Using LearningElementsDB

USING LEARNING ELEMENTSDB
Introduction:
This short presentation outlines how the author expanded his spatial literacy through using ElementsDB cases. The learning process documented spans two studio classes, and can be broken roughly into four development phases. Out of this process comes an increased familiarity and ability to produce form, character and massing adequate for a Vancouver urbanity.
PHASE 1: LARC504 Group Project

Outline of project:
Under Pat Condon, Scot Hein and James Tuers instructions, students in groups of 3 were tasked with designing a portion of Vancouver. Basically, Condon, Hein and Tuer had divided Vancouver into 6 equal boxes, each about 5km X 5km. (Fig. 1) My group (Pat Chan, Paula Livingstone and Sam Khany) was tasked with designing the area immediately around downtown. Each group was asked to draw a mix of building footprints representing rowhouses to slab-form apartments on to a 1:1000 map of our designated box. Following this, each group member was asked to use cases from ElementsDB to populate an area of approximately four neighbourhood blocks of his/her own choice. I chose to the Arbutus Rail Corridor.
Learning process:
Each group wre provided with building footprints; this expedited the learning/ designing process for those with little or no previous architectural training, or are not familiar with usual building dimensions in Vancouver. For example, the footprints of the 3-storey row-houses were set at around 20X50, and the 4- to 8-storeys slab buildings were set at around 120X70. (Fig. 2) These figures provided a rough idea of workable floorplates that permit adequate ventilation, movement circulation, etc. Knowing these approximate dimensions, the group was able to select similar ElementsDB cases. These building dimensions also fitted well with the typical 33X100 lots (and variations thereof) in Vancouver. Additionally, the group also took upon own initiative to delineate the floors on the massing models so that viewers can have a better sense of height and scale.
Fig 1: Portion of Vancouver immediately outside downtown core Fig 2: Close-up of building footprint templates Fig 3: Colour-coded massing models from ElementsDB
Outcome:
The group used ElementsDB cases without changing the building shells and the massing models much. ElementsDB cases were dropped onto a landscape marked by existing property lines. The property lines informed the group os the physical andlegal constraints of the building forms. In the example shown here (fig. 3), the resultant form was a design that fit the surrounding neighbourhood fabric in terms of height. In this example, the Arbutus Corridor, a less-downtown feel is sought as per the ARKS community vision, hence the group also took into consideration how the buildings can be concealed by trees when viewed at eye-level.
PHASE 1: LARC504 Individual Project

Outline of project:
The group was told to revisit the sites they had worked on previously and improve on the design. Based on the feedback gotten from a crit of the previous assignment, the instructors advised the students not to use ElementsDB cases but rather create their own massing models. This is followed by printing out SketchUp scenes showing their own massing models and proceeding to draw their own architectural articulations over the scenes print-outs. (Fig. 2)
Fig 1: Students own massing models Fig 2: Students own articulations over massing models Fig 3: Final hand-drawn images
Learning process:
While no cases from Elements DB was used, the previous exploration of building dimensions and footprints from both the templates given by the instructors as well as ElementsDB cases allowed the group to create their own massings with more confidence. Our group, in particular, was mindful to include lines to delineate the floors in their models so as to give the viewer a clearer sense of the buildings scale. Each group member designed their individual sites and printed various scenes from SketchUp, then proceeded to draw over these scenes. Here, one may say the tools learnt from the previous assignment became applicable here.
Outcome:
The softer hand-drawn final images were meant to give viewers a sense that these are only visions and proposals, not finalized designs. (Fig. 3)
PHASE 1: PLAN578B Individual Project

Outline of project:
Students were instructed to, individually, tackle a selected area of Chinatown using cases from ElementsDB. (Fig. 1) Students were also told to record changes to FSR, dwelling units and residential/commercial floorspaces. The data provided by ElementsDB gave us figures that were credible as they were based on real-life cases.
Fig 1: Building shell from ElementsDB Fig 2: Further articulations on ElementsDB cases to project more personality to the buildings Fig 3: Streetscape
Learning process:
The massing models were used to generate a masterplan and sections. Additionally, VectorWorks was also used to help generate a vector-based drawing that allowed the production of scaled drawings. More importantly, in terms of using ElementsDB, I articulated the building shells provided by ElementsDB with balconies, different forms of cladding and textures, as well as awnings and canopies to add more personality to the otherwise gray buildings. (Fig. 2) Overall, one may suggest the experience and lessons from previous classes, along with in-depth observations of Vancouvers buildings over the last few months helped with this project.
Outcome:
As the ElementsDB cases I chose were mostly 100% residential, the first floors were not designed to have commercial retail units. As such, I had to redesign most of the first floors to make them mixed-use, and to activate the ground-plain and public realms between the buildings. (Fig. 3)
PHASE 1: PLAN578B Group Project

Outline of project:
In groups of four, students were instructed to combine their ideas into one final set of designs for Chinatown.
Fig 1: Students own building designs Fig 2: Streetscape populated with students own building designs
Learning process:
The group chose to come up with their own buildings instead of using ElementsDB cases. This is mostly because the group did not find many cases that fit into the Chinatown fabric which consists of mostly lots no wider than 30. Each group member came up with 5 to 7 building typologies that could work for the Chinatown fabric, especially for the Pender and Keefer Streets areas. (Fig. 1) Some of the lessons learnt by the author during LARC504 regarding adequate dimensions of buildings were shared with the groupmates to ensure that the resultant massing would be within reasonable bounds. The author also showed various floorplans of similar developments to give the team more information on how to sculpt the massing, to know where entrances, circulation cores, etc could be. The overall process was to design a buildings massing before moving onto articulating it with fenestrations, balconies, columns, storefronts, etc.
Outcome:
The group generated a set of mid-rise buildings ranging from ones that are no more than 25 wide that fit into the narrow Pender street lots to more conventional slab-form buildings of around 150 frontage. Like in previous phases, we placed trees, replicated existing heritage buildings and other street furniture to test the compatibility of our buildings to the surrounding fabric. (Fig. 2)
Phase LACR 504 - Group Project
LARC 504 - Individual Project
PLAN578B - Individual Project
PLAN578B - Group Project
Learning Outcomes Replication ElementsDB cases are replicated in the assignments and used without much changes Translation ElementsDB cases - the buildings dimensions, dwelling units, etc - are used to inform students own work. ElementsDB cases are thus translated into something else Students own works are then represented through mediums other than the computer Intervention Elements DB cases are modified by students to fit new contexts. In this case non-downtown cases are turned into suitable cases for downtown/Chinatown. Design Using knowledge gained from previous assignments, students created their own designs.

Using LearningElementsDB

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Using LearningElementsDB

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USING LEARNING ELEMENTSDB

PHASE 1: LARC504 Group Project

PHASE 1: LARC504 Individual Project

PHASE 1: PLAN578B Individual Project

PHASE 1: PLAN578B Group Project

Phase LACR 504 - Group Project

LARC 504 - Individual Project

PLAN578B - Individual Project

PLAN578B - Group Project

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