My Favorite Models

[tkhoatson]

Here are a couple of models I put together pretty quickly over the holidays…

Albers Pannekoeken

Pannekoeken is the Dutch word for ‘pancakes’, and this is a restaurant which serves Dutch pancakes. (BTW, the name ‘Albers’ is an Americanized form of ‘Aalbers’, the name of a famous Dutch architect.)

Front Right Isometric View:

The form of the building itself serves to promote what the business has to offer…

Front Entry:

The interior has rich colors and rich wood furnishings, for a more updated look and a nicer ambience than the competition. High clerestory windows bring in more natural light.

Dining Room:

The space is encompassed by booths and tables for the guests. (A table or two could be added in the center of each room.)

Kitchen:

Three stove workspaces, two ovens and two sinks should allow ample space for cooking and clean-up.

… and …

Winders Waffles

This is a restaurant which serves Belgian waffles. (BTW, ‘Winders’ is the name of a famous Belgian architect.)

Front View:

Again, the façade of the building promotes the menu…

Front Entry:

The coffered ceilings also reflect the shape of these waffles.

Dining Room:

The atmosphere is casual, but still communicates quality…

Hungry yet???

[Danimaupin]

I am a fan of a waffle house made of waffles, and a pancake house made of pancakes. Too much fun

[tkhoatson]

Over the past several months, I have been pursuing several different ideas. So I have had a number of projects in progress but finishing none of them.

So now I finally have one complete project to present here.

In the foothills of the Appalachian highlands, I propose…

Zephyr Mountain

This view from the north shows the three structures embedded in a hilly area surrounded by nature. Each structure is identical, and is rounded in form to fit in more with the organic environment while still offering a contrast between the natural structures and the human-built ones. The lines of the windows reflect the flow of the winds over the hills.

View from the East

Placing the structures at varying elevations allows for unimpeded views of the environment.

• View from the West*

Each of the three structures is referenced by the trees that are found around it:

Piney Glen Area

Dogwood Grove

In this view we can see the entry to the below-ground parking, which was designed to preserve as much of the natural setting as possible.

Oak Knob

[tkhoatson]

Here is another one of my recent experiments…

An Ode to a Bygone Era - the Office Park

As so many office towers in the US now have high vacancies, I find it doubtful that more office parks like this will be built for the foreseeable future. But I wanted to experiement with a couple of facade ideas.

Here we have 7 office towers, with a hotel in the middle. The spiraling facade is white to provide aesthetic interest while reducing heat-gain.

View from Above the Front Entry

On each side there are ramps down to the lower-level parking under the site. The hotel facade in the center is similar to the others, while still maintaining its own unique identity.

Front Right Isometric View

Above ground parking on each side is available for visitors to both the hotel and the offices.

On several of the lower roofs are cafes, where workers can grab lunch and, on nice days, even eat outside.

View from Above

The centerpiece of the spacious courtyard is a fountain.

Courtyard View

View into the Courtyard from Parking

[tkhoatson]

Here is another one of my recent experiments… actually, it is based on a rough design I came up with years ago.

Athenian Towers

View from the North

Eleven levels of standard apartments rise above the commercial area on the ground level. The towers are topped off with 4 levels of luxury penthouses in various configurations.

North West Isometric View

The Penthouse levels feature balconies with great views. And the two towers are connected by sky bridges at the mid- and upper-levels.

View from the West

The main entrance is between the two towers, and is served by guest parking on both sides. Resident parking is kept underground, in order to allow for more greenery on the site.

View from the West

A variety of trees surround the towers, including cypress trees, to enhance the classic Mediterranean feel of the site.

[tkhoatson]

My most recent house design… Cabin 7.

Top View:

The shape of the structure is based on a series of 7-sided polygons.

Front-Left Isometric View:

The siding consists of vertical, weathered wood slats. The 2nd-story deck off the master bedroom along with the window detailing is in ash.

Front View:

The roofing of both the second level and the garage consists of stepped shapes and includes clerestory windows for abundant natural lighting. The front windows have embedded stained-glass designs which reflect the shapes of the home itself.

Right-side View:

Another view of the clerestory windows. Here also the ornate front door is visible.

Back-Right Isometric View:

The back patio is flanked by evergreen shrubs, which tie in with the tall evergreen trees on the edges of the property.

Credits:
Chinese Style Door - Ping Y.
Low poly 3D tree bush - Max Achkovsky
Hydrangea - JBeasley
Sketchup trees collection_02_tree_23 - SketchUp

[tkhoatson]

Another house design, based on rotated hexagons:

Introducing the Baker House

Top View

Street View

The lower level is clad in brick; the upper level in wood siding. Clerestory windows all around provide abundant natural lighting. The garage roof supports a deck for outdoor entertaining.

Front-Right Isometric View

Here is a closer look at the spacious deck. The 2-car garage below has two separate doors, each set at an angle with respect to the actual direction of entry, as indicated by the driveway.

Right Side View

The second level of the house has double clerestory windows, which allow for interesting and constantly changing light patterns in that space.

Back-Right Isometric View

Rear View

Left Side View

The two bathrooms on the first level have randomly-spaced textured glass bricks, allowing for natural light to enter, while still protecting the privacy of anyone within.

Front View

Lower Level Entry Hall

The private spaces are on the lower level, allowing the public spaces to occupy the upper level, where more expansive views are available.

Ascending the Stairs

A glimpse of the upper floor is visible at the top of the stairs, but the enclosing walls restrict the view to heighten the drama of emerging at the top.

Living Room

This level is very open and airy. Wood-paneled walls contrast with the bright white ceiling, and keep the natural light from becoming overwhelming.

Dining Room

To the right of the dining area is a small bathroom.

Kitchen

Beech wood cabinetry coordinates with the window trim.

Deck

The patio doors open wide to allow for unobstructed access between the kitchen and the deck.

Entertainment Zone

Cozy furniture surrounds the wall-mounted screen.

[tkhoatson]

I had an idea to model a facility to house an indigenous music institute in Southeast Asia:

This structure is envisioned for Bandung, a city on the island of Java in Indonesia. Bandung is a bit south of the equator, with tropical heat mitigated by its elevation in the mountains. Fortunately, the area is not in the path of typhoons.

As shown in the plot above, the sun is nearly directly overhead at midday on the equinox. But the shaded area indicates that over the course of a year more sunlight comes from the north, whereas the light is more angled in the early morning and late evening at the December solstice. (Note that Sketchup15, which I use, is unable to accurately render shadows in the tropics or the southern hemisphere.)

I most appreciate architecture that seemlessly blends form and function, where the structure serves both at once…

The angklung is a traditional instrument made from bamboo, and quite well known in Southeast Asia. Typically, an angklung “choir” performs the music, with each player holding an instrument with its own tone, much like a handbell choir here in North America. Looking at the instrument, I was inspired by its structure…

The south-facing façade mirrors this structure. It not only serves an aesthetic purpose of communicating something about what goes on in the building, but also a functional purpose of mitigating how much sunlight is able to enter the windows. A narrow gap between the glass and the vertical wood slats isolates the glass from the warmed slats and allows air flow to carry the heat away.

Between the 3 glazed sections are panels of “batik” textile designs. This helps to emphasize the cultural focus of the institute. Green is a symbolically important color, and the light-colored panels help to reflect the sunlight away.

Tall bamboo on the corners of the structure help to keep the mid-morning and mid-afternoon sun from sneaking in at odd angles (especially in December), as well as softening the edges of the building.

The saron demung is like a mini marimba with only 7 notes. This is reflected on the east and west sides of the structure:

The seven teak panels which mimic the saron demung are also offset from the brick wall so as to catch the warmth of the sun before it reaches the wall. This sloped space behind the wall contains an auditorium for rehearsals and performances.

The tall bamboo continues from the south side to east and west, filtering the sunlight which reaches the clerestory windows. These windows are operable, allowing for passive cooling as much as possible.

The sloped roof of the auditorium is covered by solar panels, which not only provide electricity but also reflect away some of the sun’s heat. These light-colored panels were not chosen for peak efficiency in converting light to power, but rather for reflecting more of the heat away, and protecting the panels from degraded performance due to excessive heat. What is lost in power generation is hopefully gained in reduced maintenance costs.

On the north side of the auditorium is a small park to encourage reflection and social connection.

[tkhoatson]

[Music Institute, continued…]

This large, hanging drum is known as a bedug. The frame which holds it up is used as a pattern for the doorway arch on the east side.

The gender is similar to the saron demung, but with more notes (and bamboo pipes to resonate the sound).

A set of gamelan bells are shown here. These are usually played along with other instruments in an “orchestra”.

The teak panels on the north face of the auditorium are suggestive of the gender. The oversized shapes of the bedug and the gamelan bell are used in the park to add a sense of interacting with the instruments. Here the path meanders over and through the bedug, and people can sit on the bells to enjoy a quiet moment or have a conversation.

The west side of the structure mirrors the east side.

A view from the southwest corner. More solar panels are arranged on the roof of the main body of the structure. They are “tented” together, providing for maximal solar power generation from early morning through late afternoon. Again, the space beneath the panels allows for air flow to carry away heat.

The gong klentong hangs in an ornate frame…

That frame design is used as an archway over the main entry on the west side.

And here is a closer view of the main entry on the east, surrounded by a bedug frame.

Note: all instrument photos were obtained from Wikipedia.
Solar data was obtained from suncalc.org.

[tkhoatson]

And now for something completely different…

I was playing around with an octagon shape and rotating it around in various ways to create interesting patterns:

After thinking about what I could do with these, I came up with…

City Park Pavilions

I looked around on Google Earth to find a candidate park, just for demonstration, and I ended up in Faribault, Minnesota:

Alexander Park (both North and South) lies along the shores of the Cannon River Reservoir. It has many sports facilities, especially because it is situated next to the county fairgrounds. I sited 4 park pavilions, two on each side of the reservoir, in areas that are currently undeveloped.

These pavilions are intended for group gatherings - two can host smaller musical performances and the other two are for simply hanging out (perhaps for picnics, etc.) I like to call this concept Play Faribault, where play can refer both to playing sports and playing music.

Blocks Pavilion

Top View

The name of this pavilion was chosen from the roof design that suggests 3D cubes.

Front View

The pavement within rises in steps in a pattern which spirals upward slightly, reflecting the shapes above while providing a variety of places to sit.

Isometric View

The concave areas of the roof could retain water, adding greatly to the weight burden on the structure. So the four interior support posts double as drain pipes to carry the water away.

Ice Pavilion

Top View

The most complex of the pavilion canopies, this one looks a bit like a snowflake from above…

Front View

… but from the side appears more like ice shards, as one might find on the surface of the reservoir after a strong winter wind. The concrete slab rises in steps into the structure, before descending again toward the center, providing an area for gatherings with a central focus.

Isometric View

Again, where the faces come together to create a concave area, drainage is supplied.

Diamond Pavilion

Top View

This design suggested to me the facets of a diamond…

Front View

… in a gold setting. As this canopy has no internal supports, it must be more nearly hemispheric to hold its weight. Openings in the canopy allow for air to flow through, mitigating wind forces against the structure.

Isometric View

The thick concrete slab will be mostly sunken in the ground, with only an eight-inch step up from the surrounding grass. The surface steps down toward the center, making a sort of amphitheater, within which groups can gather for a performance.

Blossom Pavilion

Top View

This canopy suggests a flower blossom, open to the sunshine.

Front View

The layering of the “petals” allows for airflow through the structure. The concrete slab rises toward the center in steps, allowing for informal gatherings to happen here.

Isometric View

The green color of the lower, outer petals suggests leaves surrounding the bloom. The supports for the petals suggest the appearance of stems, especially as one walks through the structure.

[jean_lemire_1]

@tkhoatson

Here’s an exploration of reflecting ethnic identity by combining traditional motifs with modern designs… the Scandihoovian Chalet (for folks living here in MN):

Nice but, in places receiving a fair amount of snow, such a roof will dump a lot of snow on the upper balcony.

Also, don’t forget a gutter to canalise water and avoid it from spilling on the same bacony.

[tkhoatson]

My latest concept…

Saddle Junction House

This house of four volumes has a distinctive roof design and maximizes natural light and expansive views.

Front View

Two stone-clad volumes are separated by a smaller, brick-clad volume. The dramatic roof lines are inspired by mountain peaks.

Front-Right Isometric View

The driveway and walkways consist of pavers rather than concrete, in order to allow rainwater to trickle between them and into the ground.

Right-Side View

A fourth volume clad in brick clings to one end, providing garage space. Clerestory windows allow natural light in, reducing energy consumption.

Back-Right Isometric View

The varying slopes of each roof, along with the variation in materials, provides visual interest.

Back View

A rear patio provides for outdoor entertaining in the spacious yard.

Left View

The view from the street is interesting, but discreet.

Top View

From above, the arrangement of the four volumes can be seen.

Public Space

Inside the front door, guests will encounter a spacious lobby which can be used for mingling. To the right can be found the kitchen and the open public areas invite the visitors further in.

Private Space

The area to the left of the lobby leading to the bedrooms is not as open, as a visual clue that this is private space.

Master Bedroom

The master suite has ample space for personal reflection, as well as views out to the surrounding natural world. A sliding door gives access to the back patio.

note: Most furnishings and landscaping elements were obtained from the 3D Warehouse, though many have been improved and customized. The artwork on the wall is Seven Stars by Marcus Uzilevsky - one of my favorite artists.

[tkhoatson]

This is a variation on Saddle Junction House that I decided not to pursue further, in preference for the design above…

in this case, all the roofs are aligned the same way. The ends would open up more - toward the neighbors’ homes - and that seemed less ideal. Also, all three roof faces pointing down toward the front seemed less inviting to guests…

[tkhoatson]

Another concept I had, based on various things I’ve seen around the web in the past couple of years…

The Greene House

This is the basic layout, with bedrooms arranged around a core public space, with the kitchen and utility room at the top.

Interior View

The rooms of the house are wrapped with an outer shell. Going out the door next to the kitchen leads to a stairway to the upper level as well as the garage. (I did not bother to furnish the rooms in this concept.)

Top View

The outer shell is basically a greenhouse, with clear glazing around and translucent glazing on top. The greenhouse acts as an insulator for the interior rooms, allowing for more passive temperature control and reducing or eliminating the need for insulation.

Front / South View

Similar concepts that I have seen appear to simply be greenhouses from the outside. I wanted to see if something more aesthetically pleasing could be done.

Southeast Isometric View

The bedrooms in the house look out on garden views in the surrounding greenhouse. Geometric screens filter the sunlight which enters the front bedrooms, while at the same time allowing for interesting patterns which change throughout the day. Summer sun is completely filtered, whereas winter sunlight is able to enter freely below the screens.

East Side View

The bathrooms in this house have windows for natural light, though raised to a higher level to maintain privacy.

North Side View

A door from the utility room allows access to the back yard.

West Side View

The garage is tucked behind the house on the north side, so it does not block sunlight on the rear glazing or views from the interior rooms.

UpperDeck Views

Additonal vegetation is grown on the upper deck, including both decorative plants and small vegetables. The central space can be used for entertaining or simply for sitting in a natural environment.

Sun Exposure

This view shows how the shadows fall in the early morning at the summer solstice.

This view shows how the shadows fall in the late afternoon at the winter solstice.

Northwest Isometric View

In this transverse view, the basic house concept is shown…

Solar Power Enhancement

In many solar power installations, panels are simply attached to the roof. Here I wanted to explore the possibility of having an aesthetic arrangement, while at the same time planning for the need of maintenance.

To allow for easy access to the panels, a ladder is attached to the back of the house, complete with a cage to prevent falls.

Grid walkways between the panels allow for sure footing while accessing the panels and provide something more sturdy to walk on than the upper glazing!

Since the garage roof slopes to the north, no panels are placed there. However, there is a possibility that panels could be angled to the rising or setting sun and still provide some additional power.

Note: all vegetation components were obtained from the 3D Warehouse, though many have been substantially modified.

[tkhoatson]

Here is an alternate version of the Greene House (above), which I had considered:

Southwest Isometric View

Front / South-facing View

West-facing View

One disadvantage of this design is that it would be more difficult to do a solar energy installation. Another disadvantage is that it would be a more complex build, as there are many supports and glass panels with custom measurements.

But the main reason I favored the previous design was that this one looked a bit cartoonish to me - like something out of the Jetsons!

What were your thoughts when you saw it…?

[tkhoatson]

Here is a concept I am calling…

Sternhaufenhaus

A brick structure of six modules plus a garage, this house features a central public space encircled by a kitchen and four bedrooms.

North-facing View

The front entry is framed between two of the bedroom modules. A clerestory window over the front door allows natural light into the central space.

West-facing View

The two-car garage connects to the central area via back door.

South-facing View

The back of the house has a patio for enjoying the outdoors.

Southeast Isometric View

The patio can be accessed via sliding doors from the central area. The master bedroom has patio doors that also open to the patio. The kitchen shares space with a utility room in a module that sits next to the patio for ease of serving food to the outdoors.

East-facing View

The brick pavers of both the back patio and the front step create continuity with the recycled brick walls, while wood accents trim the windows and doors, in continuity with the exposed roof timbers.

Top View

The house is sited on a corner lot with ample green space.

If I were to start over on this design, I would do the garage in a different way. The garage roof in this design was hard to model, and would be even harder to build.

Here are alternate concepts that were considered:

In the end, I chose to keep everything on one level and add a central space with a vaulted ceiling.

[tkhoatson]

And here is an apartment building based on the same basic geometric primitives as the house above…

3030 65th Street

This apartment building features six units on each of nine floors, where each unit has the shape of a pentagon. The core of the building, seen at the base, is a hexagon-shaped elevator lobby, surrounded by a sheltered patio. Visitors are welcomed at the front by bubbling fountains and abundant greenery.

View from the Southeast

Each unit has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a private patio off the living room.

East Isometric View

Both the stairwell and the elevator shaft have glazing at the top, to allow more natural light in and reduce reliance on generated power. Vehicles arriving in front can drop off guests at the door, or descend to the lower parking levels via ramp.

View from the Northeast

In addition to the covered patio space, there is also green space surrounding the structure, with a pond in back and benches to relax among the trees.

View of the Lobby

The ground-floor lobby is clad in white stone, contrasted with black stone cladding on the elevator and stairway shafts. The flooring is also stone.

View of the Patio

Tables with benches reside on one side of the patio, with comfortable outdoor seating areas out front by the fountains and in back, facing the green space. Again, the use of pavers allows for a reduced reliance on concrete.

View of the Green Space

In the green space, star-shaped planter is surrounded by a wooden bench. The shape of this structure hints at the shape of the building and provides continuity with it.

Brickwork Detail

The ramp to the lower parking level required a protective barrier to prevent falls. Rather than provide something merely functional, this brick wall adds its own aesthetic touch.

Façade Detail

The use of locally-sourced brick for the exterior walls allows for a reduction in the amount of concrete used, and therefore the environmental impact as well. Though at first glance the structure appears conventional, from another perspective its uniqueness becomes apparent.

Note: various furnishings and all plants were obtained from the 3D Warehouse.

[tkhoatson]

My next model is inspired by many builds I have seen from architects in India…

The Jalley House

The façade of the house is brick, with a pair of darker stripes on the lower part of the walls.

Rough Layout

To facilitate the creation of a floor plan, stock modules were first arranged together.

Interior Spaces

At the front of the house are two standard bedrooms, with a third behind the one on the right, and a bathroom between. In the back left corner is the master bedroom, with en suite. The living area occupies the central space toward the front of the house with the dining area on the left behind it, allowing access to the back patio, and the kitchen on the right, providing access to the mechanical / utility room, which in turn allows access to the garage.

Top View

The roofing helps to define two main volumes: living space and garage space. Cut into the roof are two pergola, one in front and one in back.

East View

The dark stripes are discontinued for the garage, delineating the difference in function. The enclosed spaces are lifted above the surrounding ground by one foot, to resist flooding.

North View

The back of the structure features a patio, accessed by two sets of sliding doors - one off the dining room, the other off the master bedroom. The patio has ample space for outdoor entertaining.

Northwest Isometric View

Two porous brick screens enhance the privacy of the patio space. Air is able to flow through, while the screens limit views from neighbors on each side, to varying degrees.

West View

The west side walls of the bedrooms do not have windows, allowing for more privacy, and resisting the harsh afternoon light. However, the bathrooms have heightened glazing, to allow for natural light and greater warmth.

Front Brickwork Detail

In this view can be seen the angled bricks which create the stripes around the living area. Also, the front windows are screened by multi-color bricks to add to the aesthetics, while preserving privacy and still allowing a fair amount of natural light to enter the living room beyond.

Back Brickwork Detail

The angles of the bricks limit the sight lines to the patio outside the master bedroom, while still allowing for some late afternoon light and mitigated breezes to reach the potted tree.

This screen does not limit the sight lines to the same degree, but does delineate the space of the backyard.

South View

The front entrance of the home is reached by one of two paths marked out by brick pavers. The use of tall bushes before the windows ensures views of greenery to those inside, while limiting the inward view of those outside.

Working with these bricks became fairly tedious, as I needed to work out wall lengths that would allow for the corner bricks to be laid correctly - especially the angled bricks. I eventually came up with a system, but it was much more work than anticipated.

This view also shows things I find frustrating as I use Sketchup:

• I hid the lines of the the pavers in order to keep from having them look black from this angle. But somehow Sketchup has replaced them with gray lines at certain angles, so now the pavers look bluish-gray.
• Sketchup in inconsistent in how it handles transparency. The edges of the bushes look normal against opaque surfaces, but the transparency at the edges of the bushes is handled terribly when another transparent material is behind.
• Another problem can be seen on the north and west views. There appear to be subtle horizontal stripes on the brick walls when saved to images, though none appear within Sketchup itself.

Note: again, various furnishings and all plants were obtained from the 3D Warehouse.

[tkhoatson]

Here is a model for an office building…

Blume & Rosen Business Solutions

The windows at ground level allow for lots of natural light and views to the exterior, while moderating views to the interior, as well as preventing break-ins.

Geometric Primitives

The design arises from a seven-sided polygon rotated seven times around a vertex. This was overlaid with a smaller one having the same center point, which in turn was overlaid by a yet smaller one.

Overhead View

The center of the roof opens to a courtyard below. Metal roofing of alternating colors makes the geometric design more vivid. The structure is placed within and cooperates with the natural setting.

Southeast Isometric View

The structure has two levels, and each has clerestory windows to bring in yet more natural light, while mitigating direct sunlight.

View from the North

The horizontality of the structure, along with the varied roof lines, is contrasted with the vertical orientation of the wooden façade.

Lobby / Reception

Open space with ample seating allows for relaxed conversations with visitors. The reception desk allows for guests to be directed to their destination. The artwork by Uzilevsky reinforces a calming atmosphere, as well as a high value on natural environments.

Back Lobby

More seating is clustered between the stairs which lead to the second level. From here, the greenery in the courtyard can be seen.

Upstairs Executive Suites

At the top of the stairs, the desk of the administrative assistant can be seen. An open area with tables allows space for working on projects or spreading out files for research.

The circular hallway features views out to the courtyard, and natural light in.

Courtyard

A fountain is here with the same design as the one in the front drive. Potted greenery and understated benches allow for more relaxed interaction or even private reflection.

All vegetation and furnishings, as well as the window screens, are from the 3D Warehouse.

[tkhoatson]

My latest concept…

Bundaran Group Offices

This rounded volume adds a dramatic touch by the way it leans toward you.

East-facing View

There is a functional purpose to this leaning façade: it follows the angle of the sun at noon on the summer solstice, in order to reduce solar gain at the warmest times of the year. Since the hottest time of the year is actually up to two months later than the solstice, louvers attached to the façade further mitigate the direct sunlight at slightly lower angles.

Geometric Primitive

A bit of an odd polygon was spun around in a circle, leaving an opening at the center… I liked to think of it as a cosmic doughnut.

North-facing View

The center ring rises up slightly above the outer ring, and is notched to allow for clerestory windows to bring in yet more natural light. These are angled toward the sun, but have double the mitigating louvers. The structure is further ringed by parking ramps, bringing vehicles belonging to guests and employees below the ground, preserving the remainder of the site for greener purposes.

Southwest Isometric View

The central courtyard is shaded by a single, full-grown tree. The inner walls here are angled toward the sun to allow as much natural light as possible into the structure from the narrow opening. But the light is filtered through the leaves of the tree to create a calming atmosphere, and louvers again reduce the direct sunlight.

West-facing View

The light-colored wood louvers reflect back more light rather than absorbing all of the heat. They also allow for more of that reflected, ambient light to brighten the rooms beyond, but without reflected glare.

Top View

Stacking the structure over the below-ground parking allows for maximum green space surrounding the offices. This not only provides for pleasant views around, but also reduces the “heat island” effect from large asphalt parking lots.

As before, all vegetation is from the 3D Warehouse.