Apple's Future Headquarter

The vast majority of people, whether they are constantly involved in technology or just a modest smartphone user, are familiar with the brand of Apple. It is quite simply one of the best tech companies in the world, which has created revolutionary products one after the other. From the MacBooks, to iPods, to the iPhone, it has constantly set a high standard of quality and performance that rival companies model themselves after. But, I do not intend to advertise these products, since first of all I am an android user and second this is not a tech blog. What I do wish to highlight is the incredible new headquarters that the company is proposing on building that, similarly to their tech products, redefines design. 


I must point out this building has not even began the initial construction phase, but the plans has all been approved the council of Cupertino, where Apple's headquarter is currently at, and all the necessary paperwork has been filled out. What sets this building apart from any other is the design. It is more then just futuristic; it is out of this world. The entire structure rounded with a large open space in the middle for trees and plants to grow. Many sites refer to it as the 'spaceship' or the 'mothership' due to its almost alien like appearance. The design proposed was a collaboration of many people, but most notably by the former CEO of Apple Steve Jobs. In one of the many interviews that he had he described the design through these simple words "It's a pretty amazing building, It's a little like a spaceship landed. It's got this gorgeous courtyard in the middle. It's a circle". The fact that this building is a circle means that there is a great deal of work for architects and engineers. Since most buildings are squares or rectangles, most materials are designed for square or rectangles. Building a rounded structure means that everything must be redesign from the ground up in order for every piece to fit perfectly together in a circle. 


At the present time there is not much known about this building, and considering that construction will not be finished until 2016, but there is a great deal of speculation pertaining to it. Nonetheless, once finished it will be one of the most incredible structures ever made, and perhaps revolutionary design. 

Discover: Manassas Park Elementary School

One of the main oppositions that architects must face in each project they work comes due to conflict with the environment. The building of a new structure almost always means that one way or another the environment will be affected. Sometimes hundreds of square miles of trees and plants must be cut down to make way for a new construction. Many people strongly oppose such actions arguing that the deforestation caused by large constructions affect the environment, eventually bringing long term problems such as global warming. Statements as such, in my opinion, can not be held as false or inaccurate since it is quite evident that large constructions affect the environment one way or another, whether it is by cutting down trees to create open spaces for buildings or to provide the large amounts of wood needed for the construction. But, here is where architects can merge creativity with environmental friendly designs. In my opinion, the construction of new buildings is inevitable due to the rapid growth that the country is experiencing as a whole, especially in Northern Virginia, but new designs and ideas will help maintain a balance between construction and the environment. One great example is the Manassas Park Elementary School, in Manassas Park, Virginia.

In 2009, the City of Manassas Park expanded an existing elementary known as Cougar Elementary School to accommodate the growing number of students that attend Manassas Park City Schools. The expansion, although, brought a small obstacle with it; was a small forest located behind the existing school. In order to build the two proposed buildings, the small forest, known as Camp Carondelet, had to be removed. But, the architects of the project decided to merge both the buildings and the camp to create an environmentally friendly building with a nature theme.

The buildings feature large open spaces outside where kids can not only enjoy an relax but also take part in nature by plating trees. The proximity to the forest also creates a rich environment that changes of color based on the seasons. This change of scenery is brought inside the building by the use of large window walls that allows the natural light to come and allows the people inside to have an almost-outside feeling. The large windows also helps stay illuminated with out the need of electrical lighting. The also helps educate the students, grade k-5, on how to help the environment. In each rooms there are indicators that tell the students when they can open the windows in order to allow natural ventilation. When these windows are opened, the mechanical system in the room is turned off and natural convection currents circulate fresh throughout the room.

There are many other features that this building has incorporated that truly shows how new ideas and designs are being developed to help aid the negative effects of new constructions. This shows that innovation and progression in architecture is the key to a better future both for the urban world and the environment.

Sources:
http://www.vmdo.com/docs/Manassas_Park_case_study_1.pdf

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Over any building, and work of architecture there is one particular type of building that grabs my attention the most. These buildings not only bring out of me great interest in design and modeling but also my love and passion for music. These are also the types of buildings that I hope to be able to focus on in my career; concert halls and auditoriums. I have been a musician for almost nine years. I play various instruments but above all I consider myself a pianist. Over the years, I have learned to truly appreciate music for its musical and artistic value. I feel that the combination of both my musical and architectural sides could push me towards a more specific field called architectural acoustics.
Any person who attends a concert, whether it is of classical, rock, or pop music, can testify of a certain feeling of euphoria that took over them while listening to the musicians playing live. This, of course, is primarily due the ability of the musicians, but, even a great musician playing in a poorly built auditorium or concert hall will sound as an amateur. This is why architectural acoustics is a very important part of architecture.
One perfect example of great architectural acoustics can be seen in the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. This acoustical work of art was opened in October, 2003. The project began as a request from Walt Disney's wife to build a new concert hall that would honor her late husband. She donated $50 million for the project as a way to reflect how Disney's love for music through out his entire life and career. The head architect, Frank Henry, "envisioned a place in which people would come together and feel comfortable" and in many ways he certainly did achieve this. The incredible outside view definitely grabs the attention of any body who happens to glance at the building. Its look is composed of various irregularly shaped steel boxes. These boxes have the resemblance of silver sails, which look more like a extravagant memorial then a concert hall. But, as incredible as the outside is, its the inside that makes this building unique. Architect Frank Henry along with a group of acoustics engineers and music directors worked hard to design an almost acoustically perfect room. The 2,265 seats that the concert hall has are arranged in what the Walt Disney Concert Hall website calls a "Vineyard Style". This way of arranging the seats consist of steeply raked seats that surround the stage. The level of steepness allows even the farthest listener to be much closer to the main stage then a regular seating arrangement. This, of course, allows the listener to enjoy a much better and refined sound.
This is simply one example of great architectural acoustics, there are many more that range from school auditoriums, to churches, to national concert halls. I just wish to someday be part of the team designing such marvels.

Source:
Walt Disney Concert Hall Main Website
http://www.laphil.com/wdch10/index.html