View Full Version : Nazca Observatory Lodge


Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:18
Hi everyone... This is my first post here in Puspullbar.com

This is my second year first semester project at the university of western australia.

Project: Nazca Observatory Lodge & Nazca Interpretation Center
Location: Lima, Peru
2nd year project, university of western australia

This is a project based on a real competition from Arquitectum.com
(http://www.arquitectum.com/nazca.php)

and here is the brief

T H E P R O J E C T

THE OBSERVATORY-LODGE:
The Observatory-Lodge is meant to be a new worldwide prototype model of lodge housing, its main purpose being the enjoyment of the landscape and environment, not the level of comfort it brings.
Within this scheme, the refuge is more a place to be, rather than a place to be in: of enjoyment of the context before the enjoyment of the infrastructure. In this way the environment is freed of excessive contaminating residues produced by the heavy rotation of visitors. Higher value is placed on the temporary and active experiencing of the event itself (observation of the sacred Nazca lines) rather than on the efficiency and complexity that the installations may offer for a longer term stay.
This shelter attempts to become a next generation lodge, presenting itself as a self sustaining refuge whose service plan is based on contemporary parameters of “zero ecological impact”. It will promote a new kind of habitability, such as self service or self generation of energy; of basic maintenance, with a minimal team of employees for cleaning and medical needs; and the virtual elimination of waste residue through communal hygienic facilities, classification of residue according to biodegradability, and use of clean energy sources.
The goal of this shelter is to promote a new model of lodging in which tourists, with a minimum of luggage, can enjoy a clean, safe and economical place where they can spend a night and wake up in front of the Nazca Plains, making their stay something ephemeral and passing, but, precisely because of this, much more transcendent and vital.

The contest is trying to promote the development of a forward thinking consciousness in as far as lodging, tourism and ecological culture are concerned. This is not the main aim of the contest, but the knowledge produced through it may be used at a later date as part of other initiatives, private or public, for the development of holistic projects. This kind of know-how can be used to accompany other types of technical reports such as hotel development feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, economic investment proposals, and tourism statistical studies, in order to create reports that support such initiatives.

PLAN AND USES:
The Observatory-Lodge will have a basic plan that will occupy a built area of 1,250 square meters (13,500 square feet) within a plot area of 10,000 square meters (107,639 square feet).
Within this plan the following spaces will be developed:

• 20 double rooms (173 square feet each one): These must be oriented towards the natural scenery, especially enhancing their relationship to the exterior. They must be able to include a double bed (of 6.5 feet x 6.5 feet) or two single beds and a small closet of 27.56 inches (70 cm) in depth, in which to place the luggage or backpacks of guests. The room may have a balcony or porch (recommended) so that contact with the scenery may be more direct.
• Common bathrooms and toilets: 4 bathrooms of 270 square feet (25 square Meters) each (2 for men and 2 for women). These will serve the 20 rooms and may be distributed on each level, intermediate levels or only one level (depending on the layout of the rooms in the proposal). Each common bathroom will have the following fixtures:
Men: 5 urinals, 4 toilets in booths, 5 sinks and 5 showers.
Women: 6 toilets y booths, 5 sinks and 5 showers.
• Administration office: An area of 323 square feet (30 square meters) to place two desks and a reception counter.
• Salon: An area of 1,077 square feet (100 square meters) in which to place 5 living room pieces (one three seat couch, a two seat couch and a one seat couch with a dividing low table).
• Dining room: An area of 1,600 square feet (150 square meters) in which to place 8 communal tables (two benches with a table in the middle, serves 8 people minimum).
• Kitchen: an area of 650 square feet (60 square meters) in which to place a double door refrigerator, an industrial grill and oven, and a central table for the preparation of food.
• Employee rooms: 2 rooms of 100 square feet (10 square meters) each (one for men and one for women) which include a bunk bed and a dresser, with a full bathroom with independent entry (included area).
• Laundry: an area of 270 square feet (25 square meters) in which will be placed a washing machine and a dryer, plus an area for ironing. There may be an area used for air drying clothes, but it should not be bigger than 15 square meters.
• Nurse’s room: an area of 160 square feet (15 square meters) in which to place a bed, and cabinet for instruments and other clinical items to treat first aid matters.
• Terraces: using a total maximum built area of 2,150 square feet (200 square meters), these will be located according to the architect’s design and may be roofed or not. Additionally there may be exterior and private terraces for each room.
• Lookout terrace: an area no bigger than 100 square feet (10 square meters) that will rise above the complex. It will be a vantage point in which a small living area may be placed and in which activities of observation, contemplation, reading, etc. may be done.
• Storage: 3 areas of no more than 45 square feet (4 square meters) each.
• Paths and walls: 20% of the total area maximum.

SUMMARY:
• 20 double rooms: 3,444.45 square feet
Common bathrooms and toilets: 1000 square feet
• Administration office: 323 square feet
• Salon: 1,076.39 square feet
• Dining room: 1,614.59 square feet
• Kitchen: 645.83 square feet
• Employee rooms: 215.28 square feet
• Laundry: 270 square feet
• Nurse’s room: 161.46 square feet
• Terraces: 2,152.78 square feet
• Lookout terrace: 107.64 square feet
• Storage: 129.17 square feet
Partial total: 11,215.99 square feet

Paths and walls: maximum of 20% of total area built: 2,238.89 square feet

TOTAL AREA OF LODGE: 13, 500 SQUARE FEET

NOTES: Regarding the design parameters:
• The Observatory may only be located within the MARKED area in the location map (see Site Plan.
• There will be no height restrictions. The Observatory must be at least 100 meters high. The project may have as many levels as the proposals require and the room locations may be concentrated anywhere: lower, mid or upper levels.
• There will have to be at least two high speed elevators connecting the lowest and the top most levels. (The area required for these has not been included in the charts above).

RULES:
This being a contest of ideas, the proposals may explore options that reorient the meaning of “observatory” as well as that of “lodge”, giving solutions that go beyond previous models, norms or stereotypes. Nevertheless, even though this is a sui generis kind of project, the functioning of the Lodge requires a minimum of operability, which is why it is recommended to review a basic bibliography on lodge types around the world. In any case, the points to keep in mind are:
• Optimal living conditions.
• Excellent quality that justifies the architectural approach and standards modification.
• Phenomenological experiences that may be justified through the proposal and not in other ways.
• Economy of resource use in the infrastructure, circulation and programs management.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS:
Criteria of conservation and environmental protection: Standard environmental stipulations will be considered. In other words, the basic idea is to avoid a large environmental impact in the area. The protection of the natural beauty and the unique scenery constitutes the basic starting premise. These will not only be preserved but will also be the main starting point for the project: architecture must be created from the particular atmosphere of the place, the intense dialogue with the impressive landscape and with the static and homogeneous weather.
Materials: Since it is an arid desert environment, lacking quarries or natural stands of forest from which to extract construction materials – other than the red clay that covers many of the near by dunes – there are no restrictions in terms of use of any material since they must all be imported from elsewhere.
Structure: Although structure must have an architectural solution, it’s not important to solve it in his details, parts or in the analysis of their technical behaviors.
Access and pathways: Given the closeness of the Southern Pan American Highway it is not necessary to define a direct access route, but a path or access road to the Observatory-Lodge may be proposed if it considered necessary for the design.
Water and electricity: Since there is no well nor a water supply center, nor electric power station nearby (only the power lines that run along the Southern Pan American Highway) an alternative source of clean energy (such as solar panels) or gas run energy sources may be proposed, in order to minimize the maintenance costs and to avoid pollution and toxic wastes. Nevertheless, it is not an obligatory requirement to propose such solutions since this is a project draft and it can be subjected to technical adjustments at a later date should it become a reality in the future.


T H E P L A C E


THE SITE: The Nazca desert is a high plateau about 60 miles long and 5 miles wide, located on the coast of Peru, about 250 miles south of Lima.
The climate is desertic and the average temperature in summer (December-March) is 27 degrees centigrade and in winter (June-September) is 18 degrees centigrade.
Humidity: 18%
Winds: Southwest, 13Km/h
Visibility: 7 Km
A typical day in the Nazca Plains is overcast in the morning, turns sunny, hot and dry at noon, has low humidity and moderate winds in the afternoon, and ends with relatively cold nights.
Rainfall is practically non-existent (30 minutes a year) and therefore does not need to be taken into consideration in the design proposals.
The terrain slope in the Nazca plains is less than 1% (and does not need to be taken into consideration for any 3-D topography construction).
The hill on which the Observatory is to be located is at most 10 meters high, so it is therefore also negligible for effects of the design.

Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:19
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07-08-2005, 06:23
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07-08-2005, 06:24
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07-08-2005, 06:25
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07-08-2005, 06:26
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Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:26
Project2

Page12

Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:27
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Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:27
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Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:28
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Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:28
page16

Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:29
page17

Khemist
07-08-2005, 06:31
All images were done in SU4 and pPS.

The terrain was modeled in FormZ.

Thank you in advance for all the comments!!

:cheers:

primocordara
09-08-2005, 04:16
Congratulations for a project well conceived and expressed!.

I particularly liked the underground facilities .
I am woried that the observation tower might become very intrusive in the environment, though it is a requirement of the brief.
BTW, what is pPS?

dkidston
09-08-2005, 06:12
Top work Khemist, very cohearent presentation and as primocordara said well conceived. Only 2nd year, very well done, wish I could have produced something like this in 2nd year. :eek: :not worth :craqueur: :rock on:

It pains me to even mention this with such a great presentation, but the sky in some of the images I do find a little OTT and destract from a great project.

:cheers:
dk

sigue2000
09-08-2005, 08:40
:not worth I love the presentation and the design concept. I am impressed by the sheer amount of plans. Did you design in SU and then derive the plans from there?

There's only one thing I don't like: The sky suddenly turns blue in some of the renderings in page 12 and 17. It disturbs the overall flow of your presentation.
None the less, a work very well done. :rock on:

BTW, what is pPS?
I think he means Photoshop.

Khemist
09-08-2005, 10:49
I really appreciate all the comments... thanks a lot :) :) :)

:not worth I love the presentation and the design concept. I am impressed by the sheer amount of plans. Did you design in SU and then derive the plans from there?

There's only one thing I don't like: The sky suddenly turns blue in some of the renderings in page 12 and 17. It disturbs the overall flow of your presentation.
None the less, a work very well done. :rock on:


I think he means Photoshop.

All the floor plans are direct output from SU. I didnt use AutoCAD at all in this project.

SU really saves me a lot of time... :) :)

and yep i mistyped it... pPS = PS = Photoshop

Mark Timms
09-08-2005, 11:42
Khemist...

Firstly, can I echo the sentiments regarding the overall presentation. The layout of the boards and the information you are conveying are quality...

The design seems to respond to the brief in terms of its environmental impact. The relationship of the building form to the Nazca lines seems in harmony and rises out of the ground like shards of rock. The overall effect of the project seems sympathetic on the one hand whilst creating a landmark structure with the observatory...

You stated in your brief that there are no materials restrictions. What materials are you proposing to use for this scheme?

I do agree with the others in that the sky slightly detracts from the overall project... i would like to see this toned down a little as they tend to make the other imagery on the boards dull...the sky used in your first board is by far the best.

Another small niggle...but two of your images on page16 are suffering from tiling which detracts from the whole board.

Overall thou, for a second year project, you have achieved a architectural maturity greater than your years...

Just me initial thoughts...too much info to digestin one sitting...

A VERY nice scheme mate! :clap:

AND all achieved without rendered images :not worth

cobberman
09-08-2005, 15:39
In several of your boards you make reference to the "nazca lines" which is the purpose of this interpretive center. Is this something that early natvies scribed in the ground which are still there? Since I am unfamiliar with the nazca lines, and that your project is an abstraction from them could you give us a brief history lesson?

Brian T
09-08-2005, 16:13
The presentation is stunning and the design top notch. I'm not thrown at all by the change in sky. I think that as it is different in each view it really adds to the presentation and seems to accomplush what you were attempting to do. such things tend to be more personal preference. Overall your design and presentation is simply wicked. :rock on:

cacapis
09-08-2005, 16:29
Cobberman, Nazca lines are line figures engraved in rock soil. They are inca figures of animals and other ideograms. They are done with astonishing perfection spanning kilometers in the plateau. The reason for doing this is still not known.

Khemist, I like your proposal very much. I've seen other entries and in general they were very contrasting with the environment. Did you enter this project in the contest or was it only for uni?

imasayer
09-08-2005, 16:59
Second year? I wish that I had produced something half as well conceived as this in my second year. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

primocordara
09-08-2005, 17:08
In several of your boards you make reference to the "nazca lines" which is the purpose of this interpretive center. Is this something that early natvies scribed in the ground which are still there? Since I am unfamiliar with the nazca lines, and that your project is an abstraction from them could you give us a brief history lesson?

The main mystery is that you need tobe airborne in order to see the drawings.

An American university even speculated and experimented with a hot air baloon that could have been used for this.
The idea is that these designs were to be seen only by the gods above.

Of course UFO beleivers say they are landig sites

channing
09-08-2005, 17:09
great work--especially for a student project. :)

wegofaster
10-08-2005, 04:21
I like the concept... Nice Presentation Boards, how long did it take you?

flino
14-08-2005, 22:45
Cobberman, Nazca lines are line figures engraved in rock soil. They are inca figures of animals and other ideograms. They are done with astonishing perfection spanning kilometers in the plateau. The reason for doing this is still not known.

Khemist, I like your proposal very much. I've seen other entries and in general they were very contrasting with the environment. Did you enter this project in the contest or was it only for uni?


Just a little observation...the Nazca lines were done for the Nazcas (pre-Inca civilization)

Richard
15-08-2005, 02:19
I would agree with all on the design and presentation of this project.

I would only add one concern, did I count over 16 boards? Much of your presentation is duplicated many times over, was it really necessary to present so much information to digest (if not more confuse)?

I would generally consider it is better to minimise the information to show how efficiently you can portray your idea rather than exaggerate the content to show that you can produce so much efficiently.

Cheers, Richard

Juan Gomez-Velez
15-08-2005, 05:03
I would generally consider it is better to minimise the information to show how efficiently you can portray your idea rather than exaggerate the content to show that you can produce so much efficiently.

Cheers, Richard

I agree, SU's greatest temptation is the uncontrollable urge to provide, post or present EVERY image.

Prayer is in order, as only powers greater than our own ,( or many years of experience, Richard? ) may give us the strength to resist it.

Saludos

Juan

Khemist
01-09-2005, 21:23
hi guys..

thanks a lot for all the comments

I did this project only for the university project. I didnt participate in the actual competition. :)

It took me almost one whole day to export images from SU and composed then in photoshop.

The nazca lines are still an unsolved mystery... no one knows what they r actally for and what method they used to create such perfect lines... some people suggest that they were created to celebrate god (the sun) so they are only to be seen by the god. Some people say they were created by ET :S...

Yep.. I think so... 17 pages are quite a lot but the reason i had so many pages was because the scale and minimum number of drawings are specifically required as a part of folio submission and by the design of my building (very long in plan) it is really hard to, say put 2 floor plans at 1:200 on an A1 page. I tried to cram 2 floor plans in one page but it didnt really work. :) but anyway i agree that its quite challenging to minimise the number of pages and still convey as many ideas.

Thank you!!
Khem

Animvision
02-09-2005, 17:05
Men! One of the most exquesite presentations I ever seing in my life!
What a great presentation work!

Keep showing more work like this one, because I just adore the you give to your draws! :cheers:

primocordara
03-09-2005, 07:35
Check out these pictures of the Nazca lines taken on July 8th 2005

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andersjsvensson/sets/756478/

Here is an aproximate location for viewing in Google earth

TvdH
06-09-2005, 09:45
page9

Wow, excellent work!

lapx
01-10-2005, 17:52
Khemist,

Very nice work at any level. I love your presentation. Could you possibly share how you were able to do the concrete. I would love to know your technique.

Thanks!

ryo
01-10-2005, 22:47
Beautiful presentation!

I seen though that the horizon line seen through the interiors shots in your photoshopped collages seem too high to be realistic and lessen the idea of serenity this kind of project should convey (just a detail, I know) :not worth

And... the background images are sometimes 'too much', and my eyes were looking for 'white spaces' in the pages to rest a little bit (too many infos at the same time). Like in music, there must be an equilibrium between 'noise' (the information) and 'silence' (the non-information)... said LaoTseu ;)

I'd like NASA to implement designers like you to build the Mars Station :cheers:

primocordara
07-11-2005, 17:41
Here a very cool kmz with image overlay to see the lines more clearly!

escorzo
14-11-2005, 05:12
Well, I´d like to introduce myself, this is my first post and i´ve been reading for a couple of days what the members of this forum have been writing. I ended here cause i discovered sketchup a few months ago and needed help with some issues, but instead i found a very good forum with a lot of information regarding architecture and design.
I´m an architect, I live in Buenos Aires (Argentina) and teach at the local University at the second year of Architecture. I have a couple of projects under construction and I always try to apply new ideas in my own work.

Being a proffesor makes me wish that my students had presentations like the one from khemist, I might correct one thing or two but I think that has a global concept in how to show a project and how to develope an idea that is consistent overall.

Well, this are my two cents to Khemist´s project and I hope he finds it useful.

primocordara
14-11-2005, 10:21
Hey ! welcome aboard escorzo, from the other side of the "pond" :cheers:

Mr Sparkle
05-12-2005, 18:15
page2


I think it's a great concept for a project I'm even a little jealous that I didn't think of it first as I have always been fascinated by the Plains.

awesome work. you guys far outclass us the older generations, you should've seen some of the stuff i would hand in as work.

:shame:

Rogier
10-12-2005, 23:48
the way you present your work is nicely done. layout does alot