#weareprojectre_

As mentioned in Srinjoy’s last post, the UDBS was completely consumed with the deconstruction of the former BxA Administrative Offices/2005 CMU Solar Decathlon Prototype. This is the beginning of a backlog of posts that relate to the work that involved deconstruction and the associated research so that we can catch everyone up on the work that was included in the exhibit. 

These photos were taken on Monday, October 8th. Alex, Richard, and I worked with Brian Swearingen from Construction Junction to remove some of the windows from the loft of the Solar Decathlon House. The process is pretty simple and goes like this: 1) Remove any window trim that is concealing the frame or hanger hardware; 2) Once the window hangers are exposed, you remove the mounting screws; 3) A reciprocating saw can be used to cut through any backer rods, insulation and high range sealant that may be used at the perimeter of the windows; 4) Once the edges are released with the saw, the windows can be pried free of surrounding wall framing with a crowbar and pushed to the exterior of the building for reclamation (this is for externally glazed units - internally glazed units would need to move toward the interior of the building). This process was used for three of the windows that we were within safe reach. The remainder of the windows in this area were removed after the upper loft module was removed and placed on the ground. Future posts will illustrate that process. 

Last View RE_VIEW (in this state)

As mentioned previously, on October 5th, Yashwitha, Alex, and I began deconstructing SOUTHERN EXPOSURE : RE_VIEW. It is a the first prototype and proof of concept project executed by members of the UDBS 2013 class. It is a pre-fabricated modular wall system that is intended to provide passive ventilation, shading, and solar access while enhancing the visual connection to landscape in existing regional vernacular homes that turn their back to the environment. We hope to reinstall the prototype at a different location and have been taking the system apart as carefully as possible.

“Having one person decide what you want all day is bizarre”

The headline is a quote from Stephen Behling included in his talk, ARCHITECTURE AND THE SCIENCE OF SENSES - (TEDxGoodenoughCollege). I think the point raised, and one of the images he presented, very clearly illustrates the kind of places and buildings where we spend most of our days. In the image, the high rises are vertical submarines with no exposure to the exterior. It occurred to me that in an attempt to ‘drive towards modernity’,  many new single family house models are starting to demonstrate similar sensibilities. There is a concerted effort to exclude the inhabitants from the existing context. This is alarming in a country where 87% of the time is spent indoors. During our first RE_CON 01 comparable houses tour earlier this semester (mentioned previously in many posts) the UDBS visited new housing as well as restored/renovated housing. In all cases the houses fortified the ground level and elevated the living spaces above the street. Porches were replaced with garages. And, outdoor gathering spaces were at roof level of in the air with artificial landscaping. Those strategies remind me of what Stefan Behling so clearly points out; being inside a building with a glass facade puts us close to the outside, but we are not able to breathe any fresh air. 

More People: The Residents of Mount Oliver

Yesterday I posted about some of the people we have been working with on DE_CON 01. It made me think about some other people I came into contact with earlier this semester, when we were working on MAPPING BLIGHT. During that component of work, my team and I spent some time in the South Pittsburgh neighborhood of Mount Oliver. We were mapping the ocations and conditions of properties on the Condemned Buildings Register.  The first time we were in the community, my group, which included UDBS students and IDeATe Reality Computing students, focused on gathering information about buildings. The second time we went out we focused on people; those who make the community.   

I met Ms. Marsha, Scott, John, Von, Devon, and Poof. Conversations ranged from issues with slumlords and surviving cancer to danger within the parks and the Steelers. 

“I was born in the Steel Mill, I was baptized in the Allegheny River, I bleed Black and Gold.” – Devon.

I asked these community stakeholders, “If you could re-design your neighborhood, what would it look like and what would be in it?” Common themes included:

A. Eliminating the sense of hopelessness that snakes through their neighborhood.

B. Solutions for blighted and condemned properties.

C. Eradicate violence.  Especially the kind that sucks children into the mix.

PEOPLE

TEAMWORK

DETAILING FOR DISASSEMBLY

Each day on the DE_CON 01 job site, UDBS students are rotated through, and participate in work stations that focused on different aspects of deconstruction. What has stuck with me is an issue that is constantly being brought up: what does design for disassembly look like? The last few posts have shared experiences with different kinds of assemblies that have highlighted this issue. 

As architects, a part of our job should be to find the best way to construct the design work. Since the UDBS focuses on Design For Disassembly (DFD), it is important that we think about how pieces come together as well as how they can come back apart. This makes joints between systems and materials incredibly important. 

Spray foam insulation, shown in the image behind Dave Bennick and at the right, is a highly desirable product for high performance building envelopes. It has a Resistance Value (R-Value) of at least R-6 per inch thickness, which is among  high performing R-Values for commercially available air-tight products. According to data, the many benefits of the air tight seal that spray foam provides include, 1) 30-50% annual energy savings, 2) related downsizing of HVAC systems, 3) sound absorption, and 4) reduction in potential for moisture related mold growth.