Gordon Tran - Biocademy

Design Brief

Biophilia

Firstly, with biophilia, this is an element that brings in nature and potentially help improve the interior environment. This is done in the hopes of creating an environment that students are willing to come and stay back to work, study and be creative.

Educational Space

Secondly, with an improved educational space where students are being placed in the centre of their education and are free to choose where they want to conduct their study within the premise. This allows for freedom of choice as to where and how they want to engage in studying.

Sustainable Design

And finally, with sustainable design, this project aims to fully provide for the electricity need for the building. This is achieved by reducing electricity need such as reducing air-conditioning where not necessary replacing with naturally ventilated air; and to provide electricity through renewable energy sources such as heat transfer, wind turbines and photovoltaic cells. This also aims to set an example for sustainability for future designs.

Existing Site

War Remnant Museum located at: 28 Võ Văn Tần, District 3, Hồ Chí Minh city, Vietnam.

Concept

Adaptive Spaces

Spaces that can rearrange and change to suit the need of different teaching methods and users. It also allows for students to be able to modify the space to suit their studying needs.

Collaborative Spaces

Spaces without clear boundary that encourage interaction between the students and each other and with the rest of the school community.

Net-zero Energy

Incorporating greenery and nature to create naturally ventilated space and self sufficient energy thus minimising the environmental impact.

Building Diagram

Original building

Remove Facade Walls

Remove Parts of Second Floor

Add Mezzanines

Add glazing

Add facade greenery and light-shelf

Design Process

Features

Acoustic

Highlighted in the perspective are acoustic foam and panels meant to absorb and diffuse sound with irregular patterns to reduce echo as the project is open- planned with many flat surfaces.

Passive Lighting

The passive lighting method showcased here is called light-shelf. Light shelf is a horizontal structure mounted near the ceiling. It acts as a reflector to bring natural sunlight deeper into the room.

Protrusion of the light-self should be considered depending on the sun angle: Lower the sun, the closer into the room the shelf should be; and the higher the sun, the further out the shelf should be.

The site here has both high angle and low angle sun, depending on the day, therefore a mix of both setting was used.

Convectional Ventilation

The central atrium of the building acts as a ventilation void, providing a path for warm air to rise, thus drawing cooler air in from the facade.

Cross Ventilation

By opening up the front and the rear facades, the building creates a path for air to pass through and circulating stale air out.

Perspectives

Ground Floor Courtyard

This space in the ground floor serves as a socializing space for students surrounded by greenery and natural light, it is the first space visitors sees when entering the campus.

In terms of the building itself, this space acts as a ventilation void, providing a path for warm air to rise thus drawing cooler air in from the facades

Presentation Stage

This space is envisioned to be an informal presentation space for students and potentially guest speakers.

Students from the mezzanines can participate in the talk as well, this is due to the fact that the stage is visible from the mezzanines and vice versa.

Corridor Studying Space

Surrounding the void, spaces for students to self study are available. With the advantage of the large open volume provided by the void, distant view and high ceiling can be achieved. This is beneficial for students that require creativity.

Acoustic foam blocks above the studying space are placed to absorb sound from the source and prevent it from reflecting can cause difficulty in listening and studying.

Main Facade

The main facade here (facing SE) is envisioned to have multiple purposes. Firstly, as a method for natural ventilation, it acts like an air intake (provided by the South and Easterly wind) with gaps and louvers in the facade.

Secondly, a way to protect students and occupants from rain with light shelves and recessing the building in from the facade, creating balcony.

Thirdly, to blend the outdoors and indoors by bringing nature up, along the facade, and closer to the occupants.

Isometric

Roof

The roof of the building is painted high-gloss white to reflect incoming solar radiation and can keep the building cool.
This is the simplest method for natural cooling, other methods include water vapour cooling, meaning that water will absorb solar radiation and turn into water vapour.

112 photo-voltaic cells on the roof to provide 100% of the energy required for the building’s roughly 4000m2 of usable floor space.

Second Floor

Second floor consists of lecture’s room, study spaces, drafting room and self study spaces.

Balconies are barriers between the indoor and the outdoor, it can be treated as both interior and exterior, by bringing nature up close to the students, it can firstly help create a sense of calmness and bring in biophilia to the space. it is a space for student to use whether to study, destress or simply enjoy nature up close.

First Floor

The first floor consists of spaces for students to conduct their studying and an informal presentation stage; IT lab, full-scale modelling space, workshop room.

Along the perimeter of the void are spaces for individual and small group studying.

The air circulation path is restricted at the void in width, thus can potentially increase the air speed.