the quad pavillion
DES 50 class at UC Davis, California
F A L L 2 0 2 0
the biometric pavillion
The Merrian Webster dictionary states biometry as “the statistical analysis of biological observations and phenomena”. Students were told to create a pavilion that served as an exterior landmark or practical architecture that was based off of flora and fauna observation. My pavilion, the Quad Pavillion, is a literal take on the microscopic view of a leaf, and its name is a play on the amount of “leaf” panels it has.
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To borrow inspiration from natural resources in an industrial sense. The structure would be made from steel, but it’s hollowness in design is lightweight in comparison to other exterior architecture and provides both relief from the sun and a nice place to rest and take in nature.
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The Quad Pavilion was meant for either a college campus or recreational area in the city. it contains enough table space that’s good for groups and provides the same amount of shade that tree foliage would on a sunny day.
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Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, SketchUp
Brainstorming
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DRAFT SKETCHES
Originally, I had planned for shapes that were more dome-like or organic. My quick sketches included shapes that would mold into each other like scales (Fig. 3), or an overall dome (Fig. 2), although I felt as though it was a little too claustrophobic.
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PROPOSAL SKETCHES
The next phase was the proposal and prototyping stage. I still had hope for the dome and scale-like designs before I realized seating and viewing the outdoors would be too difficult to do. I experimented with other ideas too, coming up with questions like “how would framing be done?” and “What other unique structures could I create whilst still being stable?” I contemplated the idea of tripods and poles for structural integrity.
“how would framing be done?”
phase 2: final proposal
The final proposal was for a literal representation of the microscopic view of the Juncus leaf and being very forward with the kind of structural framework. Turning the organic shapes into something more geometric, the ovular, leaf-like shape was translated as triangles in the base legs of the structure and the hollowed out rooftop of the pavilion.
finalized sketch
The finalized sketch has the four “leaf” panels, 5 legs supporting the roof, and bottom connecting area that would later serve to help its structural integrity and as a tabling area for people. This finalized sketch did feature more organic forms reaching up from the legs to further support the roof, but this was later scrapped in the final CAD design and the 3D paper model as it felt too redundant.
3d prototyping
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3d models: prototypes
Before being completely set on what the Quad Pavilion came to be, I did a test model on the prototype designs. Just as I expected, they were a little crowded against itself and the space didn’t feel as inviting as an architectural piece. I realized that I also wanted it to be a space with multiple entrances and large enough that groups of people would enjoy it.
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3D Model: the quad pavillion
The Quad Pavilion is successful because it maintained its structural integrity despite being thin, light, and using less resources than the other proposed prototypes. Even though the landmark is supposed to be large, it can also vary in size, having potential to be a little smaller without losing it’s appeal to be explored and visited.