Category: Class Learning Reflections (Page 2 of 4)

The in class learning discussion was something really helpful. A breakdown of how to study and take notes was really needed for me personally because my notes had little to no structure and going over my notes would become a boring hassle. I think the idea of creating mini concept maps in between each chapter would be simple to read just because its visually simple and reading long written notes is more prolonging.  I would take this lesson into consideration and use the strategies professor went over. 1 hour on each chapter is very doable and it should be more than enough. Danyal Hassan

When discussing structural units and its systems, the best way to describes its relationship is, they’re the same but different. This statement works best with structural systems since every layout requires a similar foundation pattern, but each system has different qualities and capacities. There are typically three materials used. Weather its timber, steel, and/or reinforced concrete, each system is able to withstand tension, buckling and wind and seismic forces. From my understanding from reading about structural units and systems, as long as a structure has three sides maintained and stabilized supports, a structure can last for many years. Floors are expected to contain elasticity, while remaining stiff. No matter what material a floor is composed of, it should resist the urge to buckle and collapse. This also depends on the structural systems beneath it. From this reading, I’ve learned that structural systems is closely similar to a domino effect. Since one element greatly depends on the next, and the next and so on. If a systems elements are off, or not capable of withstanding the forces, tension, etc, it will then fail as a structure, which no architect wants!

As we should know by now, a force has many components to it. When dealing with forces, Newtons third law of motion, explains the process. Our previous reflection on beams, columns, spans, girders, all apply a certain amount of force on one another. Which then applies a combined force to concreted loads. Each column would have its own tributary area where the forces in that area will apply its load on that column. The way in which we design a structure can cause a beam to resist, deflect, buckle, rotate, under tension and/or compression with the dead and live loads applied. There are multiple ways of framing, placing and connecting a beam. There is no one right answer, only under the circumstances that your structure requires a specific type.

For our structural walk #2, we walked the high line and spoke on different elements a structure has during and after the completion. In the beginning of the high line, we encountered exposed reinforcing bars. This issue happens when the reinforcement bars are place to close to the edge of the beam. If a piece of the concrete slab was to chip away, or even crack,  any air that reaches the reinforcement bars will deteriorate it. This can cause stress to the beam, because the bars are not at their full potential. When designing a beam with reinforcing bars, the widths requirements are set. We also covered concrete slabs and precast concrete structures on the high line. When a big structure is being create, beams, slabs, columns, decking, are all placed perpendicular to the next layer. This gives maximum support to a structure. Installation is key for a structure as well. The goal is to keep the warm air in for the winter and keep cool air in for the summer. This plays a huge role for our environment as well, because the more energy we need to heat a home, the more fossil fuels are being used. So installation should be a priority as well.

From our visit to Federal Hall and taking notes from B.C.I (A.10, A11, 9.03 – 9.07), I have a better understanding of Stairs and Egress. Building codes have set certain requirements for when considering the safety exits and paths in your building. This gives all patrons a safe exit and path in case of an emergency. From my reading and taking notes, this element in your structure is one of the most important requirements. This also prevents the spread of fires, which can cause more damage to the structure. Until reading on stairs and egress, my knowledge of the importance of this process was very narrow. Stairs play a huge role in a buildings design, structure and use. Careful thought should be considered when designing stairs. Requirements are set for the min and max risers and trends.  Landings should be as wide as the stairs widths. Just small details for stairs, play a huge role in safety, circulation and occupancy.

On Friday our class took a trip to the Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo Piers. There we had to sketch both, the Brooklyn, Manhattan Bridge, as well as, columns and beams in an old bean factory. Through sketching and observation, we pin pointed the structural elements of both bridges and careful details of the structure. We concluded the flow of all the steel cables, how each cable distributes the tension to the main columns of the bridge. How the cables on the Brooklyn Bridge are different than that of the Manhattan. Clearly being, since the Brooklyn Bridge was built first, the granite that was used to create the structure is not as sturdy, as the steel that was later use to create the Manhattan Bridge.  Hence why the Manhattan is smaller in scale. (Less material used). We also sketched the beams and columns and joists in the old bean factory. Since the buildings structure was mainly brick, large columns were places sort of like a grid in the building. So this can keep the building from collapsing. Through our site visits, I have a greater appreciation for all three locations. I see why certain elements in a structure are the was they are. I  am getting (little by little) a clearer understanding of how a structure is maintained.

During our last class we visited Brooklyn Bridge which is a great example of suspension bridge. Once we got to bridge, we also had a nice view at Manhattan Bridge which is a suspension bridge as well. This was a great place to study how the suspension bridges are working since we could see entire Manhattan Bridge and while standing on the Brooklyn Bridge, see the bridge elements with more details. By looking at these two bridges the first thing that stands out are the cable towers, which are massive and we can clearly see that these are the bridge elements that act in compression and carry the loads to foundations. On the other hand I was able to clearly see that the cables carry high tensile forces and are holding the roadways of the bridges. While we visited the bridge it was very windy, and I did not see any of the cable shaking, therefore I inferred that there are high tensile forces transferred through these cables. Cables that carry the tensile forces and the cable towers that act in compression to transfer loads to foundations combined together make the structure of suspension bridge. 

This was the first time for me to draft a floor plan by hand for a building like Federal Hall. It is much more detail oriented compared to doing it on AutoCAD which lets the person select different line types, line weights and makes it extremely simple to change scale of drawings. But when drawing by hand you get to know the building more because you have to pay really close attention to every little line you put on the paper.  This project made me realize how much more dedication it must have taken back when computers weren’t a thing and people still designed incredible buildings all by hand.  I am glad I get to learn how to do this even if I would rarely get to use it in the work force, drawing is one of my favorite things in the world and I’ve realized being able to spend hours getting lost in drafting is kinda relaxing.

During one of our sessions, the class was divided into two teams and each received multiple forms of architectural drawings. These pages consisted of floor plans, elevations, sectionals, and perspective drawings of different buildings. The objective was to observe the pages, sort them, and match them together with the right building. There was some competition between the teams, but I felt that competing was not the focus of the assignment. I found this assignment interesting; it involved looking for specific details from the floor plans and trying to match them with the elevations, sectionals, and perspective drawings. Some of the drawings had details that were easy to figure out, like the building with the dome structure on the roof. Other drawings were very similar in my eyes, but after having a discussion about how unique each building was, I could see the difference.  Overall, this assignment was insightful for me on how to read plans for buildings.

In another one of our sessions, we traveled to Wall Street to study Federal Hall. The building had a Greek Revival style and was impressive looking. The trip involved observing the exterior of the building, the lobby, the inner rooms, the stairs, and the basement. But before we started entering the rooms, we made a floor plan sketch of Federal Hall. This sketch started out as a large rectangle, but gradually became a plan through the use of guidelines and drawing in details such as the columns, stairs, and the back rooms.  To further our sketch, we traveled across the rooms and observed the structural elements. For the most part, the building was symmetrical and followed a consistent design internally and externally. It was appealing to see the different rooms Federal Hall had to offer.

Recently, we began constructing a floor plan of Federal Hall after studying the building’s interior and exterior features. This floor plan was a lot like the sketch we made during the Federal Hall trip but more meticulous. The drawing started out with a large rectangle. Using guidelines, the floor plan started to take shape. We began drawing subdivisions in the rectangle and used a compass to draw the lobby area. After drawing the exterior, we started making guidelines for the dimensions of the building. When drawing the Federal Hall floor plan, I was met with some difficulties, but that was most likely due to my lack of preparedness. Regardless, I am excited to see how well this floor plan will turn out and I expect to see improvement in my drawing skills as we continue.

During our last class we started to practice the mechanical drawings on 24” by 36” tracing paper. In order to start drawing on such a large piece of paper, there are some steps that we need to do before we start. First thing that we should always do is to clean the desk on which we will be drawing as we should not have anything like under the piece of paper we need to draw on. After we clean the surface, we need to tape the tracing paper to the drawing board. When taping the paper, we should pull it a little, so we create the tension in paper and reduce the air pockets under the paper. When we tape one corner of the paper, we should tape the diagonally opposite corner the second. Last step after we taped the paper is to align the parallel edge to the edge of paper. After the paper is properly set up on the drawing board, we are ready to start the drawings.

The first thing that we should always start with is to set up the drawing on the center of the sheet of paper. We can do it by drawings to center lines one horizontal and one vertical. This is very important to place the drawing on the middle of the sheet of paper because if we would begin our drawing in different parts of the paper, then the probability of not fitting the drawing on the paper will increase. Starting the drawing from the center also helps to set up the limits and choose the right scale for the drawing. When beginning drawing the floor plan it is also important to start drawing the largest elements such as dimensions of the entire building, as well as the gridlines for the columns. We should always start with the biggest elements and draw the smallest details at the end, especially for the symmetrical buildings us Federal Hall.