New Abstract / Rough Spring 2008 Schedule

Abstract:
The memory we have of a certain space gives meaning to its form and architecture, and consequently a significant place in our minds. As we think of the past, we often remember the places we have been in light of the occurrences endured there, associating a place with an emotion and a particular event. These memories are innately a part of every design process. The memories, in this sense, are not fixed, but are linked together. These links can form a type of architecture based on archetypes and memories, leading to a variety of innovative designs. The memories of an architect and those of a user or community can be combined with needs and trends of the present to form such a space, which will in turn be adaptable for the future.

In the architecture of adaptive reuse, some historic aspects of a structure; for example the façade and exterior massing can be fixed and thus preserved, while the interiors are retrofitted for a new use. The memory of what the structure once was in its civic sense is therefore preserved, while the interior spaces provide it with the flexibility of present and future adaptation.

As the former largest corporation in the world, the Reading Railroad, after closing down, removed the central portion and ‘heartbeat’ of Reading, PA. The remaining structures and tracks on the site are rarely, if ever, used. The Reading Yard now sits as an insurmountable void within the surrounding city, which lies bewildered and unsure of a use for the space. The adaptive reuse of the remaining structures and land can provide a means of survival through the memories of the railroad, while a continuously evolving programmatic layout can form new memories, creating a new cultural identity for the city.



Semester Schedule; Spring 2008:

Winter break:

Early January:
Begin site model
Scale site map, including topo maps, buildings and surr. City
Plot maps to scale
Mostly finished by end of break
Scale of interventions decided

End of January:
Site model complete
Architectural issues/schematic designs
Design strategies

Early February:
Adaptive reuse schemes
Schematic design continuation

Late February:
Schematic design completion
Technical design beginning

Early March:
Technical design continuation
Structural designs
HVAC/sustainability designs

Late March/Early April:
Technical design continuation
Final works beginning

Late April:
Final works
Jury

May:
Relax/graduate

Impromptu Meeting Reactions

This week:
Thesis papers - Due Monday Dec 10th
Spring Schedule - Something that we think we can stick to and complete, and that advisors can hold us to

Presentation Reactions:
Diagrams need to be more clear and explained
More diagrammatic analysis can be implemented
Further development of case studies needed
-More installation artists
-Further emphasis of size/scale of installations
Scale of interventions
-Overall plan and examples of specific situations
-Example of adaptive reuse of buildings
-Example of reuse of grounds, etc

Presentation needs more finesse
Thesis needs to be 'owned,' ideas need to be pushed more
-Show how fantastic this project and experience will be, it is located in a 'Megalopolis' and transport to and from the site is easy, therefore support facilities gain their purpose.
-Eastern U.S. does not have space for such installations, hence the use of the southwest... Needs to be conveyed that THIS is the place where these installations can be placed and this art can thrive and cater to the ever-growing scale of modern art.
-Push intervention areas, especially skew bridge, a structure built for a specific purpose in a specific place with specific parts, it means nothing now, but begs for intervention... especially a specifically designed intervention...
Identify what is to always remain on the site
-Obviously the structures/buildings will retain their appearances, as set aside by the Secretary for the Interior's standards for historic preservation and adaptive reuse, but maybe the pathways created by, or the tracks themselves can and will remain on the site...
'Making Strange' was lost in the presentations (didnt mention it because I thought it would be a dis-service to just read a few excerpts and not the entire piece, seems like I should have used it in some way though)... The site is an artistic expression in itself, so convey that and relate the site to 'Making Strange.'

Case study to look at:
City of Hue, did not attempt to heal over the wound, just left it alone and allowed the city to thrive and pulsate around it, preserving its memory from being lost.

More to follow this week.

Case Studies/12.03 Meeting

Grounds For Sculpture: Visited Saturday 12/1
Characteristics:
Sculpture garden facility of 35 acres
Interior facilities for extra sculptures
2-Dimensional art facilities
35 acres of sculptures
-Land forms created for spatial flow
-Sculptures placed around obstacles for experience
-Water features
-Natural and false plantings
-Framed views (natural and built)






LOOP - PS1 - My Studio
Installation for NYC, 2006

Based on 'loose fill' architecture
Complete coverage and porosity of site
Network of spaces to encourage social interaction
Creates a field for the unpredictable unfolding of social exchange
Part landscape/part infrastructure
'Jungle gym' type space for adults and children
Intimate to open spaces for clear definition of groups, yet open for complete interaction

Roden Crater - Arizona
Transformation of landforms
Sculpting of spaces and use of light
Use of sun, moon, stars, other celestial events

Above images from:
http://astajons.blog.is
http://vizproto.prism.asu.edu
http://podcasts.thestranger.com

11.26 Meeting Recap

Furthering of diagrams
PowerPoint presentation for Thursday
-Hopefully a rough draft tomorrow afternoon/evening
-Theory/thesis statement finalized
-Graphical analysis 'complete'
-Slide show in order
Analysis of connections
-2 sides meeting
(Berlin Wall/Transcontinental RR)
-3rd voice and interaction/intervention
User groups
-Further justification
-More concise uses and benefits of local population
-Tourism justification

-Case studies:
Loop; My Studio
Serra
Jansen
Tacha
MoMA
Mass MoCA
GFS
Beacon
Turrell (Roden)

Richard Serra

Richard Serra sculptures being installed at MoMa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1sBpsyRNfM

Today's Plot/Site Images

Not sure why it looks like a negative, but you get the general idea... Ill post more to the Snapfish site tomorrow and label the ones above.

11.19 Meeting Reactions

Site Investigation 'conclusions'
This week/next meeting agenda:
Complete/near complete diagrams of the following
Edge conditions
Interesting areas
'Nolli' map
Where I almost got hit
Where photos were taken
Why sites/details are interesting
Cultural pockets
All with muted palette/grayscale for clarity
Site images as they pertain to 'Making Strange'
Reading offering the total freedom of such a wide variety of sustained, continually changing artwork and infrastructure, as well as a tourist/community/cultural base to allow it to continue its redevelopment towards the center of the yard.


Note: Norflk Southern corporation actually had a similar site in Lancaster, PA that the director of PR was telling us about. The site divided the city into differing sides forming a large, detrimental void in what turned into a rough city. The heads/ higher-ups of NS Corp got together with some city and redevelopment committees and formulated a plan to solve this. The solution actually involved NSC moving their site approximately 2 miles to one side, allowing the city to 'heal the wound' the train yard had formed. A possibility to be pitched for the Reading Yard. The tracks can remain to allow for cargo/material/artwork transport, and, if successful enough down the road, the implementation of passenger lines to and from the city (and to other major cities) as a revamping of tourism and sustainable aspects of public transport. This can also help with the endlessly rising costs of fuel, etc.

Other things that may help/come into play:
"The walls between art and engineering [architecture] exist only in our minds."
-Theo Jansen

The 'scruffy' neighborhood of immigrants and artists is where the most diverse/'beautiful' specimens of urban art/spraypaint graffiti were lining the walls (Kreuzberg)
-Sounds a lot like the Reading situation, tons of graffiti, large immigrant population base, great possibility of artistic expression and cultural identity. Opens the door for artwork that can continually change with the changes in population base/incomes/economic influences, et.

These are pretty rough thoughts so far, but I will work out the kinks more tonight and this week/weekend.