Project One: Building Detective Commons Worksheet
Student Name Field Trip (5 pt)
Worksheet (15pt)
Drawings (5 pt)
DUE: At the beginning of class, Tuesday, Feb. 2 TOTAL
The purpose of this project is to develop skills that will help you:
- understand the organization and structure of a building
- understand the relationship between architectural drawings and the built object
- make quick, accurate notes and sketches to document an existing building
Instructions
- Recall methods of observation and things you learned on the field trip to the Administration Building and the Albertson’s Building and apply them to your study of the Commons Building
- Remember the name of your TA (or find it on the class website) and contact him or her if you have questions about the assignment.
- You will also probably want to refer to lecture notes and your texts or verify your initial responses to some of the questions.
- You may discuss the lab exercise with your peers, but all answers must be completed, explained and/or drawn independently.
- In the worksheet you will find a building plan overlaid on a grid. Use this to develop the drawing of the building section. If you wish to redo your drawings or rework any portion of the lab, additional copies are available from the class web site.
- All work must be original, hand drawn, neat and legible. Be sure to staple all pages of your work together and remember to include your name.
VISIT THE CLASS WEB SITE FOR EXAMPLES OF PLAN & SECTION DIAGRAMS
Even before visiting the building, begin this project by jotting down notes on the spatial and organizational characteristics of the Commons Building you remember from your past experience. Read the questions below and plan a visit to the building when you have plenty of time to go through the exercise, sketch and observe. Bring a pencil and sketch book to augment this worksheet.
1. a) What is(are) the name(s) of the type of primary vertical load bearing elements in this building? These are terms we have discussed in class.
b) Is there an observable pattern of vertical load-bearing elements? If so, what term would you use to describe (in general) the pattern?
c) Knock on these elements. Do they feel solid? Hollow? Variable? What does this indicate to you?
d). What shape are these elements? Are they uniform in size? What does this indicate to you?
e) Are these elements resisting building loads primarily in Tension or Compression?
2. Make notes of the approximate distance between each of the typical vertical load-bearing elements and use this information to draw a diagrammatic floor plan of the 2nd floor, using the grid and building outline provided in this hand-out. Be sure to include the following required labels:
a. North arrow
b. Approximate dimensions between vertical elements (note: not all of these elements may be visible, so some interpolation may be required.(north/south & east/west)
c. You will be drawing a diagrammatic building section for Question 8. The section cut line is shown on this plan diagram and indicates the location of the section you will be drawing.
3. From the interior of the building, observe the horizontal spanning elements. Choose a location(s) in the vicinity indicated by the section cut line from Question 6. Provide answers to the questions below:
a. Starting with the lowest level, determine the approximate distance between the floor and ceiling above.
b. Is this dimension consistent everywhere? If not, explain
c. Estimate the distance between the ceiling and the next floor above. This is the depth of the floor/ceiling assembly. What is this dimension.
d. Describe the methodology used to arrive at approximate measurements.
e. The distance between the ground floor and the floor above is referred to as the floor-to-floor height. What is this approximate dimension?
f. Repeat your observations for all the floors of the building at approximately the same location (in plan). These dimensions will be used to draw and provide dimensions on the building section. (Question 5)
4. From the exterior of the building, observe the east façade, and provide answers to the following questions:
a. Determine the approximate height of the building at the ground level entries to the peak of the roof. What is it?
b. Describe the methodology used to arrive at approximate measurements.
5. You have now done every thing you need to be able to draw a typical diagrammatic building cross section. The section cut line is provided with the diagrammatic plan already drawn in Question 5. This section drawing is a line drawing that should be simple, yet proportionally accurate, and may include poche to indicate the cut line. Be sure to label:
a. the component(s) of the system that resist vertical loads, noting approximate dimensions of that element.
b. the primary horizontal spanning element(s), and the approximate depth of each element
c. heights of each floor level and top of roof
d. be sure the section drawn is accurate for the location section cut line provided on the plan.
6. Name and diagram the structural design strategies are used in this building to resist lateral loads (loads that may be caused by wind or seismic activity)? If you can’t find examples, refer to your class notes and make a conjecture.
A.B.C.
Using the building plan and section diagrams you have drawn, circle and label (using the letter above) a location that you believe exemplifies each of the strategies identified above.
7. Now that you have examined and diagrammed the plan and section of the building, identify (make an educated guess) the primary construction materials used for the following purposes and describe why you think this is true:
a. Vertical load-bearing elements
b. Horizontal floor spanning elements
c. Roof structure
8. The Commons Building is a mixed-use occupancy type building. Name and provide the letter designation and name for each use type in the building.
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