Measure allows us to understand relations; our body in relation to the environment around us, the proximity to objects, the reactions to threatening actions, the thickness of walls, the vulnerability to weather, etc. You are asked to explore the small volumetric differential between CLAUSTROPHOBIC and EFFICIENT work environments, between a heavy back pack and an unbearable burden, between a screen, a window, and a shield. The key tool for this project is a SECTION drawing that maps your body in relation to its immediate surroundings.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

hey all,  i went ahead and searched thru the avery index of periodicals for anything relevant to lab design and compiled what i found into a pdf.  i dunno how helpful this may be but there are some interesting precedents as well as a good amount of technical info.  i posted it on my website, here is the link:     http://www.duke.edu/~th26/avery_index_pack.pdf

tong

Thursday, October 23, 2008

MIT Media Lab


So I was perusing the MIT media lab website and I hit paydirt. Check out these videos of life at the lab. Be sure to watch "Media Lab @ Night" It's really cute.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Trash

Interesting Report, done with help of the Earth Institute, regarding NYC trash. Lots of stats. Check out the conclusion.
http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/EEC-SIPA-report-NYC-Dec11.pdf

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Energy Calc Spreadsheet 10-22

Hey guys,
Jung Woo asked me to post this up for everyone. I consider it a work in progress. There are some new calcs since I showed you the first spread sheet last Friday. For instance, at the top is a general idea of what you could power with 3000 sf of solar panels. Actually a significant amount if you get very creative about how you service the rest of your spaces.
Furthermore, keep in mind that there is more to do with this and it's a REALLY rough estimate. Getting a really solid number is a lot of engineering and a lot of research. There's no real "time-saver standard" for this stuff.
Here's the file: right click and download.
To see the background research check out the files I posted earlier. This is where I pulled most of my rule of thumbs:
open PDF
Here's the research for the lab's energy usage. The chart that shows watts over the hours of the day is the one I really pulled from (averaged out the values)
open PDF

If you guys have any questions, just ask! Hopefully, all this can become a lot clearer tomorrow with Klaus Lackner.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

DRAWING SET

Hey everyone,

The new drawing set is here in both METRIC and IMPERIAL.... so download it soon and we will all be working from the same measurements... its in .dwg format, so it is autocad, rhino, and illustrator friendly... have a good one.

site pics 1

hey everyone,

here are my pics from last thursday

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Photovoltaics and energy

This is a link to the information I compiled on solar power through photovoltaics. The take home message is:

1. photovoltaic cells will not power the entire load of a typical lab building of this size.
2. PVs can and do have higher conversion efficiencies, but the effeciences I calculated are for typical low-cost, high-availability modules, and the building materials with integrated PV that are currently being manufactured are in the low end of 6-10% efficiency, this is expected to improve steadily for some time.
3. Energy is energy. I think in thinking about our entire building system it will be helpful to take a step back and think about what energy really means. Everything in the world contains potential or kinetic energy - energy which is stored or energy which is doing work. Some key relationships are:
energy=mass*c^2
force=mass*acceleration
work=force*distance
Power (Watt)=work/time=force*velocity

So when we are talking about energy and watts and such, I guess I'm just trying to say that all of the typical means of storing energy are wrapped up in this. Useful energies can be thought of as: heat, mechanical, electrical and I guess nuclear energy -for large scale purposes, using these principles we need to convert to a type of energy we can use. The photovoltaic is convenient because the photons in light move electrons to create an electric current which is exactly a type of energy we want - electricity, but steam and turbines and gravity and heat sinks are also energetic processes that we can use to release or store energy for different building systems since we are dealing with water, air, and ground in addition to light.

PV slides

A cheesy but really clear discussion of types potential/kinetic energy and how it is used for our needs (for kids -but I think the simplicity is helpful)

Research

Hey all,
I wil continue to make a detailed set of drawings and then post them to the blog on sunday. after that I would like to start researching the program a bit, maybe someone else could join up with me in that one...

Friday, October 17, 2008

Preliminary Investigations: Sky Farming


I thought I'd get the ball rolling with our weekend inquiries. Since my monitor cell involves tacos I guess it'd be appropriate if I researched the food to make them. Here is some of the dirt I've dug up so far:

  • NY Magazine wrote an article on Columbia's pursuit for sky farming published last spring.
  • Vertical Farm project website loaded with facts, graphics, and a bunch of preexisting designs.
More to come...

-Cody

Energy Research

Some scanned stuff from the library about PV, etc.
Click to View PDF

This is a study of good ventillation strategies for your building.
http://www.epa.gov/lab21gov/pdf/bp_reheat_508.pdf

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Guidelines for Laboratory Design

Hi all,
stumbled across a book in the Engineering Library called Guidelines for Laboratory Design. May be a good resource if you have questions on what lab should look like, how it should be laid out, how it works, etc. i.e. the need for controlled ventilation is huge.
the call # is TH 4652.G85

funkamedics




Here's the link to Kaseman's Funkamedics reference. Pay close attention at the 00:23 mark when the funkamedics put headphones on the patient to revive him.
-Cody




Brief and Schedule Files

Sorry about just pasting the whole dang file. I was in a rush. I sat down and have posted the actual file to a portion of my website and I'm including links to the actual files - much better eh?

The Brief
or copy paste this:
http://studentpages.scad.edu/~padams20/studio/Brief%20_3.pdf

Review Schedule
or copy paste this:
http://studentpages.scad.edu/~padams20/studio/review%20schedule%20F08-0917.pdf

Review Schedule

3 / 4 R E V I E W

Atmosphere III:

Air Cell

Monday, November 10 Wednesday, November 12

Alice Chun

/ Kaseman<412> Keith Kaseman

/ Chun <300>

Phil Parker

/ Solomonoff <300> Galia Solomonoff

/ Parker <300>

Mark Rakatansky

/Johnson <200> Jeffrey Johnson

/ Rakatansky

Yoshiko Sato/

Kim Janette Kim

/ Sato

F I N A L R E V I E W

Atmosphere IV:

half, whole

Monday, December 1 Tuesday, December 2

Yoshiko Sato/

Kaseman Keith Kaseman/

Sato

Jeffrey Johnson/

Parker <> Phil Parker/

Johnson

Janette Kim/

Solomonoff Galia Solomonoff/

Kim

Mark Rakatansky/

Chun <200> Alice Chun

/ Rakatansky <412>

Brief III

Last updated: 10/10/08

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING, AND PRESERVATION

CORE I STUDIO A4001: Fall 2008

ATMOSPHERE

BRIEF 3: Air Lab

Coordinator: Galia Solomonoff

Critics: Alice Chun, Jeffrey Johnson, Janette Kim, Mark Rakatansky, Yoshiko Sato, Phillip Parker, Keith Kaseman

T.A.: Christian Ruud

Atmosphere/ Air Lab

thesis:

Line, plane, surface and volume are mathematically bonded and interrelated. In architecture, the geometrical

properties of the line are associated with columns and beams, the plane with walls and floors, and surface and

volume with the resultant space. Significant works of architecture are often examples that allow us to understand

the mathematical relations of these elements in new and unexpected ways.

narrative:

We sometimes emphasize the danger in a crisis without focusing on the opportunities that are there. We should

feel a great sense of urgency because it is the most dangerous crisis we have ever faced, by far. But it also

provides us with opportunities to do a lot of things we ought to be doing for other reasons anyway.

Al Gore,

Inconvenient Truth, 2006, Nobel Peace Prize 2007 shared with Columbia Earth Institute

The radical of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents and explores the

views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them.

Mark Twain

,

Notebook, 1935

Last updated: 10/10/08

AIR Lab

Based upon recent scientific research, our client, Columbia University wants to build a center to further the

influence and impact of the 2007 Nobel Prize winning Climate Change Team. Thus CU has commissioned the

design of an

Air Lab
(+/-10,000 to 12,000 sq. ft.). This Scientific, Research, and Policy Laboratory

is to focus on

expanding our knowledge of the causes of global warming, address them politically and effectively propose policy

to reduce harmful emissions while aiming at technological growth.

This lab will house a very diverse group of scientist (5) and policy professor (5) such us:

Rosanne D’Arrigo, Biology

Beate Liepert, Biology and Paleo Environment,

Sidney Hemming, Geochemistry,

Christopher Small, Marine Geology and Geophysics,

Madeleine Thomson, International Research Institute for Climate and Society

Walter Baethgen, International Research Institute for Climate and Society

Robert Chen, Center for International Earth Science Information Network

Xiaoshi Xing, Center for International Earth Science Information Network

The research will be funded by educational, government and private sector grants thus the need to showcase the

research and communicate the theories guiding speculative lab work. The Air Lab is interested in hybridizing two

models of research: a think tank (like Manhattan Project) and also a “garage” like the Silicon Valley ad-hock

research labs that gave rise to the digital age. The research focuses on the impact of carbon emmissions on

climate and hopes to find alternatives to fossil fuel dependency.

Teams include a variety of backgrounds and levels of expertise/education from Biology, to Geochemistry, to

Geology and Geophysics engineering to mathematicians, statistical, urban analysts, to eminent high school

students identified through Science fairs across the country (5).

There are some areas reserved for nap, rest and relaxation during deadlines. In addition to research, the

Air Lab

hosts open houses to foster awareness on the importance of carbon emission reduction, and global weather

pattern changes and to attract funding; for these open houses, a reception area and large rooms are reserved.

The university wants the

Air Lab

to convey the following messages:

The Air Lab is concerned with global warming and invested in alternative means of energy

The Air Lab sees research as an opportunity to excel, is highly competitive, and original

The Air Lab wants the passerby public to be interested and welcomed into the facility

Warning/Contradiction: The scientists/occupants agree with the stated goals, yet also need privacy to

execute work effectively and freedom to pursue theoretical work with no immediate practical application.

site:

The site (attached) is adjacent to the Holland Tunnel Exhaust Tower on Canal and West Side Highway.

The total building footprint (hard surfaces) cannot exceed

2,850 sf. All the other surfaces need to be effectively

planted, used for water filtration, planting and urban impact remediation

program:

Laboratory:

Four (4) 1,200 sq. ft. labs for different purposes. With one

(1) 200 sq. ft. office for the lab principals

4,800 sf

Monitoring cells

:

Ten (10) 200 sq. ft. monitoring cell from Brief II adapted

(same, derivative, or different) to contribute to this building,

these are personal research spaces. Outdoor/Indoor

2,000 sf

(outdoor)

Gathering/meeting

areas

,

Four (4) 500 sq. ft. informal meeting areas such us:

a kitchen pantry, a garage with tools,a game room, a

reading room, These are places to foster informal

interaction and conversation by participants.

2,000 SF

Toilets:

Ten (10) stalls, 2 minimum per floor/level, 1 accessible per As needed

Last updated: 10/10/08

floor

Reception area and

public access:

A 2,000 sq. ft. room reserved for open house functions. Up

to 40-50 visitors –an autobus of people- may attend this

function at one time. The large room should be able to

handle several proposes: printed media installations, movie

projections, debates, lectures. Provide 2 accessible public

toilets in connection to this space.

2,000 SF

Data Storage Hub:

+/-500 sq. ft. vault for data storing. This needs to be

weather tight and ventilated.

500 SF

Training Gym:

+/-2,000 sq. ft. a lap pool (50 x 20), a sauna room, a gym,

aerobics and weight room for year round aerobic training.

Provide 2 bathrooms with showering facilities in connection

to this space. (optional)

2,000 SF

(optional)

Outdoor Area:

+/-1,000 sq. ft. deck for telescope and direct observation

equipment.

1,000 SF

(outdoor)

Shop:

+/-1,200 sq. ft. shop for a high tech milling, cutting and 3d

printing machinery

1,200 SF

Vehicles garage:

+/- 800sq. ft. garage/repair for solar powered electrical trial

vehicles, bicycles and motobikes

800 SF

(optional)

Solar powered

electrical generator

room:

+/-

400 sq. ft. space for solar converters, motor and

machinery

400 SF

Rest area

+/- 1,000 sq. ft. rest areas are to be occupied by

researchers when they are on deadlines. Since they work

closely together privacy is essential.

1,000 SF

TOTAL AREA

2 means of egress per floor

Elevator and escalators do not count as egress

14,700 indoor

3,000 outdoor

2,800 optional

20% lost factor for

stairs and toilets

tasks:

Start by producing a mass model of your project/program on the site, include the tower, 1/16” = 1’-0”

Design One (1) +/- 15,000 sq. ft. building in the given site.

Consider the different users path and timelines.

deliverables:

Project main idea diagram

Plan, Sections and Elevations

Models: Site model 1/16” = 1’-0”, Section/Building model ¼” = 1’-0”

rules:

The water table is 15’ below the ground level, so maximum construction depth is 14

ft for slab on grade.

The maximum allowable building height is as high as the exhaust tower on the site but not higher

The building can either be adjacent to the tower or the West Side Highway. Minimize hard surfaces.

The maximum foot print of the building is 3,000
sq. ft., max F.A.R. is 5.0

, so maximum area above the

ground is

15,000 SF

. Any floor which height is 50% or more below grade level does not count as floor area.

Minimum finish slab to finish slab height is 9’-0”

Only (1)

one building is allowed on the entire site. M2-4 ZONE, manufacture permitted, experimental and

research laboratory use group 17, permitted as off right

All utilities –water, sewer, electrical power, gas- are within the site

Last updated: 10/10/08

timeframe:

Due December 1st or 2nd

– as per your studio schedule

resources:

www.earth.columbia.edu

,

www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sun

,

www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/climatecenter/documents

http://www.wecansolveit.org/

http://www.climatecrisis.net/

http://www.uic.edu/depts/geos/terra-society

http://www.agiweb.org

http://www.aapg.org

http://www.uic.edu/depts/geos

Sunday, October 5, 2008


By cutting through something, pressures are released. When you cut your skin, you bleed. When Gordon Matta-Clark cuts a house in half, the halves lean away from each other, no longer internally linked. A section operates in terms of internal and external pressures, both the pressures still contained and those released by the cut, organized in time. The combination of interior section and exterior section is the negotiation (compromise and arrangement) of those pressures.