Constructing Envelopes_ UCLA M.Arch I First year

Project Team_ Celene Lehrer, Rachel Lee, Adam Rude

Advisor_ Heather Roberge

This double skin, conditioned envelope system transforms the interior volume of the existing concrete building while responding locally to measured annual solar exposure. 

Leveraging the properties of thermoplastic acrylic sheet, the individual panels are coated with a thermally reflective dotscreen pattern and then drape-formed, increasing the interior volume and giving them lateral rigidity. 

The overall dot-screen graphic is concentrated to the north on the interior to prevent heat loss and to the east and west on the exterior to reflect morning and afternoon heat gain.

The double-plate structural steel frame is scalloped away where possible to increase transparency and lightness of the skin and allow conditioned air to flow throughout the envelope.