Well, I'm going to try and post a few things from my prelim reviews. I'm not posting all my site analysis due to the fact that I don't have it all in a digital format.

The Circulation board shows the existing circulation around the site. Due to traffic conditions there are few options for vehicular entrance. I've chosen an entrance on Pearl Street on the South end of the site. It is imperative that a vehicular connection be made to the second most accessible street to the North (Leonard).

In the Southwest corner of the site is the main pedestrian entry. This area is in the 'boundary' area of the shopping complex, and will serve as a 'sink' to pull pedestrians into the site. This area will function as an outdoor public plaza. Entrance into the existing structure will be to the existing sub level which is 4' below grade. The majority of the sub level will contain casual cafe style dinning as well as a kitchen area for the restaurant that is located on the Northeast half of the first level.

ADA accessibility is going to be a tricky issue considering all existing entries enter into stairwells. As of right now accessible 'park and enter' entry is located on the North East Corner. The Southwest and Northeast corners will house vertical circulation and restroom facilities.

So far I'm thinking the existing structural system is load bearing 12”� clay tile with a exterior brick face and a plaster finish inside. The floor system appears to be 4.5 inches of reinforced concrete overlain by 2x4 wood runners that are filled with cementitious material. Over the runners there is a wood flooring that is overlain with vinyl tile and carpet. The slabs have 5/8th inch thick steel reinforcing bars running in a North South direction and are spaced 18”� o.c. with welded wire mesh directly above them.

I'm still working a lot of things out, but this is where it's beginning.

Texas Tech University 75 Texas Christian University 35

Until next time-

Context Board:


Circulation:


Existing Site:


Proposed Site:


Structure:

Well, we had prelims today. During the prelim review both your Professor and your Advisor get together critique and discuss your work. (kind of tag team style) Beaulinckx wanted to see everything we had produced in the last two weeks on the wall. I was pinning up in the hallway and covered a 20'x9' chunk of the wall. We are only supposed to get 8'x8' for the final. I hope I can get rid of some of this junk. Anyhow, it went well I suppose. I always stress out at the beginning of a project when all the big decisions that drive the rest of the project are made. Its hard to gauge how you are doing compared to the rest of the thesis students. Usually we are working on the same project, but in thesis everyone has their own thing.

On the plus side, I started my oil painting class and have almost completed my first piece. I did a still life of a group of limes and a Jack in the Box antenna ball. (long story) Anyhow I have two more of these practice exercises before I get to the main part of my painting class. I'm working on a theoretical concept of adaptively reusing old paintings. You know the type of painting that you wouldn't really want to hang on your wall, yet it seems too valuable to trash. I've taken these paintings and done numerous Photoshop sketches of how I want to interpret the work. It's been fun. I can wait to start painting them.

On a side note, the Tech football team freaking got beat by New Mexico last weekend. What the crap. It was like the first time in 20 years or something. We have a home game this Saturday against TCU. This should be a pretty cake game, but after last weekend who knows.

Until next time.

Ok its Friday and boy am I glad for that. Prof. Beaulinckx and I are not thinking on the same scale, plane, or maybe not even the same freaking planet. I feel like I'm having to rework the site analysis. I've already done a site analysis...open up my program and you'll see it on pages 113-165. This is a little frustrating. Having said this she does have a few points about circulation being the main issue in my project. She's also getting me to think about some formal organizing issues. But damnit if she makes me attach a stupid freaking parking garage and pedestrian bridges to my structure I'm going to be pissed.

We ended our conversation today with her saying, "your stubborn...its Friday go drink some beer." She's a great professor and will help me to think in different directions. I just hope I don't loose course of were I want this thesis to go.

Until next time.

The stress is already here. I can feel my hair falling out as I type.

Last weekend I started to build a structural model at 1/16th scale. Keep in mind that the existing building I'm working on is a 100,000+ sq.ft school that was built in 1910. Needless to say it has its fair share of columns. Anyhow, halfway into the model my professor decided the exercise was still to complex to get a full grasp of the space. (One of the main goals was to "discover the spatial qualities of the existing space) Anyhow, I'm now stepping backward a little and simplifying these abstractions again into simple geometric shapes. Beulinckx and I talked a lot about how my site is in an urban chasm and how a parti diagram is really important for this project. So, In addition to working on some abstractions of the existing building spaces, I'm starting to construct some parti sketches.

For now, here is some sketchup work I've done so far.

Context:

Structure:

Mass:

Last night me and an Architecture buddy went to the Metallica concert. One of the best concerts I've seen in awhile. The new United Spirit Arena that Texas Tech Built for Bobby Knight is finally bringing some big shows into town. Lubbock just recently hit the 200,000 population mark. We are starting to see lots of growth here in the city as well as the University. We had just over 30,000 students enrolled this year.

I've begun abstracting my floor plans into solids and voids. I'm starting to get a better feel of the space now. Soon I'll begin to determine where I can add and subtract new geometries in to the existing form.

TTU Students @ Metallica


Abstract Floor Plan

Well, the art students are back in school. Last night somebody mounted a car on the bridge in the courtyard. It proved to be a nice conversation piece for the annual burger burn held by AIAS.

Ever wonder where all those supplies you loose go? AIAS also had their annual supply sale. They sold everything from model building supplies to discarded T-squares.

I completed my site model today. It took me 1 more day than I thought it would. I'll spend the weekend abstracting floor plans and working on a structural model of the high school.

Next Deadline Sept. 14&15 Preliminary Reviews.

Burger Burn + "ART"


Supply Sale:


Site Model:

From Above:

This summer I documented the existing structure. Previously the only architectural drawings that existed were some electrical plans from 71. I used these plans along with photographs I took to create floor plans and elevations. See the images below.

I had my first Crit today. Buelinckx suggested that I abstract the plans I created. I'm going to get rid of everything except the load bearing walls and columns. The new drawings will allow me to see the structure more clearly as I begin to merge the new programmed spaces into the existing context.

This weekend I will be finishing my site model, completing the abstractions, produce a few sections, and possibly a physical model of the solids and voids. I'm hoping these exercises will help me to understand the formal vocabulary that exists in the structure. Once this is understood I can start to add and subtract from the existing resulting in a new juxtaposition of forms.

Crap...I need to get to work because I'm also going to rock out at a Metallica concert and Dove season starts this weekend. I love Labor Day Weekend!

Floor Plates:


Elevations:

Today I continued work on my site model. Tomorrow I'll start to build the highway the runs next to my site. This might be a little challenging. I'm starting to get in my routine here at school, but skipped out on a night a Crickets(local bar) to write this blog. What was I thinking? Here is a summary of my project.

I propose a thesis on the adaptive reuse of the historic Dallas High School. The original Dallas High School building, built by Lang and Witchell in 1908, sits on 5.4 acres of land located just inside of the central core loop of highways that surround downtown Dallas just West of the central expressway. In October of 2000 the City Council of Dallas voted to make the structure a historic landmark. Since its designation, the structure has been involved in ongoing litigation. The current owners wish to demolish the structure to make way for a mixed use commercial complex. The Dallas Tech Alumni Association is currently working to save the structure from demolition.

The Dallas High School's main façade faces the Bryan/Pearl Street Dart Rail Station. Its buff brick exterior and significantly smaller profile creates a strong visual void amongst the surrounding contemporary offices and hotel buildings. The structure was designed in the Classical Revival style and includes 60 original class rooms and an auditorium capable of seating 1200 students. During its lifetime the Dallas High School remained a useful asset to the community by continually adjusting and evolving to the needs of the community. The school was eventually closed in 1995 and has been involved in constant political battles ever since.
The vision of this proposal will focus on revitalizing the site into the community center that it once was, with an emphasis on significant residuals. Possible precise demolition and creative additions to the existing structure will capture the useful character and capital of the site's past. Imprints and connections to the existing structure will be dramatized rather than romanticized.

Downtown Dallas has been desperately seeking a grocery store for several years. Many developers feel that without a store the residential growth downtown has enjoyed, will stall. The Dallas High School site will provide something much greater than a simple community grocery store providing the necessities of life. On the contrary, a food theme park will be designed to provide the customer with: entertainment, education, relaxation, recreation, and fresh quality foods. The facility will take advantage of: the public transportation located at its front door, neighboring office buildings, hotels, immediate freeway access, and the adjacent existing park. The commercial center will include quick meal food vendors, old world style market shopping, themed restaurants combined with cooking classes, wine cellar bar, pharmacy, home meal replacements, shopping services, and an outdoor multi-purpose theater.

The existence of the Dallas High School is currently in a volatile state of litigation. As one of the few remaining public structures of its time period in Dallas, it is important that the structure be saved. Rather than simply preserving the structure it should be allowed to continue its evolutionary cycle that began in 1908. As a market center, the site will once again be vibrant with life as it caters to the needs of the downtown population.

SITE:

As usual, the first day of school was spent going over the syllabus, rules, and deadlines. I moved all my crap from the 5th floor to the 3rd floor. See picture of new studio space below. I'm sharing a 1600 square ft. locked room with 8 other graduate students. Space is ample and I have plenty of pin up room for desk crits.

James White will continue to be my advisor this semester. James is a cornerstone in the Faculty here at Tech. He is very knowledgeable in the tectonics of architecture and will be very helpful with the practical aspects of my thesis.



Dr. Buelinckx will be replacing Prof. Marc Giaccardo as my thesis professor. Giaccardo left this summer and went to UTSA. I am excited about working with Dr. Buelinckx. She is very theoretical and will help me to iron out my concepts.

In addition to Thesis I will be working in the computer lab from 8-10am 5 days a week. I took this schedule to force myself to get up early everyday. I anticipate working from 8am-12pm everyday + a few unavoidable all nighters.

I'm also taking a painting elective from Prof. Jaddo. I had Jaddo (see her work here) for delineation as a freshman and decided to use my last elective credit to broaden my horizons and explore the world of painting. My paintings will incorporate my concepts of adaptive use into the art realm. I've purchased 5 paintings that I will be transforming in various ways. I plan to present them in a show at the end of the semester.

Master Design Studio II Course Schedule, Objectives, etc