SEUIL
SEUIL was my studio partner Geoffrey Bremer and I’s Studio 6 final project,
this studio focused on precast concrete and the boutique hotel typology.
This 35-room boutique hotel, situated at the intersection of 17th and Blake in Denver,
serves as a threshold between the city and the self. The design concept centers
on creating a gradual retreat from the vibrant urban environment into a tranquil
interior world with the ultimate resting place being the spa on the top level. Based
on our research, we incorporated variability into our room typologies to provide new
experiences for returning customers.
The atmospheric collages showcased on the right were used as a tool to spatially explore
the transition from city to escape. The first collage, further represents the threshold
between the urban and the stillness of SEUIL. The second collage, showing the different
emotional states of the busy city outside of the hotel oftentimes being the stressful,
repetitive, always climbing nature of daily life versus the interior of the hotel representing
a more organic, restful, zen-like atmosphere to escape to. Lastly, the third collage
showcases our three materials for this project which were concrete, wood, and light.
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES
As part of our sustainability initiative, we employed Denver’s climate data to inform our strategies. We found that Denver’s dry climate and high altitude supported a passive cooling night flushing system. This would be used to flush the heat built up in the building from the daytime by opening operable windows at night to allow the colder nighttime temperatures to regulate the building and be flushed out of the operable skylight in the atrium.
The data that supported this was the diurnal swing, typical highs during the summer being in the 90’s and evening lows being in the 60’s were ideal for a night flushing system. The annual wind rose map showcased that the predominant wind direction is from the south and its speed is adequate for natural ventilation. We found that there were 3,646 hours in the year where the temperature is between 50-80 degrees (42% of the year), again optimal for the system.
Additionally, utilizing Denver’s sunshine we designed for daylighting in the atrium and incorporating PV panels on the roof. The exterior walls have an R-value of 42 to ensure energy efficiency and thermal comfort. Furthermore, the thermal mass of the walls supported temperature regulation of the corridors on the perimeter of the building.
