The document provides details on a project to redesign the facade of the MetLife building in Manhattan. Research was conducted on the surrounding buildings to inform the design. Paper models were created to conceptualize the facade design, incorporating elements like porthole windows lined with living walls. A concept was developed for the facade incorporating large windows and smaller porthole windows framed by living walls. Additional details are provided on plans to design one of the building's floors as a modern office space influenced by the facade design, including plans for an indoor park area and use of natural materials and green spaces.

1. Project Brief Part 1
Design
The advances in material technology and parametric design have meant that façades can be designed with almost limitless variety. This means that options for the facade design
which preserves the building whilst allowing it to having energy saving credentials. The aim of this project is to design a new facade for the MetLife building which is both in keeping
with the area and is carbon neutral. By adopting a variety of techniques it is hoped that an innovative and exciting design solution can be found.
Architecture 2030 Challenge
With the subject of climate change being at the fore front of the challenges facing the world in the 21st century the need to reduce carbon emissions is paramount. Increasing the
efficiency of the buildings we live in and use is one way to contribute to energy saving. This retrofitting of energy saving features to all buildings is a mammoth task and in the case
of land marks will require a fine balance between the preservation of what makes the building special and creating something which will stand the test of time in terms of energy
conservation. The architecture 2030 challenge is an effort to address this by making all new buildings, developments and renovations carbon neutral by 2030.
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Project Brief Part 1
Page 1
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1. MetLife building southwest facade
2. MetLife building city scene
3. MetLife building North East behind the Helmsley
Brief
The aim of the first part of this project is to redesign the facade of the MetLife building. The new facade must demonstrate the needs for sustainability as well as the light and
modern spaces required by a 21st century offices. The local area and environment of the MetLife building should be considered in the design the project should cover not just the
design and the materials and technologies used but also how the facade will be constructed in this dense area of Manhattan.

2. Site Research
Setting the scene
I choose the age and materiality of local buildings for the site research. I first began by researching the famous buildings in Manhattan, narrowing it down to a small area around the MetLife building. Image ... shows
the age of the age of the notable buildings in the vicinity, it was not possible to find the age of the less well known buildings. As this graph is a bit sparse I then began to look at the materiality of the buildings. If I had
have been able to visit the site I would have done a walk around survey of the buildings, as I could not be there I used Google street view to do this instead. The bottom images show a few snap shots of this survey. I still
could only get an estimation of Materiality, I was still able to gain a good understanding of how the buildings near MetLife are made up. To make MetLife blend into its surroundings more I used this research to
influence the type and colour of materials which could be used in the facade.
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Site Research
Page 2
3. Conceptual model of a porthole window
4. Info-graphic map showing local building materials 5. Info-graphic map showing local building age
6. Info-graphic showing local building materials 7. Info-graphic showing local building age
8. Screen shots from Google Street-view

3. Paper Modelling
Map Folding
These models were developed from the info-graphic maps. I started by folding a line through the buildings with the same age or materiality either all across the page or just
between each building. It was interesting how some folds ended up linking buildings of more than one type and by increasing these particular folds or inverting them to become
valley folds an interesting shape could be formed. The materiality info-graphic had more folds which created a more domed shape whereas the age map had significantly fewer
folds which resulted in a less interesting shape. When making models without using the map as a guide I decided to make the model into a more enclosed shape by taking a fold
from each map model in turn. The last images show representations of rainfall and Grand Central Terminal users.
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Paper Modelling
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9. Folded info-graphic 10. Folded info-graphic 11. Folded info-graphic 12. Folded info-graphic 13. Folded info-graphic
14. Combined paper folds15. Combined paper folds16. Combined paper folds of info-graphic and rain data
17. Combined paper folds of rain data and pedestrian usage 18. Combined paper folds of rain data and pedestrian usage 19. Combined paper folds of rain data and pedestrian usage 20.Combinedpaperfoldsofraindataandpedestrianusage

4. Piezoelectric crystal canopy
Opaque FRC panels
Green lined porthole
Glass windows
B
B
Section B-B Elevation
Conceptualisation
Developing Ideas
By adding image over lays to the paper models it is possible to get an idea of how the data is represented. The first model shows the combination of material and age from my info-graphic maps I like this drawing, the
angles work well. The other images show the relationship between the rainfall in New York and the number of people using Grand Central Terminal. The two designs came from looking at different ways in which the
data could be represented in the same style. Then by combining the two solutions a design was created which had both long wide windows spanning multiple floors, this would result in a wonderful amount of light
through the whole floor of the building and the potential to be able to see right through the building. The smaller porthole windows which span around 2/3 of a floor. To ensure the sustainability requirements were met
it was decided to include a layer of living wall lining each porthole. The research had shown that people felt calmer in the presence of nature and with this design the urban city views would be framed by the natural
living wall. By creating a real life model it was possible to generate some concept images showing what the MetLife building will look like with it’s new cover and what the views from inside the building maybe like.
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Conceptualisation
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21. Paper model with image overlay of materials and age
33. Concept drawing of the MetLife with its new skin
22. Paper model with image overlay of rain fall and pedestrian usage 23. Paper model with image overlay of rain fall and pedestrian usage 24. Paper model with image overlay of rain fall and pedestrian usage
25. Concept model of the new facade26. Concept model of the new facade showing portholes27. Concept model of the new facade porthole28. Elevation and section of part of the facade
29. Concept drawing from inside of the MetLife building looking over the city 30. Concept drawing through a grass lined porthole
31. Concept drawing overlaying the facade model on the building
32. Digital tessellation of the facade model

5. 3D modelling for parametrics
Using Maya
These images show the progression of work as I learned how to use the software with a view to learning about parametric design. The purpose was to use parametrics in the design
of the facade. I started by simply manipulating surfaces pulling them in different directions and rotating them, I then moved on to using pre-made shapes and buy using the same
techniques I was able to create a lamp shape, as seen in image 36. I started to work towards the manipulation of NURBS planes with a view of developing parametric designs. Due
to time constraints it was not possible to create a design from parametrics but the software was used to develop digital models of the final design.
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3D Modelling for parametrics
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34. Basic NURBS plane 35. Manipulated NURBS plane 36. Manipulation of a polygon cylinder 37. Manipulation of a 3D NURBS oblong
38. Shape created from scratch39. Cylinder which has been opened, pushed and pulled40. NURBS surface manipulation
41. Openings in a NURBS plane 42. Division of a sphere 43. Cut out pattern in a sphere

6. 3D models
This page shows the development of the paper models into 3D graphics. By using both Maya and AutoCAD I was able to create digital drawings of the conceptual paper models
and the final facade design. I was able to use the same images from the paper models on the digital model in image ... and .... I think this model works well to show the idea of one
layer extruding through another. It was then necessary to adapt the CAD drawing .... I created a small portion of the facade from this drawing and tiled it by making an array. This
tessellation was then laid over a pre-drawn model of the MetLife building. This has not really worked as well as I would have liked, because of the complex nature of the facade
design it was difficult to get the tessellation to wrap around successfully but it does begin to show the concept. The paper models and digital drawings were most effective in showing
how the building will look with its new skin.
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3D Models
Page 6
44. Honeycomb shape which could be windows 44. Surface created from drawn splines 4. Manipulation of a 3D NURBS oblong
8. Openings in a NURBS plane 9. Division of a sphere
45. Surface created from drawn splines to recreate the paper model
47. Digital version of the paper model 46. Digital version of the paper model48. Digital model of a piece of the facade
49. Digital model of the facade 50. Facade model laid over a digital model of the building 51. Facade model laid over a digital model of the building

7. Project Brief Part 2
Green Spaces
When developing ideas for the façade design of the MetLife building research was found that the presence of a natural environment made people feel calmer and so the idea was
developed to line the porthole windows with living material, so the natural framed the urban view. I wanted to keep this theme running through the floor as it combined well with
the environment I wanted to create as well as linking the floor design with that of the façade. This can be done with living walls, vertical walls of plants, and potted plants and trees.
I also considered how this could be combined with the relaxed working theme and I came across the idea of an indoor park, a space in which the carpet is either real or artificial
grass which could be a space for people to relax or work.
Relaxed working
I then thought about how the furniture I used in the spaces could continue this theme. A restrictive environment has been shown to be a major inducer of stress amongst workers
which in turn reduces productivity and inspiration. The new models for office design appear to encourage positive reinforcement rather than negative, giving the staff the reward
for the good work from the beginning rather than promising something which will never occur. There is a fashion in office design to combine the idea of both work and play,
creating an environment where staff feel comfortable and want to spend their time, zoning can be used to maintain a division between work and play.
Brief
The second part of this project is to design one of the floors within the building into a modern and functional office space which is influenced by the facade and that can be accessed
by all users of the building. This theme gave me certain constraints, there are traditional ideas of how office space is interacted with by those that use it which meant that certain
items and spaces that needed to be included but by rethinking those spaces I could create something individual. I started by researching different offices spaces and I decided I
wanted to use natural and warms colours and materials, I felt that the natural hues had a calming effect. Research has shown that green and blue hues have been shown to boost
efficiency and focus and also lead to an overall sense of well-being.
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Project Brief Part 2
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52. Conceptual Drawing of the proposed facade
53. Conceptual Drawing of the view from the inside
54. Conceptual model of a porthole window

8. Sketching
Line Drawings
These drawings show the development of skills and ideas from initial practice drawings to concept sketches of areas within the floor design. The top four images are learning
techniques showing how the perspective images can be created from less complex orthographic sketches. The middle three sketches are initial concept ideas for parts of the floor.
Left to right, locker and canteen area, view from the lift and desk spaces. The images are good and I have tried to use the techniques I have learned to make them more realistic.
The bottom images show views of the park area from three perspectives. I added a small amount of colour to them to help guide the viewer to my vision.
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Sketches
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55. First sketch of a bike store 56. Second sketch of the bike store with ortho projections 57. First drawing of a staircase 58. Second Drawing of the staircase with ortho projections
59. Conceptual Drawing of a desk area in the proposed floor design60. Conceptual Drawing of the canteen view from the lift61. Conceptual Drawing of the locker space with the canteen in the background
62. Conceptual Drawing of the proposed park space and balcony viewed from the door 63. Conceptual Drawing of the park space from the balcony 64. Conceptual Drawing of the park space and canteen from the middle lift

9. Adding Colour
Visualisation
After creating the sketches I added colour by using filters and stock photographs. The early images, to the middle and right, were created using either photographs are digital
painting techniques. Both styles work in their own ways but still feel quite primitive. They give a good concept of the colour palette I wish to use moving forward however. I spent
more time on image 1 manipulating the photographs to make the perspective correct and added shadows to give the feeling of space. It was this image I chose to use to create the
poster to advertise the floor, the first design can be seen in the bottom left. The final poster design can been seen over leaf.
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Adding Colour
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71. Conceptual Drawing of the park space 70. Conceptual collage of the lockers using photographs 65. Conceptual collage of the canteen view from the lift
66. Conceptual Drawing of the lockers using block colour
67. Parks Space using filters68. Conceptual collage of desks
69. Conceptual Drawing of the park space using block colour
72. First poster design

10. Poster
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Poster
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Advertising
This is a poster to advertise the floor I have designed. I gave it the name parkspace as the unique selling point of the floor is the indoor park. This is unique to most other
green office spaces due to the size of the building. Most floor plates would not be large enough to support such as space alongside the regular spaces an office requires. I
have used an image from the previous page to selling the space, I kept the text and other information to a minimum to make the picture the focus of the page.
73. Poster to advertise the floor space

11. A A
Section A-A
CAD
Plan and Elevation
These images show the proposed plan of the floor and a concept elevation. The drawings were done in CAD using exact measurements and then conceptualized with
images and colour. Drop shadows were used to show the 3d shapes, it gives the drawings a feeling of depth which cannot be seen when working with just CAD line
drawings.
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CAD
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74. Plan in colour, 1:200 scale
75. Elevation in colour, not to scale

12. Technical Information
Structural Layout
The structural elements of the building consist of shear walls connected to columns as shown in the floor plan. The pink elements are additional partitions which will be added to create rooms within the floor. The blue
elements are glass walls to allow light through to the inner parts of the floor. The partitions will be constructed from lightweight materials, such as timber, finished with a fire retardant coating. The light weight timber
will balance the heavy glass walls which will be attached to either columns or shear walls. The current load capacity of the building is unknown but should the weight of these additions be greater than that which the
building can hold then additional supporting of the floor will be done from the floor below with columns or frame, where permissible. The current layout of services will be maintained with only a minor amount of
adjustments needed for areas which have had a change of use (such as the canteen and park area).
Constraints
The weight that the floor slab determines how viable the design is.
While additional supports can be provided the floor below still needs
to be usable. The current structural layouts does provide constraints to
the design. I have repositioned certain areas of the office space to
account for the shear walls and columns, having made use of this
space as private and peaceful areas.
Construction
The is minimal demolition which needs to be done so major
construction procedures will not be necessary. The balcony section
can be created and glass brought in for the walls when the new
facade in fitted using a crane attached to the side of the building.
The other parts of the construction can be transported in small
elements and construction on site.
Sustainability
The appearance of the floor is that of a natural environment and
so all aesthetic features will be made from recycled or reclaimed
materials. The presence of the plants will help to filter the air
within the space and low energy glass will be used to maintain an
optimal temperature with in the park area and main floor. The
main energy generation will come from the solar glass and
piezoelectric canopies on the façade of the building.
Natural Elements
The grass will weight approximately 10 kg/m2 giving an additional
load of 3000 kg. Should the load bearing capacity of the floor be
found to be unable to support this distributed load the area of grass
will be reduced if supports cannot be provided from below. For the
living walls and other plantings light weight short root plants will be
used, weighing 6-12 kg/m2 and acting predominately as point loads.
Due to this, the plants will be positioned in the areas which sit above
the columns and shear walls on lower floors and living walls will be
placed primarily on shear walls.
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Technical Information
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76. Structural Layout of floor 17 (not to scale)
77. Section through the park space showing proposed facade (not to scale)
1826
2908.99
200500
324.01
627
3023.99
896.99
100
1500
Column
Glass Wall
Grass Carpet

13. 3D Modelling
Rendering
These images show renders from a 3D model created in AutoCAD. The bottom pictures show the full outline of the floor minus the walls and ceiling. I left these off the drawing to
enable all parts to been seen from above. The images give a good idea of how the space will look, the next stages would be to add some textures and materiality to make the
space feel more alive. I would also like to work more with the lighting to create the sunlight that would come into the building at different times of the day.
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3D Modelling
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79. Render of the park space from the balcony 80. Render of the park space from the door
83. 3D floor plate
81. Render of the North side of the floor78. Rendering of the North side of the floor
82. 3D floor plate from North and South