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Project 3:
Light
Raul Ramdeholl
Light:
Form and Order in Context
The goal of this project is to design a proposed non-denominational chapel located on the campus of Farmingdale State College. The College wants this to be a profoundly spiritual place that people of all faiths can worship and reflect on life’s events, specifically through the use of reflected light. Requesting a main sanctuary, meditation chapel, and memorial chapel, the overall building should be incorporated into the fabric of the campus. Lastly, it is required that only reflected light enters the sacred spaces, not direct light.
Site Analysis
Circulation
Functions
Spaces
Building Heights
Sun Angles
Building on Site
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By placing the chapels here, the Meditation Chapel receives East light at the start of the day, representing the idea of looking forward on life and what's to come. The Main Chapel takes in South light in the middle of the day, representing the present. The Memorial Chapel will receive West light at the end of the day, referring to the idea of looking back on life, loss, and regret. The front of the overall building is also aligned with the existing School of Business, thus following the original design of the campus. By having a straight front facade, the "Formal" public space in front of it is further defined by the help of the existing building opposite the chapels. Finally, the chapels would receive proper attention as they're placed along the "Macro Pedestrian" circulation spine.
Hierarchy:
1.Main Chapel
2.Meditation Chapel
3.Memorial Chapel
4.Secular Building
Sorting of Spaces:
Religious
Main Chapel
Meditation Chapel
Memorial Chapel
Secular
Clergy Office
Secretary Office
Conference Room
Library
Storage
Restroom
Background Research
Light cannons that direct sunlight straight to a reflector on the other end. Inspiration from Le Corbusier's Convent de la Tourette
Also from the Convent de la Tourette, sharp openings allow sunlight to beam directly inside and only have to bounce off of one reflector, reducing the loss of light
Though a different pattern of openings, Le Corbusier's Notre Dame du Haut holds a bell-tower that takes in sunlight from a high point and guides it straight down to the Memorial Chapel.
Using Le Corbusier's idea of a roof slit, both the Meditation Chapel and Lobby receive plenty of light from one as the sunlight only needs to reflect off on one surface to be directed downwards.
Louis Khan's Kimbell Museum vastly utilized reflectors, curved surfaces, and a gap between the roof and walls, almost completely preventing direct sunlight from entering.
Steven Holl's Chapel of St. Ignatius strongly uses a backlighting method. Sunlight enters directly, but is faced with a large reflector, thus maintaining the focus on the altar instead of the seating.
Light shelf to divert direct sunlight
Preliminary 2D Light Diagrams
Exterior Views
Final Floor Plan
Restroom
Storage
Small Library
Clergy Office
Conference Room
Secretary Office
Lobby
Meditation Chapel
Memorial Chapel
Main Chapel
2D Elevations
North
South
East
West
North
South
West
East
West
3D Elevations
2D Sections
Memorial
Chapel
Meditation
Chapel
Lobby
Lobby
Main
Chapel
3D Sections
Main
Chapel
Meditation Chapel
Memorial
Chapel
Meditation
Chapel
Memorial
Chapel
Sec.
Office
Conf.
Room
Storage
Lobby
Memorial
Chapel
Meditation
Chapel
Lobby
Meditation
Chapel
Main
Chapel
Memorial
Chapel
Main
Chapel
Memorial
Chapel
Meditation
Chapel
Interior Views
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