process achieved a united crusade for meaningful execution, leaping across roles and backgrounds, nationalities, and differing languages to form a bonded and amalgamated designing body. The often complex, though sometimes reassuringly familiar, zoning regulations prompted a "win-winwin" detailed analysis of the constellations of active forces. While swiftly generating maximum allowable volumetric schemas, they persisted in exceeding the allowable floor ratio coefficient. A ziggurat-shaping act, by stepping back the gross volume, counteracted the urban massing intentions - but a floorplate reducing excavation of the volume still remained necessary - typically this would plainly have meant "making a courtyard". A sublime challenge emerged in this sculpting exercise of creating a "negative cavity," but with the carving of an inverted "ice-cream cone" void, it delivered the highly sought after "sacred chamber." This had long persisted as an under-tow objective and remained paramount in our liturgical design endeavor. The empirical shape effectively brings desired natural daylight illumination besides showering a spiritual light, deep into the heart of this House of God. Consequently, this design achievement underscores the higher purpose of the entire endeavor and unwaveringly delivers a meaningful spatial, spiritual de facto worship vessel, while concurrently satisfying abstract zoning algorithms. The construction process, was split in two-part phases: underground and above grade - The subterrain entailed either trenching a four-story ( or more) deep perimeter narrow excavation and, pouring a reinforced concrete perimeter wall and hollowing out the remains inside. Alternatively, erecting a steel sheet perimeter barrier, pumping out the sludge while excavating, simultaneously increasing building supporting brace-work and foundation structure in a harmonious balance. Above grade, the steel framework was then embedded in concrete to a point where it, in a fire-proofed coated skeletal webbing, wrapped around the captured major spaces. The considered earthquake remediating measures were e.g., employing base isolators ( essentially dense rubber disks the size of giant tractor wheels), and isolating the entire structure from the very point it meets the foundation. However, value engineering demanded a stiff beam/rigid framework where the diagonal bracings essentially served as "shock absorbers." The rain-screen wall assembly necessitated controlled study of Greek Thasos white marble including quake resistive fastening tests to determine suitability for this urban setting. In consideration of anticipated destructive acid-rain erosion, pollution stains, and its marring of this naturally porous stone, a synthetic Spanish marble was instead selected as a more apt alternative. From the initial proclamation of a "symbolic diamond" crenellation that evolved into a folded origami abstract cloud, the emblematic shading cloud-structure garners praise, intrigue, mystery, as it obtains near shape-shifting capabilities when sunlight plays over the faceted surfaces and as the light shifts into night. Night-time illumination, a significant aspect of Taiwanese skyline, takes on even more dynamic projections, poised to reverberate changing liturgical seasons, weathy, mood, and/or particular events. Throughout the processional people-spaces, efforts towards enhanced social interaction were fostered, e.g. the "parking-lot ministry" phenomena. The phenomena centers around the idea that ministry, counseling, and transmutation of energies are not confined to the inner sanctuary. As such, spatial alcoves, seating areas and opportunities for spontaneous corigregation were carefully curated into the processtnal route. The tight immeaiate surroundings were landscaped for these interactions to spawn, heightened by a conducive design of the playground surrounds for the gathered parents. Internally, on grade level, two or four top tables were shunned in favor of bench seating and shared long tables, inducing additional interaction. Furthermore, the multi-story lobby lining the auditorium volume rotates, ratchets out, frees itself of the constrictive marble block, embracing the city, greeting the streetscape and the public realm with a large, generous multi-level urban-scaled window, serving as a lantern illuminating the city, a big, smiling welcoming gesture, both at night and day, crested by its own tethered, personal cloud. To a child-like mind, this may perhaps reflect billowing clouds in heaven and on the rooftop this arcing simile makes an ethereal backdrop, cradling the worship gathering and open-air baptism ritual. The white marble mass achieves a state of by a divine charge to the north "stair-tower," an energy reverberating clear across the elevated worship terrace, so powerful, it liberates a multistory wall suspending it in space, where symbolically ascendant prayers touch the heavens. The terrace faces the mountain ridge, embracing Mother Nature from this dense urban perch, saluting the elevated metro-rail as it glides by. 10 CONSTRUCITONMONTHL CONSTRUCTIONMONTHLY.COMY.COM
As a "handshake" gesture with the community, the As a "handshake" gesture with the community, the Center "joins hands" with the Hotel Cafe across the street, Center activating "joins hands" a captured with the Hotel urban Cafe streetscape, across the sculpting street, activating a meaningful, a captured refreshing, urban enhanced streetscape, spatial experience sculpting a for meaningful, passersby, and refreshing, the community enhanced at large. spatial experience for passersby, and the community at large. Booth #626 Booth #626 SPECIAL SOUTH FLORIDA SHOW EDITION 2021 11
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