Geometry, Lighting, and Structure

Buildings can be broken down into their simplest shapes, such as squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles. Doing this allows the designer to articulate as they see fit. The shapes may evolve during the process to finalization. Light is also a key feature to study, since it can affect the position of the building as well as how bright you want your interiors to be. Too much is bad and too little is depressing. Lastly, the structural elements are place there for a reason. Either, to hold up the wall or the floors above. 

Arizona Science Center

Connecticut Science Center

Griffith Observatory

 Detroit Science Center

Kitt Peak Observatory

Liberty Science Center

NY Hall of Science

Muturn National Observation Tower

Yerkes Observatory

Steward Observatory

Hierarchy & Symmetry

In this part of the analysis, I look at the Hierarchy & Symmetry of each building. By doing so, I am able to break them down into their components, while studying its spacial planning. Each building is unique in their own way, due to the designer's program that they followed. A building is similar to a painting because not every artist follows the same rules. Some of these building have symmetry and some might not. Some components are more prominent than others by over shadowing them or they all work fluidly to create a bigger grander picture.

Connecticut Science Center 

 Arizona Science Center 

Detroit Science Center

Kitt Peak National Observatory 

Griffith Observatory 

Liberty Science Center

Muturm National Observation Tower

NY Hall of Science 

Yerkes Observatory

Steward Observatory

Massing & Parti

To be able to generate a creation, sometimes you have to look at whats existing to get a general feel of what to do. By looking at the Massing & Parti of existing observatories and science centers, I can analyze the circulation and overall shape of what these buildings try to convey. I then can determine what's useful or not in the process of creating my own. These are the same 10 buildings that are in the last post.

Arizona Science Center

 Connecticut Science Center 

 Detroit Science Center

 Liberty Science Center

 Kitt Peak National Observatory 

 Griffith Observatory 

 NY Hall of Science

Murturm Nature Observation Tower 

 Steward Observatory

 Yerkes Observatory 

Building Typology

1. Which building typology are you researching?
-Science Center of Astronomy/Observational Deck/Observatory

2. Why are you researching this building typology?

-The Earth is but a speck of sand in a much grander picture, which we call the universe. To be able to observe its ever changing typography is an amazing scientific feat. Do you ever wonder what’s in the center of our galaxy? What other planets can be habitable? Or even why black holes exist? All of these have been answered by scientific observation through many years and there are still plenty of answers to be discovered. I want the center to be able to teach others that Earth is not the only thing in this galaxy. There are trillions upon trillions of stars that are being born and destroyed every second and I want them to know why. I want them to be able to gaze into the night sky and have a deeper understanding of what they’re looking at. That is why an astronomy center would be a great addition to New York's attractions.


3. What is the specialty of this building type you would like to research i.e. museum for dance, school for digital media... 
-A learning center for astronomy.


4. What are the examples that you will be researching... list the examples, location and architect (10 examples)

Connecticut Science Center, US

Architect: César Pelli & Associates

Liberty Science Center, NJ

Architect: W.Lerman

Kitt Peak National Observatory, US

Architect: Nicholas U. Mayall

NY Hall of Science, US

Architect: Alan Friedman

Observation Tower on the River Mur, Auestria

Architect: terrain:loenhart&mayr

Steward Observatory, US

Architect: Andrew Ellicott Douglass

  Griffith Observatory, California

Architect: John C. Austin and Frederick M. Ashley

 

Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Arizona

Architect: Comoyer-Hedrick Inc.

Detroit Science Center, Michigan

Architect: Neumann/Smith

 Yerkes Observatory, Wisconsin

Architect:  Henry Ives Cobb

5. What are your goals for working with this building type?
-To teach the community about the universe.

6. What are the program elements that you see included at this point in your building?

-Observation Deck
-Observatory with telescope
-Dedicated sections of the building pertaining to different elements of the universe.
  i.e. Black Hole Center
       Fusion & Gravity
       Solar Systems
       Big Bang Theory
       Composition of planets
       Asteroids, Meteors, & Comets
       Dark Matter
       Supernovas
       Types of stars
       Life cycle of a star
-Educational Tours
-Kid's playroom (Astronomy Themed)
-Sextant Sculpture (Outside)
-Theater for documentaries
-Interactive Models
-Bathrooms
-Food Court
-Gift Shop

My Chosen Site

http://block595lot300.blogspot.com