Archive for ‘DSGN 341’

DSGN 341: Project 3 – West Texas Cabin

0 Commentsby   |  11.14.11  |  Assignments, DSGN 341

Assignment

You have received a commission to design a small cabin located on a 1,500 acre ranch southwest of Abilene outside of View, Texas. The cabin will serve as a retreat for your clients, a retired entrepreneur and his artist wife, who live in Nashville, Tn. Having grown up in the area, they have an emotional connection to the land and enjoy the peace found at the ranch. Their desire is for the cabin to be built using principles of sustainability and inspiration from the vernacular.

The house should meet the following requirements:

  • Responds to surrounding context (views, environmental conditions, etc.)
  • Provides a clear connection between inside and out
  • Incorporates sustainable design principles
  • Utilizes compressed earth blocks for exterior wall construction
  • 900 sf (net area) that includes:
    • Living room
    • Kitchen/Dining
    • Bedrooms (x2, 8′ min. dimension)
    • Bathrooms (x1)
    • Laundry room/closet
    • General storage (indoor/outdoor)
    • Space designated for mechanical/water heater
    • Outdoor space (not included in total net area)

Objectives:

  • Explore the relationship between site and building
  • Gain a better understanding of tectonics and its expression
  • Determine an appropriate response to a given context (and be able to justify the response)
  • Evaluate and respond to environmental conditions (sun + wind)
  • Respond to firmness, commodity and delight through design
  • Examine materiality (including traditional and contemporary materials)
  • Develop design process
  • Develop technical skills including model-building and sketching
  • Utilize digital tools for design and visualization
  • Increase visual and oral communication skills

Design Process:

  1. Gather relevant contextual information. This includes the following: site plan, solar path, predominant winds, annual/monthly rainfall, types/sizes/shapes of surrounding houses. Print and organize this information so it is easy for you to access. Surround yourself with it and bring it to every class meeting. Seriously, this information is very important.
  2. Create a diagram of the site plan and overlay the information gathered above.
  3. Develop a parti (organizing concept) that relates the building to the site. Consider orientation, public, semi-public and private zones, outdoor space, etc.
  4. Begin to develop floor plan, elevations and massing simultaneously. Please avoid designing in plan only and then “extruding” the building from the plan. Oh, and do this by hand for a bit.
  5. Don’t forget all that you have learned about the site as you design. See #1.
  6. Once you’ve got a good idea of where you are going, you can begin to use the computer to assist you with design. Everyone will use Revit and SketchUp on this project.
  7. Develop the design at all levels and create representational drawings to communicate the design intent.

Writing + Sketching

Final Deliverables

Drawing Set:

Size: 11″ x 17″ (landscape). Do not bind. We will pin-up individual sheets at the scheduled final exam date.

  • Cover page
    • Project info: project name, student name, DSGN 341, Fall 2011
    • Drawing Index (table of contents)
    • One exterior perspective (greyscale w/shadows)
  • A1.0 – Site Plan
    • Identify house on site plan
    • Identify contours, road, walkways and landscaping on site plan
  • A1.1 – Furnished Floor plan
    • Label all rooms
    • Show furnishings in rooms
    • Show all permanent fixtures and casework (plumbing, cabinets, built-in furniture, etc.)
    • Show elevations and section symbols
  • A1.2 – Dimensioned floor plan (show built-ins, but not furnishings)
    • Label all rooms
    • Show all permanent fixtures and casework (plumbing, cabinets, built-in furniture, etc.)
    • Do not show movable furniture
    • Provide overall dimensions, dimensions locating openings in exterior walls (windows and doors), interior dimensions from wall to wall, dimensions locating all door positions
    • Show elevation and section symbols
  • A2.0 – Roof Plan
    • Indicate roof slope graphically with arrows pointing down slope
    • Note roof rise/run (i.e. 3:12)
  • A3.0-3.1 – Building Elevations
    • Four primary elevations (two per sheet)
    • Rendered w/shadow (greyscale)
    • Label important heights (grade, floor, eave, top of roof)
    • Include some portion of grade line in each elevation
  • A4.0 – Building Sections
    • One longitudinal
    • One cross
    • Label important heights (grade, floor, eave, top of roof)
    • Show call-out for wall section
    • Include some portion of grade line in each elevation

Important Notes about Drawings and the Drawing Set:

  • Each sheet (excluding the cover) needs to have a title block that contains: project name, student name, DSGN 341, Fall 2011, sheet name and number.
  • Include graphic scales, labels, symbols and north arrow where necessary.
  • Be sure to reference elevations and sections to the appropriate sheet and drawing number in the set.
  • Line weights. Use them to establish spatial depth.
  • Poché works well to define space.
  • Click here for a Revit file with sample title blocks.

Scale Model:

  • Scale: 1/8″ = 1′-0″
  • Make sure it is finely crafted! (Keep a sharp blade and use your drawings as templates.)
  • Use chipboard, illustration board or museum board – NO FOAM CORE
  • You can also use basswood. Especially useful for smaller details (such as window frames).
  • Create a base for the model (flat site). Include street and sidewalk.

Process Documentation:

  • Photocopies of sketches – Turn these in as part of your final Design Process Book
  • Writing (post to blog on specified date below)

Digital Files:

Upload the drawing set (saved as a high quality PDF*) to the class dropbox on myACU.

*Prefix each file with your ACU username followed by an underscore (ex: bly95s_project 3.pdf)

Schedule + Deadline

Week 1

  • Tues., Nov 15: Introduce project, discuss context
  • Thurs., Nov 17: Site visit, work day

Week 2

  • Tues., Nov 22: Work day
  • Thurs., Nov 24: No Class (Thanksgiving Holiday)

Week 3

  • Tues., Nov 29: Explain expectations for final deliverables
  • Thurs., Dec 1: Small group critique @ beginning of class, begin work on final deliverables

Week 4

  • Tues., Dec 6: Discuss dimensioning and roof plan, work on final deliverables.
  • Thurs., Dec 8: Design Process and Conclusions Statement due (beginning of class), Discuss wall section, work on final deliverables.

Finals Week

  • Project due (including comments to blog posts) at scheduled final exam time.

Resources

DSGN 341: Project 2 – Nova Scotia Cottage

0 Commentsby   |  09.22.11  |  Assignments, DSGN 341

Assignment

Design a small cottage located on the shore of Moshers Bay in Upper Kingsburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. (Potential sites for the cottage will be provided.) Before beginning design, a fundamental understanding of the context is imperative. The context is determined by the people and the place, which are represented through history, culture, geography, landscape, vernacular buildings, local materials and building techniques to name just a few. Since we cannot visit the site for this project, you will need to gain as much information and insight as you can from the resources presented in class and your own research.

Objectives:

  • Understand context and its ability to inform a design project
  • Analyze site conditions (topography, wind, sun, natural forms/elements, views, access)
  • Continue to explore the relationship between space and form
  • Explore material culture and its influence on design
  • Understand fundamentals of building construction
  • Continue experimenting with tectonic expression
  • Explore drawing composition
  • Develop design process
  • Develop technical skills including model-building and sketching
  • Utilize digital tools for design and visualization
  • Increase visual and oral communication skills

Design Requirements:

The cottage should not exceed 650 square feet (interior space) and must include the following spaces:
  • Living/eating/relaxing space
  • Sleeping space (x2)
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Storage closet(s)
  • Porch (1 min.)

Design Process:

Here’s how we’re going to do this thing.*

  1. Gather relevant contextual information. Print and organize this information so it is easy for you to access. Surround yourself with it and bring it to every class meeting. Seriously, this information is very important.
  2. Develop a parti (organizing concept) that relates the building to the site.
  3. Further develop the parti to address the spaces within the building – still thinking about the connection to the site.
  4. Translate the parti into building drawings (plans, elevations and sections to scale). This is a fluid process which requires you to constantly go back and evaluate your original parti and adapt as needed. Remember, the parti is really a starting point for design development. The building may end up looking much like the parti, but not necessarily.
  5. Build a small study model to better understand massing, fenestration (openings), form and daylighting.
  6. Think about structure. Draw building sections and important details. Don’t be scared, just do it. (I’ll help.)
  7. At this point you are probably tired, but encouraged by all the great progress you’ve made. Also, you should not have touched the computer! (Okay, maybe you used the computer to gather information, print images and possibly a site plan to work from. Other than that, you don’t need it yet. Trust me.)
  8. Now that you have developed a definitive direction, you can use the computer to refine your drawings.
  9. Put together a comprehensive presentation that represents your building’s contribution to the context. In other words, don’t just show drawings of a building, but paint a picture of a specific place.
  10. Build a presentation model.
  11. Sleep.

* Throughout the process, please remember to stay adequately hydrated and nourished, get fresh air and listen to the birds, and look for inspiration everywhere.

Reading, Writing + Sketching

  • Reading: Basics Design Ideas, pgs. 39-62, Basics Design and Living, pgs. 9-52
  • Writing: 1 Blog Post and 2 Comments (see Writing Requirements)
  • Sketches: 25 min.

Final Deliverables

Presentation sheet(s) that contains the following:

  • Precedent and other inspirational visuals that informed design decisions
  • Parti (sketch)
  • Floor plan*
  • Elevations*
  • Building Sections* (2 min.)
  • Exterior perspective view (Composite image w/SketchUp model, 2 min.)
*Final drawings completed by hand using digital info. as underlay. Include scale figures in elevations and sections.

Note: Size of sheet and scale of drawings TBD.

Scale Model:

  • Scale: 1/4″ = 1′-0″
  • Make sure it is finely crafted! (Keep a sharp blade and use your drawings as templates.)
  • Use chipboard, illustration board or museum board – NO FOAM CORE
  • You can also use basswood. Especially useful for smaller details (such as window frames).
  • Create a base for the model that shows topography

Process Documentation:

  • Photocopies of sketches (place in report binder or folder w/your name on it)
  • Study model
  • Writing (post to blog on specified date below)

Digital Files:

  • Upload the presentation sheet (saved as a high quality PDF*) to your drop.io site.

*Prefix each file with your ACU username followed by an underscore (ex: bly95s_project 2.pdf)

Schedule + Deadline

Week 1

  • Thurs., Sept 22: Introduce project, discuss context, watch McKay-Lyons video

Week 2

  • Tues., Sept 27: Continue discussion of context, work day
  • Thurs., Sept 29: Work day, desk crits

Week 3

  • Tues., Oct 4: Work day, desk crits
  • Thurs., Oct 6: Small group critique @ beginning of class, work day

Week 4

  • Tues., Oct 11: Mid-Project Critique (bring everything you have)
  • Thurs., Oct 13: Begin drawings and model for presentation

Week 5

  • Tues., Oct 18: Work on presentation materials
  • Thurs., Oct 20: Work on presentation materials

Week 6

  • Tues., Oct 19: Print presentation for review (fit to page on 11″ x 17″ sheet) @ beginning of class
  • Thurs., Oct 21: Project due @ beginning of class (including blog post*) – Final Critique

* Comments to classmates’ blog posts are due by the next class meeting Tues., Oct 27.

Grading Criteria

Project = 30% of final course grade

Link to Grading Criteria

Resources

DSGN 341: Project 1 – Morphouse

0 Commentsby   |  08.26.11  |  Assignments, DSGN 341

Assignment

Experiment with formal composition and abstraction by taking two simple building forms, transforming individual elements and then combining multiple iterations.

Objectives:

  • Explore the relationship between space and form
  • Investigate transformation and abstraction
  • Gain a better understanding of tectonic expression
  • Understand different drawing types and their relationship (orthographic projections, isometric)
  • Explore drawing composition
  • Develop design process
  • Develop technical skills including model-building and sketching
  • Utilize digital tools for design and visualization
  • Increase visual and oral communication skills

Process (part one):

  1. Using trace paper, draft three 16″ x 16″ squares and divide into a 4×4 grid (4″ squares) to create a matrix.
  2. Using the drawing provided (link to PDF), place the morphouse isometric view in the upper left grid (scale: 1/8″ = 1′-0″). Create one matrix for each morphouse and the third can be either #1 or #2.
  3. Transform a single element (or group of elements such as windows) horizontally and vertically in the matrix. Choose distinct elements for each transformation (such as a roof for one and walls for another). Draw the hybrid transformations in each of the remaining squares.
  4. Note about drawing: Using a controlled hand, freehand each of the isometric views in the matrix. It will be helpful to hardline (using a square straightedge) some elements as a reference. This can be done very lightly using graphite (2H or H lead). Use line weights to further distinguish spatial depth and building outline.

Process (part two):

  1. Choose one isometric drawing from the process listed above. The drawing can be any within the matrix except for the original house (upper left corner).
  2. Using AutoCAD, draft the transformation of the morphouse in a four-part sequence – the first square being the original morphouse chosen. These will be printed at 1/8″ = 1′-0″.
  3. Using AutoCAD, draft the primary orthographic projections (plan, four elevations and two sections) of the house. Arrange the drawings like an unfolded box with the sections aligned to the corresponding elevations. (We will discuss this in class.) These will be printed at 1/4″ = 1′-0″. Since the drawings are at a larger scale, please add the appropriate amount of detail to the drawing (such as window frame widths). Poché (solid, grey or hatch) section cuts through walls, floor, roof, etc. Assume original morphouse exterior walls are 8″ thick, floor slab is 4″ thick and roof is 10″ including structure.
  4. Note about drawing: It is critical that proper line weights are used for CAD drawings, otherwise they can be difficult to read and uninteresting. Please use distinct line weights to distinguish spatial depth and building outline.

Final Deliverables

Presentation sheet that contains the following:

  • Final morphouse transformation (four-part sequence) at 1/8″ = 1′-0″. Include graphic scale.
  • Primary orthographic projections at 1/4″ = 1′-0″. Include graphic scale.
  • Project name, student name, DSGN 341, Fall 2010
  • Black, white and grey only – no color.

Scale Model of Final Morphouse:

  • Scale: 1/4″ = 1′-0″
  • Make sure it is finely crafted! (Keep a sharp blade and use your CAD drawings as templates.)
  • Use chipboard, illustration board or museum board – NO FOAM CORE
  • You can also use basswood. Especially useful for smaller details (such as window frames).

Process Documentation:

  • Three matrices and all process sketches

Digital Files:

  • Upload the presentation sheet (saved as a high quality PDF*) to the class dropbox on myACU

*Prefix each file with your first initial.last name followed by an underscore (ex: b.young_project 1.pdf)

Schedule + Deadline

  • Tues., Aug 30: Review project brief, begin work
  • Thurs., Sept 1: Work day, desk critique
  • Tues., Sept 6: Work day
  • Thurs., Sept 8: Three Matrices due @ the beginning of class, small group critique, begin final deliverables (presentation drawings and model)
  • Tues., Sept 13: Service Project (tentative)
  • Thurs., Sept 15: Mock-up of presentation sheet fit-to-page on tabloid size@ beginning of class, Service Project (tentative)
  • Tues., Sept 20: No Class – Must attend Summit
  • Thurs., Sept 22: Project due @ beginning of class – Final Critique

Grading Criteria

Project = 20% of final course grade

Link to grading Criteria