Studio hall for D-arch

Studio Mike guyer

Spring 2018

Hilux Studio

with Victor Lepik & Jenna Nutivaara

Site plan.jpg — The task for the semester was to design new Studio spaces for the architecture department. The increased numbers of both students and design chairs along with the planned demolition of the exiting studio pavilions on campus Hönggerberg raised the need for an on-campus solution.

The design is based on the idea of creating the ideal conditions for future architecture students. The maximization of natural daylight was a key element in the design. In order to have diffuse daylight at every workplace in the building a translucent ceiling made with ETFE film is used. A fluorine-based plastic that is a cheaper and more lightweight alternative to glass.

Fostering the exchange between the occupants was the driving factor for the spatial organization. The studios are a collection of discreet parcels in an open-plan grid, the space can accommodate endless configurations of functions and activities. This space on the first floor is connected to a large courtyard on the ground floor of the building by a series of ramps. They mediate between the large gathering space of the courtyard and the individual workplaces and are meant to function both as circulation and interaction spaces. The ground floor, mezzanine and lower ground floor include the more public functions of the building.

The urban landscaping concept references the structural grid of the building and creates intimate spaces complimenting the large public piazza in front of the main entrance. The piazza is an extension of the main public area of the campus and will be framed by the main buildings of the architecture department as well as the student village. The piazza develops the potential of a meeting place between the students and the department.

The structure is a simple wood frame construction, with a dense column grid reminiscent of the forests surrounding the ETH Hönggerberg campus. The triangulated structure of the roof and facade efficiently redirects the horizontal forces into the ground. The unsupported spans of the roof are kept small, which together with the low weight of the pneumatic ETFE cushions allows to keep the structure as light and elegant as possible.

The building systems are kept to a minimum. Through maximization of natural ventilation, self-shading of the building and a variable shading system to control the solar gains, it is possible to keep HVAC requirements to a minimum.