Albertine Van MarckeOverview
- Key / Essential / Unique Design Features that you explored in your project.
I really wanted to explore the embodied carbon side of building sustainability. Therefore, I used a timber structural system, while still introducing other materials where necessary. For example to create a column-free exhibition space with a view on the Statue of Liberty, I added trusses on the third floor, as timber is brittle in tension I used steel members for the tension members. For the foundation pads and the exterior walls, concrete was used to ensure durability, but low-carbon concrete is specified.
To promote occupant health and movement, I designed a monumental stair in the middle of the floor plan. The spiral staircase was more challenging than expected, as it's hard to imagine the dimensions and where to put shafts and landings.
- Your Big Successes -- what worked very well and what features you're most proud to share as examples to inspire others.
I tried to minimize the amount of windows, to create a more energy efficient building, while still ensuring enough natural light. This was done by using the Insight tool and the lighting analysis within Revit simultaneously. The roof skylight made it possible to introduce natural light in the middle of the building.
Aesthetically, I think it is important to create a building that fits within the Manhattan skyline and that promotes sustainability. I tried to achieve both of these by firstly creating a stacked design and use concrete on the facade as can be seen in older higher buildings in New York. Additionally, to promote sustainability, I avoided very big cantilevers and inefficient shapes. The stacking also made room for terraces, which can be used as green roofs and canopies with solar panels can be added to increase PV potential.
- Your Big Challenges -- what aspects of the project created the biggest challenges, and what would you do differently (in hindsight) to avoid or overcome these challenges.
Finding an ideal layout was very challenging. It was very hard to understand how big a room should be and what should be where, all this while still have an architecturally interesting building. Even considering future modules, it was hard to imagine how much space and where the different system would be. Never having modeled MEP systems before, this course was a great crash course for MEP and sustainable building systems.
Taking the class for only 2 units, it has been challenging to complete the modules without practice. Additionally, if I had had more time it would have been nice to introduce more analyses, such a structural model and PV potential, to make it all a bit more tangible and realistic.
Finally, the rendering was a challenge for me as well. It was hard to create beatifull, well lit and correctly centered.
- Lessons Learned -- what sage words of advice would you share with other students who are embarking on a similar project.
The mechanical rooms are something that I overlooked in the beginning. I received the valuable tip to stack my mechanical rooms, and I ended having to increase them a bit to make everything fit.
I would recommend checking the coordination model before and after each module to keep track of where you have space left or not. Additionally, take screenshots of the interesting aspects of the modules to keep in mind for your poster.
