The last week has been pretty hetic. I have been trying to finish up my work in REVIT, and to put together my PDF for my project. So far I have 6 pages of my 19 page booklet... AHHHH! I am so stressed. I want to make this project reflect all the work I spent on it. I am hoping to have the PDF finished by Monday, Tuesday at latest, so I have two days to prepare and practice my presentation. My presentation will be on Friday, and my mentor Sierra Hill will be there.
The positive about this project, is that after this week I will have an awesome project reflecting my work at ACE Academy.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Update May 15, 2010
This last week I spent as an Outdoor School camp counselor at the Camp Howard Site. I wasn't given much time to work on my capstone, only about an hour, but the experience was great. While I was at Camp Howard, I was able to experience another camp facility.The camp cabins were very similar to Camp Collin's Adventure Village. What I thought that was the best feature of the camp, was it's layout. Camp Howard is a very large camp, but it does a good job of keeping all the buildings in logical sense. I regret not taking any pictures of the camp for this would be very useful for documentation.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Update May 4, 2010
On the right is a render of one of the cabins for my sustainable camp facility. The exterior skins includes, recycled wood planks, recycled green tinted metal, and coordwood. Although not all of the roofs have the eco roof in place, all roof surfaces will have an eco roof to encourage evapotransportation. In the primary sketches I had a plan to encorporate storm water running off the roof into a water feature sculpture, but I could not figure out how to make the feature in REVIT, and so I decided to go with Eco roofs. I am happy I made this decision after I found out that Eco roofs have a longer life span. With this cabin all that I have to do is to put the third eco roof on the cabin, and then I will be finished. Unfortunately I still have several other cabins to still create, including the health house, dining hall, facilitators cabin, course rooms, and main office.
Today I had Sevy, Brianna, and Laura edit my research paper so that I could turn it in the final draft tomorrow. I was hoping to have Ms. Butler help me edit my paper, but she was on a field trip with the juniors today.
Friday, April 30, 2010
The End Stretch...
I'm am coming near the deadline, and all that I can think of is how I should be on the end stretch of my capstone, and I'm not. I have finished my rough draft of my 4,000 word research paper (boy was that work!) and on Monday I will review my paper with Ms. Butler to revise it. The paper is due on Wednesday, final draft, and by that time I also need to have 3 peer edits!!! AH!
Yesterday I worked on my Capstone Project, while I spent the day at Sandy High, participating in a school anti-drug/drinking program. During this time, I had about 2 hours to work on my capstone, which I spent on my REVIT file. Let me be the first to say- I'm frustrated. I have spent sooo much time, and because of my skills in the program, it looks as though I have just started my project. I doubt I will finish my project, actually I know that I will not, because so far I have not even finished one cabin, and I have several other buildings to create as well as the run course, site layout, and landscape. I think that for this project I just made it to big for one person. I am going to do my best to produce the design on REVIT. I am going to use my capstone binder to display all of my work, and I am hoping that if I just explain all of the elements of the design that this will give a better representation of my vision for the camp.
Yesterday I worked on my Capstone Project, while I spent the day at Sandy High, participating in a school anti-drug/drinking program. During this time, I had about 2 hours to work on my capstone, which I spent on my REVIT file. Let me be the first to say- I'm frustrated. I have spent sooo much time, and because of my skills in the program, it looks as though I have just started my project. I doubt I will finish my project, actually I know that I will not, because so far I have not even finished one cabin, and I have several other buildings to create as well as the run course, site layout, and landscape. I think that for this project I just made it to big for one person. I am going to do my best to produce the design on REVIT. I am going to use my capstone binder to display all of my work, and I am hoping that if I just explain all of the elements of the design that this will give a better representation of my vision for the camp.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Update April 27, 2010
Today I am working from home, finishing up my essay as well as putting my design into REVIT. My last work session I discovered that I could put a decal on a wall in REVIT. This is helpful, because I will be able to put cordwood decals to represent cordwood walls. However at the current moment I am having trouble in revit when it come to splitting my walls. I would like part of one of my walls to be metal, and the other part metal.My dilemma is that I want the line between the two to be a curvy line versus what is is now, a straight one. I am looking into REVIThelp for suggestions on how to change this.
At the moment I am very frustrated with my capstone because I feel as though I have taken too much on, and I have not managed my time well. I think that I spent too much time in the beginning stages, and now I am concerned that I will not finish.
At the moment I am very frustrated with my capstone because I feel as though I have taken too much on, and I have not managed my time well. I think that I spent too much time in the beginning stages, and now I am concerned that I will not finish.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Progress Report April 15, 2010
Today was a focused work session of planning out my future moves in the capstone project. After meeting with Ms. Butler, I have asked her, in addition to Marjan, help me keep on task and on schedule with my project.
This week I am focusing on my research paper, trying to finish it up so that it can be edited and revised. After I am finish with this I will begin putting my design into REVIT. In a previous post I listed that I was looking into building a model of site. However looking at the time I have left to complete my project, and comparing it to the work I still have to do, I fear that creating a model might be out of the question. This disappoints me because I feel like this would be the closet design and representation of the camp facility. I did procrastinate, and so now I am cutting out unnessesary items.
This week I am focusing on my research paper, trying to finish it up so that it can be edited and revised. After I am finish with this I will begin putting my design into REVIT. In a previous post I listed that I was looking into building a model of site. However looking at the time I have left to complete my project, and comparing it to the work I still have to do, I fear that creating a model might be out of the question. This disappoints me because I feel like this would be the closet design and representation of the camp facility. I did procrastinate, and so now I am cutting out unnessesary items.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
OBC Banquet Review
My senior year is coming to a close, and my senior capstone is wrapping up. I have around a month to finish my senior project so that I can prepare the presentation that will be shown towards the end of the year.
On Thursday I presented the beginning sketches of my design of the sustainable camp facility at the Oregon Building Congress Banquet. It was a very low key presentation where various adults involved in either the design build industry or education came and visited for a few minutes about my project. When someone came to visit I gave a summary of my project, and described the sustainable elements of my project. This experience was a very valuable opportunity. Due to everyone's different background, I was given some advice on how to improve my project from the perspectives of tradesmen, natural builders, parents, and educators. I was not expecting such generous people, almost all of the conversations lasted several minutes, and providing me with encouragement with the rest of the project.
At the banquet my mentor, Sierra Hill was present. I was able to present her with my design, and show her my progress up until this point. She was also very helpful, giving suggestions, and helping me describe the project to others. Sierra was a great choice for a mentor; she has been very supportive and always willing to help. She mentioned coming to help out with some natural building projects this summer that I look forward
I met a man named James Thomson who specializes in natural building. He provided me with his contact information as well as various websites that I could use as resources in my project. This information is helpful, seeing as I intend the design to all be made from local, natural materials. I have only found two books that have specialized in natural building, these additional resources will provide me with more insight, and give me some more inspiration to use towards my designs.
So the game plan for the next week is to produce my resource paper, and start importing my design into REVIT. I have fallen behind in my research paper, but I have worked out the wrinkles and I am starting to make a dent in those 4,000 words. I am nervous putting my Camp Design into REVIT. I have not worked with REVIT enough to know if I can change the materials to the exterior materials such as cord wood, and cob. This will be my biggest problem with finishing the design. If the renders do not turn out, the floor plans and site plan will be great to give a visual of the camp layout.
On Thursday I presented the beginning sketches of my design of the sustainable camp facility at the Oregon Building Congress Banquet. It was a very low key presentation where various adults involved in either the design build industry or education came and visited for a few minutes about my project. When someone came to visit I gave a summary of my project, and described the sustainable elements of my project. This experience was a very valuable opportunity. Due to everyone's different background, I was given some advice on how to improve my project from the perspectives of tradesmen, natural builders, parents, and educators. I was not expecting such generous people, almost all of the conversations lasted several minutes, and providing me with encouragement with the rest of the project.
At the banquet my mentor, Sierra Hill was present. I was able to present her with my design, and show her my progress up until this point. She was also very helpful, giving suggestions, and helping me describe the project to others. Sierra was a great choice for a mentor; she has been very supportive and always willing to help. She mentioned coming to help out with some natural building projects this summer that I look forward
I met a man named James Thomson who specializes in natural building. He provided me with his contact information as well as various websites that I could use as resources in my project. This information is helpful, seeing as I intend the design to all be made from local, natural materials. I have only found two books that have specialized in natural building, these additional resources will provide me with more insight, and give me some more inspiration to use towards my designs.
So the game plan for the next week is to produce my resource paper, and start importing my design into REVIT. I have fallen behind in my research paper, but I have worked out the wrinkles and I am starting to make a dent in those 4,000 words. I am nervous putting my Camp Design into REVIT. I have not worked with REVIT enough to know if I can change the materials to the exterior materials such as cord wood, and cob. This will be my biggest problem with finishing the design. If the renders do not turn out, the floor plans and site plan will be great to give a visual of the camp layout.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Progress Report April 5, 2010
Today I origionally started working on gathering direct quotes for my research paper. I only gathered about 5 quotes when I was approach by Jan about the OBC banquet this Thursday. I will be there to show my Senior Project, showing my sketches. I spent the rest of my day working on my sketches.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Progress March 18, 2010
Today I finished my book response, as well as emailed an architect who designed a sustainable camp facility in California.
This next week is Spring Break, and over this week I will attempting to finish all of my preliminary sketching and move into REVIT. I would like to build a model of my design, and to do so I need to pick up the pace with my design. I really need to be looking into storm water management and heat gain and loss. I need to remind myself that I have this calculations to do before I finish my project.
This next week is Spring Break, and over this week I will attempting to finish all of my preliminary sketching and move into REVIT. I would like to build a model of my design, and to do so I need to pick up the pace with my design. I really need to be looking into storm water management and heat gain and loss. I need to remind myself that I have this calculations to do before I finish my project.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Progress March 16, 2010
I noticed that I have not been updating my blog every time I work on my capstone! Whoops!
Since my last blog entry I have been going thorough the design process, and I am currently on the stage of the design where I am creating a final floor plan. The design process in compound projects like mine is a little more difficult given that you not only have to create a layout for one buildings, but many, and then take multiple buildings and organize them on a site.
Today I am working on my outline for my research paper. After creating my thesis I have decided to make my paper a comparative essay. I will compare two different camp sites, comparing three sustainable features of each camp.
Since my last blog entry I have been going thorough the design process, and I am currently on the stage of the design where I am creating a final floor plan. The design process in compound projects like mine is a little more difficult given that you not only have to create a layout for one buildings, but many, and then take multiple buildings and organize them on a site.
Today I am working on my outline for my research paper. After creating my thesis I have decided to make my paper a comparative essay. I will compare two different camp sites, comparing three sustainable features of each camp.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Developements from March 3, 2009
Today I talk to Ms. Butler and Mr Taylor about ways that I can apply for honors at Sandy. I also wrote and submitted my thesis statement on Moodle. Lastly I started my bubble diagram for cabin layout.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Visit to Camp Yamhill
February 6th, 2010
I was invited by my mentor Sierra Hill to Volunteer at the mid-year retreat for Madison High School's Step Up program. This retreat was the "half- time" mark of the program. The retreat took place at Camp Yamhill located outside of Newberg, Or. Approximately thirty students were participating in the retreat along with Madison's Step-Up advocates. On this day I was not able to have a formal tour of the camp facility, but I was able to catch a glance of the camp. I was exposed to the large course room, cabin 1/2, cabin 5/6, bath house, and the dinning hall.
Cabins 1/2 were both in the same building, and were separated by a central living room. In total cabin 1/2 could house 32 people. They had a good layout, but lacked storage and restrooms. Cabins 3/4, and Cabins 5/6 were both identical in layout.
The Large Course Room was rather spacious and provided enough room for the program to comfortably do all of the activities. This building also included sleeping areas as well as bathrooms.
*Not finished
I was invited by my mentor Sierra Hill to Volunteer at the mid-year retreat for Madison High School's Step Up program. This retreat was the "half- time" mark of the program. The retreat took place at Camp Yamhill located outside of Newberg, Or. Approximately thirty students were participating in the retreat along with Madison's Step-Up advocates. On this day I was not able to have a formal tour of the camp facility, but I was able to catch a glance of the camp. I was exposed to the large course room, cabin 1/2, cabin 5/6, bath house, and the dinning hall.
Cabins 1/2 were both in the same building, and were separated by a central living room. In total cabin 1/2 could house 32 people. They had a good layout, but lacked storage and restrooms. Cabins 3/4, and Cabins 5/6 were both identical in layout.
The Large Course Room was rather spacious and provided enough room for the program to comfortably do all of the activities. This building also included sleeping areas as well as bathrooms.
*Not finished
Developements
For my project I am trying to be very creative with the design, but my skills in REVIT are not going to allow me to define my design as much as I want. So I have decide to build a model of my camp facility to show different elements that can not be show in REVIT. I will still be creating floor plans in REVIT and a layout, but I will not be specific with materials, for it will be shown in my model.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Visit to YMCA Camp Collins
On February 3, 2010, I took a tour of YMCA Camp Collins. The tour started promptly at 10:00 am and finished approximately at 11:00 am.The reasoning for the visit was to gather research on an existing camp facility, and use the information to influence the sustainable camp design. Camp Collins was an excellent facility to tour. It offers the basic cabin, to LEED Platinum hobbit houses. While I was at the camp I visited all three villages: Adventure Village, Rotary Village, and Treetop Village.
Adventure- Most basic of the 3 villages. Includes bunks, and basic shelving in each cabin, and loft area for storage. Sleeps 14 in each cabin, 6 cabins total in 3 buildings. Each cabin had a separate room for the counselors.Photos: Left is a photo of the outside of one of the Adventure Village Cabins. Right is a glimpse on the inside the cabin.
Rotary - Most Eco-Friendly of the 3 villages. The design was inspired by the hobbit houses from the series The Lord of the Rings. Includes ceiling suspended bunks, individual shelving/ lights, Eco Roof, Cabin toilet/sink, Shelving for cleaning supplies,heated flooring and is certified as LEED Platinum.Photos: Left is a photo of Rotary Village layout, and Right is a photo of one of the Hobbit houses, notice it is below ground level.
Tree Top- Extends over a hilltop, and is similar to Rotary in it's innovated design. Roofing is at a steep slope, and on the interior their is natural lighting as well as exposed beams. Includes, ceiling suspended bunks, heated flooring, cabin toilet/sink, and individual shelving. Photos: On the left, is 3 of the Tree Top Cabins, and on the right, is the inside of one of the cabins, taken looking towards the rear.
Some things I would like to include in my design that Camp Collins offers: Heated Flooring, Exposed beam design (seen in Tree Top, and Dining Hall), Health House, Separate, Counselor housing, Main Office, and Game Area.
Notes:
- Health house must have 1 bed for every 50 campers. The house included a full kitchen, suitable for a small group.Photos: left is a picture of the exterior of the bath house, right is a picture of one of the bunk rooms.
- All of the buildings, excluding Adventure Village, had radiant floor heating.
- Tree Top Village's Bath house had a room separating the men and woman's side, serving as storage and easy access to piping and ventilation.Photo:See picture left of room.
- All cabins included multiple exits for emergency fire exits.
- Skylights were included in the Dinning hall, Rotary, and Tree Top Village to maximize natural lighting.Photo: Right, Skylight in a Hobbit House.
- Walk ways from the center of Rotary Village to the Hobbit Houses are not a straight path, increasing the natural design.
- Trees that were cleared to make room for Rotary Village, was reused as trim work with in the hobbit housing.Photo: Left, Majority of wood shown is from the trees that were cleared.
- The plants and soil that were cleared to make room for Rotary Village was reused on the Eco Roof.Photo:Right, is a side view of one of the hobbit houses with an Eco Roof.
-All of Tree Top cabins are connected on the back side with a deck. The railing on the deck was fisherman's netting.Photo: See photo on left.
- Tree Top had exposed beams which the suspended bunk were anchored to.Photo: See photo on right.
-Each cabin in Tree Top and Rotary had a room that housed the electrical as well as the for the heated flooring.
-Tree Top and Rotary used heated flooring to heat the cabins (Genius!)
- The trails were wood chips, and the trails were fenced in with benches, defining the trails as well as providing a space for camper to gather.
- Tree Top also included separate housing that could be used to house a guest speaker/ pastor/ camp counselor.Photo: See left photo.
Adventure- Most basic of the 3 villages. Includes bunks, and basic shelving in each cabin, and loft area for storage. Sleeps 14 in each cabin, 6 cabins total in 3 buildings. Each cabin had a separate room for the counselors.Photos: Left is a photo of the outside of one of the Adventure Village Cabins. Right is a glimpse on the inside the cabin.
Rotary - Most Eco-Friendly of the 3 villages. The design was inspired by the hobbit houses from the series The Lord of the Rings. Includes ceiling suspended bunks, individual shelving/ lights, Eco Roof, Cabin toilet/sink, Shelving for cleaning supplies,heated flooring and is certified as LEED Platinum.Photos: Left is a photo of Rotary Village layout, and Right is a photo of one of the Hobbit houses, notice it is below ground level.
Tree Top- Extends over a hilltop, and is similar to Rotary in it's innovated design. Roofing is at a steep slope, and on the interior their is natural lighting as well as exposed beams. Includes, ceiling suspended bunks, heated flooring, cabin toilet/sink, and individual shelving. Photos: On the left, is 3 of the Tree Top Cabins, and on the right, is the inside of one of the cabins, taken looking towards the rear.Some things I would like to include in my design that Camp Collins offers: Heated Flooring, Exposed beam design (seen in Tree Top, and Dining Hall), Health House, Separate, Counselor housing, Main Office, and Game Area.
Notes:
- Health house must have 1 bed for every 50 campers. The house included a full kitchen, suitable for a small group.Photos: left is a picture of the exterior of the bath house, right is a picture of one of the bunk rooms.- All of the buildings, excluding Adventure Village, had radiant floor heating.
- Tree Top Village's Bath house had a room separating the men and woman's side, serving as storage and easy access to piping and ventilation.Photo:See picture left of room.- All cabins included multiple exits for emergency fire exits.
- Skylights were included in the Dinning hall, Rotary, and Tree Top Village to maximize natural lighting.Photo: Right, Skylight in a Hobbit House.
- Walk ways from the center of Rotary Village to the Hobbit Houses are not a straight path, increasing the natural design.
- Trees that were cleared to make room for Rotary Village, was reused as trim work with in the hobbit housing.Photo: Left, Majority of wood shown is from the trees that were cleared.
- The plants and soil that were cleared to make room for Rotary Village was reused on the Eco Roof.Photo:Right, is a side view of one of the hobbit houses with an Eco Roof.
-All of Tree Top cabins are connected on the back side with a deck. The railing on the deck was fisherman's netting.Photo: See photo on left.
- Tree Top had exposed beams which the suspended bunk were anchored to.Photo: See photo on right.
-Each cabin in Tree Top and Rotary had a room that housed the electrical as well as the for the heated flooring.
-Tree Top and Rotary used heated flooring to heat the cabins (Genius!)
- The trails were wood chips, and the trails were fenced in with benches, defining the trails as well as providing a space for camper to gather.- Tree Top also included separate housing that could be used to house a guest speaker/ pastor/ camp counselor.Photo: See left photo.
Special Thanks to Willard Burks who was an amazing tour guide!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Blog 1- Introduction to Project
My name is Megan Lesowski, and I am a senior architecture student at ACE Academy. ACE Academy is a charter school in the Portland that provides additional education in architecture, construction, and engineering. I will be using this blog as one way to document my Senior Capstone. For my Senior Capstone I have chosen to design a sustainable camp facility. In this project I will use the local Portland program Step-Up to provide constraints for my project, and I will have Hanif Fazal, creator of the Step Up program, and Sierra Hill, facilitator of the Step Up program, mentoring this project. The standards that I will be using to determine my success in this project is the certification of LEED and The Living Building. My final project will be created in REVIT 2010, and my end product will be blue prints of my design. This project started in September 2009 and is projected to be completed in April/May of 2010.
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