Steel Frame Construction Drawing

Hi Team,

I have drawn a steel frame construction detail. Please can you give me some feedback before the meeting tomorrow morning. Once we finalize this detail, we can send it out to be fabricated and build the frame.

Best regards

Mark K

Full Size corner detail

Hello,

Today GK and I built a new tested corner detail, which we tested at full scale 1:1 in grey card. The detail shown is the steel corner between two floor frame units, as shown in our attached sketch. The frame corner allows two triangular frames to move as people walk between two steel frame triangles. The frame corners are now ready to be fabricated by a steel contractor. We have a 1:1 physical model we can show to the steel welder, to get 6 corners built. I feel we are now ready to move forward and order all the component parts for the frame. Jeremy the steel poles are 1 1/2 inch diameter to connect into the trapeze gromits. We have specified 1/2 inch holes on the steel plate for the cables to connect into.

Best

Mark K and GK

Component List - Shown in the model

4 x Mild steel cylindrical tubes 2'' x 10''

2 x Mild Steel Plate 3/16'' x 8 1/2'' x 6''

1 x Steel Bolt and Screw 1/2'' x 2'' x 1 1/2''

4 x Steel Tubes 10' x 1.5'' (10 foot tubes not shown in the model)

Fly Through Topography

hard and soft pods

A network of pods and cables are suspended over a creek. Each pod has four fixed connection points, but any material or program can be inserted in between these points. Here pods are assembled in a hard to soft gradient for various program: working>observing>sleeping.

GK's Parasite Structure

GK's Green Ball

GK's Structure

Arch 269 Urban Water Seminar, fall 2010, Mark Anderson

We have an official Seminar class. Sign up if interested.
Also, sign our Petition to get IDEA Berkeley space in Wurster Hall.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ideaberkeleymemo1/


Arch 269 Urban Water Seminar, fall 2010, mark anderson

Wednesdays 9am to noon, 3 credits, no prerequisites, all welcome, CAL Design Lab, Wurster Hall, Floor 5

MASTER PLAN

This seminar is part of a series of seminars and studios on design and construction of public projects supported by the Urban Water Studio. This seminar will focus on the design process of “master planning” for large scale, long-term projects. Dependent upon opportunities and student interest, we may construct small elements of the longer-term construction plans. Major focus will be on site research, project programming, and development of strategies integral to future construction opportunities. Issues will include site investigation, programming of uses and opportunities, collaboration with diverse design and research fields contributing to the design process, project management and communications, including multi-media collaboration and publicity, as well as identification and development of project supporters and funding opportunities.

The current work will focus on master planning and development for two large projects: 1. UC Berkeley’s new natural study reserve, the Blue Oak Ranch Reserve (3,000+ acres of land, 60 miles from the UC Berkeley campus), which is beginning the master planning process, and 2. A scientific field station and environmental education center in the Bijagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve in Guinea Bissau, Africa. The seminar will begin as a design forum with speakers invited to discuss their work in related issues from various fields. We encourage participants from all fields who may be interested in any aspect of these projects—design, science, engineering, communications, business, politics. The plan is to harness multi-disciplinary interests into a more powerful design and development process, with real world impact in public projects.

IDEA Berkeley, and Cal Design LAB

This seminar is designed in collaboration with a student-led interdisciplinary design group encouraging broad participation from diverse fields of study: IDEA Berkeley is a new graduate student-led coalition that formed in 2010. We believe that education can be fully realized through collaborative projects that take advantage of the expertise and resources our public university has to offer. We aim to research and apply Integrated Design methodologies with a focus on the built environment and real-world design challenges. We envision a network of students and professors who are pushing the frontiers of their fields, bringing their expertise together to create solutions for our increasingly inter-dependent world. We anticipate our work to manifest in design proposals, publications, and built projects.

The CAL Design Lab was initially proposed in Spring 2010; an administrative effort by the College of Environmental Design, the Information School, Haas School of Business, Engineering, Industrial Design, Berkeley Institute of Design (BID), to name a few. The CAL Design Lab aims to jump start a program in "Design Thinking"--the collaborative, interdisciplinary practice that is increasingly vital to crafting new business concepts, innovative products, social ventures, communications strategies, and urban places in a rapidly changing world.

Working on a Presentation / Narrative

Our 10,000 ft macro objective: 5 years out.
To help UC Berkeley create a 21st century field station as a resource for future faculty & students that are interested at gathering data where knowledge and the environment intersect.

Our 10 ft objective: Fall 10; Spring 11
To have the opportunity to help facilitate a real world project that we can critically overlay design, construction, collaboration and process to allow our work to be the catalyst for making a built environment that supports future Blue Oak Ranch Reserve goals.

Our 1 ft micro objective: Summer 2010
To help define our project, scope, goals as we better understand how Graduate students can help the Blue Oak Ranch Reserve.

Work Days:
We have about 8 Graduate Students working together this summer to pull together and discuss the above goals. We are at the point where we are creating graphics to help inform a narrative as it helps uncover questions. On Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 we started to map out a prezi presentation to help explain the context of all the items we have created so far. Saturday, July 10th, we had a successful workday as we created the following:

• vector map -to show the relationship of Berkeley to Blue Oak Ranch Reserve
• Wordle - to establish a hierarchy of conversations / ideas
• Berkeley Map - a start of understanding which departments have a vested interest.
  

Day 6 - Visit from Robert Shepherd

Ideas generated in a conversation with Robert Shepherd of the CED and grey.studio:

•create a compelling narrative
•process: limit involvement
•develop a super tight RFP
•check who is on the approved list of Capital Projects
•create a design studio around the master plan and get a landscape architect or engineer on board (Freedman)
•search for loop-holes (unincorporated, unenclosed...)
•take advantage of proximity to silicon valley, google, etc.
•local grid:energy efficient systems should be embedded in structural systems
•grasshopper model of people + area of use, dust, erosion, is this an argument for distributed structures?
•gondola, EVs
•IF/THEN diagram
•prefab, portable
•redefine scope of project (more than just a design/build)

Day 5 - Biologist/Researcher at BORR

Input from Beth, a UC Berkeley Researcher studying Kestrels

Beth has built and installed 40 bird boxes at BORR which she visits periodically on day trips from Berkeley.

IDEAL FACILITIES
•her experience as a GSI of Ornithology: 35-40 students on field trips, most would like to sleep indoors-40 beds would make BORR a popular field station
•she would like work consuls for computers
•small storage space (for feathers)
•a tank of liquid nitrogen or -70 freezer
•a place to stuff birds

IDEAS FOR INTEGRATING HABITAT AROUND RESEARCHER HOUSING
•different lengths of grasses for habitats
•bluebirds
•swallows
•bird feeders

Day 4 - Site Analysis Topo Map

Day 2 - Conversations with Jeff Wilcox

This morning we met with Jeff Wilcox, a reserve steward of Blue Oak Ranch since 1997. Along with a hike to Bond Pond, he provided us with more information on the history, challenges and opportunities UC Berkeley faced with the land donation in December 2007. The intention is to change the landscape back into a field station where questions can be asked, with opportunities to research issues of environment and place. As of 1997; a number of control measures were implemented to encourage native wildlife and vegetation to thrive in the Blue Oak Ranch Research. We also discussed how a design/build studio can help to design and support the future programmatic needs for ENVISIONING AN ECOLOGICAL FIELD STATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY.

History / Blue Oak Ranch Reserve

1880's - Part of the Spanish Land Grant acquired land called Rancho Canada de Pala

1925 - European Wild pigs introduced to Monterey County

1942 - Joseph Grant (aka: Joseph Park) - who was friends with Lilian Stanford and Herbert Hoover - died in 1942; His family began selling off his property. His daughter sold it to guy names Homes.

1970's land sold to developers - McDonalds Foundation; who had intentions to dam up springs and create ranchettes. However, due to CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act), archeological constraints, and a fault line running through the property the development was not viable.

1980's land sold it to dot.com types - leased it to a family that grazed it and had up to 250 cattle - which was way too much density because there are steep slope; no soil development. Such environmental conditions only allow for 90 cow's max. During this time and under the WIlliamson Act, the current 5,000 SF barn structure was built. The act allowed 1 non-living support structure to allow to be built without building permit; or an archeology review.

1990's Blue Oak Trust a conservationist buyer purchased the land and took all cattle were off land; except 1 bull named "gramps" who was here until 1993, and an area is named after him.

2000's Working with Nature Conservancy; Jeff Wilcox helped to write easements to be registered in Washington DC.

2006 - Supersedes the Easement report with Nature Conservancy. (see google document: Blue Oak Reserve Letter Agreement

Problems with Land 1990's

The main issues with the land in the 1990's were the Ferrel Pigs, diseases (ie:BP) and non-native predators (ie: non-native fishes) that were killing the vertebrates and causing non-native species to thrive. The perennial native plants were also being over taken by non-native annual plants.

• Ferrel Pigs - Jeff Wilcox was hired in 1997 by the Nature Conservancy to hunt and haze the wild pigs and build 10 miles of "defendable" fence to keep pigs out. In 1997 there were 60 pigs in a sounder. (there currently is 2500 acres fenced costing more than $1,000,000+
• "Yellow Star Thistle" invasive weeds - Grows with ground disturbance; pigs caused best conditions for germination of yellow star thistle. from the pigs. The "seed bank" lives for 10-12 years.
• "Medusa Head" invasive weeds with high level of silica in the walls. The weeds don't break down; creating a thick thatch level where sun cannot get to. This mulch kills off and excludes native and other non-native grasses.
• BD - disease - naturalized disease to look as spread of BD to kill frogs. To prevent contamination from pool to pool, one must disinfect - 10% chlorine bleach shower.

Opportunities with Land 1990's

The 3,260 acre land parcel is part of and supports a migration corridor within the Mount Hamilton Range. The oak savanna with interspersed riparian land holds a rich history of archaeological artifacts and there are site registered for Native people's. There also are a series of perennial ponds, "Big Pond" is the largest covering 3 acres. And a habitat that has created the right conditions for a number of endangered vertebrates.

Vertebrates

The last survey was done in 2004. As the species listed below; it is important to preserve the water and land environments. Water and land environments are important to preserve.

• California Tiger Salamander - These endangered species are located in every single pond. Part of the "Ambystomatidae" family, this species live 90% of life in gopher holes. They come up above ground to mate and breed in the ponds. The larva breath oxygen through their gills in the ponds until they mature and grow limbs and poisonous tail. It has been observed that the tiger salamanders can travel up to 2 kilometers. Predators include raccoons, which can eat Salamanders; except their tails.
• Foothills Yellow-legged frogs - a stream frog.
• Western Turtles - "Turtle Pond" Using "Upland Habitat" - above the water.
• California Red Legged frogs - will only move when things are moist. These amphibians can move a couple of miles.

Control

There were a number of man-made attempts to restore the habitat and environment to it's native state so the land can be used as a field station to conduct research. Such attempts to restore the natural habitat include Controlled Fires, Drainage of all ponds, and legal changes to the Easement.

Controlled Fire

• California hasn't had big fire for 60 years.
  
  
  • Burn with into the wind; burns more slowly and burns more fuel. Burn in spring - "Mosaic Fires"
  • Head fires - fires burn with the wind. Skips areas; uncontrollable
• prescribed 500 acre fire. Reduce big layer of fuel. Give local fire department knowledge of this land.
• Research - how does it affect native grasses; how does it affect gophers.

Drained out all ponds

• By draining out all the ponds, the tiger salamanders came back in all ponds. Also Red legged frogs come back and have created a viable population in a few ponds.

Grant Easements

The grant easement includes a map splitting the land up into two main areas. The Compatible Use zone, which allows new construction pending UC Planning and CEQA review.

Compatible Use Zone.

A few constrictions include:

• 500 feet to buffer the roads.
• Facility - 1000 acres to site facilities. 10 acres can be developed. Upper additional 11,200 SF more - Barn, Cabin 400 SF - "free square footage"
• All ponds have a 100 feet offset to building.

Program / Blue Oak Ranch Reserve

The program includes the following:

RESIDENCE /WORKSPACE - a sleeping capacity for 50-60 people, bedrooms, workspace, meeting space, social space.

• 30-40 dormitory beds
• 20 long term researchers
• 2 private residences

UTILITY SYSTEM

• solar arrays
• septic

Summer Camp Goals

- work with Michael Hamilton to revise proposal for facilities and infrastructure
- create a 3d site model
- inform the proposal by developing schematic design iterations of building systems and locations of buildings to run preliminary energy simulations
- create an online survey for UC faculty to better understand how a design/build might be implemented
- create an online survey for researchers to gather their ideas and discover how they might inform and collaborate on the facilities and infrastructure
- set dates for fall conference and make a list of people to invite

Day 1 - BORR site tour with Michael Hamilton, Reserve Director

After lunch we got a tour of the 3,270 acres from Reserve Director Mike Hamilton. The tour included a general orientation of the site, including:
Archealogical sites
Big Lake
Poverty Ridge
Arroyo Hondo
Steep Road
Ropeswing Pond
Amos White cabin

Arch 298 - Independent Group Study - Summer/Fall 2010

Cedar Barn

Existing infrastructure at BORR

Flier for Charette