Archinect - Kansas State University (Matthew Peterworth)

Mechanical System

2005-11-19T10:40:13-05:00

My most important class this semester is ARE 590. Integrated Building System Design. (3) [Methods for integration and coordination of structural, mechanical, electrical, and lighting systems in the building architectural design process.]

Every team in the class is given the same building, this semester an office building for an advertising company.

I'm in a team of four, and we each take different leadership positions throughout the semester.

Pictured here from right to left:
Nick is the electrical system leader.
Brandon was the mechanical system leader.
Julia was the plumbing system leader.

I was the structural system leader (even though my first choice was electrical).

For our mechanical system, we choose a geo-thermal heat pump system.

This is a site plan, with the 84 ground loops located south of the building underneath the parking lot.

Here is a diagram of the air-side of our system. We routed our exhaust and relief air through an energy recovery ventilator, which l...

Fall Line-up

2005-09-22T11:38:20-04:00

Reinforced Concrete Structures
Steel Structures
Integrated Building Systems
Building Communication Systems
Soil Mechanics
15 hours

I am excited about Integrated because it is my first design class where I get to incorporate all of the classes I've had. We are given plans like we would from an architect (remember, I'm in architectural engineering). In teams of four, we have to decide what to do for each system.

We have already chosen the lighting systems. That was pretty simple and straight-forward. We checked the lighting level requirements in the IESNA Handbook and then used the Visual Lighting software to layout and calculate footcandle levels.

Now we are on the structural systems. We have to come up with three viable options for each space. We are leaning towards steel columns and beams with steel joists and a metal roof decking. It's fun going through the options.

I'll keep you updated on our progress and what we decide to use.

Basement on a Hill

2005-04-27T03:07:43-04:00

The title of this entry is a reference to the Elliot Smith album. Also, part 3 of our 5 part KC lighting tour had us in a high-end residential basement (on a hill). Again, the lighting design was by Derek Porter.

What really sets this space apart is that it is almost exclusively lit with fluorescent lamps (T5 HO strip lighting in coves).

This post is actually a structural steel column with fiber optic lights wrapped around it and a frosted glass cover. It has three color options: white, blue, and green.

A T8 fixture was used here under the cabinets because the T5 HO would have been too bright and they didn't want any regular T5 lamps around that could be put into a high output ballast (and subsequently burn out too quickly). So they opted for the different size T8 lamp so there would be no confusion when replacing it. The color difference between this T8 lamp and the T5 HO was also easily noticable. Same manufacturer, same temperature rating, but the T5 HO produced a neut...

KC Public Library

2005-04-27T02:41:06-04:00

Part 2 of our 5 part lighting tour was the KC Public Library. I forgot to mention that Derek Porter of Derek Porter Studio was lighting designer for both the Bartel Hall renovation and the update to the KC Public Library, which we are about to see.

Bartel Hall Renovation (Kansas City)

2005-04-27T02:23:20-04:00

My Lighting Class toured the new renovation of Bartel Hall / Kansas City Convention City today. Here are some pics. If you don't like the architecture, that's fine. This is an excellent place to discuss that kind of stuff. The pictures focus on the light fixtures and I tried to get as many as I could, whether they looked good or not.

Pics of Local Catholic Church

2005-04-01T02:05:52-05:00

Last semester for my Architectural Engineering Design class, I had to write a ten page paper evaluating any building I wanted. It was due the Monday of finals week, and the procrastinator that I am, the weekend came and I had not even started yet. I figured, why not evaluate the Catholic Church. I could attend Mass and pray for good grades while I'm there evaluating it!

So here are some pics of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Manhattan, Kansas:

Classes next semester

2005-03-30T20:34:23-05:00

I got to enroll on Monday (yippee!). Here's my schedule for next fall:
Steel Structures
Reinforced Concrete Structures
Integrated Building Systems
Building Communication
Soil Mechanics
15 Hours total

I signed up for a May Intercession class:
Diversity and Social Interaction in the Workplace

This counts one of my general education requirements, and it's a class I actual want to take (and is only offered during intercession). Through a lot of hard work (summer school since 2001), I will only have to take 9 hours my last semester next spring. However, if I want a physics minor, it's just one more class, so that will bump me up to 12 hours.

This summer I will be an RA at the Missouri Scholars Academy at Mizzou. MSA is for 330 of the brightest high school juniors. I attended as a scholar back in 1999, and this is my first summer I could RA because of stupid summer school all those years. But I couldn't imagine taking all of those classes here at the university because t...

New Powerbook! + old WWII pics

2005-02-27T12:55:48-05:00

I just got a new 12" Powerbook, 1.33GHz Superdrive. It was only $1269 plus tax, so I couldn't pass that up.

I loaded Virtual PC on it yesterday and now need to find a copy of AutoCad. I've got some contests coming up that I need to start laying out. I'll explain what contests this week sometime.

And since I think every post should have pictures, here are some from my grandpa during WWII.

Extra Stuff

2005-02-11T14:17:19-05:00

School isn't just about school work.
Full schedule of stuff to do...
Last night:
~saw Austin Meek perform, a great local artist. check out his stuff here.
Tonight:
~the Vagina Monologues

Tomorrow:
~to Omaha for my niece and nephew's baptism
Sunday:
~start ESD (electrical systems design) homework. boo.

Excellent PDF highlighting new materials

2005-02-02T21:00:35-05:00

http://www.transstudio.com/pdf/transmaterial.pdf

Pictures of Seaton Hall Renovation

2005-02-02T20:14:48-05:00

Student design, renovation of Seaton Hall saves K-State $1.5 million

2005-02-01T19:41:56-05:00

Student design, renovation of Seaton Hall saves K-State $1.5 million

Published on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 Ã‚Â
Kansas State Collegian

Architecture students can be thanked for the two new classrooms and expanded Pierce Commons area in Seaton Hall.

The lower level of Seaton was renovated by fifth-year architecture students as part of their studio project.

The student project came about because there was a need for additional classrooms yet not enough money to contract the renovation to outside companies.

James Jones, former department head, suggested the possibility of a design-build project. Design-build means that the students first design the renovations and then construct it themselves.

Vladimir Krstic, professor of architecture, and Chris Spaw, architecture instructor, volunteered their fifth-year studio classes to take the project.

Krstic said that over the past three semesters, 40 students donated 12,000 hours to the design and completion of the project. In labor cost...