Midterm critique images

UNCC : an architecture charette

Our studio traveled to The University of North Carolina at Charlotte for a charette with the UNCC Architecture students. They helped us analyze our design and give us a fresh perspective on the project. We gained experience in building techniques and were able to take notes on many suggestions that could further our design.

Process: model making

These are some beginning sketches of our final building. After the first organic looking sketch model, we realized that all of us are more straight lined, linear designers. No one typically designs with curves, so we started looking at the rock differently. Instead of going with the ribbon shapes of the rock, we started looking at more of the crevices and sharp edges of the rock. Also, because we are building out of the rock and cutting into it, we wanted to show more of a fracturing motion.

[site analysis]

Originally, we planned to place the building toward the back part of the rock so that visitors and employees could enjoy the rock and the view of the water. When analyzing the site, however, we realized that the shadows cast from the building would be covering the rock and water. Because Stockholm is a cold place already, we really wanted to allow people to enjoy the small bit of sunlight they do get. Because of this, we made a group decision to move the location of the building closer to the water's edge. Another reason for doing so, was because we realized that the rock is a little over 100 feet tall. Stockholm has very few tall buildings, and nothing to the scale of what we are designing. By having our building built into the rock itself, we are cutting down about 100 feet from the height, as well as allowing the rock to still be used, and making our building even more integrated into the site.

Mock Firm Competition [birth of a logo]

We have a logo! Our 4th year partners for this project are working as our graphic designers and marketing team. They developed a logo that we all liked and voted to use. We also took that logo and made a file to laser cut it into a piece of cardboard. It is going to be our sign for our critiques. Great job!

Skyscraper [1st iteration]

Running off the idea of layering that we extracted from the rock formation, we began to construct our first iteration for a skyscraper. As a group, we value the idea of forming our buildings and designs to the site, so that it is a part of the site rather than something you can pick up and move somewhere else. We were going for the design being so effective and a part of its site, that it would not "work" somewhere else. By taking this idea of layering and form to site, we began to extract the topography of the rock and build up these layers so that the building resembled the rock in some way. The layers bled into the rock, allowing people to actually walk up the building and still walk out onto the rock that is so important to the swedes.

[site analysis]

We did some research on our rock! As a group, we found out that the rock type is "Gneiss." Its pronounced "nice." We definitely got a kick out of that! I'm sure we will have many jokes to come about how "Gneiss" the rock is. We found that it is a rock type that we can cut into and build out of without too much stress. After taking the rock and researching it, we began sketching it and abstracting the layers and ribbons in it to extract form and shape. It was interesting to see the different layering of colors within it.

[site] Soldermalm : Stockholm, Sweden

MOCK FIRM COMPETITION [the birth of a site]

Tertia Studios has been coming along! We have determined the structure of our firm. We have 3 core principles or partners. David Harrill, Clairissa Anderson, and Cassandra Gustavson. Though they are principles, we maintain a pretty steady and level sense of order. The principles merely act as liaisons to the competition heads for information purposes, and act as settlers for disputes. They have great leadership roles and will step up to make an executive decision if necessary. The members of our group are all very laid back and we like to have fun while getting our work done. We have pretty much decided that our firm will be very laid back and fairly informal. It seems to us that we've already had dirty looks and comments made from the other groups about the structure of our firm. They seem to be a little jealous that we can have fun and still get our work done effectively.

We decided on a site for our skyscraper for the competition. As a group, we really valued and respected existing buildings and parks. We therefore wanted an open space in which to design the building so that not many things would be destroyed. Researching the area and taking a 3 hour tour around google earth, we found very few open areas. Either they were important parks, or many buildings would have to be removed. After a long search, we decided on a site on the island of Soldermalm. The problem was.... there is a giant rock on our site. We will have to do research as to whether we can successfully and effectively build a skyscraper on this particular rock. We will have to do research on the rock type and drilling, cutting, and anchoring options for the site. During the group meeting, we all kept making funny comments about the "wise man who built his house upon the rock." It seemed ironic to us. We WOULD be the group to pick a challenge....