Spring Term 2010, Week 7

This week I scrapped my direction and started over with a lot of things. My program is still the same, and so is a lot of the organization, but my approach is quite different. Rather than trying to fit my architecture into the classical past, I am going with a relatively modernist approach. I had been going with neoclassical (aka Greek or Roman Revival) since that's fairly typical of old wineries, but the more I thought about bringing in the high-rollers, the more I began to think state-of-the-art technology is a must-have. I am not even using standard construction in my design. Instead, I am using SIPs, or Structural Insulated Panels, something buildings in all extreme climates (hot and cold) should utilize. Imagine, if you will, two sheets of plywood separated by an approximately foot-thick layer of sturdy foam insulation. The plywood is glued to the insulation, forming one thick panel. These panels are so sturdy that they replace the need for studs. The joints are done in such a way as to form what is essentially an uninterrupted blanket of insulation around the building. In a typical house built with studs, these studs separate the panels of insulation, creating thermal weak spots. If you look at a picture of a house taken with a thermal camera, you can tell where the studs are. This, obviously, makes for very inefficient insulation in comparison to the SIP approach. SIPs are comparable in cost to normal construction, and save a lot of money in the long run. This is one of many ways in which the building I design will be innovative and refreshing in its new technology, creating a draw through its very state-of-the-art-ness. It will be a building that will teach the public simply by existing. (Or, it would teach if it was actually to be built instead of simply being a school project.)