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These past couple of weeks have been spent diligently designing an efficient green structure while learning a new software and following LEED and EnergyStar requirements. I have "installed" a rainwater capture system. I have "installed" solar panels on the roof. And I have created green living spaces that not only increase the efficiency of the house, but connect it to it's surrounding. Below I have captured a few renderings I've been working on (meaning they are not quite finished!!) to highlight what I've done. Renderings are an important architectural tool to show what you hope your design will look like, before actually building it, which will of course not be done in this context. These renderings are an important part of my process. This is all called "post processing," which means that the 3D model is the original model and in Photoshop I am editing and enhancing that model. Not only does it help to show what you've been working on, but it helps to find your faults and things you need to work on.
Since I have been here, I have been to 4 company hosted meetings!
8/21 Dimensions Presentation: Talked about theories/conventions/policies surrounding making drawings mainly for contractors- These kinds of things are actually outlined in the Moseley company policy so this is extremely important, not only in terms of doing their jobs as told, but for consistency and quality control. 8/21 Ethics Presentation : Discussed architecture/professional ethics- determines proper professional conduct. 8/24 Studio Meeting: This is a "by-office" meeting just to run through updates, highlight projects and bids, and a few short presentations. We went through some financial concerns, cool new interior deisng products, acoustics in relation to LEED ratings, etc. This really just keeps everyone on the same page 8/25 State of the Firm: This was an awesome presentation to sit in on. We went through employee surveys, finances of the company, future outlooks, and ended with some Moseley appropriate trivia. It was really great to see how the company was doing on a whole, and see how each sector (Higher Ed, Legal, etc.) were performing. It gave me a good bit of insight on the architecture profession on a whole and how architecture relates to the economy. Overall, I am really glad I got to see and learn from these presentations. Today, I focused on designing the outside structure. I spent a lot of time researching passive solar design and daylighting strategies. I am still not getting the Sefaira* readings that I would like (those are pictured below,) so I will continue to work on this tomorrow. I think the biggest problem is trying to place that northern facing window and combine it with the green roof, so that will be the plan of attack for tomorrow. I also would really like some sort of courtyard space on the bottom floor, so I will approach that as well. *Thanks to John I am using this great new software plugin called Sefaira. It does simple daylight and energy model analysis that change as the design changes. It really helps to figure out which strategies work best and guide the design. This overgrown, nonfunctional lot on Fillmore St just a short walk from the Carnegie Mellon University campus became the perfect spot for the project. It has: space for multiple residences, street parking, easy access to public transportation, some tree cover, and a spot in a multi-use urban area. A slight issue will be the extreme slope (shown on these google sketchup captures,) but it will provide an interesting challenge and a much more realistic sense of the Pittsburgh area.
I am typing this at my very own desk at Moseley Architects on day two of my mentorship! So far it has been a great experience getting to know everyone and beginning my project. I did spend an hour lunch and learn watching a presentation about polished concrete that wasn't THE most interesting thing on the planet, but overall I am really enjoying my time.
I have begun to outline and define my project. I have decided to create a modular structure aimed at making affordable, small housing for college students. Below I have outlined my project more specifically: Structure will consist of: · 2 floors · 1 bedroom and 1 full bathroom · 1 kitchen and small eating area · 1 indoor living space · 1 outdoor “living space” · 1 driveway (8/19 – Taken away due to site) Goals: 1. Minimize area of structure 2. Minimize cost 3. Maximize occupant comfort and satisfaction 4. Meet sustainability goals – Energy Star and LEED (possibly also drawing some goals from Living Building Challenge and Passive House) Metrics: · Energy performance – How does it rate against its modeled energy performance? Does it qualify for an Energy Star rating? How does it rate against national performance data in the RECS database · Water performance – Collect water consumption data to compare against a theoretical baseline. · Occupant satisfaction and comfort · Cost – Did it meet the budget? Could the owner actually afford it? · Third party certification – Did the project successfully earn a LEED certification at the expected (or higher) level than pursued? |
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