2012 spring studio booklet

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New Orleans Center of DocumentationXing He

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New Orleans Center of Documentation General Mission

1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design

5 Conceptual Building Performance Analysis

6 Precedents

7 Building Performance Analysis

8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Program MissionNew Orleans Center of Documentation General Mission

With the city’s unique history and its tradition in art, the New Orleans Center of Documentation is to be a community engagement center that assists natives conveying their own life, culture, and history. Through filming, writing, recording, photographing, drawing, printmaking and display, the work is developed and edited, creating portraits of the people and places of New Orleans. Not only does the Center allow professional artists access to resources and facilities, but it encourages and catalyzes

community and school engagement by offering documentary classes, exhibiting documentary works, and creating a social environment.

The Center serves both at a small local scale and a large city scale. At a small scale, students from nearby schools, including International School of Louisiana, St. Alphonsus Catholic School and Waldorf School of New Orleans will be able to participate in the programs provided by the center to learn documentary technologies and skills such as writing, drawing, and

City scale Local scale

Students

WorkersNew Orleans

residents

CultureHistory

LifeArtists

Portraits of New Orleans

animation; university organizations from Tulane University and the University of New Orleans will cooperate with the Center to run the programs; workers from Hope House New Orleans program will be able to share and document their stories in the center; local resident artists will come to work. At large, people living in the city are all encouraged to come, to share their experiences with others, and to portray the history and culture of New Orleans. The Center is to be a place to learn, to share, to document, and to present.

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New Orleans Center of Documentation Environmental Mission

Considering the fact that most regions in New Orleans exit below sea level and the resulting flooding catastrophe brought about by

Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Center is to be an exemplary architectural response to the city’s problematic topography. Seeking for a harmonious

relation with nature and finding a sustainable solution are key goals of this project.

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The New Orleans Center of Documentation is to be used by:

1. Resident Artists: film makers, audio makers, photographers, painters, writers, editors, graphic

designers, architects.2. Schools: students, educators, parents3. Building constituents: administration staff.4. Organizations: organization members5. Community: residents of the

community from all fields.6. City of New Orleans: all people living in the city of New Orleans.7. Volunteers

Building Users

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Site Context

1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Site AnalysisSite Context

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International School of Louisiana

St. Alphonsus Catholic School

Waldorf School of New Orleans

Hope House New Orleans

Thomas Mann Gallery

UP/ Unique Products

SKUBA Design Studio

Galeria Alegria

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Students

Workers

Artists

About sixty percent of the population are adults from age eighteen to fifty, mostly African American and white workers.

About ten percent of the Magazine Street site population are students from age six to seventeen.

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The Nature and Characteristics of New Orleans at City Scale

As the fact that a large portion of the population do not possess vehicles, the city is extremely pedestrian friendly. Porches in the front of shotgun houses and the narrowness of the streets both encourage the communication among residents. The poor road conditions and a large number of one-way streets deter the traffic and stimulate walking even further.

Houses in New Orleans have a wide color spectrum. The intense color distinguishes each dwelling unit and enables it to stand out. From another perspective, the vividness of these colors corresponds with the city’s tropical weather and its exuberant vegetation.

Colonnades on the perimeter of commercial buildings to support upper structures provide an intermediate zone between the streets and building interior. This area is the most lively area in the city since it is shaded and well protected from the harsh sunlight. It is the “living room” for all local people, a space to gather and to talk.

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The Nature and Characteristics of New Orleans at City Scale

Music has always been played a significant role in people’s lives. Record stores can be found in almost every neighborhood. Bands proceeding down the streets playing music and artists performing in cafes and restaurants are common scenes in this city. The rich tradition in music suffuses every corner of New Orleans, creating an “artistic” atmosphere.

Most restaurants and bars that spread out in the city have outdoor sitting areas, which offers places for their patrons to connect to the outside world and be affected by the surroundings.

New Orleans is a city that builds upon artistic atmosphere and people’s emphasis on community. It is open and welcoming. Since the city’s significant damage and loss in Hurricane Katrina, people are seeking for solutions to fight against the fact that most of the city is built below sea level. Newly constructed buildings are raised up much higher than those built before the Hurricane. Some of the new buildings are elevated from the ground so high that their connection with the streets is almost lost. The question about how to design a building that is capable of resisting flooding but meanwhile still maintains good connection to the ground is crucial to engaging architects.

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The Nature and Characteristics of Magazine St. Site

The Magazine Street site is at the center of a conjunction where five streets intersect. Therefore, it is naturally a focal point that draws the public’s attention. It is situated in a dynamic urban context with three different zones: industrial zone to its southeast, commercial zone along the Magazine Street which the site is adjacent to, and the surrounding residential zones. Two parks, one park two blocks away to the east of the site and the other to the north, posit a possibility for the me to design the site in such a way that it ties with these two parks so that as a unity, they could serve their community at large.

The way approaching the site is an interesting issue since Magazine Street is a one-way street. Where to place the entrance of the building that allows easy drop off, and at the same time announces itself to the public and welcomes visitors needs to be carefully considered and properly addressed.

Most residential houses in this community are elevated from the ground about two and half feet. Commercial buildings have front colonnades with the columns standing apart about ten feet from each other. The consistency of the residential housing elevation and the rhythm of the colonnades create an architectural datum for this area.

Shallow front porch is the architectural element for all residential houses. They allow the narrow streets to breath and create a more pedestrian-friendly environment. With residential houses around, the new building faces the issue of how to respect its neighbors and blend in with the surroundings.

From the site, the Central Business District to the north can be seen at a distance. The outline of the high-rises backgrounds the low residential houses in the front, creating an amazing view.

Churches

Restaraunts

Commercial zone

Galleries

Residential zone

Retail stores

Industrial zone

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The tree on the edge of the site can provide shade for the building or the outdoor space.

The street is partially stone paved. The weathered stones give this area a nostalgic and timeless feeling.

A flower shop is located cross the site with the New Orleans typical colonnade. It is at the center of the five-street conjunction, which is a little bizarre but it serves as a safe island for pedestrians. How to respect this exisiting building is an important consideration.

Residential buildings around the site are mostly two-story high. After visiting the site, I discovered that residents living in this area tend to use the upper floor more than the lower floor. They like to stand on their upper floor balconies watching pedestrians and enjoying the weather.

Tropical plants are growing on the site which is aesthetically peasant. When designing, taking the role of plants into consideration and incorporating them with the design is important because not only can vegetation be adopted as a passive environmental stratagy, but it is a character of NO.

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Climate

South & North shading

East & West shading

Winter sun

Section

Sun path

Plan

Summer sun

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New Orleans sits in a humid semi-tropical climate, surrounded by bodies of water nearby in all directions; namely Lake Ponchartrain, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mississippi River. Over the past 2 million years, the Mississippi River has deposited clay, silt, and fine sands that make up a fine-grained soil condition. To

accommodate these expansive soils, a pile foundation should be used to utilize soil of better capacity found deep below.

Considerable rainfall impacts the region as a place that is barely kept dry by pumps. Areas of low elevation create an environment that is not only completely surrounded by water, but also susceptible to water-related problems.

The hot spring and summer months as well as mild winter and fall months lend themselves to a culture of outdoor urban life, promoting the design of passively ventilated spaces and shaded outdoor spaces. These climatic factors have revealed themselves in local building tradition.

AprilDecemberAugust

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Corner Condition

Corners

Views

LingerOpen

Chatting

Vertical Layers of Venacular Houses

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Corner Condition

Priv

ate

laye

r

Pub

lic la

yer

Por

ch la

yer

Gre

en s

pace

laye

r

Vertical Layers of Venacular Houses

Green space layer: each residential house has a front garden where a wide variety of vegetations are planted. They provide shades for the house and cool the air. Natural ventilation brings the cool air in which reduces cooling load of the house. Exuberant plants are also acoustical retardants that reduce the noise from the streets. This space is the first layer of social space. People relax in the shade, chat with neighbors in their garden.

Porch layer: this space is well shaded. It is the second layer of social space and is semi exposed to the streets. People sit in the porch watching, reading, and relaxing. Most of the residential houses in Magazine Street site are elevated from the ground about 2.5 feet, which prevents the houses from potential flooding but still maintains an active social atmosphere.

Public layer: living room and dining room are in this layer where family activities take place.

Private layer: bedrooms and bathrooms are in this layer where more privacy and quietness is needed.

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Production space

Post-production space

Display space

Program Analysis

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Dark Room: it will be used for film development.

Black Box Support: The black box support spaces would contain storage of lighting fixtures, audio, and video equipment. It would also house a sound and lighting control room which would overlook the space.

Production space

Private layerVertical layers

Post-production space

Black Box Theater: it is a flexible space that accommodates various uses including story-telling events, film projections, lectures to present discussion of exhibition work, teaching for students and adults, documentary production space for photography and film shoots, and space for public events.

It is to be lit by natural light, but the light can be blocked if needed. Natural ventilation is desired in the space to reduce the cooling load in the hot summer.

Storytelling Studios: it is the space where stories, interviews, and music are recorded. It will be located away from the streets since it is a relatively private space. Clerestories instead of big windows will be more proper to this space since distractions from the exterior might be a problem.

Display spaceRadio Station: it will be open up to views of the public. However, the noise from the streets needs to be carefully considered to assure the space be functional. Exposing the public to the radio station can achieve the educational purpose.

Classrooms: it provides a place for students and adult learners to have workshops.

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Working Studios: studios provide working spaces for resident artists. The space is partially exposed to the public so that the public will be able to see the professional aspects of document works and learn.

Public layer Porch layer

Editing Room: it is the place where aural and animated documents are edited, including stories, interviews, music, and films.

Exhibition Gallery: the role of exhibition gallery is a communicator. It displays documentary works and share the information about ongoing activities and programs. It is a window through which the public sees and understands the building. There are to be both outdoor and indoor galleries. Outdoor gallery not only draws attention of passerby, but

allows dynamic communication with its community. Both indoor and outdoor galleries are to be connected and cooperated with the public lobby for the purpose of encouraging visitors for the exhibitions.

Public Lobby: it is the transitional space between exterior and interior. As an intermediate space, it is responsible for both welcoming the public and allowing building users to gather; and it is intended to establish a dialogue between indoor and outdoor spaces. By opening up the public lobby to the streets, even extending the lobby to the streets, a social atmosphere is to be created.

Outdoor Recording Booths: they are used for after hour recordings. Workers in the neighborhood will be able to use these booths after their work.

Teachers’ Offices: offices will be provided for teachers who teach the art classes and workshops to students and adults.Administration Offices: the administrative offices will allow for the staff of the building to have permanent office spaces. The space will have a larger space for meetings and presentations. Lounge: it provides a place both for teachers and administration staff.

Cafe: it serves for people from the entire city. Located on the ground floor, it maintains the same language of Magazine Street where the lower floor is mostly for commercial uses. It also provides a space for building users lounge.Shop: the shop sells documentary works produced by students, adults, and resident artists to the public, including books, films, paintings, drawings, prints, records, and photographs.

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Spatial RelationshipsHours of Operation

The time period that the building is intensively used is from 9:00am to 5:00pm when professional artists, administration staff, radio station staff, and workshop instructors are working. After 5:00pm, the building is to be used mostly for special events and as a public place for people to gather. It is possible that after-hour workshops and book selling will occur. People in the local community might visit and use the outdoor recording booths at night.

Since daytime is long throughout the year in New Orleans, it is valuable for the building to be naturally lit during the most intensively-used hours.

StudentsUsers

9:00 am

7:00 am

10:00 am

12:00 pm

2:00 pm

4:00 pm

6:00 pm

8:00 pm

10:00 pm

OrganizationsWorkers

Volunteers Administration Staff

EventsPrograms Workshops Exhibitions Book Sells

ArtistsCommunity Residents

Radio Station Workers

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Spatial Relationships

Black box theater

Black box theater dressing

Black box theater storage

Black box theater prep

Data storage server room

Public lobby

Recording spaces

Recording booths

Administration office

Post-ProductionEquipment Storage

Staff Lounge

Gallery

Radio station

Radio station reception

Radio station office

Radio station server room

Exterior

Interior

Black box theater





Public lobby

Recording spaces

Recording booths


Post-Production

Equipment Storage

Staff Lounge

Gallery

Radio stationRadio station library




Black box theater





Public lobby

Recording spaces

Recording booths


Post-ProductionEquipment Storage

Staff Lounge

Gallery

Radio station




Exterior

Interior

Black box theater





Public lobby

Recording spaces

Recording booths


Post-Production

Equipment Storage

Staff Lounge

Gallery

Radio stationRadio station library




There are three major programs: black box theater, radio station, and recording studios. Aural works produced in the recording studios and the black box theater might be used in the radio station. Supporting spaces for these three programs might be shared to reduce the construction cost. Because of their tight inner connections, it will be wise to arrange them near each other. Recording studios need to be adjacent to the building perimeter to have connection with outdoor recording booths.

Public spaces such as lobby and black box theater will be open to the exterior. Administration offices and radio station will be adjacent to the building parameter to take advantage of the natural light.

Private spaces such as post-production and editing rooms will be more enclosed for privacy and quietness.

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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A continuous folding piece to define floors

Create a grand stair Insert volumes

Split to create more dynamic volumes

Cut to create a corner openingSlope roof for water drainage

Conceptual Design

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1st Version

2nd Version

3rd Version

4th Version

The folding structure create well protected outdoor gathering spaces by providing adequate shades.

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By folding up the street, the wrapping blurs the boundary between exterior and interior. It brings the outdoor social atmosphere into the indoor space.

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Non CommercialCommercial zone

Non Commercial

Commercial zone

Non Commercial

Commercial zone

Horizontal Layers

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Public layer Porch layer

Commercial

Non Commercial

Private layer

Vertical layers

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DN

DN

13

14

15

16

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3rd Floor North

Conceptual Drawings

13 Equipment Storage14 Mechanical Room15 Janitor’s Room16 Performance Control Room17 Performance Dimmer Room

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Conceptual Drawings

BB

CC

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DN UP

UP

DN

9

9

10

11

12

DNOPEN TO BELOW

DN

2nd Floor

9 Resident Artist Studio10 Performance Storage11 Performance Room12 Exhibition Gallery

North

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DN UP

UP

DN

9

9

10

11

12

DNOPEN TO BELOW

DN

AA

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UP

Magzine St

Richard St

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

5

33

3

2

UP

UP

UP

AA

BB

CC

1st Floor

1 Administration2 Classroom3 Post Production Room4 Live Air Radio5 Supporting Studio6 Radio Station Reception7 Kitchen8 Cafe

North

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UP

Magzine St

Richard St

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

5

33

3

2

UP

UP

UP

AA

BB

CC

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Conceptual Building Performance AnalysisEnvironmental Factors

Overhanging roof prevents harsh sunlight from entering the interior space

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Egress

1st Floor

2nd Floor

3rd Floor

For a business use, an occupant load of 100 sq ft per occupant is specified. Thus, the egress system on each floor must designed to ac-commodate 190 occupants. For my building which has less than 500 occupants for each floor, at least two independent exists are required. The maximum distance to the nearest exit is 200 ft. in a unsprinklered Business Occupancy building, which indicates that at least one exit of the two is to be fire exit.

I determined that the exit locates in the lobby area is not to be fire proof and the exit on the north end of the building is to be fire proof. In addi-tion, for safety and design intension, a grand stair connecting the first and the second floor is to be construct-ed, and an exterior stair on the west side of the building as well.With two exits, the occupant load per exit is 95. I must provide 0.2 in. of width per occupant for door, corridors, and stairs. Therefore, the stair may not be less than 19in. However, there is a 44 in. minimum width requirement for stair. Thus I used 44in stairs.

Program Diagram

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Egress Program Diagram

Mechanical and SupportingPerformanceAdministrationEducationPost ProductionRadio Station

Students

Workers

New Orleans

residents

CultureHistory

Life

Artists

Mission

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Structure

1st Floor

2nd Floor

3rd Floor

Mechanical

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Structure Mechanical

1st Floor

2nd Floor

3rd Floor

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Institute of Contemparory Art, Boston

Award-winning architects Diller Scofidio+Renfro designed the ICA, conceiving the building both “from the sky down” as a contemporary art and “from the ground up” providing dynamic areas for public enjoyment. The design weaves together interior and exterior space, producing shifting perspectives of the waterfront throughout the muse-um’s galleries and public spaces.

The north wall of the café features slid-ing glass doors that face the harbor. These 6’ x 12’ glass panels extend from floor to ceiling and slide over and stack to create an open air dining space.

The Putnam Investments Plaza is a 3,500-square-foot area adjacent to the museum café and the bold grandstand of public seating.

Cafe

Continuous Wood

Precedents

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The museum’s flexible column-free galleries feature moveable walls, 15 1/2-foot ceilings, an expansive adjustable skylight system allow-ing natural light to be filtered evenly throughout, and polished concrete floors. A glass wall facing the harbor is a special feature of the Founders Gallery.

Gallery Skylight

The wood of the plaza merges with Boston’s 47-mile HarborWalk, which then continues inside the building as the floor and ceiling material of the theater.

Boston HarborWalk

Grandstand

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The steel-framed building is clad in a high-performance curtain wall system combining highly-insulated panels with either clear, colored silk-screened or opaque glazing. These are systematically applied in response to a combination of facade orientation and the diverse require-ments of the interior functions in

order to temper the indoor environ-ment. The result is improved user comfort through providing, where required, light reflection, shading, and vision panels of varying size providing all workspace / confer-ence rooms with views and framing vistas to the New Haven Harbor and the West River Park. The result-

ing external appearance sees the strict rectilinear building form broken down through the careful play of glazed elements of differing degrees of reflection, color and opacity.

Yale 55 Park Street Laboratory, Connecticut

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Water Drainage System

Building Performance Analysis

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Revised StructureIn order to preserve the thin profile of the floors and roofs, I determined to use a hybrid structural system with steel frames and site-cast post tensioning concrete slabs. The building is designed to the In-ternational Building Code. The total area of the building is about 19,000 square feet, thus type II-B Unpro-tected Construction is to be used. Structural steel may be used without applied fireproofing materials or fire-resistive ceilings; Post tensioning concrete is in no need for applied fireproofing materials as well.

Supported by the steel frame, the concrete slabs are post tension-ing one-way slabs solid slabs. The edges of the slabs are cantilevered out by10 ft.. I assumed the thickness of the slabs to be 1 ft. to accommo-date its overhang.

The tributary area of the building is about 3680 sq. ft. (3 levels * 35 ft. * 35 ft.), which indicates that a W10 may be used. I assumed its dimension to be 10 in by 10 in. On upper floors, I will also use a lighter weight version of the W10 shape. Maintaining the same nominal size will simplify connections between column sections. Girders spanning 35 ft. will need to be about 2 ft. deep and composite beams to be 1 feet deep.

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The skin of the building is held by aluminum mullions, which are sup-ported by the main structure.

The horizontal structural members are concealed by a suspended ceil-ing.

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Revised Egress

1st Floor

2nd Floor

3rd Floor

Revised Mechanical

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Revised Egress Revised MechanicalVAV system is to be used in this building. 20,000 cfm of air is re-quired for cooling for a floor area of 19,000 sq. ft. Main supply and return ducts will total about 10 sq. ft. Each duct will have to be about 3.5 sq. ft. ( 10 sq. ft. / three floors) in area. At a depth of 12 in., each duct will be about 3.5 ft. wide. Branch ducts will total about 20 sq. ft. in area for all three floors.

A mechanical room for the boiler and chiller with at least 300 sq. ft. in area is needed.

Main ducts will run parallel to the girders. 24 in. of plenum height beneath the beams is commonly needed. Adding the depths of struc-ture and plenum, with the beams to be 1 ft. deep and the concrete floor slab to be 1 ft. deep, I arrived at a total depth of 48 in., or 4’.

1st Floor

2nd Floor

3rd Floor

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Skin SystemTransparent Panels

Translucent Panels

Opaque Panels

Mullions

Structure

Performance Space Configurations

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Skin System Performance Space Configurations

End-stage: 75 Seats

The tension grid system is composed of a tightly stretched 5’ by 5’ grid of steel cables that create a taut floor that is strong enough for technicians to walk on.

Lighting instruments can be hung on the pipe grid just above the tension grid; there is no need for holes, as the light can shine through the grid, virtually unobstructed, to the stage.

Cables and electrical wires can pass through, and special fixtures may be used to allow beams and other solid material to pass through.

End-stage: 90 Seats

Thrust stage: 75 Seats



Arena stage: 108 Seats

Sound absorption panels are installed on three sides of the room to control flutter echo.

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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UP

UP

UP

UPUP

Richard Street 30’

10’

45’

1

5

6

7 89

1011

12

4

2 23

AABB

60

UP

UP

UP

UPUP

1 Live Air Radio Station2 Supporting Studio3 Staff Office4 Radio Station Reception5 Administration Open Office6 Classroom7 Teacher’s Office8 Storage9 Kitchen10 Data Server Room11 Mechanical Room12 Cafe

20’

35’

45’

Mag

azin

e St

reet

10’

Scale: 1/8” = 1’

Ground Floor

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UP

UP

UPUP

13

1416

1515

15

17

16

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UP

UP

UPUP

13 Multi-Purpose Perfomance Room14 Storage15 Resident Artist’s Studio16 Sound Lock17 Exhibition Gallery

Scale: 1/8” = 1’

2nd Floor

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DN

DN

1819

20

20

2222

22

23

21

64

DN

DN

18 Lighting Control Room19 Dark Room20 Post-Production Room21 Storage22 Story-Telling Room23 HVAC Fan Room

Scale: 1/8” = 1’

3rd Floor

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Building Details

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Roof Assembly:

Wind Blanket 3” Growing MediaSeparation FabricMoisture Management MatRoot BarrierPrimary MembraneFabric UnderlaymentRigid Insulation 3Concrete Slab 1’ ThickSteel Girder 2’ DeepGypsum Board 3/8” Thick

Wall Assembly:

Polycarbonate Sheet 1/2”Rigid Insulation 3Vapor BarrierPlywood Sheathing 1/2”Spray-Foam InsulationPolycarbonate Sheet 1/2”

Floor Assembly:

Wood PaversWood SleepersRigid InsulationVapor BarrierConcrete Slab 1’ ThickRigid Insulation 3”Wood SleepersWood Pavers

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AA

70

Scale: 1/8” = 1’

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BB

72

Scale: 1/8” = 1’

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1 Program Mission

2 Site Analysis

3 Program Analysis

4 Conceptual Design


6 Precedents


8 Drawings

9 Perspectives

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Perspectives

2012 spring studio booklet

Documents

city of new orleans

university of new orleans

culture of new orleans

new orleans exit

places of new orleans

hope house new orleans

community engagement

center local resident