Analysis Of Heriot-Watt University Building

Part 1- Function and Space

The most important concept in architecture is space because it displays the amount of area used for a certain function. Creating spaces in a building depends on the functions that will be carried out by the institution. For instance, the main function of a university is providing education for students, so the building created should offer spaces for classrooms, library, and labs. Therefore, having knowledge of the function and purpose of a building before constructing it is a chief movement to successful projects. Discussion rooms for teamwork or meetings and an A. V. room for screening presentations. As shown in fig. 2 the other section is allocated for fashion design students, which involves a workshop, photography room, three studios, a fashion, and a computer lab.

• The left side is mainly composed of engineering labs including mechanical, automobile and thermo fluids labs above the plan, electronics, and civil labs below the plan. A sample preparation space is located inside the civil lab for experiments. The mechanical and automobile labs have a very gigantic working space because it is equipped with various kinds of machines due to the necessities of the work performed in these labs.
• An exit is located behind the main building to access other buildings on the campus. · The largest amount of space on the ground floor is taken by engineering labs on the left side and the library and Fashion labs on the right side.
• The central portion of the floor is mainly occupied by offices, faculty offices, IT offices, and the student council offices located in the hot desk area as shown in fig. 3. The reason that these offices are situated in the middle area of the floor is that the percentage of circulation in this area is low, so it avoids disturbance for faculties because the noise level is at its minimum.
• The right side of the floor is assigned for classrooms with diverse sizes (30,60, and 90) seats to meet the distinct needs of the students. The larger classes are used as studios, while smaller sized classes are used for lectures. This section also includes a records room to store documents, files, journals etc.
• The left side of the floor consists of two IT labs on one side and includes a 60 seat classroom, a petroleum lab and Miscellaneous rooms for performing various functions on the other part. As shown in fig. 3 the IT labs occupy the maximum space on the left side of the floor for students to conduct researches and projects using the computers provided.
• As displayed in fig. 3 the majority of space in the second floor is allocated for classrooms and faculty offices only. The ground and first floor are the only floors that contain labs within. From the floor plan it can be observed that the floors are alike in shape and size.
• The central region of the floor is similar to the first floor in which most of the space is assigned for 25 faculty offices. On this floor there is a space for numerous activities called the student activity room. Moreover, the skylight region allows sunlight to enter this floor and create a new atmosphere in the space that adds to the aesthetics of the building.
• Both the left and right parts of the floor includes classrooms with adjacent spaces between each and also different dimension to meet the proper amount of students in a specific class.
• The left side contains nine classrooms and the right side has 8 classrooms.

The spaces in the university are arranged linearly in a grid type structure. Spaces such as labs, classrooms, offices, and library have an outstretched rectangular shape to provide a spacious area for specific equipment, furniture, and circulation paths.

Circulation

Circulation is an important aspect of architecture because it indicates the way people move through space. Circulation routes is a necessity of a building to facilitate the movement of people and to bond the different areas inside a building. Moreover, circulation routes enable people to read and identify the type of circulation within the building. Buildings usually involve two types of circulation; vertical circulation which includes stairs, elevators, escalators and ramps and horizontal circulation consisting of corridors.

• The central part of the building is an intermediate space that connects the left and right sides together using circulations to act as one unit.
• The type of horizontal circulation presented in the university is a combination of grid and linear circulation. The circulations observed in the corridors of each floor operate as an attachment point between different rooms and routes in the building.
• The circulation among the faculty offices in the central region and classrooms on the left and right side is a grid, while linear along the corridors. (add pic of corridor)· The vertical circulation which allows us to move from one level to another on either side of the university building includes staircases, elevators, and ramps. Hierarchy· Each floor in the building has a total of 6 elevators, three on left and three on right side. The service lift located on the left side is larger than other elevators, therefore it’s used to carry heavy items to any floor. (add pic of the lift)· The building is occupied by six L-shaped staircases and a central staircase located on ground floor that leads to the first floor. Two main staircases are located in front of the lifts on either sides and the rest of the staircases are emergency stairs located at the corner of the floors as shown in fig. 5. (add pic of the stair emergency and central)· There are six ramps located on the ground floor, 2 ramps are positioned at the left and right side entrance, 2 ramps situated at the backside entrance of the central region and 2 ramp at the main entrance. In addition, 1 ramp is located in the server/CCU room on the first floor. (add pic of ramp)

Part 2- Aesthetics

Building Form:

• The building goes through an additive transformation by attachment of subordinate parts to its volume. The additive form created by interlocking volumes of the three spaces together is a linear grid form. By looking at the three-story building the observer can directly indicate that the building has a three-dimensional cuboidal shape composed of three units which include the central unit (intermediate space) attached to two identical units on both sides making the shape of the building symmetrical.
• The central region has an arched structure whereas the adjacent units are identical. The structural system of the entire building is a framed structure consisting of slabs, beams, columns and foundation.
• The building has a brutalist design from the outside while a minimalist design from the inside, this indicates that the building is simple and decent.

Elevations:

• The front and back elevations makes the central portion striking as the other two portions are alike. Each elevation shows where the building elements such as rooflines, windows and doors are located. Therefore, the users can indicate that the main entrance is located at the central region and the minor entrances are situated at either sides of the building {shown in fig. 14}. Moreover, figure fourteen also shows the dimension and distance of the finished floor level between each floor.

Openings:

• The main openings in the university consists of windows and doors made of glass. Openings are an important part of the building because they not only connect the interior with the exterior environment, but are also essential in composing the elevation and façade of a building. The windows and doors allows the passage of light, air and people within the interior environment, also they create a spatial experience by displaying the view outside the building. Large windows are situated near the staircases instead of being placed near classrooms which is unnecessary, hence not providing enough light in each classroom. The main entrance in the frontal façade has two set of glass doors which are about 2. 5m apart. Double windows are situated overhead the glass doors to supply sufficient light for the reception area. Most of the windows in the Heriot-Watt building are arched shaped with repetitive grid pattern window panes extended till the ground.

The skylight region located on the second floor is also a type of opening that allows sunlight to enter this floor and add to the aesthetics of the building.

Corners: Symmetries/Rythms:

• Symmetry plays an important role in creation of harmony, balance and stability in a building structure. The university has a bilateral symmetry which results a mirrored image when cutting it into units. As shown in fig. 17 the vertical axis that cuts through the building creates two identical units on the left and right façade. Symmetry is also reflected in small elements such as windows, doors and position of staircases and lifts. Thus, every section is a perfect reflection of the other.
• The alternating window and column alignment viewed on the buildings façade creates a rhythm.

Scale:

A hint about the actual dimensions of a building can be given through scale, but can be designed to trick us. Therefore, a scale clue can be used to assess the size of a building by observing the environmental and building elements.

• The university building has a normal scale because the building’s size and elements are accurate as observed in real life.

Materials and Colours:

• As discussed earlier, the Heriot-Watt building has a framed structure consisting of slabs, beams, columns and foundation.
• Slabs are made of concrete and are used to construct flat horizontal surfaces which include the floors, roof platform and ceilings in the building.
• Beams are long pieces of metal that is used to help the rooftop or floor of the building. In other words, they form the skeletal structural framework of the building.
• Columns are made of iron, steel or concrete and are used to support compressive loads from the beams and arches.
• Foundation is the lowest part of the building that conveys its loads directly to the underground.