Senior Project Reflection

1. Positive Statement
What are you most proud of in your Block Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

I am most proud of the amount of examples I put into my presentation to show how it is actually applied in real life scenarios.

2. Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Block Presentation (self-assessment)?
       P             
b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?
       P     
3. What worked for you in your senior project?
What worked was that I was able to understand my topic and find reliable sources that I can refer back too.

4. (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?
I would have practice more on my senior project, since I did refer back to my notes.
5. Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples. 

My senior project through mentorship has allowed me to network for internship and or future jobs. I had gone to an event through my mentorship and had gotten to talk to the CEO of Metro Link. So senior project has helped me to get involved in the architecture community and get my name out.

Blog 21: Mentorship

Literal

• Posted 50+ hours too the right ->!

Contact
    
     Mentor: Rachel Adams, LEED AP Architect
     Mentorship: Marshall Fundamental High School, Pasadena CA
                          Architecture for Education, Pasadena CA

Interpretive:

What is most important thing you gained from this experience and why?

• The most important thing that I gained from this experience is getting to working a program that combines all three fields of designing and constructing a building through architecture, engineering, and construction. This enabled me to learn, understand, and be able to work with my mentors and other ACE students and listen to their opinions and include my in take in order to find a consensus design solution. The reason why this skill is so important because in most cases many of the architects, engineers, and construction crews do not ever get the chance to work along side each other. This poses a problem in the design process which could cause a delay in the construction process, or an unnecessary financial cost due to miss communication between each field. In order to avoid future design issues on a build site, I will apply my acquired skills from ACE to encourage commutative efforts and collaborative methods between each discipline.

Applied:

How has what you've done helped you answer your EQ?

• Well working on the ACE annual design competition, I was able to apply green architecture methods to the overall theater design. Our end product we decided to implicate a renewable energy source which applies to the one of specifications for an accredited green design: renewable energy and low energy impact sources. The renewable energy we chose to use was solar energy since our site location is in the city of Los Angeles, and provides for an ideal optimal source for solar energy resource. Another application I applied was sustainable materials which include recycled, modern resource efficient engineered materials, and efficient composite structured materials. Through this material I was able to research some refurbished materials used for accredited green designs, and I was able to find refurbished brick in a company in Riverside. Additionally working alongside my mentor Rachel, she had also taught me the value of thinking about the underlining components that make up a process. Rachel taught me that picking a product just because its a recycled material and from a company that is solely powered by wind energy does not mean the product material is right for your design. You have to consider where your product is coming from, how much energy does it take to manufacture that product, and how much does it take to ship to your site in terms of locality? By learning more about green design I was able to pick which methods of sustainable design best fit for our annual design competition based on our time limit and what we could amount too. Working alongside with my mentor and applying green design I was able to see that green design is a unique process that seeks to incorporate nature through preservative methods. In turn I found that green design was my best answer because of its accredited background of regulation by United States Green Building Council. Lastly since green design has so many various regulations that must be met in order to have an accredited green design which includes: sustainable site design, water quality and conservation, energy and environment, indoor environmental air quality, materials and resources, other exceptional approaches.

    

Blog 20: Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?

• EQ: What is the best way for an architect to incorporate natural surroundings in a building design?
• Best answer: Answer 3 - Green Design
• Best answer: In order to include nature into a design an architect needs to help sustain the structure's natural surroundings through a process known as green design.
• The reason why this is my best answer is because green architecture establishes a metaphorical design approach to organic architecture. By implicating materials and processes in order to pre-serve present and future eco-system through sustainable designs. Unlike my other two answers green design is very creditable movement that is regulated by the United States Green Building Council in order to be accredited as a green building design.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• In organic architecture philosophy it is a key concept to establish a relationship with the site and the natural world, by interconnecting nature. From there I discovered their are two design approaches you can integrated into a design: metaphorical and literal design approach. Metaphorical or theoretical design approach is obtained through a concept, theme or idea that is found it nature's forms and structures implemented into the design to create a thoughtful or meaningful layout to their design. From this research, I wanted to find a theoretical answer to my Essential Question, so I connected Green Design as possibility. After research beyond the general view of green design as just being sustainable I also found to my discovery that this method executes to integrate nature into a design by a conservative process aimed to preserve the natural world and  its users through sustainable materials and developments. Considering my answer 1 & 2, I do favor them in their design concepts yet both answers lack the funding to develop more research on their efficiency as well as their limited real world applications. The author of "It's alive How closely can a building emulate nature?," is an article published by Global Newspaper Company stating that biomimetic architecture has lacked in research and interpretation by the field of architecture; in addition biomimetic design approaches do not always have a practical or functional end product. Comparing my choices I found that green design has been a well expanded movement that is a reliable concept approach since not only seeks to find sustainable solutions to conserve the well being of nature and its users, but also that this design is regulated by the United States Green Building Council, in order to meet green design certifications. 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• One of the main source of problems I found was the limited amount of research I found online. In order to get a deeper knowledge or idea of any of my answers I had to research through advance search and look up possible books that may have a more in-depth knowledge of my topic. I also took to my advantage Purther's Cal-Poly Library account and used it to look up an articles that are found on green design, and how to exactly establish a green design. What I found to my knowledge is that every design is specifically unique and there are different design solutions on how to approach a design issue. Although there are general codes and guidelines in order to establish an accredited green design, each design is approached through a unique method of design.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• Hall, Deana Christi. ʺThe use of green design in architecture and interior design in the state of Texas- A five year review.ʺ Ann Arbor, 2010. Web. 29 April 2014.
• The reason why this source is so reliable is because is a study conducted over a longitudinal five year period by the Lamar University. This source also gives much generally and precise background literature in order to educate the reader on the subject before analyzing the given data.
•  Wu, Alexander. "raising the bar on green design." Nielsen Business Media, 2005. Web. 29 April 2014.
• The reason why this source is creditable the author Alexander is a graduate from Northwestern University who is current working as a Solutions Architect at Aggregate Knowledge, a Neustar Service. This source specifically emphasis the importance of human connection to nature and the benefits of productivity; this concept is especially important in organic architecture since one of its philosophies is to establish a interconnection with nature and the its inhabitants.  

Blog 19: Independent Component 2

Literal

(a) “I, Cheyenne Capener, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”

(b.) Source 23: Wasowski. building inside nature's envelope. Oxford University Press, Inc., 2000. Print.

(c.) Posted it! Refer to blog its there!

(d.) Summary of Independent Component:

Design and Construction Committee for Pomona Valley Habitat for Humanity:

(Minutes Form indication of which members attended which meetings.)

• What I completed in the Design and Construction Committee was providing the committee with current information on up coming or current Habitat events. In addition I as well helped compile information for the Design and Construction Committee by note taking and presenting my found information. In the committee we have discussed the current events in fundraising and stage of each Habitat build. In addition to current Habitat builds, the committee has also discussed the design problems on upcoming builds. For the La Verne Habitat build, since it is building assembled in Fairplex, the issue that arises is transportation the build to its site. Although the La Verne build will be internally braced, there are concerns with maintain the structural form during transporting. Another interesting task the committee does is present solution based approaches for design problems. One of the present issues is the location of the La Verne site, which is located near railroad and two main streets: Arrow Hwy, and Wheeler. In turn the committee came up with some ideas to solve the on site noise by adding more foliage and establish exterior solid walls in order to absorb some traffic noise pollution.

(All committee members who attended the 4/09/2014 meeting)



Pasadena ACE Mentorship Program:

• For my mentorship hours at ACE mentorship we have been currently working on a end of the year ACE competition design. Since we are the Pasadena Team our group was assigned to design a movie theater. Over spring break I worked on the design theater at my mentor's work: Architecture for Education. In my time there I was able to tie the project design to relate to my senior topic and my answer 3. Mainly I focused on the influence of green design and materials; in order to establish a healthier living standard for the users and the natural environment. In addition I had also worked on the rough draft and finalized floor plan layouts of both the second and first floor. In these floor plan layouts I had to color-code each material into its own set color. Since the finalized layout will be displayed at the ACE end of the year design competition. Additionally, I also worked on the large theater layout; making sure to meet all requirements for building codes as well as the set ACE standards for seating. Lastly I also had to create the floor plan layout of each theater bathroom, and how each bathroom's faucet systems should be mirror images of each other; in order to create more unnecessary construction cost expenses to run two different pipe lines instead of a unified or shared pipe line.

Interpretive

• What I am working on in my Independent Component 2 from ACE mentorship demonstrates 30 hours of work, due to the fact that the project we are currently working on is a finished product of what we have learned over this year. To explain this more in depth what we learned in scale, elevations, practical use of the design, and green design codes, we have all applied what we know to our current design by thinking through the design in a practical manner. Through my extra time working with my mentors at Architecture for Education I was able to learn and research more in depth for green materials. In other words my mentor has shown me the value of looking at green materials and looking at the external components that establish what a green build is as well as quality and resourceful green materials that benefit the users and the local environment. In order to incorporate or tie in my senior project to the annual design project, I had to do external research about green design, green materials, and which vegetation is native to Southern California climate.

(This is the finalized floor plan layout, which is color-coded to identify which materials are being used.)

 

(These are just some of the building codes that I had to follow, under my mentor's help for the layout.)

 

(Above is the second floor plan layout where the projector rooms are located, all staff rooms, and the film room; this layout was also color-coded to identify which materials are being used in this building layout.)

Websites that I used for selection of green materials

These websites are used by my mentors for networking, and see which local businesses are in the area for certain types of material anywhere from refurbished, CAD, or green materials, etc.

sweets.com

4specs.com

 

Since our external theater design is main a majority of brick, I sought to find a company that supplies reclaimed brick in our local area. In my research I had found one located in the city of Riverside.

rcpblock.com





Applied

Independent Component 2 helped answer my EQ as to finalize what my best answer is. Furthermore it allowed me to view different perspectives of my answers. For example in green design, you as the architect can approach different methods of green design, yet is it truly green. With the idea of green materials, your job as the architect is to look for the underlining effects of this green product. In other words is this product truly green, where is it coming from, what energy is the company using manufacturing this item, etc. In some cases of green design, are not worth all the technological advancements which claim they are green but in actually are not serving the purpose of benefiting the natural environment. For my second answer biomimicry, I found that there is a lack of research in the field and according to Tuhus-Dubrow, Rebecca a contributing writer of Boston Global there is a lack of research and understanding in the field of biomimetic architecture. This reason being that much of biomimetic architecture is not always an efficient and cost-efficient design solution in order to preserve and learn from nature. In the end my best answer has to be my first answer: preserving the pre-existing site. Since it directly incorporates nature while considering cost-efficient design methods for the owners or user of the building design. For example a study done by Applied Ecological Services, Inc. composed the cost-efficiency of maintaining over a period of ten years of native verses non-native vegetation. The total annual maintenance costs per acre of foliage were ranging from $1,120 dollars in non-native turf grasses to native prairie or wetland grass only costing $168 dollars of upkeep.

April Extra Blog: Huntington Library

Today the ACE Pasadena Team went to the Huntington Library in order to view the process of construction. There we met Nathan and Lia who works for the construction firm called Matt Construction. Nathan was the construction manager of the new construction site at the Huntington Library, and Lia is the project engineer of the site. We were given a guided tour of the in process construction site, the first place we saw was the lecture hall.

( Inside the Banquet Hall Nathan was explaining all the internal workings of the project had how the engineers, plumbing, structural supports have to logically flow with one another in order to create a functional space that fits within a tightly framed area.)

Nathan had explained to use that it is important to have your structure durable but in some necessary areas your building also needs to be flexible. In addition we also learn from Nathan about a plan grid program app that allows you to do 3-D modeling of architectural and engineer drawings. Nathan also explained that the major problem faced in a construction site is the lack of communication between the architect, owner, engineer, and construction manager.

(I thought this piece of the design ties very well into the principles of organic architecture. Since the structure has a circular form instead of a geometric shape. In addition to the idea of incorporating nature into the design by having plants that are incorporated into the structure.)

One of the most interesting features that I found interesting within the site was the garden dome structure. This particular structure will be dedicated into incorporating natural foliage into the design, and its function is to sell plants. The structure will have a sun roof over the top of the awning and will be open to the outdoors.

(Secrete Tunnel...Shhh!)

In addition we also saw an underground tunnel that leads from the Huntington Library to the basement under the lecture hall. The purpose of this piece is to provide storage for rare books that the Huntington hold value in. How this tunnel is made is by using shot cret concrete which instead it has a more solidified consistency than regular concrete. How this concrete works is the construction crew only has to build one side of the frame instead of all four frame to create the definite shape, and then the concrete is shot onto the frame and then textured. One thing I learned was that usually when you see purple piping on a site its most likely reclaimed water that is being treated and processed.

(Another fact I learned was the building code for covering duct vents when not installed, because it creates health hazards for the users when overexposed to dust and the outdoor air.)

Next we also were told about the sewage drains and how they can separate cooking grease from the kitchen from water that is going to be treated. Later that treated water will then be used to irrigate any of Huntington's foliage, to promote sustainability.

Later I found an idea that related to my Answer 1 which was the idea of pre-serving the pre-existing site. What the construction crew did was relocate some of the plants to a different location in planter to protect from construction hazards. As well as relocated the soil that holds nutrients for vegetation and stored it in order to keep it from contamination of construction materials and chemicals.

Lastly we were told how much of the building waste is being recycle which is about seventy-five percent. An interesting method of recycling was taking the reclaimed concrete of a demolished building breaking it down into grains and it will be mixed later on to establish a new framework or foundation of a upcoming design.

March Extra Blog

For this meeting the Pasadena team met at Marshall high school, in order to work on our annual design project. Our set goal was to redue the model and for both an architectural and engineering structural model. For this meeting we worked on the structural models of the building and established the columns that hold the loads of the building weight on each floor level. One thing that I found very interesting was the concept of making a ceiling thicker in width can eliminate the need for columns, which is what we implicated within the lobby of the theater. For every floor we had to indicate support columns every twenty feet throughout the building in order to hold the building's weight loads. For the roof plan we had to put decks on the roof to support the metal shingles that run along the roof top. The reason why we put decks to hold up the shingles is because if the shingles spand over twenty feet the load of the shingles will eventually start to concave inward; so the decks help to keep the load from the shingles from concaving inward.  I thought that it was a great experience to learn how to construct the structural model in the engineer perspective; since the job of an architect is to be educated in all fields that contribute to the construction of a building.

Blog 18: Third Answer

Essential Question:
     What is the best way for an architect to incorporate natural surroundings in a building design?

Answer #3: In order to include nature into a design, an architect needs to help sustain its natural surroundings first through a process known as green design.

• Green design is a design concept that shifts its purpose to establishing buildings through the process of environmentally responsible, resource-efficient, and a sustainable methodology in order to benefit the health of the environment as well as the users. This answer is not involve a direct implication of nature into the design, but rather offers an approach to sustain the natural environment around its environment through different methods of design.
• Utilizing local sources of Energy: this is a concept that varies from region to region but based on your site location, as an architect you can research local/norm weather patterns in order to obtain a general idea of what of which renewable energy is most suitable for the design's location. Example: This concept can be applied to a building located in a sub-desert terrain where the solar energy is most viable. To further this idea a region that is predominately sunny can have more daylight verses electrical lighting, through the design of open-set windows and doors. Building Example: 30 The Bond, Sydney
• Regional Materials: when designing a green building architects need to consider a selection of materials that will best benefit the health of the user as well as the surrounding environment. In order to accomplish this task as the architect he or she must educate themselves in the local resource materials available around the site location. The reasoning why local materials are preferred is when you consider the cost factor of how much energy did it take to assemble/ship your product. Example: when choosing a product you don't want a product that is made/assembled in China, since the energy required to ship that product to the United States defeats the purpose of being resource-efficient. In Southern California, timber is a local natural resource which can be utilized in the frame work of building design.
• Reduction of Waste: this concept is mainly based off the materials chosen in the building design. The way this concept is applicable to sustaining the environment is through the use of recycled building materials. This in turn encourages companies to produce products that are contrived from recycled resources. In turn relieving the strain on much needed landfills. Examples: Reuse Centers located throughout each county, using refurbished materials such as scrap metal for the outer structure of a building design.
• Resource:
• Henderson, Holley. "Becoming a Green Building Professional." John Wiley and Sons Inc., Canada 2012. Print.
• Conclusion: Green design is not a direct implication of incorporating nature into a building design, but rather an idea that involves sustaining nature in local areas to overall benefit the environment.

Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

1. What are some of the various ways in which an architect can incorporate nature?

2. How can an architect best educate themselves on designing an atrium, that preserves the pre-existing site using the design philosophy of nature's envelope?

3. How does green design benefit nature?

4. How can an architect best learn from nature, in order to establish a more innovative design?

5. In what ways can an architect take the steps necessary to create a biomimic design?

6. Are there any other examples of biomorphic architects other than Frank Lloyd Wright or Antoni Gaudi?

7. How can an architect best establish a biomorphic design, through their observations of nature?

8. How much background does an architect need in biology in order to establish a biomimic design?

9. When designing a green roof what does an architect need to keep in mind?

10. What are the various ways in which an architect can incorporate foliage into the interior of the design?

11. How can an architect best preserve the form and structure of a hill or incline when incorporating a building?

12. How can an architect compare the form and statue of a tree to the foundation and structure of a building?

13. How can an architect best design a building that maximizes the most efficient use of shape and hierarchy through the overall  structural form and individual elements?

14. In what ways can an architect learn to use their local natural resources to integrate into their design?

15. In terms of green materials, how extensive can an architect design a green building?

16. How can architects best learn from pre-established green designs?

17. How can a building complement its site or environment?

18. In what various ways can an architect incorporate native foliage into an already established site, for example like a gas station?

19. In terms of design inspired by natural form, how can an architect know his or her limitations on the design in order to create a practical and functional design?

20. Are there any methods of incorporating nature into a design other than green design, biomimicry, biomorphic design, and preserving the pre-established site?

Febuary Extra Blog

(At my Mentor Kent's work getting ready for the Spotlight Event)

 



(This is the room where we signed in and got our name tags before we all met in the dinning hall for the event.)

 

(This photo was taken in the dinning room when our guest speaker The President of MetroLink was giving his speech.) 

 

This ACE event was very exciting, fun, and important occasion for ACE since it was a fundraising event, in which sponsors could see the progress of the program. This year the Pasadena Team (hint: our team) had been chosen to  represent the ACE program; our team’s lead mentor Kent Kaewwaen had to pick students that best represented ACE through their personal experience, and well-rounded view on the program’s purpose. Kent had chosen: Angelina, Antonio, and I, each one of had to focus of speech on certain events, projects, or activities that we learned from ACE. This event was very honoring and exciting for me since I was able to see how my mentor Kent had grown from also being in the ACE program during high school to becoming an accredited Structural Engineer and an ACE mentor for other students. Mainly I focused my speech on projects and how I have witnessed my peers, mentors, and I grow and learn from each other’s viewpoints, ideas, questions, and knowledge over the year. This event had also shown me the importance of networking, since this event is also to provide engineer, architecture, and contracting firms a wider range of contacts. One of the many highlights of the night was getting an opportunity to intern at the company called MetroLink by the President. As well as being able to talk to the President about how he started from a bus driver of MetroLink to becoming the President of the Los Angeles County MetroLink. Overall I had learned the importance of networking and thankful for the opportunity to represent the ACE program.

(Students chosen to represent ACE: Angelina and Antonio)

Blog 16: Advisory Meeting 2

EQ: What is the best way for an architect to incorporate natural surroundings in a building design?

Answer #2: The best way for an architect to incorporate natural surroundings into a building design is by observing natural surroundings in your environment and taking your observations to apply to a building design through its form or structure, this process is widely known as Biomorphic Architect. Through your observations you can also take from what you learned in nature and apply it to make more efficient solutions to design problems, or known as Biomimicry.

Support 1: Biomimicry is the study in which innovation is inspired by nature. The purpose of Biomimicry is to solve man-made problems in a sustainable manner through the study of nature's processes and patterns. We can look at the structure of a pine cone can used as a model for low-energy temperature and moisture control system on the outer structure of the building; in the pine the process of a self regulated temperature is maintained through the use of opening and closing based the pine cone's sense of moisture content in its environment.

Support 2: The idea of how biomorphic architecture incorporates nature into its design is through form and structure. In this instance an architect would analyze nature and observe the structural form of a plant and by using columns that branch out like a tree, this concept can be seen in Sagrada Família church by the organic architect: Antoni Gaudí.

Support 3: These two philosophies are not the literal aspect of incorporating nature into your design but rather the forms, pattern, structures, and processes of nature and how it can serve the purpose of being aesthetically pleasing or serve as a design solution.

Source: Pawlyn, Michael. Biomimicry in Architecture. RIBA Publishing, 2011. Print.

Concluding Sentence: The best way to incorporate nature is through the design philosophy of Biomimicry and Biomorphic Architecture.

Blog 15: Component 2 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• For my thirty hours I still plan to use the Design and Construction Committee for my Independent Component hours. Although I do need to find other resources that will allow me to further my topic more in depth.
• To further my research I happened to ask one of the Architects on the Design and Construction Committee for Habitat if he would recommend me to any eco-architecture programs. He had referred me to look on the AIA website (American Institute of Architects,) which will help me find a list of programs involved with sustainable designs.
• In addition I would also like to visit certain organic designs and take a tour. My mentor Rachel had referred me to a building called the Audubon Center (is an off the grid site meaning they recycle their own water, produce their own energy, etc.) On this trips I will document certain organic details in each design that protein to my senior topic.
• In addition I would like to apply my research on organic architecture by designing buildings that incorporate nature into their design on the drafting program called sketch-up.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectations of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• For my 30 hour evidence I will continuously take pictures of occurring activities with Habitat for Humanity Design and Construction Committee. As well as take notes of events that occurred during meetings; in addition to collecting any documents that show proof of any particular committee meeting. Including screen-shots or pictures of sketch-up designs of my own applied organic architecture from research.

3. And explain how or what you will be doing will help you explore your topic more in depth.

• Working hands on in a program that is an eco-friendly architecture firm would be a great hands on experience for me; since one of my answers for incorporating nature into a design is by establishing a sustainable building.
• For the Design and Construction Committee I did get a chance to introduce myself to the leading Architect, Tom working on Pomona Valley Habitat's first Eco-Design. On the next meeting I will get to see first hand the design solutions for the green build, and discuss with him on how he went about finalizing his design solutions.
• By visualizing real organic designs, it will help me establish a full design perspective on detailed organic features, rather than simply look up designs through a computer screen. On these trips I will sketch up certain building elements that help me to analysis minute details. I will document what elements make this design organic and what elements do not fall under organic.
• By using the drafting program Sketch-up it will allow me to take my applied knowledge from my research and establish a model answer to my senior project. My three answers for incorporating nature into a design is by preserving the pre-existing site, observing and learning from nature, and eco-architecture. For each of these answers I will produce a design that fits specifically under each answer.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

Literal:

• "I, Cheyenne Capener, affirm that I have completed my Independent Component which represents 30 hours of my work."

• Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.
• 2013 California Building Code. ICC: 2013. Print.

• Explanation of what you completed. 
• What I completed in the Design and Construction Committee was providing the committee with current information on up coming or current Habitat events. In addition I as well helped compile information for the Design and Construction Committee by note taking and presenting my found information on the City of Walnut's: room additions/remodeling and subdivisions: tentative tract/parcel maps to the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Jody; so that she make overlook my work and then submit the information to the assigned architect for the upcoming Green Build in the City of Walnut.
• For my mentorship hours at ACE mentorship we have been currently working on a end of the year ACE competition design. Since we are the Pasadena Team our group was assigned to design a movie theater. Currently we have completed the floor design appropriately to a 1/16 scale to 1'. In addition we started to cover the interior design of each theater and how it might be layout and detailed. More recently we have constructed a mass model which is a quick 3-D architectural model showing the mass of our design. Once we get past the basic structural design we'll head into the structural, electrical, and air ducts components of our design; only after can we architectural detail our design using materials, etc. In the architectural detailing I am pushing for a more eco-friendly design as well as incorporating more nature into our design as well. Since I am thinking that one possible answer into incorporating nature into a design can be through the use of eco-friendly design plans, which I will be pushing/persuading my team members into seeing the benefits of the designing in and around nature.   

Interpretive:

• Defend your work and explain how the significant parts of your component and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  
• What I am working on in my Independent Component from ACE mentorship demonstrates 30 hours of work, due to the fact that the project we are currently working on is a finished product of what we have learner over the past semester and a half. To explain this more in depth what we learned in scale, elevations, practical use of the design, and green design codes, we have all applied what we know to our current design by thinking through the design in a practical manner.

(This was my group and I cutting out the roof layout for our 3-D model, while using an exacto knife. At first many of my team members were scared to use the exacto knife because their fear of messing up the only roof layout copy. So in the end I wined up going first.)

(This picture is our land plot that we will be using on sketch-up for our theater design.)

(This picture is our finished product of our mass model.)

(This is a picture of the conference room that the Design and Construction Meeting meets in.)

(This is our Board Meeting Papers that discuss what our agenda is for that particular meeting and when our next meeting is coming up.)

(These are the Requirements for the City of Walnut packets that I was requested to read and report my information.)

 



• For my meeting with the Design and Construction Committee with Habitat I have learned a great deal from the CEO of HFH since she has told me what it takes in order for a habitat build or any build to be a certified green design. Furthermore the process of green design is accounted for in points by how much eco-friendly materials are incorporated. By that standard your build is further inspected by a green rater who will analysis your building and give your building's certification: as either gold, silver, bronze (gold being the highest and bronze being the lowest.)

Applied:

• Independent component helped me understand my senior topic more by educating in the process of getting an accredited green design. As I said above I would like to consider green-design as a possible answer for incorporating nature into my design by establish a sustainable design. One particular time I could remember learning a more in depth view on green design was during ACE mentorship when we went to a engineer firm called TTG. This particular company was working on becoming more sustainable with its design process, and had in the past engineered a few gold plated buildings in green design. Specifically this gold certified green design was on a community college police station up north, and this company wanted to emphasize their renewable way of thinking. The process to integrate green design into your firm is through a process of re-teaching your staff on the current design stasis of how to earn points for your green design.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

1. Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• In addition to my hours with the Design and Construction Committee with the organization Habitat for Humanity, I will be also contributed my hours from my mentorship onto my independent component hours. So for my mentorship hours at ACE, we will this year be compiling an end of the year project in which we as a group will design a required design for a movie theater. In our meetings over the course of a few months we will be establishing floor plans, learning how to use the scale system, creating a to scale 3-D model, using how to use drafting programs to graphically design the building's layout, and presenting our model to other ACE teams as well as a corresponding audience.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• In order to prove I have completed my thirty hours I will continuously take photos to keep up dated on my progress. I will also take notes during each meeting, of important notations that apply to ACE end of the year project or any details associated with my essential question. In addition, I would also like to use art work as evidence to show progress in my design theory and also create designs of my own by using the designs I am exposed to during our mentor meetings.

3. And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

• Once the our ACE team gets more in depth with the architectural design of the movie theater, we can implicated more nature and eco-friendly design. This usually comes after the floor planes and the structural planes of the building, and then I can suggest more integrative design methods that would promote a more natural earthy tone of nature that is as well eco-friendly. Since I am thinking that one possible answer into incorporating nature into a design can be through the use of eco-friendly design plans, which I will be pushing/persuading my team members into seeing the benefits of the designing in and around nature.  

January Extra Blog

Over the course of January my meetings at my mentorship at ACE Program have consisted of finalizing a floor plan design. In our last two meetings there were two groups that worked on the end of the year design (project is to design a movie theater.) One group worked on the internal design of the theaters while the group I was in constructed the exterior structure of the building as well as the layout of the floor plan or how the rooms flowed.

 

 

In the above design we had to first think out the design logically and practical to how a realistic movie theater would flow. For example you don't want the projector room for a theater to be connected with the bathroom you want the projector room to be directly on top of each theater. Although this sounds like common sense it really took some analytical thinking. Another example was that in our ACE project requirements we were only allowed two bathrooms so we as a group thought it would be in our best interest if we placed the bathroom an equal distance away from each theater for the guests to easily access it.

 

This photo above was our finalized first draft, much of what we learned in calculating the square-footage we had to apply to our floor plan design to get the correct number of required square-footage.

 

This picture above illustrates our finalized second draft of our floor plan. In our ACE project requirements we had to establish a restaurant; originally we thought it would be a great feature if we put the restaurant on the second floor, but we ran into a few design problems. The practicality of the restaurant was inadequate, due to the fact that how can users/guests get to the restaurant without having to pay for a movie ticket. We as a group agreed that we would have exterior stairs that would lead up to the restaurant and an elevator for the handicapped. Yet in reality an I-MAX theater screen is at least 60 feet tall and walking sixty flights of stairs is a bit of an exaggeration for practical use. For the end we had to put the restaurant on the group for but decided to face it towards the main street to attract more guest. One of the feature I liked was the patio seating/dining area that faces the main street for an outside city atmosphere for restaurant guests.  

 

What I've learned most from this month was the fact that a practical design is more highly thought of and important than an aesthetic appeal in design.



 

Blog 13: Lesson Reflection

1. Positive Statement:

• I am proud of having met all the P requirements, since Ortega said we had all met the requirements; and am proud of this since I know I could have done better on my presentation research wise and by meeting all the requirements makes me a little more at ease.

2. Questions to Consider:

     a. What would assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation?
        
         P

     b. Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 Contract.
        
         I deserve that grade P since I turned my lesson plans in on time, had materials including EQ poster ready on time, my introduction did address my EQ, and I provided specific answers to my EQ, had an activity that required facts in my lesson to do, had met requirements for 20 mins minimum of lesson and 10 mins of research, and I cleaned up after my presentation.

3. What worked for you during lesson 2?

• What worked for me was setting up and cleaning up quick since both setting my materials up and cleaning them up did not require much time; because I only had a few papers and already knew how to use the projector.

4. What would've you done differently?

• I would have found a better way to engaged my audience in participating in my activity as well as my hook. I would follow through with this by starting with my enthusiasm with my topic.
• I would have also done a more in depth research on my answer so that I can fully explain "how" can an architect incorporate nature into a design. Focus my research on how can an architect preserve the pre-existing site?

5. What do you think your answer 2 is going to be?

• By observing nature and implementing natural designs into the structure of buildings.

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

Open Ended Questions:

1. What is the best way for an architect to incorporate natural surroundings into a building design?

2. What types of natural elements can an architect use to create a green design?

3. How can an architect design a project so that  the design preserves the pre-existing environment or site?

4. In what ways can an architect best fit their design according to only one particular site?

5. How exactly can an architect best learn from their environment through observation?

6. What current or previous buildings designs have incorporated natural surroundings into their design?

7. Through the use of observation how can we incorporate or compare the structure of a plant to the structure of a building design?

8. What are the key components that form the basis of an accredited green build?

9. What resources can an architect use to maintain an accredited green building?

10. In what ways can the natural surroundings improve the building design?

11. In what various ways can the building design complement its site or environment?

12. How can architects best learn from pre-established green designs?

13. How extensive can you design a green building, when concerning minute elements such as carpet or wood?

14. Is scaling down a building project the best solution to a green design, by utilizing space.

15. How can incorporating natural surroundings into a building design overall improve the health of clients?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

• I am contributing my time to a mentorship program at a Marshall High School in Pasadena, known as ACE or Architecture, Construction, and Engineering. ACE is a program where high school students interact with professional graduates in the field of Architecture, Construction and Engineering, and get to experience each field at first hand.

2.   Who is your contact?

• My contact is Rachel Adams one of the contributing ACE Mentors on the Pasadena Team.

3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?  

• All in all I have completed a total of 21 Hours with in the time frame of 9/19 - 12/12/2013. 

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.

• After being introduced to all of our mentors and getting a general background description of each career choice, our meets consisted of fieldtrips to either a accredited university, college, or firm. Throughout these field trips our mentors continuously gave us tips on hands on experiences and projects on how to think in terms of an architect, engineer, and contractor. We as the Pasadena Team are encouraged to work in groups and as a team since the whole experience of being an architect, engineer, or contractor is being dependent upon a high level of communication and interaction. Our mentors have also taught the Pasadena Team the ideas of structure, the role of an Architecture, the role of a Structural Engineers, site planning, architectural planning and elevation, site modeling, and scale conversions. Every year the ACE program does an annual project that each high school team in Los Angeles county is required to complete and present at the end of the year seminar. Our project currently that the Pasadena Team needs to develop as a coming of year product is to design and construct a movie theater; where we're consulting with other ACE Teams from other high schools and fit our project design to coincide with their project design. Ultimately being involved in the ACE program has taught me a great deal on a new outlook on Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.  

 

Blog 10: Senior Project, The Holiday

1. What did you do over the break involving your senior project?

• Over the winter break I spent much of my time researching and finding sources to add to my WB. For one of the additional sources I found was a book called 101 things I learned in Architecture School. Another thing I was worked on was calculating the square footage for our new project "building a Movie Theater" and figuring out different floor plans.

2. What was the most important thing you learned from what you did and why?

• The most important thing I learned from doing research on one source was the fact that if you want to be recognized for your designs you have to forget about what you want the building to look like and instead ask yourself what does the building prefer to look like? By considering the concerns and needs of your client, and the nature of your site, you can ultimately achieve a recognition. This is important piece of advice or experience can help you in the long run of your professional career field by achieving good recognition you can in the end expand your cliental through referrals.
• On the other hand by learning how to use the scale system for design plans I was able to uniquely design a structure that is fit to our mentorship project required square footage. This skill is important to learn since it helps you to realistically visualize how big a room needs to be in order to be practical and comfortable for the user.

3. If you were going to do a ten question interview on questions related to answers of your EQ, who would you talk to and why?
I would talk to my mentor Rachel Adams who is a graduate architect from Georgia Tech. Rachel has design experience in a number of recognized projects such as Valley Regional High School for the Los Angeles school institute. Rachel Adams design philosophy is to establish quality architecture that is respectable to the nature as well as environment and is highly concerned with her cliental needs.