Gerlinger Hall - Establishing Necessary Transitions - Essay Example

Architecture: ARCHITECTURE Responding to Context, Part Establishing necessary transitions A pathway found between the buildings two end is a creation by the main hallway in Gerlinger Hall. The hallway is separated into two parts. One part is covered by the big and tall window which is as a result of the length of the trees that are tall in the cemetery creating longevity. The hallways other part is composed of two colors that goes to gym. Chairs and sofas are placed between the two doors providing the students with a place to rest before their classes begin. Hangings light are placed in the center of the hallway which separates the two sides of the hallway. The pathway of Gerlinger Halls’ main entrance to the conference room is framed by the entry doors and two large columns on each side of the stairs going up to the conference main room. Pathway between the Gerlinger Annex and the Gerlinger Hall is made of stair moving down to the ground floor which is enclosed by concrete flat roof made of thin concrete column. Placing the building with respect to the larger order of the campus plan As compared to other buildings, Gerlinger Hall is also placed besides the knight library. The Gerlinger Hall is also next to the Gerlinger Annex and girls physical education field that makes it easily accessible from the three buildings. Gerlinger Hall is also built around a series of pathways hence dictating the arrangement of other building and improving accessibility to the hall. Responding to topography, the vegetation Gerlinger Hall is situated on a small sloping hill and this is evidenced by the presence of stairs on the entrance and while you move up the stairs the sense of climbing disappears. The field between the cemetery and the Gerlinger Hall is an area that people can play games, relax and go sunbathing. On the opposite side of the Gerlinger Hall are raw of huge and tall trees and under the branches of these tall trees is a pathway for the people leaving or going to the library. Trees that assist to form or strengthen the identity of chosen pathway and open spaces are very important trees and should be given extra care. Whenever possible and proper, plants are to be used to partition such uses as service area and parking lots and to soften fences visual impact and similar barricades. Responding to the heat, the cold, etc Gerlinger Hall windows have multiple ways of opening them to let in the fresh breeze enter the building during summer or spring time. It is also composed of numerous heaters that worm the cold air during the winter weather hence keeping the room worm. Responding to the sunlight Gerlinger Hall’s main entry is enclosed with windows and at the day, the sunrays shining through the window is reflected to the ceiling as well as to the floor causing the effect of mirror providing the entire room with the natural light. Inflecting the edges of the building to fit, vary, or to mark certain conditions Gerlinger Hall four sides are designed differently. Main entrance: triangular roof, U-shape drive way, second floor window balconies, and large tall framed by columns entry with a space between the door and outside for keeping the umbrella. Entrance facing lilies: window design is simpler and brick after the window design along the side. Entrance facing the cemetery: two stairs going up the building, fence separating the ground floor and the tall windows, special placement of the bricks making the building interesting and windows repeating pattern. Entrance facing knight library: full of brick design and small windows. Making scalar adjustments (up or down) Gerlinger Hall main entrance is taller than the normal entrance ceiling height, creating a more large space. This intern provides good ventilation and adequate air circulation in the room. Making connections: establish opportunities for people to see, feel, and otherwise realize the specific features of the setting Gerlinger Hall main entrances give a sense of warmness to the people through the way the room is set up. For example, the tall windows that can be opened in multiple ways, comfortable chairs and sofas making the place look more welcoming and thicker columns. Placing rooms in the most logical locations with respect to the setting Buildings with general rooms are located at; Miller theater complex, McKenzie, Lawrence, Deady, Lillis, Allen, Peterson, Fenton, Friendly, Anstett, Condon, Chapman, PLC and Gerlinger. Upper and lower division teachings are found at; Lawrence, McKenzie, Condon, Collier House, Gerlinger, Gerlinger Annex and Knight Library. The strategic place of this study room allows easy accessibility of the rooms within the stipulated time. Embodying the spirit of place in the look and feel of the building The mature trees along Gerlinger Hall enhance the use of the pathway. The presence of these trees along the pathway gives the building both a good look and feeling. The open space is attractive and well defined by mature trees, landscape features, pathways and historical buildings. These essentials work well and they express campus feel. Responding to Context, Part 2: Identify and define appropriate outdoor rooms, terraces, courtyards, sheltered building edges, arcades, etc.; places for scalar transition The quiet block at the Gerlinger Hall is shady, undeveloped and functions mainly as a pass through. The open space between the Gerlinger Hall, Knight Library and Gerlinger Annex, the quiet back is also damp, underutilized, and unattractive and function poorly. It mainly functions as a pass through. Public outdoor rooms are at Schnitzer Museum of Art and the small public square between the Gerlinger Hall, the Gerlinger Annex and the Knight Library does not function well and need some fixing. The area between the Gerlinger Annex and the Knight Library is potential for positive outdoor space. Along the main city gateway, the most observable public face is unreceptive and dominated by a retaining hedge, wall and barren façade. Hence restricts views of significant historical parts of the campus and lacks campus character. Besides the Duck store and the UO annex is not an attractive campus edge because of limited landscaping and barren facades lack campus character hence needs to be fixed. Vary the interior and exterior edges of the gym for evocative and changing human habitation, places for different numbers of people, from few to many Gerlinger Annex building style is off standards with the campus character and is unattractive hence the need to fixing the building to be attractive and to be inconsistence with the campus character. It has a poorly marked and unfriendly main building entrance that also needs to be fixed to look more welcoming. The entrance of the Gerlinger Annex needs to be increased and the lack of views into dynamic interior spaces needs to be fixed. Show how the faces and edges of the building might be developed to respond to sun and weather The entrance and windows in Gerlinger Annex should be increased to take advantage of solar radiation and airflow sites condition. The windows should be in a position of reflecting the sunrays through out the building hence providing the building with natural light. The roofing of Gerlinger Annex should be of dark roofing; this will hence contribute to heat island effect. Operable window allow fresh circulation of air and capability to regulate personal environment. The detail of a window can include brick pattern, material change with banding, color and type of frame. Develop evocative entrance transitions and outdoor paths The main entrance should provide and clearly define where to go, how to move into the building, building presence, an arrival feeling and weather protection. For an attractive pathway, there should not be conflict between the bike and the pedestrian and the access to main building entrance should be good. For the pathway to be welcoming, lighting is of importance as it will improve the visibility during the night time. Planting of trees along the pathway will provide shade on the pathway. This intern will help in making the pathway to be attractive. The entrance should consist of comfortable chairs and sofas that may be used for resting as they wait for the appointments. Articulate the walls of the annex to celebrate sunlight The number of windows on the wall of the annex should be increased. These windows should be of transparent glasses that will enable light to pas through them. The windows should be placed at an angle that will enable it to reflect sunrays both on the floor and to the roof. This reflection of the light by the window both at the bottom and top will bring about the natural light of the sun to be experienced in the room. The walls of the annex should majorly be glasses. This will allow the penetration of the sunrays into the building, hence providing the sunlight. Change the brick pattern to celebrate pattern and shadow reveal Bricks pattern may include; rough, patchwork styles which will add to the room a rustic feel, while on the other hand classic touch will be added by the sleek, colonial reds. Reference Academic Center and Historic Core Diagnosis, (2013). Campus Planning and Real Estate, Web < http://uplan.uoregon.edu/plandoc/AcadCenterDiagnosis_11_21_13OPT.pdf >accessed, 26 October 2014. Read More