Ordinary Building – Whiteaker Townhomes
- Listen to the voices of the community when creating a built environment in their space, as they know the area best.
- Material usage in a building shapes the user’s experience.
- Effective lighting in a room and the ambience it brings.
- The planning of a space and its multitude of possibilities.
- Consideration of people who are disabled in all designs.
- A balance of society as well as the house itself as a home to come back to.
- Form follows function. Buildings combining the aesthetic and form with what it is used for.
- Incorporate greenery in spaces to create a cohesive element between the built and natural environment.
- Vibrancy and color as a way to draw people into space.
- Does the building flow?
Material usage in a building shapes the user’s experience.
Whether it be smooth wood or rough stone, the materials used in a building set up the experience that individuals will take with them after visiting. Materials can evoke a sense of wonderment or a sense of uneasiness.
- The color palate of the townhomes is super neutral. The gray house with white trim sets up a fairly basic environment. It doesn’t evoke too many feelings, whether that be positive or negative, but its neutral palate allows for the addition of color and coziness from the tenants themselves.
Effective lighting in a room and the ambience it brings.
When we look at spaces like hospitals versus a cabin up in the Smokey Mountains, the feel and ambience of the space can oftentimes evoke very different feelings based on the lighting used. Bright, sterile lighting in a hospital still brings forth light but creates a different experience for someone than the soft, homey lighting a cabin in the mountains may have.
- From what I’ve noticed, there aren’t too many lights externally in the little cul-de-sac area of the townhomes. A lot of the lighting used inside is more of a bright, sterile light but that’s something that could always be adjusted depending on the lightbulbs used. There’s definitely opportunity for a warmer atmosphere if that’s what someone wants.
Consideration of people who are disabled in all designs.
For a long time, access to all spaces for those who are disabled was viewed as “access is excess.” The inclusion of all types of people is incredibly important, not just for those individuals to feel included but also for their safety. Without proper exits or paths for disabled individuals, their lives are put in harm’s way if something were to happen, like a natural disaster. (based on [Dana Cuff, 2023, Radically Public Architecture]).
- There is a ramp that connects to the sidewalk but it’s towards the final townhouse and it’s the only ramp from what I’ve seen. The houses all have a living room, kitchen on the first floor but there are steeper stairs leading to the bedrooms so that wouldn’t work for someone who is disabled and wants to live there.
A balance of society as well as the house itself as a home to come back to.
Both aspects are important. Looking towards friends and family as a source of comfort, while also keeping the home someplace welcoming and true to the owner’s identity is a key component. They each should bring a component and mesh together, enabling the meaning of home to be expanded and understood in many ways. (based on [Hilde Heynen, 2009, Leaving Traces: Anonymity in the modernist house]).
- I think the collection of townhomes all in their own little area could provide a sense of society and community. The way it’s sectioned off definitely makes it feel more intimate, but I think it would help a lot of there was an actual center or a lobby that all the tenants could go to, where they could actually meet the people they live next to.
Does the building flow?
From entertaining spaces to isolated kitchens tucked in the back of the house, to open restrooms placed far too close to the food prep areas – the significance of flow is paramount in a building’s design. In “Home Planning and Gender in Mandatory Palestine” by Sigal Davidi, it was clear that the women occupying these spaces were not consulted in the overall design. I’m sure they could have told the male architects a thing or two about flow and necessity. If only to radically improve their daily lives – but that was too much to ask. Accessibility to the most commonly occupied areas should be the basis for design, if not a requirement of home economics.
- The flow of the home is pretty simple, you walk in, and you come right into the living area, as well as the kitchen which is towards the back of the house. Unfortunately, the downstairs half bath is right next to the kitchen because it’s the only place they were able to put it. The bedrooms are each on separate sides of the hallway with a full bath in the middle. Overall, they made the layout work with how small the space is, but it definitely feels a bit like a shoebox.
Studio Project
- Listen to the voices of the community when creating a built environment in their space, as they know the area best.
- Material usage in a building shapes the user’s experience.
- Effective lighting in a room and the ambience it brings.
- The planning of a space and its multitude of possibilities.
- Consideration of people who are disabled in all designs.
- A balance of society as well as the house itself as a home to come back to.
- Form follows function. Buildings combining the aesthetic and form with what it is used for.
- Incorporate greenery in spaces to create a cohesive element between the built and natural environment.
- Vibrancy and color as a way to draw people into space.
Material usage in a building shapes the user’s experience.
Whether it be smooth wood or rough stone, the materials used in a building set up the experience that individuals will take with them after visiting. Materials can evoke a sense of wonderment or a sense of uneasiness.
- Each pavilion in this project is made from a different material. The first one with the tree in the middle is a gray stone, the second one is travertine, the third is redwood, and the fourth is translucent glass. The materials all provide a different experience for the user. The grounded, earthy stone pavilion will evoke different emotions than the translucent glass that’s been opened up to the sky.
Effective lighting in a room and the ambience it brings.
When we look at spaces like hospitals versus a cabin up in the Smokey Mountains, the feel and ambience of the space can oftentimes evoke very different feelings based on the lighting used. Bright, sterile lighting in a hospital still brings forth light but creates a different experience for someone than the soft, homey lighting a cabin in the mountains may have.
- The four pavilions differentiate in the amount of light they provide. The first one only has one window and a few doorways which helps keep it more intimate and cozier. The second one has a few more windows, allowing light to shine through more and highlight the beautiful stone walls that are throughout. The experiences from the amount of light in each pavilion go hand in hand with the materials used.
The planning of a space and its multitude of possibilities.
The notion of planning a space doesn’t just consider the exterior, but also if the space can grow with the times as different ideas and trends evolve. With the growing Jewish populations in Palestine, space planning had to consider how different orientations of the space could maximize comfort for each new individual coming through. Competitions were held to see all the options possible. (based on [Sigal Davidi, 2023, Home Planning and Gender in Mandatory Palestine]).
- The way each pavilion is designed allows for new ideas to be implemented as the space grows. The built in seating and materials stay the same but decor can easily be changed around to flow easily with different trends.
Consideration of people who are disabled in all designs.
For a long time, access to all spaces for those who are disabled was viewed as “access is excess.” The inclusion of all types of people is incredibly important, not just for those individuals to feel included but also for their safety. Without proper exits or paths for disabled individuals, their lives are put in harm’s way if something were to happen, like a natural disaster. (based on [Dana Cuff, 2023, Radically Public Architecture]).
- Having the space be ADA was an imperative feature in our final design. I incorporated ramps throughout the four buildings, as to give users of all types the ability to explore and experience each and every pavilion.
Form follows function. Buildings combining the aesthetic and form for what it is used for.
Just like nature, the cycle will remain relatively the same as it would for a building. Its common uses will be unchanged and provide the community with a space for which it has been built for. (based on [Louis Sullivan, 1896, The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered]).
- As mentioned in the previous frame, the materials and built in aspects will remain the same, as will the overall use I believe. Each pavilion was created as a space for individuals to relax and break away from the chaos that can be school. Even if decor or aspects of the pavilions change, the overall feeling will not.
Reflection
I found the analytical frames to be really helpful in understanding the purpose and the use of certain designs. Of course, it’s normal as someone being interested in architecture and design to look further than the average human probably would at buildings, but there’s still a depth to buildings that can be overlooked. The frames helped with that. It’s not until you look super closely at something that you can garner the true intent and use of the space and whether or not certain factors can contribute to its growth or to its end. It’s also been insightful looking at what other people have written for their frames and applying it to my buildings because there are many frames and ideas I didn’t even think of until looking at what other people wrote. I believe all of mine covered crucial aspects to building spaces and environments, but there is always room to grow and thinking of these few frames has helped me to expand my framework knowledge even more for the future.
