Isandro Gutierrez Malik3 Design Proposals
Proposal 1: Stacked Cylinders
(Semi inspired by the shape of a tree trunk. The cylindrical layers represent the large radius of a trees root structure, the narrower radius of the dense trunk, and the even larger radius of the overall canopy)
Proposal 2: Two stack
(My second design came from the idea of hills, I attempted to create some curves by stacking layers and varying dimensions incrementally with height. I imagine the larger connecting floors as a lobby area or place of community interaction and creativity.)
Proposal 3: Linear Tower
Side-By-Side Comparison Analysis
Sunlight Hours:
Daylight Comparison:
“Best” Design Option
Surprisingly (to me), the most mundane building shape yielded the best results with respect to sun hours and daylight potential. I believe there is a direct relationship between building surface area (exterior) and both sun hours and daylight potential so naturally the cubic medium/high rise optimizes for both. Large flat walls allow for minimal shadow and optimal sun, while curves and stacked building forms make things a little more complicated for lower floor levels.
I found it quite fun to play around with the building forms in forma but at times difficult to add a degree of precision especially with respect to curves. To me, the results of my study comparison makes my final decision even tougher. As the primary designer tasked with creating a cutting edge sustainability exhibition center, there is no world in which I envision myself constructing a traditional rectangular building. Luckily enough for me, these two studies are among a variety of building features to be considered. With a large rooftop surface area, solar arrays are very much achievable and optimized for placement and efficiency —so this should allow more flexibility in general form.
If I were to conduct this exercise again I would definitely play around with the building’s general placement amongst neighboring infrastructure. The site placement can most certainly impact sun hours and daylight potential significantly. Ultimately, I aim to continue exploring with designs 1 and 3, maintaining a rooftop available for solar (and even a garden or terrace) and exploring more shapes to allow for passive cooling.