Rooted Learning - Site Plan

COMPETITION
FIRST PLACE
2009 AIANH Young Architects Design Competition
Carroll County Coop. Extension, Ossipee, NH
PROGRAM/SIZE
Sustainable Educational Center/ Offices - 4,500 sf
MATERIALS/SOFTWARE
Vectorworks, SketchUp, Kerkythea, Artlantis, Photoshop
DESIGN INTENTION
This proposals creates a offices/educational center rooted within the site, blending deep into the surrounding landscape with a orientated floor plan directly north-south to taken advantage of the open portion of the site for photo-voltaic panels. Materials used of all locally found or produced on site and the lighting and building systems are minimal and become effective demonstration of sustainable designed architecture for the community
Rooted
The buildings overall impact to the site is minimal. It’s sensitive to its surrounding and blurs into the landscape with is rooted configuration. It doesn’t just become a building, it becomes a resource in which the community can use, learn from and be proud to have as a symbol of sustainability.
When arriving at the site you are first unable to see the building as it’s tucked up into the landscape surrounded by trees. You are greeted with a stone pathway which bends along a stone retaining wall growing in height the closer you approach the main entrance. As you arrive at the entrance you are greeted with a two story protruding glass façade which is naturally lit with north and diffused south light. The staircase ahead leads to the second floor learning/ research area that is open and free of columns allowing the space to be flexible for changes among different activities or sizes of groups coming through the building. The large amount of glass in this room connects with the outside landscape blurring the definition of interior and exterior space. The large overhung roofs of the second floor and grass roofs easily become an area for outdoor classroom learning. Also on the first floor are the offices which have large overhangs facing directly south lined with photovoltaic cells that create the electricity for the building to diffuse the south light coming offices. Windows along this south facing wall are operable to allow natural ventilation and for maximum flexibility of air flow and temperature. The large meeting space/ conference room allows for a variety of functions while holding up to 50 people. It’s a two story space that has 360 degrees of natural daylight from the second story transom windows. Above these spaces we have another green roof that ties back into the landscape. Also throughout the new site are new nature paths created to allow for more exploration and outdoor learning.