A Collection of Works by Christopher Loyal
Christopher Loyal M.Arch Candidate (exp. May 2012) Georgia Institute of Technology cloyal3@gatech.edu 706.627.3380 736 Bellemeade Avenue Atlanta, GA 30318
Georgia Tech School of Music
Fall 2011 - Professors David Yocum + Brian Bell
Bayou Purification
Winter 2010/11 - Independent Competition Submission
Modular Work Force Housing
Spring 2011 - Professor Minjung Maing
New York City Waterfall
Fall 2006 - Professor Martha Skinner
Barcelona Block Recovery
Spring 2007 - Professor Juan-Carlos Sanchez
Studio Between Two Ponds Fall 2008 - Independent Design
Hermitage + Landscape
Fall 2005 - Professor Chong-Zi Chen
Material Exploration Multiple Projects
The proposed building takes advantage of Georgia Tech’s Campus Master Plan which will be implemented in 5 to 10 years. The site borders the future Arts Piazza, + the heavily travelled Hemphill Corridor.
Arts Piazza
In order to showcase GT music, we have proposed a path that invites people to exit the piazza or the corridor + stroll through all of the excitement of the music school. N
The northeast corner of the building is lifted up, and allow the Arts Piazza to extend into the courtyard. The path provides visitors with exposure to musical rehearsal and performance, and it provides SoM students/faculty with spaces for collaboration and exciting views. The floor plans on the next page show how the path wraps around performance spaces and through the courtyard.
Vicinity Plan
Hemphill Corridor
Second Floor Vocal Ensemble (north) Marching Band (south)
Third Floor Jazz Ensemble
Fifth Floor Orchestra
Ground Floor Concert Hall
Fourth Floor Percusiion/MIDI Ensemble
Sixth Floor
Path
Rehearsal
Performance
The diagrams and sections on this spread emphasize the path’s role in providing the participant with unique experiences.
Perhaps the most exciting architectural episode occurs in the courtyard.
Path The path passes over the courtyard multiple times, stepping up + away from the large concert hall.
As shown in the sections on the next page, the North wall of the Concert Hall is a glass partition that can be lifted up and down. This allows for concerts to extend outside of the actual theater and into the courtyard.
Rehearsal Performance
Section: no concert
Section: concert extends beyond theater + engages the path
Modular Work Force Housing This project called for a diverse Mixed-Use Building that housed a variety of program types including residential units for Atlanta’s Work Force Housing Initiative. Work Force Housing is a government program that seeks to bring government employees inside the cities that they serve instead of allowing the high costs of city dwelling to force them into the suburbs. My proposal uses a structural steel module that is largely fabricated offsite, and trucked to its final destination. Since the Work Force Housing Program is relatively untested in Atlanta, a structural module is appropriate because it allows the building to increase or decrease its number of residential units based on the success of the government’s program. This project won an Honorable Mention in the 2011 Portman Prize Competition.
Fire fighters, police officers, + teachers are among the Atlantans whose salaries prevent them from residing in the city that they serve and protect.
The Atlanta Work Force Housing Initiative is an organization that places deserving professionals into urban housing by means of government subsidies.
URBS B U S ANTA ATL
My project seeks to optimize the WFI’s system with prime site location (the corner of Peachtree Street + North Avenue) + structural flexibility.
The Site Plan shows the ample public + semipublic space provided by this proposal. Hosting a food truck lot ensures affordable dining, and lining North + Peachtree with retail seeks to capitalize on foot/automobile traffic.
Current Problem
Proposal
Food Truck Lot
(Public Garage Below)
Dining Courtyard
Retail Space
Retail Space
Public Garden
Resident Common Area
Site Plan
N
1: 1
2
2 1:1
F
N Residential Level
Residential Unit
South Elevation
The diagram on this page illustrates the building’s potential. The residential modules can be stacked + dismounted. Government housing efforts have proven to be unpredictable, and the Work Force Housing Initiative is untested. If the program proves successful the module’s structural integrity would allow the building to expand vertically.
The physical model on the next page is composed of 14 gauge steel that I plasma cut + welded. The floor is cast cement. The proposed building module incorporates the same custom steel plates, and reinforced concrete floors.
Current Building Proposal
Vertical Expansion made possible by Module
The steel structural modules are designed to be trucked from the fabrication plant, then arranged + clad on site.
Increased Height correlates to success of gov’t program
Light Trey funnels light to back rooms + softens Glow in Living Area/Kitchen
14 Gauge Steel Model Plasma Cut + Welded
Spring Loaded Sun Screen w/Operable Bimetallic Spring
The interior rendering is drawn from the kitchen/living area of a residential unit. Each unit has a privileged view of downtown Atlanta.
The light trey is a curved gypsum board channel with strategic piercing that softly distribute light throughout the living space + into the back bedrooms. Its form is a direct response to the custom steel structure.
The lower rendering on this page shows the lower public garden. It is intended to be an area of peaceful isolation. The water wall drowns out the sounds of traffic, and the landscape is designed to create a verdant urban oasis.
The bird’s eye perspective (opposite) shows the spacious green roof, the residential foot bridge, and the wading pool area.
New York City Waterfall The New York City Waterfall is a swimming pavilion and a spectacle. The building sits at the edge of the Hudson, and part of it actually hovers over the river. The structure supports a large swimming pool 25’ in the air. Participants can enjoy not only the pool itself, but also the approach. A series of ramps leads the eager swimmer up through several walls of water. The water flows strategically from the pool above, creating unique spaces.
The pavilion sits above the Hudson River + beside the Westside Highway. It serves primarily as a public swimming pool/spectacle, but it also hosts additional programmatic elements. The First Level provides access from the Westside Highway. It contains four rooms for storage and maintenance. The Second Level contains showers, toilets, and offices. The Swimming Pool Level contains a spacious lounge deck, and the public pool. The pavilion sucks up water from the Hudson River (as shown in the section), filters/cleans it and pumps it into the pool. The the water then drains through the linear slots (shown in the Swimming Pool Plan) and creates unique spaces below. This cleansing process seeks to offer New Yorkers an opportunity to use the Hudson for swimming. This activity has previously been seen as unsanitary.
Site Plan
Second Level
Swimming Pool Level
Section
This model was constructed to provide the effect of the continuously flowing water. It provides aspects of the desired experience that are not able to be captured through drawings. The sounds and feel of the water walls become evident. The model achieves this feeling by allowing water to flow from the tub, up to the pool, down through the tubes, and back up again. The tub contains a great amount of water, and the pump distributes the water accordingly. The water drops down beside the walkways, and serves as a visual wall. The model was constructed of plexiglass, cement, and balsa wood. All of these materials are able to withstand a certain amount of moisture. The base is a piece of particle board with slots sawed into it in order to allow the water to drain back into the tub.
A Collection of Works by Christopher Loyal