Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thanks everyone!
Hey everyone, just wanted to let you guys know that I really appreciated the opportunity to design with you all. I learned so much and though it didn't all go smoothly, I believe we finished with a product we could feel proud of. So, thanks yall, and I want to extend a special thanks to Ed for the positive guidance. Thanks everyone, and I look forward to seeing the competition results! -Gaston
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Submission Complete
Gaston did a tremendous job in the end to put together some very impressive imagery of the design concept we selected as our solution.
The next post is the text description we submitted, followed by final submission images. The remainder of the blog is all the research and information sharing during the process.
The next post is the text description we submitted, followed by final submission images. The remainder of the blog is all the research and information sharing during the process.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Project Description
A description of our entry for the Sustainable Classroom of the Future Competition
Green, green, green Seems all we hear nowadays is Green.
All those sustainability concepts they taught in architecture school in the ‘90’s have finally gained some ground, and they were already decades in the making. Has all the damage humans have done to our environment finally caught up with us that we must run around in a frenzy trying to correct the situation, since it’s not reversible? Or has it become so hip to be environmentally friendly that everybody’s jumping on the green bandwagon? For most green enthusiasts I’d say both. But what about companies that call themselves advocates of sustainability but still run full size print ads in every pop culture design periodical, lending to the waste they’re claiming they aim to help stop? The real solutions are in actions, not advertisements; and activity in a competition like this is a tell-tale sign of people who want to see an improvement to society’s effect on the environment. Not in the future, but now.
This is why I, a teacher of Engineering and Design, have teamed up with a graduate of New School of Architecture, along with several of my students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, to address the problem of education in a world obsessed with economic and energy efficiency. To assist us in some of the methods employed in today’s green construction industry, I’ve invited a green construction company to join our team as a materials and methods consultant, who have generously offered to donate resources for the fulfillment of the prototype construction if our team should hail victorious.
Our collaborative design approach is one in which the team would need a place to share our research, opinions and design ideas. Therefore, I set up a blog entitled GreenClassroomCompetition.blogspot.com that each team member is authorized to contribute to. As all blogs are, it is presented in reverse chronological order, most recent post at the top, and I would like to invite all jury panelists to review its content since it speaks of our process and the concepts we incorporated into our design solution. It includes information, images and videos.
I can pretty much guarantee all competition entrants included many of the same features into their sustainable design: Daylighting techniques, Natural ventilation, Photovoltaics, Rainwater collection, Energy efficient mechanical systems, etc. But there are two concepts that are extremely important that will not be presented by other teams, yet are crucial with respect to this competition: Sustainable Classroom Expansion and Sustainable Education.
Did somebody say “Budget Crisis”? As an educator in only my second year, I’ve already experienced a layoff. Luckily, Mission Bay HS swooped in to keep me in this teaching industry. As another round of budget cuts have crept in for next year, I began to wonder if I’d be laid off again, but not this time. Instead, I can expect to see increased class sizes next year due to other teachers being let go. But wait a second, isn’t our population growing? What’s going to happen down the road when class sizes are simply too big? Build another school? With the economy in its current state, chances are slim that would happen. So what’s the solution? The solution is in a method of utilizing existing space on a school site and employ a process of
Sustainable Classroom Expansion.
To demonstrate, we’ve presented this competition entry as a hypothetical case study. Let’s make the assumption that Mission Bay High School needs another classroom; well, why stop at one… let’s assume it needs three new classrooms. First, a site map is reviewed and a site visit is conducted to see if there are any pockets of unused exterior space. Then, a design matrix is utilized to determine requirements such as: Number of square feet, climatic conditions, building orientation, pedestrian traffic, amount and location of glazing for daylight and ventilation, prevailing wind direction, etc. Then, components are selected from a library of prefabricated parts, which are designed for ease of assembly by non-specialized individuals following a set of instructions. Educators and students on a campus can act as the construction team, thereby significantly reducing construction costs associated with labor.
The library of parts (or “kit of parts”) for the modular classroom include foundation blocks, 12’ columns, 8’ beams, light gauge trusses, floor panels as described in the blog and wall panel options that include integrated doors and windows.
In our case study, the site is paved with concrete and has a slight slope, therefore the adjustable foundation posts will be employed to create a level floor surface in the classroom. Also, the site is a bit tight for three new classrooms adjacent to each other, so the stackable classroom concept is employed to create a class above another class. As a student wrote in the blog, a connection to nature is important to her. So, courtyards are located at the ends and between the classrooms, and are garnished with indigenous trees, which don’t require additional irrigation. Nonetheless, rainwater collection methods are utilized to prolong the natural watering cycle. The wall panels located adjacent to a courtyard are predominantly glazed so students have a connection to nature, since the trees can increase their morale by assisting in their feeling comfortable, which in turn leads to a higher likelihood of achievement. Additionally, courtyards are strategically placed with respect to prevailing winds, so the trees oxygenate the classrooms when windows are open.
This method of classroom expansion is sustainable because the kit of parts can be reused for another classroom expansion further down the road if funding were to come in to create a permanent structure in place of the modular one. In other words, after an initial expense for the first kit of parts, it can be used again later as each subsequent requirement for more class space presents itself, always being a step ahead of permanent construction.
The other concept, Sustainable Education
deals directly with educational methods. After all, this is about the classroom of the future, and given the drop-out rates, level of disinterest and degree of career-uncertainty that students demonstrate, it’s clear that the method of education must be revisited. In our Mission Bay HS case study, among the three new classes, one of them is an architectural drafting lab. (Incidentally, if a prototype were built, it would be of just one class with one or two courtyards.) The new architecture lab would incorporate Project Based Learning techniques, which are more and more proving effective in education by providing experiential learning that goes beyond memorization and tests. In the future, to further enhance student learning, video projection methods will be part of regular class curriculum, connecting students to the real world. For example, an architectural drafting lab may include in the curriculum a virtual field trip in which one video screen would show an architect discussing a project from within the office, so students can get a sense of the work environment, and another video screen would show actual construction on a site, with commentaries from the workers, all without the need of a bus and hard hat.
I refer to this as sustainable education because it shows the students the nitty-gritty of industries that all classes lead to. High school students need to start thinking about their careers, and video commentaries from a variety of careers as part of each class curriculum can help them make decisions about their future early. The alternative is the high school graduate that goes into college undeclared, hoping to discover a field that is interesting. But what do they experience in college? More classes, textbooks and lectures. The goal of high school education should be to give students exposure to a variety of careers so they can use both their time and energy more efficiently.
To conclude, our competition entry addresses both issues of sustainability and modularity by providing on-demand inexpensive classroom space that affords students with a comfortable learning environment that is energy efficient and reusable over time.
Green, green, green Seems all we hear nowadays is Green.
All those sustainability concepts they taught in architecture school in the ‘90’s have finally gained some ground, and they were already decades in the making. Has all the damage humans have done to our environment finally caught up with us that we must run around in a frenzy trying to correct the situation, since it’s not reversible? Or has it become so hip to be environmentally friendly that everybody’s jumping on the green bandwagon? For most green enthusiasts I’d say both. But what about companies that call themselves advocates of sustainability but still run full size print ads in every pop culture design periodical, lending to the waste they’re claiming they aim to help stop? The real solutions are in actions, not advertisements; and activity in a competition like this is a tell-tale sign of people who want to see an improvement to society’s effect on the environment. Not in the future, but now.
This is why I, a teacher of Engineering and Design, have teamed up with a graduate of New School of Architecture, along with several of my students, ranging from sophomores to seniors, to address the problem of education in a world obsessed with economic and energy efficiency. To assist us in some of the methods employed in today’s green construction industry, I’ve invited a green construction company to join our team as a materials and methods consultant, who have generously offered to donate resources for the fulfillment of the prototype construction if our team should hail victorious.
Our collaborative design approach is one in which the team would need a place to share our research, opinions and design ideas. Therefore, I set up a blog entitled GreenClassroomCompetition.blogspot.com that each team member is authorized to contribute to. As all blogs are, it is presented in reverse chronological order, most recent post at the top, and I would like to invite all jury panelists to review its content since it speaks of our process and the concepts we incorporated into our design solution. It includes information, images and videos.
I can pretty much guarantee all competition entrants included many of the same features into their sustainable design: Daylighting techniques, Natural ventilation, Photovoltaics, Rainwater collection, Energy efficient mechanical systems, etc. But there are two concepts that are extremely important that will not be presented by other teams, yet are crucial with respect to this competition: Sustainable Classroom Expansion and Sustainable Education.
Did somebody say “Budget Crisis”? As an educator in only my second year, I’ve already experienced a layoff. Luckily, Mission Bay HS swooped in to keep me in this teaching industry. As another round of budget cuts have crept in for next year, I began to wonder if I’d be laid off again, but not this time. Instead, I can expect to see increased class sizes next year due to other teachers being let go. But wait a second, isn’t our population growing? What’s going to happen down the road when class sizes are simply too big? Build another school? With the economy in its current state, chances are slim that would happen. So what’s the solution? The solution is in a method of utilizing existing space on a school site and employ a process of
Sustainable Classroom Expansion.
To demonstrate, we’ve presented this competition entry as a hypothetical case study. Let’s make the assumption that Mission Bay High School needs another classroom; well, why stop at one… let’s assume it needs three new classrooms. First, a site map is reviewed and a site visit is conducted to see if there are any pockets of unused exterior space. Then, a design matrix is utilized to determine requirements such as: Number of square feet, climatic conditions, building orientation, pedestrian traffic, amount and location of glazing for daylight and ventilation, prevailing wind direction, etc. Then, components are selected from a library of prefabricated parts, which are designed for ease of assembly by non-specialized individuals following a set of instructions. Educators and students on a campus can act as the construction team, thereby significantly reducing construction costs associated with labor.
The library of parts (or “kit of parts”) for the modular classroom include foundation blocks, 12’ columns, 8’ beams, light gauge trusses, floor panels as described in the blog and wall panel options that include integrated doors and windows.
In our case study, the site is paved with concrete and has a slight slope, therefore the adjustable foundation posts will be employed to create a level floor surface in the classroom. Also, the site is a bit tight for three new classrooms adjacent to each other, so the stackable classroom concept is employed to create a class above another class. As a student wrote in the blog, a connection to nature is important to her. So, courtyards are located at the ends and between the classrooms, and are garnished with indigenous trees, which don’t require additional irrigation. Nonetheless, rainwater collection methods are utilized to prolong the natural watering cycle. The wall panels located adjacent to a courtyard are predominantly glazed so students have a connection to nature, since the trees can increase their morale by assisting in their feeling comfortable, which in turn leads to a higher likelihood of achievement. Additionally, courtyards are strategically placed with respect to prevailing winds, so the trees oxygenate the classrooms when windows are open.
This method of classroom expansion is sustainable because the kit of parts can be reused for another classroom expansion further down the road if funding were to come in to create a permanent structure in place of the modular one. In other words, after an initial expense for the first kit of parts, it can be used again later as each subsequent requirement for more class space presents itself, always being a step ahead of permanent construction.
The other concept, Sustainable Education
deals directly with educational methods. After all, this is about the classroom of the future, and given the drop-out rates, level of disinterest and degree of career-uncertainty that students demonstrate, it’s clear that the method of education must be revisited. In our Mission Bay HS case study, among the three new classes, one of them is an architectural drafting lab. (Incidentally, if a prototype were built, it would be of just one class with one or two courtyards.) The new architecture lab would incorporate Project Based Learning techniques, which are more and more proving effective in education by providing experiential learning that goes beyond memorization and tests. In the future, to further enhance student learning, video projection methods will be part of regular class curriculum, connecting students to the real world. For example, an architectural drafting lab may include in the curriculum a virtual field trip in which one video screen would show an architect discussing a project from within the office, so students can get a sense of the work environment, and another video screen would show actual construction on a site, with commentaries from the workers, all without the need of a bus and hard hat.
I refer to this as sustainable education because it shows the students the nitty-gritty of industries that all classes lead to. High school students need to start thinking about their careers, and video commentaries from a variety of careers as part of each class curriculum can help them make decisions about their future early. The alternative is the high school graduate that goes into college undeclared, hoping to discover a field that is interesting. But what do they experience in college? More classes, textbooks and lectures. The goal of high school education should be to give students exposure to a variety of careers so they can use both their time and energy more efficiently.
To conclude, our competition entry addresses both issues of sustainability and modularity by providing on-demand inexpensive classroom space that affords students with a comfortable learning environment that is energy efficient and reusable over time.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Classroom Connectivity
The kit of parts yields the ability to connect classes for the formation of seemingly enclosed courtyards. In this example, both classes are 1 story, but the kit of parts includes the capacity to stack classes for dense site conditions.
Truss Options
Trusses span 24' and have differing characteristics that are suitable for different climates, causing the interior ceiling form to be conducive to specific air circulation patterns when combined with natural ventilation via operable windows.
Wall Panel Options
Wall panels are standard sizes (4' wide x 12' tall) providing a floor to ceiling interior height of 10'. Panels are: Solid, Door, Maximum Glaze, Medium Glaze and Minimum Glaze.
Wall Panel Assembly Animation
This video may take a minute to load. It shows the structure with 24'x48' overall dimensions. The open classroom space is 24'x32' with a storage (and services area, when needed), adjacent to the class, occupying the majority of one of the 8' bays. The outermost 8' bay on one side is not enclosed and provides space and structure (not shown) for the access ramp. The outermost 8' bay on the other side shows 4 of the 6 wall panels with the full glaze option, because that area looks into a courtyard of trees. Earlier in this blog, a student posted a remark that a connection to nature is important for her morale. A student that has a sense of peace and comfort is more likely to be more involved in the classroom agenda, which is crucial for adequate learning and storage in long-term memory. The wall panels bolt to the members and consist of ply-laminated rigid insulation. For panels that connect to a truss, truss clips are utilized to provide a bolt-like connection. The floor follows a panel format as well. A ply-laminated composite including corrugated metal within then stuffed with foam-hardening insulation, the floor panels are both structurally sound for the live and dead loads, acoustically appropriate and have thermal characteristics as well.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
+(do).jpg)
Construction Process II
Another entry....Just working on the elevations to deliver wall space for students' work and teacher space as well as lighting and ventilation.
Then the guts: from highest priority to lowest the guts go:
I: Lighting,
II. Heat, Ventilation
III. Educational items: Storage, Computer Projector
IV. Rainwater collector and grey water distribution system.
Construction Process
Hey Yall, just thought I'd do a little documenting...here's our single module afterhaving assembled the aluminum columns, secondary aluminum beams, floor trusses, floors which I think should be prefabricated concrete 4X8' concrete panels....After the main structure is in place, we're gonna give it the guts: the electrical and plumbing lines, rain water and recycled roof system, educational computer system with a projector and video conferencing panels, storage units, not to mention fill in the courtyard with some vegitation....Along the way we'll build up vignettes to show...stay tuned!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Reply to Gaston
In effort to move forward, I'll model your truss, which seems effective both structurally and for the rainwater runoff concept. The model you created before and posted to the blog is so eye-catching that the presentation submission should have the same sort of appeal. I will take photographs tomorrow of the area that we are proposing for the two structures, where one is two stories. The size of the areas are on the blog, specifically at the May 7 post:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWUZ-Aqqz0j-l4Yahoge6kCIRqwVJCjBjkgK1sh4AVV-5g4i4aaT0GtOprVtkzs2o-WsqgKXGQ6lBbQCQ5OaFLdbgI9y2rBRoj9MNL5YWzqGdAONfKeJ56kdEp6R9IpR_vHm3t70xvGo/s1600-h/Sustaniable+Classroom.jpg
The area in front of the glass would be good for the single story class, and the area to the left for the double story.
Ideally there's a ramp to the first level, since it's a raised foundation. In the eyes of the jury, the presentation image is what needs to be the hook. An effective image as well would likely be an interior view that shows marker board, video projection screens with the image of a foreign teacher on location on one, and a foreign class on field trip on the other, for example.
We haven't thought about what student interaction should be like... and therefore the desks. I will discuss this idea with my students tomorrow to see if they have insight regarding desk/interactive-station design. We can model such furnishings on our software and perhaps superimpose them from an eye-level vantage point into your interior views.
In my opinion, you should take note of the dimensions of the spaces in the two areas from the image link above of the existing conditions of our site, and begin adapting your previous models to it. Hopefully they are easily editable.
Ed
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWUZ-Aqqz0j-l4Yahoge6kCIRqwVJCjBjkgK1sh4AVV-5g4i4aaT0GtOprVtkzs2o-WsqgKXGQ6lBbQCQ5OaFLdbgI9y2rBRoj9MNL5YWzqGdAONfKeJ56kdEp6R9IpR_vHm3t70xvGo/s1600-h/Sustaniable+Classroom.jpg
The area in front of the glass would be good for the single story class, and the area to the left for the double story.
Ideally there's a ramp to the first level, since it's a raised foundation. In the eyes of the jury, the presentation image is what needs to be the hook. An effective image as well would likely be an interior view that shows marker board, video projection screens with the image of a foreign teacher on location on one, and a foreign class on field trip on the other, for example.
We haven't thought about what student interaction should be like... and therefore the desks. I will discuss this idea with my students tomorrow to see if they have insight regarding desk/interactive-station design. We can model such furnishings on our software and perhaps superimpose them from an eye-level vantage point into your interior views.
In my opinion, you should take note of the dimensions of the spaces in the two areas from the image link above of the existing conditions of our site, and begin adapting your previous models to it. Hopefully they are easily editable.
Ed
Component to Consider
I would imagine that in the future (if not already) video conferencing would be possible to allow students in other parts of the world to take on group projects with each other. The concept of two teenagers in different countries communicating with each other in a streamlined classroom environment is one that education authorities should already be concentrating on. This, therefore, allows the idea of virtual guest educators to afford the students with a more well-rounded learning experience.
Beams to Column
Showing half of the central-bolt truss (which minimizes member size during assembly/construction).
Monday, May 25, 2009
From Competition Headquarters:
Dear Challenge Entrants,
Thank you so much for participating in the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom of the future. Your participation has been instrumental in making this challenge a success so far. This being our last update before the submission deadline on June 1st, 2009 (12.00 AM PST), we thought we could list out all the awards that we are giving (as we announced so many during the course of the challenge), a small incentive for taking on the challenge of changing the learning environment in schools around the world, from the rural areas of Uganda to the suburbs in Colorado and to the urban areas in India.
Before we list out all the awards, here are a few pointers for the submission. Please test out your project entry page by uploading files before the submission deadline, doing this does not mean that your project has been submitted. So please test out some uploads. Do keep in mind the Internet connection quality that you are using, it may take longer to upload files depending on the speed of the connection. In case you have any problems do email challenge@architectureforhumanity and we will guide you. Please do so before May 30th, 2009. Do note that after the submission deadline you will not be able to upload any files. And there are no alternative ways to submit your entries.
A reminder for those of you who have not updated your profile page and emailed Maria Toner with your school location details (if you are choosing the 'Partner with a school of your choice' category), please do so as soon as possible. We are asking you to do this because there are chances that more classroom designs may be funded. To give you a better sense of this opportunity, currently we have a possible funder who is interested in design entries from Vancouver, Canada. We are unable to take this forward as we cannot identify the design entries from Vancouver and we know that there are a few entries from there. So the Canadian entrants, who still have not responded, please do so and for those of you, who are not from Canada, please update your profile page, chances are your classroom design may be built even if it is not the winning entry.
Chapter members entering the challenge, write to challenge@architectureforhumanity with your chapter name and entrant id to be considered for the Chapter Award. Please put in ‘Chapter Award' as the email subject.
Finally here is the list of awards,
Design Prizes and Awards
Award: Winner for Best Classroom Design
Prize: Selected school is awarded $50,000 and design team $5,000
Award: Runner-ups for Best Classroom Design
Prize: Selected school is awarded $10,000 and design team $1,000
Note: Number of runners-up based on jury process
Design prize funding furnished by Orient Global
Technical Prizes and Awards
Award: Best design on the Open Architecture Network Freewheel Workspace
Prize: AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite 2009 (worth $6,720)
Award: Best Three Dimensional (3D) Sketch Model
Prize: Google SketchUp Pro 7. (worth $495)
Award: Best Three Dimensional (3D) Animation
Prize: AutoDesk 3DS Max 9 (worth $3,495)
Embed your animation using youtube. Prize-winner must send hi-res version to collect prize
Award: Best Photo-Realistic Rendering
Prize: Autodesk Maya Complete 10th Anniversary Edition (worth $2,590)
Award: Most Ecologically Designed Classroom
Prize: AutoCAD Revit 2009 with Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010 (worth $6,190)
Technical prizes furnished by AutoDesk and Google SketchUp
More awards
Best adaptation of design curriculum, Curriki
Prize: Two $500 awards
Ten copies of the Third Teacher to finalists
Best chapter entry: $1000 grant
Total Prizes = over $100,000 in funding and software.
Please note that design winners may also be winners of technical awards.
We know that many of you are interested in finding out who is on the jury for the challenge. For a comprehensive list of jury members and their bio, go to the jury page
As you prepare for the submissions, do to contact us (challenge@architectureforhumanity.org) with any questions that you may have. The challenge team is more than happy to help in making this process as smooth as possible.
The team at Architecture for Humanity (www.architectureforhumanity.org) is having a great time organizing the Classroom Challenge. We hope you all are having fun participating. It has been a fantastic journey so far and the challenge team thoroughly enjoyed interacting with all of you. Thank you for being wonderful participants. We look forward to fabulous design entries.
Good luck!
Sandhya + Challenge Team
Thank you so much for participating in the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom of the future. Your participation has been instrumental in making this challenge a success so far. This being our last update before the submission deadline on June 1st, 2009 (12.00 AM PST), we thought we could list out all the awards that we are giving (as we announced so many during the course of the challenge), a small incentive for taking on the challenge of changing the learning environment in schools around the world, from the rural areas of Uganda to the suburbs in Colorado and to the urban areas in India.
Before we list out all the awards, here are a few pointers for the submission. Please test out your project entry page by uploading files before the submission deadline, doing this does not mean that your project has been submitted. So please test out some uploads. Do keep in mind the Internet connection quality that you are using, it may take longer to upload files depending on the speed of the connection. In case you have any problems do email challenge@architectureforhumanity and we will guide you. Please do so before May 30th, 2009. Do note that after the submission deadline you will not be able to upload any files. And there are no alternative ways to submit your entries.
A reminder for those of you who have not updated your profile page and emailed Maria Toner with your school location details (if you are choosing the 'Partner with a school of your choice' category), please do so as soon as possible. We are asking you to do this because there are chances that more classroom designs may be funded. To give you a better sense of this opportunity, currently we have a possible funder who is interested in design entries from Vancouver, Canada. We are unable to take this forward as we cannot identify the design entries from Vancouver and we know that there are a few entries from there. So the Canadian entrants, who still have not responded, please do so and for those of you, who are not from Canada, please update your profile page, chances are your classroom design may be built even if it is not the winning entry.
Chapter members entering the challenge, write to challenge@architectureforhumanity with your chapter name and entrant id to be considered for the Chapter Award. Please put in ‘Chapter Award' as the email subject.
Finally here is the list of awards,
Design Prizes and Awards
Award: Winner for Best Classroom Design
Prize: Selected school is awarded $50,000 and design team $5,000
Award: Runner-ups for Best Classroom Design
Prize: Selected school is awarded $10,000 and design team $1,000
Note: Number of runners-up based on jury process
Design prize funding furnished by Orient Global
Technical Prizes and Awards
Award: Best design on the Open Architecture Network Freewheel Workspace
Prize: AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite 2009 (worth $6,720)
Award: Best Three Dimensional (3D) Sketch Model
Prize: Google SketchUp Pro 7. (worth $495)
Award: Best Three Dimensional (3D) Animation
Prize: AutoDesk 3DS Max 9 (worth $3,495)
Embed your animation using youtube. Prize-winner must send hi-res version to collect prize
Award: Best Photo-Realistic Rendering
Prize: Autodesk Maya Complete 10th Anniversary Edition (worth $2,590)
Award: Most Ecologically Designed Classroom
Prize: AutoCAD Revit 2009 with Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010 (worth $6,190)
Technical prizes furnished by AutoDesk and Google SketchUp
More awards
Best adaptation of design curriculum, Curriki
Prize: Two $500 awards
Ten copies of the Third Teacher to finalists
Best chapter entry: $1000 grant
Total Prizes = over $100,000 in funding and software.
Please note that design winners may also be winners of technical awards.
We know that many of you are interested in finding out who is on the jury for the challenge. For a comprehensive list of jury members and their bio, go to the jury page
As you prepare for the submissions, do to contact us (challenge@architectureforhumanity.org) with any questions that you may have. The challenge team is more than happy to help in making this process as smooth as possible.
The team at Architecture for Humanity (www.architectureforhumanity.org) is having a great time organizing the Classroom Challenge. We hope you all are having fun participating. It has been a fantastic journey so far and the challenge team thoroughly enjoyed interacting with all of you. Thank you for being wonderful participants. We look forward to fabulous design entries.
Good luck!
Sandhya + Challenge Team
Design Development
We can do this, our process looks good! We need to work fast though!
Concept: Adaptability honoring diversity: our process would show how from a library of parts, we created an accessorized model suitable to MBHS.
Structural System: After some deliberation and research, I understand our structural system to be a light gauge metal, kit of parts because of its light weight, ease of manual assembly, recycleability and therefor sustainability, non-combustbility, and on-site fabrication which supports the idea of making it shippable. Though, in order to make it work, again, we'd need to finish the library very soon, so it is true that those of you drafting the parts need to work fast and hustle thanks. Ed, we need to set a timeline to structure our schedule this week.
Image Preparation
Forrest, Nick, Bao:
Use the images here as guides for some assemblies to make. The corner structure shown must be made, and also make one with similar components but where the column is not in the corner, for an axial configuration (middle of the wall plane).
The other image shows the wall panels that you guys must make.
Important: If not already, remember to put bolt holes in the top and bottom flanges of the trusses, on both sides of the web (diagonals) so that both the clerestory glazing attachments that Bao made and the wall panels may be secured to them.
Finally, on a previous post in which you see my sketches, you'll find a design for the louvre attachment for the half-glazed panel. Model it, and make one for the full-glazed panel as well.
Step to it... not much time left. This week is the last week of productivity we have!
Use the images here as guides for some assemblies to make. The corner structure shown must be made, and also make one with similar components but where the column is not in the corner, for an axial configuration (middle of the wall plane).
The other image shows the wall panels that you guys must make.
Important: If not already, remember to put bolt holes in the top and bottom flanges of the trusses, on both sides of the web (diagonals) so that both the clerestory glazing attachments that Bao made and the wall panels may be secured to them.
Finally, on a previous post in which you see my sketches, you'll find a design for the louvre attachment for the half-glazed panel. Model it, and make one for the full-glazed panel as well.
Step to it... not much time left. This week is the last week of productivity we have!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Rainwater
Presentation imagery should include planters adjacent to buildings that are fed from the rainwater runoff... plants should be indigenous so no extra care is needed, which translates to water savings over time but still addresses enhancing student mood through natural surroundings. Perspective images showing this type of environment would be very beneficial.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Adapting Structure to 3D Model
Gaston,
It would be best if we implemented your modeling skills for the main board imagery. Attached are some images so you see what my students have been working on. They will create a library of parts for assembly, but creating an assembly of both building configurations we're considering (1 story and 2 story) will not be possible, as we've already encountered a few complications when assembling the trusses to columns. Instead, they will develop partial assemblies that show how specific areas are put together. Your main 3D model can have bubble references that point to the close-up assemblies.
Click on the images below if they are not clear to make them bigger.
It would be best if we implemented your modeling skills for the main board imagery. Attached are some images so you see what my students have been working on. They will create a library of parts for assembly, but creating an assembly of both building configurations we're considering (1 story and 2 story) will not be possible, as we've already encountered a few complications when assembling the trusses to columns. Instead, they will develop partial assemblies that show how specific areas are put together. Your main 3D model can have bubble references that point to the close-up assemblies.
Click on the images below if they are not clear to make them bigger.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Massing
The concepts brought forth in the previous post look great. Nice work, Gaston. The structure will certainly coincide. Once we have similar layouts formed using the trusses and columns, it would be great if you regenerated your forms again based on the proportions to be provided... which are similar to yours.
The water collection system is great. We'll need to provide a collector for the water, since not all circumstances will be such that landscaping will be adjacent to the buildings. Perhaps we can show some potted plants.
Like true to the architectural academic world, we're coming down to the wire and still have a bunch to do.
Let's sprint to the finish.
The water collection system is great. We'll need to provide a collector for the water, since not all circumstances will be such that landscaping will be adjacent to the buildings. Perhaps we can show some potted plants.
Like true to the architectural academic world, we're coming down to the wire and still have a bunch to do.
Let's sprint to the finish.
rain water collection system
The rain water collection system is based off the
form of the roof which is sloped making a small
gutter.
Rain water or precipitation is collected by adding a pipe underneath the gutter, thus collecting water.
The image shows only the pipe extruding from the wall. Now, the water is ready to be distributed to a tank or perhaps plants living in or around the building (which is the idea I'm partial to). How do you think the collected water should be used?
Schematic Design
These are the massings I came up with based on responses to relocatable classroom problems, that were researched.I chose to imbue the schematic design with virtues of a shipping container. As such, it can be stackable like we wanted using structural steel system though we still might consider how it could be made out of light guage steel. I added a staircase and left room for a mechanical A.D.A. elevator and restrooms if we choose to add them.
The foundation is composed of two 10'X40" trailer foundations. I researched California "wide load" regulations and found that a 10'X40' would be suitable. I then put two together to make a 20'X40' module. For the purpose of the project the wheels have been either tucked away or we can engineer them to come off and the adaptable foundation stabilizers added that were designed by the team members at Mission Bay H.S.
The schematic classroom itself I designed to be 20' wide X 25' long and 9' in height. Small enough? I think it's just right!
The roof system allows for stacking other modules. The features include A) oriented for solar gain and photovoltaics, B) Sloped for precipitation collection, C) designed to eliminate unwanted interior heat gain with vents at the top of the windows and D) designed for interior daylighting through floor to ceiling windows and a south clerestory that allows daylight to penetrate deep into the classroom supplemented by a south interior clerestory which can either bounce light off the ceiling with a light shelf or simply act by itself.
For the roof systems structural adaptability, passive heating, lighting, and ventilation functions, this is definately a strong option for us if we choose to employ it.
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