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Journal Entry For

Module 5/6 - Building Layout & Circulation Systems

ACC Folder Link

ACC Revit File Link

Created

Feb 8, 2025 2:03 AM

Last Edited

Feb 8, 2025 2:58 AM

Created by

Sophia Kianni

Files & media

Pinterest link

Text

https://pin.it/7idDoFsqa

Share your initial design including:

a link to your Space Budget

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Hak65pcjP6lWBpU2XPXRI-DB8XPMPg8Z9iBSlf-5a8/edit?usp=sharing

sketches or bubble diagrams showing the thinking behind your building layout

a link to your personal folder (containing your Revit model files) within our shared Autodesk Construction Cloud Project: https://bearington.notion.site/Module-6-Design-Project-Brief-Schematic-Design-Building-Layout-Cores-Circulation-Elements-42f07925dcf54c89af01e2e0d3c8b320

Free free to add whatever additional media you'd like to use to best share your ideas and design thinking!

We’ll continue to refine this initial design in the coming weeks and use it as the basis for your detailed systems designs in upcoming modules.

Overall Building Layout

The star-shaped footprint was chosen to create a dynamic and engaging structure that encourages exploration while maximizing usable interior space. This form allows for natural light penetration, efficient zoning of program elements, and seamless integration with the hillside terrain.

The multi-level approach was necessary due to the sloped site, ensuring minimal excavation while maintaining ADA accessibility throughout. Each floor is structured to support a logical progression of visitor experience, from public amenities on the lower floors to research and sustainability-focused spaces on the upper levels.

Key Layout Considerations:

Public-facing spaces (lobby, café, gift shop, and exhibitions) on lower floors for accessibility and engagement.
Educational and meeting spaces in the mid-levels to balance noise control and ease of access.
Administrative offices, storage, and building systems on upper floors for privacy and efficiency.
Sustainable features (green roof, atrium, and patios) integrated on the top level to promote environmental responsibility.

Entrances, Exits, and Circulation Elements

Circulation is designed to ensure smooth visitor flow, accessibility, and emergency egress while taking advantage of the hillside terrain for strategic entry points.

Entrances & Exits

Primary entrance located on Level 1 (Guest Lobby): Positioned on the most accessible side of the site, ensuring a welcoming and intuitive first impression.
Secondary entrance on Level 2 (Exhibition Level): Designed for school groups and guided tours, allowing direct access to exhibits without passing through the lobby.
Service & staff entrances located near storage and utility areas (Level 5): Ensures back-of-house functions do not interfere with the public experience.

Vertical Circulation

Main stairwells & egress staircases: Primary stairwells are integrated close to the building’s central core to provide a continuous, accessible path across all floors.
Elevators: Centrally located within the core for universal access, ensuring smooth movement between floors for all visitors.
Open Atrium (Level 6): Designed as both an architectural focal point and a way to visually connect multiple floors, encouraging upward movement through the building.

Building Core Locations

The building cores house essential infrastructure, including elevators, stairwells, mechanical shafts, and restrooms, ensuring efficient vertical movement and operational functionality.

Core Placement Strategy:

Structural Symmetry: The star shape allows for multiple structural support points, ensuring stability while keeping key mechanical spaces within the central core.
Restrooms stacked across all levels: This maintains consistent plumbing alignments, reducing infrastructure costs and improving efficiency.

For 2 units

For this check-in you’ll create:

Space Budget — a list that identifies the functions and dimensions of all the programmed spaces in your proposed design.
Building Layout — a sketch or bubble diagram that shows the spaces in your proposed design with the connections between them as well as connections to exterior spaces.
Building Model — an initial building model. This first model will have a very low level of detail (LOD 200), using generic walls to indicate the preliminary sizes and locations of the major programmed spaces (based on your space budget and building layout diagram). Include the:

Exterior Walls — use generic walls to indicate the preliminary location of the exterior wall surfaces (don’t worry about modeling the windows, glazing features, and materials now -- you’ll do that next week in Module 7).
Interior Walls — use generic walls to indicate the preliminary location of the interior wall surfaces (again, don’t worry about modeling the interior doors and architectural features -- you’ll do that in future weeks as you continue to design and refine your model).

For 3 units

Add these elements to your initial building model:

Building Cores and Circulation Elements — place stairs and generic walls to indicate:

the preliminary locations of the building cores (stair and elevators shafts)
circulation spaces (corridors and hallways)
and utility spaces (public restrooms and mechanical rooms)

For 4 units