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Date
Fall 2013
Disciplines
Architecture
Abstract
The project is focused on the wind strategies for the Black Butte Ranch site in central Oregon. The foundation is at the edge of a lake in the high desert with the central Oregon mountain ranges to the west. These mountains help to maintain a consistent wind direction for the majority of the year. Wind rose studies have given THA the basic idea of direction, west to east in the winter and slightly southwest to northeast in the summer. The Black Butte Ranch is rebuilding the main pool house along with a restaurant and new pool. The wind has been a main focus of their initial design, as the client preferred one of the original schemes allowing for a breezeway to cool the entire courtyard with the summer winds. The area of concern is the entrance to the pool area and the main entrance to the building in the winter as the wind only slightly shifts angles of flow seasonally. The location allows for a framed view of the mountains and this needs to stay intact. The pitch of the roof is meant to maintain the ranch look and feel of the rest of the complex. This allows for the wind to glide well above it and not create too great of turbulence on the leeward side, along the awnings perimeter. The project is in schematic design still, which allows for any research to be considered and possibly applied. The biggest design challenges will be directing or disrupting the wind in a way that is architecturally appealing, within the budget and does not obscure views of the mountain range. The areas of focus are the entrance and breezeway, the spa area ( directly exposed to the winter wind), and the surrounding pool fence that will serve as the main wind break.
The initial schedule began with the first meeting where we decided that we would follow our previous research, and continue with the use ofVasari and the low speed wind tunnel. Initially the team wanted to know about the speeds in the breezeway and main entrance. After our first few minutes of looking at the plan, we saw the end of the breezeway. which was the main entrance door, wasn't going to work based on what we learned from previous research and experience working with the entrance to the medical facility in a high wind prone area This research had demonstrated in the wind tunnel how doors and windows become vacuums for the wind creating increased velocity and air pressure at the entrance of the building.
The wind screen fencing consists of angled 4 x I 2's that are being used architecturally as well as disturbing the wind. The goal was to find the optimal angle without compromising the entire view of the mountains.
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https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/38198