One of my biggest exhibition space design inspirations from module 1 is the spiral layout of the Guggenheim museum, so I really wanted to create circular massing options that would allow for those intuitive interior pathways through the different exhibitions. I also want to incorporate green/outdoor space into the building design, either through terraces or a central courtyard area. My first design proposal serves as a baseline to compare the circular forms with a more traditional L-shaped building form, with ample open space for a courtyard and different roof sections to be used for different purposes (e.g., solar, rainwater harvesting, green roof). My second and third proposals more closely follow my initial design ideas, and I use the first proposal as a baseline to determine how effective the circular forms are in achieving my primary goals of maximizing daylighting and solar potential.
Images of Your 3 Design Proposals
Side-By-Side Comparisons of Your Analysis Results
Your Recommendation for the “Best” Design Option
While I initially envisioned my design having an enclosed interior courtyard/terrace area to integrate green space into the building design, the daylighting and sun hours analyses on Forma highlighted that an enclosed interior outdoor space would get negligible sunlight throughout the day, which of course isn’t conducive to an engaging outdoor space with lots of vegetation. Therefore, my third proposal integrates some of my initial big design ideas (e.g., open circular interior spaces) while allowing for a terrace/outdoor space with maximum sunlight. Proposals 2 and 3 have very similar solar potential, but proposal 3 provides more daylighting in the primary exhibition space and terrace and also takes greater advantage of the views of the water throughout the building, with fewer interior spaces having obstructed views.
One challenge I encountered in all three of my design proposals was a lack of sunlight in the northeast facade. This is largely due to the site context (ie the surrounding buildings), so I anticipate designating the spaces closest to the back facade to be rooms that require minimal natural light, such as an auditorium or overhead spaces. At this stage, my recommendation for the “best” design option is proposal 3 due to the design’s potential for a dynamic mix of different sized interior spaces and the overall daylighting and solar potential. Additionally, a major design goal of mine is to integrate rainwater harvesting and other blue roof infrastructure, which can help to control the challenge of urban flooding in lower manhattan. I believe proposal 3 provides ample roof space for such infrastructure to be framed in a way that invites observation and allows for educational tours on the roof and roof terrace.