Where it's at

Updates

It shouldn't be any surprise to anyone that we came nowhere close to having a final product by the project deadline.

Where we go from here:

I'm going to keep on developing this project over the month of August and hope to wrap it up completely in September. Sal, I would like to at least have plans of what you did, hell, even a JPG of your FormZ work. You have what I consider to be the real 'innovation' with this project and the most important part. Interior/Unit renders are nice, but how they come together is what is most impressive, so I need your contributions.


Otherwise, I'm going to just pursue this as an independent project. At this point I'm going to put down an ultimatum: either stick with the project and contribute work on it, or leave the project .

Living Room

Kitchen with lights on

Sal, my computer is busy doing formZ renders, when I drive down tomorrow to the Clemson lab I'll open it there. Please do plans/elevations!

The Master Plan

Frank I’m going to send you the formZ model because I think you are good with materials and renderings. All you have to do is change the layers to their appropriate skin and changed the solid units into your units.

OK frank I have 7 layers in the model.....unit 3, unit 2, unit 1, there are the units in the master layout and unit 3 is the gray units these indicate the units with 3 containers the unit 2 layer indicates the units with 2 containers and its the red units and the unit 1 indicates units with a single container these units are like individual studios, there are green. The 4 layer is the core structure this is the color blue and you can modify this however you want to. The 5 layer is the secondary structure and this is a gold color. And last is the stairs which as well is a gold color but is in another layer.

Well frank I know there is not much time left but do what you can and just get it done. If you need me to do some floor plans or elevations sections I can do them and you do the renders. Well let me know what you think we should do.

3 Unit Preliminary exterior shots

The idea here was to have the unit be cost effective, so simple window designs were used.

Concerns about Time

Yo Sal, good to hear from you, how's LA? Have you had any luck getting work?

I'm going to need the formZ by no later than 7:00 pm EST tomorrow so I can spend saturday night finishing up the models and working out whatever problems have occurred.

OH yeah i almost forgot hey matt how are you doing?

Nice interior shots

Hey frank i really love what you have come up with. Its looking good. Keep up the great work.

I have been working on the structure and circulation platforms, ect. Not done with but i will be soon. I will post renders and pics on the blog soon so you guys can see what i'm working with.

Frank i am focusing mainly on the structure and leaving the units up to you, we are running out of time and we need to finish. I will have the structure and layouts of the master plan finish by tomorrow so you can add the units into the master cage. I have notice that the units you designed have some type of metal exterior or is it a translucent layer well whatever it is maybe we can keep all the units the same materials and just change the colors and for the translucent materials we can add different color lights. We really can depend on materials at this point we are out of time. We need to put what we have together and finalize it.

I will put details and everything on the structure and i will leave solid blocks where the units go. So all you have to do is delete the solid blocks and add your units in the slots. Well let me know if you have any questions or ideas for the infamous cage.

Lights out in the kitchen

Bare Interior

Right now working on some interior furnishings, going to set to render tonight.

By this Friday I'm hoping to have:

1) a minimum of 3 different renditions of final render quality showing interior/exterior. Possibly two domiciles and a 3rd (art gallery, etc.)

2) Adobe illustrator versions of details, including wall construction, unit "peel-away" , and and floor plan.

3) Adobe illustrator details of the CAD plans.

Another Exterior Shot

First attempts at exterior

Prelim FormZ Final Online

I'll post the render when it finishes tomorrow morning- we have our first 'finished' exterior model FormZ Unit model. Download it here: I'm going to work on variations and interior renders this coming week.

http://kojote.net/g2/FormZ/Unit_Model_Progress/07-20/



A note of concern about the project: It's now July 20th- in less than 10 days the final deadline of the project is due, and it will have made for a complete 60 days which we have had as 3 individuals to come up with a project. You all should be aware of what we need to do better.

Interior

My computer is still chugging away at just a test interior render to see how everything shapes up on the inside. (and this is without furniture!) The model is all but ready to go at this time, so I'm going to spend this weekend spinning off and rendering variations. Upon this render's completion, I'll upload it to the server, although you can still use the base model if you need to size it up.

If any of you are interested in experimenting with the materials, work with the wall sections first. I don't have full details of the unit construction in CAD yet, so you'll have to reference that first.


P.S. this was just an experimental color scheme, not a final one.

The Entry

Blogger hasn't been working most of the day for me.

How it all comes together...

Blogger is apparently not letting me upload images, but I have posted a screen shot of one of the housing unit concepts (roof cutaway) showing the exterior finish and floor relationships. This is a fully detailed model, meaning insulation, wall assembly, etc. is separated on layers and can be stripped away to show construction.

This is a very CPU-intensive model, and the roof is in a separate form z file (I'm still working it out) . Although the Form Z File is going to be the basis of what is rendered, it is by no means 100% complete.

BY THIS WEEKEND: I am going to have 'final' renders of the interior and exterior.


I recommend you download the Form Z file. If you downloaded the wall samples Form Z File you should be able to 'customize' and assemble your own unit using the wall modules I created (or making your own.)

LINK It is under the "Unit Model Progress" folder.

CAD files CAD files CAD files

Hey Sal, this is good stuff!

Right now the major thing I want to make sure you have is the CAD files of the floor plan layouts BEFORE the Form Z- it's the only way we can all be sure we're working with the same dimensions (plus once you have AutoCAD it's way easier to extrude everything in FormZ)

I would give full priority to drawing up some sections/elevations/floor plans in CAD. They don't need to be super detailed though they should be layered properly (the layers should all be set up for you with the unit plans. A rough formZ won't hurt either. We can all work on detailing them afterwards.


Also, I can't stress enough for everyone from now on:

* * * * * L A Y E R S * * * * * - especially in Form Z.


If we end up with too cluttered of a FormZ file we won't be able to use it. Make sure every component has its own layer that is clearly labeled.

Basic Idea of MasterPlan

This is just a basic idea of my interpretation for the Master Layout. This idea includes but not limited to circulation, both vertical and horizontal, public green areas, and both the main structure and sub-structure.

The circulation is the yellow blocks which are kind of hard to spot. There are a total of 4 stair-case towers each with its elevator shaft. I would like to point out that the stair-case towers can be expose stair and do not necessary need to be a tower. Same goes for the elevators. I tried to separate them for optimal space efficiency.

There are 6 public green areas where people can hang out and have an amazing view. 2 areas are enormous and 1 is medium size and the last 3 are the smallest at around 10' x 24'. The unique thing about the small green areas is the fact that they use up the space where naturally a unit would use.

The space in between the units is the brown area and it is mainly used for horizontal circulation. This area has to become a nice hospitality and welcoming area. Towards the edges on both sides, you will notice an over sized balcony type of platform, I believe people will interactive with these public spaces. I incorporated vertical circulation in these areas forcing people to notice it.

As for the units themselves I categorize them into 3 different volumes. The 1st is the dark red color which represents the apartments that will use up 3 containers (units), these units are most likely to house 3 to 4 bedrooms. The 2nd is the medium red color, these apartments will use up 2 container (units), these units will hold 2 and maybe 3 bedrooms depending on how much space the owners wants in the living and dining areas. As for the single units, they use up only one container and typically will hold a studio environment, kind of like a hotel room (very limited space).

As you may have notice the spinal cord idea has vanish and I cut up the linear structure into several parts and moved them around creating a bi-spinal cord structure enclosing the public space in between. I also wanted to incorporate some public areas facing the outsides of the complex. This is where the green areas came in to play, they spread out the public space successfully.

Well hope you guys like it please let me know if anything seems wired or simple if it is not a good idea. If any of you have an imput i'm all ears. I will post some form Z models tomorrow just wanted to show you guys what i have been working on. Well hope to hear from you guys soon later have a good one.

Crunch Time!!!

Hey guys hope all is well. Frank how is work at Mike Keeshan? Hope everything is going great for you. Hey Matt how is the other side of the world doing? Tell me what kind of stuff you are working on.....really interested. As for me well i have had two interviews and both told me the say old bull crap......right now we do not have a position open at the moment but wanted to meet you in person because your resume and work samples were great. They both told me they would keep in touch for possible future employment but damn it sucks living in LA without a job.

Anyhow about the project i have been working on the structure for the units and circulation.
I will post them soon i just need to finish up some sketches and see what you both think about it then i will jump on form Z to see it in 3D form........just for visualization nothing to detail yet until i get approval by both of you.

Frank please let me know what else i need to do.....I will have the structure posted by tomorrow i need to find a scanner.

But, frank is right we really do need to finish this up by at least the 14 so we have plenty of time for some nice renders.

End Wall Designs

I'm currently working on "end walls" , the 8' wide x 9' high 'caps' to each unit that can be custom designed.

Updates

Allright folks, we're running out of time.

Who has new shit? By the 14th I think we need to have our first 'completion' of the product so we can begin polishing/rendering the project further - that's roughly 10 days from now, and we've been working on this project for over a month now.

Where I am at : I've got a unit modeled out in block and have some wall details worked out. I'm hesitant to finish this until we have plans for the circulation space or have made some progress in regards to circulation should something arise or another change need to be made (or someone mis-understands a particular dimension.)

I'm also working on the outer facades tonight and will have some final renders for this weekend.



Sal- What do you have for the circulation space and structure, and what will you be able to finish a week from now?

Matt- Have you looked into additional materials for panel construction? What about those additional floorplans?

Both of y'all - Have you worked with the FormZ/CAD details on the server? Are there any issues with understanding?

And most importantly:
Post your work as it's in-progress. It beats correcting a major mistake after you've spent forever on it.

Location, location, location

Here is what I meant about being concerned about site location: allocation and transportation of materials. This is from a book I have about sustainable housing.

Hey Sal, that's cool that you took the leap to move out there like that. Good luck with interviews and what not, I'm sure you'll land something good. I'm actually in Shanghai, China right now. Its pretty awesome here, I'm starting to think I might be here longer than a year... but who knows.

LOVING THE PANEL SYSTEM

Hey guys,
I have to admit, loving the panel system.......and the whole using materials from locally resources is a smart move, once you think about it, it is the heart of the competition. I think the panel system will work effectively. Great Job, Frank!!!

As you guys know I’m currently in Los Angeles and was suppose to be interviewed today but the guy is out of town so he told me he would call to reschedule. Hopefully he is not blowing me off because I still haven't heard from the other two firms yet. Well wish me the best guys it sucks to be without a job.

Sorry about not having worked on this competition but moving to LA, visiting friends, and working on my portfolio has really kept me busy but no worries. As soon as I get settled and some free time I will jump right along. Hey fry it’s nice to hear from you how is China or Japan I always forget which one you’re in. Oh and I hope all is well, stop by and say hi more often. Especially now that I’m in LA, Frank is in SC and you’re in East Asia. Talk about international team….ha ha ha. Any how I will talk to you guys soon.

the modular wall

These were a few wall 'modules' I cranked out. Far from polished, just to give you an idea. The FormZ file is under "form Z" folder (wallsamples.fmz) . Give 'em a look.

I tried working with the shipping containers, laminate, plate glass, and and corrugated aluminum (though it showed up as solid white, which wouldn't be too bad, actually.) There are far more combinations to explore, especially with glazing.

Wall Construction Diagrams

Here it is fully assembled:


Here it is with the frame removed:



For your reference and input, here are the first stabs at wall construction diagrams. The CAD sections are available on the server if you all want them, though there's some details that still need to be resolved for moisture control, etc.

The FormZ File
Anyway, I tried to spell it out easily. The FormZ file is here if you want to see it a little more clearly.

EDIT: This is just for exterior walls in each 'module.' I hope later tonight to update it with different types of glazing, etc.

Jonesin

I think I'll have to agree with Frank that we can use different materials besides just whats given to us by shipping containers. And is that supposed to be a central idea to this? Shipping containers? I thought they were kept only in similar dimensions due to the ease of relocation and transport.

Should we pick a specific site for this? If so, we could get more technical about what materials we choose in terms of their manufacturing/recycling origin. Straight from the site it says: "Create designs that facilitate local building materials reuse"

I really like the circulation idea now. Perhaps just one face of the building has that permanent structure whereas the other side's surface shifts with the individual units.

And check out one of the entries from last year.... pretty similar idea to ours:

Building Section (there's the "M" word again)

I'm working mostly right now on unit wall modules, and hope to have some more information for you all on the wall composition in terms of CAD and Form Z. In the mean time, here's a quick sketch of the building section, showing the rough draft of circulation, and how floor levels are resolved between the units and the cores. The plan might not be all that helpful, but it was the initial idea.


Sal, you're focusing mostly on this, how has the progress been? It's going to take a lot of resolution and it's the major part of this.

Also, what version of FormZ are you all using?

Shifts in the project

So Fry, as you may or may not know, Sal is moving out to LA tomorrow.

Idea on Wall Panel construction

Over the next week I'm going to look into the construction of the individual 4' wide x 9' high wall panels that provide the exterior facade. Sal and I spent last weekend discussing the possibility of different materials for the exterior (Sal championed keeping it as close to the shipping containers as possible to keep uniformity, I championed introducing other materials to add variety) . The idea is that these panels can be manufactured using local or easily transportable materials , and a custom facade can be 'ordered' by the client. This can work for glazing, solid materials, etc.

Revising the Unit Plans (Download the CAD file)

Over the weekend I spent time revising Sal's plans and putting them into the project layers. I RECCOMEND YOU DOWNLOAD THE CAD FILE as it contains new layers for countertops, appliances, etc. I think we're getting close to having it all nailed out in terms of plans.

>>DOWNLOAD HERE: <<
http://kojote.net/g2/CAD/June%2015/newcadplans04.dwg

There are a few changes over the previous CAD standard:
+The Core width is now 10' , not 8'. This means the 'special' wall modules that are 3' long instead of 4' long will be necessary where the units meet the core (see the plan). Overall, I think it's worth it- it gives us a LOT more usable space.

+Space in between units is 3', accounting for wall thickness.

+Interior walls are 2 1/16" thick.

+Doors are 28" instead of 30"

Some things to think about:
+ Storage space is probably one of the things we can look at solving through furniture design as opposed to adding in closet space (which can be used most likely for WC's.)

+We're going to have to focus on how the wall modules. Material, construction, how they maintain strength, etc. Another possibility it allowing for the 'customization' of these walls (similar to what you see with laminated rainscreens)

Modularityness

Man, Frank loves the word "modular". Just wanted to say I'm on this thing and yeah, this is a better idea than e-mailing. I'll post some actual material shortly.

Hey this is a great idea Frank........great job.....hopefully fry gets in on this soon so we can have fast easy communication access. Anyhow see you tomorrow, give me a call to let me know when and where? Oh another things......a friend of mine....(this old guy i do work for) asked me if i can show his grandaughter around clemson.....you know give her a tour and i told him i would be glad to. I'm just hoping she looks good. Anyways i told him tomorrow i was going to clemson to meet up with a friend and told him it would be a good time. So i might bring someone along but don't know yet......

Welcome to the Blog

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