This week began with a group discussion on the pros and cons of various building materials for the structural make-up of the building. The consensus was to build a steel framed building because we would be able to span longer lengths without being obstructed by columns in the building.

Structural Team:

The structural group learned about all the structural elements that comprise a building, the different materials that can be used in those structural elements, and some basic engineering principles. The group then looked through a set of structural plans for an actual building and participated in a scavenger hunt to become more familiar with how beams, columns, and walls are communicated in a set of drawings. Next week we start designing our marketplace!

Architecture Team:

The architecture students dove right into designing the building’s overall form as well as floor plan and sectional relationships between the program and circulation. We discussed everything from what views will correlate with which program to how the structural system will interact with spaces and where circulation paths will lead visitors through the building. A lot of trace paper was used for sketching out ideas and sharing with other team members. By the end of the night we were able to sketch out basic floor plan ideas and will share these with the MEP, structural and construction groups next week.

Construction Team:

The construction group reviewed examples of logistics plans in 2-D and 3-D to develop an idea of what should be included in their plan. Using trace paper and the site layout, the students talked through various options on traffic flow, laydown areas, and site boundaries. From there, the students were shown rendered logistics plans and fly-through videos of construction sequencing to show how involved the process can be. Next week we will introduce scheduling and will break down the construction of our building into smaller construction activities.