The location that seemed most ideal to me was Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, near Searsville Lake. A beautiful extension of Stanford’s campus, this site has an interesting historical context. Once a thriving summer chill spot, the land is now, Jasper Ridge is now a Stanford University field station whose mission is research and education about natural systems. With that in mind, I already knew I wanted to incorporate a more organic approach to my design approach of this exhibition center. The design will have a curved shape that sinks into the ground and then allows individuals to have panoramic views of the reserve.
Views like this can be captured on the site and also be optimal for sun angles as well.
Project Goals that will guide your design decision-making
I would like to use state-of-the-art building technologies and materials for my building. Using a light material such as wood and board-formed concrete. The building will utilize curtain walls and be angled so that rooms in the building can maintain comfortable conditions with no mechanical cooling or forced ventilation. The building should be a beacon of what sustainability can look like while also being usable.
Include a passive ventilation system
The use of a timber frame will be more energy efficient and harken to indigenous building principles. I want the space to primarily use electrical power, most of which will come from renewable sources. With water present as well, a heat recovery system may prove to be beneficial in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and water use.
Incorporate Ohlone/Indigenous environmental building techniques
Measures that can be used to quantify the performance of your design relative to each goal
Performing a cost analysis for the energy efficiency differences between alternative options can help break down individual parts of a project so a more in-depth comparison can be made on what works best.
Breakdown analysis of electricity generation from renewable energy sources
Target Values for each of the measures
Help slash greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25%
A EUI (Energy Use Intensity) Below 40