STUDIO PRE-FINAL PRESENTATION
SYNOPSIS of COTE MEASURES
Measure 1: Design for Innovation
The EARTH is meant to be an example for architectural resiliency and environmental sustainability measures. It integrates a rainwater collection system and a green roof with native species to control stormwater. The roof also contains a series of pipes that pump hot water through the in-floor radiant heating system. A geothermal well field controls the temperature of the forced HVAC, and large thermal masses to insulate the building. There is also an emphasis on the use of sustainable and economical materials.
Measure 2: Design for Community
EARTH serves to educate occupants, especially groups from schools, about its sustainable systems and construction process through interactive learning environments. The gallery documents and displays the process of a rammed earth construction, while the classroom is located near a green roof that teaches about horticulture.
While this site, located in Norman, Oklahoma, is not readily accessible by more sustainable transportation methods such as on foot or by bike, it does have a bus drop off area to accommodate for classes of school children. The parking lot design attempts to minimize the space used as well as using pervious pavement to reduce the damaging effect of increased stormwater runoff.
Measure 3: Design for Ecology
The construction process of the building is meant to interfere as minimally as possible with the site’s ecosystem. The green roof, which is accessible to the public, contains native plants, which use less irrigation water and energy to maintain. The site contours are graded to slope around the building, directing water away from the building, towards the parking lot and ultimately the creek that manages the storm water.
Measure 4: Design for Water
The second level, which contains the classroom, workspace, and conference room, is housed by a butterfly roof that collects rainwater and directs it to a cistern on the first level. The rainwater supply can be used to irrigate the native landscaping and to flush toilets. Water on the site is also managed during storms by the addition of the green roof and the utilization of pervious paving and asphalt to reduce parking lot runoff. The harvested rainwater can also be used in the geothermal HVAC system or in the solar plate radiant heating pipes, which don’t require potable water to function.
Measure 5: Design for Economy
The combination of several passive systems gives the possibility to reduce the cost of building operations. A geothermal well system is capable of providing adequate cooling in the summer time, and can warm the building to a wintertime steady temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. A solar collection plate mounted to the butterfly roof warms water running through a series of pipes and routes it through the floors to provide additional radiant heat, reducing the need for mechanical heating.
The cost for the rammed earth and concrete structure, in addition to basic building systems, would be approximately one and a half million dollars. This is not including the special systems such as the geothermal wells and solar panels. This is similar or greater in cost than a concrete building, however the material has some additional added benefits that will pay off after a number of years.
Measure 6: Design for Energy
The use of rammed earth in the building seeks to create thermal insulation within the spaces, as well as potentially acting as a thermal mass to assist with heating the building at nights and during the colder winter seasons. Mechanical systems would still be required to maintain comfortable temperatures year round, however the insulation of the earth would maintain a more stable temperature, reducing the cycling of the mechanical systems.
Measure 7: Design for Wellness
Despite the one and a half foot thick walls of the building envelope, a series of embedded curtain walls and floor to ceiling glazing panels allow pockets of light into the important spaces. The gallery has a south-facing curtain wall that is shaded by the portico structure to the south of it. The curtain wall has rotating panels that can be opened to take advantage of the passive ventilation provided by the southerly summer winds.
As seen in the Velux light models, the work surfaces in the classroom receive adequate task lighting most of the time. The gallery has more than enough sunlight at that stage of design and could benefit from the addition of a light shelf.
Measure 8: Design for Resources
The decision to use rammed earth as the primary material in this building was mostly inspired by its resiliency, economy, and sustainability. Due to the composition of soil in Oklahoma, the soil required for rammed earth would be able to be sourced very locally. Small additions of sand and Portland cement can easily be sourced from nearby. The steel that would need to be used could come from the nearby WW Steel Factory, and prefabricated concrete bond beams would come from the nearby Coreslab.
Rammed earth, while rather thick, is easy to construct and has wonderful insulation properties. The addition of a few inches of rigid insulation between two wythes of rammed earth would reduce the need for constant cycles of cooling and heating. The building was designed on a grid of 8 foot increments, with some walls spanning 16 or 24 feet. This consistency would allow for a repetitive and reusable form-work to reduce that material and waste afterwards. Rammed earth has a long life cycle and is not easily damaged, meaning it will last for many years.
Measure 9: Design for Change
The building is embedded into the site and built mostly of rammed earth, which from precedents can be seen to last hundreds of years or longer. The EARTH is split down the center by an open air hallway running east to west, which provides a datum along which additional spaces can be added in the future.
The most important aspect that will remain relevant is the storm shelter. On the first level, a 1000 square foot concrete-encased room doubles as a film-screening room that can be used as a storm shelter. In an area that is very tornado prone, it is important that the safety of the building’s occupants, and even nearby civilians, can be ensured in a natural disaster scenario.
Measure 10: Design for Discovery
The EARTH hub was inspired by traditional methods of construction with earth, one of the most abundant materials on our planet. This building was an exploration of incorporating a traditional building method with more modern systems to prove that it is possible to use rammed earth in the contemporary developed world. Ideally, the children that come to learn from this building would be inspired and informed of the potential to use earth in future projects.
The EARTH is meant to be an example for architectural resiliency and environmental sustainability measures. It integrates a rainwater collection system and a green roof with native species to control stormwater. The roof also contains a series of pipes that pump hot water through the in-floor radiant heating system. A geothermal well field controls the temperature of the forced HVAC, and large thermal masses to insulate the building. There is also an emphasis on the use of sustainable and economical materials.
Measure 2: Design for Community
EARTH serves to educate occupants, especially groups from schools, about its sustainable systems and construction process through interactive learning environments. The gallery documents and displays the process of a rammed earth construction, while the classroom is located near a green roof that teaches about horticulture.
While this site, located in Norman, Oklahoma, is not readily accessible by more sustainable transportation methods such as on foot or by bike, it does have a bus drop off area to accommodate for classes of school children. The parking lot design attempts to minimize the space used as well as using pervious pavement to reduce the damaging effect of increased stormwater runoff.
Measure 3: Design for Ecology
The construction process of the building is meant to interfere as minimally as possible with the site’s ecosystem. The green roof, which is accessible to the public, contains native plants, which use less irrigation water and energy to maintain. The site contours are graded to slope around the building, directing water away from the building, towards the parking lot and ultimately the creek that manages the storm water.
Measure 4: Design for Water
The second level, which contains the classroom, workspace, and conference room, is housed by a butterfly roof that collects rainwater and directs it to a cistern on the first level. The rainwater supply can be used to irrigate the native landscaping and to flush toilets. Water on the site is also managed during storms by the addition of the green roof and the utilization of pervious paving and asphalt to reduce parking lot runoff. The harvested rainwater can also be used in the geothermal HVAC system or in the solar plate radiant heating pipes, which don’t require potable water to function.
Measure 5: Design for Economy
The combination of several passive systems gives the possibility to reduce the cost of building operations. A geothermal well system is capable of providing adequate cooling in the summer time, and can warm the building to a wintertime steady temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. A solar collection plate mounted to the butterfly roof warms water running through a series of pipes and routes it through the floors to provide additional radiant heat, reducing the need for mechanical heating.
The cost for the rammed earth and concrete structure, in addition to basic building systems, would be approximately one and a half million dollars. This is not including the special systems such as the geothermal wells and solar panels. This is similar or greater in cost than a concrete building, however the material has some additional added benefits that will pay off after a number of years.
Measure 6: Design for Energy
The use of rammed earth in the building seeks to create thermal insulation within the spaces, as well as potentially acting as a thermal mass to assist with heating the building at nights and during the colder winter seasons. Mechanical systems would still be required to maintain comfortable temperatures year round, however the insulation of the earth would maintain a more stable temperature, reducing the cycling of the mechanical systems.
Measure 7: Design for Wellness
Despite the one and a half foot thick walls of the building envelope, a series of embedded curtain walls and floor to ceiling glazing panels allow pockets of light into the important spaces. The gallery has a south-facing curtain wall that is shaded by the portico structure to the south of it. The curtain wall has rotating panels that can be opened to take advantage of the passive ventilation provided by the southerly summer winds.
As seen in the Velux light models, the work surfaces in the classroom receive adequate task lighting most of the time. The gallery has more than enough sunlight at that stage of design and could benefit from the addition of a light shelf.
Measure 8: Design for Resources
The decision to use rammed earth as the primary material in this building was mostly inspired by its resiliency, economy, and sustainability. Due to the composition of soil in Oklahoma, the soil required for rammed earth would be able to be sourced very locally. Small additions of sand and Portland cement can easily be sourced from nearby. The steel that would need to be used could come from the nearby WW Steel Factory, and prefabricated concrete bond beams would come from the nearby Coreslab.
Rammed earth, while rather thick, is easy to construct and has wonderful insulation properties. The addition of a few inches of rigid insulation between two wythes of rammed earth would reduce the need for constant cycles of cooling and heating. The building was designed on a grid of 8 foot increments, with some walls spanning 16 or 24 feet. This consistency would allow for a repetitive and reusable form-work to reduce that material and waste afterwards. Rammed earth has a long life cycle and is not easily damaged, meaning it will last for many years.
Measure 9: Design for Change
The building is embedded into the site and built mostly of rammed earth, which from precedents can be seen to last hundreds of years or longer. The EARTH is split down the center by an open air hallway running east to west, which provides a datum along which additional spaces can be added in the future.
The most important aspect that will remain relevant is the storm shelter. On the first level, a 1000 square foot concrete-encased room doubles as a film-screening room that can be used as a storm shelter. In an area that is very tornado prone, it is important that the safety of the building’s occupants, and even nearby civilians, can be ensured in a natural disaster scenario.
Measure 10: Design for Discovery
The EARTH hub was inspired by traditional methods of construction with earth, one of the most abundant materials on our planet. This building was an exploration of incorporating a traditional building method with more modern systems to prove that it is possible to use rammed earth in the contemporary developed world. Ideally, the children that come to learn from this building would be inspired and informed of the potential to use earth in future projects.