Catching Up: An Overview of Process

This blog Post will be a brief description of the process up to the final product. Over the last month the project that developed defined a method, and created a system of "softscape" interventions.

There was a definition of problems to be addressed, Problems include:

Over Paved Spaces
Lack of Shade Space
Overwhelming Scale of Buildings
Lack of Identity to the site
Lack of Connectivity to/ through site
Lack of functioning/ Useable Public Space

Once the Problems were identified a Series of different interventions were developed based on their ability to intervene and benefit the site.

Test Schemes Included:

Permeate:Break the site by creating many through roads an d address 6 problems

Focus: Divide buildings and create clustered groups

Sight: Rework all roads to create site lines that travel all the way through the site

After developing these ideas in plan, section and perspective, it became clear that they could all be combined to create one optimum master plan.

From there the master plan was developed and one idea that addressed all 6 problems, and the three test schemes.

The Next Step: Describing Intervention in Section

Site Sections: These early sections collage the ides that are to be addressed in the master plan 

These section are describe the methods of softscape intervention that begin to address the 6 problems identified. The were extremely useful in creating  both the materials and landscaping matrix, and the typology matrix.

Creating a Descriptive Master Plan:

First Pass Master Plan

This is the first pass at the master plan, it begins to describe the layout for the new buildings, softscape interventions and the different zones.

The Matrix:

This early Materials and Landscape Matrix Begins to show how the final Matrix will describe the site interventions, and explain the methodology.

Materials and Landcape Matrix: The describes the intervention, the zone and the reasoning behind each move

There will be a matrix for materials and landscaping, and materials and one for typologies. Both will be used to describe method of intervention, purpose of intervention, and zone location on site.

Defining a Problem: Review Two and Process

Leading up to this review there was a culmination of information that began to inform the project. Site diagrams of different scales began to show specific areas of interest within the site itself. Diagrams were at a large scale at first to make site decisions, areas of demographics, site services, layout and connections were explored. Then, it became apparent that there was one area of the site that was more disruptive to the community as a whole. This became the location of future interventions. A series of diagrams addressing this area was created. User interaction diagrams then showed the specific interaction problems within the site. This all led up to the series of diagrams below, the plan diagram indicates the problem area, and an intervention, and the perspective shows how the problems affects users.

Problem: no connectivity from transportation to center of site through use. The area needs mixed use or commercial influences within the site to break up its visual and presumed "wall" that keeps people out.

Problem: lack of green space between buildings. The area needs less paved space and more passive shade space to invite the user to interact at the street level and "own" the space.

Problem: Division of buildings by parking and excessive paved space. The buildings need some kind of connection to create interactions within the user groups and the buildings to create a neighborhood atmosphere. a raised connective green space or roof could provide this kind of connection.

Problem: Dead ended interior streets create a feeling of isolation or being trapped within the site. This makes outside users not want to enter the site for fear of being stuck or lost within the vast site itself. Creating through streets to the main exterior streets could help to demolish the idea of a dense impenetrable space.

Problem: Areas that are designated as public park or green space are over paved and lack green spaces and plants. Addition of landscaping elements new paths and textures can create a welcoming space to serve as a gateway to the site.

Problem: areas of housing on main street are overbearing and overshadow the neighborhood, while crowding the side walk, making them appear even more out of scale. By selectively demolishing the ends of the building the area will become less crowded and give space to invite people in.

This complex site topography allows us to see how the roads and surrounding context works in relation to the site.

 This review was helpful in getting the idea that there are two paths that can be taken from here, the idea of a soft or hard approach to intervention. Passive site design methods can prove the thesis, or more involved building selection and reworking and help create the ideal intervention to make the community more integrated.  

Review 1 Models

These models show the parking lot along Centre St. Conceptual Models identify an area that could successfully intervene in scale, connecting back the Housing to the scale of the surrounding community.

In Elevation. This model identifies the forms that could be used to link the disjuncted Public Housing from the context of the community.

These conceptual Models show the need for green space and public park area along the heath st. development.

This model shows the possible raised green space that could be added to connect smaller . individual courtyards to the reworked park area in the center of the site.

These conceptual models show the potential connection that could be made to inject activity and users into the site through the resource that is the Jackson Square T Station. Connectivity and interaction can grow from this transportation hub.

Ideas about a street or promenade, that could possibly create a main artery from the transportation into the site. This could be used to showcase past typologies that existed and worked for the site.

Updated Abstract and Process Models

It has been almost a half a decadesince the effects of Moses have became outwardly apparent on our cities, andcritic’s like Jacobs have opened our eyes to them. There is no question thatPublic Housing and Urban Renewal have failed in America. It is often seen as aburden or blight on our cities, perceived to be crime ridden and dangerous.Urban renewal and Public housing in America have failed because of the negativeconnotations that they now carry.  As ourpopulation grows exponentially and we look for new methods of housing, we needto ask ourselves this: Is it possible for Architect and planners to rework thefundamentals of public housing and urban renewal to benefit the future? Is re-stitchinga community and a failed ideology beneficial to not only spaces butcommunities? By looking at their failures we will be able to adaptively reusethe ideas of the past to work for us, in conjunction with cutting edgetechniques on the forefront of our profession.

Adapting the ideas of urban renewaland public housing are of the utmost importance to us as architects andplanners today. This year we will see our population reach 7 billion,stretching our resources and our planet to its limits. Turing our attention tohousing these people and integrating this new population boom into our citiesseamlessly is going to be critical. We will not only need to find new andinnovative ways of doing this but we will also have to examine the past. Urbanrenewal and public housing failed in the earlier part of the century, we cannotafford to fail again. We need to create spaces that work for living andgrowing, and are no longer tied down by the negative connotations that keepthem from evolving. Seeing where our failures lie will inform where we can gofrom here.

By examining the policy of Moses andwhat his best intentions were, and supplementing these ideas with those ofJacobs, we can form a foundation for tomorrows urban renewal and public housinginitiatives. By involving deep community connections from the ideas of Jacobs,and using Moses’ initiative for redevelopment and progress we can createsomething new. Although both sides saw failures, Jacobs not taking enough initiativeto change and make things better, and Moses completely removing entire neighborhoodsregardless of the effect on the community. Using these ideas as a base, we canadapt them with ideas of sustainability, critical regionalism and urbanplanning to give them a strong foundation to prove useful far into the future,unlike their predecessors. If we are able to adapt areas of our city far removedfrom the urban fabric because of these policies, we will have a chance ofkeeping our population comfortable and content as we continue to grow. 

Community demographics influencing new forms on the site

Detail of New form on semi vacant area of site

Community demographics connecting to site forms on the larger scale

Adaptive Urban Renewal and Public Housing: Re-stitching the Urban Fabric

Adaptive Urban Renewal and Public Housing:Re-stitching the Urban Fabric

It has been almost a half a decadesince the effects of Moses have became outwardly apparent on our cities, andcritic’s like Jacobs have opened our eyes to them. There is no question thatPublic Housing and Urban Renewal have failed in America. As our populationgrows exponentially and we look for new methods of housing, we need to askourselves this: Is it possible for Architect and planners to rework thefundamentals of public housing and urban renewal to benefit the future? Bylooking at their failures we will be able to adaptively reuse the ideas of thepast to work for us, in conjunction with cutting edge techniques on theforefront of our profession.

Adapting the ideas of urban renewaland public housing are of the utmost importance to us as architects andplanners today. This year we will see our population reach 7 billion,stretching our resources and our planet to its limits. Turing our attention tohousing these people and integrating this new population boom into our citiesseamlessly is going to be critical. We will not only need to find new andinnovative ways of doing this but we will also have to examine the past. Urbanrenewal and public housing failed in the earlier part of the century, we cannotafford to fail again. Seeing where our failures lie will inform where we can gofrom here.

By examining the policy of Moses andwhat his best intentions were, and supplementing these ideas with those ofJacobs, we can form a foundation for tomorrows urban renewal and public housinginitiatives. Using these ideas as a base, we can adapt them with ideas ofsustainability, critical regionalism and urban planning to give them a strongfoundation to prove useful far into the future, unlike their predecessors. Ifwe are able to adapt areas of our city far removed from the urban fabricbecause of these policies, we will have a chance of keeping our population comfortableand content as we continue to grow. 

Abstract Site Model, renewing interventions and forces within the site

Abstract Site Model, Using existing green spaces and new green spaces to inform a block structure

Model at the building scale, reworking connections of scale to the street, occupant and facade