Atlas. The name itself is a bit confusing but overall the project has made great strides towards completion. The name drew me in as well as the consistent graphics but I could not connect the title to the design. I think that if the title is important, it could be a strong force within the project. The graphics of the board are simple and well put together. The strong red line that connects the top of the board to the bottom is a great feature that pulls the boards together well and is closely related to the elevation and section. On the same note as the graphics, I noticed that all of the requirements for our section are on the boards, but the drawings are not as telling as they could be. I know that Justin has the ability to produce great drawings and I hope that his skills are better shown in the final review.

One part of the project that I really enjoy is the large amount of green spaces that are designed into the site and program. The ramp that leads up to the roof is a great feature that helps take advantage of the site. This area has a lot of green space that is great at welcoming the community onto the site. The great thing about the ramp is it allows the site to be determined by the ramp itself and leaves a majority of the site open to be formed into a green public space. One of the reviewers comments that applies to the green ramp is the angle that it is set at. The angle seems to be covering up a shift that the building made in some way, but by changing this angle, the building could really dominate the right side of the site. The building is a very long piece and by changing the angle of the ramp, the view point and overlooks will be more powerful and will follow a more strict set of rules.

One of the comments that the critics made that I did not entirely agree with was that the structure should be changed so that it is lighter. It makes sense that a different system should be used in order to have less columns in the bays. It is important to recognize that eventually a truck may hit a column when there are so many where the trucks are driving through. Justin’s idea of using a strong and durable material is a good one that seems to fit well with his other design ideas. I think the use of concrete is a good idea, but hollow core plank should be used to allow for larger span in the bays instead of steel.

Another comment made about structure is that the basis of square framing does not work well with the current shape of the building. With the different conditions that are created within the emerging building, a rectangular bay size would be better suited for the program placed within. The square framing according to Juan is at a more domestic scale, but I don’t seem the problem with that. The firehouse is where the firefighters spend most of their time and it is their home. I think that rectangular bay would be more efficient for the apparatus part of the building, and therefore be used throughout.

A statement that Juan also made that I agree with, is that the building seems to be reinforcing the idea of horizontality, rather than the idea of verticality that Justin explained the building had. Part of his concept is adding verticality to the site, but the building seems to be more horizontal than vertical. One suggestion to combat this is the bring the monitor museum up from underground and placing it on top of the building. This would emphasize the verticality as well as making the ramp an even greater community presence. Juan’s suggestion was to reinforce the horizontality instead since it works so well with the site. An idea of how to do this is to take the building all the way over to make an urban park to the left between the building and the inlet. This idea as a whole works extremely well with one of the concept ideas of making a large, green, communal, park space. With the building stretched out and the ramp realigned, the park and green space take over the entire site once more, including over the building.

One piece of the project that plays directly into the orders of worth is the end view point for the public that is located on the roof that is accessible via the ramp. The two worlds that this main point connects with are civic and project. By creating a strong connecting point for the public to use as a communal space as well as a vantage point to Manhattan, the public is able to make this space their own. More programing in this space would be beneficial as well as to the overall site. Also consider the character of each space in order to make them more beneficial to the public and the green space that you wish to give back to them, if that is the ultimate goal.

A solution to define all of these small changes is to set a series of strict rules that will allow you to design in a coordinated manner. By first solving issues of structure, others will be solved indirectly. The geometries within the buildings will also be able to inform site work and create a language that the users can experience.

Overall I think the project thus far is at a great point and it is close to being complete. With the completion of some of the suggestions above, the project as a whole will become much stronger and coherent in consideration to the site and the buildings connection to the site/surrounding area. The involvement of the community and public into the spaces will help lead the design and make a strong project. I know that Justin has the ability to create a great project as well as drawings and with some reworking and time spent producing, the project will be even stronger than it is now.

Photo Credit:

http://school00.blogspot.com/2011/01/architecture-in-schools-in-singapore_03.html