Donna Marion[Bachelor of Science] University of Michigan, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CULINARY BLUE [STUDIO UG1]

TOWER LIBRARY [STUDIO UG1]

TOWER LIBRARY - CONSTRUCTION [CONSTRUCTION UG1]

DETROIT TRAIN STATION [STUDIO UG2]

HARD-LINE DRAWINGS [PRE-ARCHITECTURE]

SEEING SWITZERLAND [STUDY ABROAD UG2.5]

TRAVELS [SELF-DIRECTED]

SHADOW CANOPY [POST-GRADUATION]

LAYERING LIGHT [WALLENBERG STUDIO UG4]

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER [STUDIO UG3]

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION [CONSTRUCTION UG4]

4

8

12

14

18

22

26

30

34

38

42

PORTFOLIO

% digital % hand-made

3

CULINARY BLUE

Studio, Fall 2006Melissa HarrisUG1

Cooking is an art, and deserves a space to perform. This is the design premise behind Culinary Blue, a hypothetical University of Michigan-run culinary arts school that also runs a restaurant on the side. The restaurant serves as an opportunity for blossoming chefs to practice their art, and generates revenue to provide the school with the proper equipment and ingredients. Most importantly, the building provides spaces for cooking as a performance, the chefs publicly exhibiting their skills and informing their customers of the process behind their delicious meals.

CULINARY BLUE

CULINARY BLUE

Studio, Fall 2006Melissa HarrisUG1

Cooking is an art, and deserves a space to perform. This is the design premise behind Culinary Blue, a hypothetical University of Michigan-run culinary arts school that also runs a restaurant on the side. The restaurant serves as an opportunity for blossoming chefs to practice their art, and generates revenue to provide the school with the proper equipment and ingredients. Most importantly, the building provides spaces for cooking as a performance, the chefs publicly exhibiting their skills and informing their customers of the process behind their delicious meals.

CULINARY BLUE

shifts and gradients

smaller scale forms larger scale forms transparent, high visibility opaque, low visibility public programs private programspublic programs private programs

5

CULINARY BLUE CULINARY BLUE

private dining

auditorium seating

herb garden

open to below

private dining

bathroomsstudent kitchen

0

+1

food storage

bathrooms

auditorium

to-go bar

food preparation

alley

mainentrance

cooking performance

desserts

meat and poultry

fruits and nuts

vegetablesseafood

seating

library study space

CULINARY BLUE CULINARY BLUE

0

+1

The spatial language is a series of gradients: small to large, transparent to opaque, public to private. The entrance begins as the former component of each of these. Diners enter into the most public of spaces, where chefs are easily visible during their cooking performances, with each table dedicated to a specific genre of food. The exception to this organization is the to-go bar, located directly beneath the practice kitchens, which acts as a means of selling surplus food.

Programmatically, the building houses two diner-oriented experiences: a public dining area, where chefs cook meals as a performance in front of the diners, and a private dining area, available for reservation. Mainly, however, the building provides the necessary spaces for students to develop their skills. These include an auditorium, a small library and study area, food storage and food preparation areas, a student-cultivated semi-indoor herb garden, classroom space and practice kitchens.

Lastly, the alleyway alongside the building was formerly a dark, narrow space. With the designed architecture, the windows which line the corridor generously spill light onto the walkway, which is also widened; this combination makes the formerly foreboding space quite comfortable and inviting to the public.

7

TOWER LIBRARY

Studio, Fall 2006Melissa HarrisUG1

The �rst semester of undergraduate design studio focused on understanding space, and further developing skills introduced in the pre-architecture courses. These included hand drawing, model building, and verbal presentation, among others.

TOWER LIBRARY

sectional model and light study

TOWER LIBRARY

Studio, Fall 2006Melissa HarrisUG1

The �rst semester of undergraduate design studio focused on understanding space, and further developing skills introduced in the pre-architecture courses. These included hand drawing, model building, and verbal presentation, among others.

TOWER LIBRARY

inverting solid and void

abstraction to a sectional model

developing inhabitable spaces

The semester began with this premise: analyze a Morandi still-life painting using spatial concepts, and represent those ideas with study models. Each subsequent phase of design was developed from the original painting.

Phase one: spatial models. I focused on Morandi’s unique approach to layering and perspective, where each object is deliberately flattened to conceal what lies in front and what lies behind.Phase two: museum board sectional models, built entirely of sectional slices, of a more sophisticated spatial interpretation based on the initial analysis. Here I further developed the concept of concealment, building three objects within a rectangular prism, but only allowing selected viewing windows. At no point is the entire ensemble revealed in a single view.Phase three: a cast rockite model, inverting a chosen portion of the previous model. I simplified the geometry while maintaining the same complexity of ideas; portions are hidden and enclosed, with only a small glimpse of the interior in order to induce curiosity from the viewer.Phase four: apply a sense of scale, transforming the previous model to an inhabitable space. I designed a personal library, surrounded by perforated reading enclosures and a sloped courtyard.

9

TOWER LIBRARY TOWER LIBRARY

outdoor courtyards

indoor courtyards, sculpture

book shelving tower

library tower assembly

programmatic diagram

TOWER LIBRARY TOWER LIBRARY

The final space contains the following elements: an interior library tower, two semi-enclosed reading spaces, and sloped courtyards. The tower walls are entirely bookshelves, making complete use of the tower’s interior space. A staircase spirals down the length of the tower, allowing access to all of the shelving. At the base of the tower is a small, nested space for use as a study area. At the tower’s roof is a skylight to allow a column of light to enter the building and illuminate the space below. Semi-enclosed reading spaces surround the tower, providing basic shelter from the elements. Large vertical slats act as the walls, and are wide enough to walk between. They create a unique visual effect: approaching from the walkway, they block view to the interior because of their angle, but leaving the building the slats are open and act as a mild screen. Sloped courtyards lie on the most exterior portions of the building, with their edges slightly shaped by the building’s sculptural wings. One wing lifts off the ground, while the other sinks into the ground, becoming a handrail along the walking path.

11

TOWER LIBRARY - CONSTRUCTION

Construction I, Fall 2006James BassetUG1

My �rst semester of construction focused on developing the building design from the �rst part of my UG1 design studio and modeling the means to construct it. I studied building materials and structural methods, communicating them through detailed technical drawings. I learned how to use Adobe Illustrator and Rhinoceros for drawing and modeling.

The tower library would be primarily constructed using glulam beams, insetting the staircase into the walls for structural support, and reinforcing the roofs to make them safely inhabitable.

TOWER LIBRARY - CONSTRUCTION

Continuous Footing

Foundation Wall

Slab on Grade

Glass Wall, 1 1/2”

Wooden Steps, 5’0” x 1’0” x 6”

Glulam Bookshelves, 20’0” x 1’0” x 1 1/2”

Glulam Column, 1’0” x 1’0”

Glulam Column, 1’6” x 1’6”

Glulam Landing

Glulam Landing, 5’0” x 5’0” x 1’0”

Waterproofing

Drainage Mat

Draiange PipeGravel

Glulam Cantilever, 1’0” x 1’0” x 5’0”

Glass Window, 1/2” x 4’0” x 4’0”

Raftors, 2” x 6”

Glulam Fins

Gravel

Glulam Support Columns

TOWER LIBRARY - CONSTRUCTION

Construction I, Fall 2006James BassetUG1

My �rst semester of construction focused on developing the building design from the �rst part of my UG1 design studio and modeling the means to construct it. I studied building materials and structural methods, communicating them through detailed technical drawings. I learned how to use Adobe Illustrator and Rhinoceros for drawing and modeling.

The tower library would be primarily constructed using glulam beams, insetting the staircase into the walls for structural support, and reinforcing the roofs to make them safely inhabitable.

TOWER LIBRARY - CONSTRUCTION

Cross Section of Column, 1/2” = 1’0”

Section and Cross Section of Bookshelves, 1/2” = 1’0”

Joint: Bookshelf Meeting Column, 1/2” = 1’0”

2

3

6 Wood Fin Meeting Ground, 1/2” = 1’0”

Glass Wall Detail, 1/2” = 1’0”

Overall: Axonometric View,1/16” = 1’0”(Post-and-Beam Structure highlighted)

Rim Joist

Raftor

Glulam Fin

Glulam Columns

Glulam Bookshelves

Foundation WallContinuous Footing

4

5

A

B

Overall: Plan View, 1/16” = 1’0”

Gravel

Glulam Beam

Anchor Bolt

Concrete

Glulam Beam

Glulam Beam

Glulam Beam

Glulam Beam

Glulam Column

Face PuttyWood Blocking

Glulam Beam

Glulam Beam

Skylight Detail, 1 1/2” = 1’0”

Treated Wood Curb

Glass

Interior Finish

1

AB

Overall: Elevation, 1/16” = 1’0”

Half Axonometric View, 1/4” = 1’0”

Continuous Footing

Foundation Wall

Slab on Grade

Glass Wall, 1 1/2”

Wooden Steps, 5’0” x 1’0” x 6”

Glulam Bookshelves, 20’0” x 1’0” x 1 1/2”

Glulam Column, 1’0” x 1’0”

Glulam Column, 1’6” x 1’6”

Glulam Landing

Glulam Landing, 5’0” x 5’0” x 1’0”

Waterproofing

Drainage Mat

Draiange PipeGravel

Glulam Cantilever, 1’0” x 1’0” x 5’0”

Glass Window, 1/2” x 4’0” x 4’0”

Raftors, 2” x 6”

Glulam Fins

Gravel

Glulam Support Columns

4

5

-20’6”

-12’0”

34’0”

12’0”

Library Section, 1/4” = 1’0”

1

2

3

Slab on Grade

Wooden Steps

Glulam Landing

A

Skylight

Glulam Column, 1’6” x 1’6”

Glulam Beam

Glulam Platform

Glass Wall

Glulam Bookshelves

Foundation Wall

Waterproofing

Drainage Mat

Drainage PipeGravel

Continuous Footing

6

Wing Section, 1/4” = 1’0”

Glulam Beam

Rim Joist

Raftor, 2 x 6

Roof Sheathing

Continuous Footing

Anchor Bolt

GravelSlab on Grade

Support Column

B

13

DETROIT TRAIN STATION

Studio, Winter 2007Julie LarsenUG2

The premise of this project was the integration of a primary and secondary program: a train station and a farmer’s market on a speci�c site in Detroit, MI.

Combining these two programs also meant merging two di�erent kinds of motion: direct and linear (train station) with meandering (farmer’s market.) The building’s form re�ects this, being derived from a zig-zag formation overlaid onto two parallel lines, the lines being the train tracks supported above.

At several points one can access the platform on the second level, which has the much simpler circulation of a linear path. This means travelers in a rush need not meander through the station, but can take a more direct route.

DETROIT TRAIN STATION

station model and light study

DETROIT TRAIN STATION

Studio, Winter 2007Julie LarsenUG2

The premise of this project was the integration of a primary and secondary program: a train station and a farmer’s market on a speci�c site in Detroit, MI.

Combining these two programs also meant merging two di�erent kinds of motion: direct and linear (train station) with meandering (farmer’s market.) The building’s form re�ects this, being derived from a zig-zag formation overlaid onto two parallel lines, the lines being the train tracks supported above.

At several points one can access the platform on the second level, which has the much simpler circulation of a linear path. This means travelers in a rush need not meander through the station, but can take a more direct route.

DETROIT TRAIN STATION

+ =

train circulation farmer’s market circulation form inspiration

fusing programs: train station and farmer’s market

environmental impact: rain collection, natural lighting

slanted roof collects would-be runo�

water runs down wall as “fountain display”

water collected and reused as greywater

rainwater drains into building

alternating skylights let sunlight into building

light runs counter to tracks on platform level

in double-height spaces, light from canopy above shines into station

incorproating elements into station design

15

DETROIT TRAIN STATION DETROIT TRAIN STATION

closed station circulation (winter)meandering market circulation (summer)

train circulationlight pattern from canopy openings

N

canopy

platform

station

The two programs are spatially flexible. Short lines of sight with isolated programs for the train station become open, more versatile spaces as one meanders into the farmer’s market. The space is also adaptive; walls can remain as barriers, or lift up to provide space to unload a truckful of goods or for a vendor to set up a table. Changing the perforation of the building’s skin allows the farmer’s market to expand and contract based on the season.

Being environmentally conscientious, the building has a special feature: slanted roofs to collect rainwater, which is then used as greywater throughout the station. More than just eco-friendly, it also provides a unique spatial experience. Collected water runs down through transparent funnels into the building, some cascading down sloped walls into drains on the floor. This creates a pleasing aesthetic while also bringing awareness to the importance of re-using water.

concept rendering: water walls

DETROIT TRAIN STATION DETROIT TRAIN STATION

canopy

platform

station

winter - contained market

summer - expanded farmer’s market

transition - expanding/contracting market

17

HARD-LINE DRAWINGS

ARCH 202, Fall 2005Dawn GilpinPre-Architecture

ARCH 202 was an introductory course on hard-line technical drawing. I learned to convey ideas through basic graphic representation; speci�cally, I only used lines, implementing di�erent line weights, line types, and occasionally color. I learned for the �rst time how to draw and understand di�erent types of technical drawings, including plans, sections, diagrams, one and two-point perspectives, isometric and axonometric drawings.

HARD-LINE DRAWING

HARD-LINE DRAWINGS

ARCH 202, Fall 2005Dawn GilpinPre-Architecture

ARCH 202 was an introductory course on hard-line technical drawing. I learned to convey ideas through basic graphic representation; speci�cally, I only used lines, implementing di�erent line weights, line types, and occasionally color. I learned for the �rst time how to draw and understand di�erent types of technical drawings, including plans, sections, diagrams, one and two-point perspectives, isometric and axonometric drawings.

HARD-LINE DRAWING

I learned a variety of drawing techniques to explore objects, space, and ideas. These include using construction lines to construct complex shapes in a calculated and well-measured manner, and orthographic projection to transfer spatial information between relevant drawings.

These techniques not only accurately convey an object or space, but can convey ideas as well. One project was to draw an orange peel as it shriveled and decayed over time. I conveyed not only the dimensions of the orange peel, but also its transformation, showing the passage of time through composition. Another project was to dissect a complex object and explain the purpose of its components. Through construction lines and exploded axonometric drawings of a GameCube controller, I drew electronic signals traveling through a wire, a controller button jumping off the page, and a joystick rotating and controlling the direction of a path.

Lastly, I explored LeCorbusier’s Convent of La Tourette. I used perspective drawings to understand the experience of the inner courtyard, I used colors to indicate connections between diagrams, ideas, and built spaces, and I used photographs to reveal interior spaces, materials, and textures.

19

HARD-LINE DRAWING HARD-LINE DRAWING

GAMECUBE CONTROLLER

HARD-LINE DRAWING HARD-LINE DRAWING

CONVENT OF LA TORRETTE

21

SEEING SWITZERLAND

Traveling Studio, Summer 2007Julie Larsen, Roger HubeliUG2.5

“Seeing Switzerland” was both a study abroad and a traveling studio located primarily in Switzerland, with additional traveling through Amsterdam. The summer semester class had two main projects. The �rst was to hand draw a 36” x 48” map that explained a particular architectural aspect of Zürich, Switzerland. The second project was understanding architecture through hand drawing. This was a traveling studio led by professors Julie Larsen and Robert Hubeli; we traveled to various sites with unique architectural elements, and learned how to understand these works of architecture through di�erent methods of drawing.

SEEING SWITZERLAND

BRIDGE OVER THE TRAVERSINERTOBEL

SEEING SWITZERLAND

Traveling Studio, Summer 2007Julie Larsen, Roger HubeliUG2.5

“Seeing Switzerland” was both a study abroad and a traveling studio located primarily in Switzerland, with additional traveling through Amsterdam. The summer semester class had two main projects. The �rst was to hand draw a 36” x 48” map that explained a particular architectural aspect of Zürich, Switzerland. The second project was understanding architecture through hand drawing. This was a traveling studio led by professors Julie Larsen and Robert Hubeli; we traveled to various sites with unique architectural elements, and learned how to understand these works of architecture through di�erent methods of drawing.

SEEING SWITZERLAND

Zürich was my first experience living in a city, and I was intrigued by how the city itself seemed to pull me on a route of its own accord. Hence I titled my map “The Guide to Guiding the Newcomer.” I rode every tramline that ran out of Zürich’s main train station, organizing the city via the tram lines. I used the tram stops as information hubs to explore outward from. Along each route, I sketched a diagrammatic section which indicated the types of areas the line ran through: residential, commercial, urban, or mixed.

At each stop I detailed what architectural cues indicated the newcomer should explore, or opposed exploration by creating physical or social barriers. Cues encouraging exploration included visual accessibility, and direction via signage. Cues deterring exploration included blocked lines of sight, and accessibility denied via sectional shifts.

Overall, the map serves as a tool for understanding how to effectively create public and private spaces within a city through architectural means.

23

SEEING SWITZERLAND SEEING SWITZERLAND

CASA DEL FASCIO VERSAZCA VALLEY

SEEING SWITZERLAND SEEING SWITZERLAND

The second portion of the study abroad focused entirely on hand drawing works of architecture from first-hand experience. These experiences were captured using a combination of renderings and more architectural drawings such as plans, sections, elevations, and diagrams. Through practice we came to understand our sense of scale and how to sketch these technical drawings with reasonable accuracy. We also learned how to use the composition of these elements to communicate ideas and experiences with greater depth than through each isolated drawing alone.

I developed the skill of sketching quickly, mentally isolating the most important spatial lines, and including a few key elements to allow me to complete the drawing at a later time – a skill I maintain as I sketch during my travels around the world.

THERMAL BATHS, VALS

25

TRAVELS

Summer 2009 - Summer 2010Self-DirectedPost-Graduation

As we become more globally connected, global awareness becomes more important than ever. We can not obtain the same level of understanding and empathy for di�erent cultures without experiencing them �rsthand.

I have had the good fortune to travel to a number of countries through architectural study abroad programs, travel scholarships, and on my own initiative post-graduation. These countries include: the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, England, Jordan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Turkey.

TRAVELS

Nedarland

SKETCH OF THE TREASURY IN PETRA, JORDAN

die Schweiz

République française Deutschland Österreich Italia England Việt Nam Türkiye

TRAVELS

Summer 2009 - Summer 2010Self-DirectedPost-Graduation

As we become more globally connected, global awareness becomes more important than ever. We can not obtain the same level of understanding and empathy for di�erent cultures without experiencing them �rsthand.

I have had the good fortune to travel to a number of countries through architectural study abroad programs, travel scholarships, and on my own initiative post-graduation. These countries include: the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, England, Jordan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and Turkey.

TRAVELS

Jerash, Jordan - the present

Jerash, Jordan - the past

27

TRAVELS TRAVELS

Sometimes the most important travel experiences come in the form of tiny Cambodian rice cakes, given as a gift to a curious traveler. Making real connections with real people and reaching across the cultural divide - these are the kinds of experiences which can only exist by truly and fully immersing oneself in a new culture.

It’s about gaining an appreciation for other lifestyles, other perspectives, and other needs and desires that drives people to act the ways they do. This requires actively engaging in a new environment, and not being a complacent traveler.

One way I’ve learned to reach out is through drawing. By taking the time to sit and sketch, I not only grow to more fully appreciate the surrounding landscape and architecture, but I also invite others to engage in conversation. Social barriers exist everywhere, but can be broken by curiosity; I use drawing, which is in many ways universal to all cultures. How else would I have met and spoken with a young boy in Angkor Thom, Cambodia, learned that he grew up in a family with seven siblings, and proudly aspires to one day become a taxi driver like his oldest sister?

TRAVELS TRAVELS

At the end of the day, architecture is about people. At its most basic implementation, architecture is about providing a physical shelter from the elements. Through its more complex forms, architecture is about providing homes, shaping identities, and impacting the social context in which it takes root.

These are not trivial responsibilities; they require a thorough understanding of people, and the care and attentiveness to people’s needs and responses to space.

These actions do not come without controversy, but they are also not options. They are obligations. Architecture can and will profoundly affect its inhabitants, whether we are aware of it or not, therefore it is the architect’s responsibility to understand how and to design accordingly.

It is with this responsibility in mind that I design, and plan to continue my education – because above all else, architecture is about people.

29

SHADOW CANOPY

Borrowing Light, Winter 2010Tsz Yan Ng, Cynthia PachikaraPost-Graduation

After graduation, I took and helped teach a class titled “Borrowing Light.” I completed the homework assignments and projects, gave a lecture on the physics of light and met with students outside of class.

The class studied light in art and architecture, and was organized into �ve sections: focusing on light, the physics of light, exploring di�erent light sources, material interaction, and a �nal installation.

My �nal installation was a canopy designed to “capture” the shadows from surrounding trees and e�ectively project them onto an overhead screen. This was preceded by my source and material projects, shown below.

SHADOW CANOPY

SHADOW CANOPY

Borrowing Light, Winter 2010Tsz Yan Ng, Cynthia PachikaraPost-Graduation

After graduation, I took and helped teach a class titled “Borrowing Light.” I completed the homework assignments and projects, gave a lecture on the physics of light and met with students outside of class.

The class studied light in art and architecture, and was organized into �ve sections: focusing on light, the physics of light, exploring di�erent light sources, material interaction, and a �nal installation.

My �nal installation was a canopy designed to “capture” the shadows from surrounding trees and e�ectively project them onto an overhead screen. This was preceded by my source and material projects, shown below.

SHADOW CANOPY

�shing line

glass “compact�uorescent” bulb

syringerubber stopper

leaking glow liquid

glow liquid diskwater

smooth, white �oor(acts as screen for water/glow liquid light)

perforated surface that �ltersthe light - bent, like a web

A hollow light bulb is filled with glow liquid; over time the bulb drains, rippling the water below and splashing onto a museum board screen. This challenges the way we view light- it starts as a familiar form (the light bulb) and over time the bulb is drained, and the light only exists in splatters on the floor. It also embodies the energy we use, oddly quantifying the light by its escape over time.

perforated screen different light textures bowl as source, floor as screen

31

SHADOW CANOPY SHADOW CANOPY

NN sunrisesunset

Space Research Building50 ft20 m the structure the canopy acrylic leaves and net PR

OJE

CT

COM

PON

ENTS

ELEVATION DIAGRAM

This pathway is located between two parking lots behind the Space Research Building. The path is rough concrete and it weaves through the woods. On a sunny day, the light passes through the foliage in a speckled pattern on the path; in the winter, the sun casts long shadows from the bare branches. I chose this site because it’s an often used path with a unique quality of light, but removed from any sculptural works found in the more central and populated region of campus.

tree shadows leaf shadows

SHADOW CANOPY SHADOW CANOPY

I placed a canopy above the path to catch the shadows of the trees and branches, creating a “shadow screen” overhead. I wanted to draw attention to these shadows, which are otherwise generally ignored or unnoticed. To create greater depth, I wove a series of lasercut acrylic leaves into a thin net and suspended the net a few inches above the cloth. Light passing through these leaves created familiar and yet surreal leaf-shaped shadows spaced among the natural branch shadows. Additionally, the canopy was supported by a branch-like metal structure sewed into the fabric, which then in turn was fastened to the surrounding tree trunks. In this way the structure was a continuation of the trees reaching out over the path.

light conditions: semi-cloudy

light conditions: cloudy sky

light conditions: sunnycanopy inspiration

shadows on the path

33

LAYERING LIGHT

Studio, Winter 2008Dawn GilpinUG4, Wallenberg Competition

UG4 Wallenberg studio was theory-based, meant to be akin to the process of developing a Master’s thesis. We were encouraged to discover and then pursue a speci�c facet of architecture that strongly appealed to us. This did not culminate in one �nal design, but instead a series of explorations.

I focused on light, building many studies, including an 8’ x 8’ x 8’ cube with the Northern corner removed. The interior materials were white and re�ective, such that the quality of light was the dominant feature of the space. I documented the change in light quality within the space as the sun moved throughout the day in order to understand light as a crucial design element, and emphasize its impact on a space.

LAYERING LIGHT

FORMULAS FOR LIGHT DESIGN

heavy walls, light lightsimple material palette

...and their interaction with light

translucent materials

absorptive materials

refractive materials

...subduing other design elements

simple forms

...creating deliberate emphasis

dark materials, bright light

...controlling and directing light

the form of light’s entrance

light’s canvas/background

slairetammrof

light interacting with form, creating shadow

contrasthierarchy

direction and polarization of light. These can be translucent or opaque, and result in a mirror or glare.

Translucent materials allow light to pass through unaltered; these allow for both natural day lighting and direct visibility.

Absorptive materials prevent the transmission of light and absorb a much greater percentage of light

opaque.

Refractive materials bend the path of light within the material; each wavelength of light refracts at a

prisms refract white light into all of its colorful components.

Another way to emphasize light is

of color. Colorful light in an otherwise monochrome space is even more striking.

Light’s presence has everything to do with how it enters a space. Whether through a thin slit in the ceiling or a large bay window, the form light takes is dictated by its entrance.

We can’t see light’s form because of its incredible speed, so the only way we understand its path is when it comes into contact with a

As a form of energy, light has no actual weight; we can feel this lightness when it is contrasted against thick, heavy walls, as in Le Corbusier’s Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France.

Architecture must strive to balance both of these elements.

As we tend to take light for granted, it becomes secondary to other elements unless we carefully simplify them. Keeping to a few materials is one way to accomplish this.

Complex forms can be equally distracting, so by keeping them simple- though no less thought out- the forms can showcase light instead of detracting attention.

The brightness of light is never more understood than when it pierces an otherwise dark space. Amounts of light can feel relative, so it’s when placed against a dark backdrop that we understand the brightest brights and the darkest darks.

alsect

di i

translucent mater

absorptive materials

refractive materials

on and polarization of light. can be translucent or

e, and result in a mirror or

ucent materials allow light to through unaltered; these or both natural day lighting rect visibility.

Absorptive materials prevent the transmission of light and absorb a much greater percentage of light than they re ect, and are therefore opaque.

Refractive materials bend the path of light within the material; each

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LIGHT INVESTIGATION STRUCTURE: FORM, MATERIALS, HIERARCHY, AND CONTRAST

LAYERING LIGHT

Studio, Winter 2008Dawn GilpinUG4, Wallenberg Competition

UG4 Wallenberg studio was theory-based, meant to be akin to the process of developing a Master’s thesis. We were encouraged to discover and then pursue a speci�c facet of architecture that strongly appealed to us. This did not culminate in one �nal design, but instead a series of explorations.

I focused on light, building many studies, including an 8’ x 8’ x 8’ cube with the Northern corner removed. The interior materials were white and re�ective, such that the quality of light was the dominant feature of the space. I documented the change in light quality within the space as the sun moved throughout the day in order to understand light as a crucial design element, and emphasize its impact on a space.

LAYERING LIGHT

TIME-LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHS OVER 24 HOURS

sunrisesunset

sunrise

sunrise

sunset

sunset

35

LAYERING LIGHT LAYERING LIGHT

sinθi

sinθr

v1v2

n2n1

= =θiθr=

sinθi

sinθr

v1v2

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sinθr

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2ƒ =bT

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2ƒ =bT

λmax=

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λmax=sinθi

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= =

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λ=ƒν

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bT

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COLOR TEMPERATURE

ANGLE OF REFLECTION

INDEX OF REFRACTION

WAVELENGTH-FREQUENCY CONVERSION

LENS FOCAL LENGTH

Light behaves spatially within the tight confines of physics, which are well understood and succinctly defined through a language of diagrams and mathematics. This mode of understanding light, combined with the architect’s comprehension of light’s interaction with space, helps to provide a more complete picture of light and it’s behavior.

New technological and material advances allow us to manipulate and harness light in new and unexplored ways, and for this, a solid understanding of physics is crucial. We can redefine light’s role in architecture by giving it scale and by controlling its motion through technology and material. New advancements in architectural design can be achieved by establishing a well-rounded foundation of knowledge in both the sciences and the arts.

mirror

incoming light

mirror

objectviewer

mirror

objectviewer

UNDERSTANDING REFLECTIONS FLAT MIRRORS CURVED MIRRORS

UNDERSTANDING LIGHT SOURCES

point source large source

UNDERSTANDING CAMERAS

lens sensor

subject

light rays

UNDERSTANDING LENSES

convex lens

concave lens

LAYERING LIGHT LAYERING LIGHT37

There are many compelling reasons to better understand light as an architectural design element. Psychologically, light is profoundly impactful, elevating a person’s moods and attracting people without fail.

Natural lighting is a key component of sustainable design, where making use of available resources is one of the most basic principles, saving money and creating less waste.

Aesthetically, lighting completely visually transforms a space. Form often dominates the design process, but it is the behavior of light within and outside of a space that truly dictates how the space appears.

On this page are three different theory explorations. The background is a layered, lasercut acrylic cube containing a fiber optic cable. It challenges our current treatment of light, proposing a new paradigm where light is understood as a controllable material. To the right are two photo sequences showing the passage of time, and construction of 3D space, as a series of 2D images.

layered photographs

layered outlines

Studio, Fall 2007Tsz Yan NgUG3

UG3’s studio project premise was to choose a site in Sault Ste Marie, MI, and re-imagine the site with architecture that combines Metís Gardens and another program of choice. Metís Gardens are a yearly garden competition currently held in Quebec, Canada, now with a hypothetical satellite location in Sault Ste Marie.

Many locals lamented that there were hardly any fun activities in the area – my question of “What is there to do around here?” was invariably met with “Go to the bar. That’s it.” In an e�ort to increase the livelihood of the community, I chose a community and recreational center as my second program.

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER

N

Studio, Fall 2007Tsz Yan NgUG3

UG3’s studio project premise was to choose a site in Sault Ste Marie, MI, and re-imagine the site with architecture that combines Metís Gardens and another program of choice. Metís Gardens are a yearly garden competition currently held in Quebec, Canada, now with a hypothetical satellite location in Sault Ste Marie.

Many locals lamented that there were hardly any fun activities in the area – my question of “What is there to do around here?” was invariably met with “Go to the bar. That’s it.” In an e�ort to increase the livelihood of the community, I chose a community and recreational center as my second program.

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER

++=

community center(at rest)

Metis Gardens(meandering)

athletic/recreational (fast motion)

initial programmatic diagram(nesting programs)

isolating program by speed:fastmeanderingrest

stage one: diagramming isolated programs

stage two: integrating programs spatially

folding planes to scaled volumes

formal relationships to inhabitable space

++=volume of programs garden plane ribbon of programspatial diagram

garden as buffer, determining visibilityexposed/opensemi-publichidden/nested

garden as plane

programs as volumes

39

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER

basketball court

exhibition space

workoutroom

lockerroom

hotel/spareception

spa

workbays

workbays

w.c. w.c.

reception

gift shop

exhibitionspace

indoor park

restaurant

w.c.

w.c.

kitchen

storage

herb garden

shallow pool(water garden)

deep pool(aquatic garden)

docking

docking

docking

Metis garden

Metis garden

Metis garden

meandering garden/outdoor park

vine wall

rock garden

elevated viewing dock

archives

reading

rockgarden

track

track

offices

conferenceroom

gardenmedian

Metisgarden

track

track

color garden

hotelrooms

hotelrooms

storage

+2

+1

0N

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER

Integrating the two programs determined formal design decisions; primarily, the garden functioned as a spatial and programmatic buffer.

The programs within the community and recreational center require some sort of separation; for example, a reading and meditation room must be isolated from basketball courts and running tracks to be at all effective. The garden achieved this by not only acting as a buffer zone between highly contrasting programmatic areas, but by simultaneously enhancing the atmosphere and ambience of each space in turn. Having multiple facets to the Metis Gardens provided a unique garden type and spatial design for each buffer.

Every area has a line of sight to at least one Metis Gardens area, if not multiple areas. These gardens in turn determine the line of sight between programs, isolating quieter areas from more active ones, but maintaining a low profile and open lines of sight for more social areas.

Sault Ste Marie experiences all four seasons, with an especially cold, snowy winter. While the cold climate limits the available plants that can grow, it is also an intrinsic property of the site itself. For this reason, there are both indoor and outdoor gardens, which greatly increase the options for the Metis Gardens competition while remaining true to the area.

One last element is the running track that surrounds the Metis Gardens and Community Center. The track exists on two levels, and on each level the track is oriented to face the picturesque views available on the site while running. To allow for some flexibility, and the ability to train on sloped terrain, the tracks also connect via two slanted paths, creating two circulation options: smaller, flat tracks, or a multi-level figure-eight.

41

Construction II, Winter 2008Neal RobinsonUG4

Second semester construction class focused on documenting the construction and structural elements of my UG3 studio design. I further developed the skills introduced in my previous construction class, while introducing a more advanced understanding of construction methods.

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER -CONSTRUCTION

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION

elevated viewing dock

N

shallow pool(water garden)

deep pool(aquatic garden)

docking

docking

docking

Metis garden

Metis garden

Metis garden

meandering garden/outdoor park

vine wall

rock garden

U

A-3 A-3

A-3

A-3

A-2

A-3

A-3

A-3

B

M

S-2

A-3

S-1

w.c.

w.c.

basketball court

exhibition space

workoutroom

lockerroom

hotel/spareception

spa

workbays

workbays

w.c. w.c.

reception

gift shop

exhibitionspace

indoor park

restaurant

kitchen

storage

herb garden

A-2

storageA-2

gardenrock

B

B

B

B

B

B

S-1

A-3

A-3A-3

archives

reading

track

track

offices

conferenceroom

gardenmedian

Metisgarden

color garden

R-1

R-1

R-1

R-1

R-1

R-1

R-1

R-1 R-1 R-1S-1

A-3

track

track

hotelrooms

hotelrooms

storage

+1 +2

OCCUPANCY DIAGRAMS

01.02

Occupation 1 Occupation 2

01.01 02.01

Egress

03.01

Cost 1

03.02

Cost 2

04.01 04.02 04.03 04.04 04.05

Structure 1 Structure 2 Structure 3 Structure 4 Structure 5

05.01

Plumbing

06.01 06.02

HVAC 1 HVAC 2

07.01 07.02

Enclosure 1 Enclosure 2

Construction II, Winter 2008Neal RobinsonUG4

Second semester construction class focused on documenting the construction and structural elements of my UG3 studio design. I further developed the skills introduced in my previous construction class, while introducing a more advanced understanding of construction methods.

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER -CONSTRUCTION

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION

02.01

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EGRESS LEGEND - PLANS

required number of exits in area

exits, fire doors

enclosed vertical egress

path to egress, length#’

#

EGRESS LEGEND - DIAGRAM

vertical egress (stairs)

vertical egress (ramp)

0

N

2

2

2

2

1

1

2

1

2

1

11

120’

80’

108’

+1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

1

118’

156’

54’

90’

+2

2

1

192’ 144’

168’

184’

1 1 1

1

1

1

1

1

1

vertical egress on second floor

vertical egress on second floor

stairs tofirst floor

Investigations were thorough; I studied and created technical drawings addressing each of the following structural elements:

• Occupancy and Zoning• Egress• Cost• Structure• Plumbing• HVAC• Skin and Enclosure

These drawings were formatted into a book, meant to act as a complete structural synopsis of the project. Here is an example of a page showing egress and plotting fire escape routes.

Excerpted drawings from various sections are shown on the next page.

43

METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTIONMETÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION

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thermal protection

-thick concrete walls act as thermal masses-gaps between metal panels allow for thermal expansion-insulation helps maintain constant temperature on the building’s interior

moisture protection

-capping, sealant and parapet on roof help drainage and prevent leaks-weep hole in mullion prevents water buildup-grooves in metal panels and concrete walls encourage proper drainage-waterproo�ng, drainage mat, and drainage pipe protect the foundation

solar protection-thick concrete walls limit direct sun exposure to the interior, but allow su�cient re�ected and ambient light to enter, and act as thermal masses-metal panels act as overhangs, lessening direct sunlight

glazing detail

-windows between metal panels-glass held with pressure bar-weep hole for water drainage

plan with section location

N

-metal paneling on NE and SW facades-concrete thermal mass on NW and SE facades

1

2

3

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

GENERAL FLOOR PLANS

METÍS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION METIS GARDENS AND COMMUNITY CENTER - CONSTRUCTION

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N

KEY

Variable Air Volume(VAV) [intake]

Constant Air Volume(CAV) Multizone [Intake]

variable air volume single duct, constant fan-coil multizone VAV induction hydronic closed-loop packaged terminal/ (VAV) air volume (CAV) terminals convectors heat pumps through-the-wall units

minimize first cost X Xminimize operating cost X X X Xmaximize control of air X X -- X velocity and qualitymaximize individual control X X -- -- X over temperatureminimize system noise X X -- Xminimize visual obtrusiveness X X -- -- Xmaximize flexibility of rental X X X -- -- X X spaceminimize floor space used X -- X X Xminimize floor-to-floor height X -- X X Xminimize system maintenance X X X

Constant Air Volume(CAV) Multizone [Exhaust]

Variable Air Volume(VAV) [Exhaust]

0 +1 +2

HEATING/COOLING SYSTEMS PRIMARY, SECONDARY, TERTIARY STRUCTURES

STRUCTURAL PLAN

PLUMBING/BATHROOM DETAIL

secondary structure tertiary structureprimary structure

foundationcontinuous footingbeamsgirders

metal deckingconcrete slabsconcrete �nish

vertical mullionshorizontal mullions

[main source of the building’s stability, carries loads from the building into the ground]

[supports building skin and connects it to the primary and secondary structures]

[spans the primary structural components, helps carry loading horizontally]

60”

36”

60”

12” m

in

24” m

in

30” min

30” min

30” min

36”

12” m

in

24” m

in

45

thank you!

Donna Marion- - - . - - - . - - -dcmarion@umich.edu