Science Building / Building ScienceNew Como Park Conservatory Science Pavilion, St Paul, MN

project brief

OVERVIEWA new Science Pavilion, located on the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Campus in St. Paul, MN is the project for ARCH551 and ARCH521. This is a hypothetical project created for the purposes of these courses. The pavilion will provide the conservatory with a new means of promoting the botanical and ecological research at the heart of their mission. The client is the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. Because the building site is located within Como Regional Park, additional design restrictions from the city of St. Paul and others will be required.

The Pavilion should total 1000-1500 square feet. A free standing building is preferred, but proposals showing a connection to existing public facilities will be considered. The building should be a small, fully enclosed pavilion for public use. It should include flexible space(s) for exhibition, gatherings, and the display/promotion of research and other initiatives supported by the Conservatory. The "spirit" of a pavilion as a building type that can bring positive attention, excitement and publicity to the existing campus is the main factor driving this project. The creative approach to both the program and building itself are more important than simply providing for utility or functional needs. No new parking is needed, but vehicular access and any redesign of existing roads or parking lots must be considered.

This project brief outlines the various assignments that begin the semester's work in ARCH551. Later assignments will be forthcoming, and additional assignments from ARCH521 will be distributed separately. All assignments combine to support the overall design project for the semester.

OUTLINE OF ASSIGNMENTS01 pre-design02 site analysis & design03 building codes & regulations04 concept & schematic design05 design development (forthcoming, week 05)06 final integrated project & portfolio (forthcoming, week 09)

TOP: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London, temporary installation July to Sep 2002 by Toyo Ito and Cecil Balmond with Arup; CENTER: Dianatempel at the Hofgarten, Munich, 1613–17 by Heinrich Schön; BOTTOM: Glass Video Gallery,Groningen, 1990 by Bernard Tschumi Architects.

ARCH 551: Integrated Design Studio ISouth Dakota State University / College of Arts and Sciences / School of Design / Department of ArchitectureFall Semester 2015 / 6 credits

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assignment format All assignments (unless otherwise noted) are to be completed and presented using 11x17 horizontal/landscape format. Students are to develop a consistent, coordinated graphic style for all assignments. This may include, where appropriate, a common titleblock (drawing title, date, student name, course name), graphic standard (scale, north arrow), and/or drawing key.

All assignments are to be completed by the due date, but edits and continued iteration are expected as the work moves towards the final review and portfolio. Changes made to improve consistency and clarity are required.

Students should keep a series of organized, digital files of all relevant versions of assignments. Students should also keep the most recent hardcopy working set of assignments and drawings at their desks for redlines, desk-crits, and pinups.

pre-design Students will analyze, develop and write a project statement that assess client needs, and develop and refine a working program. Precedent studies will be made to research design options, and the program will be coordinated with building codes and other parameters.

The following tasks are to be iterative and will improve over time. The development of these written and graphic documents should be treated as a design project that will change and improve with continued editing and revision.

Project Statement Using the mission of the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, along with precedent examples of similar building types, students are to develop a written project statement. The project statement should include an overview of the client's programmatic goals and physical (building) goals. The statement should also summarize the student's design goals, including approach to the site, the building type, the building concept, and any physical or material qualities desired. The pavilion's relationship to the existing, historical Marjorie McNeely Conservatory building should be addressed.

Examples of actual project statements should be identified and used as a guide to how these are written.

ProgrammingStudents are to develop a written building program and site program. Each should begin with an overview & design approach, and be followed by a detailed description of all building/site rooms or spaces. The site program should list all outdoor functions that support the pavilion.

Each individual room or space should have its own written description which includes the following: • room description & function, including specific needs (desks, closets, lighting, flooring material, etc.)• intent (a brief description of the client's goals and needs for that room)• primary adjacencies (rooms or spaces attached or nearby)• additional notes or special requirements

Finally, the pavilion program should include a brief, one-page square footage tabulation of all rooms/spaces.

Precedent StudyPrecedent study is an important research tool for architects and designers because it provides real, concrete examples of projects and methods similar to the one at hand. Often they are used as inspiration for the designer or sometimes just for technical or visual evidence of a particular system or relationship of parts. Either way, it is always important to become familiar with notable, architectural precedents.

By analyzing a range of approaches to overall form, accommodation of different parts of the program, use of light and material, it will be possible to more easily evaluate alternative directions in the process of analysis and design to follow. Thought should also be given to the meanings of this building type and its range of physical expression.

assignment 01

task 01a

task 01b

task 01c

Cover page of "Flourish," the 2007 Denver Botanic Gardens Master Development Plan by Tryba Architects. This document provides an excellent example of a comprehensive analysis of an institutional program, its goals, expectations, and facilities.

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Presentation of the precedent study should include the following:• project masterplanning, programming and pre-design: Many of the pavilions we will be studying are

part of larger institutions. How they create synergy or add to an overall campus is a significant part of our own project. Research and document how the precedent building relates to its historical context, the institution's mission, and if it exists as part of a larger masterplan or development strategy.

• architectural & process drawings: all plans/sections/elevations to be scanned/reprinted or redrawn at the same scale; site plan, wall sections, process sketches and models, assembly details and other important drawings to be scanned/reprinted or redrawn.

• analysis diagrams: NEW axonometric, isometric or plan/section diagrams are to be made of the following building systems and design elements. These diagrams may be adjusted or combined depending on the precedent:

site circulation / building circulation site opportunities (orientation, view, topography, etc.) program / use integrated design (sustainability, resiliency, materiality, etc.) building structure interior environment (heating, cooling, ventilation, daylighting) architectural (formal, geometric, proportional, spatial, etc)• project information: include the following project information where available: name and location of

project, dates of design & construction, names of client, architect, consultants and contractor, project size (square footages & program breakdown), project features (exhibit spaces, special equipment, etc.), and other pertinent data.

Students will select one precedent from each list below. Substitutions are allowed with instructor permission.

precedent list 01: pavilions / contexts01 Australian Pavilion, Venice Giardini/Venice Biennale, by Denton Corker Marshall, 201502 Ecuador Pavilion, Milan Expo 2015, Zorrozua y Asociados03 Fellows Pavilion, American Academy in Berlin, Barkow Liebinger, 201504 Outpost Basel Pavilion, Design Miami/Basel, Basel, Olson Kundig Architects, 201505 Art and Science Pavilion, 2014 China Flower Expo, Changzhou, LAB Architects06 Serpentine Pavilion, Serpentine Gallery Pavilions, London, Smiljan Radic, 201407 The Terrace, California Academy of Arts and Sciences, San Fransisco, Mark Cavagnero Associates,

201408 UK Pavilion at Expo 2010 ("Seed Cathedral"), Pudong, Shanghai, China, Thomas Heatherwick /

Heatherwick Studios09 Bridge Pavilion, Expo 2008, Zaragoza, Spain, Zaha Hadid10 Untitled works in concrete and aluminum, Donald Judd, the Judd Foundation, and The Chinati

Foundation Collection, Marfa TX

precedent list 02: botanical gardens11 Atlanta Botanical Garden 12 The Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, BC 13 Chicago Botanic Garden 14 Denver Botanic Gardens15 Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix AZ16 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, FL17 Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, London18 The New York Botanical Garden19 Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh, PA20 United States Botanic Garden, Washington, DC

ABOVE: Nature Boardwalk and Pavilion at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, by Studio Gang, 2010. The diagrams represent four superimposed conditions of the design, site, and program.

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site analysis & design Students will analyze and document the various methods and parameters for site selection and building siting. Graphic presentation of site analysis and design will include issues of access, daylighting, circulation, topography, view, adjacencies, environmental stewardship, development of spatial hierarchies, and more.

The intent of Site Analysis & Design is to investigate and document both the conceptual and functional requirements necessary at the building location. Conceptual site design may include issues of view, access, sequence, light, and other issues that add to the desired architecture of the pavilion and its surroundings. The functional requirements of site design are the measured or quantifiable issues that must be considered as they relate to the building code, energy usage, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, vegetation, drainage and grading, climate and a host of other constraints.

site visit, research & documentationAll students are to be familiar with the project site and context. Making site visits, documenting the Conservatory, park, landscape, and neighborhood, and understanding the area's scale and proportion is a requirement.

Because the site requires significant travel, any visits will require some planning and coordination. The instructor will arrange at least one class visit during the semester. Students should organize a way to share information, including photographs, site measurements, topography, etc. This can be done online using D2L or another shared location that is accessible to everyone in the class. Site research (and all technological, material, equipment, and related project research for that matter) is to be SHARED amongst the entire studio.

Students are to research Como Regional Park, the Zoo and Conservatory, St. Paul, its history, development, landscape, and culture. Be curious and collect documents, maps, photographs, drawings, written descriptions, and information sources that relate to the area.

Summarize and document relevant information to complete this task and introduce the subsequent site analysis and design.

assignment 02

task 02a

TOP: Aerial view of Como Park. ABOVE: 1936 Postcard view of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, designed by Frederick Nussbaumer, 1915.

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Regional Plan / Location Plan / Site Plan & ProfileStudents are to produce separate regional plan, location plan and site plan drawings. The drawing scale is to be determined (use a common engineering or metric scale). The hardcopy format for these drawings may be larger than 11x17, but will need to be reduced for inclusion in the portfolio and for use in diagrams.

The Site Plan, Site Profile and Location Plan must be continuously updated throughout the length of the project. New project information and design changes should be updated regularly. These drawings are the basis for demonstrating your ability in site analysis and design.

The Regional Plan is a small drawing used as an orientation diagram only. It should show the location of Como Park within the larger metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The Location Plan should include most/all of Como Park, and be used to show potential sites, site opportunities, and connection to the surrounding city.

The Site Plan & Profile should be drawn to include the pavilion proposal, its site and immediate context. The site plan (and site section/profile) should include all existing and proposed buildings, structures, streets, parking areas, curbs, sidewalks, vegetation, landscaping and water. Plans should be drawn with north to the top of the sheet.

The site plan should show proposed and existing topography using contour lines. The plan must describe all existing/proposed landscape design, site drainage, and parking area drainage. The site plan should clearly show any revised roads and/or parking areas.

architectural / site plan drawing format & notes:• Sheet size should be approx. 24”x36” and may vary depending on the scheme. Sheet size should be consistent

for all large format, architectural drawings. Show only one drawing per page. Sheets may be tiled or assembled from smaller, less expensive prints.

• Text should be kept to a minimum on drawings and should only be produced digitally. No handwritten text on drawings. Consistent "titleblocks" must be unobtrusive and include: drawing title, course (ARCH551 and/or ARCH521), your name and date, graphic scale, and north arrow (plans).

• Symbols should be used (and scaled appropriately) to key section cuts.• All drawings should contain appropriate scaled figures (people, vehicles, landscaping & trees, etc.).• Any shading and/or poche should be consistent throughout the drawing set.

Site AnalysisStudents must demonstrate that they have the ability to analyze a complex site and make an informed, logical decision regarding the siting of a new building. This must be shown graphically. Criteria used for making site decisions can vary widely, and should be organized to clearly make an argument for the chosen pavilion location.

The information and design criteria used may be presented in any number of graphic formats. Comparative diagramming, analysis of views, formal relationships, environmental conditions, topography, proximity to services, zoning, and more, will factor into this analysis. Students should assemble this information so that their design intent is evident and supports their eventual decision for site selection.

The analysis should be formatted into a series of 11x17 sheets. The use of your own Site and Location Plans as diagrammatic underlays is recommended. Additional creative use of aerial imagery, collage, figure/ground, and text should be considered.

Site ModelA scaled site model (or several) of the pavilion location is to be constructed, either individually, in groups, or as a class. This model will be used for required massing models of the pavilion and surroundings. Instructions on how to proceed and details for the site model(s) will be discussed as a class in studio.

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ABOVE: Australian Pavilion at the Venice Giardini, site of the Venice Biennale, by Denton Corker Marshall 2015; CENTER: The Fly's Eye Dome, restored and installed in Toulouse, 2013, originally designed by R. Buckminster Fuller and constructed in 1981; BELOW: Portuguese National Pavilion at the Lisbon World Exposition, by Alvaro Siza 1998.

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building codes & regulations Students will use the International Building Code to do an initial, working, and final building code analysis of the proposed project. Local and municipal regulations will be documented, and a zoning and use analysis will be made. A strategy for achieving LEED certification will be presented and demonstrated in the building design.

Understanding and deploying building codes and regulations are often overlooked in the studio, but play an essential role in any building project. Equally significant is the difficult task of communicating the various layers and multiple regulations in effect. A clear, graphic summary of these choices and constraints is required.

International Building Code / Minnesota Building CodeStudents are to research and document the required building codes in place for the pavilion and site. Using this code (likely the IBC with local/state modifications), an initial "code check" is to be completed, followed eventually by a full presentation of the proposed pavilion's building code compliance.

The code check should begin with an overview of all required and enforced building codes. This should be followed with a clear, concise analysis of the applicable codes that are in place for the pavilion. This will include (and is not limited to): • use and occupancy classification • means of egress • allowable building height & area • accessibility • construction type • building materials • fire and smoke protection • special construction • interior finishes • required plumbing facilities

Students are to develop a written and graphic means to present this information in a way that supplements the overall project and clearly describes the design choices and limits for the pavilion. Evidence of cross-referencing multiple codes, and making decisions that follow the administrative review process should also be shown.

Site Plan Review / PlanningStudents are to research and document the required site design regulations and site review process in place for St Paul and for building within a city park. It is likely that both the city building department and the city parks and recreation department will have restrictions in place. There may also be planning, use, and zoning designations to consider. Like the required building code, these constraints should be documented, incorporated into the pavilion design, and presented in a clear written/graphic format.

Any city or regional planning documents that are in place should also be researched and incorporated into this assignment. Often city masterplans or comprehensive plans will lend insight to the goals of public spaces and parks. This may help with conceptualizing the pavilion project and its siting.

LEED LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a "green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices" administered by USGBC (U. S. Green Building Council).

The design for the pavilion is required to show how LEED Certification can be achieved. There are four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The "certified" level is required, but students are encouraged to earn as high a rating as possible. Students may use either LEED v4 (preferred) or LEED 2009 to demonstrate compliance. Certain assumptions will, of course, have to be made regarding the construction and sourcing of this project. These should be documented and noted as part of the overall written/graphic presentation of this assignment.

As a class, we will spend time discussing how to most effectively work through the certification and documentation process. Most importantly, we will discuss and incorporate the concepts of sustainable design into the pavilion, using the LEED format as one method of understanding the complex integration of multiple systems, materials, and construction methods.

assignment 03

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Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London. Temporary installation July to Oct 2009 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA.

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Denver Botanic Gardens Science Pyramid, by Burkett Design with Studio NYL 2014.

concept & schematic design Integrated Design Studio remains, along with all other studio courses in the sequence towards a professional degree in architecture, a design studio first and foremost. Students are expected to treat the project as a representation of architectural ideas, supported with theoretical, cultural, technical and professional knowledge. The studio project is to be developed to the highest level possible, and students are expected to challenge themselves both conceptually and intellectually.

Because the overall size of the building is small, the studio will move very quickly through concept and schematic design. By the time of the final phase 01 pinup, the entire pavilion should be understood in terms of concept, massing, site, plan, and section. The process of developing a clear, strong concept through iterative studies (models, sketches, drawings) is required. Understanding the "pavilion" as a particular building type and with its own methods of development should help this process.

project research & documentationThe new Denver Botanic Gardens Science Pavilion by Burkett Design with Studio NYL (image above) combines formal and technical concepts and research. The technological innovation of an angled rainscreen is the first of its kind in the U. S. In addition, the building uses custom photovoltaic panels, and electrochromic (clear to opaque) glass. Formally, the pyramid wasn't an attempt to mimic the Great Pyramids, but rather to create a massing that complemented the adjacent, sunken amphitheater. According to design principal Barton Harris:

The shape came out of the positive-negative relationship with the amphitheater. The pyramid is not as imposing as a cube. The shape lends itself to the siting in the garden.

Beyond the assigned precedent studies, all students are expected to pursue their own design research for additional theoretical, creative, and technical information. Additional precedents and examples should supplement creative ideas regarding site, structure, program, material, and any number of issues. Documentation of all research should be cataloged and formatted for presentation and inclusion in the project portfolio.

assignment 04

task 04a

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concept design To initiate the creative and experimental process of design, and to learn about the nature of pavilions, each student will begin by exploring these four formal ideas: roof, veil, block, and structure. This work will begin to establish the vocabulary of the larger building design to come.

Model three (min.) iterations of each of the four pavilion types below. Emphasis on the type itself takes priority. Secondary emphasis in these models should define material, light and transparency, flexibility, and indoor/outdoor continuous space. The first iterations will lead to refinements and an eventual selection of your own personal direction for the project.

one: roofOften a pavilion is a visually open or an actual open-air structure. In these cases, emphasis is placed on the roof for creating space, shelter and form. The 2009 temporary Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA (photo above) is an example of this. The thin roof is held by an array of tube columns that define the space of the pavilion.

two: veilMany buildings use transparent, translucent, patterned or screened "veils" to create lightness alongside material expression. Emphasis in these examples are placed on the building skin as a creative, interactive envelope. The 2002 temporary Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Toyo Ito and Cecil Balmond of Arup (photo above) is an example of this. Both interior and exterior walls create a continuous, solid and void pattern of diagonal lines and openings.

three: blockA "block" is a very generic term that can refer to buildings that are rectangular, cubic, abstract, and/or explore issues of solid and void. It is perhaps the term that is most traditionally "building-like." The exploration of "block" types suggests an emphasis on the pavilion as a mass. The 2015 Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale by Denton Corker Marshall, and the 2014 Denver Botanic Gardens Science Pyramid by Burkett Design and Studio NYL (photos above) are examples of pavilions using form, mass, solid and void. The interiors are finished as more controlled exhibition spaces.

four: structureMany pavilions provide opportunities to explore unusual structural conditions or expression. The small scale of these buildings allow designers to explore singular or atypical structures or material systems that would not be feasible in larger projects. Emphasis in these examples is placed on the structure itself, providing a dynamic enclosure, roof, or frame. The Fly's Eye Dome, originally designed by R. Buckminster Fuller (photo above) is an experiment using fiberglass as a building material, combined with a lightweight, geodesic structure. The Portuguese National Pavilion at the 1998 Lisbon Expo by Alvaro Siza (photo above) created a large, suspended concrete roof, defining an open plaza below.

Of course, many of the examples cited can be discussed in more than one of the above categories. The complexity of your pavilion will likely grow as its design is refined. Creating a hierarchy of ideas remains important, however, especially with such a small building. A single, well executed idea will likely result in a better project than one using too many different ideas competing for attention.

schematic design Continued iterations of the concept design models will be assigned in class, leading eventually to a single scheme that will be developed for the semester. This process will result in a pavilion to be presented using traditional architectural models and drawings. Discussions regarding drawing format and style will take place in studio. Drawings and models are also to be iterative, developed over the length of the entire project: • massing model / site model • 1/8" scale (or larger) building model • regional plan / location plan / site plan & profile (see above) • floor plan(s), all levels; ground floor plan to show immediate site context • pavilion sections (two min.) • pavilion elevations (all sides)

task 04b

task 04c