I really dont want to design within this context

Three weeks left of the semester and I still have a way to go, this past week I've been working on the interior of the chapel and the articulation of the Sanctuary space. My professor has really wanted me to explore more sustainable features within my design, engaging the use of light and sun shading devices. Honestly I feel a bit disappointed in my design. Mainly that what I am designing Isn't speaking very well to how I enjoy designing. The problem I have and also the solution of my plan has been found by understanding what I am designing for. This chapel is used for 70+ year old war veterans, and is located in rural San Antonio, the surrounding buildings are red brick and quite boring. My first instigation was to design a modern in style building, but when thinking about the context in which the building will sit, I didn't want the design to be so off putting to the context. This realization guides me to want to design for more urban settings.

Interior Sanctuary render (Click image to enlarge)

birds view (click image to enlarge)

So its nearing that time again, end of the semester crunch. My design project this semester is the Air Force Village Multi-Faith Chapel in San Antonio Texas. The criteria is 12-13 1000 square feet and a program with about 15 different rooms, one being a main sanctuary, narthex, public and private office corridors. This project has been difficult in relating the design to the general context of the site. There needs to be a physical connection to the existing resident tower and general entrance building. Honestly the site is quite boring and the land designated for the AFV chapel is a very odd shaped plot. My design is based on a datum or axis that acts as central circulation. The axis moves southwest to northeast facing the lake on the site. My perspective is that one of the best features on the site is the water, so my design directly relates the idea of water as a sustainability feature, and as a visual reminder of the use of water as a liturgical symbol. Below are some rough images of my design and an interior of the narthex from the link to the residential wing.

First Week of Senior year

So its that time of year again where my life is studio...pretty much just studio. This is my last year of studio as an undergraduate in architecture. Our present studio project is to design a chapel for a retired army village in texas. What we are working on is studying precedents that utilize sustainable features. The precedent that me and my groupmate Joel are working on is the Herz Jesu Kirche Chapel in Munich. I have been working on creating Section Diagrams and a completed floor plan to present keys of sustainable design. Here are the results of my work for this weekend.

2 days after my crit and i am feeling great, it all went great and I was afirmed that I was on the right track and that I have understood all that was taught to me over the past years in my studies. Cloud nine. Anyways here are some cropping of my final panel board. Enjoy!





Entry Level Plan



Premier Elevation /w funnel Diagrams



Sectional Study



Precedent Study



West Elevation



Site Plan: Chicago,IL: MLK ave. 29th Street. 30th Street



Funnel Diagrams

Day after...heres a render

Here is a quick look into one of my final images. My intention is to present my final layout online in some manner or another, but at this time I am a bit busy. The image below is a night-shot of my building showing interior illumination, what is really great with my building and its context, is that looking from this perspective on the actual site it would sit on in Chicago, is that this view would look right out onto Lake Michigan, and there would not be any "background buildings". Keeping the integrity and hierarchy of this aquatics center pure.

Five days till Crit!!!

Today, the addition of tier seating, structural members, and some programing.
I have a larger render with some extra elements. the tier seating was very hard to get right, and there are still some kinks in the design, but what I have works and I am fine with it. The structure relies on the weight of the roof to balance the load of the occupants. My next step in design is creating a layout for presentation and some final photoshop work to get the aesthetic that I am looking for. Tonight another long night and lots of coffee.




My latest interior rendering. (perspective taken from the middle of the tier section looking towards the diving pool)

Start of week two of all nighters!

So this is the second week of all nighters, I haven't sleep a full night since Saturday night and I am still doing good, my final crit is 6 days from now and I still have a good way to go. But my building is coming together well. Here are some more renderings of my most recent work.



Interior of my Aquatic Center without stands and rooms



God's eye perspective



Elevation of my building, still needs alot of work



Exterior perspective of Aquatic Center

Design process as of 4.16.09

These past few weeks and these next two weeks are going to be the most brutal that I have ever had to endure, I am leaving for Europe in two weeks, after finals. I am ecstatic when I think that I will be in Europe in two weeks, and I can hardly focus on my tasks at hand. I have as it feels load and loads of homework in all of my classes and am in need of extra time. I am averaging 3-5 hours of sleep ever other day, so literally I don't sleep any more, just power nap during the day. Anyways with the deadline of the Aquatic Center fast approaching and final exams and papers, I am so nervous. I still need to bust our a final model for this building and finalize all the plans and 3D model. Stress is high, but I'll survive. Keep my sanity and endurance in your prayers.

-Chris

Here are some updated renders of my Aquatic Center.



This is the entrance to the Chicago Aquatic center for the 2016 Olympic Games.



Day time render.



More developed massing study and facade work.


This is a walk-around of my site and gives a three dimensional perspective of my building. (take note, this is still in early stages.)

What If I stacked them?

Chicago Olympics 2016

Here are a few pictures and renders that I either took or created that correlate to my design for the aquatic center for the Chicago Olympics in 2016.
















A modulated Supertower

Put a lid on it.

Sketchup export of early modular form.



Sketchup to Kirkythea rendering of process.

Drip Drip Drip

Crystal Lake, IL
///Spring 09

Hardwiring

Elgin, IL
///Spring 09

The standard head unit of a car is connected by a vast assortment of different colored wires that all serve there own purpose, red ones with white stripes, solid black, black with a red line...etc. All these wires run from one place to another and serve a different purpose, when connected with another wire, they preform a different function. last time I wrote about this guy that was talking about designing on a grid pattern where everything was structured and I felt as though it lacked emotion, In actuality, it wasn't lacking emotion in general, the emotion was just lacking to me. Every one is wired differently, two people can be looking at the same thing and see and feel two entirely different ways. This is something that I need to start looking at, just because I don't think it is significant, it doesn't mean that they (who designed it) are doing it "wrong". One architect that I admire for doing things that do not always make visual sense, is Will Alsop who is partners with Jan Stormer. The work of Alsop and Stormer is a visual modernistic painting, it could also be considered cubist in some sort of way. What I like about there designs is that each time I look at it, I feel entirely different, the emotion that is evoked is always stunning and different from the past.

On a separate note, it is the beginning of my second semester as an architect student and I am very excited to now be a Junior and almost a senior in college. This semester is going to be very difficult for me, I am going to try to commit to be super diligent and work my butt off. It's time to be responsible, my mom would say. Lets Just hope that I can do it.