Elephant in the Room A mixed use hockey/skating facility
Instructor: Grant Gibson
Houston is full of contradictions: politically conservative, yet with a Democratic mayor who happens to be a lesbian; capital of the petroleum industry, yet with a new electrified light rail system; fourth largest city in the U.S., yet with no formal zoning laws; and even ice rinks in a humid subtropical climate. It makes no sense, yet complete sense at the same time.
When applied to the given program of a practice facility for a newly formed NHL hockey team, administration, restaurant, work-release opportunities and public space, the quirkiness of Houston allows for a building that is full of juxtapositions that are playful and engaging. At the same time it allows for a project that while unorthodox, fits seamlessly within the context of Houston.
Site Strategy
A discontinuous pedestrian pathway exists that must be reconnected. Rather than join the pathway with a singular line, the entire site, and therefore building, is conceived as pathway. The building may be accessed in numerous ways: one may descend down grand stairs that serve as spectator seating for the ice rinks; entering at grade level takes one through a field of light wells that define spaces for offices and a restaurant; ascending up ramps leads to swimming pools and a canopied public space that can be used for anything from picnics to protests to flea markets.
Internal Connections
Internal connections are made through fields of vertical punctures. There are four types: (1) light wells, (2) internal shafts of space, (3) glass swimming pools, and (4) spectator seating. These openings enable visual, acoustic and even physical contact among different spaces.
A series of vignettes were created to explore possible spatial and programmatic relationships. These were then coupled with study models exploring surface and site. The result is a unified facade containing wildly different programs.
The facade is composed of translucent honeycomb panels. The panels create a moiré effect while providing solar heat gain control. By varying the scale of the honeycomb according to programmatic needs, the moiré effect from far away turns into a large scale pixelation of differing translucency when viewed up close.
Vertical punctures: (1) spectator seating, (2) light wells, (3) internal shafts of space, (4) glass swimming pools.
Level 01 semi-conditioned canopied public space
Level 01 semi-conditioned canopied public space
Level 00 offices and restaurant
Level 00 offices and restaurant
Level -01 ice rinks and locker rooms
Level -01 ice rinks and locker rooms