To maximize constructability, I generally tried to keep the building design quite simple; however, there were a few unique design features that I implemented. For example, I included a second floor terrace, a green roof, an atrium in the lobby, and a stairway that sticks out on the west side and is surrounded by curtain walls.
The first big success I would like to mention is my building core design. Its central location, back-to-back restrooms, and inclusion of all typical building core elements allowed for rather efficient plumbing and HVAC design. In addition to the building core design, I am also quite proud of my total building layout. The public and office spaces are nicely separated, and I believe the hallway design would facilitate very efficient circulation throughout the building, minimizing wasted space. My building envelope is another success worth mentioning. The somewhat alternating pattern of curtain walls, fixed windows, and brick facade provides an interesting aesthetic to an otherwise rather simple exterior. Lastly, my shading features are something I am proud of. This was one of my favorite elements to design and play with. I feel my combination of horizontal and vertical light shelves and overhangs is an effective strategy for minimizing unwanted solar heat gain without compromising views.
One of the biggest challenges I experienced was creating a structural grid system that fit nicely in my existing architectural model. Even now, there are still a few instances of columns clashing with windows or other elements. If I could do the project over again, I would try to design the structural layout in conjunction with the architectural system. I believe this would help avoid unwanted clashes between the two systems. I also experienced some difficulties designing my HVAC system. The ducts were all quite large and cumbersome at the point where they came out of the mechanical room, requiring turns with large radii and causing a number of clashes with columns. Additionally, because my building core had structural walls surrounding it, it might be difficult, in reality, to install the ducts running through the structural walls. If I could do the project over again, I might use fewer structural walls in the core and rearrange certain columns to avoid clashes.
Overall, I was quite happy with my strategy to keep the design relatively simple and add smaller interesting elements along the way to spice it up. If I could give one piece of advice to future students, it would be just that: start simple. You can always add more interesting/complicated elements as you go. But it would be much more difficult to start complicated and try to simplify later on.