Limbe Medical Complex

I AM MALAWIANI AM X-PAT

The Limbe Medical ComplexAn architectural exploration

Limbe, Malawi

I AM MALAWIANI AM X-PAT

The Limbe Medical ComplexAn architectural exploration

The Limbe Medical Complex:An architectural exploration

byZachary Garman

Project presented to the Faculty of the Department of ArchitectureCollege of Architecture and the Built EnvironmentPhiladelphia University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

Design 9: Research and Design FacultyChris Harnish

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

December 2014

Thesis AbstractThe work that I did this semester was driven by a thesis, and that thesis came into manifestation based on four years of experience studying architecture at Philadel-phia University and what I’ve learned about the architecture profession from an internship during the summer of 2014.

When framing my semester thesis, my intent was to take my critical evaluations and reflections on my experiences in architecture, and use them to maximize my academic experience. My semester thesis can be stated as follows:

To have an architectural design experience that strives to innovate my schematic workflow and build understanding of construction documentation and specification.

To achieve this, I will attempt to innovate my schematic design workflow by testing methodologies that strive to maximize efficiency and harness the qualities of what has made my best work so. Secondly, I will explore construction documentation and specifications to build comprehension of the construction documentation process and test for possibilities of innovation.

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Table of ContentsI. Title Page i

II. Thesis Abstract ii

III. Table of Contents iii

IV. Thesis Statement 1 V. Investigative Methods 4

VI. Design Objectives 6

VII. Research Objectives 7

VIII. Program 16

IX. Site 23

X. Healing Environment 28

XI. Appropriate Icon 30

XII. Investigative Process 32

XIII. Final Design Documentation 51

XIV. Critique and Reflection of Completed Project 65

XV. Works Cited 68

XVI. Image Credits 69

XVII. Bibliography 70

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Thesis StatementSemester Thesis: To have an architectural design experience that strives to inno-vate my schematic workflow and build understanding of construction documenta-tion and specification.

The definition of my semester thesis is a manifestation of a rigorous experience of studying architecture. My four years at Philadelphia University have been a long journey. Upon entering college in 2010, I had no idea of what I would be in store for. But, I soon learned that architecture school was not what I thought it would be.

Architecture school introduced me to a world of design. Most of my time thinking and working was about design, most of my friends were in design, and most of my classes were in design or in teaching new skills that could be directly used for design; my life revolved around this academic design experience. But, that began to change. After graduating from third year, the most rigorous, and what I would consider the climax of my college academic experience, a change in the curricu-lum helped me shift my sights to a new perspective.

The growth of free electives built into my curriculum allowed me to take class-es that began to relate the designer to other AEC professionals; junior seminar courses re-associated me with students outside of my major; and, perhaps most critical reason of all, fourth year, the study abroad and comprehensive studio year, broke the pattern of rigorous academia that revolves around a design project with overwhelmingly strong conceptual emphasis, in place of a project that introduces students to BIM methodologies, budget management, and quantitative systems development, and an experience that encourages cultural explorations outside the realm of architectural studio. Moreover, at the end of fourth year, I had an incredi-ble experience interning for a mid-size architecture firm back home. In short, I feel like, after an indulgence in a design-focused lifestyle, I was being re-introduced, after going through a rigorous and educational process, to the real world.

In conclusion, the first three years of my academic experience outfitted me with an abundance of architectural, technical, and design knowledge. After that, I feel as a change in curriculum and life experiences has fostered the examination of how I am to take my skills, knowledge, and experience, and use it as I enter the profes-sion, and furthermore, how I should guide my academic experience in my fifth and final year of school.

The following are some key reflections that have worked their way into my thesis for this semester’s work:

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Innovate My Schematic Workflow

The first thing that had changed about me as I entered into my fifth year of school is that I no longer believed that subjective matters should be decided objectively. I was first introduced into objectifying decisions that were subjective and artistic in my very first college design class, and, I was transformed from a freshman who could not understand why his professor could not appreciate his intent to make a “beautiful object” for his site installation project to a student who, at the end of fourth year, strode confidently into critiques knowing that no one could possibly discredit any decision made, from the scientific and technical, to the artistic and aesthetic, because every decision was driven from a conscious analysis of the design prompt. However, I found that, culminating with my Design 8 Comprehen-sive Studio project, although I could find no objective reason for why my design seemed to lack quality, impression, and fulfillment, I feel that fourth year contained some of my least appreciated projects.

I went back to my roots: what made previous designs good before? For me, I found that in all of my projects that I and others seemed to like the most, although I had made many decisions objectively, there were always parts of it that seemed to arise emotionally, viscerally, subjectively driven, and very humanly.

Furthermore, I looked back on my academic experience, and observed how with each new semester, less and less time was spent on schematic tasks than had been spent previously. Design 2, which included a long conceptual development balanced against comparably few quantitative factors, brought me to the Design 6 Tectonic Studio, in which formal conceptual class time shrunk to make time for much more tectonic and programmatic development. Then, looking ahead, after I had learned more about professional architecture, and learned about how relative-ly small the schematic design phase of an architectural project becomes, I came to the conclusion that I may not need as much time as I have used previously to create a quality design solution to a design problem.

These analyses of my work found their way into my thesis in terms of its first part: innovating my schematic workflow. I thought that if I trusted my visceral instincts, and abandoned time spent formally rationalizing subjective decisions to create a design solution, I could make a valid and quality solution in a personally innovative timeframe, and, one that brings back the human element that helped some of my previous work achieve admiration. This would be an asset to me, because, if I am faster, I am more efficient, and, this would not only be an asset to a firm’s efficien-cy, but could be an asset to me years down the road when I have many important life factors to balance in addition to my career. Furthermore, bringing back the quality of my work that has helped projects become well-appreciated would be an asset because, as an aspiring architect, I would like to design projects that people like.

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Build Understanding of Construction Documents

This next aspect on which I reflected upon mostly came from my experience interning over the summer of 2014. Construction documents have always been somewhat of a mystery to me. However, while interning, I was able to ask a lot of questions, observe, and piece things together to achieve a better understanding of how they work, and, although I claim to judge them from a perspective that could still have many misconceptions, I was interested in learning more about them, engaging in the practice of creating them for myself, and seeing if perhaps there is a way to simplify them, make them more understandable, and spend less time on them.

I noticed that there were some inconsistent ways of doing things in construction documentation. For me, I usually notice the way mullions are shown, and variety in how much detail is shown in their respective connections. Moreover, I also notice that some drawings sometimes leave out information that other precedents of the same type would have included.

Furthermore, it is unclear to me how drawings are coordinated with specifications.

What I do think I understand about construction documents, however, is that there may be multiple acceptable and practiced ways to do something; and, one can infer from this that, when it comes to construction documents, the bottom line is to understand how to build the project. So, one shouldn’t be afraid to be critical of the existing methods and simplify and clarify them where they can.

Therefore, my goal this semester was to use my semester design project as an opportunity to explore construction documentation and specification writing. Could I create instructions for the construction of my project in a way that make more sense or take less time? If I could, I may be able to use this exploration as a way to innovate in the future. Moreover, the worst that could happen is I build an un-derstanding and comprehension of construction documents as they are, and, even if I can’t innovate them, I find them to make sense now. Again, this knowledge of how construction instructions are written would be an asset to me as an aspiring architect.

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Investigative MethodsAs far as putting my semester thesis into practice, I needed to define methods that would allow me to investigate my intents.


To investigate innovating my schematic workflow, I intended to approach the se-mester design prompt in a much different way than I have in previous semesters.

Investigation 1: Emotionally versus Rationally Driven DesignThe methodology of this investigation is to respond to the semester design chal-lenge primarily emotionally, and secondarily rationally. The goal of this investiga-tion is to find the key to achieving a design that harnesses positive, meaningful, and emotional responses from experiencers in a way that allows the design to achieve meaning beyond that of a functional and technical piece of architecture. The reason for this investigation is to attempt to correct the recently quantitative-ly-driven and rationale-driven design projects that have lacked the qualities that human emotions respond to, and ultimately, improving my schematic workflow.

Investigation 2: Selling a Design based on Experiential Media rather than Quantitative and Analytic MediaThe methodology of this second investigation is to attempt to convince others that my design solution to the semester’s design challenge, which is emotionally driven, is good by showing only those aspects by which it is driven—which mean is emotional characteristics. What this means is that I will not show information that explains how functional, quantitative, and technical systems work because they do not contribute to the design’s emotional qualities, and are not the driving or selling points of the design. The reason for this investigation is to test whether or not it is a worthwhile aspect of my schematic design workflow to explain to experi-encers of my project how systems that do not drive the design work. If I find that I can successfully convince to people this semester that my design is good without showing the technical workings of it, I can innovate my schematic design process by being able to spend less time developing this design media, and more time on the emotionally qualitative. Putting this to the test can either serve as evidence as to why supporting technical media may not be necessary, or may prove to show that it is in fact necessary. Either way, it will help me make an innovation to my schematic process, or, it will help me understand why the schematic process of showing supporting technical information is valid, or, when it should or should not be used.

Investigation 3: Selling a Design with Loose-Handed rather than Precise MediaThe methodology of this third investigation is to attempt to employ loose-handed, qualitative, yet imprecise design communication media that conveys enough infor-mation as to the qualitative, emotional nature of the design so as to merit support of its later precise development from a client. The goal of this investigation is to be able to design a solution to a design problem to a level that convinces a client that it should be developed for construction without doing unnecessary work creating

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communication media. The reason for this investigation is that, if less work can bespent creating communication media, there is more time for other things, including putting more thought into the design itself; and, if I am able to find a way that I can convey to someone the qualities of a design with less time, it can innovate my schematic design workflow.


Investigation 4: Make Construction Documents and SpecificationsThis last semester investigation’s methodology is to, after responding to the client’s initial design prompt and formulating a schematic solution, focus on developing that idea into a set of construction documents and specifications. The goal of this investigation is to have a first-hand, investigative, and comprehensive experience of creating instructions for construction, with the reason being to build understanding of construction documentation.

Investigation 5: Make Media FasterMoreover, I was also interested in trying to use BIM and CAD dependent media to, in a time efficient way, communicate design intents for presentation purposes. By investigating methods that may provide media of a lower quality, yet what could potentially be sufficient for the needed level of comprehension and is more quickly produced, workflows can achieve efficiency. This investigation is under the “Build Understanding of Construction Documents” category, however, this category can be broadened to include an understanding of professional practice, and my obser-vations that professionally produced media is not always as beautiful or original as student work, and sometimes uses built-in software features to create generi-cally stylized media. This investigation will help me see if I can convey my design intents without having to create original and time-consuming media, and, will help me explore and understand the rationale for why professionally-produced media often looks more generic.

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Design ObjectivesAs far as the assigned design challenge, I was to design a health complex, in Lim-be, Malawi, known as the Limbe Health Complex, which addresses clientele from a wealthy or expatriate background. As an addition to the Malamulo Hospital’s network of health care in the Limbe-Blantyre area, the goal of this project is to pro-vide a resource to generate revenue from profits, which can then be dispersed to various free-care clinics in the Blantyre-Limbe region. For me, a successful design solution would be measured by the quality in which it responds to the client’s, who is the CEO of Malamulo Hospital, wants and needs:

1. Program: The client issued a specific list of program requirements, address-ing program area requirements, and also suggesting some program relationships and adjacencies.

2. Site: The client needs a project that responds to the site environment, so that functional human shelter can be designed.

3. Healing Environment: The client stressed the importance of creating a qualitatively healing atmosphere.

4. Appropriate Icon: The client also had interests in the design being some-what of an icon, especially considering that the design solution that I proposed could potentially be used as fundraising material for the clinic.

My design objective was to respond the client’s design prompt in the following ways:

1. Program: Meet the space requirements as well as follow appropriate pro-grammatic adjacencies and relationships.

2. Site: Create a design that provides functional, and ideal shelter against the natural elements of the site.

3. Healing Environment: Create a program that is, not only functional, but also creates an exceptional qualitatively healing environment.

4. Appropriate Icon: Create a design that strives to achieve an appropriate visual aesthetic, in that it is representative of the mission of the Limbe Complex.

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Research ObjectivesIn order to achieve my design objectives, I cannot rely on prior knowledge alone: The following describes the research objectives that I pursued, so that I could be adequately prepared to provide a solution to the design challenge.

1. Program: Before my design process began, and, in particular, before I was issued the specific program agenda from the client, I did research on the program-matic requirements of medical facilities. I went to sources such as Time Saver Standards, Whole Building Design Guide, and the Facilities Guidelines Institute, for to collect as much data as I could concerning basic programmatic functions of medical facilities. Medical facilities can have very specific programmatic ty-pologies, however, to have a somewhat universal understanding of this medical programmatic typology, the following is the information that I synthesized:

Examination/treatment rooms of some form would be a substantial part of the Limbe program. Based on research, ideal qualities of functional exam rooms include an exam table in the middle of the room, allowing doctors to circulate freely around it, with medical equipment and storage around the perimeter.1 This concept is shown the in figure 1.

Furthermore, consultation areas were part of the program issued by the Limbe client. From my pre-design research, I found that these spaces, although, in some medical precedents they occupy the same space as the treatment rooms, are most ideal when in their own designated space, furnished free of medical equip-ment, and for comfortable discussion.2

Waiting spaces were another pre-design research area that proved to be a funda-mental part of the client’s issued program. I found that waiting spaces should be adjacent to reception and patient entrance spaces, and furthermore, the privacy of patient/reception discussions involving billing and appointment scheduling should be considered. Also, if a restroom is located next to a waiting area, it is conve-nient for patients, as they do not need to ask for directions as to where to find it.3 Figures 2 and 3 show the basic concepts behind these ideas.

Moreover, I learned that the reception must be able to have flawless commu-nication with the way the progress of the doctor as they visit patients, so that the receptionist can appropriately manage and advance patients in the waiting area (figure 4). Moreover, building on some of the qualities of the waiting areas described above, reception spaces must allow the receptionist to have a visual connection to the clinic patient entrance, and moreover, must allow for appropri-ately private discussions.4

1 Joseph De Chiara, Joseph and Michael J. Crosbie.Time-saver Standards for Building Types. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001) 200-2092 De Chiara, 200-2093 De Chiara, 200-2094 De Chiara, 200-209

Fig. 1: Examination/treatment rooms

Fig. 2: Connection of reception to patients/arrivals

Fig. 3: Restroom connection to wait-ing area

Fig. 4: Connection of reception to progress of doctors

A medical laboratory was another area of pre-design research that proved to be informative based on the client’s programmatic needs. My research informed me that medical laboratories, although they vary considerably in their design, typically allow for basic components such as work stations, cabinet storage, and lavatories. Furthermore, due to the need to test patient bodily fluid samples, it can be com-fortable for the patient to deliver their sample in privacy, and, for this reason, an adjacent restroom with a sample pass-through can be desirable.5

Moreover, although this was not part of my pre-design research, I learned later in the semester from Malawian physician, Amy Keenum, that functional medical programs in the Malawian environment, despite a climate that makes open-air circulation a part of the regional vernacular, overhead rooftop shelter is absolutely necessary. Moreover, ideal designs for patient arrival spaces allow patients to exit their vehicles and quickly find shelter underneath a roof.

2. Site: Again, before beginning design, it was important for me to understand the site’s climactic conditions, so that the building provides functional environmen-tal shelter for the client’s program.

The site’s solar conditions are defined by a tropical, southern hemisphere location, experiencing a sun path that is characterized by a cool-season, northern sun, and a warm-season, slightly higher altitude, southern sun.6

The site’s wind patterns indicate prevailing summer winds from the northeast, and cool-season winds from the southwest, normally traveling at speeds of 13-30 km/hr.7

The site’s temperature tendencies are characterized by a temperate climate, with high humidity, with a cool season that ranges diurnally from mid forty degrees Fahrenheit to upper sixties, and a warm season that ranges diurnally from mid-six-ties to low-eighties degrees Fahrenheit.8

The site’s precipitation patterns are very seasonal, with a wet season accounting for 95% of Malawi’s rainfall, approximately during the warm part of the year, while the cool season receives very little rainfall.9

Figures 7-11 graphically display this environmental data.

5 De Chiara, 200-2096 “Environmental Systems,“ in Limbe Clinic Research, 2.37 “Environmental” 2.98 “Environmental” 2.15-169 “Environmental” 2.21-22

Fig. 5: Example of a medical labora-tory (Image Credit: “Users” 1.22)

Fig. 6: Laboratory/restroom sample pass-through

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Fig. 7: SOLAR data for Limbe, Mala-wi, shown over satellite images of the

Limbe site (Image Credit: “Environ-mental” 2.4)

Fig. 8: WIND data for Limbe, Malawi (Image Credit: “Environmental” 2.9)

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Fig. 9: TEMPERATURE data for Limbe, Malawi (Image Credit: “Envi-ronmental” 2.16)

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Fig. 10: RELATIVE HUMIDITY data for Limbe, Malawi (Image Credit:

“Environmental” 2.15)

Fig. 11: PRECIPITATION data for Limbe, Malawi (Image Credit: “Envi-

ronmental” 2.22)

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3. Healing Environment: Before my design process began, I did research on the anatomy of qualitatively healing environments. What I found is that nature and light are important to the psychological well-being of users. Therefore, win-dows with natural views, naturally lit spaces, and garden spaces that are integrat-ed into the program will help provide patients with an environment that reduces stress, alleviates physical outcomes, and creates moods for healing.11

Moreover, I looked at a precedent, the Yantalo Clinic, in Yantalo, Peru, which applies some of the above characteristics. For example, all patient rooms within the clinic have a direct entrance to a meandering walking path that winds through outdoor gardens, allowing patients to focus on nature, a quality of healing.12

In addition, regarding another precedent, the Wausau Hospital, in Wisconsin, uses areas that emphasize views of exterior spaces to become user gathering areas, creating comfortable places for conversing.13 Again, showing how the incorporation of nature into the built environment has qualities that foster positive moods and healing.

4. Appropriate Icon: To make sure that the design of the Limbe Complex achieves an appropriate iconography, that is representative of the cultures and purpose that define it, I analyzed its function. The description of my analysis is presented in the series of graphics in figure 15. Figure 15 explains that the function of the Limbe Complex is to, as a high-tech, for-profit, medical complex, directly serve contemporary, urban/expatriate clients from a global, Western culture. Moreover, the profits generated from the Limbe Complex are distributed as funding resources to various vernacular, free-care clinics in the Blantyre-Limbe area, which serve traditional, rural clients from a local, Malawian culture. Figure 16 then shows how the Limbe Complex has values that span between local and Malawian, and global and Western.

If I can design the Limbe Complex that addresses these culturally values, it can become an icon that expressers to users and the broader Limbe community, that the Limbe Complex values its role in both the local culture, as well as it is an example of global, cutting-edge technology.

To achieve the right aesthetic form which to form the Limbe Complex’s iconog-raphy, I relied, staying true to my first semester investigation, which is to test emotionally-driven versus rational design, on a visceral manifestation of these values. Moreover, I can say that I did not identify that it was my intent to manifest these local and global values in the icon of the Limbe Complex until very late in the semester. However, after I analyzed my emotionally-driven design process, and identified my intent, some rational objectives can be identified, and reinforced through a little bit of research. 11 “Users in the Medical Facility” 1.9-1.2312 “Users” 1.713 “Users” 1.11

Fig. 12: This diagram represents how the integration of garden/landscape space within the built environment can foster a healing environment. (Image Credit: “Users” 1.5)

Fig. 13: This is the site plan of the Yantalo Clinic. Notice the quality of the site design and how it allows for users to meander through the outdoor space. (Image Credit: “Users” 1.7)

Fig. 14: This image depicts the interior of the Wasau Hospital. Notice the use of natural light and views to the outdoors to create an environment that feels positive for healing. (Image Credit: “Users” 1.12)

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traditional, rural clients

vernacular, free-care clinic in Limbe-Blantyre

contemporary, urban/expat clients

Limbe high-tech, for profit, medical complex

local, Malawian culture global,

Western culture

traditional

vernacular

local

contemporary

high-tech

global

Fig. 15

Fig. 16

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The first research objective is to understand local, vernacular, and traditional build-ing culture. Aspects of this culture can be incorporated into the design of the Limbe Complex, allowing it to allude to these local values. My findings regarding local building culture include the presence of a vernacular material palette. In particular, the use of soil stabilized brick, a material that is easily constructed, is affordable, is durable,14 and uses less cement than typical bricks.15 Moreover, traditional Ma-lawian building vernaculars are largely influenced from the presence of available materials and a largely impoverished and rural community, resulting in structures characterized by overhanging thatch roofs, and mud adobe brick.16 Lastly, health care precedents from the region, such as the Butaro Hospital, in Rwanda, in addition to other public buildings, such as the Umubano Primary School, also in Rwanda, exhibit a vernacular of narrowly planned buildings to optimize passive ventilation, outdoor covered porches for circulation.

The second research objective is to understand global, contemporary, and high-tech building culture. Again, aspects of this culture can be incorporated into the design of the Limbe Complex, allowing it to allude to these global values. When comparing global, contemporary design to local vernacular design, one can ob-serve that, first of all, there are differences in technology. Local, vernacular design uses low-tech and locally available technology, which, at a more fundamental level relies on passive design systems to respond to the environment. On the other hand, design on the global scale is more likely to use innovative materials and an environmental systems design that goes beyond fundamental passive tech-niques. For example, the Denver International Airport is a design that innovates more traditional and fundamental approaches to passive day-lighting by using a high-tech material that would be unavailable to traditional building vernaculars. In addition, another characteristic that identifies architecture that represents aspects of global and contemporary culture is the way that architectural form is derived. In vernacular architecture, form is more likely to be driven by function, including re-actions to site and environmental factors. However, in contemporary, global-scale architecture in the public realm, there is a trend to derive form in a way that it surpasses strictly a functional response, in favor of a design that achieves some form of iconography, or establishes an identity for its place. This trend in contem-porary architecture, which strives to create a sense of place and identity, is known as critical regionalism. The Denver International Airport, again, is an example of contemporary architecture that exhibits qualities of critical regionalism, in this case drawing inspiration from the mountainous characteristics of the region to formally create an identity that speaks to its place.

Fig. 17: A traditional, vernacular, sub-Saharan home. (Image Credit: “Ver-nacular”)

14 “Material Contexts,” in Limbe Clinic Research, 3.11-1315 Harnish, Chris. August 2014.16 “Material Contexts” 3.5-6

Fig. 18: View of porch at the Butaro Hospital, Rwanda (Image Credit: “Butaro”)

Fig. 19: Architectural form that is not functionally derived, shown here in the Federal Center South Building, Seattle. (Image Credit: “Federal Center”)

Fig. 20 : The London 2012 Velo-drome, an example of contemporary, place-making architecture (Image Credit: “Design Museum Awards”)

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Fig. 21: The Umubano Primary School, Rwanda (Image Credit:

“Umubano”)

Fig. 22: The Denver International Airport (Image Credit: “KVSF”)

The text

examroom

examroom

doctorofficedoctoroffice


med.stor.

nursing station

laundry

linen

st

or.

med

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E.R.recep./wait.

E.R.observ./triage

1 BR house

1 BR house

1 BR house

2 BR house

2 BR house

2 BR house

STAFFPARKING

E.R.PARKING

AMBULANCE

LABORATORY

DENTAL/VISION

ProgramThe following pages describe how, after research, I responded to the client’s pro-grammatic needs to create a design solution. The client’s issued program is listed below (with some of my interpretive notes), and the drawing to the right explains how I interpreted and translated that program into the Limbe Complex.

PHASE 1 Restrooms OUTDOOR SPACES Food gardens SERVICESFruit trees (I dispersed them over site) Parking for 12-15 vehiclesHealing and reflection gardens loading dock/service entry Medical Storage Office (I haveRECEPTION AREA local storage through-Waiting area -out)Toilets Cashier’s room for client payments HEALTH PROMOTION/Chief cashier’s room DISEASE PREVENTION Records Room (I find this related to admin. prg.) Multipurpose room - HIV testingPHARMACY - MNH testing - women’s health issues NURSING STATION Consultation Rooms Nursing Station, with easy access to all med prg. ClassroomVital signs room Dressing and injection room PHASE 2Laundry Room DENTAL + VISIONLinen Storage Dentist officeRestrooms Dental/vison rooms storageNON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL Post-Vitals Patient Waiting area TENANT MEDICAL OFFICESMinor Operation Room reception/cashier/waitingObservation Rooms doctor’s officeExamination Rooms storageLaboratory clinic/exam rooms Doctor’s Offices Specimen-Taking Restroom LARGER LABORATORY EMERGENCY MEDICAL PHASE 3Emergency reception/waiting STAFF HOUSINGTriaging area - three 1 bedroom unitsObservation floor - three 2 bedroom units

ADMINISTRATIONHealth services manager officeKitchen and LoungeHealth Information Management Systems RoomAdministration Office16

kitchen

pharmacy

check-out

cashier suite

admin.rr

m./e.executiveoffice

records

systemsmanage.

recep./wait.

rr

classroom

multi-purpose

m./e.

consult.

consult.

consult.

tenant recep./wait

rr

clinic room

clinic room

clinic room

m./e. med.stor.

med.stor.

masterstorageobserv.roomobserv.room

observ.room

laboratory

minor operations

m./e. rr

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post-vitalswaitingvitalsignsdressings/injectionsmed.stor. m

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laundry

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TENANT CLINIC PARKING

PATIENT PARKING

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E.R.PARKING

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FOODGARDEN

FOODGARDEN

HEALING AND REFLECITON GARDEN

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General Programmatic StrategyThe diagram to the left explains a general programmatic strategy to group related programmatic ele-ments along linear circulatory paths underneath roof shelter. Unrelated programs have no roof between their circulation paths. This programmatic strategy was manifested in response to design-driving ideas about creating a healing environment, as well as a site strategy driven by creating an appropriate local icon, which are ex-plained further in this book’s respec-tive sections.

Public/Private Interior and Exterior ProgramThis diagram explains how outdoor spaces and their position on the pub-lic/private scale relate to how interior program was arranged on the site; interior spaces that are most public in nature are consequently placed in areas adjacent to an abundance of program-enclosed and public outdoor space, while the most private interior spaces are placed at the edges of the design, around less formal outdoor space, and more private spaces.

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Vehicular ArrivalsVehicular arrivals are decentralized,

allowing, tenant patients, general patients, and emergency patients to

arrive exactly to the programmatic spaces of which they need to be at. Furthermore, by keeping emergen-cy arrivals clearly distinct from any type of arrival, it provides clarity for

patients who may be stressfully trying to drive to the emergency location.

Programmatic PhasingThis diagram explains the program-

matic phasing strategy. Phase 1 can stand alone, but, the sliding of phase

2 into the linear scheme adds more life to the Limbe Complex. Moreover,

the phase 3 housing is located behind the medical complex, and follows a more vernacular building typology,

providing relief from the formally driven workplace. The Butaro Hos-

pital Doctor Housing (MASS Design Group), pictured below, was inspira-tion for how I pictured these rectan-gular forms, in contrast to the long,

amoeba shapes of the medical clinic.

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Public/Private Site GradientThe site design creates outdoor pro-gram that have a gradient of moods throughout the site. Starting from the southeast corner and primary entry point for the site, one transitions from a military-esque entry plain, past the frontal building, into the interior, pro-tected hub. From there, moving even deeper into the program, one enters into the long, linear, site traversing medical program, a private entity with-in itself. And finally, emerging from the medical program, the mood shifts to a quaint setting in which the doc-tors and staff will make their home, overlooking the hilly plain to the west and southwest, and looking slightly downhill at the closed up and back side of the Limbe Complex.

Program’s Relationship to Wall TypesThis diagram shows how all interior program spaces of the medical por-tion of the Limbe Complex can be put in one of three categories based on occupancy hours and privacy level. The wall types, in their degree of transparency directly respond to the privacy needs of the program space it encloses. Moreover, in the case of transparent walls (screens or opera-ble glazing), the type is determined by environmental factors related to occupancy hours, explained in the “Site” section of this book.

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The interior wall sections shown below relate to this discussion on program be-cause they indicate the two interior wall types, by which their enclosed programs determine which typology should be followed. The drawing on the left indicates the wall typology between spaces that require visual and sound privacy. In contrast, the wall type on the right has a netting clerestory that is stitched to a fabric seam in the roof membrane. This allows for light and sound to transfer between spaces with more public characteristics and do not need to block this amenity.

Furthermore, I addressed my programmatic research by addressing all aspects of medical program that I learned about from Time Saver Standards, as well as made sure that exterior shelter between relevant programs were sufficient, based on Dr. Amy Keenum’s suggestion. However, reflecting on my semester’s process, I would like to, in future design challenges, go through more extensive and specific programmatic research before beginning formulation of a design solution. If I had done more programmatic research post-delivery of the client’s specific program-matic needs, I believe that I would have had a better design.

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SiteThe following pages describe how, after research, I responded to the site environ-mental factors to provide functional shelter for the program of the Limbe Complex. The factors that make up the creation of functional shelter include systematic ame-nities such as electricity, heat, and water. In addition, the way wall types function based on environmental factors is described in the following pages. Moreover, my contextual analysis of the site is briefly described, and how that relates to some of the client’s other wants and needs for the Limbe Complex.

Environmental and climactic research during pre-design informed me as I deter-mined the following systematic strategies. In addition, another note on the follow-ing systematic systems is that they were developed as responses to an emotion-ally-driven design strategy. Therefore, they themselves, in most cases, were not strong driving factors in the design. Nonetheless, they were developed based on rational checking of the emotionally-driven design, ensuring that the design per-forms to an adequate level in each of these functionally requisite areas.

SYSTEMS STRATEGY LISTElectricity 2-3 10 kW wind turbines may be sufficient for off-grid power generation

Heating Thermal mass from soil stabilized brick walls, and supple- mentary electric, overhead, radiant heat when needed during seasonal nights and in appropriate program spaces; closable wind and thermal enclosure to keep heat in during the cool season, in particular, its nights

Cooling Passive ventilation in the warm season (possible need for & Ventilation mechanical support--mechanical engineer’s analysis required)

Graywater, Roof gutters can pipe to cisterns on site, mechanical Irrigation, & Non- pumps for irrigation; cisterns can also pipe to toiletsPotable Water

Potable Water municipal supply or treat graywater Mosquito Minimum enclosure = screen storefront Management

Drainage troughs around buildings as needed, pipe off-site or to municipal storm drain Human Waste Municipal sanitary line, septic tank, or on-site composting for food gardensFood Waste Composted for food gardens or transported off site

Light Daylighting, electrical supplementation as required

SYSTEMS STRATEGY LIST CONTINUED

Acoustics concrete floors, plaster interior walls, or brick interior walls, membrane roof, wood or netting wall upper halves creates a palette of materials ranging from hard to soft, and suggesting that proper acoustics will not be hard to achieve

The goal of this exercise was to make sure that my site scheme could address all of these human needs. The strategies don’t necessarily indicate the actual strate-gy that would be employed, but, they show that a solution, or a choice of solutions could work.

CONTEXTUAL SITE ANALYSISThe site documentation image, which is a satellite image with a hand-drawn sketch overlaid on top of it, on this spread shows how the Limbe Complex’s site is located along a hill and in a void of built development. This aspect of the site inspired me to really embrace how the Limbe Complex can be an icon that can impact a community far greater than just its clientele. People will really see this place, and, I wanted them to see a beautiful building along this hill, that speaks to people that the Limbe Complex is a place that embraces its local roots, yet, its program is part of a broader global culture as well.

The site falls in the political jurisdiction of Limbe, which, outside of the scale of the image shown, is part of a broader metropolis, centered around the city of Blantyre. Blantyre is to the northwest of the Limbe Complex site.

Some other notable pieces of site context are a residential neighborhood to the northwest, a taxi rink at the intersection of Kenyatta Drive and Donduzu Road to the northeast. Furthermore, a gently rolling greater Blantyre-Limbe area is dotted with mountains that rise up out of the rolling landscape. There are three mountains that can be easily viewed from the Limbe Complex site.

The image below depicts an aerial view from the southeast showing the site of the Limbe Complex and its streamlined, white PTFE roofs that are aligned along the site contours.

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Site Ventilation StrategiesThis diagram describes how, in gen-eral, winds that will prove resourceful for passive ventilation come fromm the northeast.

Ventilation On This diagrammatic look at a sample Complex building shows that an enclosure of screen walls, operable glazing, and screen windows allow for passive ventilation, desirable during Malawi’s warm and humid days.

Ventilation OffThis second diagram builds onto the diagram shown in the “Program” section of this book, and shows how program spaces that could potentially receive 24-hour use, during potential-ly Malawi’s cool, 40.F nights, have an operable exterior envelope that allows for passive, cooling ventilation to be turned off through either operable storefront glazing or apertures with shutters, as opposed to public, yet only daytime use spaces that have a permanently wind permeable screen storefront. Furthermore, cool nights, in 24-hour program use spaces may use a radiant heat system to stay comfortable.

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Response to Site Solar ConditionsThis diagram shows how the Limbe

Complex uses a PTFE translu-cent membrane roof fabric to block

Malawi’s solar radiation and provide shelter for people within. But, this

roof strategy also allows for diffuse, natural daylight to enter the interior,

helping the Limbe Clinic have a posi-tive, healing, and day lit environment,

as well as being able to minimize its reliance on electrical lighting.

Response to Site Solar ConditionsThese 3D images depict a mid-se-

mester development of the operable glazing storefront system, in open and

closed / on and off mode.

Healing EnvironmentThe following describes how I applied my research of healing environments to the design of the Limbe Medical Complex.

After learning about how the role and integration of nature within the built environ-ment creates spaces that feel positive and qualitatively healing, in addition to an inherent sense of this information based on personal experience and preference, the design of the Limbe Medical Complex aims to arrange the built environment in a way that shapes outdoor, interactive program space.

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Arrange buildings around outdoor spaceThis plan diagram shows how the arrangement of narrow, tapered, buildings (more on this in the section titled “Appropriate Icon”) are arranged on site in a way that shape an outdoor public space that program can interact with and gain energy from. This idea is carried over into the next diagram.

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Public/Private Interior and Exterior Program

This diagram shows how long, narrow buildings with lots of exterior wall

area are an appropriate strategy for creating an outdoor inspired healing

environment. The narrow plans allow nearly all habitable program spaces to have two exterior walls, allowing for views and the feeling of close-

ness to nature, which, as backed by researched evidence, as well as my

own personal experiences, makes spaces feel qualitatively ideal for a

positive healing environment.

Moreover, this diagram also speaks a little bit as to how the exterior spaces

are shaped by the narrow buildings with specific intention to create

outdoor spaces that sometimes have a very public and community feeling, and other times have a more private,

intimate, and program specific feeling.

Intimate vs. Lively Healing Space, and the buildings’ wall treatment towards adjacent outdoor spaceThese diagrams show how the out-door spaces of the Limbe Complex

converse with the buildings, display-ing how end-points (which also are frequently programmatic gathering spaces) open up to the inner hubs of outdoor space, and close up to

the outside of the site. These moves create hierarchical levels that define spaces as either lively and public, or

intimate and private. Both spaces are part of the healing environment, not just the public parts shown in green.

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Appropriate IconThe following describes how I applied my investigation of global and local cultur-al connotations in architecture to help define a style for the Limbe Complex that achieves an appropriate iconography, representative of both its local Malawian and expatriate, Western, and global values.

The buildings draw from specific connotations of global and local culture, rein-forced from my objective investigations, which combine to create an iconography that represents both global and local style.

Moreover, although this idea does not directly relate to my objective iconographic investigations, a key driving force in the Limbe Complex is how it is a scheme that uses narrow, tapered forms that integrate themselves into the existing site topog-raphy, symbolically grounding the building in the local site and area. This idea visually speaks and connotes to the value that Malamulo and the Limbe Complex give to their role in the Limbe area.

Allude to Global and Local CultureThe cartoons to the left are diagrams that allow me to point out a few as-pects that I can say directly connote either towards a local, Limbe culture, or a global Western culture.

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Existing SiteThis image shows a basic under-

standing of the the Limbe Complex site before construction will begin. It

is relevant because it sets up the site strategy explained below.

Forms that go with the Existing Site

By creating building forms that follow the contours of the hill, the architec-

ture embraces the landscape, and identifies itself as valuing the existing

area, as being derived from it; and, this speaks to the local values of Mal-

amulo and the Limbe Complex.

Parallel Lines across the SiteAll three phases along the Limbe Complex follow this line along the

contours.

Investigative ProcessThe following is a description of my process work this semester. As I explain each general phase of my semester’s work, I also comment on how I tried to apply my investigative methods that relate to my semester thesis.

FAUX STEWARDSON PROJECT & EARLY DESIGNIn this ten day, mock Stewardson competition challenge, occurring after initial research on Malawian climate and medical programs, I was provided with the initial program and design prompt. I spent nine days designing the clinic, and the last day was spent sketching graphics that convey the design onto a presentation board. Shown are some of those graphics. Moreover, some of the investigative methods that I applied were:

Investigation 1: Emotionally versus Rationally Driven DesignI attempted to create a design response that was driven based on a visceral reac-tion to the design problem. This investigation I would argue to be successful here, as the driving idea behind this design, long, tapered, roof membranes, with more vernacular driven lowers was the result of an emotional exercise and response to the design prompt, and trying to achieve the right aesthetic. Moreover, these were the qualities of the design that make it what it is, and those are what I was trying to convey in the following investigation:

Investigation 2: Selling a Design based on Experiential Media rather than Quantitative and Analytic MediaAlthough I had taken the time to make sure various systematic and functional aspects of the design work, such as program and environmental systems, notice how I do not display these such workings in the drawings. As mentioned above, my goal was to, especially in this ten-day competitive setting, show people what one really needs to know about my design proposal--the integral qualities. The way I saw it, there is much quantitative data about systems that I didn’t include in the presentation, but, I believed that these items, which really aren’t integral to the design idea that I am trying to propose could be left out of the presentation. This early in the project, I believe I was right in hypothesizing that quantitative, detailed, and systematic data was not needed.

Investigation 3: Selling a Design with Loose-Handed rather than Precise MediaI free-handed my presentation, allowing me to spend more time designing and less time creating a presentation. I believe what I conveyed was descriptive of a design. However, feedback suggests that, although sketching may certainly be adequate in some design communication situations, for a ten-day competi-tion, deviation from expected more precise and hard lined media could suggest some incompetence of the designer. I still haven’t reached a valid conclusion on this matter, I think the way a viewer interprets a presentation such as my Faux Stewardson’s is subjective to the viewer, and, I am still interested in pursuing this investigation further.

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GUM GLU-LAMS BEAR ON STRUCTURAL COLUMNS

BIRDAIR FABRICSTRETCHED OVER BEAMS

SITE MODELThe next major effort in the semester was spent working on a physical site model that would prove to generally represent my design proposal throughout the semes-ter.

Investigation 2: Selling a Design based on Experiential Media rather than Quantitative and Analytic MediaThis investigation is almost inherent for this media.

Investigation 3: Selling a Design with Loose-Handed rather than Precise MediaThis investigation also exists to some degree in this model, as it strives to, at least at its smaller scales, be simply representative of a general architectural idea.

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MID-CRITIQUE

Investigation 1: Emotionally versus Rationally Driven DesignAt mid-critique, I still was testing this emotional vs. rational investigation. As the design developed, I continued to make subjective decisions initiated by emotional feelings, and checked by a rational analysis after that happened.

Investigation 2: Selling a Design based on Experiential Media rather than Quantitative and Analytic MediaNonetheless, I still intentionally left out analytic information from my presentation where I could, although I did start to graphically show people how it works. I take this as, as the design process develops, in order for someone to be convinced that this project should be built, they really do eventually need to see the workings of things, even if those things don’t necessarily form the identity of the design. For the Faux Stewardson holding back on technical information was right, but, at mid-critique, some more was needed.

Investigation 3: Selling a Design with Loose-Handed rather than Precise MediaAs is most evident in the elevations and sections that I developed as mid-term approached, these again relied on loose-imprecise information. However, I think this worked, as it allowed me to fluidly convey my intents. It was not yet an issue to understand precisely how it worked.

Investigation 4: Make Construction Documents and SpecificationsAfter the Faux Stewardson, upon which I created a scheme that I believed an-swered the client’s needs, I began focusing on developing that idea towards construction documentation. But, there was still much design development to be done before that. At the Faux Stewardson, I had a scheme, but, it was loose and imprecise. I had to develop that idea into a precise scheme. Only then would it be ready for construction documentation. Mid-critique shows more progress towards achieving a precise development of my Faux Stewardson work.

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PHARMACYCASHIER &CHECK-OUT

STAFF KITCHEN& LOUNGE

ADMIN.

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CONSULTATIONCONSULTATIONCLASSROOMWAITING &RECEPTIONPHARMACY

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EMERGENCY MEDICAL

VITALS /NURSING STATION

DENTAL &VISION

EXAM ROOMS &DOCTOROFFICES

LAB, OPERATION, OBSERVATION

HEALTH CONSULTING &SPECIAL EVENTS

RECEPTION

PHARMACY

CHECK-OUT

ADMINISTRATION

TENANT MEDICAL OFFICES

LOADING DOCK & MASTER

STORAGE

PHASE 2LAB

NON-EMERGENCYUSERS

EMERGENCYUSERS

OPTIONALOUTDOOR

PATIENT WAITING

OPTIONALOUTDOOR

PATIENT WAITING

OPTIONALOUTDOOR

PATIENT WAITING

OPTIONALOUTDOOR

PATIENT WAITING

DELIVERIES

LOADINGDOCK

STAFFPARKING

STAF

F

PHASE 3EMPLOYEE HOUSING

PHASE 3GAZEBO CAFE

BEAUTIFUL OBJECT AND BIM MODEL DEVELOPMENT

At this point in the semester, I was assigned to create a Beautiful Object that spoke of my project in some way. Currently working on developing the form of the custom glu-lam roof frames and PTFE membrane, as well as custom, opera-ble, storefront glazing, I decided that I would use this opportunity to express the qualities of these custom components of the design. Having a more formally driven and directional rhythm than the more vernacular parts of the Limbe Complex, the beautiful object expresses these qualities. Furthermore, it allowed me to create a model that more vividly expresses how the PTFE membrane wraps around the frame, and maintains structural integrity. I modeled the tensile forces that occur within the membrane using string for this model.

Investigation 4: Make Construction Documents and SpecificationsAt this point in the semester, I had developed the plan of the Limbe Complex to a precise level. Having the plan hard-lined, I was now ready to start developing a BIM model that could be used for construction documentation. However, this would not be a simple BIM model to create. Parts of the project, such as the parts of the walls, windows, slabs, and doors could be modeled directly in the Revit BIM platform that I was using. However, highly custom elements of my design proposal were to be modeled in Rhinoceros, and then imported into Revit. The headline custom component of this project is the glu-lam roof frame with PTFE membrane. This point in the semester also warranted some additional consultation from engineer, Dr. Chris Pastore, to help me design the roof frame and the membrane. From Dr. Pastore, I learned that the PTFE membrane would be a simpler design than precedent PTFE membranes that I had considered, such as the Denver International Airport. I had thought, before consulting Dr. Pastore, that the string forces that I modeled in the PTFE membrane also may represent stronger, steel cables that are part of the membrane design. However, Dr. Pastore explained that no such members would be needed in this case. One thing that distinguishes my use of PTFE tensile fabric from the Denver International Airport is that my Limbe Complex proposal uses the material as simply a skin to an already structurally stable glu-lam frame. At Denver, the fabric and compression struts, along with ca-ble ties, make up a structural system by which each component--fabric, strut, and tie--is needed for the system to be in equilibrium. Furthermore, Dr. Pastore helped me improve the design of the glu-lam frame itself, helping me to save material, compared to the version of the glu-lam frame that I am showing in the Beautiful Object.

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Furthermore, before visiting Dr. Pastore, I also sought out a precedent that uses a comparable structure as my Limbe proposal. The Kenora Harborfront Amphi-theatre, in Ontario Canada, is a structure that uses a longitudinal, central com-pression member, like the Limbe Complex. The key difference, however, between Limbe and Kenora is that tension is maintained along the structure’s perimeter by ties, in the case of Kenora, versus a long compression member, in the case of Limbe. (Kenora image credit from “Harbourfront Amphitheatre” (see image credits at back of book))

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5/8 CRITIQUE AND 3/4 CRITIQUE

Investigation 5: Make Media FasterThis part of the semester is where I most notably employed the investigation to explore quickly-produced media. Working primarily in Rhinoceros and Revit at this point in the semester, I wanted to use some of their built-in features to provide a base for drawings that could convey the development of my project at this point in the semester.

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Final Design DocumentationInvestigation 1: Emotionally versus Rationally Driven DesignIn preparation for the design’s final critique, as the design developed I found my-self continuing to rely on emotional decisions, and trusting what I had spent time thinking about early in the semester’s Faux Stewardson project. This especially helped me as the glu-lam frame went through its final iteration, which I consider to be most similar to the early, loose-handed, and imprecise sketch of it from the Faux Stewardson.

DRESSINGS/INJECTIONS

VITALSIGNS

POST-VITALSWAITING

ELEC./MECH.

NURSING STATIONLINEN STORAGE

1759

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Critique and Reflection of Completed ProjectMy semester’s thesis was to have an architectural design experience that strives to innovate my schematic workflow and build understanding of construction docu-mentation and specification. Reflecting on the results and process of my semester, I can say that I did learn much about my schematic workflow. As far as building comprehension of the construction documentation phase, I would say that I did build understanding of the construction documentation process, but not as much as I hoped for. Moreover, there were unforeseen challenges this semester that made this semester unique, and therefore worthwhile. Lastly, I see my semester thesis as something that I can continue to work towards as I enter my last and final semester at Philadelphia University.


My semester workflow I believe ambitiously tested my reflections that I have devel-oped over the last year about schematic design. The first thing I hoped to test was a rejection of formal rationalizations of subjective decisions. This semester, I know and it was my intent to respond to the design problem freely and viscerally. And, I believe that this divergence from a quantitative based design approach that I feel has undermined recent projects allowed me to achieve a design that has regained the human element that makes it special. This is, despite its criticisms, one of my most successful design projects. It has spirit, it speaks to the cultures it serves, and there is a direct relationship between it and the creative parts of my personal-ity, which I believe are qualities that go into my best projects. I know this because of the fulfillment and I feel from the design, and compliments from my peers.

Moreover, as for innovating my schematic workflow, I again think that I approached this ambitiously, testing unconventional methods and taking risks. Although I faced tough criticism, I still think that my approach during the Faux Stewardson in which I maximized the time spent designing to maximize the strength of the design, while sacrificing conventional media that shows a further development of a potentially less thought-out design, is valid. I furthermore, know that I could have executed the media better, and, if I had done so, am curious as to if my Faux Stewardson project would have received better review. Therefore, I still have considerable in-terest in trying this again. In my opinion, what I sacrifice in having unconventional, unexpected, approximate, and loose-lined media is subjective, and, some people may appreciate the work if its design excels based on the extra time that was given to its thought.

In addition, another reflection that I have concerning my schematic workflow is that I do believe that I increased the efficiency with which I develop a quality design solution. My goal this semester was to take the client’s initial design prompt, and respond to it. In my opinion, I did this in nine days, and after that, I had no desire to change it, because it was a solution to the design problem that I believed in. I was able to do this, in my opinion, because I allowed myself to design with my heart rather than my head when it comes to subjective matters, and because

I didn’t force myself into a workflow that relies on rigorously clear and exact methods around precision-based technology such as CAD and BIM. I designed emotionally, freely, and only put time into capturing the idea of the design, with the intent to prove to someone that it should later be developed with precision.

Lastly, as for a lesson I did not expect to learn this semester about my schematic workflow, my semester’s schematic workflow was driven by instinctive moves that trust my subjective feelings. I knew that I believed in my design, and I believed that I had a good scheme, but, I had nothing other than that to carry myself through cri-tiques. My project may have been able to capture the subjective feelings of some of my classmates who expressed this to me, but, in the face of skeptical critics, who are not concerned with their subjective opinions of my work, and who want to test my ability to form a design intent and effectively execute it, I had nothing. That’s because I didn’t know what my intent was because my objective was to abandon the rationalization of my subjective decisions. However, as the semester went on, what I had to discover was that, although I seemingly made decisions with no objective intent, I actually did. I may have made decisions in an innovative way that was distinguishable from the way I made decisions with the emotion-less and dry projects of fourth year, but, still, subconsciously, I had a rationale for everything I did. So, later in the semester, I revisited what I did, and analyzed why I made my subjective decisions, to find that there was a clear and rational intent. Having done so, I was then able to, not only have a design that speaks to the subjective, human emotions of its experiencers, but, I was able to show those who were interested what my intent was as I did it.

As for the value of being able to rationalize ones design intent, that’s a subjective matter altogether. I’ve watched how Frank Gehry designs his work, and, I would say that it doesn’t always seem to be driven by a clear intent, and, if it is, he doesn’t verbally express it clearly. But, for many people, that doesn’t matter be-cause, for them, the intent’s not important, the result is. When people experience a building, most of the time they don’t know what the architect’s intent was, but, they do form an opinion as to whether or not they like the building. But, what I take from this semester’s experience is that the identification of intent is important. It’s important for one obvious reason: someone may be interested in why a design-er did what they did. But, there must me more to it than that, because, I clearly expressed my design intent at my final review, yet, I faced criticism on how I could have achieved my intent better. Does that mean that if I had been conscious of my intent from an earlier stage, I would have a design that does what it does well even better? Maybe. Or, maybe the early consciousness and rationalization of subjec-tive decisions would drive me to transfer my thought process from my heart to my head, and, then I won’t be able to access the engine that had born my intent in the first place. I do not know.

To conclude this reflection on my schematic workflow, I believe that I was able to find again a strategy that makes my work special; I have taken risks and critically evaluated the intention of design communication media and, despite receiving strong criticism of these methods, I still think they hold potential for me; and, although I believe I have practiced the ability to design a project with subconscious intent to achieve one of my best designs, there is still question as to whether or not I have found that right balance between designing with subconscious, heart-driven 66

intent, or conscious, head-driven rationalization.


I am disappointed that I was not able to build as much of an understanding of con-struction documentation as I had hoped to this semester. I did make some strides, however. After schematic design, I started to use building information modeling to develop the design, foreseeing that having a BIM model of the project could be the most efficient way to create construction documents and specifications. And, within that process, I have picked up some skills in using BIM technology, and, in particu-lar, have researched methods on how to build a challenging BIM model.

Unforeseen Semester Challenge

In addition, I found myself, this semester, taking criticism like wasn’t used to before. From the Stewardson to the final, with an exception of mid-critique, I took substantial criticism. However, I think that being able to take criticism responsibly is an important skill to have, and I’m happy with how I responded to it this semes-ter. I think it’s also important for me to understand that criticism may always exist in this field; even the more reason to have experience working under it.

Continuation of Thesis for Next Semester

As noted above, I still have some work to do as to understanding and improving my schematic workflow, and, I think next semester will be another opportunity for me to try to achieve a design that has human, heart-felt qualities, yet can be backed up with a rational explanation. Moreover, I believe that I have innovated the speed with which I work, and perhaps I can do an even better job next semes-ter, which, potentially, could make it possible to dig into construction documenta-tion.

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Works CitedDe Chiara, Joseph, and Michael J. Crosbie. 2001. Time-saver Standards for Building Types. New York: McGraw-Hill.

“Environmental Systems.” in Limbe Clinic Research

Harnish, Chris. August 2014

Keenum, Amy. November 2014

“Material Contexts.” in Limbe Clinic Research

Pastore, Chris. October 2014.

“Users in the Medical Facility.” in Limbe Clinic Research

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Image Credits“Butaro Hospital, Butaro, Burera District, Rwanda - Mass Design Group, Photo Iwan Baan Picture on VisualizeUs.” VisualizeUs. Accessed December 14, 2014. http://vi.sualize.us/butaro_hospital_butaro_burera_district_m_ design_group_photo_iwan_baan_rwanda_indigenous_sustainable_ building_natural_ventilation_picture_sLBQ.html.

“Design Museum Awards 2012.” RSS. Accessed December 14, 2014. http://www. lcd.uk.com/design-museum-awards-2012/.


“Federal Center South Building 1202.” | AIA Top Ten. 2014. Accessed October 27, 2014. http://www.aiatopten.org/node/204.

“Harbourfront Amphitheatre.” Harbourfront Amphitheatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2014

“KVSF 101.5 | The Voice of Santa Fe.” Denver International Airport. Accessed December 14, 2014. http://www.santafe.com/the-voice/podcast/denver- international-airport-the-sinister-side#.VI5Mck1OWUk.

“Umubano Primary School.” Impact Design Hub. Accessed December 14, 2014. http://www.impactdesignhub.org/tag/umubano-primary-school/.


“Vernacular African Architecture as a Sustainable Design Resource.” Site Wide Activity RSS. November 20, 2012. Accessed December 14, 2014. http://firesideresearch.org/vernacular-african-architecture- as-a-sustainable-design-resource/.

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BibliographyDe Chiara, Joseph, and Michael J. Crosbie. 2001. Time-saver Standards for Building Types. New York: McGraw-Hill.


“Facility Guidelines Institute.” Facility Guidelines Institute. Accessed December 14, 2014. http://www.fgiguidelines.org/.

“The Gateway to Up-To-Date Information on Integrated ‘Whole Building’ Design Techniques and Technologies.” WBDG. Accessed December 12, 2014. http://www.wbdg.org/

Harnish, Chris.

Keenum, Amy.

Lin, Mike. “Frank Lloyd Wright on Drawing - Part Three / Un-built Work.” - Be Loose Graphic Workshop. 2014. Accessed October 27, 2014. http:// www.beloose.com/profiles/blogs/frank-lloydwright-on-drawing-part-three- un-built.

“Material Contests.” in Limbe Clinic Research

“119 MPS Houses in All Regions of Malawi.” Malawi Housing Corporation. 2011. Accessed October 27, 2014. http://www.mhcmw.org/mps.html.

Pastore, Chris.

“Understanding Clients.” in Limbe Clinic Research


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Limbe Medical Complex

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Transcript of Limbe Medical Complex