. The singularity of these elements
lends to a sense of ruin or reclamation by nature. This
creates mystery as to what lays beyond the walls, that
when approached, becomes highly emotive and spiritual.
A monumental staircase in triangular form descends into
a sunken patio, relaying the message of “eternal return.”
The exterior of this house is unmistakably infl uenced
by the work of Luis Barragan. Ambasz carried over the
use of planar white walls, however, increased their size,
encompassing his goal for the monumental and aiding
the illusion of a ruin. The stairs that Emilio Ambasz built in
order to ascend these large planar facades are extremely
delicate cantilevers that contain an uncanny resemblance
to those designed and used by Luis Barragan himself.
Contrasted to the monumental, planar façade, the
sunken interior is a free fl owing plan, centered around the
patio in typical Andalucían vernacular. Light penetrates
below through serpentine skylights, another compliment
to the surrounding nature. When below in the patio, the
view upwards is completely framed in, allowing only visu-
als of the clouds and sky above, similar to Luis Barra-
gan’s personal roof terrace. Aside from the metaphysical
aspects of the abode, Ambasz has created a remarkable
structure that contains misplaced pieces of a Roman
patio and a Japanese porch, which combine with new
concepts of space, fl exibility, and privacy to compose a
contemporary structure that is ingrained in the past. It is
here that the notion of man being an extension of nature
is sincerely understood.
Emilio Ambasz developed the belief that archi-
tecture should, “represent the internal and eternal move-
ment of an all encompassing planetary geology…refl ect-
ing local pulses, explosions, contractions, tempests, and
deeply welled mysteries.” To execute this belief, Ambasz
[CS
]_bo
unda
ries
enveloped by nature, for they reside under mounds of
earth and grass. The green roof that results from this
practice is an extension and abstraction of Le Corbusier’s
infamous roof garden. Instead of bringing the earth to the
roof, Ambasz has brought the roof to the earth, achiev-
ing a primal connection with nature rather than a place
in which nature can be admired. The exposed facades
that reluctantly ease out of the earth are the only ele-
ments which lend clues to the possible structures that lie
beneath the ground. They extend beyond the mounds,
giving illusion to a planar façade that is empty in the
middle, a typical style of western American architecture.
Two of the facades are circular, further enhancing the
notion of the structures embracing the earth. Large tree
trunks set at an angle support the facades, their lean
suggesting ruins or falling down columns. The vegetation
that is incorporated amongst the structures, whether it
be the tree trunks or the mounds of soil that cover the
structures, metaphorically express the strength of nature
and its attempt of revenge against that which is artifi cial.
This is a deliberate statement made by Ambasz, utilizing
“architectural geologies… [that] set forth the signs of
ceremony of reconciliation with Nature.”
Creating an intimate relationship between the
individual and their natural surroundings is diffi cult enough
used the Earth as a blank canvas, manipulating the soil in
order to create a total landscape bringing man and nature
together. Architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Le
Corbusier were known for their attempts at bringing man
and nature closer through the execution of the prairie style
or the use of the roof garden. Ambasz looked to them
and further evolved their ideas, seeking to not only bring
nature in, but to make it impossible to distinguish where
nature ends and man begins. When designing a private
residence in the heart of Montana, Ambasz brought the
landscape to life through the creation three separate
structures in eccentric seclusion that continually blend
themselves within the landscape, reinforcing the idea of
Earth as a garden. Through a fusion of surrealist imagery
and a post modern combination of western American
and ancient Greek infl uences, Ambasz creates a dramatic
composition of tension between nature and structure.
The tension expressed has undergone three decades
of refi ning, culminating in a serene quality, differentiating
itself from the tension created at Casa de Retrio Espiritual.
This is accomplished through his careful and thorough
use of natural elements like vines and tree trunks acting
as columns which bring nature into the façade, as well as
large windows that lighten the mass.
The structures in Montana retain a feeling of being
[CS
]_bo
unda
ries
to accomplish in the unpopulated forests and plains,
yet alone in the middle of a large, modern city, such as
Fukuoka, Japan. This, though, did not deter Ambasz, but
rather afforded him with an enticing challenge to which
his solution was extremely successful and revolution-
ary. Confi ned to a city plot bordering a park and a river,
Ambasz was posed with the challenge of creating the
same atmosphere of mythology, ritual, and coexistence
as seen in his other works. For his form, he chose a
stepped façade, creating a natural promenade, such as
early Egyptian stupas or Mayan temples. This promenade
was then covered with trees and shrubs, an extension of
Le Corbusier’s roof garden, which has the visual affect of
bringing the park up the front of the building. Here, locals
are not alienated from the vegetal kingdom, but rather co-
exist in harmony, inextricably linked to nature at all levels,
for each fl oor had gardens that acted as a retreat from
the modern city. Ambasz’s “Green over Gray” practice
was the pinnacle of creating an environmental culture in
which the capability to fuse ecological values with cultural
aesthetics in an urban theme was fi nally accomplished.
Nature has been reinstated, giving back the green that
has been taken away, while not jeopardizing nor restrain-
ing technological breakthroughs of the present or the
future.
Emilio Ambasz’s architectural career is littered
with revolutionary designs, each as diverse as the next.
He has capably built upon the ideals of the founding
fathers of modern architecture in a way that does not
alienate or devalue them. His strong dedication to his
revolutionary ideas culminated in strong juxtapositions of
the unfamiliar and exotic, a poet of the Earth, merely sug-
gesting what may come to be. His inexhaustible use of
metaphors, such as nature overtaking artifi cial structures
and the harmonic existence his structures retained with
their natural surroundings, resonate within our souls as we
each sense a deeper meaning of nature. Although not a
conformist to the modern movement, he does not dis-
regard past cultures, for it is intrinsic to use technologies
born by them, and he does not see technology as an
object to showcase, but rather a tool to achieve harmony.
His devotion to bringing nature and the individual together
has brought around a revolution of green architecture,
with the intent a reintegration of nature within our daily life.
While avant garde practitioners of the modern movement
concerned themselves with perfect forms of purity and
logic, creating sterile atmospheres that were purely stylis-
tic, Emilio Ambasz was on a search for a much deeper
meaning of architecture. Every one of his projects “seeks
to possess, at least, one attribute of the universe,” a goal
in which has thoroughly been achieved in each of his
works. It is important to understand that no other modern
architect sought to achieve such an intimate relationship
between man and nature, and the resurgence of nature
in everyday life, through the concepts of spirituality, tran-
scendence of time and history and myth. In this regard,
Emilio Ambasz stands alone and proud, as a true fabulist,
land poet, and spiritual leader.
[CS
]_bo
unda
ries
[CS
]_le
vitto
wn
Suburban settlements are not modern phenomena to the twentieth
century. The settlement of land on the outskirt, or even beyond urban
developments, has been common practice for a multitude of
populations throughout history. This is not to infer, though, that essential
innovation within this suburban frontier has not occurred within a relevant
time frame. What is frequently referred to as Suburbia, in the present
day, is the product of the amalgamation of both Utopian ideals and
reactionary responses to social and political pressures within the
twentieth century. Occurring largely after World War II, this suburban
movement was implemented out of necessity, and gradually evolved to
create a new landscape, both socially as well as architecturally.
Suburban housing, prior to World War II, was limited to the
middle and upper class. The lower class, comprised of blue collared
workers, was relegated to tenant and row houses, where affordability
and proximity to employment were imperative. Automobiles, although
mass-produced, had not reached the lower echelon, and suburban
development entailed a family hiring a builder to construct the house
Fall 2009
Dora Epstein Jones
of their dreams. Factor in repercussions from the Great
Depression, and the emergence of a World War, and the
economic, as well as social, health of the country was
grim. The ensuing housing shortage intensifi ed with the
return of veterans from the war creating a national
dilemma. Rooms were being rented to entire families,
many of which were multigenerational. Those who did
have housing remained in suspense over its future. The
shortage was so severe, at one point Tom Martinson
recalls in his book American Dreamscape, that turning
down salaried defense jobs was a common practice, for
if families incomes increased, they would lose eligibility for
public housing, relegating them to the street. However,
with the signing of the Veterans Emergency Housing
Program and Federal Housing Act, builders and politicians
alike sought to rectify the crisis. The Veterans Emergency
Housing Program, developed under Harry Truman, was
an agenda that addressed the housing shortage by
creating a goal of one million new, low cost houses to be
built. In order to fi nance the program, the Federal
Housing Act was pushed through congress, and it
offered guaranteed loans to builders and later to
occupants with favorable mortgage terms. Thus, almost
inadvertently the premier housing scheme of the twentieth
century was created; small, economic, plywood boxes.
...In order to achieve the fi nancial and economic
goals of the housing program, an innovation in
construction technique was required. This is due to
the fact that, as Architecture for Humanity points out in
their book Design Like You Give a Damn, “ultimately,
the cost per unit of off-site manufactured housing made
most prefabricated dwellings prohibitively expensive for
those living in the economic margins.” Thus, inspired by
Henry Ford’s assembly line and infl uenced by wartime
construction practices, Levitt created his own assembly
team, which became a miracle of modern effi ciency and
standardization. Though not revolutionary in concept, its
application was thoroughly avant-garde, as Levitt brought
the construction to the site on a massive scale. Referred
to as “on site” construction, teams of specialized builders
complete specifi c tasks from house to house, much
like an assembly line worker. This allows for a greater ef-
fi ciency in construction, and Levitt was able to bypass the
Union through hiring his own workers as
subcontractors. This also allowed him to pay the
workers per house erected, rather than a salary resulting
in the desired consequence of increased productivity. In
designing the fi rst batch of houses, Levitt maximized the
geometry of the house to use a 4’x8’ sheet of gypsum
most effi ciently, and traded days of inclement weather for
[CS
]_le
vitto
wn
weekends or holidays. To further ensure a smooth and
well-coordinated construction process, Levitt purchased
materials from the factories, negating the need for a
middleman, effectively reducing overall cost. Levitt went
so far as to purchase stock in a California forest to ensure
constant and reliable wood as well as construct a nail
factory on site. While some may see this as eccentric,
this obsession for effi ciency allowed him to build a record
thirty six houses a day. This new building process, and
adaptations of it, quickly spread across the entirety of the
country, resulting in the now undifferentiated, continuous
housing developments.
Due to the effi ciencies in the construction process,
William Levitt was able to appraise his houses at $7500.
This extreme affordability completely transformed the
housing market, and its favorable public opinion resulted
in the tripling of the test pool, from 2000 houses to 6000
houses. The popularity and necessity was so great that
veterans were camping in front of the leasing and sales
offi ce days before the fi rst house went on the market. This
was quite literally, to them, a dream to come true.
The initial houses themselves, all variations of the
same Cape Cod, were a simple four-room layout, with
an area of approximately one thousand square feet.
Comprising of a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms,
and an unfi nished attic, the houses were the vessels of
necessity rather than objects of surplus. An essential dif-
ference in their construction, and an immensely important
factor in the affordability, was the lack of a basement. This
became yet another large cause of debate and almost
jeopardized the project, as Hempstead Township required
houses to have a basement. However, through protests
and thousands of veterans charging Hempstead Town
Hall, the requirement of a basement was amended and
foundation slabs were deemed acceptable for this ap-
plication. With all the foundation slabs being of the same
dimensions, differentiation among the houses was nearly
unperceivable. Varying setbacks, exterior colors, and
ornamentation were implemented, yet did little to disguise
identical interiors and exterior dimensions. In total for
the Cape Cod series, there were 5 variations of exterior
ornamentation that, in conjunction with varying window
and shudder arrangements, created a base line for a new
nostalgic language. Referring to what Robert Stern called
“Architecture with Memory,” Barbara Kelly in Expanding
the American Dream, illustrates that through the imple-
mentation of symbols that evoke Americas past, shud-
ders, artifi cial beamed ceilings, lattice fencing, et cetera,
a feeling of architectural comfort and stability is achieved.
Even the term Cape Cod, though applied to a house that
[CS
]_le
vitto
wn
does not resemble a Cape Cod, evokes within the owner
a sense of achievement and stability that was so desired
after World War II. These “Cape Cods [were] both radically
new and comfortably old.”
...From the start, Levittown was a town built by build-
ers, not architects. The fi rst series of Cape Cod’s were a
builders response to the housing shortage, and erected
in a manner emphasizing the immediacy of the situa-
tion. They were pure tools of inhabitation, affordable new
housing with a design approach focusing on construction
effi ciency and affordability rather than architectural design
or user experience. With the introduction of the Ranch
style, aesthetics and architectural language took a slightly
more prominent role, though they were clearly overshad-
owed by the economies of the development. Though
Levitt afforded the homeowner the opportunity to pick one
of fi ve styles, the differences were not architectural, but
purely decorative. Even the changes that the hom-
eowner could make to their house were mostly relegated
to the decorative aspect. Gardening, exterior colors, and
interior aesthetics have no infl uence on the massing of
the house, or an expansion. When the homeowners
did choose to expand, builders were ready with pre-
packaged kits and showrooms full of full-scale mock-ups.
Appealing to the consumer for its ease and effi ciency,
most homeowners purely shopped for an expansion that
fi t their needs. Interestingly, suddenly architects were not
necessary for housing citizens; it had now become the
privilege of the builder.
Although Levittown took away the privileges of
the architect, and substituted a knowledgeable builder, it
still merits a place in historical milestones in architectural
history and theory. Though architectural discourse is thin,
social context and the practice of building and shaping
of cities has not been the same since Levittown was fi rst
planned. Large-scale communities stretch for hundreds
of miles throughout the country and suburban planning
has reached other countries as well. Levittown was also
the fi rst time lower class housing was addressed on a
mass scale, a social problem that still plagues the world
today. Radical construction ideas coupled with econo-
mies of scale produced a development that, while being
extraordinarily profi table for the builder, sparked incredible
public interest that has sustained for decades. The drive
for evolution, stemming from both the people of the com-
munity and the physical houses themselves, are leading
to a dynamic community that, sixty years after it opened,
has created its own architectural narrative. Though not
as romantic as Classicism, Levittown is speaking to
the practical and occasionally gaudy conglomeration of
[CS
]_le
vitto
wn
masses intended to increase the livability of the house.
With each iteration, the houses create their own individu-
ality that is expressive of both the homeowner’s style and
need. To fi nd an original Levitt house is to travel back to a
time when four rooms was enough.
Levittown has evolved from a tract housing
development into a stable community, both architectur-
ally and socially. Arising out necessity for emergency
housing, it became the world example in new construc-
tion technologies, suburban planning, and community
life. It had no intention of becoming the poster child for
post war development, yet it fl ourished as such. There
are skeptics, who believe it was a pivotal change in the
social balance of society and that suburbia has ruined the
natural landscape. Though there may be merit to this, the
living conditions of millions of people have forever been
improved, yet unfortunately, mostly without architects.