kayode quashie—0703206

sem. 2—09/10

design studio 4

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My name is Kayode Quashie. This portfolio is being produced as part of the final requirements for design studio 4, sem. 2, academic year 09/10

“architecture in its simplest form, is also when it is at its most complex”

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project 1—pavilion

phase 1— masterplan phase 2—detail

phase 3— utech study pavilion

project 2—shelter

house precedent

project 3—sustainable home

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Description Assignment: Project 1 - Phase 1 - Master plan Tutor: Mr. M. Stanely Problem statement: To create a master plan in utech No. of sessions: 3 Reflection Phase one of our first project entailed our first foray into master plans. For our site, the space between FOBE and SOBA was the place of choice. The goal of this phase was to be able to generate a master plan that we thought would work well in the space allotted to us. A lot of research had to be done before the master plan could be developed. This re-search included going on site and recording data such as pedestrian traffic, noise, site topography, vegetation, water runoff and sun and wind just to name a few. Just as important as well, was finding the best views to and from the site which would have an influence, not only on your master plan, but also your pavilion position on the site. After gathering all the data, we came together as a group and analysed the data. Pat-terns emerged, especially with pedestrian traffic, which indicated to us that the pre-sent users of the space didn’t really have a problem with the current layout. It was also noticed that there were a couple new paths on the site which we decide to ad-dress by using pavers. To reduce the noise level that entered the space, and give the exterior of the surrounding buildings a general face lift, Mediterranean Cypress where used in collaboration with low hedges. We also provided covered walkways and re-place the current walkways for a more professional look. Finally we decided to leave a lot of open green areas so students would be able to have recreational activities there. In the end I was pleased with the result and enjoyed the experience. I have gained a lot of experience due to this project, especially when it comes to management.

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Description Assignment: Project 1 - Phase 2 - Detail Tutor: Mr. M. Stanely Problem statement: To understand the relationship and connection between material and structure No. of sessions: 4 Reflection Coming from such a large and tiring project like the master plan, it was refreshing to get down to the micro level. We were to design a detail that could possibly be used on our final pavilion design. I decided to design something that would be functional but yet dynamic. I got an idea to design a support detail for a arched canopy that would float in a liquid to get the dynamic effect I wanted. A lot of research had to be done to make my idea feasible. For the structure itself I need something light weight but strong. For this hol-low aluminium was the material of choice because it offered the general parameters I was looking for. Then came the hard part, finding a liquid dense enough to support the weight of the structure. This proved difficult. There were multiple solutions that were up to the task. The best was a poisonous liquid, which for obvious reasons, couldn’t be used. Within the list though, there were other liquids that were more suited to the task required of it. The detail, because of my desires for the structure, ended up being more challenging than I would have thought. I am not complaining though, as it allowed me to venture into things I never knew before, things that I could apply to a future design endeav-ours.

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Description Assignment: Project 1 - Phase 3 - Utech study pavilion Tutor: Mr. M. Stanely Problem statement: Introduction to tectonics in an small urban setting to develop an understanding of the relationship between material and structure No. of sessions: 3 Reflection I was excited for the final phase of this project. This is where we actually got to design the study pavilion using the 2 phases completed before. After doing the research needed for the master plan, I had all the information I needed to make informed deci-sions on the design of my pavilion. Because of the qualities provided by the space, I wanted something that would allow ventilation, bring in natural light and would allow the gathering of a generous amount of students. To start, a location had to be selected. I chose the space next to the FOBE building as this offered shading to south of the area from about midday until late evening. It also was one of the quieter spaces within the quad as their windows tend to remain closed. Having chosen my site, I began designing the pavilion. My first attempt was designed to fit within the triangle created by the walkways but this was deemed unusable. In my next attempted i decided to use a linear footprint to mimic the walkways. The cov-ering was then designed to look like a spring that would let in light at intervals. The tables and chairs were placed in the shaded regions and the gaps in the spring were used for individual seating. I was completely satisfied with the final outcome. I think it was the perfect balance between light an shade creating a cool an fun working or “liming” environment.

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Description Assignment: Project 2 - Shelter Tutor: Mrs. A. Westmartin Problem statement: Design of a personal shelter in a rural context No. of sessions: 5 Reflection A shelter to me is a space that protects us from the elements and provides security. It must also be fitted to the task required of it and comfortable enough that someone would want to inhabit it. I used these ideas to generate my design. I also wanted to link the structure to its environment as much as possible and, of course, the design had to be sustainable. To begin, I looked carefully at the environment that was given to us. I decided to put my structure within the stream itself to take advantage of the tranquil environment, the sound of the running water and the views to be had up and down stream. Doing this though automatically meant that my structure would have to be temporary due to the level of water that would normally be there during the rainy season. The form of the building took shape starting with a simple box. Gradually I started pulling and pushing the shape to facilitate shading from the sun and rain as well as ventilation, views and optimal angle for the pv panels. During this time, after consultation with my lecturer, the design was tweaked an developed in to its final state. I have to admit shelter was a fun and interesting project. For such a little structure a lot of thought had to be placed into it else it could all fall apart. Especially designing the detail for my structure was enlightening to what can be done to achieve my de-sired effect.

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Site

Floor Plan

Section 1 Elevation 1

Section 2 Elevation 2

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Description Assignment: Home precedents Tutor: Mr. David Cuthbert Problem statement: Opportunity to reflect on the issues being investigated in the other three projects No. of sessions:2 Reflection For any precedent project my main goal was to learn as much as possible about the building in question. In this case it was the double house design by tonama architects. This is a unique house as it divides into 2 distinct buildings that function as one. When we first looked at the building it had a peculiar shape and design that stood out from the architecture around it but still somehow fitted in. This interested me and as we dug deeper certain oddities began to make sense. I guess the biggest question when looking at this building, is why the need for 2 buildings in the first place? Believe it or not the answer was pretty simple. This was done to encourage wind to travel through the gap between the buildings to cool the spaces, as well as to allow light to enter the building providing as much day time light as possible. This to me was pure genius. I really appreciate the time taken to do a precedent pro-ject as it opened up my mind to what has been done and what is possible. It has defi-nitely given me new ideas and approaches that I can apply to future projects.

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Description Assignment: Project 3 - Sustainable home Tutor: Mr. David Cuthbert Problem statement: Emphasizing the integration of tectonics and comprehensive design No. of sessions:8 Reflection My main idea was generated by the functions of the house. My idea was to be able to create a home that provided to the needs and wants of the inhabitants. I also wanted to make sure the design was functional and provide quick access to all the spaces pro-vided. I also wanted to meet a high standard of sustainability in the houses design as this was a major focus in the project. I started by organising the given spaces using diagrams to see how space would relate to one another. Taking into consideration the specific needs of the individuals that would inhabit the spaces. I also started thinking about the connection between inside and outside. Following this I started generating line drawings to depict spatial organi-sation in two dimensions. This started generating a form based on the function and then three dimensional spaces began to take shape. After meeting with my assigned lecture multiple times, tweaks and modifications were made and a final design agreed upon. I think that the final incarnation of the project satisfied the requirements set out at the beginning of the project. I am definitely pleased with the results even though I think if I had more time, improvements could have been made.

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