When brainstorming about designs for the center, I encountered a tension between optimizing building performance and maintaining aesthetic elegance. Many practices that enhance the greenness of a building are not exactly known for being pretty. However, I want to prioritize the center’s appeal and accessibility to those in knowledge levels from novice to expert, and, frankly, a clunky and unattractive structure does not achieve that goal. Therefore, my guiding principle is my design is balance.
Running with this, I want my design to emphasize the building’s harmony with the natural landscape on which is resides. In my opinion, The Getty Center did this well by building into the hill (ala Frank Lloyd Wright) mindset. I’m wary of choosing a hill as my site, though, because I predict it would not cooperate well with green building initiatives. Whatever the site ends up being, I would like to minimize the distinct lines between structure and nature.
Here are some building inspiration pictures!
Obviously, a running theme throughout the pictures is the greenery that highlights the buildings’ facades. While not necessarily being known for enhancing building performance, the plants, shrubbery, and trees create an immediate connection to environmentalism (and it looks nice).
Some building performance designs that can be incorporated are:
- PV panels
- Battery storage to combat duck curve
- Window light shelves
- Small PV panels on some maybe
- Large area of south windows
- Building will run along east-west line
- Floor level AC vents
- Rainwater collection
- Can be used for irrigation
- HRVs
Google’s Bay View campus is providing a lot of inspiration for building systems.
