Chase Kea Graduate Thesis by Chase

[HY D RO ] S C R A P ER CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF WATER ON SKYSCRAPER FACADES

This thesis is submitted to the Department of Architecture, at Hampton University in partial fulfillment towards the degree of Master of Architecture.

Submitted by Chase Carrington Kea ARC 601-602: 5th Year Thesis Studios Dr. W. Henderson and Dr. C. Sanchez-del-Valle, Studio Professors Robert Easter, Thesis Advisor Spring, 2015

This thesis is dedicated to my family. Thanks for all of the support you have given and will continue to give me

I would like to say a special thanks to all of the faculty of the Architecture Department at Hampton University. My five years at HU have been quite a jourrney, but all of you have been wonderful guides, constantly pointing me in the right direction

table of contents

Abstract

Part I: The proposal Introduction

background

Case Studies

Argument

Rationale research plan

context

Test through charrette

Part II: Design research

Argument & research summary

process and products

Conclusion

future investigation

Figure index

Bibliography

101

Appendices

105

abstract [hydro] scraper

Controlling water on building facades

In urban environments, the roofs of buildings have traditionally been used to harvest rainwater. Larger roofs have more catchment surface area and can therefore collect more rainwater. However, the size of the roof, and thus the amount of rainwater a roof can collect, has been limited in cities by lot sizes and zoning restrictions. In dense urban environments where space to build outward is limited, how can the amount of rainwater a building can collect be increased? I claim that by utilizing the faĂ§ade of a building to divert and control falling rain, the amount of rainwater a building can collect can be increased. In cities where both water and buildable land are scarce, a building that could harvest enough water to irrigate surrounding green areas would be a tremendous relief during times of drought. This investigation started with research regarding the form of the structure. Case studies were analyzed and information was gathered about how water behaved on surfaces. The concept for the design originated from a leaf, and how raindrops are diverted down a leafâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface. Form, structure, and facade of the building were all investigated with an emphasis on reflecting this concept of a leaf. Particle simulations were used to test the effectiveness of the facade system, and provided valuable insight into the behavior of water on the facade. After concluding the research through design, future applications of this [hydro]scraper were investigated as a possibility to lessen the effects of water shortages around the world.

part 1 the proposal

introduction Water is the most precious resource on the earth. Its existence makes our planet special. Water is fundamental for all life; without it every living thing would die. It covers about 70% of Earth’s surface and it makes up 65-75% of our bodies (82% of our blood is water). Even though water has no color, taste, or smell, it has amazing properties that make it necessary for supporting life. Why is it that we waste such a valuable resource? Water scarcity is a main problem to be faced by many societies and the world in the near future. Water use in the world is growing at more than twice the rate of worldwide population growth in the last century, and, although there is no global water scarcity yet, an increasing number of regions around the globe are chronically short of water. According to the UN:

“Water scarcity already affects every continent. Around 1.2 billion people, or almost onefifth of the world’s population, live in areas of physical scarcity, and 500 million people are approaching this situation. Another 1.6 billion people, or almost one quarter of the world’s population, face economic water shortage (where countries lack the necessary infrastructure to take water from rivers and aquifers).”

Hydrologists typically assess scarcity by looking at the population-water equation. An area is experiencing water stress when annual water supplies drop below 1,700 m3 per person. When annual water supplies drop below 1,000 m3 per person, the population faces water scarcity, and below 500 cubic meters “absolute scarcity”. Water scarcity is a natural and a humanmade phenomenon. Some of the leading causes of this scarcity are waste, pollution, climate change, and population growth. Statistically there is enough freshwater on the planet for 7

figure 1.1

figure 1.2 8

seven billion people but the issue becomes its distribution. Water is distributed unevenly and too much of it is wasted, polluted and unsustainably managed.

The United Nations (UN) defines water scarcity as the point at which the aggregate impact of all users impinges on the supply or quality of water under prevailing institutional arrangements to the extent that the demand by all sectors, including the environment, cannot be satisfied fully. Water scarcity is a relative concept and can occur at any level of supply or demand. Scarcity may be a social construct (a product of affluence, expectations and customary behavior) or the consequence of altered supply patterns - stemming from climate change for example.

This global problem translates directly into the world of architecture. In the past there

have been numerous records of water being collected and stored from the roofs of buildings and from the sites where people lived. As time passed and technology developed, water was made more accessible. This ease of access to water led us to think of water not as a precious resource, but as something that we took for granted. According to the the United Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Environment Programmeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sustainable Building and Climate Initiative (UNEP-SBCI), buildings use about 40% of global energy, 25% of global water, 40% of global resources, and they emit approximately 1/3 of GHG emissions. 1 quarter of the earths water is consumed by built structures.

As architects, it should be our responsibility to ensure that new buildings donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t contribute to

this growing water crisis. If buildings could collect a surplus of water and be able to store that water for use at a later time, it would be possible to sustain a building in an area where water is scarce for an extended period of time.

background Because this problem is one that ultimately affects everyone on this earth, there has been an increasing effort to find solutions to solve this crisis. However, because this is a problem that affects so many people it has been difficult to find a single solution. Instead, it is hypothe found that this water crisis would be better solved through a series of smaller solutions that all work together.

In the last couple of decades there have been a lot of initiatives that have been stated trying to raise awareness about this crisis. I am a strong believer that knowledge is power. The more people know about a subject and the more informed they are, the better the decisions they make. This is true for the water crisis as well, which s why I think that awareness campaigns were so effective. If people are made aware that the water on this earth is slowly diminishing, they will be less likely to waste it.

Architecturally there has also been a huge shift within the last 20 years towards sustainability. Although sustainable design principals have always been around since the beginning of time, recently they have received more attention. With the creation of LEED, Passive House, and many other organizations, there are now incentives to designing â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;?. Buildings designed to meet LEED standards are better for the environment and often challenge designers to develop creative systems for energy efficiency and water conservation, further raising the bar

for sustainable design.

Cities and the government have also started to realize that buildings are one of the main consumers of water, and have begun to take action. Tax credits are offered to buildings that are designed to meet sustainable design standards. This is a huge step in the right direction, offering more incentive to design to conserve.

Water conservation systems exist today. This is no new technology. Thousands of years ago water was collected off of the roofs of buildings and diverted into ponds where it was kept for later use. Today, water is collected from roofs through a gutter system and directed into cisterns or tanks and stored. There are also systems which take that collected water and purify it. All across the world people are using these systems, but there has not been a lot of development for larger collection systems. Many of the water collection systems are smaller and can be easily attached to existing buildings. However sometimes this smaller system isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough.

Knowing how water collection works is crucial to developing an integrated building system. Rainwater harvesting systems can be broken down into six key components: catchment area, conveyance, washing, storage, distribution, and purification. The catchment area is considered

the surface area where the water initially falls and is thus collected. Conveyance refers to the system that directs water from catchment to storage. Before entering the storage, the water passes through a washing system, which removes debris and particles. This is often done naturally with gravel or by letting the water seep through layers of earth. After passing through the washing system, the water is then directed to a tank or cistern where it is stored. When needed, the water passes from the storage through the distribution system and then finally through the purification system before reaching its end destination.

After researching rainwater collection systems, it was found that there are key factors that directly impact the effectiveness of these systems. The most influential of these also happens to be the most obvious, rainfall. If the building is in a geographical location where rainfall is minimal, this will directly correlate to the amount of water this building can collect. Both frequency and intensity of rain are factors when considering overall rainfall. In the case of the area being investigated, the frequency of rain is sporadic, but when it does rain, the intensity of the rainfall is high, which creates a unique situation when attempting to collect and store water. Another factor is the size of the catchment area and storage tanks. The more surface area available for water to fall on, the more water that can be collected. Using this logic, would it be more effective to create a building with a large roof capable of collecting large amounts of water? This is one of the questions that will be investigated in this research. The relationship between surface area and amount of water collected is key in the development of an efficient system for collecting and storing large amounts of rainwater.

case studies The case studies selected for this investigation were chosen for a number of reasons. Water reacts differently when it comes in contact with different surfaces. Whether its variations in shape, size, texture, or material, water behaves uniquely in each situation. Knowing that water was to be collected on the faรงade of the building, the case studies chosen were intended to analyze different forms, structural systems, faรงade types, and overall environmental design strategies employed in existing structures. Case studies were selected based on building performance and analysis, however 2 were selected close to the region of study, Houston, TX. These case studies closer to the proximity of the site provided a more accurate example of how rainwater harvesting strategies were being applied in an environment similar to that of the proposed investigation. These case studies collectively provided information necessary to move forward with the investigation.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

CANYON LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

3 4 5

Austin, Texas

CANYON LAKE, TEXAS

THE GHERKIN LONDON, ENGLAND

TURNING TORSO MALMÖ, SWEDEN

MASDAR HEADQUARTERS ABU DHABI - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Austin, Texas

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a public botanical garden dedicated to creating a more sustainable earth through research and education. Situated 10 miles SW of downtown Austin, Texas and just inside the edge of the distinctive Texas hill country, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin is dedicated to increasing the sustainable use and conservation of native plants and landscapes. Founded by former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, in 1982, the Wildflower Center maintains an extensive native plant botanic garden and offers professional and adult education programming. The Wildflower Center also conducts research on landscape restoration and plant conservation at its 279acre site, promoting the role of native plants and plant communities in addressing ecological problems. Recent research initiatives focus on native turf grasses, use of native plants on green roofs, and evaluation of carbon sequestration by native plants in urban landscapes.

This building was innovative because of its creative incorporation of roofs to create a system for water collection. Looking at the angle and position of the roofs and how they all flow into a central cistern opened my eyes to the possibility of not just one large roof, but maybe many smaller oned that all play a part in helping to collect, store, and distribute rain water.

figure 1.3

figure 1.4 18

CANYON LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CANYON LAKE, TEXAS

This visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center uses rainwater collection strategies to reduce runoff on the site and collect water for reuse throughout the center. Sloped roofs combined with underground concrete cisterns allow for nearly 100% of the rainwater that falls on the building to be collected. One unique system that the building uses is a series of gutters that direct water to a chain. The chain acts as a guide and the water flows down the chain and then into concrete cisterns. The underground cisterns also act as seating above ground. This dual use of water storage and seating for the site are a good example of how water collection is incorporated into the design and not just an afterthought. The water that is collected in the cisterns is filtered as it trickles down. After flowing down the chain, a layer of gravel naturally filters out larger particles. After passing through the layers that purify the water, the water that reaches the cisterns is potable. In the event of overflow, water is allowed to bubble up to the surface and irrigate the surrounding site. Another unique feature of this visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center is its method of natural irrigation for the site. Typical irrigation systems sprinkle water over the site and are about 7580 percent efficient. The drip system that is used throughout this site is 90 percent efficient. This case study was chosen because it employed very unique water collection techniques. In addition to the collection techniques, the integration of these systems into the site was something that made this building stand out. Anyone can but a bucket beneath a gutter and call that rainwater collection, but it takes good design and careful attention to the site to fully integrate a water collection system into a building and site.

figure 1.5

figure 1.6 20

THE GHERKIN

LONDON, ENGLAND

This building was designed by architect Norman Foster. Its complex curved geometry makes it stand out against the more traditional square buildings surrounding it. It is covered uniformly around the outside with glass panels and is rounded off at the corners. It also has a lenslike dome at the top that acts as a type of observation deck. The design of the Gherkin is heavily steeped in energy efficiency and there are a number of building features that enhance its efficiency. There are open shafts built between each floor that act as ventilation for the building and they require no energy for use. The shafts pull warm air out of the building during the summer and uses passive heat from the sun to bring heat into the building during the winter. These open shafts also double as light wells, allowing sunlight to penetrate deep into the building. Today, the Gherkin is primarily an office building. This is one of the main reasons I chose this building as a case study. Looking at what makes this unique, energy efficient office building effective was important in understanding how sustainable design principles could be applied to larger structures. The other reason this building was analyzed was its â&#x20AC;&#x153;twistingâ&#x20AC;? exterior structure. This downward spiral formed by the diagrid emulates a guiding motion towards the base of the structure. The twisting nature of the building struck me as perfect for collecting rainwater. As water falls on the exterior cladding, it could spiral down through a series of extended mullions formed by the diagrid. Just a thought at first, soon this idea of a water collecting diagrid began to seem more and more practical.

figure 1.7

figure 1.8 22

TURNING TORSO

MALMÖ, SWEDEN

HSB Turning Torso is the tallest skyscraper in Sweden and the Nordic countries, situated in Malmö, Sweden on the Swedish side of the Öresund strait. Since completion, it is the tallest building in Scandinavia. A similar, taller skyscraper featuring a 90° twist is the Cayan Tower, located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Prior to the construction of Turning Torso, the 86‑metre (282 ft) Kronprinsen had been the city’s tallest building. The project was designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and officially opened on 27 August 2005. The tower reaches a height of 190 metres (623 feet) with 54 stories - 147 apartments, relax/lounge/spa/ gym, wine cellar followed by around-the-clock concierge service 365 days a year. The vision of HSB Turning Torso is based on a sculpture called Twisting Torso, which is a white marble piece based on the form of a twisting human being, created by Santiago Calatrava. This is a solid immobile building constructed in nine segments of five-story pentagons that twist relative to each other as it rises; the topmost segment is twisted 90 degrees clockwise with respect to the ground floor. Each floor consists of an irregular pentagonal shape rotating around the vertical core, which is supported by an exterior steel framework.

I chose this building as a case study because of its combination of structure and form. Using the twisting design and pairing it with an “exoskeleton” for support created an appealing building. What if this exterior bracing could help channel water to be collected from the facade? This was an interesting proposition that I encountered.

figure 1.9

figure 1.10 24

MASDAR HEADQUARTERS

ABU DHABI - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Masdar City was designed by Foster and Partners. Fosterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design team started its work by touring ancient cities such as Cairo and Muscat to see how they kept cool. Foster found that these cities coped with hot desert temperatures through shorter, narrower streets usually no longer than 70 meters. The buildings at the end of these streets create just enough wind turbulence to push air upwards, creating a flushing effect that cools the street. I looked at this building because it incorporated so many sustainable design principals on such a large scale. The systems used and the resources collected were phenomonal. Avter studying the unique structure and the use of the structure to incorporate green design, I began to wonder how this use of structure could be applied to my research.

The project is headed by Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company. Initiated in 2006, the project was estimated to cost US$18-22 billion and take approximately eight years to build, with the first phase scheduled to be completed and habitable in 2009. Construction began on Masdar City in 2008 and the first six buildings of the city were completed and occupied in October 2010. However, due to the impact of the global financial crisis, Phase 1 of the city, the initial 1,000,000 square metres (0.39 sq mi), will be completed in 2015. Final completion is scheduled to occur between 2020 and 2025.

figure 1.11

figure 1.12 26

argument When collecting rainwater for reuse, buildings typically use green roofs and permeable surfaces to collect rain falling downward. This is a logical approach as gravity causes rain to fall down, however when collecting rainwater from the roof the catchment surface area is limited to that of the roof due to site limitations such as zoning, lot boundaries, and setbacks. This limits the amount of rainwater that can be collected by a building. When collecting water from the roof, when the roofs catchment surface area is increased, the collection capacity of the roof directly increases. It makes sense logically, because a larger surface provides more area for rain to fall on. However, due to lot sizes and zoning restrictions, the roof size of buildings in cities is hard if not impossible to increase. This greatly limits the ammount of rainwater that can be collected from green roofs and permeable surfaces on a particular site. If roof size is directly related to rainwater collection capacity, and the roof size cannot be increased in cities, how can the water collection capabilities be doubled within these constraints?

possible points of rainwater harvesting

Rooftop collection 27

site collection

facade collection

Problem diagram

argument I claim that by utilizing the faรงade of a building to divert and control falling rain, the amount of rainwater a building can collect can be increased. In cities where both water and buildable land are scarce, a building that could harvest enough water to irrigate surrounding green areas would be a tremendous relief during times of drought. This thesis aims to activate the facade of a building to increase rainwater harvesting capabilities. If you were to take the expanded roof area necessary to double the amount of rainwater collected and split it into four even portions, this would result in four sections of area that when added together equaled the original area. If these sections were then applied to the facade of the building, the facade would now contain the capacity to potentially double the rainwater harvested.

This solution

offers increased rainwater collection capabilities while still abiding by the constraints of many urban sites. This investigation will test the possibility of increasing the catchment surface of buildings by activating the facade as a means to harvest rainwater. Increasing rainwater harvesting while respecting site constraints is an issue that will only become prevalant in the future as cities grow and space becomes more and more scarce.

Because rainfall collection depends on

many different such as annual precipitation, wind speed, wind direction, collecting rainwater from the facade poses a number of problems. How the water is captured on the facade, how the water is collected, and where the water is stored are all important factors that will need to be addressed. 29

claim diagram

rationale REASON 1: Underutilization The facade of a building is underutilized when it comes to rainwater collection. The roof is the most common place used to collect water in buildings today, and this is logical as water falls down due to gravity. However, unless the building is low and wide, the roof often doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer the amount of space needed to supply a larger building. Also, with wind and other factors, rain often does not fall directly downward. There is a large amount of rain that hits the faĂ§ade of a building. After it hits the faĂ§ade it is neither collected nor stored, it just simply rolls down the side of the building.

REASON 2: Irrigation If building facades were used to collect and harvest rainwater for reuse, irrigation for surrounding parks and green spaces could be increased. In times of water shortages, if there is a choice between watering the trees and plants at a local paark or providing fresh drinking water to city residents, the people will always win. But what if there was no need to make that choice. Collecting water on the facades of buildings could potentially eliminate the need to use a citys water for irrigation, and would aid the city tremendously during times of drought or water shortage.

REASON 3: Site conditions Site conditions caused by flooding are a problem in urban environments. With buildings so close together and such a vast network of streets and paved surfaces, flooding becomes an issue in areas that receive a heavy amount of rain. Because of the amount of paved surfaces and buildings in one area, water runs straight off the roofs and sides of buildings and into the streets. By designing a system that collects water from all surfaces of a building, it is possible to reduce on site flooding while harvesting water collected around the site. In a city such as Houston, TX, where paved surfaces vastly outnumber permeable surfaces around the city, the ability of buildings to collect and store rainwater during heavy thunderstorms that often cause flash flooding could help reduce flood issues that the city so often faces.

research plan The research plan for this investigation was broken down into three main segments. By breaking the investigation into parts, the research became much more manageable for the given amount of time. The research plan was helpful in maintaining organization and staying on schedule throughout the entire investigation.

The first of these three main segments was initial research. This portion of the research plan focused on gathering information about the topic of rainwater harvesting. Literature reviews, case studies, and charrette swap were all used to create a solid knowledge base on the subject. The initial research collected during this segment allowed the design research to progress.

The second segment of the research plan was research through design. This segment was further broken down into four phases. Because the design research was to be completed in a short amount of time, it was decided that breaking the segment into manageable phases would increase the amount of work that could be completed. The four phases were form, structure, facade, and analysis. These phases were completed in that order, which provided a chronological flow of design research.

The final segment of the research plan was the conclusion. This segment was a wrap up

of all of the research and design completed in the investigation, as well as an evaluation of investigation itself. Statements about the truth of the claim, what was learned from the investigation, and what possibilities there are for continued research were all included in this segment.

research plan diagram

research plan diagram [continued]

context The site that I chose to focus my research on was Houston, Texas. This site was chosen for a number of reasons. Houston is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Knowing this, the city is actively looking towards expanding its infrastructure to accommodate the rising population. This means not only increasing the infrastructure, but also increasing the number of employees who maintain and manage this new growth. This is why this investigation is proposing a new office building to house employees of the city.

site selection rationale Houston is also one of the top cities in the United States for annual precipitation. Due to the high amount of rainfall in the city, the site was perfect for investigating rainwater harvesting. A unique fact about Houston is that despite the high annual rainfall, the number of days it rains per year is quite low. This means when it rains, it rains a lot. This knowledge led to the investigation of a rainwater system that could accommodate a large volume of water. Houston is also one of the cities in the south experiencing the effects of water shortages. Despite the fact that it rains heavily, the ciy still manages to have extended periods of drought. While this seems like a problem that cant be fixed, there are some solutions. There is no shortage of water falling from the sky in Houston, however there is a shortage of water being collected. This gap between rainfall and rainwater harvesting is one of the main goals this thesis seeks to explore, and Houston is the perfect place to investigate these possibilities.

climate data collected PRECIPITATION TYPE

figure 1.13

COLD SEASON PRECIPATION

WARM SEASON PRECIPATION

figure 1.14

figure 1.15

WIND DIRECTION AVERAGES

figure 1.16 42

charrette The charrette swap was a portion of the design research where a thesis was swapped with that of another student, and then a week was allotted to explore a specific area of the thesis. For this charrette swap, the area of focus was the collection, storage, and reuse of water throughout the building. The charrette swap participant, philpatsy agwu, was tasked with analyzing water reuse systems in buildings and exploring the effectiveness of these systems.

After the charrette was completed, it was discovered that the system of water recycling within the building was very intricate. They involved systems that would take much more time to analyze and develop than was provided for the thesis research. Having realized this, the focus of the thesis was shifted to collecting, storing, and reusing the rainwater for irrigation around the city. After making this decision, it was realized that by having not only one, but multiple rainwater collecting buildings around the city, the possibility for meeting all of the cities irrigation needs became evident. This was an important discovery in the investigation because it provided an application at a larger context for the research.

figure 1.17 44

figure 1.18 45

figure 1.19 46

part 2 design research

argument & research summary During the investigation, changes were made to the argument and research plan. These changes were made to both maintain focus of the investigation as well as ensure that the research could be completed within the time constraints. The investigation started out with the hopes of testing multiple methods of water collection on the facade. Some of these methods included a building skin that would “absorb” rainwater and a building skin that would allow water “inside” the building facade to be collected. To allow adequate time to fully develop the ideas and designs of the facade system, it was decided to focus the research on just one of these methods. The research plan was adjusted accordingly to reflect this refocusing of research.

After this crucial refocusing, there were additional parts of the research plan that were refined. At the start of testing, there were six variables being tested. Each of these six variables contained 4 unique designs to be tested. It was realized that by testing that many variables and designs, the number of scenarios being tested would be 144. This was far too many to accurately test in the amount of time given, so it was decided to test the two most influential variables. Again, the research plan was adjusted accordingly to reflect this refocusing of research.

This process of adjustments was very helpful in keeping the research relevant to the initial

claim and also in completing the research in the given amount of time. Because the research was constantly adjusted, it helped that the research plan initially set up was flexible enough to accommodate these changes.

process and products defining volume Having established a 200’ x 200’

200’ site boundary, next was determining the optimal area

200’

of the facade for the building.

200’

Because

rain

falls

angle due to wind speed and direction, facades can only collect roughly 1/3 of the water that a flat roof could. Knowing this, the catchment surface area would need to be tripled in order to match the collection capacity of a traditional roof system.

200’

It was discovered that for this specific site a building height of 600’ allowed for a facade that could potentially double the rainwater collection capacity of a building when coupled with water collected from the roof.

600’

200’ 52

constants [for analysis] The constants for this investigation were established to maintain a testing environment that was the same between all of the scenarios being tested. The testing for the investigation was primarily digital, so creating an environment with the exact same setup for each scenario was essential. Rhino was the primary software used to create the environment for testing. The constants were:

• the site for the investigation (Houston, TX) • the software used to conduct the particle simulation • the force of gravity during the simulation • the amount of rainwater) falling on the surface during the simulation • the size of the surface being tested • the degree of rotation (twist) of the surface being tested • the spacing of the louvers on the facade being tested • the number of louvers on the facade being tested • wind (wind was excluded from testing)

variables [for analysis] The variables for this investigation are actually quite vast. Louver material, exterior glass type, louver profile, louver length, louver angle, louver spacing, wind direction, wind speed, and amount of rainfall are all variables that could be tested in this investigation. However, due to the limited amount of time allotted to conduct the testing, there were two variables chosen to test. They were chosen because they had the most effect on the effectiveness of the system during preliminary testing. The variables were:

â&#x20AC;˘ louver profile â&#x20AC;˘ louver length

limits of investigation The focus of this investigation was on the rainwater harvesting using a building’s facade. Because the focus of the research was specific to a portion of the whole building, limits were placed on the investigation to ensure that the investigation maintained a focus on rainwater harvesting using a building’s facade. The limits placed on this investigation were as follows:

• This investigation was not to focus on the development of floor plans for the spaces created, as this would take away from the time allotted for facade design • This investigation was not to focus on wind speed and direction during testing due to the fact that computing power required to run those complex particle simulations was not available • This investigation was not to focus on rainwater reuse after storage and treatment, as this would take away from the time allotted for facade design • This investigation was not to focus on more than one method of collection on the facade, so that method could be fully developed and tested

phases

1 2 3 4

form exploring form

structure exploring methods of supporting form and facade

facade exploring facade systems and their attachment

analysis analyzing effectiveness of entire building system

Phase 1: form The first phase of this investigation dealt with form finding. It was important to make sure that the form and the facade worked together to create the most effective water collection system. The initial concept for the form was derived from nature. The leaf is one of the simplest examples of rainwater diversion in nature. There are 3 main elements of a leaf: the blade, the veins, and the midrib. Together these 3 elements compose the structure and the skin of a leaf. As a raindrop falls on a leaf, it is diverted towards center, and once it hits the center it is then diverted down the middle of the leaf. Finding a form that would allow rainwater to be controlled in a way similar to that of the leaf was the goal of this phase.

Once the concept behind the design research had been established, it was time to begin generating forms.

A parametric model was created with variable parameters allowing

vast flexibility in the generation of forms. The use of this program ensured that the forms generated for analysis could be manipulated while still maintaining similar constants such as height, area, etc.

figure 1.20

grasshopper definition

This portion of the definition controlled

the profile of the curves that were lofted

the distance between profile curves, floor

to create the form. Arc radius, line length,

to floor height, number of floors, floor

and number of sides were all variable.

slab thickness, and rotation

This portion was copied six times, making six independently variable profile curves

This portion of the definition controlled

core radius, number of core columns,

the

radius of core columns, and core

Variables included angle of diagrid,

thickness

distance between diagrid connections,

diagrid

structure

and

facade.

radius of tubular steel, and the louver profile/length

forms generated

selected form

evolution of form

Phase 2: structure This phase focused on the structure of the proposed form. The form selected to proceed with was complex in its shape and curvature, thus requiring a unique structural system. After testing multiple structural support methods, it was found that the diagrid structural system best met the needs of the form. The flexible diagonal pattern of the diagrid was easily able to support the form as it twisted upward. In addition to offering the best method of support, the diagrid also provided flexibility in the attachment of a facade system.

Due to the large amounts of water that the building would be collecting, it was also important to analyze how the waters weight would impact the structural integrity of the building. Because of waters heavy weight, the storage tanks for the building were placed near the base. This allowed for gravity to carry the water down the facade to the base where it was collected.

figure 1.21

building section

ground level detail

diagrid connection detail

exploded axon of facade

components of structure

Phase 3: facade This phase was all about the facade. Having established a form and its supporting structure, this phase sought to explore different methods of diverting and controlling water once it hit the surface of the building. The idea for the facade system came from the gutters on houses. Once water hits a roofs surface, it is then diverted down the roof to the gutter, which then diverts it yet again to the ground. Taking this knowledge and applying it to a larger scale building, it was found that louvers could perform the very same task. Louvers were chosen because they are easily attachable to the diagrid structure and they seemed to be the simplest way of diverting water on a facade.

After analyzing how the louvers would attach to the facade system, different louver profiles were looked at to find out if some performed better than others. Because the attachment system was created, the louver profiles were essentially interchangeable. This flexibility in design led to interesting findings in the performance of the system.

figure 1.22

louver design A

Louver profile A was the

Louver profile B was a

simplest of the profiles

variation of profile A.

tested

slant upward was added to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

Similar to profile B, profile

Profile D was an L-Shaped

C had a curved end portion

profile similar to that of

to keep water from being

profile C

lost as it traveled down the facade

Profile E was a hybrid

Profile F had a semi-circle

between profiles C and D. It

end portion that aimed to

utilized curved and straight

keep water from being lost

portions together

louver attachment system

building elevation

Phase 4: analysis The first three phases all dealt with the building design. This final phase was an evaluation of the performance of the design. Testing the performance of the design proved to be difficult. There were no real programs or applications designed to test the rainwater harvesting capabilities of a facade. This made it extremely hard to accurately evaluate exactly how much water the building could collect. Knowing this, a method was devised for the evaluation of the systems. This method involved using particle simulation to test rainwaters behavior on a portion of the building facade, and then based on that portions performance evaluate the overall performance.

The particle simulations shown below were created to analyze how the different louver profiles worked with the form of the building. The simulation was set up to show a portion of the facade and accurately see how that facade design performed when water hit its surface. These simulations were crucial in evaluating the performance of the louver designs.

figure 1.22

particle simulation Computational fluid dynamics is defined as â&#x20AC;&#x153;A field of study concerned with the use of highspeed digital computers to numerically solve the complete nonlinear partial differential equations governing viscous fluid flowsâ&#x20AC;?. Computational fluid dynamics is one of the tools (in addition to experimental and theoretical methods) available to solve fluid-dynamic problems. With the advent of modern computers, computational fluid dynamics evolved from potential-flow and boundary-layer methods and is now used in many diverse fields, including engineering, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and geology.

This investigation utilized computational fluid dynamics software to conduct particle simulations. These simulations were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the louver system on the building facade.

Due to the high computing power required to run the

simulations, the entire building facade could not be tested. This issue was solved by only conducting the testing on a portion of the building facade. This allowed for accurate data to be collected within the limits of the technology available. Images from one of the particle simulations conducted are shown to the right. argument and research summary

Data matrix

conclusion The plan for research for this thesis was altered slightly since its first creation last semester. The initial research plan broke down the rainwater collection process into 4 parts: collection, storage, reuse, and integration. Each of these phases was looked at as a part of the whole. This proved to be problematic, however, because to logically look at the rainwater harvesting system in a building, it needed to be analyzed as a whole. The present research plan was revised to accommodate these alterations. The research was not changed, it was simply refocused to better support the claim. A large part of this research relied on the ability to produce multiple iterations for each phase. These iterations were used to explore changes in form, shape, and volume. Using Grasshopper for Rhino, a parametric model was created which allowed the flexibility and precision to model multiple iterations from the same base model. The ability to start with an identical base model and adjust parameters to create multiple new forms further emphasized the importance of form. Two conclusions were made from analyzing the leaf and its curvature: One, a water droplet falls down on one angle, and two, is then diverted down another angle. The multiple angles involved led to the exploration of double curved surfaces, surfaces that curved in multiple ways. Because of the complicated nature of the forms being studied, the majority of the modeling and iterations will be analyzed digitally. The digital model has been constructed to provide as many variations on form as possible, while still respecting the constants established in the

research plan. From the digital models, sections can be cut, allowing for further depth of research. By accurately modeling the forms digitally, approximations can be made through calculations based on the given forms showing the amount of rainwater collected. This is a big part of the design research, and the digital models created allow for this level of data collection. Based on the criteria outlined for the phases, the iterations created so far have met some, but not all of the criteria. For each of the phases, it has been found that some forms perform better in some areas, while others perform better in other area. There are common tradeoffs that arise when manipulating the volume of a building, for example, twisting the structure greatly increases its ability to control water as it hits the surface; however, it also limits the façade systems that can be applied due to increases in complexity of the structure. Being aware of these “tradeoffs”, as they are commonly referred to, ensures that the same errors are not made from phase to phase. The data matrix was very helpful in organizing all of the data collected and determining the effectiveness of different facade designs. The data compared louver length vs. louver profile to determine the optimal profile and size of the louvers that would be attached to the facade. After testing, it was found that louver profile E at a length of 3’ was the optimal design for the rainwater collection method being tested in this investigation. After finishing the research and analyzing the findings, it was discovered that using the methods

outlined in this thesis investigation, it is possible to increase rainwater harvesting capabilities of buildings in urban environments through the activation of the facade. Although exactly how much more effective is hard to tell due to the complexities involved with harvesting rainwater from a vertical surface, it was clear that the facade possessed the potential, under the right conditions, to increase rainwater harvesting capabilities. This design research offers a greater vision for building design in the future. If the faรงade can be used to increase rainwater collection, buildings will be reconsidered in the way that they are designed, which in turn will affect the way cities are constructed. It would be interesting to see the difference between a city that has a majority of the buildings using their facades to collect rainwater and a city which primarily collects rainwater on the roofs. With water becoming more and more scarce, a city that could collect and reuse a majority of the water that fell on it would be remarkable.

conclusion diagram

future investigation

After establishing that the [hydro]scraper could

potentially

increase

rainwater

harvesting capabilities of buildings within a city, it was decided to explore what impact this would have on the green spaces in a city. If this additional water harvested was used for irrigating parks and green spaces around a city, the impacts of droughts and water shortages would be noticeably lessened. Pictured to the right is what the impact of a single [hydro]scraper would look like

Pictured to the right is what the impact of multiple [hydro]scrapers would look like. As you can see, by applying this method of rainwater collection to multiple buildings throughout the city, the amount of green space that could be irrigated directly increases. This was an important finding and opened the door to the possibility of designing entire cities around the harvesting of rainwater

figure index 1.1

Water scarcity diagram http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml

1.2

Water stress diagram http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml

1.3

Image of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://images.google.com/

1.4

Image of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://images.google.com/

1.5

Image of the CANYON LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE https://images.google.com/

1.6

Image of the CANYON LAKE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE https://images.google.com/

1.7

Image of the THE GHERKIN https://images.google.com/

1.8

Image of the THE GHERKIN https://images.google.com/

1.9

Image of the TURNING TORSO https://images.google.com/

1.10

Image of the TURNING TORSO https://images.google.com/

1.11

Image of MASDAR HEADQUARTERS https://images.google.com/

1.12

Image of MASDAR HEADQUARTERS https://images.google.com/

1.13

climate data collected from noaa http://www.noaa.gov/

1.14

climate data collected from noaa http://www.noaa.gov/

1.15

climate data collected from noaa http://www.noaa.gov/

1.16

climate data collected from noaa http://www.noaa.gov/

1.17

images from Charrette swap philpatsy agwu

1.18

images from Charrette swap

1.19

images from Charrette swap

philpatsy agwu

1.20

image of leaf google.com/imageshttps://images.google.com/

1.21

image of diagrid being constructed https://images.google.com/

1.22

image of glass building facade google.com/imageshttps://images.google.com/

1.23

image of water splashing https://images.google.com/

100

bibliography Bagatin, Roberto, et al. “Conservation and improvements in water resource management: a global challenge.” Journal Of Cleaner Production 77, no. 4 (August 15, 2014): 1-9. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014).

Bouckaert, Stéphanie, et al. “A prospective analysis of waste heat management at power plants and water conservation issues using a global TIMES model.” Energy 68, no. 1 (April 15, 2014): 80-91. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014).

Comair, Georges F., et al. “Water resources management in the Jordan River Basin.” Water And Environment Journal 27, no. 4 (December 1, 2013): 495-504. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014).

Crouch, Dora P., and June Gwendolyn Johnson. Traditions in architecture: Africa, America, Asia, and Oceania. New York: Oxford University, 2001.

Donofrio, Gregory. “Preservation by Adaptation: Is It Sustainable?.”Change Over Time 2, no. 2 (October 22, 2012): 106-131. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014). Edwards, Brian, and D. Turrent.Sustainable housing: principles & practice. London: E & FN Spon, 2000.

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Feng, Wei, and Hui Min Li. “Green Building Design Practices - Analysis of the Design of Leisure Office Center.” Applied Mechanics And Materials 90, no. 1 (September 8, 2011): 890893. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessedSeptember 12, 2014).

Gregory, Rob. Key contemporary buildings: plans, sections, and elevations. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008.

Jiang, Pei, Li Dong, and Gao Li Yang. “The Architecture and Application of a New Type High Temperature Condensate Closed- Recovery System.”Key Engineering Materials 439, no. 1 (June 7, 2010): 269-273. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014).

Keeler, Marian. Fundamentals of integrated design for sustainable building. Hoboken,

N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

Ma, Xing, et al. “Spatial and temporal variation in rainfall erosivity in a Himalayan watershed.” Catena 121, no. 7 (October 1, 2014): 248-259. E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014).

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McClanahan, Bill. “Green and Grey: Water Justice, Criminalization, and Resistance.” Critical Criminology 22, no. 3 (September 1, 2014): 403-418.E-Journals, EBSCOhost (accessed September 12, 2014).

Parrott, Kathleen R., et al. “If you could be in charge: student ideas for promoting sustainability in housing.” International Journal Of Consumer Studies 35, no. 2 (March 1, 2011): 265-271. E-Journals, EBSCOhost(accessed September 12, 2014).

“Response of Rainfall and Vegetation to ENSO Events during 2001–2011 in Upper Wardha Watershed, Maharashtra, India.” Journal Of Hydrologic Engineering 19, no. 3 (March 1, 2014): 583-592. E-Journals, EBSCOhost(accessed September 12, 2014).

Sinclair, Cameron. Design like you give a damn: architectural responses to humanitarian crisis. London: Thames & Hudson, 2006.

Troy, Austin. The very hungry city: urban energy efficiency and the economic fate of cities. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012.

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104

Appendices Appendix a

arc 601

105

107

midterm presentation boards

108

final presentation boards

109

physical models

Appendix b

arc 602

113

midterm presentation boards

115

final presentation boards [pinned up]

116

final presentation boards

117

physical models [3d printed]

106

SOLVING THE WATER CRISIS: ONE DROP AT A TIME Thought Process

Claim Diagram of problem

Diagram of claim

Rationale

Case Studies Rainwater Harvesting in India A Rural and Urban Case Study

I reviewed a case study on rainwater harvesting in India. The case study was an eye opener for me. The study focused on both rural and urban environments in India and strategies for harvesting rainwater that were being implemented. Many of the strategies were quite simple, however they were mostly “add-ons” to the dwellings. Looking at these simple add-ons, it sparked ideas for how some of these simple systems could be integrated at a grander scale in larger buildings.There were different scales and methods of collecting water used throught the country. Some of the larger scale methods involved diverting rainwater into low depressions that were used to hold that water. these ranged in size, but allowed for different configurations, incrreacing its effectivness.

On the smaller scale, there were single units made of household materials that could hold and filter up to a gallon of water. There is a depection of this method to the left. the rain falls through the cloth like material and is filtered into a jug. seems simple, and thats because it is. This case study was helpful in that it caused a change in thought. maybe a high tech system isnt always the answer. maybe keeping it simple is the answer. going back to some more primitave methods of collecting water may allow for new ideas to emerge.

Masdar Headquarters Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates

Masdar City was designed by Foster and Partners. Foster’s design team started its work by touring ancient cities such as Cairo and Muscat to see how they kept cool. Foster found that these cities coped with hot desert temperatures through shorter, narrower streets usually no longer than 70 meters. The buildings at the end of these streets create just enough wind turbulence to push air upwards, creating a flushing effect that cools the street. I looked at this building because it incorporated so many sustainable design principals on such a large scale. The systems used and the resources collected were phenomonal. Avter studying the unique structure and the use of the structure to incorporate green design, I began to wonder how this use of structure could be applied to my research.

Sendai Mediatheque Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Sendai Mediatheque, a project which in 2006 received the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), can be hailed from various aspects: its structural innovation, versatility and functional significance for the residents of Sendai. But perhaps what has made this building is a milestone that has tried to translate the architecture eteriedad, fluidity, and multi-virtual computer world that characterizes our time. The Media is a glass 50 × 50 meters, 36 meters, with several plants and a series of pillars patio flowing through it from first to last. The technology is very present in this building, both internally and in the construction of the entire box. Plants are divided by use of forged steel base plates and beams in the middle as a “sandwich”, and the pillars are tubular metal soldiers. The latter are perhaps the most important aspects of the work since the run from the first to the floor and far from being orthogonal, they have a circular section that is changing as increasing in height, varying in each well one of the plants.

Resembling to me the case study above, I looked at this building because it was one of the first buildings to utalize a structural system that “punctured” the building it was supporting. Seeing this building in section, I thought of the earth. When you look at a section of the ground it is not solid. There are air gaps and crevaces where water can easily pass. These “holes” allow water to enter back into the earth and become a part of the ongoing water cycle.

Hampton University Thesis Project Douglas Harris

This thesis project talked about the issues facing the world regarding water and its scarcity. He proposed that rain water could be stored in the walls of a building for use at a later time. This creative way of harvesting rainwater is something I intend to explore for methods of collection and storage. Another thing I liked about this project was that it considered what would happen if there was a surplus of water. Alot of times that is overlooked and collection systems flood or are filled past capicity. This is definately something that needs to be studied and addressed.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Austin, Texas

107

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a public botanical garden dedicated to creating a more sustainable earth through research and education. Situated 10 miles SW of downtown Austin, Texas and just inside the edge of the distinctive Texas hill country, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin is dedicated to increasing the sustainable use and conservation of native plants and landscapes. Founded by former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, in 1982, the Wildflower Center maintains an extensive native plant botanic garden and offers professional and adult education programming. The Wildflower Center also conducts research on landscape restoration and plant conservation at its 279-acre site, promoting the role of native plants and plant communities in addressing ecological problems. Recent research initiatives focus on native turf grasses, use of native plants on green roofs, and evaluation of carbon sequestration by native plants in urban landscapes.

This building intrigued me because of its creative incorporation of roofs to create a system for water collection. Looking at the angle and position of the roofs and how they all flow into a central cistern opened my eyes to the possibility of not just one large roof, but maybe many smaller oned that all play a part in helping to collect, store, and distribute rain water.

108

109

110

INFLUENCES FROM NATURE

DIAGRID DETAILS EXPLODED AXON OF DIAGRID Falling rain is diverted to a central groove, where it beads and then follows a given path

The varying vertical extrusions of the bark act together to both trap falling water and control its flow down the tree

FASTENING SYSTEMS

Horizontal fastening system

Right diagonal fastening system

Left diagonal fastening sys

Covering a large area near the base of the tree, the roots collect falling rain from the area around the base of the tree through contact

PHASE ONE

PHASE THREE

THE LEAF

EVOLUTION OF FORM

DIAGRID DESIGN

THE ROOTS DIAGRID APPLIED TO FACE

RAINFALL PARTICAL SIMULATION

EVOLUTION OF FORM

Single panel

DIAGRID DESIGN Single panel

1 1 Multiple panels

Multiple panels

2 2

3 Panel detail

Panel detail

4 5

111

DIAGRID APPLIED TO

stem

O FACE

DRAWINGS (THE LEAF)

DEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURE Louver

Core structure

Diagrid structure

Floor levels

Structure combined

Section of combined structure

Louver fastening system Louver fastening attachment Base plate Bolts Steel diagrid frame

BUILDING ROOF PLAN

BUILDING ELEVATION

BUILDING SECTION

Mullion Louver to cavity detail Cavity on facade

Louvers on diagrid

Glass panel

Diagrid connection detail

LOUVER DESIGNS (SHOWN IN PROFILE)

Building core

Vertical fastening system Typical floor

Lobby floor

parking garage level Cavity to treatment detail

path from facade to filtration system

Water collection tank from cavity

1. Pre-treatment 2. Filtration 3. Post-treatment Storage

PHASE TWO THE BARK RAINFALL PARTICAL SIMULATION

EVOLUTION OF FORM

DIAGRID DESIGN

DIAGRID APPLIED TO FACE

RAINFALL PARTICAL SIMULATION

Single panel

1 1

1 Multiple panels

2 2

2 3 Panel detail

4 5

112

113

[HYDRO] SCRAPER

CONTROLlING CONTROLlING THE THE FLOW FLOW OF WATER OF WATER ON SKYSCRAPER ON SKYSCRAPER FACADES FACADES

PROBLEM PROBLEM

CLAIM CLAIM

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

CLAIM STATEMENT CLAIM STATEMENT I claim that by utilizing the I claim façade that of by a building utilizingto the divert façade andofcontrol a building falling to divert rain, the and control falling rain, the amount of rainwater a building amountcan of rainwater collect can a building be increased. can collect In cities can where be increased. both In cities where both water and buildable landwater are scarce, and buildable a building land that arecould scarce, harvest a building enough that water could to harvest enough water to irrigate surrounding green irrigate areassurrounding would be agreen tremendous areas would relief be during a tremendous times of relief during times of drought. drought.

Water scarcity already affects Water every scarcity continent. alreadyAround affects every continent. Around 1.2 billion people, or almost 1.2 billion one-fifth people, of theorworld's almost one-fifth of the world's population, live in areas population, of physical live scarcity. in areas Water of physical scarcity. Water scarcity is among the main problems scarcity isto among be faced the by main many problems to be faced by many societies and the World in societies the upcoming and the century. WorldWater in the upcoming century. Water use has been growing at more use has than been twice growing the rate at more of than twice the rate of population increase in the last population century.increase Water scarcity in the last is century. Water scarcity is both a natural and a human-made both a natural phenomenon. and a human-made There is phenomenon. There is enough fresh water on the planet enough for fresh seven water billion on people the planet for seven billion people but it is distributed unevenlybut and it too is distributed much of it unevenly is wasted,and too much of it is wasted, polluted and unsustainably polluted managedand unsustainably managed

CLAIM RATIONALE CLAIM RATIONALE

ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE

This investigation will test possibility of the catchment surface of Thisthe investigation willincreasing test the possibility of increasing the catchment surface of buildings by activating the facadebyasactivating a means the to harvest rainwater. buildings facade as a means Increasing to harvest rainwater. Increasing rainwater harvesting while respecting site constraints is an issue that will only rainwater harvesting while respecting site constraints is an issue that will only become prevalant in the become future as cities grow andfuture spaceasbecomes more and morebecomes more and more prevalant in the cities grow and space scarce. Because rainfall collection depends on many different such on as many annualdifferent such as annual scarce. Because rainfall collection depends precipitation, wind speed,precipitation, wind direction, collecting rainwater fromcollecting the facaderainwater poses a from the facade poses a wind speed, wind direction, number of problems. How the water is captured onthe thewater facade, how the water number of problems. How is captured on theisfacade, how the water is collected, and where the collected, water is stored are allthe important willimportant need to be and where water isfactors stored that are all factors that will need to be addressed. addressed.

When collecting rainwater When for reuse, collecting buildings rainwater typically for reuse, buildings typically use green roofs and permeable use green surfaces roofstoand collect permeable rain surfaces to collect rain falling downward. This is afalling logical downward. approach as This gravity is a logical approach as gravity causes rain to fall down,causes however rainwhen to fall collecting down, however when collecting rainwater from the roof the rainwater catchment from surface the roof area theiscatchment surface area is limited to that of the roof due limited to site to limitations that of the roof suchdue as to site limitations such as zoning, lot boundaries, and zoning, setbacks. lot boundaries, This limitsand the setbacks. This limits the amount of rainwater that can amount be collected of rainwater by a building that can be collected by a building

When collecting water from theWhen roof, when the roofs surface area increased, the surface area is increased, However, due to lot sizes and zoning restrictions, roofand sizezoning of buildings in cities hardsize if not roof size is directly related to If rainwater the roofcollection size cannot be increased collecting watercatchment from the roof, when theisroofs catchment the However, due to lotthe sizes restrictions, theisroof of buildings in cities is hard if If not roof sizecollection is directly capacity, related toand rainwater capacity, and the roof size cannot be increased collection capacity of the roof directly increases impossible to increase in cities, how can the water collection capabilities be water doubled within these constraints? collection capacity of the roof directly increases impossible to increase in cities, how can the collection capabilities be doubled within these constraints?

METHOD METHOD

CONTEXT CONTEXT

RESEARCHRESEARCH CHARRETTE CHARRETTE

RESEARCHRESEARCH THROUGHTHROUGH DESIGN DESIGN

CASE STUDIES CASE STUDIES CHARRETTE SWAP CHARRETTE SWAP PHASE 1

WHAT

Taking the roof area necessary Taking to collect themore roof area rainwater necessary than the to collect site allows morefor, rainwater this area than is split the site allows for, this area These is split sections are then appliedThese to thesections facade ofare thethen building, applied thus to the increasing facade of thethe catchment building, surface thus increasing the catchment This surface solution offers increased rainwater This solution collection offers capabilities increased rainwater while abiding collection by thecapabilities constraintswhile of abiding by the constraints of into 4 sections into 4 sections area of the building area of the building many urban sites many urban sites

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

FINDINGS FINDINGS ABOUT PHASE 4

PHASE 3

PHASE 4

ABOUT

LOCATION LOCATION

DEFINING DEFINING VOLUME VOLUME

SITE CONDITIONS SITE CONDITIONS

Having established a 200’ x 200’Having site boundary, established nexta 200’ xIt200’ was sitediscovered boundary, next that for this It was specific discovered site a that for this specific site a was determining the optimal area wasofdetermining the facade for the optimal building area ofheight the facade of 600’ for allowed building for a facade height that of 600’ allowed for a facade that the building. the building. could potentially double the rainwater could potentially collection double the rainwater collection capacity of a building when coupled capacity with of a water building when coupled with water collected from the roof. collected from the roof.

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION The site that I chose to focus my research The site that on was I chose Houston, to focus Texas. my research This site was on was chosen Houston, for a Texas. numberThis of reasons. site was chosen for a number of reasons.

Houston is one of the fastest growing Houston citiesisinone theof United the fastest States. growing Knowing cities this, inthe thecity United is actively States.looking Knowing towards this, the city is actively looking towards expanding its infrastructure to expanding accommodate its infrastructure the rising population. to accommodate This means the rising not only population. increasingThis the means not only increasing the infrastructure, but also increasinginfrastructure, the number ofbut employees also increasing who maintain the number and manage of employees this new whogrowth. maintain This and is manage this new growth. This is why this investigation is proposing why a new this office investigation buildingisto proposing house employees a new office of the building city. to house employees of the city. Houston is also one of the top cities Houston in theis United also one States of the fortop annual citiesprecipitation. in the United Due States to for theannual high amount precipitation. of Due to the high amount of rainfall in the city, the site was perfect rainfall forin investigating the city, the rainwater site was perfect harvesting. for investigating A unique fact rainwater about Houston harvesting. is that A unique fact about Houston is that despite the high annual rainfall, the despite number theof high days annual it rainsrainfall, per year theisnumber quite low. of days This means it rains when per year it rains, is quite it rains low. This means when it rains, it rains a lot. This knowledge led to the investigation a lot. This knowledge of a rainwater led tosystem the investigation that could accommodate of a rainwater system a large that volume could of accommodate a large volume of water. water.

200’

200’ 200’

200’

PRECIPITATION TYPE

200’

CONTEXT Houston, TX

METHOD

METHOD information that

Office building located in downtown Office building located Office in downtown building located in downtown Office building located in Office downtown building located in downtown Office building located in Office downtown building located in downtown Office building located in Office downtown building located in downtown Office building located in Office downtown building located in downtown Office building located in Office downtown building located in downtown Office building located in downtown Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX Houston, TX

WIND DIRECTION AVERAGES WIND DIRECTION AVERAGES

were analyzed basedCompatibility on how with the form, application Compatibility with the form, application Criteria included water penetration Criteria of for this phase includedCriteria amountincluded of Criteria or included new findings, proving or After all of the information was After collected, all of the information The was charrette collected, was aimed at providing The charrette a was aimed at providing Forms were a analyzed based Forms on how of Criteria ofincluded water penetration Criteria for this phase included amount new findings, proving facade ofsystems, and process beyondandthe envelope, feasibility, and water lost collected, amount of disproving water lost of claim, and possibilities disproving it was looked at as a whole toitsee washow looked at as a whole new to see perspective how so criteria new included perspective so criteriaeffectively included they represented the effectively initial they represented facade the initial systems, and process beyond of the envelope, feasibility, water collected, amount of water for of claim, and possibilities for were all criteria for this aesthetics collection, and louverfuture collection future research performed.wellSome the building performed. creativitySome of design, attentioncreativity to the of design, attention concept to the of the leaf. Shape, and concept volumeof the leaf. Shape, and construction volume were all criteriaconstruction for this aesthetics during collection, and louver during collection research phase performance buildings offered strengths in buildings one area, offered strengthsguidelines in one area, given, and positive guidelines impact of given, and positivewere impact twoof of the key factors in determining were two of the key factors in determining phase performance such as structure, but lacked such in others as structure, but lacked the work in others presented the work presented this this such as rainwater collection such as rainwater collection

200’

ABOUT

I chose this building as a case study I chose because this building it employed as a case verystudy unique because water collection it employed techniques. very unique In water addition collection to techniques. In addition to the collection techniques, the integration the collection of these techniques, systems theinto integration the site was of these something systems that into made the site this was building something that made this building stand out. Anyone can but a bucket standbeneath out. Anyone a gutter canand but call a bucket that rainwater beneath acollection, gutter andbut callit that takes rainwater good design collection, but it takes good design and careful attention to the siteand to fully careful integrate attention a water to the collection site to fully system integrate into aabuilding water collection and site. system into a building and site.

THE GHERKIN THE GHERKIN

TURNING TORSO TURNING TORSO

ABU DHABI - UNITED ABU DHABI ARAB -EMIRATES UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

FORM

ABOUT The first phase of this investigation dealt with form finding. It was important to make sure that the form and the facade worked together to create the most effective water collection system. The initial concept for the form was derived from nature. The leaf is one of the simplest examples of rainwater diversion in nature. There are 3 main elements of a leaf: the blade, the veins, and the midrib. Together these 3 elements compose the structure and the skin of a leaf. As a raindrop falls on a leaf, it is diverted towards center, and once it hits the center it is then diverted down the middle of the leaf. Finding a form that would allow rainwater to be controlled in a way similar to that of the leaf was the goal of this phase.

GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION

PHASE 4 ABOUT

ABOUT

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS 3

This portion of the definition controlled core radius, number of core columns, radius of core columns, and core thickness

This portion of the definition controlled the diagrid structure and facade. Variables included angle of diagrid, distance between diagrid connections, radius of tubular steel, and the louver profile/length

The core of the building acts as the central support. It houses the vertical circulation

1 2

The The core of the diagrid building structure an exoskeleton acts as acts the as central the building, giving support. for It houses the the complex form the vertical circulation support it needs

2 3

The structure floor slabs are The diagrid connected to both the acts as an exoskeleton core and the diagrid, for the building, giving providing stabilithe complex form further the support it zation needs to the structure

ABOUT

This phase was all about the facade. This phase Having was estaball about the facade. Having established a form and its supporting lishedstructure, a form and this its supporting structure, this phase sought to explore different phase methods sought toofexplore different methods of diverting and controlling waterdiverting once it hit and thecontrolling surwater once it hit the surface of the building. The idea for face theoffacade the building. system The idea for the facade system came from the gutters on houses. came Once from water the gutters hits on houses. Once water hits a roofs surface, it is then diverted a roofs down surface, the roofit to is then diverted down the roof to the gutter, which then diverts the it yet gutter, againwhich to the then diverts it yet again to the ground. Taking this knowledgeground. and applying Taking it to this a knowledge and applying it to a larger scale building, it was larger found that scalelouvers building, it was found that louvers could perform the very same task. could Louvers perform were the very same task. Louvers were chosen because they are easily chosen attachable because to the they are easily attachable to the diagrid structure and they seemed diagrid to structure be the simand they seemed to be the simplest way of diverting water on aplest facade. way of diverting water on a facade.

The first three phases all dealt with the building design. This final phase was an evaluation of the performance of the design. Testing the performance of the design proved to be difficult. There were no real programs or applications designed to test the rainwater harvesting capabilities of a facade. This made it extremely hard to accurately evaluate exactly how much water the building could collect. Knowing this, a method was devised for the evaluation of the systems. This method involved using particle simulation to test rainwaters behavior on a portion of the building facade, and then based on that portions performance evaluate the overall performance.

After analyzing how the louversAfter would analyzing attach tohow the the louvers would attach to the facade system, different louver profiles facade system, were looked different louver profiles were looked at to find out if some performedatbetter to find than out others. if some performed better than others. Because the attachment system Because was created, the attachment the system was created, the louver profiles were essentially louver interchangeable. profiles were essentially interchangeable. This flexibility in design led to interesting This flexibility findings in design in led to interesting findings in the performance of the system.the performance of the system.

EXPLODEDEXPLODED AXON OF FACADE AXON OF FACADE 3 4

is an are axonometric The floorThisslabs thatthe was cut to connectedsection to both relationships core andstudy the the diagrid, the core, the providing between further stabilidiagrid, and the floors zation to the structure

4 5

of these structural This is anAllaxonometric elements section that was cut tocombined the support study thecreated relationships between necessary the core, for thethe form of this structure diagrid, and the floors

All of these structural elements combined created the support necessary for the form of this structure

FLOOR SLABS

KEY FEATURES OF CHOSEN FORM

DIAGRID CONNECTION DETAIL DETAIL SECTION SECTION DIAGRID CONNECTION

The twisted form allowed water to be diverted in a manner similar to that of a leaf

TUBULAR STEEL

BOLTS FOR TUBULAR STEEL CONNECTION

6-WAY DIAGRID CONNECTION POINT

BOLTS FOR I BEAM CONNECTION

I BEAM

The groove formed here acted as an exterior gutter, guiding water down the facade

EVOLUTION OF CHOSEN FORM

Six sides of the form were shortened to begin to form the path that the water will travel down

The top of the form was tapered to collect water falling downward as well as at an angle. The top of the form still maintained a flat portion to allow water to be collected on the roof

E TUBULAR STEEL

GROUND LEVEL DETAIL GROUND LEVEL DETAIL

TUBULAR STEEL

TUBULAR DIAGRID STRUCTURE

EXTERIOR GLAZING

EXTERIOR LOUVER

Similar to profile B, profile C had a curved end portion to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

Profile E was a hybrid between profiles C and D. It utilized curved and straight portions together

Louver profile A was the simplest of the profiles tested

Similar to profile B, profile C had a curved end portion to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

Profile E was a hybrid between profiles C and D. It utilized curved and straight portions together

Louver profile B was a variation of profile A. A slant upward was added to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

Profile D was an L-Shaped profile similar to that of profile C

Profile F had a semi-circle end portion that aimed to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

ELEVATIONELEVATION B

Louver profile B was a variation of profile A. A slant upward was added to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

LOUVER B

LOUVER A 1

The groove ran all the way to the bottom of the form to allow water to be collected at the base

4’ - Showed no significant improvement in water 4’ - Showed no significant improvement in water collection and began to interferecollection with views/daylighting and began to interfere with views/daylighting

LOUVER LENGTHS TESTED

Louver length 1’ 6”

Louver profile A did not perform Louver well and thereAwas profile did anot perform well and there was a great loss in water as it traveledgreat downloss the facade in water as it traveled down the facade

Louver length 2’

Louver profile B performed well,Louver but stillprofile allowed B performed well, but still allowed water to to be lost as it traveled down facade water the to to be lost as it traveled down the facade

Louver length 2’ 6”

Louver profile C caused water toLouver shoot off of the profile C caused water to shoot off of the facade which was problematic facade which was problematic

Louver length 3’

Louver length 3’ 6”

Louver length 4’

PROFILE EVALUATIONS

2’ - Showed improvement over the 6” louver, 2’ -1’Showed improvement over the 1’ 6” louver, although water was still lost although water was still lost 2’ 6” - Showed results similar to2’ those found in results the 2’ similar to those found in the 2’ 6” - Showed louver louver

Louver profile D

3’ - Found to be the optimum length. An increase in optimum length. An increase in 3’ - Found to be the legnth beyond 3’ showed no significant improvement legnth beyond 3’ showed no significant improvement

Louver profile E

3’ 6” - Showed no significant improvement in water 3’ 6” - Showed no significant improvement in water collection collection

Louver profile F

LENGTH EVALUATIONS

Louver profile C

Louver profile D Louver profile E

Louver profile D caused lots of splashing due toDthe Louver profile caused lots of splashing due to the sharp corner sharp corner Louver profile E performed the best andprofile retained the Louver E performed the best and retained the most water as it traveled down the facade most water as it traveled down the facade Louver profile F performed very Louver well, however full profile the F performed very well, however the full curve limited the ammount of water collected curve limited the ammount of water collected

PROFILE EVALUATIONS

LOUVER PROFILES TESTED

Louver profile F

Louver length 1’ 6”

1’ 6” - The shortest of the louver1’profiles tested. 6” - The shortest of the louver profiles tested. Proved to be not as effective dueProved to the short to be length not as effective due to the short length

Louver profile B

Louver profile C

The matrix to the left was very The helpful matrix in to organizing the left was all of very thehelpful data collected in organizing and determining all of the data the collected andAfter determining finishingthe the research and After analyzing finishingthe thefindings, research it and was analyzing discoveredthe that findings, using the it was methods discovered that using the methods effectiveness of different facade effectiveness designs. The of different data compared facade designs. louver length The data vs. louver compared profile louver to length vs. outlined louver profile in thistothesis investigation, outlinedit in is this possible thesis to investigation, increase rainwater it is possible harvesting to increase capabilities rainwater of harvesting capabilities of determine the optimal profile and determine size of the the louvers optimal that profile would and besize attached of theto louvers the facade. that would Afterbe testing, attached to the facade. buildings Afterin testing, urban environmentsbuildings through in theurban activation environments of the facade. through Although the activation exactly of how themuch facade. more Although exactly how much more it was found that louver profile itE was at a found lengththat of 3’louver was the profile optimal E at design a length forofthe 3’ was rainwater the optimal collection design for the rainwater effectivecollection is hard to tell due toeffective the complexities is hard toinvolved tell duewith to the harvesting complexities rainwater involved fromwith a vertical harvesting rainwater from a vertical method being tested in this investigation. method being tested in this investigation. surface, it was clear that the facade surface, possessed it was clear the that potential, the facade underpossessed the right conditions, the potential, to increase under the right conditions, to increase rainwater harvesting capabilities. rainwater harvesting capabilities.

GLASS PANEL

MULLION

STEEL DIAGRID FRAME

LOUVER

LOUVER FASTENING ATTACHMENT

BASE PLATE

BOLTS

LOUVER E

LOUVER F

FUTURE FUTURE After establishing that the [hydro]scraper After establishing could that potentially the [hydro]scraper increase rainwater could potentially harvestingincrease rainwater Pictured harvesting below is what the impact Pictured of multiple below [hydro]scrapers is what the impact would of multiple look like.[hydro]scrapers As you can see, would by look like. As you can see, by capabilities of buildings within a capabilities city, it wasof decided buildings to explore within awhat city, impact it was decided this would to explore have onwhat the impact this would have applying on the this method of rainwater applying collection this to method multiple of rainwater buildings throughout collection tothe multiple city, the buildings amountthroughout of the city, the amount of green spaces in a city. If this additional green spaces water in harvested a city. If this wasadditional used for irrigating water harvested parks and wasgreen used for irrigating parks green and green space that could be irrigated greendirectly space that increases. could be This irrigated was andirectly important increases. finding and Thisopened was an important finding and opened spaces around a city, the impacts spaces of droughts around aand city, water the impacts shortages of droughts would be and noticeably water shortages lessened. would be noticeablythe lessened. door to the possibility of designing the doorentire to thecities possibility aroundofthe designing harvesting entire of rainwater cities around the harvesting of rainwater Pictured below is what the impact Pictured of a single below[hydro]scraper is what the impact wouldoflook a single like [hydro]scraper would look like

LENGTH EVALUATIONS

LOUVER PROFILES TESTED

Louver profile A

Louver profile B

LOUVER D

Profile F had a semi-circle end portion that aimed to keep water from being lost as it traveled down the facade

Render Render

Louver profile A

LOUVER C

Profile D was an L-Shaped profile similar to that of profile C

LOUVER ATTACHMENT SYSTEM SYSTEM LOUVER ATTACHMENT

The six corners were depressed to allow water to easily travel down them

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION

INTERIOR GLAZING DIAGRID TO FLOOR JOIST CONNECTION ELEMENT

Louver profile A was the simplest of the profiles tested

The circle was extruded to form a cylindrical volume. The height of the volume was determined from the site boundaries

The final transformation was the twisting of the form. This allowed water to flow down the form at a more controlled speed

ANALYSIS

FLOOR SLABS

INTERIOR GLAZING DIAGRID TO FLOOR JOIST CONNECTION ELEMENT

LOUVER PROFILES LOUVER PROFILES A

Flat roof allows for the collection of water on both the roof and the facade, m ax i m i z i n g the catchment surface area

The form originated from a circle. A circle was chosen because it offered even collection on all sides

PART 3

3 4

EXPLORATIONS OF FORM

PART 3

ABOUT

Due to the large amounts of water Duethat to the thelarge building amounts of water that the building would be collecting, it was alsowould important be collecting, to ana- it was also important to analyze how the waters weight would lyze impact how the thewaters struc- weight would impact the structural integrity of the building. tural Because integrity of waters of the building. Because of waters heavy weight, the storage tanks heavy for weight, the building the storage tanks for the building were placed near the base. Thiswere allowed placed fornear gravity the base. This allowed for gravity to carry the water down the to facade carrytothe thewater base down the facade to the base where it was collected. where it was collected.

Once the concept behind the design research had been established, it was time to begin generating forms. A parametric model was created with variable parameters allowing vast flexibility in the generation of forms. The use of this program ensured that the forms generated for analysis could be manipulated while still maintaining similar constants such as height, area, etc.

This portion of the definition controlled the distance between profile curves, floor to floor height, number of floors, floor slab thickness, and rotation

PART 2

PHASE 2 STRUCTURE 3 FACADE PHASE 2 STRUCTUREPHASE PHASE 3 FACADE This phase focused on the structure This phase of the focused pro- on the structure of the proposed form. The form selected posed to proceed form.with Thewas form selected to proceed with was complex in its shape and curvature, complex thusinrequiring its shape and curvature, thus requiring a unique structural system. After a unique testing structural multiple system. After testing multiple structural support methods, it structural was foundsupport that themethods, it was found that the diagrid structural system best met diagrid the structural needs of the system best met the needs of the form. The flexible diagonal pattern form. ofThe theflexible diagriddiagonal pattern of the diagrid was easily able to support thewas form easily as itable twisted to support the form as it twisted upward. In addition to offeringupward. the best In method addition of to offering the best method of support, the diagrid also provided support, flexibility the diagrid in the also provided flexibility in the attachment of a facade system.attachment of a facade system.

PART 2

Masdar City was designed by Foster Masdar andCity Partners. was designed Foster’sbydesign Fosterteam and Partners. started itsFoster’s work bydesign touringteam ancient started cities its work by touring ancient cities such as Cairo and Muscat to seesuch how as they Cairo keptand cool. Muscat Fostertofound see how thatthey these kept cities cool. coped Foster with found hot desert that these temperacities coped with hot desert temperatures through shorter, narrower tures streets through usually shorter, no longer narrower thanstreets 70 meters. usually Thenobuildings longer than at the 70end meters. of these The buildings at the end of these streets create just enough windstreets turbulence create to just pushenough air upwards, wind turbulence creating a to flushing push air effect upwards, that cools creating the street. a flushing I effect that cools the street. I looked at this building because looked it incorporated at this building so many because sustainable it incorporated design principals so manyon sustainable such a large design scale. principals The on such a large scale. The systems used and the resources systems collected used were andphenomenal. the resources After collected studying were thephenomenal. unique structure Afterand studying the use theofunique structure and the use of the structure to incorporate green the structure design, I began to incorporate to wonder green howdesign, this useI began of structure to wonder couldhow be applied this usetoofmy structure could be applied to my research. research.

MASDAR HEADQUARTERS MASDAR HEADQUARTERS

This portion of the definition controlled the profile of the curves that were lofted to create the form. Arc radius, line length, and number of sides were all variable. This portion was copied six times, making six independently variable profile curves

PART 1

The vision of HSB Turning TorsoThe is based visionon ofaHSB sculpture Turning called TorsoTwisting is basedTorso, on a sculpture which is acalled white Twisting marble piece Torso, based which is a white marble piece based on the form of a twisting humanon being, the form created of aby twisting Santiago human Calatrava. being, This created is a by solid Santiago immobile Calatrava. buildingThis constructis a solid immobile building constructed in nine segments of five-story ed pentagons in nine segments that twist of five-story relative topentagons each otherthat as ittwist rises; relative the topmost to eachsegment other asisit rises; the topmost segment is twisted 90 degrees clockwise with twisted respect 90 degrees to the ground clockwise floor. with Each respect floorto consists the ground of anfloor. irregular Eachpentagonal floor consists of an irregular pentagonal shape rotating around the vertical shape core, rotating which around is supported the vertical by an exterior core, which steel is framework. supported by I chose an exterior this building steel framework. I chose this building as a case study because of its combination as a case study of structure becauseand of its form. combination Using the oftwisting structure design and form. and pairing Using it the with twisting an design and pairing it with an “exoskeleton” for support created “exoskeleton” an appealing forbuilding. supportWhat created if this an exterior appealing bracing building. could What help if this channel exterior water bracing to could help channel water to be collected from the facade? This be collected was an interesting from the facade? proposition This that was Ian encountered. interesting proposition that I encountered.

MALMÖ, SWEDEN MALMÖ, SWEDEN

PHASE 1

PART 1

After the charrette was completed, wascharrette discovered that the system of water recycling the building Afterit the was completed, it was discovered thatwithin the system of water recycling within the building was very intricate. They involvedwas systems that would take much more timethat to analyze and much develop thantime wasto analyze and develop than was very intricate. They involved systems would take more provided for the thesis research.provided Having for realized this, the focus ofHaving the thesis was this, shifted collecting, stor- was shifted to collecting, storthe thesis research. realized thetofocus of the thesis ing, and reusing the rainwater for irrigation around city. After making this decision, it was realized that ing, and reusing the the rainwater for irrigation around the city. After making this decision, it was realized that by having not only one, but multiple rainwater collecting buildings the collecting city, the possibility meet-the city, the possibility for meetby having not only one, but multiplearound rainwater buildingsfor around ing all of the cities irrigation needs became This was an important discovery in the ing all of the evident. cities irrigation needs became evident. This wasinvestigation an important discovery in the investigation because it provided an application at a larger context the research. because it provided anfor application at a larger context for the research.

Today, the Gherkin is primarily Today, an office thebuilding. GherkinThis is primarily is one ofan the office mainbuilding. reasonsThis I chose is one thisofbuilding the mainasreasons a case I chose this building as a case study. Looking at what makes this study. unique, Looking energy at what efficient makes office thisbuilding unique,effective energy efficient was important office building in understandeffective was important in understanding how sustainable design principles ing howcould sustainable be applied design to larger principles structures. could beThe applied othertoreason largerthis structures. building was The other reason this building was analyzed was its “twisting” exterior analyzed structure. was its This “twisting” downward exterior spiral structure. formed by This thedownward diagrid emulates spiral formed a guiding by the diagrid emulates a guiding motion towards the base of themotion structure. towards The twisting the basenature of theof structure. the building The struck twisting me nature as perfect of thefor building collecting struck me as perfect for collecting rainwater. As water falls on the rainwater. exterior cladding, As water itfalls could on spiral the exterior down through cladding,a itseries couldofspiral extended downmullions through a series of extended mullions formed by the diagrid. Just a thought formedatbyfirst, the diagrid. soon thisJust ideaaofthought a wateratcollecting first, soon diagrid this idea began of ato water seemcollecting more anddiagrid began to seem more and more practical. more practical.

LONDON, ENGLAND LONDON, ENGLAND

ABOUT

The charrette swap was a portion the design research thesis was swapped with that aofthesis another Theofcharrette swap was awhere portiona of the design research where was swapped with that of another student, and then a week was allotted explore area of theto thesis. For this charrette the student,toand then aa specific week was allotted explore a specific area ofswap, the thesis. For this charrette swap, the area of focus was the collection,area storage, andwas reuse water throughout The charrette swap of focus theofcollection, storage, the andbuilding. reuse of water throughout the building. The charrette swap participant, philpatsy agwu, wasparticipant, tasked withphilpatsy analyzing waterwas reuse systems in buildings and reuse exploring the in buildings and exploring the agwu, tasked with analyzing water systems effectiveness of these systems.effectiveness of these systems.

CANYON LAKE, TEXAS CANYON LAKE, TEXAS

200’

CHARRETTE CHARRETTE

CANYON LAKE CANYON AREA LAKE AREA CHAMBERCHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF COMMERCE

600’

CRITERIA well the building

CASE STUDIES CASE STUDIES

600’

TOOLS

CRITERIA

Because rain falls at an angleBecause due to wind rain speed falls at an angle due to wind speed and direction, facades can onlyand collect direction, roughly facades 1/3 can only collect roughly 1/3 of the water that a flat roof could. of the Knowing waterthis, that the a flat roof could. Knowing this, the catchment surface area would need catchment to be tripled surfaceinarea would need to be tripled in order to match the collection ordercapacity to match of athe collection capacity of a traditional roof system. traditional roof system.

Architectural journals, architectural Architectural journals, Tools architectural used for the charrette wereTools up toused the for the charrette were Grasshopper up to the was used as the primary Grasshopper tool was used as the primary Grasshopper tool was used to test and Grasshopper apply was used to testGrasshopper and apply was used to test and Grasshopper apply was used to testParticle and apply simulation was one of Particle the main simulation was one ofTools the main for the categorization andTools analysis for the categorization and analysis magazines, architectural books, magazines, and architectural discretion books, of andthe student, however discretion it was of the student, however for generating it was the forms. It allowed for generating for the forms. It allowed differentforstructural systems different to the structural systemsthe to facade the system. Sections the facade and system. Sections tools used and in this phase. Thetools particle used in this phase. The of research particle included graphs, diagrams, of research included graphs, diagrams, websites were all used to provide websitesa were all used encouraged to provide toa create tangible products encouraged to create tangible products accurate flexibility of form manipulation accurate flexibility of form manipulation selected form. CAD was alsoselected used toform. CAD was also elevations used to were also created elevations and were also created simulation and allowed for more simulation accurate allowed for moreand accurate spreadsheets and spreadsheets thorough analysis of the case study thorough analysis of the case study and generation and generation design and explore connection details design and explore connection analyzed details analyzed testing of louver performance testing of louver performance

TOOLS

200’

a form was generated, it was systems regularly Structural usedfacade in facade development Theinvolved performance of the Using rainwater Using all of the data and information After a case study was selected, After it was a case study was selected, Guidelines it was for the charrette were Guidelines given to for the charrette were After given a to form was generated,After it was Structural used in systems regularlyThe development The involved performance of the The rainwater all of the data and information all of the design were analyzed. skyscraper After of both the exterior glazing attachment glazing as system was testedcollection throughduring the research,collected analyzed and then based on theanalyzed analysisand then based on a peer the analysis and based on those guidelines a peerthey and based on those guidelines analyzed they and compared. Once analyzed all of theand compared. Onceskyscraper After design were analyzed. attachment as of both the exteriorcollection through system was tested collected findings during the research, findings analysis werethe louvers. wellprofile as the louvers. Louver profile digital simulations and calculations were recorded was usefulinformation to the that was useful had a week to the to create a design had proposal. a week to create a designforms proposal. had been generated, one forms form was had been generated, oneanalysis form wasthe structural systems were the structural systems well as Louver digital simulations and calculations were recorded to the building form anddesigns evaluated designs and lengths were explored investigation was noted investigation was noted Upon completion, the work was presented Upon completion, the work wasselected presented as the form to continue selected designas the form to continue applied design to the building form and applied evaluated and lengths were explored on their compatibility in depth in depth research with research with on their compatibility

HOW

WARM SEASON PRECIPATION WARM SEASON PRECIPATION COLD SEASON PRECIPATION COLD SEASON PRECIPATION

CONTEXT

PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE INDICATORS INDICATORS POOR

AVERAGE POOR

GOODAVERAGE

BESTGOOD

BEST

114

115

116

117

118