| Vital Signs
Project: Daylighting in Three Libraries
Daylighting in Three Libraries: a Research/Design Studio
Assignment
| Student Researchers: |
|
Genevieve Black |
|
Tara Borodin |
|
Nelson Leung |
|
Greg Malone |
|
|
| Professor: |
|
Donald Watson |
|
|
| Advisors: |
|
Peter Boyce |
|
Christopher Cuttle |
|
Milhouse Ecklund |
|
Russell Leslie |
|
|
| School: |
|
School of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
(Overview) (Method)
(Survey) (Mt.
Airy) (Michigan) (Exeter)
(Syllabus)
Abstract
This report describes a "building work-up" assignment that focuses upon
daylighting analysis, exploring the relationship between research and design through case
studies of significant "masterworks" of architecture. The assignment makes a
connection between case study analysis - combining scale modeling and field measurement -
and design exploration, as part of a "research/design studio."
Students first study significant architectural exemplars by constructing and testing
daylight models and then compare results through a field test (called a "building
work-up" in the Vital Signs project to suggest a diagnostic exam) that includes
lighting measurement and an occupant survey.
Lighting models enable simulation of a space under all lighting conditions. Field
testing allows comparison with observation of actual conditions. By combining the two
approaches, students go from model-scale to full-scale testing, while exploring questions
about lighting design lessons and principles that might be derived from the case study.
Three well known works of architecture were selected for study in a design studio at
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The results of these studies are reported here. All are
libraries, selected to allow cross-comparisons, but without an "answer" defined
in advance of what detailed case study analysis might reveal. The examples are:
 University of Michigan Law Library
Architect: Gunnar Birkerts
Completed 1974
 Mt. Airy, NC Public Library
Architect: Edward Mazria
Completed 1984
 Phillips Exeter Academy Library
Architect: Louis Kahn
Completed 1972
We learned that it is instructive and in some cases essential to combine scale-model
testing with building work-up assignments. The experience also showed that such research
assignments can be integrated into a design studio - one could argue should be - in order
to demonstrate the necessary iteration between research and design exploration.
(For more thoughts on this subject see: Watson, Donald. The Research/Design Studio: a
modest proposal to improve education and practice. Proceedings 81st Annual Meeting
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, Washington, DC: ACSA Publications,
1993.)
A Roadmap for this Report
This report is broken into seven main sections.
On this Home Page there is introductory information.
In the Overview section, you will find a description
the class setting in which the investigations were inititated. You will also learn a bit
of the background leading to the development of this research/studio class.
Next, we provide information regarding Methodology . This
describes the investigations the students undertook to learn more about these three
libraries.
The Mt. Airy Library section presents the report for that
building.
The University of Michigan Law Library section presents
the report for that building.
The Phillips Exeter Library section presents the report
for that building.
In the Studio Syllabus section, you'll find a copy of
the syllabus for this research/design studio.
To read this entire document, simply follow the "next" buttons at the bottom of
each page. These will take you sequentially through the whole report. |
