The 50 x 50 Glass House ARCE 415 Interdisciplinary ...

The 50 x 50 Glass House ARCE 415 Interdisciplinary Capstone Project + ARCH 452 Architectural Design 4.2

California Polytechnic State University . Spring 2021

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50’ x 50’ Glass House model by Mies van der Rohe and Myron Goldsmith, 1951

CATALOGUE COURSE DESCRIPTION ARCEs: Team based interdisciplinary capstone / senior project course. Analysis and evaluation of interdisciplinary challenges associated with integrating the design and construction processes to deliver a project with respect to the design, budget, schedule, quality, and performance expectations of a client. 4 laboratories.

ARCHs: Problems of increasing architectural complexity involving the comprehensive integration of architectural theory, design processes, and building systems with emphasis placed on multibuilding, multifunctional projects. 5 laboratories. PREREQUISITES ARCE 316, ARCH 353, ARCH 342 or Architecture Students ARCE 303, ARCE 304, ARCE 305, ARCE 444, ARCE 372 or ARCE 451 (C- or better required for ARCE Majors) MEETINGS MWF 8:00am – noon PDT | MWF 6:00pm – 10:00pm EET [GMT+2] All virtual via ZOOM: https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/83902543047 + additional 3h/week for ARCH students [TBD] [Zoom link TBD]

ARCE PROFESSOR ARCH PROFESSOR TA E. Saliklis, PhD, PE Meredith Sattler Will Fry [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] office hours:

T 8-10am + Th 9-11am PDT or by appt. https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/225449864

office hours: by appt. please email times you’re available, and I’ll return a Zoom invite

office hours: MWF noon-1:00pm PDT or by appt. https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/7626647631



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Structural Scheme of the 50’ x 50’ Glass House by Mies van der Rohe and Myron Goldsmith, 1951

COURSE PHILOSOPHY

The combined ARCH453/ARCE415 studio [the ARCE Senior Project studio], will focus on reimagining the Mies van der Rohe unbuilt 50‘x50‘ glass house, with a group of Lithuanian Vilnius Tech University Architecture and Engineering students. Working deeply collaboratively, the studio experience blends Design and Analysis, Theory and Practice, Art and Science, through a phased design approach. In the first weeks, we study the history of the house itself, and social and symbolic movements related to glazed architectures and surveillance generally [think the double-edged sword of utopic/dystopic high modernist social engineering]. We then design an entirely glass-walled Mies inspired 50‘x50‘ structure, sited in the desert, tackling the relationship between its tenuous structural system and design intent: a visually lightweight, transparent jewel-box for living and viewing. Through intense analysis and iteration, we arrive at the final phase of the studio, where the 50x50 unit is developed as one component of a larger part-to-whole structure, a “Final Fantasy,” sited within the Modernist context of Palm Springs. This studio provides a unique opportunity to work not only cross-culturally with students on the other side of the globe, but also interdisciplinarily, a highly valued experience in contemporary Architecture and Engineering industries, where novel collaborative workflows and cultures are increasingly innovated. In addition, we will regularly host world famous jurors and guests, including some of the top engineers on the planet, as well as a MacArthur Fellow artist.

This is a culminating experience for Architectural Engineering Students, it is their Senior Project, which is a required experience for our accreditation agency known as ABET. It is a fourth year architecture studio for Architecture students, but hopefully a truly unique studio in their undergraduate careers. It will be unique for both groups of students because of the interdisciplinary experience. Interdisciplinary experiences are highly valued by the Industry Partners who hire our students, and they have been greatly promoted by the Advisory Boards of both the Architecture Department and the Architectural Engineering Department. Surely it will become even more important in the future to have such interdisciplinary approaches to education. This



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capstone/studio experience blends Design and Analysis, with History and Art. Initially we will quickly familiarize ourselves with the 100 year scope of this studio, starting with Yevgeny Zamyatin’s 1921 novel WE, through the Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle installation at MASSMoCA, with assistance from the world’s foremost structural engineer Bill Baker of SOM.

Roughly the first week of the studio is comprised of research into the history and theory of glass housing and its relationship to surveillance. The next approximately 4 weeks will be devoted to design of the your reinvention of the 50x50 House. This includes structural design configuration, steel columns, preliminary roof beam spacing and sizing, preliminary column design, preliminary foundation design, preliminary connection design of glass walls to steel mullions.

This first design module also includes architectural design, how the space will be used, how people move in and out of the building, how the building is situated in the landscape, urban or rural, how the sun interacts with the building. You will also consider how light will affect thermal conditioning of the space and how the glass’ transparency/opacity is symbolic of the utopian/dystopian paradox of The Glass House, and roughly three weeks of analysis. This includes finite element analysis with SAP2000, hand calculations and MATLAB calculations using the AISC Steel Code, study of wind loading, study of seismic loading in California. Stiffness is paramount here, as this is a Glass House! This also includes a deeper architectural analysis, how is privacy maintained, how is circulation of people in the space enhanced, how is comfort of the occupants addressed.

The next three weeks are called “The Final Fantasy.” How might this structure be modified to be part of an affordable housing, mass marketing solution? Or how might your re-designed house serve a single family or perhaps a single client? Conversely, how might this structure be part of a dystopian society, one where glass walls are used to control and survey the population? How do these two differing visions, one utopian, one dystopian, intersect in a piece of art in the form of a film, a soundscape, or a performance, either written or oral? The last week of the course will be guided oversight of the final portfolio preparations.

One provocative aspect of this course is that the engineers are deeply involved in the architectural design, and the architects are deeply involved in the sizing and the spacing of the structural elements. This is possible at Cal Poly because the architecture students have had 50 weeks of structural engineering courses at this point

50x50 Glass House plan by Mies van der Rohe, 1951



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in their careers. The engineering students have had 30 weeks of architectural studio and at least 20 weeks of concrete and steel design studios. When jurors and guest critics come into my studio, they are unable to tell which student is studying architecture and which student is studying engineering. Let’s keep that tradition alive!

REMOTE LEARNING Canvas [Cal Poly’s Learning Management System] + [for the Lithuanians] Used primarily for dissemination of course materials.

Conceptboard Used primarily as virtual collaborative workspace, ‘pin-up’ space, and review presentation space. Cal Poly students should activate their account, if it isn’t already. Lithuanians will receive ‘invites’ to our boards. For more information about the platform: https://conceptboard.com/ REQUIRED TEXT Either read, or skim closely: We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin (Author), Natasha Randall (Translator), ISBN 9780812974621 INITIAL REQUIRED READING LIST [all will provided on Canvas] Excerpts from Myron Goldsmith, “Poet of Structure“, Canadian Centre for Architecture, ISBN 0-920785-42-5, 1991

Excerpts from: Myron Goldsmith: Buildings and Concepts, ISBN 0-8478-0790-8, 1987

Excerpts from: Mies Van Der Rohe: Architect as Educator, ISBN 0-226-31716, 1, 1986

Multiple essays from: Gravity is a Force to be Reckoned With, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, ISBN 0-9764276-8-0, 2010

Soo Hwan Kim. “A Cultural Genealogy of The Glass House: Reading Eisenstein with Benjamin”: https://www.e-flux.com/journal/116/378537/a-cultural-geneology-of-the-glass-house/

Possible plan configurations by Mies van der Rohe, 1951



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Gravity is a Force to be Reckoned With by Iñigo Manglano-Ovallé and Bill Baker, 2009

INITIAL REQUIRED VIEWING LIST https://www.som.com/about/leadership/bill_baker https://art21.org/read/inigo-manglano-ovalle-childhood-and-influences/ https://vimeo.com/189057957 https://massmoca.org/event/gravity-is-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmPE5aCRqj0 SOFTWARE SAP 2000 + Rhino 7 COURSE PRACTICALITIES This studio is virtual, online only. No in-person meetings, no in-person office hours. The ARCH students have experience online studios before. The ARCEs have not. In addition, we will be joined by 3 Lithuanian ARCH students, 3 Lithuanian Engineering students, and some of their faculty from Vilnius Tech University. Professor Saliklis has prior experience doing ‘international’ studios. The unexpected benefits included deep personal introspection, and digging for solutions slowly and thoughtfully. The drawbacks included finding motivation to do this digging when you are essentially on your own. It requires discipline, maturity and an inner drive, which is hard to find in these dispiriting times.

Our regular meeting times will be filled with discussions, critiques and lively back and forth between us all. We view ourselves as mentors in the studio, not just as instructors. Yet of course, you will be assessed regularly and assigned a grade to help you monitor your inner drive and personal productivity.



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GROUP WORK IN TEAMS You will be working in teams comprised of both engineering and architecture students, from both Cal Poly and Lithuania. Each team member is expected to contribute significantly to overall team collaboration and project development, and will be held accountable for their individual as well as collective production.

Farnsworth House in 2008 by Mies van der Rohe and Myron Goldsmith, 1951 OBJECTIVES

ARCE 415 Learning Objectives:

ARCH 453 Program Goals & Course Outcomes:

1. Function effectively on an interdisciplinary team that establishes goals, plans tasks, meets deadlines and creates a collaborative and inclusive environment

2. Function effectively on an interdisciplinary team to create an integrated building design in consideration of the following elements:

a. Architectural vision b. Space Planning c. Integration / synthesis of

building systems d. Constructability e. Function

3. Select and configure appropriate structural systems based on the following interdisciplinary criteria issues

• Think critically and creatively about architectural problems.

• Ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions and test alternative outcomes (A2).

• Ability to examine and apply the fundamental principles present in relevant precedents A6).

• Ability to respond to site characteristics in the development of a project design (B2).

• Use a diverse range of skills including writing, speaking, drawing and modeling to think about and convey architectural ideas.

• Ability to write and speak effectively (A1).



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• Occupancy • Aesthetics • Vertical Circulation • Loading • Relative Cost

4. Communicate effectively with other members of the building profession

a. Communication Methods – Meetings, telephone, electronic communications, sketches, drawings, models. Note, this includes your communication documentation, i.e. team meeting minutes, drawings 5. Apply real world constraints to the

solution of a building design. These include:

a. Site, budget, regulations, codes, quality, time

b. Public health and safety, and c. Global, cultural, social/societal,

environmental, economic issues 6. Integrate standards of professional

responsibility into the design / construction process.

7. Use the current industry-standard tools and technologies in the creation and presentation of a design and the management of the design and construction process.

8. Prepare a schematic design level project proposal

• Ability to use representational media appropriate for public and professional audiences (A1).

• Make reasonable decisions based on an architectural understanding of ethics, diversity, and sustainability.

• Understanding multiple narratives in the history of architecture and cultural norms in a variety of settings (A7).

• Understanding the diverse needs, values, behavioral norms, physical abilities, and social and spatial patterns that characterize different cultures and individuals (A8).

• Engage in lifelong learning as a professional.

• Ability to gather, assess, record, and comparatively evaluate relevant information (A3).

Student Performance Criteria Addressed: • A1 Professional Communication

Skills • A2 Design Thinking Skills • A3 Investigative Skills • A6 Use of Precedents • A7 History and Global Culture

(Especially off campus programs) • A8 Cultural Diversity and Social

Equity (Especially off campus programs)

• B2 Site Design ATTENDANCE Working in studio for the full duration of the class period is a vital part of the learning process. Attendance is essential for you to hear about new assignments, participate in readings or lecture discussions, make progress on your work and contribute positively to the community and comradery of the studio. If you must miss a day, please inform us if you can as soon as possible. Certainly, there will be extenuating circumstances (illness with a doctor’s excuse, family tragedy, or religious holidays), just let us know.



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Farnsworth House in 2008 by Mies van der Rohe and Myron Goldsmith, 1951 Yet all projects should be completed by the designated time and date, regardless of external circumstances. Architecture students will make up the required “fifth” hour at times TBD during the first week of class, based on everyone’s availability. Our studio meets 8:00am – noon PDT / 6:00pm – 10:00pm EET [GMT+2], Mon, Wed and Fri. GRADING Grades are relative and will indicate performance in relation to the other students in the studio and in the CAED. Having said that, we fully expect everyone to perform well in this serious studio, and to produce a final portfolio that can greatly enhance your career opportunities or your path to a graduate program. Professor Saliklis will assess all ARCE studio members and Professor Sattler will assess all ARCH studio members. The specific assessment methods for each will be provided to each group separately. For all, weekly reviews will be an ongoing assessment method. COURSE ROADMAP Week 1: Syllabus and introductions, learning about each other and about the 50x50

Glass House over its 100 year design history. Reading and viewing of required materials.

Week 2-5: 50x50 Glass House Preliminary Design. Mock Interview preparations? Week 7-9: Artifact, Final Fantasy + Refined Analysis and Re-Design. Deep dive. Week 10: Portfolio preparation.

We will have an astonishing array of guests who will visit this studio. These visitors will be engineers, architects, curators, scholars of the Glass House. The peak experience for us and hopefully for you also, will be when Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle and Bill Baker themselves join us in week 2! Be ready for this important visit!



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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE Session Focus Guest Speakers Crits + Reviews

Week 1 M. Mar 29 ES+MS Introductions +

Introduce Timeline

W. Mar 31 No Studio Meeting: Cesar Chavez Day

F. Apr 02 Dustin Condren [8:45a]

review Timelines [E3: StarsYG_M3: StripesWR]

Week 2 M. Apr 05 Present Timelines +

Introduce 50x50 review final Timeline [EM6]

W. Apr 07 MS Figured vs. Free Plan Workshop

review initial 50x50 [EM6]

F. Apr 09 ES SAP Tutorial Part 1 Bill Baker + Inigo Manglano-Ovalle [9a]

review 50x50 [E3: StripesWR_M3: StarsYG]

Week 3 M. Apr 12 ES SAP Tutorial Part 2

Initial 50x50_15x15 Ideation Due review 50x50 [EM6]

W. Apr 14 Bryn Garrett [11a]

review 50x50 [E3: StarsWY_M3: StripesGR]

F. Apr 16 Site Presentations by Architects ES SAP Part 1 work due

review 50x50 [E3: StripesGR_M3: StarsWY]

Week 4 M. Apr 19 ES Frame Workshop Part 1

Secondary 50x50_15x15 Ideation Due review 50x50

[E3: StarsYR_M3: StripesWG] W. Apr 21 ES SAP Lateral Loads Workshop Mark Sarkisian

[8:10a] review 50x50 [E3: StripesWG_M3: StarsYR]

F. Apr 23 ES Frame Workshop Part 1 due

review 50x50 Conceptboard [EM6] design crit

Week 5 M. Apr 26 Mid-Review Presentation Dress-

Rehearsal review 50x50 Conceptboard [EM6]

presentation crit W. Apr 28 Mid Review Red Team crit

[9-10a] Review Stars, Stripes, White

F. Apr 30 Mid Review + Incorporate Mid-Review Feedback

Review Yellow, Green, Red



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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE continued

Session Focus Guest Speakers Crits + Reviews

Week 6 M. May 03 MS Transparency/Reflectivity Wkshop

W. May 05 Glass Connections Improved Tomas iš GlassBell [8a] Sophie Pennetier [9a]

F. May 07 Introduce Artifact

Week 7 M. May 10 João

Rosmaninho

W. May 12 Initial Artifact Review

F. May 14 Introduce Final Fantasy Present 50x50_15x15 Glass House Glass Connections Improved SSW

Week 8 M. May 17 Final Fantasy In-Studio Charette

W. May 19 2nd Artifact Review [in small groups]

F. May 21 review in breakout rooms

Week 9 M. May 24 Artifact Due

Final Fantasy Review Engineer submittal due

W. May 26 Final Review Presentation Dress-Rehearsal

mock final review presentations [EM6]

F. May 28 Final Fantasy Due Architects Review M5p2: Portfolio

Ed not in studio today

Week 10 M. May 31 No Studio Meeting: Memorial Day

W. Jun 02 Final Review

Review Yellow, Green, Red

F. Jun 04 Final Review

Review Stars, Stripes, White



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TEAMS

Engineers

Architects

Stars Blake Durham Emmanuel Corona Navarro Chengbin Kuang

Augustas Lapinskas Grace Lauer Daisy Penaloza

Stripes Kaylee Hernandez Jennifer Conrow Long Eva Nicole Wieczorek Krystal Maira Bacon

Jurgis Vaišvila Alex de la Cruz Elle Gallmann

White Madison Lauren Lam Ignatius Jomar Naval Mallari Araceli Avelar Armando Castaneda Jr.

Augusta Orlauskaitė Alejo Favero Ella Gleason

Yellow Ąžuolas Skučas Robert Michael Milkovich Jakob Kimble Olsen Jesus Armando Ramirez Zambrano Samantha Ung

Dara Lin Arjun Urbonas

Green Titas Kavalnis Gilbert Crescencio Munoz Keiko-Ann Kealohilani Sanders Michael Alan Bahr

Olivia Scheffler Ellie Zukowski

Red Donatas Krivičius Sarah Adele Navias Sevilla Marie Santana Michael Sabino Moncada Storti

Ivan Avila Andrew Hensen Katherine Sheetz

Myron Goldsmith and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

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