Updated images coming soon

Original - 2011

Size: 150 sq. ft.

The bead studio was designed before the "Cochiti Pueblo House" and was meant to compliment it. The design went through multiple phases until the final octagonal design was reached. The octagon was chosen to represent the "circle of life" in angular form. The New Mexico flag has a "sun" code of arms on it with four rays pointing on each of the N, W, S, E directions. This circle of life symbolization represents: the elements, the seasons, the four directions, and four obligations.

The original intent was solely a glass facade, but due to the hot nature of New Mexico this would only create a solar oven. As a solution, decided to include trombe walls and evaporative cooling. The small structure is constructed of reinforced concrete (acting as the trombe walls), and the curtain wall exterior with vegetation growing around it, in order to aid in the evaporative cooling process.

In theory, during the early morning hours when condensation is occurring the vegetation would naturally absorb the water contents. As the day progresses the potential solar oven would be buffered due to the water evaporating from the plants, and instead cooling the area down. Once this process is over, the concrete construction would start introducing thermal massing and keeping the place cool in the day. Finally, at night the heat from the concrete would pour into the studio cooling it down.