Building Design Charette

These are sketchup snapshots of a preliminary building design used for our site and building design charettes. The Layout was a combination of a few different groups' projects.

Programming Document

My group handled the sustainability portion of the programming document. This we tackled in various different aspects such as parking, water use, lighting, etc... This is an example of how we approached each subject from a general standpoint highlighting the problem, solution, and considerations.

Individual Detail Project: Checkout Desk

The circulation and checkout desk became my individual building detail by way of an involved and long process. It took many different forms, but ultimately became the relatively simple solution shown. It featured self checkouts as primary processing with light staffing for technical and service support. It is constructed of a steel frame which supports OSB and Dupont Corian surfaces. High pressure laminate is used for shelving and cabinetry as well.

I did not come up with a flowery metaphor to use as a concept which would generally be expected, particularly in this program. Rather I chose to integrate it as seamlessly as possible with the design language of the stacks and atrium groups' designs. This became a much more streamlined solution and lent itself well to unification of the two spaces.

Salt Lake City Public Library

This is part of my precedent research completed on the Salt Lake City Public Library. It is an incredibly complex and interesting building. I shudder to think what the programming document must have looked like for this project. I learned a great deal particularly when looking at the structural organization of the building. It took a bit of investigation and close examination to determine where columns and structural members were located in the plan, but once they were located the order of what looked like chaos became very obvious.

Greensboro Central Library Precedent Study

Circulation diagram

Public/Private Spaces


Structural Organization

This is a sample of my work for the Greensboro Public Library precedent research. It is a very nice library, however I did not enjoy analyzing it quit like I did with the Salt Lake City Library. There were a great number of programmatic similarities between the two buildings, despite the vast difference between their design and construction styles.

Studio Reading Space 2

Studio Reading Space 1

I think this is one of my favorite design drawings ever. The 3 point perspective really brings it home for me.




This project was very enjoyable to me once I got into a good groove with it. There were many aspects of the presentation that were extremely frustrating to me, and never were really resolved. It was however a great project and I still am in love with my concept idea. I think I will definitely re-use it in a later project. The notion of a library that is the physical embodiment of the workstation used in the movie Minority Report or "Jarvis" from Iron Man is a very cool think to think about with lots of possibilities.

Design Development 1

The concept of this design solution is that of a sound wave. It provokes interest in all that it reaches. Sound makes us turn our heads and take notice. It is this quality that will be imbued in the design in order to make other communities take notice of Albemarle, and more to the point, it will make Albemarle citizens take note and interest in their own downtown.


This bubble diagram illustrates the basic relationships of the building as proposed. The major spaces of the building (entrance, dining floor, and bar area) all have a view to the stage area. Other adjacentcies and relationships exist, however it is this central stage that became the pivot point for the design proposal.
The floor plan of the street level also incorporates a large portion of the basement due to the floor being cut out to unify the spaces around a two story dining room and venue space. From the dining floor, the bar situated on the first floor becomes "upstairs" and an entire new perspective of the building is gained. The ceiling will incorporate an undulating form over the dining room to allow for enhanced acoustics as well as a great view from the hostess station as well as the bar and venue space.
The upper two levels of the building will be converted into small efficiency apartments. Square footage was kept to a minimum in order to keep the rents lower in order to be in a wider markets price range. They will feature an open floor plan with minimal permanent walls. The apartments are thought to be "expanded bedrooms", this shift in viewpoint allows much different design choices, providing the inhabitant a much more energetic and enriching downtown living experience, while maintaining the benefits of a small city.
The section view illustrates the relationship between the basement level and the first floor in creating the dining space. HID lights will be installed above the undulating indoor trellis to create a filtered light condition on the floor, as well as a more dynamic ceiling treatment for individuals who are moving through the space. The passageway and vertical access to the upstairs apartments is private and accesses the street directly. It has an overlook which provides a view looking down on the trellis from above. This feature allows the ceiling to be encountered from both sides from both groups of primary users.
perspective view upon entrance from the street on the first floor.
View from the lounge area looking out over the dining space towards the front entrance.
Dining area view, directly in front is the stage area.
This view illustrates the view from the catwalk looking towards the lounge area. The catwalk along the side of the building will provide the primary circulation pathway from the front door to the lounge, it also affords a view of the lower dining room.
The upstairs apartments have very large windows, in relation to their modest size, these will be taken advantage of to allow as much natural daylighting as possible, making the space feel much less cramped. Some new windows will be proposed in order to serve certain apartments not adjacent to pre-existing fenestrations. Also an exterior ladder fire escape will be added as a supplemental egress route for residents in case of emergency.