After the first three weeks, I have pretty well designed the structure over the market place and made another pass at the housing and podium facades. As presented this past Monday, my roof was a large arch over the whole market, that alternated in 20 foot strips from a wood infill and retractable fabric “infill” between the structural members. Smaller arches help define the perimeter zone of the market, and maintain a permanent cover over the more intensive market stalls. Here is a detail of the arches meeting the concrete podium:
The biggest concern in my review was that the structural members I am using can’t really span that far. To correct this I will beef up the arched beams by about 1.5″ and add a third middle arch that supports the center of the large arch. I like this solution because of it creates a designe that is more reiminscent of a tree canopy design that the idea I had before, and it allows me to maintain relatively thin structural members.
Some reviewers did not “buy” the way the the arch of the market roof terminated to an arched column (See above.) I think this detail still need working out, and I may try to allow the steel structure of the arch come all the way to the ground, though I am fond of the over all effect of the current design. I will check out more precidents to get a feel for how else this connection could be made. Concerns were also voiced about my 40′ grid for the concrete, but the engineer that I spoke with later in day didn’t seem to have a problem with it. I will re-double check the architect’s studio companion to make sure that I can get away with it. If I have to go to a 30′grid, I don’t think it will have any major consequences for my project.
Other criticism was that I may need to think more carefully about the shading system that I am using on the facade of the housing. I started with a base of a H&deM detail used for roller shades on a building in basel, but I will need to take it a step further. Possibly, I could use metal screens framed with a similar zig-zag pattern of dowels.
Finally, here is a pdf of a few pages of from my portfolio, along with a page that summarizes my work on the structure.
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