Design Thinking I Test 2

U of A IRAD

Interior use of Metals

Metals are used in interiors for structure, finishes, furniture, fixtures, hardware, railings, lighting, and decorative elements.

Common metals include steel, aluminum, brass, copper, and stainless steel.

Solid wood

Used for structure, cladding, and flooring, pine is common in the south

Rapidly renewable; moderate durability

2×4, 2×6 common sizes for studs 1×6 common flooring size

Plywood

Tree sliced into sheets

Many layered sheets

4’ x 8’ common size

Veneer

Tree sliced into sheets

Single sheet of expensive or high quality wood

Applied to backer board

Sustainability and Materials

• Rapidly renewable materials

  • Materials harvested in 10 year cycle

  • Bamboo, cork, cotton, wool, straw, etc

• Recyclable materials

  • Materials that can be recycled

  • Metals, glass, and concrete

• Healthy materials

  • Materials with no toxic substances or off-gases

  • Asbestos, Lead, and VOCs are common toxic substances

Sustainability Principles in Interiors

• Adaptive Reuse

  • Reuse existing buildings

• Design Efficiency

  • Do more with less

• Healthy Materials

  • Specify healthy, renewable materials

Constraints [Foundations in Technology]

The limitations, boundaries, or restrictions in a design project that
guide the creative process and ensure solutions are practical and
meet project objectives

External Constraints

The boundaries that are provided by the client and context

These are limits outside of our control that must be accepted and consciously responded to in the design

Common external constraints in design

Location

Solar orientation

Climate

Timeline

Client

Scope

Budget

Functional

Regulatory

Physical

Rules [Foundations in Technology]

Specific guidelines designers develop to make decisions

Rules bring…

Rigor
Clarity
Consistency
Logic
Comprehension

Principles [Foundations in Technology]

Fundamental, general truths

Four common brick patterns

Crosshatch, Stack Bond, Traditional Herringbone, and Running Bond

Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp

Chapel was designed by Le Corbusier, It is known for…

• Sculptural form

• Thick curved walls

• Dramatic natural light

• Organic shapes rather than strict geometry

Ceramic Tile

Most popular

Kiln-fired clay with glaze, used in backsplashes and bathroom walls

Porcelain Tiles

Very durable

Denser, highly water-resistant, heavy traffic, and outdoor areas

Natural stone, glass, terrazzo, cement, mosaics

Clay

Natural earth material used to make ceramics

Brick

Made from Clay; formed into blocks, dried, and fired in a kiln

Soft when wet, hard when dry

3-5/8” x 2-1/4 × 7-5/8” common size

Very durable

Tile

Popular surface material

Made from many materials (ceramic, porcelain, cement)

Many colors, finishes, and patterns

Very durable

Material strategy

A Material Strategy is a type of rule that helps us make decisions
about how and where to use what materials

Often tied to function, zoning, and spatial requirements

Prospect

Prospect spaces are where a person is elevated, feels open, looks
out and at the world around us

Refuge

Refuge spaces are where a person feels calm, safe and internally
focused

Associated with heavy, dark spaces

Designing with material units/modules

Creating designs using repeating standardized pieces (bricks, tiles, panels, blocks) to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and create visual order

Editing in Design

Clarifying the design to its essence helps the project in many ways

• Less expensive

• Easier to build

• Clearer design strategy

Heavy Materials

Having great weight, of weighty import

Thick, dense

Characterized by depth of intensity: profound

Examples of heavy materials

Metals (Steel, brass, copper, etc)

Concrete

Brick

Tile

Stone

Light Materials

Create feelings of openness, movement, and transparency

• Glass

• Fabric

• Thin metal

• Screens

Translucent material

A material or substance that allows light to pass through, but

diffuses it so that objects on the other side cannot be seen clearly

Translucent Materials Examples

Glass

Glass Block

Channel Glass

Acrylic

Polycarbonate

ETFE

Fabrics

Examples of Screens

Wood screens
Shoji screens

Perforated metal
Expanded metal
Bar grate
Metal mesh

Brick screen walls
Concrete block

Screens Are Great When...

The space needs physical separation

A level of privacy

Need for light, air, and view to penetrate

The Four Elements of Architecture

• Hearth

  • Metallurgy, ceramics

• Roof

  • Carpentry

• Enclosure

  • Textile, weaving

• Mound

  • Earthwork

Villa Muller (Raumplan)

• Designed by Adolf Loos

• Uses Raumplan ("space plan")

• Rooms have different heights and levels based on function

• Spaces are interconnected vertically

Barcelona Pavilion (Free Plan)

• Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

• Uses Free Plan

• Few structural walls

• Open, flexible spaces

• Walls do not determine the building's structure

Update after the upcoming color lectures

TBD