Education 2008-2009 Semester 1

Minutes of group meeting of Group D

The main topics of discussion were:

1. The defining element between the inner void and the space(s) around it
2. Whether or not to consider the site
3. Parameterization – how to?
4. The connection to the skin

1. Hari came up with an idea for the defining element between the void and the floored area. It ought to be a kind of net-like structure, which holds up the floors. The morphology should be bone-like. We discussed this and found it a valid solution. Elaborating on it, we concluded that within this structure, several functions could be combined.

1. structural functionality
2. main vertical traffic
3. several socializing elements
4. several supplying elements

This idea corresponded surprisingly well to the thoughts I had been having on how to accommodate supplying elements throughout the floors.

2. Whether or not to consider the site.
A few amongst us thought we should consider the site, others thought we shouldn’t. It reigns in our freedom, but it gives us a boundary. Not considering it would allow us to make a much stronger concept by itself, but considering it allows to make connections. But then again… no one of our group has any real interest in making connections to other faculties. The conclusion was that we would use the site only to define a maximum floor area.

3. Next we talked about was how to parameterize the various components. How much of the design should be decided by various parameters? Which parameters should be considered? Examples that we spoke about were sound, size, connectivity, distance, light. Boundary conditions such as the size of the site and ‘keep the height as low as possible’, or ‘make the amount of traffic as small as possible’, or ‘maximize the amount of traffic through the social space’ – or set it between certain limits… How much can we do in one more week? Can we make a model taking all these aspects into account? Can it be done at all?

4. A short talk we had about the structural connection between the skin and the functions inside. The result was that the skin should be load-bearing.