PJHM Architects + UCI = High Energy

ABOUT

As part of our ongoing Research & Development program, PJHM is currently working with the University of California Irvine’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Thornton Tomasetti to develop alternative architectures in regard to optimizing wind velocity and energy accumulation. Design Manager James Bucknam of PJHM and Brett Kaufmann, P.E., Vice President of Thornton Tomasetti are heading up the team. The project looks into land and building formation aiding in optimizing air velocities adjacent to and within building structure. Inspired by aerospace design, the project includes many principles used in aviation. Augmenting the thermal material characteristics of specific structural skin systems also plays a large part in the design.

 “We are striving to introduce age old thermo and fluid dynamic principles into the contemporary discourse and scale of architecture. Our cross-disciplinary approach is allowing these ideas to flourish, and it is PJHM’s intent to lead in this realm,” says James Bucknam, the project manager.

The project, aptly named the Atmospheric and Geomorphic Research Center, is set in Irvine, Ca. The team predicts the current design iterations to produce nearly double the velocity of a traditional orthographic structure, and hopes to incorporate their findings into their future projects that include wind turbine energy accumulation.

Project team:

James Bucknam, Design/Project Manager, PJHM Architects
Ken Podany, Architect and Principal, CEO, PJHM Architects
Chris Garcia, Architect, PJHM Architects
Derek Stemrich, Project Manager, PJHM Architects
Brett Kaufmann, Vice President, Thornton Tomasetti
Yun Wang, Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, UCI
Sung Chan Cho, Graduate Student, UCI
Ming Qi, Undergraduate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCI
Robbie Damiani, Undergraduate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCI
Christine Cosip, Undergraduate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCI
Rachel Yang, Undergraduate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCI
Brok Burchatz, Undergraduate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCI