Tag: US Building Code

Innovation Center — Schematic Design

A large-scale innovation center designed to bring together open offices, research labs, meeting spaces, and a recital auditorium under one dynamic roof — built to US code with a striking multi-volume facade.

This schematic design for an innovation center represents a significant civic and institutional ambition: a building that can house the full range of activities that drive collaborative, creative work — from focused individual research to large-group performance and public engagement.

The ground floor plan is carefully zoned into distinct but connected areas: a welcoming lobby and reception, open office zones, enclosed meeting rooms, laboratory spaces, lab office suites, and a standout auditorium with an inclined floor, designed for lectures, presentations, or recitals. A central courtyard threads through the plan, bringing natural light deep into the building and providing an outdoor gathering space at the heart of the complex.

The facade is composed of four distinct volumes, each clad in a different material — concrete panels, glass curtain wall, triangular interior elements, and metal roofing — giving the building a varied, expressive profile. Inside, perforated acoustic panels line the auditorium and key circulation zones, ensuring that the building sounds as good as it looks. A truss roof system spans the larger spaces, keeping the interiors column-free and flexible. US building code compliant throughout.

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Residential Project No. 14 — Rammed Earth, Dakar, Senegal

A rammed earth residential design for Dakar, Senegal, adapted to meet US building code requirements — proving that vernacular construction techniques can hold their own within modern regulatory frameworks.

Residential Project No. 14 is a thoughtful exercise in bridging two worlds: the ancient tradition of rammed earth construction and the requirements of contemporary US building codes. Sited in Dakar, Senegal, the design demonstrates that these two frameworks are not at odds — they simply require careful, deliberate detailing.

The ground floor accommodates a main living and conference area alongside kitchen and bathroom facilities, arranged in a clear, functional plan. A loft level rises above, offering a private sleeping zone that takes advantage of the building’s generous ceiling height. Roof slope and drainage are code-compliant throughout.

Construction detailing addresses rammed earth-specific concerns: moisture protection at the base, insulation integration within the wall section, and structural reinforcement where required by code. The result is a home that reads as genuinely local — warm, textured, and climatically responsive — while meeting the rigorous standards expected of any contemporary building project.

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