Link to Google Sheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MVFY3hjygtMykDXOGlq0wYjjaYcv8XsulSOMf5axnW8/edit?usp=sharing
Ground Floor:
Brainstorm about what it should include:
- Cafe:
I would like to place the cafe on the ground floor, at the entrance of the museum. This allows visters to seek refereshments immediatley after arriving, especially if they are waiting. Additionally, it allows me to utilize the natural environment outside with a large patio area. The majority of seating will be placed outside, similar to the Coupa Cafe displayed below. The integration between the outdoors and indoor cafe will be achieved through a sliding glass wall, as was used in the Hammer Museum Cafe in Los Angeles (see photography below). This system daylight the indoor cafe and Museum Lobby. Additionally, when deployed, it acts as a shelter against light rainfall, while still letting sunlight penetrate. The Cafe is located on the East side of the buildling, facing the lake, for the most aesthetic view.
Example: Hammer Museum Cafe, LA
Example: Coupa Cafe @GreenLibrary, Stanford
- Gift Workshop:
Typically, museum gift-shops are forced upon the visitors, as they must pass through them upon leaving the respective museum. I do not like this concept, as the theme of sustainability should not be encouraging the needless purchasing of material goods. Instead, this gift shop will embody the theme of sustainability:
a) Location: The gift shop will be located in the lobby, rather than forming the entrance/exit and thus forcing visitors to pass through it. It will be integrated into the lobby seemlessly with a semi-open plan, as can be seen in the V&A museum shop below. Glass panel walls will seperate it from the lobby, to create a division between the foot traffic of people entering and leaving the exhibitions, and the stationary people browsing the shop. As the giftshop is on the east side, using glass panels also ensures that light can pass through, similar to the Nelson Atkins musuem shop displayed bleow. This will allow the daylighting of the museum shop to pass into the lobby, while also attractiving customers (voluntarlily).
V&A Museum Shop, London
Nelson Atkins Museum Shop, Kansas City
b) Interactive Workshop:: Rather than a gift shop, I would like to introduce the notion of a ‘gift workshop’. Given that the theme of the exhibition centre is sustainability, the souvineers that can be purchased here are constructed from recycled materials. Growing up, my favourite museums were interactive ones, and this workshop will follow this. To encouring the idea of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’, workshops will be offered in which visiting children can use recycled materials (PET bottles, jars, string, etc.) and make creative DIY projects. Two examples have been listed bleow, in the form of plant hangars and bird feeders.
- Lobby Space:
The lobby is the heart of the building. For this reason, it needs to be open, welcoming and well lit. The design will follow the concept displayed below, with the first half being a full 2 stories high, with a mezzanine connecting to the second floor. Tall glass panel windows, with a second row will ensure natural lighting throughout the entire area. This will impact the insulation of the building, however as shown in Module 4, a significantly lower EUI than the Architecture 2030 goal can be achieved without minimized the Window to Wall Ratio (WWR). Additonally, the two Exhibition wings, will feature very few windows, to allow for dim lighting and adjustable atmoshperes depending on the temporary gallery.
As mentioned in my themes and big ideas in previous modules, I would like the building to harness green spaces. Hence, the lobby will feature a green wall. This green wall, however, will contain plant pots made from reused bottles, to embody the concept of re-using waste.
- Bouldering Wall
Climbing is a sport which encourages the exploration and appreciation of nature, especially across the Californian National Parks. For this reason, instead of having a ‘kid zone’, one of the interior lobby walls will feature a bouldering wall with crash matting and bouldering challenges.
- Exhibition Spaces:
The two wings of the building, will be the home to two exhibition spaces. They will be large, open warehouse style rooms, allowing for temporary and modular panel wallls to be errected, as shown in the image below. This will allow flexbility of the space, to adjust depending on exhibition type.
The lack of windows along the long East and West walls allow for a dim, mood lighting, which is common in galleries and exhibitions. The interior design will feature local wood, as was described in a previous Module.
At the end of the two exhibition spaces, is the South Facing wall. This will be made of nearly entirely glass panels, to allow for maximized solar heating in the winter months. Shutters/tinting can be used to adjust the glare, as to not distract visitors.
Ground Floor Layout (Note detailed features like doors, windows, etc. have been omitted from this design stage):
First Floor:
Brainstorm:
- Mezzanine
As a part of the lobby is two stories tall, to allow for a high ceiling, the second floor is only partial in the main segment of the building, like a mezzanine. Similar to the mezzanine in the museum of russian art, displayed below, it will provide access across the lobby area (above the cafe and gift workshop), to the tiered balcony.
Museum of Russian Art, Minneapolis
- Tiered Terrace
The second floor is 40 feet shorter in length than the ground floor, allowing for a tiered terrace at the north face of the building, similar to the photograph below. This will allow for an outdoor social area, to enjoy California’s mild climate and the nature. Public binoculars will be installed, to encourage the observation of the preserves wildlife. Outdoor seating will be provided, along with a significant amount of plants to integrate the area with the natural beauty of the landscape.
Noveau Palais Justice, Paris
Y2E2, Stanford
- Office Space
The first floor B-wing will provide office spaces for University research at the natural preserve. It will house a large open office plan in the centre, with a room in each corner (2x enclosed offices, 2x conference rooms). Additionally there will be a small kitchenette with a sink, coffee machine, microwave, etc. for hot beverages and snacks.
First Floor Layout (Note detailed features like doors, windows, etc. have been omitted from this design stage):
Top (Second) Floor:
The top floor is only a partial floor, spanning the size of the main lobby. It will provide space for a theatre/cinema space. As it needs to be sound lightproofed, it will constain thick insulation, which is ideal as heating during the winter months was the largest challenge outlined in the previous module.
Second Floor Layout (Note detailed features like doors, windows, etc. have been omitted from this design stage):
