Category: Small Project / Object Location: San Marino, CA Completed: 2016 SQ FT: 1100 Do you remember putting a shell to your ear to listen to the ocean? What if you could walk into a shell and listen to the sounds of space?
Project Narrative: Do you remember putting a shell up to your ear to listen to the ocean? What if you could walk into a shell and listen to the sounds of space- or rather, a symphony built out of the sounds of satellites in space? This was what we proposed when approached by NASA to design a traveling pavilion where the invisible sounds and trajectories of 19 NASA satellites orbiting and monitoring the Earth, could be experienced. Building on this childhood memory, a nautilus-shaped structure was created using 3,500 square feet of waterjet cut aluminum panels scribed with over 100 orbital paths fitted together and bolted to a curved framework of aluminum tubes. The shell defi nes a 30 diameter inner interior, open to the sky at its center. By employing an array of speakers within this space, programmed by a sound artist to map, translate, and then broadcast the sounds of these satellites, the team created a 3D sound chamber visitors can enter into and be immersed in the sounds of NASA s satellites as they fl y over, under and around them, in real time. The surface perforations echo the trajectories of the satellites high overhead, while mitigating exterior noise and decreasing wind loads on the relatively light structure. Using a simple set of connections, and numbered components that break down flat, the pavilion packs into a small cargo bin, and can be assembled or disassembled in 3 days on site. The Orbit Pavilion in the shape of a nautilus shell and filled with the sounds of satellites in space, has been a successful teaching tool, helping to spread the word about NASA s missions to understand the Earth. Visitors can enter into the shell, immerse themselves in the light and sounds of the inner chamber and experience the invisible trajectories of satellites (overhead but out of sight), leaving with a new awareness of the vastness of space, the complexity of the earth, and our place in it. Sustainability Objectives: In creating the pavilion, our goal was to use a material that was lightweight and compact to ship, but resilient enough to be reused multiple times, and in varying weather conditions. To that end, the panels and structure that make up the pavilion are made from aluminum that packs flat for shipping. All of the lengths of curved tube are less than 20 long, and nest into each other to make transportation easier and more cost effective. All of the connections are bolted and can be assembled and disassembled multiple times. Utilizing a light footing and stakes, we avoided the need for a larger, more substantial footing, minimizing the pavilon s impact on the site and the environment.
Performancy Data Worksheet - Project Category: Small Project / Object 1. Energy Efficiency Projects in California Projects Outside of California Modeled Performance for California Projects Energy Budget of Baseline Modeled Performance Of Percent Savings Beyond Bldg (Code Min) Your Design Code Minimum Year of Title 24 Standard kbtu/sf/yr kbtu/sf/year % N/A N/A N/A N/A Measured Performance for California Projects N/A Rated Performance - Low rise residential projects only N/A Modeled Performance for Non-California Projects Energy Budget of Baseline Bldg (Code Min) Modeled Performance Of Your Design Standard and Year of Standard kbtu/sf/yr kbtu/sf/year % N/A N/A N/A N/A Measured Performance N/A Rated Performance - Low rise residential projects only N/A Percent Savings Beyond Code Minimum 2. Renewable Energy & Net Energy Use Renewable Source Annual Renewable Energy Production Net Energy Consumption Modeled or Actual Data N/A N/A N/A N/A 3.Water Use & Reuse Water Efficient Fixture Selection Water Efficient Landscape Design On-Site Water Reuse Systems Total Annual Potable Water Savings Flow Rates: GPF/GPM % Saved & GPY % Saved & GPY % Saved & GPY N/A N/A N/A N/A 4. Material Use & Selection For Resource Efficiency & Health Structure Enclosure Finishes Reduction of toxics Promotion of product transparency Deconstruction methods Construction material recycling Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
2PM 338992 Aluminum Shell Surface 72 water-jet cut aluminum panels tied together and bolted to the structural frame to create a double-curved shell. Structural Frame 1,300 linear feet of curved aluminum tubes connected together to create a structural spiral diagrid. 4PM 3D Sound Chamber 24 speaker array arranged within a 30 foot diameter inner chamber, allows visitors to have the sensation of standing in the orbital path of 1 of 19 NASA satellites as it orbits the Earth. 8AM 7PM NASA Satellite Paths 1. DSCOVR (NOAA) 8. OSTM / JASON 2 15. EO-1 2. SMAP 9. Landsat 8 (USGS) 16. QuikSCAT 3. RapidSCAT (ISS) 10. CALIPSO 17. Aqua 4. CATS (ISS) 11. CloudSat 18. Terra 5. OCO-2 12. Aura 19. Landsat7 6. Suomi NPP 13. SORCE (USGS) 7. GPM 14. GRACE (2) Footing 163 feet of CNC milled mirrored panels connected together to create a continous base for the pavilion. Axonometric Diagram
3,500 sf of aluminum becomes a perforated, curved nautilus shell West North South East Elevations
A shell big enough to walk into and listen to SPACE (Listen to the sounds of satellites in space, in real time) NASA Satellites 1. DSCOVR (NOAA) 2. SMAP 3. RapidSCAT (ISS) 4. CATS (ISS) 5. OCO-2 6. Suomi NPP 7. GPM 8. OSTM / JASON 2 9. Landsat 8 (USGS) 10. CALIPSO 11. CloudSat 12. Aura 13. SORCE 14. GRACE (2) 15. EO-1 16. QuikSCAT 17. Aqua 18. Terra 19. Landsat7 (USGS) 3D Sound Chamber The Orbit Pavilion uses satellite tracking data provided by NASA to determine the orbital location of each of it s 19 earth-focused satellites, in relation to the Pavilion s location on planet earth. This positional data is updated in real time. As a satellite orbits around the earth, the sound associated with it, seems to move through the Pavilion s inner chamber via the hemisphere of speakers positioned within the space, echoing the trajectory of the satellite 500 miles above in Earth s low orbit. Speaker Diagram
Made to travel, on site assembly takes 5 people, 3 days 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 21 22 23 24 2 20 25 3 19 18 17 26 27 28 4 5 6 Aluminum Shell Surface 16 7 3,500 sf of aluminum sheeting is water-jet cut and riveted together to created 28 panels. These panels are stitched together on site using removable ties and then bolted to the curved aluminum frame to create the double curved shell surface of the Pavilion. The surface perforations echo the orbital paths of the satellites, mitigate exterior noise and decrease wind loads on the relatively light structure. 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 Panelizaton Diagram
On site assembly in 3 days Diagrid Frame: 20 sections, numbered, clamp together on site Tabbed Connection: Panel to Panel, 1 per 18 Tabbed Connection (exterior condition) Waterjet, folded 90 deg. inward Panel (exterior condition) numbered, align on tabs North Elevation