Week three: Finalization

Week two: Construction

04.21.11- In class

Drawings Andrew did on autocad.

After we decided on the building to be a oval rounded shape, the next task is How?

What material and how do we do it? We encountered a lot of problems just trying to make a perfect rounded exterior. So at last we abandoned the idea and compromised to make it a twelve edged polygon.

04.23.11- @ coffee shop- Easter Sunday, school closed.

Could not get access to our materials so we just simply renewed some ideas, prepared to build the next time we meet.

04.26.11-@ 2w13 workshop

We finally began building it.

Firstly,we decided to build a plexi box for the base. Then a rubber translucent tube in the middle for the purpose of air circulation and also the main support of the building.

Week One: Conceptualization

04.14.11 Thurs - In class

The group decided on constructing a prototype of an architecture.

This building will be located at Arizona, Sonoran desert, where strong evidence is provided for Sonoran's "recent range expansions along the north-south axis into Baja peninsula.(1)" Basically our architecture mimics the Namib beetle that dwells in one of the driest desert in the world, it survives by collecting moister from the morning fog by its own bumpy back surface. Once the water "droplets are materialize out of thin air on its back, it then slide down channels into its awaiting mouth.(2)"

04.16.11 Sat - Meet at 2w13- Made our concept concrete.

An architect that will have movable panels that mimics the wings of the Namib beetle. The panels shape will be based on the organic shape of a leaf, oval and rounded. A forest/garden will grow on the 1st and 5th floor of the building for the purpose of reducing Co2 that the inhabitants in the building produce. Also this building will mimic the termite mound by having columns inside for hot air to rise to keep the air circulation, this also cuts down the air conditioner and therefore the Co2.

Floor plan

1. "A Natural History of the Sonora Desert"Arizona Sonora's Desert Museum Press. 1997

2. "Water Vapor Harvesting: Namib Desert Beetle" Ask Nature Press. 2008

-Kazu.Angela.Reina.Andrew