Having had my final review of first year yesterday, I wanted to write a post about the most recent project I completed. The project assignment was an exploration of facade design, or otherwise referred to as the “Thick Facade.” The assignment pushed us to explore the relationship between structure and skin, allowing us to learn and understand how to either expose or hide structure, whether to integrate it or not into our facade design. The possibilities are endless. There was no assigned program to the building, other than a ground floor retail space and upper office floors. The project site was set in New York City’s historic SoHo district, at 148 Wooster street.

My design uses a free plan and curtain wall system, that features a large volume that punctures through into the street view. This cantilevered volume has conference rooms as well as balconies through which people can walk.

As can be seen from the street, the volumes draw people to it, as people do not expect to see such a volume cantilevered into the street in SoHo.

The building in elevation reads as a series of rectilinear formal moves, with two punctured windows geometrically counteracting the visual extrusion of the volumes into the street.

My goal for the interior was to allow people to experience open spaces. I did this by allowing a full building atrium to be visible from all floors, which people can circumnavigate around through the protruding volumes.

This project, although not a full design of an entire building, presented many interesting and difficult design challenges. I feel, it was a very good way to end the semester, and my first year of Architecture Studio.

Many people have approached me inquiring about what Architecture School is like, and what being an architect entails. I plan to elaborate on that at the end of my semester when I have more time. It is a very demanding major but extremely rewarding. Stay tuned an as always, thank you for your support !