ARCH 354 | HYDROLOGY INSTITUTE | 2014 SEATTLE WATERFRONT-SEATTLE, WA
THE HYDROLOGY INSTITUTE IS AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, USED BY BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTITIES, THAT RESIDES NEAR THE SEATTLE WATERFRONT. THIS PROJECT BEGAN WITH A CONCEPT DERIVED FROM THE EXPLORATION OF A NATIVE ANIMAL TO SEATTLE AT THE MACRO SCALE. THE END GOAL OF THIS WAS TO TAKE THE RESEARCH AND CREATE A MEMBRANE WHICH WOULD BECOME THE BASIS OF OUR DESIGN. BEGINNING WITH THE MARBLED MURRELET, I LOOKED AT THE FEATHERS AND THEIR FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE. THE MAIN DISCOVERY WAS THE INTERLOCKING MICRO-STRUCTURE OF THE FEATHERS THAT CREATES A BARRIER THAT ALLOWS WATER TO ROLL RIGHT OFF OF THE BIRD’S BACK. THIS FUNCTION OF THE FEATHER BROUGHT FORTH THE DESIGN OF MY MEMBRANE. FOR MY MEMBRANE, I USED THE IDEA OF ROLLING WATER ALONG AN INTERLOCKING MICRO-STRUCTURE AND CREATED A WATER FEATURE. THIS FEATURE WOULD COLLECT WATER IN A BASIN AND FLOW DOWN THROUGH HOLES THAT WERE CONNECTED TO STRINGS WITH WEIGHTS AND DROP INTO A POOL BELOW. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEMBRANE WAS TO RELATE TO THE RAINY NATURE OF SEATTLE AND TO SHOWCASE THE ESSENCE OF RAIN SO YOU COULD SEE AND HEAR THE FALLING WATER WITHOUT GETTING WET. USING THE MEMBRANE AS A CONCEPT, I BEGAN TO LOOK AT WAYS TO DESIGN A BUILDING THAT WOULD EMULATE FLOWING WATER. THE END RESULT BECAME OFFSET FLOORS WHICH WOULD CREATE A SPIRALING PATHWAY THAT WOULD GUIDE VISITORS AS THEY WALKED THROUGH THE BUILDING.
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