ROSY BOA - COMPREHENSIVE STUDIO
// Completion Date: January - April, 2017
// Project Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
// Northeastern University Comprehensive Studio: (Instructor) David Fannon
// Team: Ray Lau + Moshe Porter
The objective of this studio is to investigate an architectural system. A structure that is supported by the tension of cables has advantages such as greater resilience over the traditional structure system that relies on compression. For a suspended structure, orientation is important. After conducting wind studies, we found that the majority of the summer wind is coming from the East and winter wind is coming from the West, and hence oriented the tube in the North-South direction for stability.
We conducted site analyses of topography, traffic, ecology, waterway, underground systems, social network activities etc to help understand the situation in the nearby town Foxborough as well as the existing issues of Patriot Place.
The existing train system is underdeveloped, causing a significant amount of traffic congestion locally and regionally, especially truck delivery delays at the junctions of I-95 in Boston and I-195 in Providence. According to research from Cambridge Systematics, the annual total delayed hours for truck deliveries is over a million and four hundred thousand hours.
Existing creek east to the stadium is connected to the Neponset Reservoir, and is a 1% annual flood zone.
Site is built for events instead of urban uses, mainly in the form of car parks, the isolated Patriot Place is only used during games or concerts, and “almost completely empty on normal work days” - quote from Jean Gerry (worker in Patriot Place).
By using Kangaroo physics simulator on Grasshopper, we were able to investigate the form of the frame in consideration of the tension pulled by the cables. Diagram illustrates a series of sectional modules that can potentially be design strategies.
Strategies of using the semi-monocoque frame as insulation space: we made use of the concept of convection, and strategically placed mechanical spaces and useable spaces to increase the efficiency for cooling and heating.
I developed the idea of carving the tube form into half and shifting the halves vertically to create connections for ground access points. By doing the same for the interior floor frames, I can establish different spans of spaces in which the exposed half can offer viewing moments along circulations. The spaces that are undesirable for people can serve mechanical uses.
After thermal insulation considerations, gaps in excess of 5 feet between frame intervals were created to allow space for amenities. I developed a total of 20 modules that can be populated in zones for its needs. The most well received modules are: toilet stalls, reception desks, individual seating and bar table. These modular spaces can be readjusted into different programs when needed, including, in most extreme cases, jail cell spaces.
After thermal insulation considerations, gaps in excess of 5 feet between frame intervals were created to allow space for amenities. We developed a total of 20 modules that can be populated in zones for its needs. The most well-received modules are: toilet stalls, reception desks, individual seating and bar table. These modular spaces can be readjusted into different programs when needed, including, in most extreme cases, jail cell spaces.
