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Project 1 Final: Swissair Housing Addition

Wendi Abdool & Gabriel Barolette

Architectural Design IV

Objective: 

For the purpose of this project, we will assume building is still occupied as the Swissair Headquarters and they are the client. Their Worker’s Housing needs must accommodate for 2% of Swissair’s Work Force at 41 Pinelawn Road, Melville, NY 11747, the company’s headquarters designed by Architect Richard Meier

Site Analysis:

Sun Angle Diagrams:

  • The building has access from Pinelawn Road, which is located at the left of the plan.​

  • The building is oriented so that its main entrances facing roughly North, with the office building itself located centrally on the plot. There is a parking lot to the south and west of the building​

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Summer 

Fall

Spring

Winter

Zoning Analysis:

  • Address: 41 Pinelawn Road Melville, New York 11747​

  • Section: 255​

  • Acres: 5​

  • Zone: C2

  • ​Lot: 017

  • ​Section: 255​

  • Block: 01​ Minimum front yard 75ft , rear yard 75ft

  • ​Number of Yards: 2 ​Minimum

  • Side Yards: Interior lots 40ft wide; combined width of two yards80ft.

  • Corner lots 75ft on street side; width of interior side yard 40ft​

  • Minimum Lot Area: Gross Area 3 acres​

  • Maximum Percent of Lot covered by Building: 25%​

  • Use: Office and Research Building​

  • Maximum Height: 2 Stories, 30ft​

Exterior On Site Photos: 

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Interior On Site Photos: 

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Precedent Research: 

Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans​

  • Located in the Jura region of eastern France, designed by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux between 1775–1779; once a major saltworks and now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

  • Features a radial, semi-circular layout symbolizing Enlightenment ideals of rationalism and harmony.

  • Includes worker housing, offices, boiling houses, and storage, forming a self-sustained community.

  • Communal spaces like gardens and business hubs promote interaction among residents.

  • Envisions a flexible, collaborative community for professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives.

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Ford Village Industries​

  • The Ford Village Industries, launched by Henry Ford in the early 20th century, aimed to connect industrial production with social welfare, benefiting both workers and the company.

  • Implemented across several Michigan towns, including Dearborn and nearby communities.

  • Fordson, founded in 1919 to support the Fordson Tractor Plant, served as a “model community” with affordable housing and modern infrastructure.

  • The town emphasized education, health, and recreation to promote a balanced lifestyle for workers and their families.

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Building Analysis:

Original Building Renders:

South Elevation Render

West Elevation Render

North Elevation Render

East Elevation Render

Perceptive Render 1

Perceptive Render 2

Preliminary Design l:  

Main Idea: Sustainable Building with Sun Angle 

Heuristic: Environmental Relations, & Typology

For the first design, we decided to use the heuristic environmental and typology analogy, While also incorporating pieces of Meier's building to make a connection with the proposed building. We drew inspiration from the Royal Saltworks at Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans​ as a structural and spatial reference.

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Preliminary Design l Floor Plans:  

Basement Floor Plan 

First Floor Plan                                                                                                                   

Second Floor Plan                                                                                                                   

Third Floor Plan                                                                                                                   

  • First Floor: Common Space

  • Second Floor: 2 Duplexes, & 7 Studios

  • Third Floor: 2 Duplexes, & 7 Studios

  • Roof: Rain Garden 

Roof Plan   

Preliminary Design l Lumion Renders: 

Rooftop Rain Garden View

North East Axonometric 

Preliminary Design ll: 

Main Idea: Metaphor of Swiss Air Business

Heuristic: Literal Analogy (Iconic - Metaphor)

For the second design, we used the heuristic  literal analogy, metaphor of an airplane wing to express lightness and movement, while incorporating elements of Meier’s style to connect with the proposed building.

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Preliminary Design ll Floor Plans:

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Basement Floor Plan             

First Floor Plan             

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Second Floor Plan             

Third Floor Plan             

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  • First Floor: Common Space & 5 Studios

  • Second Floor: 2 Duplexes, & 4 Studios

  • Third Floor: 2 Duplexes, & 5 Studios

Roof Plan             

Preliminary Design ll Lumion Renders: 

North Elevation

Perceptive View 1

Preliminary Design lll: 

Main Idea: Richard Meier's Collage

Heuristic: Formal Language 

For the third design, we aimed to use the heuristic formal language while incorporating elements from Richard Meier’s other works. The concept combines multiple design features to create a collage-like composition inspired by Meier’s aesthetic.

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Luxembourg house

Oxfordshire Residence

Atheneum 

Richard Meier's Collage

Preliminary Design lll Floor Plans:

Basement Plan             

First Floor Plan             

Second Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

  • First Floor: Common Space & 2 Studios

  • Second Floor: 2 Duplexes, & 6 Studios

  • Third Floor: 2 Duplexes, & 6 Studios

Roof Plan

Preliminary Design lll Luminion Renders:

North Elevation

Perceptive View 1

S.W.O.T Analysis:

Strength: 

  • Easy circulation​

  • Clear hierarchy​

  • Clear metaphor and heuristic​

  • Strong connection to the original Meier building​

  • Well-organized apartment layout

Weakness:

  • Some studios lack natural light​

  • Residential and working community spaces are not separate​

  • Formal entrance placement is not ideal

Opportunities: 

  • Open the staircase on the south side for better flow​

  • Relocate the formal entrance to the outdoor/indoor space for better access​
    ​

Threats:

  • Expanding could reduce parking area​

  • The new entrance might distract from Meier’s original formal entrance​

We decided to go with the second design because the external reviewers identified it as the most successful of our projects. Compared to the others, it was more efficient, took up fewer parking spaces, and allowed for better circulation and overall site organization.

Building Analysis:

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Proposed Floor Plans:

Basement Floor Plan:

First Floor Plan:

Second Floor Plan:

Third Floor Plan:

Roof Plan:

Apartment Floor Plans With Finished Materials:

Studio #1
Studio #4
Studio #3
Studio #2
Storage
Laundry Room
Lobby

First Floor Plan:

Studio #5
Duplex #1
Studio #6
Studio #7
Studio #8
Studio #9
Duplex #2
Open to 
Below

Second Floor Plan:

Duplex #1
Studio #11
Duplex #2
Studio #12
Studio #12
Studio #13
Studio #14
Open to 
Below

Third Floor Plan:​

3D Floor Plans: 

First Floor Plan:​

Second Floor Plan:​

Third Floor Plan:​

Enlarge Floor Plans:

Studio Floor Plan

First Floor Duplex Plan

Second Floor Duplex Plan

Sections: 

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Section Render 1

Section Render 2

Interior Apartment Renders: 

Studio Interior View 1:                                                                  

Studio Interior View 2:                                       

Duplex Interior View 1:                                        

Duplex Interior View 2:                                       

Duplex Interior View 3:                                     

Duplex Interior View 5:                                      

Laundry Room Interior View:                                         

Duplex Interior View 4:                                        

Renders: 

North Elevation:

West Elevation:

East Elevation:

North East Axonometric:

North West Axonometric:

South West Axonometric:

South East Axonometric:

Perceptive View 1

Perceptive View 2

3D Render View

Roof View

Perceptive View 3

Perceptive View 4

Perceptive View 5

Perceptive View 6

Perceptive View 7

Perceptive View 8

Perceptive View 9

Cost Estimate:

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