Architecture 100B | UC Berkeley | Spring 2018 | Instructor: Harrison Fraker
This design for the Good Food center aims to illustrate its goal of having a light environmental impact. It explores how the idea of lightness could be represented in different ways through the design.
For environmental or performative lightness, functions such as ventilation or rainwater collection are intended to be legible in the form. The spatial organization is of a main split of the more public and private programs with a central area of circulation that cuts between them and creates visibility between the two sides. The more public programs (kitchens and library) are located along the street-facing north side for a greater connection with the city. The circulation space is meant to be the most light-filled and feel almost like an open break between the program elements.
For material lightness, the building has a light steel structure. The facade has a unifying, delicate, operable louvre system, and the glazing behind that is either translucent or transparent depending on the level of privacy required by the program behind it. The main entrance to the market hall can be very open to be almost a continuation of the outside, but while secured it retains some of the same openness with light, perforated panels.
The design is intended to highlight change and flexibility, as particularly illustrated in the elevations. The building can reveal different stories at different times of day—during the day acting as a more concealed translucent layer and during the night as something which could be lit from the inside and transparent, revealing the life and warmth that moves inside of buildings at night.
On the interior, the open circulation space cuts through and defines program and light, shifting volumes, while also providing a space of visual connection between different programs.
