Working share link to your Forma project, view access for the teaching team.
https://app.autodeskforma.com/board/up_zpzfmp48xd/board_eca1a8c3-96df-41a2-ae62-4e1fb09fa2ad
Comparison matrix, one page.
Design memo of 300 to 500 words: what you read in the site, the three strategies, what the analysis said, your recommendation, and the surprise.
My mixed-use mid-rise building will be on a 31,202ft^2 site on the outskirts of downtown Oakland, California. This area is very run-down from the street view and many of the building surrounding this lot are either abandoned or change ownership every few years with low commercial tenure rates. This site has access to 2 neighborhood 2-lane roads. On the side facing 24th street, there is currently an empty parking lot full of graffiti and barbed wire fencing flanked by a for-sale 2-story building and a small 3-story apartment complex. On the opposite side of the site facing 25th street, there is another empty parking lot as well as 2 abandoned, boarded-up brick storefronts.
Based on this site description, this site is the perfect place to build a mixed-use building to bring in much-needed housing as well as outdoor public greenspace and storefronts to revitalize and uplift the surrounding decrepit area. I’d suggest tearing down the 2 existing abandoned buildings and tearing out the existing parking lot to make room for the new development.
The first design strategy was to create a simple 8-story L-shaped building nestled right up to the neighboring buildings on the east side in order to create an open-air courtyard with the existing lot space that could provide seating area for 1st floor businesses, outdoor public park space, as well as a place to get out of the heat and the noise of the nearby streets. The analysis showed this design did have the intended effect; however, I now worry about the lack of direct sunlight to the west facade apartment units during the winter months.
The second design strategy was to create a much more private courtyard flanked by the central complex as well as a layered tier of additional units intended to maximize sunlight and circulation to the central courtyard. The analysis showed that this method extremely reduced noise to the central courtyard while now creating an additional issue of lack of direct sunlight to the units faced towards that courtyard. However, I did like how the layered nature of the eastern section created outdoor balcony spaces shielded from direct sunlight which could provide a cool way to stay outside and get fresh air during the summer months.
The third design strategy was to create a more unique building layout composed of a central bent section with 2 major rectangular and triangular half-height offshoots to create additional opportunities for balconies above and commercial spaces below. Through this composition, 2 separate courtyards were formed that both face a different street creating a unique opportunity to active each specific community. The analysis showed that the bent design actually caused an extreme lack of direct sunlight during the winter months for the northwestern facade of the building. A similar effect occurred on the eastern facades adjacent to the triangular half-height offshoot.
Based on the Forma analyses of these 3 design proposals, I recommend proposal #2. This strategy finds a healthy balance between proposal 1 and 3 in terms of creating a unique layout that provides residents, business owners, and community members each with ample opportunities to use the space that it creates. From a design standpoint, I would recommend proposal 3; however, the analyses showed that the design limited direct sunlight for much of the facade and also reduced ground area that could be used for greenspace & sitting spaces for the 1st floor businesses. Plus, it acknowledges and integrates the ground area with the existing New Parkway Theater & Elena apartments on the west side. Also, this option maximizes the number of units with a view of beautiful Lake Meritt to the southeast.
I was very surprised with the analyses of the different design strategies. For example, I had no idea how much of an effect a building could have on noise reduction of a nearby street. Additionally, I didn’t realize simply bending a building (as in proposal 3) could reduce how much direct sunlight a facade gets so drastically. These analyses tools are vital for understanding a site and it’s context and massing models can provide incredible insight upon the best design strategy to choose.
Three massing images, one per proposal, from the same viewpoint.
Proposal 1 Proposal 2 Proposal 3
