project 3 : aperture

An aperture is an adjustable opening that controls the amount of light filling a space. The Durham Fire Drill Tower would be serving the community as a photography studio that preserves the memory of the Fire Drill Tower as well as preserving memories through photographs. The floor within the tower is what acts as the aperture. The aperture is smallest on the fifth floor and largest on the first floor, conceptually controlling the light within the space.

section

fifth floor



forth floor

third floor

secong floor

first floor

exterior

project 2 : funneling : to direct down a path

For the majority of the semester our studio class has been working on designing a satellite showroom for Carolina Business Interiors. The showroom would be located at 332 E. Chapel Hill St. in Durham, NC, in a historic building that has had housed several previous furniture store businesses. Trying to maintain the historic integrity of the building was quite a challenge but I believe that Lauren and I achieved that in our design while still being new and modern.

building today

exterior perspective

showroom

showroom

CBI wall

kitchen/entertaining










workspace




conference room




view from conference room


west elevation

east elevation

design phase two

Yet again Lauren and I made a lot of changes and we decided that it was best to go back to more of our original concept of funneling. This time with the changes we made I am more confident in our concept and I am pleased with this phase of the design. After talking with John he gave us some great ideas and I think he helped us see our project with new eyes and we can now look beyond it and think of new things to enhance our space.

first floor plan

second floor plan

first floor rcp

second floor rcp

design phase one

Lauren and I changed our concept from the idea of funneling to the action that an hour glass consists of. I find it very hard to articulate concepts and I want help with it. I do feel that our idea of an hourglass has helped us make our design decisions that have shaped the space and also helped us figure out circulation patterns. I think our main focus will be to now figure out how to display more of the office systems as well as engage the walls and think more about the front entrance.

group reflection

After talking to Megan and Caroline I saw a lot of similarities to mine and Lauren’s project. In their schematic design they showed how the second floor would be open to below, ours has this feature also. I think this plays a large role in their design and goes with their concept of fusion, by being able to see from floor to floor. While this over look reinforces the concept the main feature is the vertical circulation wall element that protrudes through each level of the building, from the basement to the roof. I think that this is an exciting way to go about fusing all the levels together. I am interested to see what they will come up with for the rest of the design throughout the rest of the building.

I really enjoyed the roof part of their project and how they chose to take advantage of the area available on the roof by making it into a green roof. I think that this is very unique feature for the downtown area in Durham and it is fusing nature with the building as well.

schematic design

Lauren and I started our schematic design phase by blocking out the spaces and placing them in the appropriate locations. We used the approximate square footage that we calculated during the area analysis, to help us determine how much space was being used. After placing our spaces we then decided how you people would circulate within the space. Next we established the spaces that are going to be public and private.

spatial allocation

circulation

public/private

alternate layout

We added in this alternate layout because we were unsure about removing the existing staircase and now that we know that we have the option to remove it, we well most likely be using this layout.

view from enterance

first floor

second floor



overall view

note the level changes in the floor and ceiling, which reinforces our concept of funneling.

conceptual exploration

Problem:
How do we connect the historic nature of the building and the modern aspect of the furniture being sold? As is, there is a disconnection. The solution is to design a space that fuses the two extremes together. We are dealing with the historic preservation of the downtown Durham district and the innovative, modern distinctions of CBI and the products that they stand by.

Concept:
We connect the extremes through a forward movement toward a destination of a more advanced state.

Breakdown:
Forward movement = funnel

More advanced state = future

Funneling:
Forward movement transitions from the past to the present with the intent of the present obtaining the future. Spatially the past represents the exterior and the historic preservation of downtown Durham. Upon entering the “reception area” the field of vision is narrowed by the building and its physical features. Beyond the “reception area” are the products, and the way they are displayed speaks of a flexible and non-permanent showroom. A flexible showroom leaves it open to future products and their necessary arrangements. Varying ceiling levels will aid in the funneling process, focusing the attention of customers on products with the intention of future business deals.

Narrative:
I was walking down East Chapel Hill Street in search of the new CBI satellite showroom. I came upon a brick building with their sign hanging in the window and I was surprised to see a modern, forward moving company housed in this historical downtown building. I walked in and immediately felt welcomed by light and the openness of the reception area. I began noticing the blending of two typically different styles through the materials in the space. The one thing that caught my attention significantly was the furniture and how this was the suddenly the only thing that I wanted to focus on.

nature in sketchup

lighting evaluation

The student lounge of the Gatewood building is a space equipped with tables and chairs, primarily used by students needing a quiet place to study. It is adjacent to the vending area, as well as lockers for art students. The lighting in the space is comprised entirely of electrial track/suspended florescent and flood lights, with no access to windows. We rated the space halfway between public and private, as the actual study space is rather small and is only ever used by a few students at a time, but also serves as a pathway to lockers and vending. Students trying to study will be easily distracted by contstant circulation of people. Overall, we do not feel the space is designed well for what it is meant to be used for. The space feels cold (as there are no windows), and is not a very pleasant work environment.