UNIVERSITY OF OREGON / PORTLAND, OREGON / FALL 2020 STUDIO, ONLINE
a futuristic take on the traditional office building
a futuristic take on the traditional office building
What if our work and home life were symbiotic? Mutually beneficial? What if the office could grow and adapt, bend and twist like all organisms on the planet and achieve resiliency? Through this seamless integration, could our work become so fruitful, the human race would see an acceleration of development without sacrificing core values revolving around our home, social life, and mental health? Could it become this “SUPERORGANISM?” A new contemporary take on office life rooted in the radical architecture movement, this mega office block symbiotically combines programmatic elements to create a “SUPERORGANISM.” Located in Portland, Oregon, this office building considers all the lessons learned for a (fingers crossed) post-COVID era including adequate space for social distancing, contactless food delivery drop off areas, and satisfactory access to outdoor spaces for added ventilation. Other programmatic areas to assist office work include maker spaces, various seating and working typologies, a fitness center, food stalls, and a gregarious amount of plants. “SUPERORGANISM” seeks to create an understanding of how work and life can flow together as one not only though physical structure, but the creation of these integrated spaces through light, color, and program.
THE OVERALL IDEAS
Funky Turntable
Working and living have entirely new meanings now. "SUPERORGANISM” seeks to create an understanding of how work and life can flow together as one, not only through physical structure, but also through the creation of integrated spaces through light, color, and program. While the symbiotic relationship of work and life is only just beginning due to recent events, this project is one of the many iterations of this relationship.
Working and living have entirely new meanings now. "SUPERORGANISM” seeks to create an understanding of how work and life can flow together as one, not only through physical structure, but also through the creation of integrated spaces through light, color, and program. While the symbiotic relationship of work and life is only just beginning due to recent events, this project is one of the many iterations of this relationship.
Massing - The Process
Inspired by the radical content of Superstudio and posing the question of what life looks like after the ambitions of Superstudio are achieved, these building blocks are merged and mutated with a tensile rhetoric of the rigidity of the workplace and fluidity of personal life. The unification of organic and inorganic create a provocative composition, representative of how personal life and work life can reach equilibrium.
Inspired by the radical content of Superstudio and posing the question of what life looks like after the ambitions of Superstudio are achieved, these building blocks are merged and mutated with a tensile rhetoric of the rigidity of the workplace and fluidity of personal life. The unification of organic and inorganic create a provocative composition, representative of how personal life and work life can reach equilibrium.
Massing - The End Result
The conversation between the stacking levels and curves formed create a dynamic relationship, emphasizing the rigidity of the Superstudio informed volumes and the organic bends, producing a layer of hidden geometries. Different blocks are cut off, run into each other, and merge, yet read as a singular entity.
The conversation between the stacking levels and curves formed create a dynamic relationship, emphasizing the rigidity of the Superstudio informed volumes and the organic bends, producing a layer of hidden geometries. Different blocks are cut off, run into each other, and merge, yet read as a singular entity.
THE SITE
Axonometric & Site Context
In the context of Portland, Oregon, the massing resists the vernacular and demands attention from those on the street, desiring to be seen. While the building is monolithic in its size, the twists, bends, and curves add a level of intricacy to break up the overall form and provide outdoor spaces, making it feel like truly one being to the users.
In the context of Portland, Oregon, the massing resists the vernacular and demands attention from those on the street, desiring to be seen. While the building is monolithic in its size, the twists, bends, and curves add a level of intricacy to break up the overall form and provide outdoor spaces, making it feel like truly one being to the users.
"Toy Models" SW Corner (left) & NE Corner (right)
The main entrance, located at the base right hand side of the southwest corner, cascades across the entire vertical of the building and creates a smooth transition from the streetscape. These curves, openings, and edges are all met at different places across form and delicately at the ground plane. Vegetation at exposed points soften the composition and add a level of familiarity. Across the building, the chunks and shapes are sort of synchronized with each other, as if they grew off from the previous and have merged together, synthesizing the concept that work and personal life can grow together. Some of these aspects can merge while others might stay distant and within their own element.
The main entrance, located at the base right hand side of the southwest corner, cascades across the entire vertical of the building and creates a smooth transition from the streetscape. These curves, openings, and edges are all met at different places across form and delicately at the ground plane. Vegetation at exposed points soften the composition and add a level of familiarity. Across the building, the chunks and shapes are sort of synchronized with each other, as if they grew off from the previous and have merged together, synthesizing the concept that work and personal life can grow together. Some of these aspects can merge while others might stay distant and within their own element.
THE FLOOR PLANS & SPACES
1. OUTDOOR SEATING
2. MULTIPURPOSE OUTDOOR SPACE
3. BACK OF HOUSE / LOADING
4. DINING SEATING:
bar height, group tables, single tables
bar height, group tables, single tables
5. DINING SEATING:
single tables, picnic style seating
single tables, picnic style seating
6. FOODSTALLS 4 & 5:
Afuri Ramen, Stretch the Noodle
Afuri Ramen, Stretch the Noodle
7. FOODSTALLS 1, 2, & 3:
Killer Burger, AkaPDX, Bamboo Sushi
Killer Burger, AkaPDX, Bamboo Sushi
8. FOOD DELIVERY LOCKERS:
UberEats, DoorDash, PostMates
UberEats, DoorDash, PostMates
9. RECEPTION:
directory, check ins, general information
directory, check ins, general information
10. LOBBY SEATING 1:
casual, formal, waiting for a friend or meeting
casual, formal, waiting for a friend or meeting
11. FOODSTALLS 6 & 7
Good Coffee, Sweetgreen
Good Coffee, Sweetgreen
12. DINING SEATING:
single tables, booths, bar height
single tables, booths, bar height
13. LOBBY SEATING 2:
larger group, collaboration
larger group, collaboration
Ground Floor
Welcoming visitors, guests, or individuals seeking a place to work, the ground floor lobby and food hall contains a variety of seating typologies for dining, informal meetings, waiting, and welcoming. Gender neutral restroom design increases stalls per square foot and temperature controlled lockers near reception allow for simple contactless food delivery.
Welcoming visitors, guests, or individuals seeking a place to work, the ground floor lobby and food hall contains a variety of seating typologies for dining, informal meetings, waiting, and welcoming. Gender neutral restroom design increases stalls per square foot and temperature controlled lockers near reception allow for simple contactless food delivery.
Ground Floor Food Hall, Seating & Circulation
Various seating typologies in the lobby and food hall allow for people to do work, interact, or relax during their day, or take a break when needed. The multicolored dichroic glass façade distorts light entering the building, creating different micro colorful environments and atmospheres across the interior landscape, saturating, highlighting, and lowlighting different areas.
Various seating typologies in the lobby and food hall allow for people to do work, interact, or relax during their day, or take a break when needed. The multicolored dichroic glass façade distorts light entering the building, creating different micro colorful environments and atmospheres across the interior landscape, saturating, highlighting, and lowlighting different areas.
1. WORKSTATIONS:
individual work
individual work
2. BOOTH SETING:
group or individual work
group or individual work
3. KITCHEN:
breaks, snacks, meals, pick me ups
breaks, snacks, meals, pick me ups
4. LOUNGE LANDSCAPE:
recharging, informal meetings, breaks
recharging, informal meetings, breaks
5. PHONE BOOTHS:
individual work
individual work
6. WORKSTATIONS:
individual work
individual work
7. HUDDLE SPACES:
medium collaboration work
medium collaboration work
8. RAPID PROTOTYPING:
vinyl cutters, laser cutters, 3D printers, CAD software
vinyl cutters, laser cutters, 3D printers, CAD software
9. CNC SHOP:
shopbot PRSAlpha
shopbot PRSAlpha
10. WOODSHOP:
joiner, band saw, table saw, chop saw, drill press, hand tools, work tables
joiner, band saw, table saw, chop saw, drill press, hand tools, work tables
11. OUTPUT ROOM:
printers, plotter
printers, plotter
12. ART STUDIO:
painting, ceramic arts, coloring, arts and crafts
painting, ceramic arts, coloring, arts and crafts
13. MACHINE SHOP:
mill, band saws, metal shear
mill, band saws, metal shear
14. FOCUS CHAIRS:
individual work
individual work
Second Floor
The second floor includes a variety of makerspaces to cater to any organization or company’s needs and this floor is also where several coworking spaces start to evolve. From prototyping and plotting to woodworking to phone calls and informal meetings, a superfluity of work can be accomplished across these generative and stimulating spaces.
The second floor includes a variety of makerspaces to cater to any organization or company’s needs and this floor is also where several coworking spaces start to evolve. From prototyping and plotting to woodworking to phone calls and informal meetings, a superfluity of work can be accomplished across these generative and stimulating spaces.
Maker Spaces
The assortment of maker spaces provides collaboration across different populations of people, companies, and disciplines. Providing these resources in an open office setting allows for these various groups to learn from each other and produce advantageous methods of representation for client meetings, presentations, and other office related spectacles.
The assortment of maker spaces provides collaboration across different populations of people, companies, and disciplines. Providing these resources in an open office setting allows for these various groups to learn from each other and produce advantageous methods of representation for client meetings, presentations, and other office related spectacles.
1. FITNESS CENTER:
well being, health, lifestyle, weights & machines, yoga studio
well being, health, lifestyle, weights & machines, yoga studio
2. LOCKER ROOMS
3. PHONE BOOTHS:
individual work
individual work
4. CONCENTRATION TABLES (focus forest):
small group work, individual work
small group work, individual work
5. CONFERENCE ROOMS:
medium group work, large group work, formal meetings
medium group work, large group work, formal meetings
6. TEAM TABLES (focus forest):
medium group work, individual work, informal meetings
medium group work, individual work, informal meetings
7. COLLABORATION STATIONS:
medium group work
medium group work
8. FOCUS CHAIRS:
individual, semi-private work
individual, semi-private work
Third Floor
The third floor, where the magic happens, consists of conference rooms, a fitness center, and a large coworking area or “focus forest.” Curves formulated from the biology of the building shape and form contour this space, surrounded by plants, to ensure a productive work environment. With seating typologies for large, medium, and small group work to individual work, any level of collaboration can thrive on this floor.
The third floor, where the magic happens, consists of conference rooms, a fitness center, and a large coworking area or “focus forest.” Curves formulated from the biology of the building shape and form contour this space, surrounded by plants, to ensure a productive work environment. With seating typologies for large, medium, and small group work to individual work, any level of collaboration can thrive on this floor.
Third Floor Focus Forest & Team Tables
The vegetation adds a layer of camouflage and provides shade from the outside coming in through the vivid glass façade. Long curvy tables allow for any size group to efficiently collaborate if desired while enjoying the biophilic aspects of the excessive amount of plants. Textures across the interior materials add dimension, providing a fresh and invigorating office setting.
The vegetation adds a layer of camouflage and provides shade from the outside coming in through the vivid glass façade. Long curvy tables allow for any size group to efficiently collaborate if desired while enjoying the biophilic aspects of the excessive amount of plants. Textures across the interior materials add dimension, providing a fresh and invigorating office setting.