Port of Portland

I was able to tour this beautiful building last week.  It was finished in 2010 and received a LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org/).  

After 18 months of occupied use, the building has achieved an energy savings target of over 50%.  The climate controls are achieving a stable temperature of +/- 0.5 degrees F.  Yes, a half degree variation, even within a three story atrium.  The building uses radiant panels overhead supplemented with forced air.  The building is also saving greater than 50% water consumption and completely averting the use of the public sewer with the first large scale real-world installation of the Living Machine (http://livingmachines.com/).  It's a multi-stage, water treatment process through vegetated planters (both indoor and outdoor)--they're in the main entryway.  Black water and grey water treatment at the front door!

The interior makes a high caliber, beautiful space for 450 people.  It's big at 225,000 SF, not including the parking structure.  Yes, that is about 500 SF per person...quite generous...with room to grow.  And at approximately $85 million, it comes to $377/SF for the occupied space...not cheap.

They made a concerted effort to make it a very pleasant space, to include some very nice permanent art installations, such as these hand carved conference room doors above.  I have to say it is a beautiful building and appears to be built to last...two values I wholeheartedly support.

Community Music Institute

This was my studio design project for the Fall quarter.  The client was a Suzuki-method strings program for kids (http://suzukiassociation.org/).  They teach very young children to play stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello).  The community aspect of the program was very important to the client, so I put a community gathering space at the center of the facility under a large pitched roof that feels independent of the surrounding rooms--I envision it feeling a like a large outdoor pavilion, yet enclosed.  The site is on the corner of two streets: one primarily residential, the other with a likely mixed-used commercial future.  Two large group classrooms are oriented toward the commercial street and would have tall glass curtain walls facing the street.  The residential street front receives smaller volumes (similar to the adjacent townhouses), an outdoor green space and a more informal entry.  The green space uses some existing mature trees and provides a space for the kids to run and play on their break between sessions.  The small rooms toward the back are studios for individual lessons.

I wanted the architecture to communicate both precision and expressiveness, two of the key qualities of classical chamber music.  I also wanted it to be an enjoyable icon that permanently improved the neighborhood--something that neighbors would adjust their walking route to pass.

The drawing photo above represent a view from the more commercial street front.

The drawing above and photo below represent the view from the more residential street front.  The section above cuts through the performance hall (left), then the community gathering space, and finally out the entryway toward the more commercial street front--I intended for it to be a high space that gives an elevated sense, a special experience.

Spatial Composition Exercise

Neuroplasticity...the phrase is used a lot to describe the difficult process of learning completely new skills as an adult.  I do find the process difficult, painful many times.  But I find the results very enjoyable.  They say the more you do it, the faster you get.  I believe.  And it's fun to create!  Here is an example of a mind-bending exercise.  It's actually a space-composing exercise, that happens to be difficult for the amateur.  The first image is provided as a 2D source and the exercise is to extrapolate it into a 3D composition of habitable space, at any scale (room, building, city, etc.).  You have to decide whether to extrapolate in a vertical, horizontal, or other plane.  Then you have to decide which lines to emphasize and which to deemphasize; how to express each line; whether to pull a surface forward or push it back; to bend or not and in which direction.  And it is preferred that you have a "language" for how you chose to do it...what was it about each line in the drawing that made you express it a certain way (was it the weight of the line, the shape, value of shading, etc.).  After some analysis, I decided that I would extrapolate the image vertically into a floating mansion accessible by floating bridge.  I envisioned it as the evil billionaire's mansion in a 007 movie, complete with yacht parking, heliport, classic car collection garage, great lawn (the semi-circle shape), great room overlooking the great lawn, etc.  The 12 spires rise from below the ocean floor as pilings and extend up through the mansion.  It was interesting and took about 14 hours to conceptualize and create the model.  All to get a grade and then likely be recycled, in addition to the benefit and purpose of making new connections between neurons in my brain.

Load Bearing Platform

The task was to design and construct a 9x17" platform from very thin chip board/card stock that could hold a minimum of one 20oz coffee cup of sand and be as light as possible.  This little beauty held 10 cups and weighed about half the average...my load per square of weight ratio was nearly twice the next nearest platform.  And the failure was catastrophic and wonderful!

To Those Who Think Differently

A nicely composed reminder that change agents are threatening [to the status quo].

http://youtu.be/dX9GTUMh490

Clever

That porch looks like it has two posts/columns holding it up.  Ooo...and the taper at the bottom is cool...fits in with the angular geometry of the complex.  But wait, they're wood...how can they support all that weight?... Oh, they're not even touching the base...the porch cover is cantilevered from the building...nice!

A door

One of the coolest doors I've seen...it rotates on a vertical axis about one third from the right side. I dig it!

Taliesin West

Visited Frank Lloyd Wright's winter campus in Scottsdale AZ today.  Beautiful place!  Another architectural monument birthed out of and imbued with the heritage of the Great Depression.  Wright came west from Illinois in 1930 and was out of work.  He bought the land with borrowed money and all materials (including brown butcher paper for his sketches) was found or donated. His students and skilled labor worked long and hard building the place for only food, lodging, and fellowship until Wright's Falling Water house hit the cover of Time magazine in 1936. Then they finally got to start drafting!  Frank, our tour guide today, has been there since 1936.  The structures were built from sketches (no measured drawings except a site plan) and modified repeatedly...oh what fun to have a laboratory of that magnitude to experiment in!  This is a place I'd love to spend a week!

Big Money

For good ideas...when I see things that are useful good ideas (think zip-lock, velcro, etc) I often think, "I hope the person who thought that up made a lot of money."  The capless gas tank on my rental car fits the category.

Being a Beginner

Take heart!  This short video was encouraging to me (and also reminded me of Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour theory in "Outliers", which I haven't read).
http://vimeo.com/24715531

Jean Valjean and Javert

Are you humble enough to accept grace, and soft enough to give your life to it in return?

Les Miserables

From Auditorium Balcony Deck

Poolside

We're at the show at Keller Auditorium.  The show is great. What I wasn't expecting was that the balcony level has the best possible view of the well-loved Ira Keller Fountain. It's a popular place to swim on hot days in Portland.

Timberline Lodge site sketches

These are from our field trip.  The lodge is an amazing feat, built in 16 months by the WPA in the 1930s...amazing use of big timbers and stones...great artwork and artisan craftsmanship...it is a massive monument to a NW architectural style known as Cascadia.  The lodge includes pioneer and Native American themes.  My personal favorite is all the iron work details.

Studio final review done

Slept 2 hours in last 56.  Headed home for nap.  Final review went really well for design studio...more later.

Hmm...

Does it count as an all nighter if you slept in till noon before you start?

Mt Angel Library

Was designed by Alvar Aalto, a famous Finnish architect.  Its a really neat three level space. As you can see the skylight/clerestory section lets in a lot of light, but not harsh light--it faces north, away from direct sunlight.  The placement of the pillars in the middle of the vault causes all three arc-shaped floor plates to appear to float (reminds me of the Jetsons for some reason, but I find it quite beautiful).  There are lots of other neat things about the space. I'd like to return to spend more time here.

Light diffusion

Natural light is quite underused in many buildings.  Designers have a challenging time figuring out how to keep rain out, manage heat gain from the sun, and bring light in, but not too harshly (direct sunlight).  An effective approach is to let it diffuse off various indoor/outdoor surfaces.  The special diffusing systems above were developed at UO in the Architecture Dept. The system also includes a diffuser in/at the skylights.  These examples are installed at the Mt Angel Monastery.

My first Wright house

I've seen the Wright Flyer, so it's not my first Wright.  The Gordon House, Frank Lloyd Wright's only design in Oregon, was the first stop on a whirlwind two day field trip.  The house wasn't actually built until after he died because it cost more than twice his estimate.  It was originally sited on a picturesque parcel of Willamette River front. 40 years later the new owners intended to demolish it, so it was moved to a preserve.  None of us felt it was a master piece ...someone said they think one of his apprentices did the design.  It was interesting, innovative for its time, and quirky. I should also say it is a beautiful building the more I look at it.

Water damage

I drove by this with Jen last week. This is what happens inside your walls when water is allowed to enter over long periods of time. More work for carpenters.  Caused either by poor installation, lack of maintenance, or material defect. Notice that it happened at both the sill of the window and door, but not all of them. If it looks like water is or would go in, it probably is. A little maintenance can save large repairs.

Site planning

The plan for the whole wooded lakefront site for this term was perplexing me for quite a while.  They started by having us design the more minor elements (guest house and tower retreat) first, and now the main house, so now we really have to take a more concrete approach to the integrated site plan. I started with an idea of two long, slender structures (first pic), but could not get the in between courtyard space (felt pinched) or the lower level of main house (only front room got real interaction with nature/light) to feel like they were responding to the real off-axis pull of the site (the center of the view experience of both meadow and lake is about 30 degrees left of center).  So I tried an alternate approach. I rotated the lower floor of the main house to broad face the view/nature, which put one of its rooms under the guest house and gave all three bedrooms direct access to the nature and light. So far I've retained this decision.  Then I arced the upper complex into a slight ampitheater (massing model in the other two pics).  People really liked how it responded to the site.  But I struggled to the point of demoralization trying to make an upper level floor plan that both worked and was an enjoyable geometry/form to be in/around. The "Big Move", as my instructor referred to it, could be worked out with more time, but I have now resorted to something much simpler and flexible, which I hated at first, then made peace with, and am now working on making it wonderful space.

Spirit window

The view from one of my studio mate's desk. Note the sign.

Midnight chicken

I almost ran over a possum riding my bike home tonight. He didn't even flinch!

Minimal Dwelling Design

Well I'm riding the bus to Portland ...seeing if it is effective in redeeming the drive time.  I think it is.  So I'll take the opportunity to post some of my design work so far.  I'm going to have to figure out a way to improve picture quality...this one I took with a real camera with mediocre result.  This term we will design a guest house, tower retreat, and main home with common courtyard on a city sized, sloping lot. The 300 sf guest house / flex dwelling with 150 sf covered patio was the first assignment.  Based on the materials they gave us (CMU block and short span beams) I tried a 10 foot wide house (the skinniest in the class).  The ordering of the space is inspired by a cabina in Costa Rica...from private in the back (bath, sleep) to more public in front (cook, eat, connect, view).  The walls change from mostly closed (sheltering) to all glass (engaging) as you move through that progression as well.  The house points toward the trees and lakefront, so there is more glazing as you move toward the communal space, nature and view.  On the patio at the front end I pitched the roof up so the space opens nicely to the nature/view. I decided to emphasize the length of the structure on the outside by only revealing the horizontal mortar seams.  The department head seemed pleased and said I pulled it off using such a skinny plan.

My favorite tall skinny

In general I think tall skinny houses are a mediocre solution to increasing density, but a necessary compromise given the mild clash we are experiencing between the politics of legacy regulations/thought with economic reality.  I do particularly disdain tall skinny designs that try to look like craftsman/traditional homes...the geometry and proportion simply do not work...it's not visually pleasing and everyone knows it.  Let's get creative...go modern or, as in this great example, adopt a historical geometry that fits...the alpine A-frame.  I'm so proud of whoever was creative enough to design this street facade and also of the person who paid a little extra to make something visually pleasing for themselves and the community.

Matthew Knight Arena

New stadium and venue on campus named in honor of Nike co-founder' Phil Knight's late son.  It was designed by UO graduate and Portland architect, Bob Thompson.  I think it is a beautiful building.  It does certainly dominate its neighborhood...feels like a massive monument erected in a semi-residential area.  Thanks to Phil Knight for helping fund it!

The Natural House

by Frank Lloyd Wright.  Just finished it. Not in print any longer. This well-used copy from our library still has the manual checkout sleeve from 1965!  At first I thought he was just a zealot, self-identified.  But he really did change the house as we Americans (and Europeans) know it...too much to capture here, but you can thank him for "open" floorplans and natural light, along with the deletion of the basement and attic.  From Okakura Kakuzo's "The Book of Tea":  "The reality of a room was to be found in the space enclosed by the roof and walls, not in the roof and walls themselves."

The Architecture Building

Is probably the drabbest, most remodeled, disjointed building on an otherwise beautiful campus.  They're campaigning for a new one. In the meantime, this sculpture of ducks landing, located on the back of the building is its most redeeming feature...really nicely composed and I always enjoy seeing it when I come that way.