Final Studio Presentation

Studio Final: Concept Statement

Static Vs. Dynamic

The idea comes form the ever changing environment and how it effects the inside (program) and outside of the building (context). Based on the movement of such things as people, cars, weather, color and the static and dynamic pressures from within and around the building, the building reacts by projecting a different look in reaction to the changing context.
The building will respond to its ever changing environment through the use of computer programs that will change the opacity or shading of the glass, or the color and intensity of the lighting from the inside and outside of the building. This will be a direct reaction to the man made and natural forces that occur in and around the building.

During observation of the site at different times of the day I found the site to be very fluid or dynamic, but still conform to a static nature. I started to look at the way in which the natural and man made forces were affecting the site. I looked at how the natural forces of the sun and clouds caused the facades of the buildings to take on different looks depending on the angle in which you stood. At night the site takes on a completely different look as the buildings become opposite of what they were during the day. Buildings that may have stood out against the sky during the day almost disappeared against the night sky, while others acted in the opposite manner, becoming more pronounced at night.

The next step was to look at how man made forces affected how the building was perceived. Did the patterns of the cars and people affect the look of the building? The conclusion I came to was yes. The buildings are looked at differently because the view is constantly in a state of flux due to the ever changing pedestrian and vehicular movement which flows through the area.

Daytime view from the pedestrian level

Night View of the site

Studio Final: Site Analysis

Site plan showing the axial relationships that influenced my design. The straight 90 degree angles at the intersection of Boylston Street and Dartmouth Street, and the angular axial from the John Honcock building. There are two vehicular flows towards the site, one going North on Dartmouth and the other going East on Boylston. The pedestrian flow comes from all directions and is the main flow into the site.

Axial vehicular and pedestrian traffic heading towards the site on Dartmouth

Axial vehicular and pedestrian traffic on Boylston

Vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow going past the site on Boylston Street

The angel of the John Hancock building that defines the angle of the circulation core

Studio Final :Research and Exploration

As I looked at the program , I started seeing how there is an everchanging flow of people and vehicles that go past the site (see Site Analysis) which I feel dictates the program. There are static elements that are the building itself and a strict location of services per floor. I wanted to set the building up so that each floor or floors can be reconfigured by utilizing movable partitions that will allow the floor plans to be in a dynamic state. The program became a base for the locations of goods or services within the building , but can be moved to any floor or space within.

Studio Final: Site and Roof Plan

Site plan with showing the roof plan and surrounding site. Roof light well also picks up on the angle from the John Hancock building

Roof plan showing the light wells that cut through the roof allowing light to filter into the building

Studio Final: Plans

The floor plans are staggered at each floor to allow light to filter down through the floors giving each area of the building a ever changing light and shadow pattern as the sun makes its way across the sky.The ground floor has a market area that is an extension of the Copley Square summer market, by bringing the market indoors during the winter months. The lower can be full open in the warmer weather allowing the inside and outside to become one. The second through the sixth floors are the Technology Store. The store will feature several touch screen monitors that will allow the customer to change the opacity or color of the glass. The monitors will control different facades of the building, allowing the facades to change independently of each other. The roof will become an observation deck to allow the customer to look out over the area and see the ever changing environment that is influenced by the flows of the pedestrians and cars that are moving through the area.

Studio Final: Section

Transverse section showng the interpal of the iffering floor levels and the open light wells in the roof allowing the light entry into the building. The shadows in the building will change during the day as the sun changes position, therfore always changing the look inside the building.

Section at the front facade along Boylston Street showing the interplay between the indoor market and the outdoor seating area, along with the trees that run along the street.
Studio Final: Elevations

Photos of my model showing how the light filters down into the spaces below creating different shadows.

Looking at the corner from the Pedestrian Level

Looking down towards the front facade along Boylston Street

Looking down at the roof and facades from a birds eye view

Sketch up massing model showing shadows and site context
Studio Final: Model and Perspectives

Interior view looking down from the fourth floor out towards Boylston Steeet showing the how the floor are staggered to create a feeling of constant change

Interior perspective looking out towards Boylston Street showing the verticle circulation at the first and second floors.

Updated Site and Floor Plans

I have updated the site plan to indicate the axial relationship of the surrounding buildings and street to mine. Also included is the vehicular and pedestrian flows into and around the building.

In updating the site plan I went back over my site observation notes and made a list of the items that I felt influenced the building.

Static Elements that stood out to me were the way in which the streets were layed out at the site. Both Dartmouth and Boylston straight thru with traffic flow only going in one direction.

The buildings while slightly changing due to weathering, remain staitic in there placement along the street scape.

The Dynamic Elements far outnumber the Static. The things that are consitantly changing are the flow of traffic , the pedestrian movement, and the views around the site. On a much larger scale the sun patterns during the day, and the way in which the seasons alter the look of the surrounding buildings. There are also many different ways in which the buildings are articulated, whether that be in massing, details, or materials.

The ground floor has been updated to show the central circulation core that goes to the Technology Store on the upper floor. I have added the layout for the market area using the relationship to Copley Square and bringing that into the building. There is also areas of seating placed inside and outside the building.
The First through Sixth floors are the Technology Store. The floor plans are open with the exception of the static elements that are needed for the store. Divisions on the sales floor will be through movable partitions that will allow the floor plan to constantly change.

The Circulation core will now come through the roof to create a roof observation deck to allow the customers to have a unique vantage point from which to watch the ever changing flow of people below.

Facade Sections

Sections at the facades.

This is the front entry that would face Boylston Street. I have tried to make the facade feel as light as possible and to allow in as much light as possible.

This Section is showing the folding doors that would run along the edge of the building that would allow the entire ground floor to be open during the summer months. Again I wanted to keep the facade so that it would allow in as much natural light as possible.

Site diagrams and floor plans

Sketchup model inserted into site

Site map showing the vehiclar, pedestrian movement into the site and the outward views from within the building

Ground floor plan with the market. The use of floding walls will allow the market to be open air during the summer months and indoor during the winter months.

I redesigned the floors so that they would be staggered, to allow light to filter down to the lower levels. The changing levels of floors also works into my idea of giving the interior a dynamic flow, while keeping the pure cube as a static feature.

Site Section looking towards the North showing the different floor levels and some of the verticle circulation.

Perspective section showing the interplay of the differing floor levels which will allow light to filter down to the lower levels.

Building Section looking towards Copley Square the verticle circulation.


I am working on the refining the plans as well as how I want to enclose the market area on the first floor so that it can be used year round. I didn't show the market as recessed, but may look at this idea so that I could relocate the T-Stop which would line up with the main entry of the building with the entry/exit of the T-Stop.

Technology Model

When looking at the original site plan and photos of the site I started to look at the traffic patterns of the vehicles and the people. One of the ways in which I am going to bring people into the site is to relocate the T stop so that it will now come up in front of the building directly in line with the main entry. I am working through the rest of the detail sketches along with a new site plan with analysis and will post Tuesday evening. I found that the more I sketched the more I found that I needed to look at. They got pretty messy so they are being cleaned up so they will make sense. I am also trying to insert the model into site photos, and am having a problem with the software. Once I figure out the problem I will post those.

Daytime image with no opacity. The building is located in the correct North orientation

A daytime view with just the glass having differing opacities

Nighttime looking at the changing color and opacity of the glass.

Another nighttime view with different light and opacity.

Looking East towards New Olde South Church

Nighttime view from pedestrian level