Skip to main content

Secrets of Sense: Tasbeeh Alaqtum '20 MS Arch and Sara Ghaemi '20 MS Arch

June 29, 2020
Who
Tasbeeh Alaqtum and Sara Ghaemi
What
Student Work | MS Arch Studio Project, Taught by Omar Youssef, Lecturer in Architecture and Sustainable Built Environments
Where
Maricopa County, Arizona
When
2020
Categories
Secrets of Sense, by Tasbeeh Alaqtum and Sara Ghaemi

Secrets of Sense, a project by Tasbeeh Alaqtum and Sara Ghaemi, stimulates human senses to better appreciate the serenity and beauty of the Vulture Mountains Recreation Area in Maricopa County, Arizona. Inspired by the mountain ranges surrounding the site, a butterfly-like roof is designed to float above the building to serve five major purposes: shading, natural ventilation, water collection, acoustical performance and renewable energy generation. It also creates a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor spaces. This relationship gives visitors a sense of harmony with the natural desert while protecting existing native species.

By coupling sensory experiences with passive environmental strategies, the design educates visitors on water and shading importance in the desert. Strategically, the project’s location is located above a water stream (arroyo) allowing rainwater harvesting to become a celebration in the Sonoran Desert. The site is also not connected to the grid; therefore, achieving crucial net-zero plus is achieved by embedding passive environmental strategies and integrating photovoltaic panels on the roof.

Image Gallery

Click a thumbnail below to view a larger image and begin slideshow:

All images are by Tasbeeh Alaqtum and Sara Ghaemi and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission of their creators.

Latest CAPLA News, Projects and Profiles

The head of a green stalk of wheat stands in focus against a lush agricultural field at the base of a desert mountain.

Mission Garden, Food, Culture, History | Lecture by Alyce Sadongei and Efren Martinez

This presentation explores the Tucson Mission Garden's history and the agricultural traditions of the many cultures that have farmed this land over time, and introduces the garden’s newer plots. Sadongei and Martinez discuss the challenges of growing food as Tucson’s seasons become hotter and drier, offering lessons that connect history, culture, and the future of sustainable food systems in the desert Southwest.

Students exploring garden

CAPLA Students Collaborate with Community Gardens of Tucson

Last spring, CAPLA students partnered with Community Gardens of Tucson to explore new possibilities for the Mary Meredith Community Garden. Led by Architecture Lecturer Chris Tucker, students in the BA.DAP program’s Spatial Design Studio developed design proposals for the garden’s school-side grounds, considering how the space could support children’s outdoor experiences and the surrounding ecosystem.

See More