SHIFT

Project Type: Studio-wide Design Build (ARCH202)

Project Timeline: February 27, 2017 - April 24, 2017

Project Brief: "Our new investigation will produce an installation for a client: Reliable Street. This is a new artists space and restaurant opening in northwest Ames. We are designing and constructing a seating / dining area that is also suitable for play and exploration and integrates solar powered lighting. The only conceptual constraints for you are that the project must be safe and accessible to the public and that the client’s proposed program for the space must not be compromised by the new design. At the same time, the proposed design must be practical and adhere to a set of constraints (materials, budget, etc.). This project will introduce several important skills and ideas, such as research methods, analog-digital workflows, structural tectonics, and detailing. Students will develop a coherent and meaningful design concept and see it through to the end: working together with others to combine ideas and overcome setbacks, all while while maintaining the integrity of the concept throughout. In short, you will begin to experience -- firsthand -- what architecture truly entails."

I modified our original project logo using Adobe After Effects to create a constantly yet subtly changing version. It phases through the colors of the Aurora Borealis, the precedent for Lighting Design. It was used as an intermittent presentation background during discussions, but serves as a living symbol of our project.

Project Location:

SHIFT developed over time through an ideation that began with each of 80+ students in our studio's own ideas of a 5'x5' module. Then, in larger groups we began to take what we liked best and begin to make larger sections, and so on, until we had the entirety of the project designed as a coherent interactive structure that suited the needs and visions of our clients. We split our studio up into different teams. From Construction documentation to Lighting, we had teams to handle every step of the project in an efficient manner. Our goal was to make sure everyone in the studio had an equal chance at a few things they were passionate about, and a few new things they could use as a learning experience.

My individual idea

Before getting into groups to make our 5x5 modules, we each set out to brainstorm ideas. Mine featured a net above to climb in.

5x5 modules

Me and my partner's module is the bottom left one. We emphasized exploration space as well as lounge space.

Bigger module ideation

In larger groups we focused on combining our different ideas into a coherent one.

Bigger module ideation

(continued)

Rhinoceros team at work

The Rhinoceros team worked hard to mesh the studios ideations together to create the overall design of the project.

Presenting our initial lighting idea

Originally our plan was to have noise activated lighting.

Client looking at the initial idea

This was our first model and version of the project. Our clients liked it but wanted some "softer" edges and more continuity through the whole length, which we delivered on in the final.

Final Design

Highlighted are the three distinct segments.

Construction Document Example

One of the thousands of the construction documents we used. This one in particular was used for the structure, which we built two layers at a time.

Construction Document Example

(continued) This is one of the cut-list examples which were made using a helpful website we found. Other document types included joint and angle sheets, lighting placement, and wiring placement.

Bundled cuts

Once cut, pieces were bundled into their layers as corresponding to sheet number.

Assembly

Once all pieces were cut, we began assembling the groups but only secured them every two layers to make transporting them easier.

Assembling the base

A couple layers down

Pre-assembled groups waiting

We laid them out like this so that the lighting team could attach lights before the layers were attached to the project and unreachable.

SHIFT was constructed from hundreds of 2x4's, wiring, and LED strips, the end product was an undulating pavilion-esque structure with tunnels, seating, and climbing. Composed of three segments, each with its own quality, it was ready to be explored and used by all. SHIFT was a major success and on reveal night everyone from children to the elderly found a place they could enjoy on the project. It was amazing to see the community connect on our project, which was one of the goals of ours as well as our clients'.

I held three distinctive roles for the entirety of the project. The most extensive position was head of lighting design, something that was very important to me from the start of the project, as architectural lighting is a large interest of mine. I also was a co-leader on the logistics team, which oversaw physical processes of the fabrication and construction of the project. My third role was as a presenter on both midway review and final reviews.

As head of lighting design, I oversaw the research, design, and implementation processes required to bring our project to life at night. My biggest accomplishment as a co-leader on the logistics team was creating a spreadsheet document which was viewable and editable by everyone during the construction process. This spreadsheet told anyone exact information from which pieces were to be cut from which boards to tracking exactly where in the College of Design specific pieces were based on which checkpoint they were last seen at. In doing this, we were also able to save a lumber by getting the most efficient cuts out of each board.

Perhaps the biggest thing I learned about working on a team from this project was how to make sure everyone's voices were heard. While I jump at opportunities whenever I can to be a part of every step of the process, I know not everyone is like that. As a leader and as a teammate, I made sure that everyone's voices were heard just as much as mine.

Images from project*

(Above images in addition to other graphics and photos with descriptions)

Click an image to open the viewer.

*All images used with permission from project collaborators