For this particular project, we were to design a welcome center for out campus. I had designed a structure that would both incorporate a welcome center for guests of the community and out students. I wanted to show a traditional form that meets and abstract form, representing the community of big rapids and our students respectively. I pronounced the connection between these two parts of our community by letting the space glow from glazing and lights, pronouncing the connection and impact the students have to their community. I then worked with the form to create and interesting design that would be both aesthetically pleasing and contain sustainable, passive design systems. I utilized green roofs, natural light, passive ventilation, and stacked my building to reduce the environmental impact.
I also created a louver system on both sides of the two larger forms to reduce solar gain in the spaces, and to close off these event spaces for presentations and events inside the rooms. I used dark wood and light brick for contrast, and used a copper patina metal to match some of the materials on Ferris State's campus. These are also used for a traditional feel, but are used in a modern way to further my concept.
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