Building Section

Building Section
The auditorium in the center of the structure is a beacon for the
entire Town. The apex of the tetrahedral roof is constructed
of translucent glass and it towers above the rest of the
building and the Town. The space will be used mostly during
the evening and night hours, and the glowing point of the
roof acts as a signal to the town that something is happening.
The roof structure thrusts outward on the polished, faceted
concrete walls whose form are a reaction to that thrust and
in attempt to bring a gem-like quality to the walls. A series
of study models assisted in verifying the appropriate angular
nature of the walls, and the selected wall is shown in Photo 04
on page 19. The central space stands alone. The surrounding
spaces and their roofs are pulled back out of respect toward
the precious center resulting in an outdoor space between the
studios and the auditorium.
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Building Section
18
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Photo 01
Photo 02
Photo 03
Photo 04
Faceted Wall Study Models
19
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Auditorium Study Models
20
1 4
2
8
16
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Building Section
21
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Building Section Model
22
Screen
The horizon that the plinth makes with the eyes of those at
the street begins to generate a rich section. The spaces that
face that main street (Rt. 221) evolved into dance studios,
and I felt that these spaces should reveal glimpses of the
action within to those passing by. The majority of the
action of Appalachian dance occurs below the waist. Using
the body as a unit of measure, my intension is to frame
the feet and screen the upper body with a wood louver and
metal frame system. Through the layering of this space,
from the street, one passing by would clearly see the feet
of those dancing, while their upper body would appear
like a silhouette. As one moves closer to the structure, the
figure becomes more clear, and again the building offers an
invitation to those viewing from outside.
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Screen
23
8:00 A.M. June 21
8:00 A.M. December 21
12:00 P.M. June 21
12:00 P.M. December 21
4:00 P.M. June 21
4:00 P.M. December 21
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Dance Studio Daylight Studies
24
Screen
A series of model studies assisted in verifying the density
and the depth of the screen. The final iteration (next
page, Photo 04) is composed of three distinct areas of
different density. The lower section screens the upper
body of the dancers; the middle section is operable and is
less dense to allow for natural light to be controlled in the
studios, and the upper section changes in depth in order to
create an ending, a capital, to meet the sky. After careful
consideration and a precedence study, I chose the warm
color and texture of wood, over the more durable steel or
aluminum for the louvers and a powder coated steel for the
structural frame.
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Screen
25
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Photo 01
Photo 02
Photo 03
Photo 04
Screen Density Study and Wall Section
26
Concluding Reflection
In the early stages of this project, I failed to realize the
possibilities and responsibility that the project has to the
Town. The physical limits of the site are a given factor,
but the phenomenal limits can reach far beyond the edge
of the physical. Through out the project I work in three
scales – the scale of the Town, the scale of the building, and
the scale of the screen. After spending the first half of the
design process at the scale of the town, I was able to make
a better informed decision about what the project should
be and how it should extend into the Town. The building
is informed by the environment that surrounds it. Existing
buildings, streets, and the people that interact with the
architecture as they pass by are all factors in the evolution of
the project. No building is without a context. Whether the
site is in a town, a forest or a field, there are always elements
that should speak to the project. Using these existing
conditions will aid in making a better informed architecture.
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Concluding Reflection
27
Works Studied for Material Precedence
Bibliography
Chapel on Mt. Rokko, Tadao Ando
Antoniades, Anthony C. Poetics of Architecture – Theory of Design,
New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1992
Koshino House, Tadao Ando
Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum, Tadao Ando
The Carte d’Art, Norman Foster
Brown, G.Z., Dekay Mark. Sun, Wind and Light 2nd ed , New York:
John Wiley and Sons, 2001
Brownlee, David B.,and DeLong, David G. Kahn: In The Realm of
Architecture. Los Angeles: The Museum of Contemporary Art, 1997
Cranfield University Library, Norman Foster
Tjibaou Cultural Center, Renzo Piano
Peninsula House, Sean Godsell
Buchanan, Peter. Renzo Piano Building Workshop Complete Works.
3 Vols. New York: Phaidon Press, 1993
Clark, W.G.. “Replacement” Modulas. New York: Rizzoli
International Publications, Inc, 1987
Marie Short House, Glenn Murcutt
Douglas and Ruth Murcutt House, Glenn Murcutt
Marika- Alderton House, Glenn Murcutt
Crosbie, Michael J. Generating Context – The Practice of Perry Dean
Rogers Partners Architects, Boston: Birkhauser, 2001
Fromonot, Francoise. Glenn Murcutt Buildings and Projects 19622003. Trans. Charlotte Ellis. London: Thames and Hudson, 2003
Zwischen den Gleisen, NSB Arkitektkontor, Jan olav Jensen
Bowali Visitor Information Centre, Glenn Murcutt
Hofstadter, Albert, and Kuhns, Richard, eds. “The Republic”
Philosophies of Art and Beauty. Chicago: The University of Chicago
Press, 1964
Lobell, John. Between Silence and Light, Boston: Shambhala, 2000
Stuggo, Naomi. Wood: New Directions in Design and Architecture.
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Norton and Company, 2003
www.floydcountrystore.com
www.floydvirginia.com
*All images are by the author.*
A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Bibliography
29
Vita
Christopher A. Phillips
Education
Master of Architecture
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA
Thesis: A Stage for the Town of Floyd
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology
Fairmont State College
Fairmont, WV
Specialized in Architectural Engineering Technology
Associate of Science
Fairmont State College
Fairmont, WV
Experience
Oliver, Webb, Pappas and Rhudy, Inc - Architects and Engineers
Blacksburg, VA
Designer/Drafter
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
College of Architecture and Urban Studies
Blacksburg, VA
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Awards and Honors
Recipient of the William “Bill” Brown Award and Scholarship
Vice President of Fairmont State College Chapter of the AIAS 2003-04
Associates Award of Technology for Academic Excellence
2002 West Virginia AIAS Spring Competition
Second place entry – “Downtown Fairmont Infill”
Baccalaureate Achievement Award in Architectural Engineering Technology
Inducted into Epsilon Phi Tau and Phi Theta Kappa Academic Honoraries
Governor’s Honors Academy Scholarship
West Virginia Space Grant Consortium Scholarships