Joseck || B.Arch Thesis

A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE PART TO THE WHOLE AT MULTIPLE SCALES Investigated through the Design of a Sculpture Gallery in Washington DC

HANNA JOSECK Bachelor of Architecture Thesis Virginia Tech 2014 - 2015

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THESIS

By questioning pattern generation and the physical manifestation of patterns into spatial form, my year long study has evolved into an exploration of the relationship between the part and the whole at multiple scales with a concentration on the following concepts: density, adjacency, similarity, pattern, repetition, fractals, variety, and generation.

These concepts create and define the elements, structures, assemblies, masses, groupings, and the context within the architectural whole. This creates a selfreplicating and self-generating system that is dependent on the initial unit and influences of the site and program.

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QU ES TIO

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STUDY 01

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CONCLUSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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QUESTIONS The Propellants of the Study

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How can patterns be utilized to create architectural space?

How does the Part create the Whole?

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QUESTIONS: How is an architectural pattern created?

Can a pattern be altered and remain cohesive?

What constitutes an architectural pattern?

Is a pattern merely an aggregation of units?

Can one unit be considered a pattern?

If architecture can be visually derived into understandable patterns, does it increase the quality of the design?

Can a pattern be considered the method of creating a whole from a series of parts?

What are the intervals between the part and the whole?

Is the entire knowledge of one part enough to understand the whole?

Is the whole dependent on the part?

Is the part dependent on the whole?

Is the whole a sum of its parts or does it transcend its parts?

Is one part dependent on an adjacent part or do they have individual identities?

Can a single part create space or only a collection of parts?

When is a part seen as a whole?

How can a fractal influence design, more specifically architecture?

Can a fractal be deconstructed?

Does a deconstructed fractal retain the relationships between the units?

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PART

WHOLE

ELEMENT STRUCTURE ASSEMBLY MASS GROUP CONTEXT

PART:

A portion or division of a whole that is separate or distinct.

WHOLE:

A thing complete in itself, or comprising all its parts.

ELEMENT:

STRUCTURE:

ASSEMBLY:

A component or constituent of a whole or one of the parts into which a whole may be resolved by analysis.

A complex system considered from the point of view of the whole rather than of any single part.

A fitting together of manufactured parts into a complete structure.

MASS:

A collection of parts or objects regarded as forming one body.

GROUP:

An assemblage of objects regarded as a unit.

CONTEXT:

The interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs.

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“An important characteristic of wholes, which applies to wholes such as observed in nature as well as to those in architecture, is that they cannot be conceived strictly in themselves, apart from their contexts. Indeed, the holistic definition of wholes stresses just this point: ‘...by whole I mean this whole plus its field, its field not as something different and additional to it, but as the continuation of it beyond the sensible contours of experience.’ E.C. MAHFUZ 2 Page 21

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STUDY 01

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GENERATIVE STUDY A triptych study that analyses principles of pattern growth, primary units, and magnitudes of generation.

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STUDY 01

Unit: Line Principle: Spiraling Pen on Paper 19 inches by 10 inches

Edge Condition

Interior Condition

Each study is created with the same series of generation points with a unit that undergoes an operation, according to a different principle of growth. The combination of the unit, the principle, and the inherent magnitude associated with each point determines the overall form of each pattern, all of which yield different results. In Study 01, a continuous spiraling line expands from each center point. This line responds to the previous line creating a ripple effect that eventually impacts the outermost line and determines the form of the whole.

Contextures2: sequences of semantic units which, if altered, would necessarily change the whole.

Center Condition

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Questions: In which direction does a pattern grow? Inward generation versus outward generation?

How is a boundary created? Naturally versus preconceived versus cut by a secondary line?

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STUDY 02

Unit: Circle Principle: Scaling Pen on Paper 19 inches by 10 inches

Edge Condition

Interior Condition

In this study, circular units expand away from the center points, the circular units increase in size and line thickness until they reach units from another generation center. The drawn circles are imperfect and deform to fully saturate the available space. The alternating packing arrangement creates a nesting growth pattern.

This study questioned whether the circle is considered as a continuous line or a circular region. In this case, it is treated as a circular region that cannot be overlapped by another region.

Questions: How does the system denote the center point?

How do units within the system evolve?

Can space be drawn or can only the limit of space be drawn?

Center Condition

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STUDY 03

Unit: Line Principle: Radiating Pen on Paper 19 inches by 10 inches

Edge Condition

Interior Condition

Center Condition

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In this study, straight lines radiate directly away from the center generation points with an approximate magnitude assigned to each region. The length of the line increases if it is in between two regions. Although the lines appear to touch in the middle, no overlapping occurs to keep the individuality of each unit.

Questions: What determines the edge of a pattern?

When a pattern ends, does it diminish naturally or abruptly?

Is it cut off at a certain boundary?

What occurs at the endpoints?

What determines the spacing and density of a pattern?

Is the condition of the center point and the end point the same or different?

Can end points be shared entities or are they secondary units with an individual identity?

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STUDY 01

Unit: Line Principle: Spiraling Grasshopper Software 19 inches by 10 inches The original hand drawn study was recreated using Rhino and Grasshopper. This version removes all imperfections introduced by the hand, therefore all the ripples and irregular areas disappear. The spiral was replaced with a series of perfect circles. Generated from the center points, the circles expand until they combine with adjacent circles. This joining is also reflected in the scale of the line weight of the pattern. When all the circles have been joined in this method, one final outer ring is drawn to fully engulf the pattern, creating a true boundary curve.

Original

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Questions: Can a resultant boundary reveal the points of generation?

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STUDY 02

Unit: Circle Principle: Scaling Grasshopper Software 19 inches by 10 inches The circular regions radiate from the center point in perfectly scaled bands. Each circle is connected to the next band of circles at the quadrant points of the circle. In the previous study, the shape of the circle was compromised to create a densely packed area. In this version, the integrity of the circle is more important than the dense arrangement. As the circles get closer to the center point they become infinitely smaller before disappearing altogether.

Original

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Questions: What happens in between two regions of generation?

Can a pattern compromise to secondary factors or is a pattern unyielding?

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STUDY 03

Unit: Line Principle: Radiating Grasshopper Software 19 inches by 10 inches The lines expand from the center points in every direction until they reach the perceived “magnitude” boundary that morphs according the aesthetic factors.

In the computer generated version, a literal boundary was used to cut the lines at a specific point, unlike the hand drawing. In between two zones of generation the lines connect and thus share endpoints.

Original

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Questions: Are endpoints and center points secondary units or characteristics of the primary unit [the line]?

By sharing an endpoint, is the individuality of the line compromised?

Can the white space of the paper be considered a “site”?

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Study 01

HAND DRAWINGS

Study 02

Study 03

At the smallest scale, the individual lines are considered parts [to the whole] but at the larger scales the groupings of lines are now considered the parts [to the whole]. This dynamic relationship between the parts can be redefined depending on the context of the whole being described.

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Study 01

Study 02

Study 03

SCRIPTED DRAWINGS

These drawings are perfect versions of the hand drawings to the left. They are each generated with the same principles that created the corresponding originals, however, a rich quality was lost in the translation. The hand drawings have a different characteristic that is valued over the perfection in these drawings.

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STUDY 01 MODEL

Unit: Line Principle: Spiraling Corrugated Paper Strips 19 inches by 10 inches This model was created with a series of concentric paper “walls” that are lower near the center points and higher towards the outer boundary.

Each wall remains separate from the adjacent walls in order to maintain the individuality of the unit. The walls bypass each other to blend the radiating areas together. This creates common areas that are assimilated by the height of the walls. The height of the walls increases exponentially, quickly enclosing the space in the center of the swirls. The ridges in the paper add another dimension to the construct, creating a recognizable scale specific to the units.

“An architectural whole is a complex phenomenon composed of heterogeneous elements. It is unified by a ‘device,’ that is, a structuring principle. Its constitutive elements appear in a hierarchy in a way that some are essential to the unity of the whole and some are not.

Lastly, a change in one of the primary parts is tantamount to the alteration of the whole.”

-E.C. Mahfuz 2 Page 21 Questions: Can a generative pattern begin to degenerate within the same system?

Would it break the system if the walls dissolved into the base?

Are there any external influences on a “blank” site?

Overall Model Progression

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Spatial Interpretation of Study 01

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STUDY 02 MODEL

Unit: Circle Principle: Scaling Basswood Dowels 19 inches by 10 inches This model is created using a series of dowel rods attached together in staggered tiers.

Each rod is identical in height but varies in diameter per tier.

As each unit (dowel rod) is located further from the center point the location on the z-axis raises in a logarithmic fashion.

The initial units raise off the base plane dramatically, then the following units rise in smaller and smaller increments until the change in height is negligible.

In the computer generated drawing, each circle was connected at the aligning quadrant points. This characteristic was altered when the drawing was translated to a physical model. During the construction of the model, it was quickly realized that the dowel rods were easier to connect when nested between two rods previously installed. This nesting method of generation resulted in two stable attachment points as opposed to one unstable connection.

The model was constructed from each center point, expanding equally until reaching the next grouping.

The interior region of the circles from Study 02 was interpreted as the mass for this model. Alternatively, the exterior space of the circles could have been considered the mass, in essence inverting the positive and negative space in a second iteration.

Overall Model Progression

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Questions: Should the height of the unit be another variable in the system?

Spatial Interpretation of Study 02

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STUDY 03 MODEL

Unit: Line Principle: Radiating String and Needles 19 inches by 10 inches This model is created with a series of needles that are the physical manifestation of the endpoints in the previous scripted drawing. By connecting each outer needle with the center needle, this model begins to enclose space. The height of the needle and size of the eye of the needle is determined by its location within the pattern.

Endpoints that are intersections of two units are demarcated by a taller needle with a larger eye.

Outer endpoints are demarcated by a lower needle with a smaller eye.

This pattern creates a spatial experience that starts to explain to the user their location within the construct.

Another pattern that begins to reveal itself is the opacity of the construct. The closer you are to a central point of generation the darker and more opaque the construct is, due to the overlapping of the units.

When viewed from a structural aspect each unit (length of string) is supported only at its starting point and ending point, therefore each unit is spanning the distance between in a beamlike fashion. This establishes a dependent relationship between the two units, distinguishing between primary units (needles) and secondary units (string).

Questions: Can every pattern reveal a primary and secondary unit?

Overall Model Progression

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Spatial Interpretation of Study 03

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PAVILION INTERVENTIONS Public Parks + Sculpture Galleries Northwest Washington DC 37

PROGRAM:

The project is a series of art galleries and public parks curated by the National Gallery of Art as an extension of their current Gallery on the National Mall. The design enhances the visitors’ viewing experience of the collection while also promoting the use of the park by local residents.

INTENT:

The goal of the project is to create spaces with rich atmospheric qualities in order to foster optimal exhibition areas and to provide a retreat within the city. By incorporating the landscape into the design, the gallery blends into the site creating a gradual experiential approach.

ARCHITECTURAL PROPOSAL:

The proposal is a systematic architectural construct in which aspects such as light, paths, focal points, gathering areas, and seating areas can be designed and manipulated to accentuate the programmatic use of each space. The consistent architectural language creates a visual texture and composes each gallery so that visitors are able to recognize the other galleries as they walk throughout the city.

URBAN IMPACT:

The galleries encourage visitors to travel between all of the circles which highlights the geometric relationships between the avenues and significant landmarks in the city.

Because all of the galleries are composed of an aggregate of materials, there is a textural similarity not only with the other corresponding galleries but also with the Washington DC metro stations. This visual connection becomes a recognizable characteristic of Washington DC. 38

PROCESS: Study 02 manifested as a spatial construct through a section drawing

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ELEMENT

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Individuality of the Part

ELEMENT: EXERCISE 01

Unit: Paper Principle: Layering 700 layers of Bristol paper 5.5 inches by 9 inches by 1.5 inches Once assembled each unique layer of paper is associated with the neighboring layers, creating a fluid object. The mind no longer recognizes each individual layer and instead recognizes the change between each layer, encapsulating the negative space which seems to morph and flow. In this study, the parts become anonymous and the whole becomes the subject. This study proved that a whole is of a greater quality when it is composed of distinguishable parts. “An implication for architecture is that the way the parts are constituted and organized in an architectural whole is what determines its character.�

-E.C. Mahfuz 2 Page 21 42

EXERCISE: Density of Anonymous Parts Creates a Texture

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Interior Tube Lighting

ELEMENT: TUBE CONSTRUCTION

At the top and bottom of each tube, a metal ring is attached to create a point of connection to the adjacent tube. This creates an augmented honeycomb connection system that forms a structural truss that can expand in any direction horizontally.

The metal ring and connection plates can occur at any angle, allowing for infinite arrangement options. This discovery proved that only a circular unit was a viable option for this project.

If the primary unit was another shape, for example a square or hexagon, the assembly of these units would have been restricted to a pattern defined by the geometry as opposed to the circle which can solely rely on influences of the site and program to determine the form.

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TUBE CAP VAPOR BARRIER SKIRT METAL CONNECTION PLATE METAL BRACKET

TUBE CAP DRAINAGE HOLES RETAINING METAL PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND METAL CONNECTION PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND EXTERIOR TUBE

WATERPROOF MEMBRANE INSULATION VAPOR BARRIER METAL PLATE RUBBER RING ANCHORED METAL BAND

INTERIOR TUBE ANCHORED METAL BAND METAL CONNECTION PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND

TUBE CAP DRAINAGE HOLES RETAINING METAL PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND METAL CONNECTION PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND EXTERIOR TUBE

WATERPROOF MEMBRANE INSULATION VAPOR BARRIER METAL PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND INTERIOR TUBE

ANCHORED METAL BAND METAL CONNECTION PLATE ANCHORED METAL BAND

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Connection System

Thermal Break between Interior and Exterior Tubes

ELEMENT: TUBE CONSTRUCTION

At the center of the tube is a horizontal plane system. This is where the thermal break occurs. An interior tube and an exterior tube interlock together to slow the transfer of heat to the conditioned space. A gap in the joint breaks the capillary action of any residual water droplets that may seep passed the water proofing membrane to prevent moisture from traveling inside the gallery.

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SECTIONAL AXONOMETRIC: Tube Detail

AXONOMETRIC: Tube Detail

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Typology Arrangements

ELEMENT: TUBE CLASSIFICATIONS

Each tube is closed off with a removable metal cap that can be interchanged with a variety of options, such as a grass, plants, pavers, or glass. This allows for different opportunities to take place in the gallery. For example, if the exhibition in the gallery below ground required more direct sunlight, then the curator could replace all of the tube caps with glazed caps. Or perhaps the exhibit required a more visible appearance above ground to attract attention from pedestrians, then the curator could replace all of the tube caps with red flower planters to alter the overall color scheme of the park. This interchangeability of parts would also be beneficial during the winter months so all the plants and grasses could be moved into a greenhouse to protect the foliage. This effect creates a direct relationship between the park and gallery atmospheres, mostly in terms of visual qualities but also acoustic qualities. If a majority of the tube caps were planters, the sounds below ground would be muted, however if the tube caps were mostly glazed or paved, the sounds would be amplified. This would create a beautiful kettle drum musical effect in the gallery during a rainstorm, due to the different diameters of the tubes.

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Nesting Assembly

Adjacent Assembly

ELEMENT: TUBE FUNCTION

Aluminum Tubes, Concrete, Plaster 6.5 inches by 5 inches by 4 inches Each tube is positioned at a different height within the boundary of the system which creates an undulating section.

Below ground the tubes form the ceiling plane and puncture the surface to create skylights. Some tubes fall to the ground acting as columns and retaining walls. In the system, all of the programmatic needs of the galleries are satisfied by variations of the original unit.

Questions: How can the units be assembled to create cohesive programmatic areas?

Should the tubes nest together or uniformly assemble?

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Above Ground Condition

Interior Condition

PROCESS: Sample Wall Model

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STRUCTURE

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Side View

Initial Sketch

STRUCTURE: EXERCISE 02

Unit: Circle Principle: Multiplying Acrylic, Basswood, and Wire 6 inches by 6 inches by 10 inches On the topmost level, one circle is cut into the acrylic square. On the second level, the circle has been divided into four circles, thus quadrupling the units. This method of generation repeats for each tier creating a fractal.

When viewed from the top the relationship between all of the circles is highlighted, but when viewed from the side each level is clearly distinguished. This demonstrates how a system can have different horizontal relationships and vertical relationships.

Fractal1: any irregular curves or shapes for which any suitably chosen part is similar in shape to a given larger or smaller part when magnified or reduced to the same size.

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STRUCTURE: FRACTALS

“One principal misunderstanding of fractals and their application to architecture is that the simple repetition of forms at different scales suffices to make a design fractal and therefore provide it with an elusive organic quality. In an extremely superficial analysis, one might draw the conclusion; however, this idea is empty of any understanding on the nature of fractal structure. The repetition of shapes at various levels of scaling that gives the object the quality of selfsimilarity is the result of a series of transformations.

The initial set of transformations acts as the blueprint or structure establishing the form going forward. This structure is reinforced and enhanced with each successive iteration....

As the iterations increase, the awareness of the seed object decreases and the perception of the structure of the transformations increases. The structure of the transformations can be thought of as the nature of the relationships between the parts and between the parts and the whole.�

-James Harris3 Page 15 56

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STRUCTURE: ADJUSTED FRACTALS

This diagram represents the relationship between the context, groupings, masses, structures, assemblies and elements. In the previous fractal, each tier of identical parts replicates the previous tier, thus the part is a diagram of the whole. In the second diagram, each part is not identical, forming a system with an internal hierarchy. Although the parts are not identical they are still understood as part of a system due to the structuring method.

Questions: How are different architectural tiers determined? By scale?

By form? By function?

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01. Triangular Diagrid

02. Circles at Intersections

03. Scale Variation

STRUCTURE: AUGMENTED DIAGRID

Each tube is connected to all the tubes adjacent to it creating a network of interrelated parts. These tubes are structurally dependant on each other, much like the bricks in a vault.

Because the connection method can occur at any orientation, the tubes are not forced to expand in a predetermined connection, providing the system the freedom to take on an organic form.

This is critical for the manifestation of the program.

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PLAN: The outer ring of tubes become columns to support the truss

SECTION: The Tube Truss creates a vaulted space below ground.

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ASSEMBLY

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Option A: Above Ground

Option B: Below Ground

ASSEMBLY: SECTION ORIENTATION

The above sketches depict two sectional opportunities made possible by the truss system. Option A [above] raises different areas of the construct to create spatial boundaries for the park area, while Option B using the same transformations creates spatial differentiation by creating pockets of open areas that begin to act as rooms. These section options could be directly or indirectly positioned [right]. Section A positions the two options indirectly, which creates an interesting sectional form but would hinder the amount of sunlight that would reach the lower level. Section B, however, not only optimizes the amount of sunlight entering the gallery, but also creates a denotation system in which every peak above ground denotes the location of a piece of sculpture below.

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Section A: Indirect Relationship

Section B: Direct Relationship

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PROCESS: Section Alignments

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STATIC

ASSEMBLY: THE PATHS

DYNAMIC

The tiered heights are designed according the programmatic areas they form. The higher tubes form slower activity areas, ideal for sitting or resting, while the lower tubes form fast pace areas. This distinguishes the peaks as gathering areas and the valleys as pathways. By designing the park with this strategy, the site remains visually open while providing multiple outdoor rooms for many people to enjoy simultaneously.

This allows for microclimates to form within the macroclimate.

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Pathways occur in the valleys while the peaks offer a place to rest.

PROCESS: Changes in elevation create gathering areas without dividing the whole park.

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Convex Curve: Individual Space

Concave Curve: Gathering Space

ASSEMBLY: THE OUTDOOR ROOM

Each assembly is created with a series of center points and an undulating boundary. These concave and convex curves have different inherent qualities that begin to create subtle shifts in spaces, for example, introverted and extroverted space. On a convex curve, two people could be sitting in close proximity to one another but, due to the slight curvature, their gaze is directed away from one another creating a seemingly individual space. However, on a concave curve, the inward curvature encloses an outdoor room creating a place to gather. These two types of outdoor spaces are intermixed throughout the park to provide multiple microclimates within the landscape.

Additionally, the space between the assemblies form other outdoor rooms located along the pathways. The undulating form creates a sense of compression and release while walking through the construct. When a pedestrian arrives in an area of release the space expands creating a subconscious room.

The sizes of the tubes within the assembly are determined by a scripted algorithm with a specific percentage of variation both of which are controlled by the designer. The tubes closest to the boundary of the assembly are the lowest to the ground and the smallest in diameter. Therefore, the tubes in the central area are the highest and the widest. This creates peaks and valleys.

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PLAN DIAGRAM: Black circles denote highest tier; light gray denotes lowest

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PROCESS: Study 01 manifested as a spatial construct

ASSEMBLY: LIGHT STUDY

In the iteration to the right, the ceiling is composed of a continuous grouping of hollow tubes which cast shadows throughout the galleries. The depth of each tube varies which allows different amounts of sunlight to pass through each tube.

This creates varying levels of light into each gallery. This study proved that light can be used to lead people through a space and introduced the idea that light can create thresholds between different spaces.

Similarly, the exercise pictured above illustrates that the proximity of units impacts the amount of light that enters the resultant space which creates different atmospheres within the construct. Light as an architectural element can denote different areas within one continuous space.

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PROCESS: Stairwell into Lower Galleries

PROCESS: Ramp into Larger Gallery

PROCESS: Lower Gallery with a skylight into Upper Gallery

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MASS

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PROCESS: Underground Light Conditions

MASSING: EXERCISE 03

Unit: Acrylic Rod Principle: Clustering Acrylic Rods, Rockite 7 inches by 7 inches by 1 inches A cluster of acrylic rods passes through a rockite block allowing light to infiltrate the mass. This creates a soft light quality that connects the upper and lower surface of the block by allowing the movement and illumination above the block to have an effect on the surface below the block.

This applies to the built pavilion by depicting the light conditions that would shift throughout the day according to the weather. This change in atmosphere connects the two spaces.

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EXERCISE: Rockite Block illuminated from below

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PROCESS: Pavilions allow pedestrians to percolate in between.

MASSING: SITE INFLUENCES

01. Existing Roadways: Pedestrian paths align with the streets intersecting at the traffic circle. A car tunnel passes underneath the circle to allow thru traffic to bypass the circle.

02. Existing Vegetation: Tall mature deciduous trees are scattered throughout the park. The boundary of the trees’ roots defines the maximum buildable area in the center of the park.

03. Topography: Within the boundaries of the buildable area a massing topography was designed with the intent to weave pedestrians through the site without disrupting their path.

Tropism: The turning or bending movement of a part towards or away from an external stimulus -- heat, light, gravity -- and an optimized disposition of elements and subcomponents.

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01. Existing Roadways 01. EXISTING ROADWAYS

Pedestrian paths align with the streets intersecting at the traffic circle. A car tunnel passes underneath the circle to allow thru traffic to bypass the circle.

02. Existing Vegetation 01. EXISTING ROADWAYS

Pedestrian paths align with the streets intersecting at the traffic circle. A car tunnel passes underneath the circle to allow thru traffic to bypass the circle.

02. EXISTING VEGETATION

Tall mature deciduous trees are scattered throughout the park. The boundary of the trees' roots define the maximum buildable area in the center of the park.

03. Topography 02. EXISTING VEGETATION

Tall mature deciduous trees are scattered throughout the park. The boundary of the trees' roots define the maximum

03. TOPOGRAPHY

Within the boundaries of the buildable area a massing topography was designed with the intent to weave pedestri-

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DIAGRAM: Topography Heights and Spacing

MASSING: PLANS

The architectural landscape is manipulated to create emotionally evocative places within the site. Pedestrians gradually come upon the built construct and are nudged out of their monotonous routine and brought into a new atmosphere and mind set.

The overall form is defined by two existing site functions.

The first being that pedestrians cross through the center of the site consistently throughout the day, therefore, the form respects their line of travel while weaving their path to create a scenic landscape. The second site function is that the park provides seating for people to enjoy the green space.

There is a bench that circumvents the park. On a summer day, every seat on the bench is occupied. The proposed project increases the amount of seating surface area by providing undulating seating and staggering the heights of the tubes.

An underground tunnel cuts through the site severing the gallery into two separate entities. Other sites in the series lack the underground tunnel in which case the gallery would expand the full width of the park above.

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PLAN: Ramps gently bring pedestrians down to entrances located below ground.

N PLAN: Columns imply walls to give galleries definition.

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SECTION: The rhythmic orientation of the tubes determines the spatial atmosphere.

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SECTION: The pavilion occupies the horizon line.

MASSING: EXHIBITION AREAS

Although the gallery is the traditional exhibition area, the park acts as an unnamed exhibition area. People sitting on the tubes are at an optimal place to not only observe passing pedestrians but also the surrounding city. This inverts the focus of the exhibition. The below ground gallery is inwardly focused on the sculpture collection while the above ground ‘gallery’ is outwardly focused on the city.

The highest ‘peak’ of the park is seven feet high in order to keep the site visually open. This idea is based on historical precedents such as Roman forums and Greek agoras. Both are places of historical political activity that required an openness and sense of transparency in the site in order to not infringe on the citizens’ right to assemble. This concept is very applicable to Washington DC as the nation’s capital.

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The undulating tubes create an architectural texture.

Steps in the floor reflect the height change in the ceiling above to amplify the sense of release.

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The edge of the park dissolves into the landscape.

MASSING: SITE PLAN

The proposal is influenced by precedent studies of English gardens. English gardens mimic the landscape in order to create a scenic and romantic atmosphere. They are not usually geometrically defined, tending to be asymmetrical and curvilinear. This is opposed to French gardens which are strict geometric compositions creating formal atmospheres.

These characteristics emerged in the proposed pavilion in many ways. The pathways all weave throughout the site to create smaller intimate spaces within the park. At the edge of the construct, the tubes gradually dissolve into the landscape to blur the boundary of the pavilion and the existing landscape.

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Projected Pathways through the site

N SITE PLAN: The park gradually emerges from the landscape.

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PLAN: This iteration proved site massing could enhance paths.

SECTION: This iteration proved the galleries could exist on both sides of the tunnel.

MASSING: PREVIOUS ITERATIONS

The early iteration (pictured to the right) created a single gallery composed of tubes located in the center of the site.

Pedestrians who entered the pavilion above ground were led underground by a series of ramps along the perimeter, with the intent to expose people to sculptures along their daily commute.

The later iteration (pictured above) further developed these design goals and refined the tube assembly. The enclosed pavilions were linked together underground and provided a semi-enclosed public area in between. It was evident in this scheme that the walls and the tube structure were two separate architectural systems that operated according to different principles. At this stage in the process the conventional walls were phased out to discover the architectural opportunities in the tube system.

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N PROCESS: This iteration proved an underground gallery was viable.

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PROCESS: Smaller Unit Sketch

PROCESS: Larger Unit Sketch

MASSING: EXERCISE 04

Unit: Bubble Principle: Scaling Concrete and Bubble Wrap 7 inches by 7 inches by 1 inch Different characteristics are emphasized when the scale of the model is changed. When the unit is smaller, attention shifts to the group of units, and when the unit is larger, attention shifts to the detail of each unit. By altering units in a consistent way, you can shift one’s focus to different groupings of units. For example, in the smaller cast bubble wrap a horizontal line appears because of a texture change that is localized to a series of units.

The question of scale reemerges in the project this time asking what the scale of the original unit should be. Both sketches depict space constructed with a series of similar units, but the size of each unit creates two atmospheres with different implications. The space created with smaller units shifts one’s focus to the texture of the units as a group while the larger units allow the user to inhabit the in-between space.

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EXERCISE: Small Cast Bubble Wrap

EXERCISE: Large Cast Bubble Wrap

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GROUPING

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DUPONT CIRCLE

Because Dupont is a very lively neighborhood, this gallery is the epicenter of the gallery collection. This iteration studies the pathways of the pedestrians. A majority of the pedestrians walk through the center of the site and continue walking down one of the main avenues. The schematic design is located in the center of the site to create a destination along this favored path.

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SCHEMATIC PLAN: The pavilion occupies the center of the site.

Dupont Circle

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SCHEMATIC SECTION: People can move freely throughout the site.

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SHERIDAN CIRCLE

The circle is located between diplomatic offices and foreign embassies, therefore the gallery is smaller in order to discourage large crowds from visiting. This gallery serves the needs of the neighborhood before the needs of the rest of the site, therefore putting the part before the whole.

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SCHEMATIC PLAN: Only one path crosses this site to highlight Massachusetts Avenue.

Sheridan Circle

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SCHEMATIC SECTION: This pavilion emerges from below ground to provide sunlight.

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SCOTT CIRCLE

Located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue, this circle is surrounded by large apartment buildings and is the center-most gallery of the collection. Due to the proximity to the White House and the lack of accessibility to the site, this circle acts as a wayfinding construct and an outdoor gallery for passing cars.

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SCHEMATIC PLAN: Walls form outdoor galleries for the passing cars.

Scott Circle

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SCHEMATIC SECTION: This pavilion is a series of walls to continue the texture.

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THOMAS CIRCLE

Located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Vermont Avenue, this circle is surrounded by hotels and restaurants. These large buildings cast wide shadows over the site, resulting in a pavilion that shifts to the northern hemisphere of the traffic circle.

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SCHEMATIC PLAN: The pavilion is sited on the northern hemisphere.

Thomas Circle

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SCHEMATIC SECTION: The presence of the tunnel is apparent in the form .

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Pedestrian Pathways

LOGAN CIRCLE

Located at the intersection of P. Street Northwest, Rhode Island Avenue, and Vermont Avenue, this circle is in a quiet residential area therefore the design seeks to maximize the amount of undisturbed green space to allow residents to continue using the park.

This pavilion is placed mostly underground to reduce the noise effects on the site.

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SCHEMATIC PLAN: The pavilion responds to and respects the existing trees on the site.

Logan Circle

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SCHEMATIC SECTION: An entry tower brings pedestrians underground.

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GROUPING:

In Northwest Washington DC, a cluster of six occupiable traffic circles provides green space for the surrounding urban fabric. Each circle is located on avenues with a strict geometric connection to the city. “Great cities have great open spaces, which are used by residents and visitors for political action, socialization, recreation, and commemoration. In conjunction with the architectural context, the system of open spaces gives a city its image, that quality that makes it memorable to inhabitants and visitors.�

-Michael Bednara 106

SITE PLAN: The separate sites influence one another.

SITE PLAN: Highlighted Traffic Circles in Northwest Washington DC

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CONTEXT

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CONTEXT: CITY GEOMETRY

The streets of Washington DC are regulated by two geometric systems. There is a grid of streets that follows a standard orthogonal pattern and a series of prominent avenues which radiate from significant points in the city. Two major centers of radiation are the White house and the Capitol building.

When an avenue intersects with another avenue or a major street a traffic circle occurs. The traffic circles located in the eastern half of the city have been altered into traffic squares that operate as four intersections as opposed to a true traffic circle. In the Northwestern quadrant of the city, the traffic circles have maintained their true form and function.

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Foggy Bottom

CONTEXT: METRO STATIONS

DuPont Circle

Farragut North

The Metro Stations throughout Washington DC have a cohesive appearance that creates a recognizable destination for visitors and locals inhabitants. The coffered barrel vault designed by Harry Weese can be found in a majority of the stations across the city. This creates an immediate sense of familiarity when a traveler enters a new station and reassures them that they are within the connected network of transportation. This feeling of familiarity and recognition gives the traveler the ability to predict the atmosphere they have entered, nurturing a calm reaction to the space.

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Metro Center

Judiciary Square

Union Station

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Washington Circle

DuPont Circle

Scott Circle

CONTEXT: PUBLIC PARKS

The parks and green spaces in Washington DC are scattered throughout the city, but unlike the metro stations, have inconsistent appearances. Without a recognizable feature that connects the occupiable parks, visitors are unable to discern whether a green space is a public park or a private area. The parks have no feature that expresses the type of atmosphere that can be predicted in the area. “In conjunction with the architectural context, the system of open spaces gives a city its image that makes it memorable to inhabitants and visitors.� -Michael Bednara Page 7 114

Thomas Circle

Franklin Square

Stanton Park

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CONCLUSION The Findings of the Study

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The Part Informs the Whole

Patterns are the letters in the language of architecture. They are not the final product but instead are the tool used to communicate an idea.

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WITH MANY THANKS

To Matt Wagner for asking the right questions.

To Aki Ishida for providing a second opinion.

To my family for their unconditional support which kept me going, whether they were aware of it or not.

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REFERENCES: 1. Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. Feb. 2015.

2. Da Cunha Mahfuz, Edson. “An Investigation into the Nature of the Relationship Between the Parts and the Whole in Architectural Composition.” Diss. U of Pennsylvania, 1983.

Print.

3. Harris, James. Fractal Architecture: Organic Design Philosophy in Theory and Practice. Albuquerque: U of New Mexico, 2012. Print.

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HANNA JOSECK hannarj9@vt.edu May 2015 124

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