Rachel Jones ARCH 496_Thesis October 17, 2016 A06.1-Project Pick + Choose 1 Found Object Description: This project is a response to a site with existing ruins that have historical significance and cultural context. The project looks at the relationship between new and old and how memory can be enhanced or deflected through this relationship. Site Parameters: Potential Site(s): Site has historical significance with an existing structure; Object has cultural significance within its surrounding context (site, city, town, state, etc.) Silo City- 120 Silo City Row, Buffalo, NY, 14203 Carrie Furnaces A total of 168 acres located 24 minutes outside of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River in the industrial town of Swissvale, PA. The site is a former blast furnace that had formed part of Homestead Steel Works. Furnaces 6 and 7 remain and were declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Birdseye View of Carrie Furnace Site - Source: whereandwhen.com Aerial Photo of Carrie Furnace Site - Source: bing.com/maps
Programs/Activities: Museum Cultural activity center Public Park Gallery Users/ Occupants: Observer and observed Methodological Strategies: DM1: Site Research: Analyze existing structure on the site DM2: Cultural Analysis DM3: Planning Study DM4: Material Study HISTORICAL CULTURAL LANDSCAPE Formal Characteristics: Spatial Characteristics: Narrative Characteristics: HIERARCHY JUXTAPOSITION MERGE SEQUENCE DISCOVERY DESTINATION IDENTITY ICON UNDERSTANDING Precedents: Zollverein Masterplan Location: Essen, Germany Architect: OMA Completed: 2010 Program: Masterplan with Museum, Retail, etc
Hedmark Museum Location: Hamar, Norway Architect: Sverre Fehn Completed: 2005 Program: Museum Why this project? Within this project exploring how architecture can help to retain the memory of space is what would be most interesting to me. Exploration of neglected buildings has not only been a fascination for me, but is a fascination for many others. It would be interesting to study how to the experience of exploring these ruins can be guided.
2 Deliberate Debris Description: This project is developed in layers which are meant to be influenced by the natural process of decay through weathering, human influence, and the progression of the context surrounding it. As the project progresses through time it develops an age value. The layers that comprise the structure and the influence of decay upon them represent memory and as the building erodes a greater sense of the site emerges. Eventually the structure itself becomes a ruin. TWO DIFFERENT SITES: Historical/meaningful site - the architecture provides a response and understanding to the sites significance; the site has some historic, spiritual, or other significant meaning Navajo Nation Site Influences: Map of populated places on the Navajo Nation - Source: huberb.people.cofc.edu Petrified Forest National Park National park at boundary of the Navajo Nation Park is named for its large deposits of petrified wood (fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation)
The park encompasses semi-dessert shrub step as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands Image of Petrified Forest National Park - Source: mapquest.com Navajo Indians The second largest tribal group in the United States- population has surpassed 250,000 Navajo code talkers- veterans from World War II Believe a mistake is a moment in time. Mistakes are intentionally woven into their patterns. This intentional flaw goes by old traditions which believe only the Great Spirit is perfect. Humanity should not try to be perfect. (Textile as an important part of their culture) Programs/Activities: Continual decay to architectural layers gives new meaning to the historic site- could be approached in the way the building changes its materiality over time, there could be a portion of the building that actually becomes a ruin Museum that honors Navajo code talkers, Navajo culture, and the natural landscape of the site Users/ Occupants: Indigenous people- Navajo Indian population that are permanent residences Tourist- Visitors to the national parks, museum, the reservation, casinos etc Maintenance- Caretakers of the structure and site Natural Species- Plants and animals that habitat the site Other Comments:
Erosion technique- http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/cl/02-359098/experiencia-muvaun-muro-de-ladrillos-con-su-ausencia-final Methodological Strategies: DM1: Research: Look up information on the Navajo people, culture and the history behind the code talkers during WWII. Look up information on traditional forms of construction in this area. DM2: Site Analysis: Analyze the factors affecting the site such as climate, natural vegetation and animal species, existing structures etc. DM3: Material Study: Categorize materials and the analyze how they react to natural forces such as wind, rain, temperature, and sun through the use of digital and/or physical models. Decaying site- the architecture makes the site more resilient and may accelerate its decay or prevent it Smith Island - Example of off the coast island being affected by climate change due to rising sea-levels Location: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.9703925,-76.0045473,12.75z Image of the Last House on Holland Island in the Chesapeake Bay - Source: newsweek.com Mount Desert Island Example of off the coast island being affected by climate change due to rising sea-levels Location: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.3344135,-68.3621557,11.5z Programs/Activities: Global warming is causing Users/ Occupants: Visitor, Artist Methodological Strategies: DM1: Climate Change Site Analysis: Study of the effects climate change has on the site and forecast for the future. DM2: Material Study: Study of materials that have resiliency to the specific site condition. Categorize materials and the analyze how they react to natural forces such as wind, rain, temperature, and sun through the use of digital and/or physical models.
PROCESS AS PROJECT MATERIAL BUILDING Formal: Spatial: DECONSTRUCTION TEXTURE REFORM LAYERING SUBTRACTION REVEAL Why this project? Narrative: AGE VALUE FASCINATION REINTERPRETATION Within this project what interests me is the study of how a building s decay can be controlled to create an architectural experience. In addition, the study of how architecture can be planned for its inevitable end is also of interest to me.
3 Growth from Decline Description: This project looks at architecture as a supportive agent to the effects of decay through remediation and prevention methods. The architecture becomes a reaction to specific site conditions such as soil pollution, air pollution, etc. Growth and decline are in constant unrest creating an object that s growth is reliant on the decline of the site. Site Parameters: Potential Site(s): Specific site condition that requires some sort of remediation, site is susceptible to environmental influences. Site is influenced by some sort of negative effect whether it is pollution, climate change, or EPA Superfund Site Landfill Abandoned Mine Land Just recently Governor Wolf announced that the state of Pennsylvania received $30 million for abandoned mine reclamation projects in sites that have potential to provide long-term economic benefits Programs/Activities:
Biostructural- nature becomes builder Informal settlement: Self-help housing Establish civic ownership Architecture of perpetual beginnings Recycling- potentially more than two uses for a material Public Park Productivity Space Users/ Occupants: Residents Organism Maintenance Philadelphia has a project where two artists were given a residency at a recycling facility called Revolution Recovery. They are given a supply of trash and a place to turn it into something more than it was. These contents reflect an individual s life and this meaning is reflected in their work. Methodological Strategies: DM1: Study of Remediation Methods ECOLOGICAL INTERVENTION Formal Characteristics: Spatial Characteristics: ORGANISM BIOTECTURE NETWORK OPEN INTERACTIVE ADAPTABLE Narrative Characteristics: RESPONSE ANTICIPATION DECISION Precedents: Dustyrelief / B_mu Location: Bangkok, Thailand Architect: R&Sie(n) Completed: 2002 Program: Contemporary Art Museum
Cellular Clay Multi-Family Habitation Location: Kazakhstan Architect: Saken Narynov Designed: 2006 Program: Mixed-Use Why this project? The concept of creating life out of the death of buildings is the concept that I am most interested to study within this topic.