For Stanley Saitowitz, it is critical that beauty and practicality go hand in hand, both in the architecture studio and on the construction site. “We’re really visual people, so to have objects that are beautiful is a big plus for us,” says the principal of Natoma Architects, reflecting on the aesthetic qualities of the Surface Book laptop his team has been using to design the innovative Garden Village for students in Berkeley, California.
This is about much more than simple good looks, though: For both the buildings and the technology with which they were created, elegant aesthetics are coupled with a highly rigorous approach to functionality, as the architects demonstrate in this behind-the-scenes video.
Natoma Architects uses Modelo.io on the Surface Book to view some models in this video
“The Garden Village in Berkeley is prefabricated student housing built in a livable green community,” explains Michael Luke, project architect and partner at the firm. While the project’s checkerboard layout of five-story towers is simple in form and materiality, the architectural details of the units possess a contemporary sophistication rarely seen within prefabricated structures. Razor-thin frames accentuate each window, while contrasting facade panels help to break down the scale of the city block and reflect the varied character of the surrounding context.
Natoma Architects’ unconventional approach has resulted in an economical yet highly sustainable model for student accommodation, one that forms a harmonious intervention within Berkeley’s existing urban fabric. “It keeps the character of Berkeley,” says Saitowitz, “but it also increases the density, which is … essential.” Despite its necessary density, the project boasts a generous offering of outdoor spaces for student use, including green courts, accessible alleys, balconies and rooftop common areas.
It is through this innovative project that Natoma Architects reveals the key advantage in using technology with the speed and graphic capabilities of Surface Book: scalability. “The amazing thing about the tools that you have today is that with almost the same scale of office, we are now in position to do projects almost a hundred-fold the size of what we were doing when we started.”
This extraordinary shift in productivity is rooted not only in the power of the technology in the hands of the architects, but also its unparalleled compatibility. The Surface Book’s operating system enables architects to move smoothly from one software package to the next, bringing greater continuity to the design process. “We’ve loaded AutoCAD, Revit as well as Rhino,” says Luke. “The integration of all three makes for a seamless experience from the schematic design to construction documents.”
For so many Windows-based applications for architectural design, this level of seamlessness is simply not possible with an Apple product. A MacBook with Boot Camp requires rebooting to switch from OS X to Windows, while Parallels Desktop — software that allows you to switch operating systems without restarting — is an expensive add-on for what is already a premium piece of hardware. With the Surface Book, the compatibility between software and hardware makes it substantially more economical than Apple, without compromising on power.
Ultimately, the convenience of this technology means that Natoma Architects can concentrate on what they do best: design great buildings underpinned by an intelligent approach to program and sustainable construction methods. The result? A comfortable new home for the students of Berkeley that should last long into the future.
