FIU. Architecture. Sustainable Urbanism. Professor Gray Read. MAA 2015. Selene Varela Overtown is a district in Miami filled with vacant lots and urban residual spaces after the construction of the highways, Interstate 95 and Interstate 395. The urban tissue of the neighborhood requires to be restored. One main proposal is to create infrastructure in this terrain vague by thinking in future residential development in private lots and services en public parcels. The current condition of this terrain vague is in the form of vacant lots, parking lots and residual urban spaces after infrastructure, such as spaces under the highways or huge parcels between highways intersection. Vacant lots w thout vegetat on Park ng lots Vacant lots w th vegetat on Res dual spaces under the h ghway
Proposal for a Sustainable City in Overtown, Miami Overtown is a neighborhood divided in three sections because of the construction of the highways. For the purpose of this study, these are the proposed limits: To the East, the limit is the Florida East Coast Railroad alongside NW 1st Avenue. To the West, from NW 7th Avenue. To the North, NW 15th Street. And to the South, NW 5th Street. THE GRID: Highways / Streets Blocks/ Parcels THE EXISTING BUILDINGS: S NGle and mult fam ly Res DENTIal / Retail / Civic THE PROPOSED BUILDINGS: Miami 21 reference: T4-3 stories / T5-6 stories / T6-8 stories / T6-12 stories / T6-24 stories THE INTERSECTION: Highways: Interstate 95 (North- South) and 395 (East-West) THE TRANSPORTATION: Metrora l / Overtown Station Florida East Coast Railway THE NEW PROGRAM: Under I-395: The Factory Under I-95: The Courts (next metrorail) Under I-95: The Market THE GROVES IN THE INTERSECTION Green way: pedestrian / bicycle THE COMMUNITY GARDENS: Public vacant lots for the gardens Green way: pedestrian / bicycle THE PROPOSED PARKS: New parks and current parks. Green way: pedestrian / bicycle
Building Strategy: A. An urban regional market under I-95 (between NW 8th St and NW 4th St) B. The factory, a type of co-working places for occupations as carpentry, forgery or even artistic workshops for the use of different materials and diverse crafts. Located under highway I-395 (between NW 3rd Ave and FEC). C. The courts and the new park under I-95 (between NW 11th Street and NW 10TH Street). The park will offer more green area to the West side of the neighborhood. 4. Main street and private vacant lots as future mixed use development, taking as reference Miami 21. Building Strategy Public empty spaces under I-95 converted into an urban regional market that connects the neighborhood Public empty spaces under I-395 converted into The factory, a co-working place for certain trades with retail
Green strategy: 1. For the parcels in the intersection between the highways I-95 and I-395, convert them into groves. In this way, we can help our ecosystem to have more trees and at the same time more goods for the neighborhood. 2. For the new mixed used buildings, new parking garages or new residential buildings, allow to have green roof terraces or even indoors patios to visually connect the green public spaces with the private ones. 3. For some of the public vacant lots, convert them into community gardens with ephemeral greenhouses. 4. Create green ways that connect gardens, parks and infrastructure. They can pedestrian only in some streets or tree-like boulevards. Green Strategy For the parcels in the intersection between the highways I-95 and I-395, convert them into groves Public empty spaces under I-95 converted into a new park with soccer courts and skate parks
Community gardens - greenhouses - green ways Community garden model
in Overtown,Miami elements in the community gardens: View 1 parcels solar panel canopy hot, cold and warm compost edible pond ephemeral greenhouse barbecue/grill/picnic area
Community gardens - greenhouses - green ways View 1 Green way that connects gardens, parks and infrastructur. It has elements such as bicycle lane, new line of trees and reduced car lanes. The tree-line along the street creates a boundary between the sidewalk and the garden and, at the same time, generates shade for pedestrians. Vines can grow in the community garden boundaries to create a green screen. The solar panel canopy and the compost generate energy resources so each community garden can maintain itself. The spaces under the metrorail are used for the compost containers and for the gathering areas.