NCMA
CONCRETE BLOCK
DESIGN
COMPETITION
+ STUDIO PROJECT
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
COMPETITION + PROJECT INFORMATION
Second Year Undergraduate Design Studio
Spring 2014
SPONSOR
National Concrete Masonry Association
13750 Sunrise Valley Drive
Herdon, VA 20171-4662
PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION
Carnegie Mellon University
School of Architecture
201 College of Fine Arts
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
FACULTY
Jeremy Ficca, RA, Studio Coordinator and
NCMA grant recipient
Jonathan Golli, AIA, Studio Instructor
Jeff King, AIA, Studio Instructor
Mick McNutt, AIA, Studio Instructor
Jennifer Lucchino, RA, Studio Instructor
SPECIAL THANKS
Dennis Graber, of the NCMA Foundatio
for acting as our liaison during the competition
Don Lampus Sr. & the R.I. Lampus Company
for their endorsement as a local NCMA Producer Member
Don Lampus Jr. & the R.I. Lampus Company
for hosting a factory and showroom tour
Robert Welling of the R.I. Lampus Company
for agreeing to serve on the design jury as an
NCMA representative
Team: Kirk Newton, Mark Terra-Salomão
EDUCATIONAL AIMS
The spring semester of the undergraduate
Bachelor of Architecture program at Carnegie Mellon University has historically focused on architecture’s material dimension.
In this semester, design studio projects are
utilized for the exploration of materiality in
relationship to a diverse set of topics. The
NCMA design competition fits well within
the pedagogical focus of the semester and
serves as a compelling introduction to a
material as well as a construction system.
The short-term objective of the NCMA concrete masonry competition at Carnegie
Mellon University, sponsored by the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA)
Education and Research Foundation is to
provide hands-on experience in concrete
masonry design using traditional concrete
masonry units. This is explored at the scale
of the building and the scale of the individual unit. The long-term objective is to inspire interest in concrete masonry among
undergraduate students in architecture.
Team: Nathan Lutz, Sophie Riedel
STUDIO COMPETITION: PROJECT 1A
The initial phase of the NCMA project
was structured as an intense design charrette. The two week competition commenced on January 16 with an introductory lecture by Professor Ficca on the
concrete masonry construction and the
specifics of the building program and site.
Elaboration 2
Architecture
Design Studio
Project [1a] Design Competition:
STANDARD SYSTEM
The project, a bath-house located in the white
mountains of New Hampshire required a primary construction system of concrete masonry construction for the creation of spaces
for a warm bath, cold bath, meditation room
and changing facilities. The students were encouraged to explore the spatial, visual, technical and structural potential of this system.
Students were instructed to team up with
one or two partners for the duration of the
competition. A set of presentation requirements were outlined at the commencement
of the competition which included two and
three dimensional forms of representation.
WIND AND WATER AND STONE
- Octavio Paz
The water hollowed the stone,
the wind dispersed the water,
the stone stopped the wind.
Water and wind and stone.
The wind sculpted the stone,
the stone is a cup of water,
The water runs off and is wind.
Stone wind and water.
The wind sings in its turnings,
the water murmurs as it goes,
The motionless stone is quiet.
Wind water and stone.
Modular casts, J. Ficca
One is the other and is neither:
among their empty names
they pass and disappear,
Water and stone and wind.
COMPETITION BRIEF:
Working in teams of two, you are asked to develop an
architectural proposal for a therapeutic bathhouse that
will offer physical and mental respite and opportunities to
immerse oneself in the healing properties of water. The
project references ancient traditions of therapeutic
bathing that rely upon pools of distinct temperatures,
constituting a Caldarium (hot pool), Tepidarium (warm
pool) and Frigidarium (cold pool). It is positioned as a
year-round resource for hikers, skiers and eco-tourists.
Students received detailed instruction
on the methods of concrete masonry construction through the co-requisite Materials and Assemblies course
taught by professor Gerard Damiani.
Further information on the project requirements
can be found in the project brief on this page.
The National Concrete Masonry Association is generously
sponsoring this studio in the form of a design competition
that explores thoughtful utilization of standardized
concrete masonry units. The competition will serve as the
initial phase of a more comprehensive project and will
provide an intensive forum to explore a selection of
prescient architectural issues related to material
presence, material performance and the inherent tectonic
potential.
White Mountain New Hampshire wood mill foundation ruins
Swimmer, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
The baths are to be located in close proximity to the
Crawford Path, the oldest continuously operating hiking
trail in America. They will compliment the existing, fourseason, Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center
Lodge found immediately north of the site, across route
302 in Crawford Notch New Hampshire. The baths will
serve as a year round resource and will supplement the
various activities found throughout the region while
supporting the longstanding culture of outdoor activities
established in this historically significant section of the
White Mountain Presidential Range. Access to the site
and bathhouse will occur via the Crawford Path, which
terminates to the west, across Route 302 at the Highland
Center Lodge and eight miles to the east, atop Mount
Washington, the east coast’s tallest peak at 6228 feet.
The bathhouse structure will be located at the start of the
Crawford Path and should stand as a marker signifying
entrance to this historic trail.
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
Materials are not mapped onto an architecture and
their selection is not the last decision in the design
process. Rather, they [in]form design.
Through a deep understanding of material properties and
performance and the means with which they are
assembled and configured, one can elevate their use
beyond the everyday. Beginning a design process with a
material assignment and system of construction affords
one the opportunity to explore the potential of the system
and test its limits. This method prompts the designer to
explore the relationships between architectural figure and
unit configuration as well as the establishment of systemwide rules. A design process that explores concrete
masonry units demands a thorough investigation of its
essential manifestation, the wall.
In addition to its functionality and versatility, concrete
masonry unit construction stands as a counterpoint to
light and skeletal means of construction. It offers the
potential to build with mass and to explore a construction
of substance in which permanence is foregrounded and
substance of wall is fundamental. Like the brick, CMU is
not merely a material, but also a system of construction
that brings a specific dimensional logic to the project. The
standardized CMU module establishes a system of
aggregation in which the resolution of the system is tied
to the size of the unit. While the concrete masonry unit
may reference traditions of solid stone construction and
speak to an ethic of truthful construction, most
contemporary “solid” masonry construction relies upon a
precise sectional arrangement of units, insulation, thermal
barriers and structural reinforcement. In the case of
double-wythe construction, the image of a pure, solid
wall is in actuality the product of careful concealment and
slight of hand. This is not a compromise of constructional
purity or architectural essence, but rather a manifestation
of the complexities of the wall, borne out of the
requirements of thermal and structural performance.
CONTEXT:
MATERIAL POSITIONING:
At the end of the 19th century, the Presidential Mountain
range of New Hampshire provided a retreat from the hot
and polluted summers found in Boston and New York
and transformed Crawford Notch from a north-south
trading route to a tourist destination and respite from city
life. The expansive landscape and rugged terrain was
captured in the paintings of Thomas Cole of the Hudson
River School and continues to draw artists, naturalists
and adventure seekers. The rail line that runs adjacent to
the site, often along the Saco River as it heads south,
provides a convenient means of access through the
Crawford Notch station. Only a few miles from Mount
Washington and near the Appalachian Trail, the Saco
Lake area of Crawford Notch has become a hub for
outings throughout the region. Initially home to the
historic Crawford House, one of the regions grand hotels,
the area is currently home to the AMC’s Highland Center
Lodge, which offers overnight accommodations and
year-round programs and events through the AMC.
Concrete masonry units [CMU] are one of the most
conventional and utilitarian building components
employed in construction practices today. Their wide use
across a broad range of building scales, from single
family residences to institutional and educational projects
speaks to the fundamental attributes of concrete
masonry units such as strength, durability, relative low
cost and ease of assembly. CMU is a material hidden
away in suburban basement walls and embellished in
acclaimed contemporary architecture. Developed as a
mass-produced alternative to quarried and dressed
stone, it offered material standardization free of the limits
of indigenous stone availability and craft practices. At the
beginning of the 20th century, Sears Roebuck and
Montgomery Ward marketed small-scale machines for
the average man that allowed one to construct the
building unit on-site and along with larger scale industrial
manufacturing ushered in an era of affordable and widely
deployed masonry construction.
The site is located northwest of Saco Lake and is bound
by Route 302 to the west, Crawford Path to the North
and Sake Lake to the south. The site is heavily vegetated
and the ecosystem is diverse and rich, featuring spruce
and hemlock trees along the southeastern shore and
beech and birch trees along the northern and eastern
shores. Local wildlife includes bear, fox, moose, beaver
and peregrine falcon. The Crawford path, at the elevation
of the site, is quite rocky and situated within a lush
canopy of foliage. Saco Lake is flanked by a trail that
remains in direct proximity to water and deviates by no
more than 6 feet in elevation. The southern portion of the
site abuts the lake and offers southern exposure with
expansive views across Saco Lake through the
picturesque Crawford Notch. The topography of the site
slopes gently up toward the north and east for a few
hundred feet and then transitions to steeper terrain along
the Crawford Path. Saco Lake is currently dammed and
feeds the Saco River to the south.
Through the humble architectural element of the
concrete masonry unit one is able to explore a host
of fundamental architectural issues such as how
walls:
..begin and end
..meet the ground and the sky
..turn a corner
..relate to each other
..allow for openings
..allow for passage of inhabitants, light, air, water
..hold back the earth
..relate to other materials and systems
..perform: structurally, thermally, acoustically
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
STUDIO COMPETITION: PROJECT 1A
must thoughtfully consider the impact of the bathhouse
upon the larger ecosystem.
[4] Given the extensive vehicle parking area at the
Highland Center Lodge, it is assumed approach will be
on foot in the form of an accessible path.
[5] The bathhouse will operate as an all season structure.
It’s siting should take into account the potential for
significant snow-depth in excess of 48 inches.
[6] The bathhouse should be capable of comfortably
accommodating up to 20 people at any given time.
View North along Crawford Path, New Hampshire
[7] The entry and occupied spaces must be ADA
accessible [see handout for ADA regulations].
Submissions will be in the form of two 24 inch wide x 36
inch tall posters, each mounted to 1/4 inch white foamcore to form rigid boards. All presentation requirements
indicated below must be on these boards. Graphic layout
of the boards is also indicated. Entries that do not adhere
to the presentation guidelines and requirements will be
disqualified.
Project position statement
1/16 inch scale site plan, including topography contours
1/4 inch scale plan, including all concrete masonry units
[8] The entry must be securable to prevent vandalism.
1/4 inch scale section, including all concrete masonry
units
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
1/8 inch scale model, including the Crawford path and a
portion of Saco Lake.
[1] A securable entrance that will be open from 6AM –
11PM.
View along Crawford Notch, New Hampshire
PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS:
Exploded axonometric drawing of a wall condition
[2] A mudroom for the removal and storage of boots and
outer clothing.
Experiential representation[s]
[3] A men’s changing room that includes storage for
clothing, space for showering, benches for changing and
two private toilet stalls.
FORMAT:
[4] A women’s changing room that includes storage for
clothing, space for showering, benches for changing and
two private toilet stalls.
1/3
1/2
[5] A Frigidarium pool with a surface area of 50 sq. ft. and
a depth of 4 feet. It is kept at a constant temperature of
60 degrees Fahrenheit and must be fully within the
thermal envelope.
[6] A Tepidarium pool with a surface area of 300 sq. ft.
and a depth of 4 feet 6 inches. It is kept at a constant
temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Up to 50% of the
pool may be located outside of the thermal envelope.
View south across Saco Lake, Crawford Notch, New Hampshire
CONSIDERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS:
[1] This is raw, rugged and majestic nature in the purest
sense. The bathhouse should reflect this reality.
[7] A Caldarium pool with a surface area of 200 sq. ft.
and a depth of 4 feet. It is kept at a constant temperature
of 100 degrees Fahrenheit and must be fully within the
thermal envelope.
[8] A mechanical systems room which includes interior
conditioning equipment as well as pumping and filtration
equipment for the baths. 100 sq. ft.
[2] The bathhouse shall be constructed of three primary
materials, concrete masonry units, wood and site cast
concrete. Concrete masonry shall serve as the primary
wall material and site cast concrete shall serve as the
material that engages the earth and contains the bath
water.
text
24”
site plan
axon
section
plan
experiential imagery
1/2
36”
model
BOARD 1
BOARD 2
SCHEDULE:
Jan 15
Jan 17
Jan 22
Jan 27
Competition distributed
Concrete Masonry Unit factory tour
Group meetings with studio instructor
Competition entries hung up by 1:30pm
AWARDS:
All awards divided amongst winning teams
[3] Passage along the Crawford Path trail must be
preserved independent of the entrance to the bathhouse.
Given the sensitive ecological conditions, the project
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
2/3
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
1st place
$750
2nd place
$500
3rd place
$250
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
R.I. LAMPUS TOUR
Fortyfive students and five faculty traveled to
R.I. Lampus’ concrete masonry production
facility and showroom in Aliquippa Pennsylvania on January 17, 2014. Don Lampus Sr.,
Don Lampus Jr. and multiple members of
the R.I. Lampus team interacted with the
Carnegie Mellon group for nearly three hours
through product presentations, assembly
instructions and production facility tours.
The timing of this trip, early in the initial
phase of the competition, provided students with detailed technical information as
well as hands-on interaction with concrete
masonry units. Students learned about various methods of assembly through detailed
discussions of wall mock-ups. The overview of the manufacturing processes was
invaluable as it offered students an opportunity to understand the creation of a ubiquitous building product from start to finish.
1ST PLACE
MO
U
NT
PE
A
KE
9
Team: Nathan Lutz, Kayla Quinn
Nature evokes a connection between elements.
Our bathhouse uses nature as inspiration for the
relationships of its elements, immersing its users to
experience the beauty of the Appalachian Trail throughout all seasons.
The bathhouse forms a procession between its three
pools, each aligned with specific visual landmarks in the
surrounding Crawford Notch State Park. The Caldarium uses the outer wall to guide a view of Mount Willard
while engaging with the ground. The Tepidarium projects
views across the lake towards the elephant head rock.
The Frigidarium presents a view skyward toward Mount
Jackson.
Throughout this process there persists the continuity
of monolithic stone walls, composed as pairs of planes
separated by gaps which insulate the building. Between
them, the walls and roof bound spaces are built upon
eachother to unify their procession and their relations to
the environment beyond.
STATEMENT
Nature evokes a connection between elements. Our bathhouse uses nature as inspiration for the relationships of its elements, immersing its users to experience the beauty of
the Appalachian Trail throughout all seasons.
MOUNT
MO
DESOLA
TION
UN
TJ
30
150
MOUNT W
D
70
10
1” =1’
4
150
HEA
Throughout this process there persists the
continuity of monolithic CMU walls, composed as pairs of planes separated by gaps
which insulate the building. Between them,
the walls and roof bound spaces are built
upon eachother to unify their procession and
their relations to the environment beyond.
30
NT
70
10
1” =1’
64
PHA
The Caldarium uses the outer wall to guide
a view of Mount Willard while engaging
with the ground. The Tepidarium projects
views across the lake towards the elephant head rock. The Frigidarium presents
a view skyward toward Mount Jackson.
ELE
ILLARD
The bathhouse forms a procession between its three pools, each aligned with
specific visual landmarks in the surrounding Crawford Notch State Park.
AC
K
SO
N
11
2ND PLACE
Team: Nicolas
STATEMENT
Serving as an intermediary link between Crawford
Path and the Saco lakeside, this design proposal seeks to
create a transitional experience for hikers. The bath house
is located on a gently sloped patch of land that affords
it an overlooking view of the lake as well as a secluding
patch of surrounding foliage. As the hikers enter from
an extended trail coming down from the Crawford Path,
they engage with the bathhouse’s entrance: a solid and
narrow threshold surrounded by foliage that hesitates to
reveal anything
elseSimpson
beyond two interlocking concrete
Gomez,
Kelsey
walls defining a frontal mudroom and courtyard.
A recurring contrast between narrow and open
spaces attempts to not only create a spatial experience
but also strives for tactile interaction between people
and the concrete. Taking advantage of concrete’s inherent
qualities of mass, the design promotes an honest use of
the concrete units in order to create clearly defined spaces. At the same time, the presence of voids and walls that
don’t meet help create an interconnection between the
three pools, so that bathers can feel free to easily flow
from one pool to the next. The extending planes help
frame views of the lake and mountains as one circulates
the spaces. A wooden deck extending from the tepidarium and rear courtyard works as a mediator between
the brute nature of concrete and the softer, organic surintermediary
link between
roundings of the White Mountains.
Serving as an
Crawford Path and the Saco lakeside, this design proposal seeks to create a transitional
experience for hikers. The bath house is located on a gently sloped patch of land that
affords it an overlooking view of the lake as
well as a secluding patch of surrounding foliage. As the hikers enter from an extended
trail coming down from the Crawford Path,
they engage with the bathhouse’s entrance:
a solid and narrow threshold surrounded
by foliage that hesitates to reveal anything
else beyond two interlocking concrete walls
defining a frontal mudroom and courtyard.
A recurring contrast between narrow and
open spaces attempts to not only create a
spatial experience but also strives for tactile
interaction between people and the concrete. Taking advantage of concrete’s inherent qualities of mass, the design promotes
an honest use of the concrete units in order to create clearly defined spaces. At the
same time, the presence of voids and walls
that don’t meet help create an interconnection between the three pools, so that bathers can feel free to easily flow from one
pool to the next. The extending planes help
frame views of the lake and mountains as
one circulates the spaces. A wooden deck
extending from the tepidarium and rear
courtyard works as a mediator between the
brute nature of concrete and the softer, organic surroundings of the White Mountains.
11
Serving as an intermediary link between Crawford
Path and the Saco lakeside, this design proposal seeks to
create a transitional experience for hikers. The bath house
is located on a gently sloped patch of land that affords
it an overlooking view of the lake as well as a secluding
patch of surrounding foliage. As the hikers enter from
an extended trail coming down from the Crawford Path,
they engage with the bathhouse’s entrance: a solid and
narrow threshold surrounded by foliage that hesitates to
reveal anything else beyond two interlocking concrete
walls defining a frontal mudroom and courtyard.
A recurring contrast between narrow and open
spaces attempts to not only create a spatial experience
but also strives for tactile interaction between people
and the concrete. Taking advantage of concrete’s inherent
qualities of mass, the design promotes an honest use of
the concrete units in order to create clearly defined spaces. At the same time, the presence of voids and walls that
don’t meet help create an interconnection between the
three pools, so that bathers can feel free to easily flow
from one pool to the next. The extending planes help
frame views of the lake and mountains as one circulates
the spaces. A wooden deck extending from the tepidarium and rear courtyard works as a mediator between
the brute nature of concrete and the softer, organic surroundings of the White Mountains.
PLAN
PLAN
SECTION
RENDERINGS
RENDERINGS
3RD PLACE
Team: Carolina Tamayo, Mark Terra-Salomao
STATEMENT
Embedded in the hillside by Saco Lake,
the baths connect the Crawford Trail to Elephant Head Trail. They serve as a hidden refuge for any that happen upon them. At the
baths, much like elsewhere on the Appalachian Trail, only the essential remain - walls,
roofs, windows, and water - but not at the
expense of comfort and relaxation. Bathing here becomes a sacrament for those
beginning or ending their journeys near
the northern end of the Appalachian Trail.
STUDIO COMPETITION JURYING
A distinguished jury of local architects, professors and concrete masonry industry representatives met on January 27, 2014 to review, discuss and decide upon the winners
of the Saco Lake Bath-house projects. As
per NCMA competition guidelines, judging
was both quantitative and qualitative, and assigned separate point totals to each student
project in the categories of aesthetic concept,
innovative use of concrete masonry, functional use of concrete masonry, constructibility and concrete masonry hard-scape design.
The jury was found the competition entries
comendable for their design resolution and
technical understanding. The graphic representation of the projects through convential
drawings as well as physical models and
experiential images was noteworthy. The
efforts to resolve building design within the
construction system of concrete masonry
were commendable. Given the fact that the
students are in the fourth semester of studies, of a ten semester program, the jury found
the level technical understanding commendable. While some of the proposed implementations of concrete masonry units contradicted conventions, the jury felt the overall
level of the work was commendable for students in the early stages of their education.
JURY MEMBERS
Mike Gwin, AIA, Partner of RD Collaborative
Robert Welling, R.I. Lampus (NCMA Rep)
Gerard Damiani, AIA, Assoc. Prof., CMU
Dana Cupkova, Asst. Prof., CMU
Jeremy Ficca, RA, Assoc. Prof., CMU
Jonathan Golli, AIA, Adjunct Prof., CMU
Jeff King, AIA, Adjunct Prof., CMU
Jennifer Lucchino, RA, Adjunct Prof., CMU
Mick McNutt, AIA, Adjunct Prof., CMU
STUDIO COMPETITION: PROJECT 1B
The intent of the second phase was to
provide students with an opportunity to
re-evaluate initial competition proposals
through the formation of new design partnerships and an extended design process.
Following the jurying and award process of
the first phase, student partnerships were
re-formed to correlate with the students
enrolled in each of the four design studios.
Professor Ficca introduced the second stage
of the project through a lecture on January
29 at which time he outlined expansion of the
project scope to include sleeping quarters for
hikers as well as an emphasis upon a comprehensive material strategy for the project.
The second phase ran for five weeks and concluded with a design review at which time
student teams presented their projects to internal and external educators and critics. The
review offered opportunities for discourse and
served as a concluding event to the project.
The design studio faculty and professor
Ficca met following the review to discuss the completed projects and the evaluation by guest critics. Three projects
were identified as outstanding proposals for their design excellence, representational clarity and technical proficiency.
Elaboration 2
Architecture
Design Studio
Project [1b]:
MATERIAL GESTALT
PROJECT POSITION:
Architecture is complex and its design and realization are
multifaceted. It requires the evaluation and negotiation of
an array of factors, be they technical, economic, cultural
or psychological. Yet, despite these considerations, there
are fundamental conditions embodied in all architecture.
These inevitable elements transcend time, culture and
material. In an effort to develop tectonically sophisticated
and refined architectural design strategies, we will distill
architecture to three conditions:
[1]
[2]
[3]
Igualada Cemetery, EMBT
Archaeological Park Cover, Amann, Canovas & Maruri
PLINTH
WALL
CANOPY
Through these taxonomies, we will explore specific
architectural situations in relationship to [1] architecture’s
material presence and performance; [2] architecture’s
social and experiential underpinnings; [3] architecture’s
relationship with the site. We will explore the relationships
and performative capacities of plinth, wall and canopy to
establish a set of design strategies that are informed by
material, construction and atmosphere. These will be
developed through a materially sensitive form-finding
process in which material properties and their associated
tectonic potential in-form intent. We will explore both the
performative and poetic potential of architecture as
complimentary endeavors that converge through a
rigorous exploration of the material reality of architecture.
Particular attention will be directed toward the spatial,
structural and phenomenological performance of
materials and the establishment of a working method that
moves beyond speculation to evaluation. Through a
rigorous process of modeling and prototyping, we will
interrogate and explore architecture’s materiality,
ultimately establishing, exploiting and expressing material
relationships revealed through fundamental architectonic
conditions.
paperless, materially inert methodologies and extend into
materially informed and infused modes of operation.
Recent noteworthy built work and research reveals this
material agency, the associated computational design
methods and the alternative models of practice and
building delivery it demands. In these instances, the
domain of the architect can be broadened and brought
closer to the act of building, resulting in an empowered,
yet increasingly accountable position of the architect.
Digital fabrication processes have emerged as an
indispensible tool in the realization of much of this work
and are calling into question the traditional scope of
architectural deliverables.
This project will build upon the explorations of digital
fabrication processes encountered last semester through
the design and prototyping of a furniture element. CNC
routing of sheet-based material will serve as the primary
fabrication process. Computational design processes
that explore iterations and leverage geometric and
material principles will be foregrounded. These will be
utilized to develop families of form based upon underlying
logics and design agendas. While potentially of a different
material than other elements of the architecture, the
furniture piece should be intrinsically related to the
architecture. The scale and scope of furniture may vary
from that of a discrete element to a room. It must be
useful and be related to a specific activity within the
project. The furniture should engage plinth, wall and
canopy in some form.
Manufactured wood-based material, specifically plywood,
will serve as the primary material for the design and
prototyping of the furniture element. The workflow will
explore translations across media and between threedimensional form and two-dimensional material. The
furniture will instigate a discourse around the
relationships between the body and architecture and the
haptic potential of a given material.
“Architecture itself begun when the walls parted and
the columns became, admitting light and creating a
system of support at the same time” Louis Kahn
Forever Bicycles, Ai Weiwei
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
CONSIDERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS:
[1] This is raw, rugged and majestic nature in the purest
sense. The bathhouse should reflect this reality.
[2] The bathhouse shall be constructed of three primary
materials, concrete masonry units, wood and site cast
concrete. Concrete masonry shall serve as the primary
wall material and site cast concrete shall serve as the
material that engages the earth and contains the bath
water.
[3] Passage along the Crawford Path trail must be
preserved independent of the entrance to the bathhouse.
Given the sensitive ecological conditions, the project
must thoughtfully consider the impact of the bathhouse
upon the larger ecosystem.
[4] There must be a degree of separation between the
bath spaces and the sleeping quarters for the thru hikers.
[5] Given the extensive vehicle parking area at the
Highland Center Lodge, it is assumed approach will be
on foot in the form of an accessible path.
[6] The bathhouse will operate as an all season structure.
It’s siting should take into account the potential for
significant snow-depth in excess of 48 inches.
[7] The bathhouse should be capable of comfortably
accommodating up to 20 people at any given time.
[8] The entry and occupied spaces must be ADA
accessible [see handout for ADA regulations].
[9] The entry must be securable to prevent vandalism.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
[1] A securable entrance that will be open from 6AM –
11PM.
[2] A mudroom for the removal and storage of boots and
outer clothing.
[3] Sleeping bunks and quarters for 10 thru hikers
[4] Hearth for preparation of food
FABRICATION POSITION:
As the discipline of architecture moves beyond the
utilization of digital media as an instrument of efficiency
and representation, the longstanding deployment of
software for image and drawing production has been
supplanted with computational methods that are utilized
throughout the entire design process and in digital
fabrication, extend into the construction process. Digital
fabrication processes coupled with an interest in material
science on behalf of designers has led to a fertile material
discourse within architecture. This has allowed
computational design processes to move beyond
activities expands to now include basic accommodations
for up to 10 thru hikers. The site context will remain the
same.
[5] Sink and counter space for preparation of food
[6] Communal eating table
untitiled
PROJECT USE AND CONTEXT:
While the bathhouse program and site of the first project
will serve as the basis for this next phase, the scope of
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
[7] A men’s changing room that includes storage for
clothing, space for showering, benches for changing and
two private toilet stalls.
[8] A women’s changing room that includes storage for
clothing, space for showering, benches for changing and
two private toilet stalls.
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
STUDIO COMPETITION: PROJECT 1B
[9] A Frigidarium pool with a surface area of 50 sq. ft. and
a depth of 4 feet. It is kept at a constant temperature of
60 degrees Fahrenheit and must be fully within the
thermal envelope.
SCHEDULE:
Jan 29
Project introduced
Feb 3
Instructor – student meetings
Reading discussion
Studio lecture 1:30-3:00PM
Feb 5
Pinup of 4 clear design strategies for each of
the following: Plinth, Wall and Canopy. This is
represented through the following:
[12] 1/8” models
[12] Renderings / collages that communicate
the atmospheric and material quality of the
conditions
Site plan clearly showing location of schemes
and relationships to context
Feb 6
Digital fabrication workshop
Feb 10
Instructor – student meetings
Studio lecture 1:30-3:00PM
Feb 12
Pinup of furniture models and drawings
evidence of geometric and material logic
based upon fabrication workflow.
Feb 13
Digital fabrication workshop
Feb 17
Instructor – student meetings
Feb 19
Interim review, including the following:
1/8” model
1/4" shaded horizontal section, including
furniture [not perspectival]
1/4" shaded vertical section, including furniture
[not perspectival]
furniture model and drawing
Feb 20
Digital fabrication workshop
Feb 24
Interim review of furniture, including models
and initial prototypes
Collages / renderings
Feb 26
Instructor – student meetings
Prototypes and models of furniture segment
Feb 28
Digital fabrication review session
Mar 3
Pre review pinup with instructors
Mar 5
Final project review
[10] A Tepidarium pool with a surface area of 300 sq. ft.
and a depth of 4 feet 6 inches. It is kept at a constant
temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Up to 50% of the
pool may be located outside of the thermal envelope.
[11] A Caldarium pool with a surface area of 200 sq. ft.
and a depth of 4 feet. It is kept at a constant temperature
of 100 degrees Fahrenheit and must be fully within the
thermal envelope.
[12] A mechanical systems room which includes interior
conditioning equipment as well as pumping and filtration
equipment for the baths. 100 sq. ft.
DELIVERABLES:
1/8” scale model
You will best understand and communicate this project
through physical model. The model is THE primary
artifact for your review and must be of an exceptional
level of craft. Careful consideration should be given to the
representation of fundamental material characteristics
such as mass, texture, reflectivity and color. This model
MUST reveal how your project operates at the material,
building and site scale. As such, site information must be
included.
1/4” shaded vertical section
This is your opportunity to document the play of light
within your project.
1/4” shaded horizontal section
Influence of material characteristics upon tectonics must
be evident. Not just texture maps!
1/32” shaded horizontal section
Influence of material characteristics upon tectonics must
be evident. Not just texture maps!
READINGS:
Reading 1 – Elements of Architecture
Constructing Architecture, Materials Processes and
Structures
Andrea Deplazes (ed.)
pgs. 153-170
Reading 3 – For and against the long window
Constructing Architecture, Materials Processes and
Structures
Bruno Reichlin
pgs. 233-250
Reading 2 – Atmospheres, Architectural
Environments – Surrounding Objects
Peter Zumthor
Reading 4 – OPEN | CLOSE
Windows, Doors, Gates, Loggias, Filters
Alexander Reichel, Kerstin Schultz`
ELABORATION 2 Architecture Design Studio 2014
Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
STUDIO PROJECT AWARD
Team: Kirk Newton, Mark Terra-Salomao
2’8”
5’4”
10’8”
21’6”
STUDIO PROJECT AWARD
Team: Nathan Lutz, Sophie Riedel
SOPHIE RIEDEL
NATHAN LUTZ
LAKEHOUSE
UPPER ENTRANCE PLAN
TEPIDARIUM SECTION
UPPER ENTRANCE PLAN
TEPIDARIUM SECTION
TEPIDARIUM SECTION
LOWER ENTRANCE PLAN
SACO LAKE BATHS
STUDIO PROJECT AWARD
Chandler Archbell
Brian Bollens
Team: Brian Bollens, Chandler Archbell
2” Diameter Pipe
6” Square Steel Column
Concrete Wall
Graywater Filtration
System
2” Diameter Pipe
6” Square Steel Column
Concrete Wall
Graywater Filtration
System
1” Corten Steel Cladding
1” Plywood