Portfolio: Studio Introduction

This blog represents the work of my first semester studying with Boston Architectural College's Distance Master of Architecture program.

The purpose of this semester was to begin an architectural educational process that uses the blog as a tool for design development through critical feedback and to encourage interaction within the studio for the benefit of others.

The studio began with a two week sketch problem, the basis of which would inform our design process once the semester project work began. The goal of the sketch problem was to analyze our responses to experiences created by the Big Brother television show producers. It became apparent that more than one way exists architecturally to create these experiences, and in fact, sometimes it was nearly impossible to determine exactly how the architecture of the experience was created.

Following our arrival in Boston for a week intensive and some study of the Apple Corporation history and current trends, the semester goal of creating an Apple Store was introduced. However, site and program were withheld to allow a few days to develop the experiences we desired customers to have within the space.

Subsequently, the program square footage and site on Copley Square were added to the equation. Our intensive group returned home to develop our ideas and comment on each other's work. Commenting is available for review on posts made in January and February of this year. The posts marked "Portfolio" best represent the ideas explored during the semester.

Portfolio: Concept Statement

Portfolio: Research and Exploration

Portfolio: Site Analysis and Site and Roof Plan

Portfolio: Floor Plans

Portfolio: Sections

Portfolio: Model and Perspectives

Portfolio: Signature Element Detailing

Portfolio: Personal Work

Apple Store Review Images

Exploration of the Apple and their products led to a deliberate decision to preserve the calm, museum-like spacious interior often exhibited in their stores. Here I created a model of my concept for a showcase of Apple product capabilities as exhibited by the creation and observation of those using the video, sound, and graphic editing features of apple products. At the second level you see this large creation space platform, observed by pods intruding into the space at the consecutive third and fourth levels. The third level pod is seating for a small cafe, and the fourth level pod is a comfortable lounge space.

I have noticed that Apple's logo is everywhere, but it is just stuck onto design elements. I wanted to integrate the apple into the form of the building, subtly, yet recognizably to the imaginative Apple user. Above you can begin to see how the apple as a void would encourage curiosity and interaction with the architecture itself. As the apple pushes out of its exterior shell, the interior receives light at these intersections (front and side of building, main entrance, and roof). The ideas of the architecture created for this specific product will be quite evident.

The entrance to the building is at the corner of Boylston and Dartmouth Streets. The visitor may enter up the ramp and directly into the apple space, or engage with the apple volume as it juts out over a small terraced outdoor space. One particularly engaging place is at the north edge of the terrace, where the second floor platform pulls back along the curve and the visitor is able to look up into the apple void from outside the building. The apple also emerges along the Copley Square elevation, so that one might walk under it if entering at the side Apple Answers Bar entrance. To engage the square, the Answers Bar area also allows the street to bleed in through a weather dependant sliding storefront entrance. Visitors would be attracted by a small snack bar with seating to wait for their turn at the Answers Bar. Along Dartmouth Street, passers-by would be encouraged to enter another side entrance at an apple "convenience shop" within the store that displays accessories and is monitored by an employee able to make sales. Floor material changes delineate the person's entrance into and out of the apple. New and top design products would be displayed here in the central space. From here the second floor creation space is visible, and shoppers can choose to take a curved stair directly into the space. The main stair, located along Dartmouth Street, is constantly shifting as it responds to the apple volume as it goes up in space. A large glass elevator provides a vertical experience along the apple volume and provides opportunities for more sales at the landings on each floor.

The performance platform is visible here within the central void. The red shape represents the peeling volume that provides both a backdrop for performances, and a projection surface for work created here. The dotted line represents the third floor above.

The peel volume is meant to hint at the conceptual idea of the space. It pulls away from the third floor and leaves a glass rail to represent a void. The peel then falls down through this creation space and into the Answers Bar area, where a slit provides and encourages the opportunity for those just getting service to look up at what might be projected onto its surface in the creative space above.

Two peeling structures and the curved stair convey movement and energy directed toward this central creation space on the second floor. Note the customers at the Answers Bar below.

The openings at the apple intersections with the exterior plane and roof will be large contributors to the experience of the space. Combined with the peeling balconies, which are the only definition of the volume edge, the intersecting openings will convey the delicate and ephemeral quality of the space.

The facade consists of smooth dimensional cut stone in reference to the strength and significance conveyed by other buildings on Copley square, but in a uniquely modern application. Curtainwall at the corner provides a view into the apple form from across the square, and convex curtainwall and glass delineates the emergence of the apple volume from the boundaries here established.

Apple Store Copley Square Images

Temp Post...

Below are posted temporarily my working drawings. I have been moving back and forth from one to another. Obviously a lot of clean-up needs to be done to these, but you can get an idea of what I am working with.

Plans

Sections and Elevations

Quickly...

Very quickly, affinity group, what do you think? Something I have noticed in translating this section to plan, is that this section does not truly express the section of the model I built. Because of the apple shape, the third and fourth floors would be nearly the same size. The model I built extended each floor out at an equal distance, which is linear. I am trying now to make a decision about what to do.

The Peel

Below is detailed the third floor solid railing peeling away and falling onto the creative core space at the second level. Here it becomes a place for interactive touch screen creative postings and a drama backdrop. The peeling away leaves one small open space in the railing which I detailed with glass to indicate its absence. You will notice though, that the peeled element does not resemble that from which it came. It is more organic, colorful, and creative. As designers, consumers, and apple product users, we need to pull away from where we are now and become more creative.

Below are some images of my model peel structure. I modeled it mostly to see how it would work structurally. I looked at my structure books all afternoon and decided I wouldn't figure it out unless I tried to build it. I built a wire frame similar to a truss, but that curves in two directions. Structural comments are welcome.

BUSSTOP ZARAGOZA, an interactive display case study

Designers labored to create a layered display of information supplied by passengers and buses, useable and browseable. They desired to embed technology in architecture in a meaningful way.

Fabric Architecture- Jan/Feb 2007

The architect's “how” of implementing change in the community:
0. Asses Need
1. Find Precedent
2. Educate/ Sell the idea
3. Address Politics
4. Address Design
5. Identify Partners
6. Respond to Existing Conditions

Affinity group, did I leave one out? Others, what are your comments on the sequential order, relevancy of each item? Does anyone have specific examples of a successful completion of any of the above items?

Ideas...

Here are tonight's ideas:

Fabric architecture as the "peel" weaving up the core space, signifying what is different, what is creative. Images projected onto the fabric for the display of creative works from the creative area. This way the creative area overtakes and owns the "apple" space.

To further highlight the different quality of this creative display, this peel of presentation; a strong, continuous color could be given to the fabric as it moves through the white apple space.

Signature Element

This week I will be developing my core creation, performance, display area. This is at the heart of the intent of my design and I will be exploring how to integrate it with the experience of the apple form. Some elements I will be considering include: the stair, railings, display surfaces, and performance backdrops.

the Form takes Shape

Selected "blog" review comments are in italics. All selected are being explored and responses will be graphic.

A place to perform/create and be observed: Inside the 3-dimensional "Apple" space

• Explore the acoustical values of the "public pods" overlooking the core space.
• Because of its subtlety, can slight more literal references to the apple be introduced? Peel, skin, color, etc.
• Maybe the apple could shift a little on each floor and not be symmetrical.
• Calm order, does that mean overt reference to the logo?

Enter up and directly into the apple space from outside

Inside the central apple space from the ground floor, looking up at second floor creation/display zone

• Prepare a series of perspectives to show potential uses of this core space.

Looking into the apple space from the second floor. At its widest, the apple intersects the exterior plane of the building to form the oval shaped opening below.

Third floor cafe overlook into the apple space and down at the creation areaPoche spaces for more specialized services and accessories

Your comments please....

• Investigate fabric architecture for building skin.
• How can the central apple experience translate to the outside of the building?
• Could we see more of the apple peeking through the front corner?

The Experiences of Apple

My next step was to translate my ideas about the Apple store quality into a set of physical experiences.

I have noticed that Apple's logo is everywhere, but it is just stuck onto design elements. I wanted to integrate the apple into the form of the building, subtly, yet recognizably to the imaginative Apple user. The goal was to keep the museumlike qualities, yet challenge the simple white box form demonstrated in their stores. Apple is more than a box, and the architecture itself can be a testament to their innovation.

Here are some early experiences:

And the wireframe model:

After the perspective experiences came the first attempt at the model, and after that the program of spaces and the building site information.

Copley Square: