USGBC National Competition Boards

These images and the board layout are the final submission for our team's USGBC Natural Talent competition entry. Next Monday Lang and I are off to Boston to attend the Greenbuild conference and find out if we are selected as the winners for our design project titled "Inter-Cambio." Stay tuned for more updates!

Click on images for enlarged view.

EGB-LA 2008 Natural Talent Design Competition Awards Ceremony

EGB-LA 2008 Natural Talent Design Competition Awards Ceremony

On September 4th 2008, The Green Man Group team members, Brandon Ro and Lang Lor, received the 1st place award in the Emerging Green Builders-Los Angeles 2008 Natural Talent Design Competition hosted by the US Green Building Council- Los Angeles Chapter (USGBC-LA). As the top winner of five local finalists, Brandon and Lang will receive a monetary prize of $1000 and an all expense paid trip to attend Greenbuild, the USGBC’s Annual Green Building Conference and Expo in Boston, Massachusetts, November 2008. At this event their design entry will be displayed and judged on a national level by an esteemed panel of green building experts.

Other fellow classmates, John Tubles, Alex Metzler, Luis Gil, and Aaron Locke, from Michael Fox's ARC 203 Design studio all received honorable mention awards.

For those interested, below is a brief description of the design requirements for the competition.

COMPETITION CHALLENGE

This competition relies on the development of a purpose for the site that must take into account the existing and future environmental, social, and economic elements. The objective is to design an adaptive reuse program for the existing Historical Lincoln Heights Los Angeles City Jail site which incorporates and meets the following guidelines:

1. Preserves the historical elements of the building

2. Creates a locally sustaining program

3. Promotes the connection between urban environments and natural ecosystems

4. Creates a strong connection with Rivers, Parks, and Habitat

5. Encourages a sense of community within the surrounding areas

6. Shows awareness of local economic needs

7. Reflects the intent of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan and the River Improvement Overlay District (RIO)

8. Enhances education and awareness of the history of the site’s development and the sustainable practices used for this program

9. Creates open space such as restored habitat, community gardens, and parks

10. Provides treatment of urban water runoff

11. Reflects LEED-EB and LEED-ND guidelines

Utilizing the existing characteristics of the site and the above guidelines develop a program for the site and an illustrative argument for your plan.

For more images from the event visit the link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/cpl2602/EGBDesignCompetition2008?authkey=O68XjVnZQCQ#

FINAL COMPETITION SUBMITAL

LINCOLN HEIGHTS INTER_CAMBIO Natural Transformative Revitalization

HISTORIC JAIL ADAPTIVE REUSE AND TRANSFORMATION

Captivity or Liberty? The Lincoln Heights Inter_Cambio is an immigration transitional center designed as an adaptive reuse of the Historic Los Angeles City Jail, also known as the Lincoln Heights Jail. Our concept is to transform the once dark dreary jail cells into voids that become liberating light shafts. This is reflected in the project title “Inter_Cambio” (Inter-Change). Having the program of an immigration transitional center made it essential to create connections to major routes of transportation such as Union Station and Interstate Freeway connections (I-5 & I-110). Other key site connections were used as well such as Elysian Park and the convergence of the Los Angeles River and Arroyo Seco. These connections carved openings in the build­ing that connect the exterior to the interior light wells. This allows a visual connec­tion from those passing by. For example, people who traverse the river bike path, those driving on the 110 interstate freeway, and passengers riding on the Metrolink or Gold Line will be able to see into the structure at certain moments, thus allow­ing this historic Lincoln Heights Jail site to remain a landmark to the community.

The program consists of three main categories which are: Convenience, Immigration Services, and Community. These categories were given to respect and maintain certain demographics for the Lincoln Heights area and prevent gentrification. A portion of the historic jail was built Art Deco in 1931, and later in 1949 the Bauhaus addition was added. The historic entrance and painted interior hall on the 5^th floor will both be preserved along with the original footprint.

NATURAL REVITALIZATION THROUGH CONSERVATION

Inter_Cambio proposes to reuse and renew the natural resources of the site. This will be accomplished by utilizing the river, rain, wind, and sun for their renewable sources of energy. For energy conservation and production we plan to incorporate several approaches that will enable us to create a self sustaining building that will revitalize and renew the river and the surrounding areas. Some techniques that will be used are: passive direct-gain solar heating, skylight atrium spaces that use a transparent film technology to redirect sunlight down to all floors to reduce lighting costs, green roofs for improved insulation to prevent winter heat loss and reduce CO2 emissions, nighttime ventilation for natural cooling in the summer, small scale hydro turbines in covert box channels for energy production, photovoltaic skin/shading devices for energy production, light wells, and sunspaces which help prevent overheating and heat loss.

As for water conservation, a rain water collection system on the roof will channel water into storage tanks on site. This water will later be used to irrigate the indigenous vegetation. The water collected will be effectively re-distributed through a micro-drip irrigation system to prevent waste. The rain-water collection system will also help prevent harmful storm water runoff from entering into the Los Angeles River. Pervious Paving will help minimize the urban water runoff as well and recharge the water table. On the furthest southwest tip of the site near the parking structure there will be a biofiltration drainage system for urban water runoff treatment. Lastly, within the structure itself a grey water re-use system, low flow showers, laboratory faucets, dual flow toilets, and waterless urinals will be used to enable a further reduction of water consumption.

COMMUNITY INTERACTION THROUGH NATURE

Throughout the site this project proposes to maximize open space by planting native vegetation and create a botanical park. The existing concrete pavement throughout the site is to be replaced by pervious pavement pathways and planter boxes with native vegetation. Between the site and the freight train rail lines, sits a bermed retaining wall and planted vegetation which will create a sound buffer from excessive noise. The vegetation consists of a variety of indigenous trees, plants, and flowers from the Southern California Region. The goal of the Botanical Park is to invite building users and the community to enjoy a calming environment that attempts to revitalize the river, restore habitat, and promote biodiversity. Inter_Cambio encourages an eco-friendly lifestyle by educating the public about the sustainable features of the building and site.

Concept Model

Nighttime Scenario
(Light proceeding out of Voids)

Daytime Scenario
(Light proceeding into Voids)

practice layout

renderings! (still in progress)

enjoy!

Similar Strategy to Ours

SKIN VENTILATION

This is how our skin system will work during the different seasons.

MIDTERM MODEL

something to consider

ideas ideas ideas

Still Designing! ahhhhhhhhhh

Here is what I sort of envision. slits benefit daylighting to interior. some floor slabs remain which are exposed to exterior. bridges connecting building to building. Still not sure how the cooling tower is going to look. dash lines represents the outdoor upper deck perhaps which connects to the building blending together building and site.


program: overall I'm satisfied with the program. However we may need to add a couple of more programs or further develop the ones already listed.

1st floor (public): bank/atm/money x-change/small shops (postal)
2nd floor (semi-public): cafeteria/temp. housing/childcare
3rd floor (semi-public): job search/placement center, citizenship/healthcare center, one-night stay rooms (temp. motels)
4th floor (private): Linguistic Center/Emergency preparedness
5th floor (private): Auditorium/possibly Gang awareness center or library on self-improvement/sustainability or history on US
Roof: green roof with city observation area
Basement: T.B.D./storage and staff for now


here are some ugly very generic plan sketches.

1st floor


2nd floor
3rd floor



4th floor



5th floor


p.s. there are some things I might have missed, if there are let me know! Thanks, Lang.

Programmatic Sections

idea

Preliminary Masterplan Ideas

Green Strategies

From a study of the Pyschrometric Chart the following green strategies must be considered to produce a structure that produces thermal comfort to its inhabitants.
They are:

1. Internal Heat Gain
2. Conventional Heating
3. Passive Solar Direct Gain Low Mass
4. Passive Solar Direct Gain High Mass
5. Sun Shading
6. Humidification

e2 Design - Deeper Shades of Green

A good video for those interested in sustainable architecture, theories, and life style.

Site Analysis

Preliminary Diagrammatic Program

Our programming is starting to take shape. Brandon did some in-depth research on the L.A. river revitalization program and uncovered several important key points. After a short discussion on the phone, I sketched up a few ideas on how our design should flow!

Conceptual Design for Lincoln Heights Jail

1. Arts Center
2. Architectural Design School
3. Linguistic School
4. YMCA
5. Civic Center
6. Multi-purpose (exhibit, tourist center)
7. Botanical Garden feature
8. Indoor Flea Market