Ohlone Cultural Center
Ohlone is what we now call the collection of Native American tribes from the San Francisco Bay Area. This center is designed both as an education center to learn about the Ohlone people, as well as a gathering place for Ohlone decedents to keep traditions alive. The site of this project is on the Berkeley coast very near one of the historic Ohlone shell mound sites.The compound includes a Lecture Hall, Museum, Restaurant, and Outdoor Amphitheater all designed to LEED Platinum standards.
My goals in this project were to be as respectful and celebratory of the Ohlone traditions as possible by integrating native cultural aspects into floor plans and functionality as well as patterns and material designs. And additional goal was to contemporize the traditional cultural center model and create a center that feels vital, current and inspiring.
OHLONE MUSEUM
The essence of Ohlone daily life is captured in the museum design. Walking through the space inspires modern day viewers to imagine what the San Francisco Bay was like 300 years ago, and how beautiful and peaceful life was for the Ohlone people for so many centuries.
HISMEN Sii RESTAURANT
Acorns are a staple of the Ohlone diet and are prepared very specifically using creek water and a fire pit. The Hismen Sii restaurant (meaning Sun Water) centers around a channeled the flow of actual creek water around an open fire pit kitchen so diners may experience traditional cooking techniques while enjoying their meal. Most of the ceiling is made of transparant solar panels that flush the dining area with light while they generate power.
LECTURE HALL
Ohlone culture, like many Native American groups, revolves around storytelling, song, and dance. The shape of the stage in the Lecture Hall supports traditional circular dancing and free-form speech. Sod benches help the audience feel involved in performances by being so close to the stage and leaving out divisive armrests.
OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER
This open-air space provides an extra venue for traditional ceremony performance and education. The Ohlone people lived the majority of their lives out of doors, so this amphitheater with views of the creek and bay beyond helps bring people closer to the Ohlone experience.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
The Hismen Sii restaurant (and all of the Ohlone Cultural Center) is designed from the ground up to be fully sustainable. The revolutionary roof is made of backless photovoltaic panels that let partial sunlight through while generating power. This gives the feeling of being outside under a shady tree. The buidling is heated with radiant floors with water heated by hydronic solar panels. Ventilation through the top point of the roof cools the building at night. Rainwater is collected and treated for potability. All the materials are efficient, sustainble, and locally sourced when possible.
My goals in this project were to be as respectful and celebratory of the Ohlone traditions as possible by integrating native cultural aspects into floor plans and functionality as well as patterns and material designs. And additional goal was to contemporize the traditional cultural center model and create a center that feels vital, current and inspiring.
OHLONE MUSEUM
The essence of Ohlone daily life is captured in the museum design. Walking through the space inspires modern day viewers to imagine what the San Francisco Bay was like 300 years ago, and how beautiful and peaceful life was for the Ohlone people for so many centuries.
HISMEN Sii RESTAURANT
Acorns are a staple of the Ohlone diet and are prepared very specifically using creek water and a fire pit. The Hismen Sii restaurant (meaning Sun Water) centers around a channeled the flow of actual creek water around an open fire pit kitchen so diners may experience traditional cooking techniques while enjoying their meal. Most of the ceiling is made of transparant solar panels that flush the dining area with light while they generate power.
LECTURE HALL
Ohlone culture, like many Native American groups, revolves around storytelling, song, and dance. The shape of the stage in the Lecture Hall supports traditional circular dancing and free-form speech. Sod benches help the audience feel involved in performances by being so close to the stage and leaving out divisive armrests.
OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER
This open-air space provides an extra venue for traditional ceremony performance and education. The Ohlone people lived the majority of their lives out of doors, so this amphitheater with views of the creek and bay beyond helps bring people closer to the Ohlone experience.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
The Hismen Sii restaurant (and all of the Ohlone Cultural Center) is designed from the ground up to be fully sustainable. The revolutionary roof is made of backless photovoltaic panels that let partial sunlight through while generating power. This gives the feeling of being outside under a shady tree. The buidling is heated with radiant floors with water heated by hydronic solar panels. Ventilation through the top point of the roof cools the building at night. Rainwater is collected and treated for potability. All the materials are efficient, sustainble, and locally sourced when possible.