(Thesis) Creating Space

8/18/2019 (Thesis) Creating Space

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MICHAEL WOLFSON : DIRECTOR OF THESIS

DENISE IVY DEA : THESIS ADVISOR

STACEY E POPPEL : DEGREE CANDIDATE

RECALL: Creating an architectural journey of visual cues tracing a series of spatial events that

take one through progressions of space, tying them together to re-experience the journey.

The purpose of this thesis was to test ideas of an architectural journey of visual cues with a new

school for the Visual and Performing Arts for the elementry level set within a building aimed to

maximize visability through the transparancy of space.

THE BOSTON ARCHITECTURAL COLLEGE

MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE

JANUARY 2009 THRU JANUARY 2011


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D E D I C A T I O N


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To all of my fellow January 2009 cohort col-

leagues : Thank you for making this journey

an exciting one - may we all fondly remem-ber our times in Boston and the fabulous

memories shared with our dear friend Sam

Adams. A special thanks to Jason Jordan

and Mike Vala - two amazing people who

have taught me to trust myself and have

condence in what I put out to the world.

To my advisor, Denise Dea : You have be-

come an inspiration in my life. I look forward

to continuely growing with you as my mentor

and I thank you for all the times you helped me

reach beyond what I thought I was capable of.

To the director, Michael Wolfson : You make

me think; to challenge myself. Just when I

think I have the solution, you spark

ideas of new possibility. Thank

you for always going above

and beyond to help

me in times of need.

To my Mom : You have always been a

strong support system for me and the per-

son I call rst to share the happy times andthe sad times. You are an amazing person

and I thank you for always believing in me.

To my Dad : Nothing makes me

happier than hearing you are

proud of me. Thank you for

always telling me this.

And nally, to Erica :

You have been through

this program with me

and have supported

me more than anyone.

Thank you for always tell-

ing me to believe in my-

self, it is because of you that I

do believe. I love you, sweetheart.

With love, Stacey


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INTRODUCTION

STATEMENT

denitions

terms of criticism

methodology

thesis abstract

background

THOUGHTS

sketch book

precedent

sketch problems

readings

PRECURSOR

site

program

DESIGN

process

nal scheme

CONCLUSIONS

CITATIONS

IMAGE CATALOGUE

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196


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f r a m i n g a m

e m o r y


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i n t r o d u c t i o n

e x p e r i e

n c i n g t h

e t r a c e o f a m

e m o r y


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I’ve been a spectator my whole life; fascinated

with the notion of watching others, observing,

wondering, daydreaming — One of my earliestmemories in childhood is in fact sitting on the

front stoop with my mother, watching, as the

other children of the neighborhood played to-

gether. I would sit with her and see how they

interacted, how they played; living in my own

mind through most of my earlier years.

This excitement, and curiosity about people

watching has greatly inuenced the types of

spaces I enjoy most, and those I wish to imag-

ine and create.

Being able to make connections with oth-

ers, people and spaces, using architecture, is

something I feel passionate about because it is

through these connections which we become

tied together in our experiences of space.

When I started my architectural career as an

undergraduate, I focused on creating both ex-

pressive and clear forms, always thinking about

the experience in it’s entirety — approach, en-

try, movement through, exiting — because it is

the journey to and from which makes the expe-

rience more memorable.


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It is never just about the new building to an

empty lot. Surroundings affect what we put

there, which in turn impacts the existing spatialqualities of the site. Everything new alters our

existing reality; everything removed therefore

does the same. It is this constant shift of what’s

present that enforces in me the need for con-

nection.

To RECALL what is around us, is to feel con-

nected to it. A past moment, a trace of a mem-

ory, that reminds us of what once there, allows

us to experience the present while seeing frag-

ments of what once was. These ties to the past

and present allow us to experience space dif-

ferently.

A photograph of me and my mother, taken in

1987 at our front steps (opposite top).

A fragment of an undergraduate project: Slav-

ery Memory, located adjacent to the John

Brown home in Providence, Rhode Island

(opposite bottom).

A photograph taken in downtown Houston. The

new afxed to the old - layering the present withthe past (left).


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Within one’s mind is a container of

memories waiting to be RECALLED. Toaccess those memories, we must create a

mental trace of the

components that we remember;

-- lling in the gaps --

as we attempt to re-create the whole

“Place, I repeat, is space that can be

remembered — that you can hold in the mind

and consider —

It is this capacity for being held in the mind

that allows places to accrue signicances that

are both intimate and public. They dwell in the

minds of individuals —

— they help in the development of shared con-

ceptions that bind our thoughts

together” 19

— MARK TREIB


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Architecture is not merely the spatiality of the

journey; it is the vessel for which the RECALL

is made. Because of this, the journey and

internal transformations of a person can be

translated into the architecture of the space. It

can respond to the emotions and needs of an

individual based upon the memories contained

within. The capabilities of space to make

connections with people is what creates our

collective subconscious, tying us all together in

the spaces we all experience.

1 The act of remembering internally traces a series of spatial events that takes onethrough progressions of space - the RECALL of these memories is dependant on one’s ability to

mentally re-materialize and connect the spatial experiences -tying them together to re-experi-

ence the journey.

RE-CALL

D E F I N I T I O N

The purpose of this thesis was to test ideas of an architectural journey of visual cues with a new

school for the Visual and Performing Arts for the elementry level set within a building aimed to

maximize visability through the transparancy of space.

S T A T E M E N T


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A sectional parti diagram illustrating the cyclical

nature of moving through a layered program-

matic space.


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Images of layers.


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The ground plane holds the memory of the urban landscape – it

is the urban palimpsest. It has ownership and sole possession

of that contained memory. However, by exploring ground plane

and spatially experiencing the layers of the past, we can start to

become a part of the history of the site and therefore become a

part of the collective unconscious of the land. One must start their

experience traveling through the ground – it is the way in which

one understands the relationship between the above and below.

Experiencing ground plane is the way of connecting the broken

link of the below world and the above.

In Houston, Texas exists a vast underworld. Pedestrian tunnels

that exist two stories below the street level contain a breed of pro-

fessionals who work in the city’s downtown. By the end of the work

week, these tunnels are vacated and forgotten until the hectic life

of the professional starts again on Monday morning. There is aneed for reconnection between these two places [above and be-

low], which will allow the memory of the ground to be seen, and

therefore, remembered.

Within Houston exists a trace of a building that rests on the outside

of the city’s downtown. Located on a predominately at and unde-

veloped area, this building stands tall, looking longingly at Hous-

ton’s skyline, as if it is begging for inclusion. Seen as a forgotten

element of the city’s border once the highway was establishedwhich consequently cut the ties between it and downtown, this

abandoned building contains within a vast history of use that is just

waiting to be exposed.

Lifting the ground plane to create the layers of built and occupiable

space, vertical movement becomes the point at which experienc-

ing all these layers is possible. Establishing this visual connection

at the point of common travel is one way that could tie the spaces’

inhabitants together.

The top most layer of the urban palimpsest traces human travel

through a site. Trace evidence left by every passer by becomes

part of the site’s history and connects the city with all of its’ inhabit-

ants. The ghosts of travelers past are always with us as we experi-

ence any site, sharing the path they once traveled. The importance

of being in the moment, as well as remembering the footsteps we

follow can be further enhanced if we are allowed glimpses of whatis to come. Providing the full scope of time in a way that is visually

accessible allows for complete awareness of the spatial self in

relation to the site as a whole.

“when the focus is not just put on the appear-

ance of the physical construct of cities but on

the intangible underlying spatial systems, deep

similarities between cities and human mind[can be uncovered]” 2 — AZIMZADEH BJUR


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A collage creating a visual of a passer-by walking

above ground — unknowingly, the surface below

[seeking attention] emits signs of life at the onlypoint in which it can escape — a city grate —


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There are aspects of the world which are

not remembered — contained within our

ground that occasionally sneak out : a

street grate releases steam from the sub-

way systems below providing that physi-

cal reminder of what lies below our feet.

The world below is one that is rarely ex-

perienced in the same sense as the worldabove. The two are separated by layers of

the past that have been covered over by

the detritus of the urban fabric.

What currently exists are lters in the

ground that decide what aspects of below

are revealed : the same street grate is a

lter which people usually avoid walking

on, further isolating the recognition of thememories below ground. By playing with

the materiality of the lter and making them

more inviting, feelings of curiosity would

cause individuals to seek out the thresh-

olds between the above and below, trans-

forming the space between from a forgotten

void without ground to an inhabitable place,

to re-establish that route of connection.


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The memory of the ground must be seen

and experienced, as the experience is what

our mind takes in to RECALL at a latertime. Therefore to fully experience this we

must travel through the layers of the land.

This would allow people to be reconnected

with the past; therefore re-establishing their

connection with the present. As occupants

of this world, we cannot fully grasp the re-

ality and complexity without a direct con-

nection — to bridge this connection is the

challenge.

Moving through the ground plane and

movement in general is a strong notion

when it is tied to a journey, as this insinu-

ates that there is something to be discov-

ered.

A path is a multi-faceted idea relating to

movement — a path should work with the

topography of the existing land as well asrelate to the history of the space. Alvara

Siza’s Galician Centre for Contemporary

Art is a good example that combines the

ideas of path, landscape, and history to

create movement and journey. Situated

“on a wedge of land between the rising

landscape of the gardens...and the dense

urban layout of the Medieval City...we ex-

perience the passage through...as a shift-in-between-zone.”2

The building becomes a lter for movement

that is a revival of the historical pilgrimages

that once took place on those grounds. The journey here is about the continuous move-

ment without a predetermined destination

despite the building’s internal path culmi-

nating on a roof garden that looks out onto

the city. Even constant movement needs a

moment of pause so one could take in the

journey, look out at the old city, and both

see and feel the connection to the past and

present.


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Momentary pauses of space along a path

provides resting places for people to inter-

nally digest. Because of this, memory ofthat experience is able to be processed,

and later, RECALLED.

While on these paths, trace evidence is

visible from every experience had, left be-

hind from our journeys. Humans imprint

themselves on the places they visit and

ultimately leave behind, and it is this fact

that ties the individual to the collective, the

people with the landscape, and ultimately,

the present with the past.

From a coffee cup left behind on a park

bench, one can gather that a person was

recently there, as physical evidence of their

existence was left for another to nd. We

can trace back that person’s steps from a

nearby coffee shop where that individual

more than likely purchased the coffee.

Buildings also leave behind marks of their

previous selves. “It is not uncommon for

the mosques of Turkey to stand on founda-

tions that are not their own.”3 If one were

to excavate any piece of land, memories of

the past would surely be uncovered.

The signicance of this in relation to thisthesis is that it shows how our current

ground plane that we build on, has a his-

tory - that no site is pure. Fresh coatings of

Earth of piled, erased, and evolving, mak-ing the upper layer of our land most open

to change. There are other types of ground

plane that are even more susceptible to

change : water.

Water’s reectivity and continuous move-

ment makes the water’s surface the most

ever changing ground plane. The edge ofground plane where water and land inter-

sect, is a condition that has great possibility

for change as well, and it is at these types

of edges that is of particular interest.

Plans of Siza’s Galician Centre for Contempo-

ry art. The movement through the plan is not

linear, but actually cyclical. (opposite above).

Exterior photograph of Siza’s Galician

for Contemporary Art (opposite below).

MiAS Arquitectes’ GRN/Banyoles Public

Space. Water collection elements are cut into

the pavers, which allows for traces of waterto be seen after most of the rain has dried.


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This thesis was built on the idea of nding the best medium to illustrate the idea. Often times,

ideas are conceived from the simplest of methods, the SKETCH. By sketching, you capture the

basic components of the idea, which are often times so rooted in the foundation they become the

element that is carried throughout. DRAW. By doing this, you explore the sketch in two

dimensions with an architectural framework. After this, MODEL what you feel is correct in two

dimensions, which allows you to see the problems, and opportunities you didn’t for see in the

drawing. The natural progression after this is to adapt the ideas and experimentations exploredwith the hand model, and generate a COMPUTER MODEL, which allows scale and site to

be explored. However, in order to fully allow your idea to be seen above the rendered image,

OVERLAY of the image is needed. It allows you to return to the SKETCH that started this pro-

cess of design development.


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1 are the foundations of the idea visible throughout the thesis

[ site : program : space : details ]

2 is there a sense of layered experiences which help to trigger memories

[ spatially revisit past experiences while in the present space ]

3 has materiality been explored for the layers of space to create different

memories of the same experience [ using materials to reveal : hide : expose ]


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Being aware of how you t within a larger context is the root of this

thesis. From there, the idea stems from being able to make visual and

mental connections between the spatial experiences. Imagining an

area of semi-enclosed space, where you are centrally situated, in the

middle of all possible visual connections, is a sense of many layers of

transparent space. The legibility within layered space starts with the

understanding of what is about to be experienced. For example, while

reading a dense body of text, the easiest way to understand the work is to

read the beginning [understand the basic ideas that the author is planning

to detail further] and to read the end [to determine how the author sum-

marizes the work] and it is your job as the reader to then piece together

all the points that connect the already understood ‘beginning’ and ‘end’. If

one were to translate this idea to how we may move through architectural

space, it would be an easy endeavor to start individuals at the entry [the

beginning of the work]; however, how does one usher the individual to

the end? Perhaps it’s just a matter of emphasizing the exit so that it has

as much impact as the entry historically does. Or perhaps upon entering,

you can visually make connections to those exiting and completing their

journey of the space, as it acts as a foreshadowing element in the design.

This notion of providing visual cues in the form of fragments of the journey that are to come, is what provides the trigger of memory in order

to create the recall of the space. This thesis focuses on creating expe-

riential spaces that link together and play off of each other, culminating

in progressions of space that lead you through from beginning to end.

It is about exposing a journey by isolating the layers of the spaces ex-

perienced and highlighting them along a path so that one can foresee

fragments of what is to come, and what was already experienced. By

doing so, the spaces provide visual cues of the journey, allowing one

to progressively establish recall. In addition to the importance of en-

try and exit, the overall site on which the building sits and in turn the

smaller details or connection points which structurally piece how

the building comes together, also contributes to the idea of recall. The

unication of two elements can also be seen as three layers of mo -

ments: two materials coming together and the structure in between al-

lows one to recall each of the elements separately but also holistically.

The trigger is a physical manifestation of a memory reminding you of

the past. This was spatially translated into layers of space emulating

from the abandoned building to the highway that originally broke the

connection to the city, and also from beneath the ground plane and

up. The idea of spatially layering both program [stemming from the

abandoned building] and movement is to obtain a sense of transpar-

ency, while still maintaining identity of each layer; one can experience

the space as it exists but also be inuenced by what comes before and

after. The uidity between the two is what creates the transparency.

How these triggers of space are manifested is through materiality.

Materials can change the perception of form, space and void. Re-lated to the varying levels of transparency needed to establish recall,

there is a need for glass to take on several roles: reectivity, translu -

cency and transparency. Other materials such as wood and con-

crete are used emulate the dichotomy of warmth and cold in terms

of emotional responses to space, and even water being used as a

building material to understand the temporary nature of a trigger.


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An important part in letting an idea

or thought grow is to constantly

draw it. You can see what evolves,

what is disregarded, and what is

constantly being recalled in your

own work.

By doing so, a natural adaptation

of the idea is manifested in the

simplest of forms; a sketch.

If any questions arise between the

idea and the design, the drawing

will reveal the correct path.

“The process I go through in the art and the

architecture, I want it to be almost childlike.

Sometimes I think it’s magical.”

— MAYA LIN


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t h o u g h t s


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Early studies or thoughts — some of which

were done prior to this thesis, but have evi-

dence of similar thinking — the foundation con-

tained within this thesis [memory and RECALL]

live in the roots of most of the work through-

out my undergraduate and graduate studies.

S K E T C H


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B O O K


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A concept collage. Pulling together various im-

ages, composing them on a page, then overlay-

ing in order to nd the inevitable connections

between the once dissimilar, individual pieces.


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One’s immediate and instinctual responsesto anything, whether it be games of word as-

sociation or reactionary sketching about a

spatial idea, performing a series of explor-

atory studies allows you to identify all initial,

biased ideas - get all your preconceived no-

tions on the table so that you, as a designer,

can evaluate all that you think you know. This

step is done often but perhaps goes unnamed;

however, by naming this step, you acknowl-

edge that the initial work does not signify truth,

but rather, an important collection of ideas to

fall back on. In a sense, this is a creative ex-

ercise in free association - the critical aspect

would be to not censor your mind but to put

forth all ideas, good and bad, strong or weak.

This diagram holds signicant value in this the-

sis. It was one of the rst diagrams created in

an attempt to draw “memory”. Seen as isolated

moments along many different paths, advanc-

ing towards the sought out for Memory is like

traveling through many moments along the way

- milestones are reached and identied as such,

and one has the ability to look back and remind

oneself of what moment they just experienced.

There were several times along this the-

sis where this diagram was RECALLED

because sometimes it is what you do atthe very beginning that you cannot escape

from. If these early ideas always seem to l -

ter their way into your current work, than it

is these ideas that are at the root of it all.

An early diagram depicting various memories

in space. Paths connect each memory, making

each individual component a part of the puzzle

which makes up the collec-tive whole.


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Concept Collage. A collage representing the

tunnel-like effect one experiences when at-

tempting to reclaim a forgotten piece of infor-

mation.


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Every line represented on a drawing has

meaning. What is particularly interesting

are the moments when the pen rst touch-

es the paper, and the point at which the pen

is lifted from the paper. It is at these starting

and stopping points that allow the viewer to

trace the lines as they were drawn; almost

bearing witness to the work being made.

By visualizing this, you are seeing beyond

what the work is; you are inserting yourself

into the work. Architecture, as well as art, can

have this interaction. In a space whose form

and materials create a dialogue, visitors can

appreciate the dynamic play of the material

space and start to understand the amalgama-

tion of parts the designer used to create it.

This play of space was taken down to the sim-

plest of forms, the line, and how manipulating theat paper can allow the same line to create an

imprint, impression or a edge condition that pro-

motes this kind of interaction and involvement.

The attened artwork . A 24”x36” size paper was

cut and folded at random moments. While fold-

ed, continuous lines were drawn in a variety of

mediums. Unfolded and attened, levels of line

clarity were seen, included areas which onlyhad impressions of lines created by the fold.


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Moments of the larger art displayed on the wall

in three dimensions.


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A look at some of the artistic and architectural

inuences that had an impact on this thesis.

P R E C E D E N T


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Mary Miss is a visionary artist, sculptor, and ar-

chitect. Many of her installations are located in

public spaces that allow the user to use their

own minds to connect the dots — there is a sto-

ry in her work, often times evoking the buried

truth of the site where her work is present.

The sense of Place is vital, for her installations

would have a different meaning if they were

elsewhere. This importance of place is some-

thing that gives great meaning to the work.

Within architecture, Site is something that

doesn’t necessarily mean Place. Place entails

uniqueness.

Site locates the Place, but does not dene it.

To create Place is to explore the site’s buried

history and to share the history with the public,

creating a communal experience that connects

us all.


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Maya Lin’s competition Drawing.

A simple but bold gesture. Maya Lin’s VietnamMemorial shows how we can make clear and

precise design decisions that also hold deep

meaning. This memorial has Place. It relates

to the locations of both the Lincoln and the

Washington Memorial; tying the design into it’s

contextual site while also threading together

history.


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Understanding the simple, yet powerful

design of the Vietnam Memorial in Wash-

ington, D.C. Creating a clear and clean

design move allows the user to compre-

hend the meaning, therefore allowing them

to have a more personal connection to it.

1 2 3

4 5


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Steven Holl’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

is about movement. Movement happens all

around, in between, and on top of other paths, the

majority of which are not knowingly connected.

However, if you overlay the paths of movement,

travel patterns are similar as seen in the diagram.

This is what RECALL is identied as here

- where one remembers the steps of pre-

vious steps traveled and then relates it

to another experience had in the space.

The idea of creating a moment above ground

that relates to an experience below is pow-

erful. It allows a connection among the nor-

mally disconnected. The ability to RECALL

a previous experience is within your active

memory. From this, your mind traces back

the steps leading to your present existence.

Photos of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.


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Watercolor Concept Sketch. A sketch complet-

ed by Steven Holl Architects. In the schematic

design of this museum, Holl was thinking about

the relationships of the movement below and

above aground.

Diagram of the circulation through the Museum.

Between levels, movement is only the same at

the vertical circulation.


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identify disconnection establish intervention create RECALL

Diagrams illustrating the intervention Holl

created in his design of the “moons.”


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P R E C E D E N T

institute of contemporary art

Diller Scodio’s ICA has become an iconic form

on Boston’s harbor walk. The building itself

folds onto itself, creating both enclosed spaces

above and below. One could trace this fold on

the facade and thus become more understand-

ing of the spaces of which the fold contains.

What is also unique about this building is the

computer room which folds down from the

cantilever. The slab of the computer room is

wrapped in the same material as the cantile-ver, so one could visually predict that this room

was created by a simple cut within the cantile-

ver. Being able to conceptually make your own

understanding of a building allows the building

itself to be more memorable because you put

your own interpretation on it and thereby own-

ing a piece of it in your memory.Photographs of the ICA. Overlays were done

over photos of this building indicating what a

viewer can easily enage about this building’sdesign.


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P R E C E D E N Tgenzyme center

Photographs of the Genzyme Center (this

page). Overlays were done over photos of this

building indicating what a viewer can easilyenage about this building’s design.


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Before the thesis idea was “named,” several

sketch problems were developed to explore

the ideas that were oating around. Once com-

pleted, an evaluation of each problem was

done to identify the core of the thesis idea.

S K E T C H


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P R O B L E M


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S K E T C H P R O B L E M

a ramp, a stair, an elevator

How one moves from one level to another can

alter the experience : a ramp moves you slowly

up or down, providing ease of travel and op-

portunity to focus on the surroundings : a stair

allows for a faster transition between levels but

can take focus away from the space because

of its’ nature to move people quickly from one

destination to another : an elevator provides op-

portunities to pause and view one’s immediate

surroundings.

After viewing such precedents as Mary Miss

and Maya Lin, a sketch problem was devel-oped to explore how these three different forms

of movement can be translated into the land-

scape. Each would require varying cuts into the

ground plane, which in turn would create differ-

ent lighting effects below ground.

A ramp created smoother and more dynamic

lighting patterns. What a ramp allows for is a

more gradual transition between levels. Indi-

viduals traveling on the ramp can focus on their

surroundings instead of focusing on their foot

movement.

A stair was a much faster transition into the

ground and did not require as much land re-

moval than the ramp; however, entering the

ground plane through a stair seems less grace-

full and movement between levels would be

more focussed on the steps than on the experi-ence of travel.

Traveling through the ground plane by eleva-

tor was a much less passive mode of move-

ment; however, the cuts in the ground plane

would create very focussed areas of light at a

certain time of day - because of this, one could

RECALL the time of day based on the light

conditions of the below.

A manipulation of paper study [pre-sketch prob-

lem]. Lines were drawn on the paper and cuts

were then made to create a fantasized illusion

of ramp-like elements. Putting these above a

light source emulated an underground source

of energy.


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A simple cut in a cardboard box to symbolize

a ramp. A peep hole on the back side of the

box allowed a photograph to be taken from the

inside to see the various lighting effects that

took place as the box was rotated in a room

[understanding how sunlight moving across the

sky can provide different lighting effects below

ground].


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Using the same box technique as the ramp, a

cut in the ground plane was then created using

a stair as a model. For this model, an additional

cut was made on the side of the box, showing

that people will travel towards the light and this

could be used as a natural way nding tech-

nique.


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Again using the same technique, a small cut

was made for a glass elevator to penetrate the

ground plane. Unlike a stair or a ramp which

can be more wide to accommodate heavy pe-

destrian trafc, if only elevators are provided

to bring people below ground, then several will

need to be provided. However, interesting light

wells are then created as seen in the photo-

graph [light directly overhead].


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Upon completing a sketch problem on ways of

entering the ground plane, there was another

question that quickly arose.

In Houston, Texas, twenty feet below ground

and almost seven miles in length, exists an

elaborate tunnel system that connects nearly

ninety-ve city blocks.

Although completely pedestrian in use, themajority of the users are the business popu-

lation working downtown Monday thru Friday.

The tunnels are closed on the weekends even

though there are a plethora of retail and dining

options that do not exist on the street level.

There is a world left behind not is not able to beexperienced; going by unnoticed. This sketch

problem aims at creating an experience where

the above and below are reconnected.

City of Houston Map . An overlay of an aerial

view of Houston and the underground tunnel

systems.


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RECALL is made through visual connection;

however, in order to have that visual connec-

tion, you also need opportunities for discon-

nect. It is the dichotomy of these elements that

allows one to realize when RECALL happens.

By creating a destination zone, the new metro

line, where you are traveling between the zones

aiming to be reconnected, you are constantly

aware of where you are in relationship to the

above and below. From the time you exit and

see the metro line again, you are reminded of

your experience.

Having spatial reminders of what you wish to

have RECALLED allows one to temporarily

forget the experience, creating the necessary

experiential dichotomy


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Rendering a 3D view at the intersection of the

metro line with a hand overlay, depicts what

it would feel like to travel through the line as

it slices through the ground plane, where you

could experience the above and below in the

same scenario.

m e t r o l i n e


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S K E T C H P R O B L E M

the memory container

Memory is not as simple as seeing something

as experimented with in the previous sketch

problem; it is about the approach and progres-

sion towards the idea, space or object that is

aiming to be RECALLED.

Different kinds of memory exist, and if we were

to physically manifest this into the built environ-

ment, they would need to be represented dif-

ferently.

Materiality is extremely important when at-

tempting to represent a memory. A memory, forexample, can be known, forgotten, discovered

or traced, and each would have different spatial

and material characteristics.

A known memory would be a space that is

simply open and exposed. It would be the gen-

eral understanding of the space one is in. A

forgotten memory may be a space that is

hidden from view; perhaps you can hear sounds

coming from the space so you are aware of its

existence; however, you are generally unaware

of its location. Adiscovered memory is more

about the journey to a space where the path

one takes is as memorable as the space itself;

one recalls the space but also the progression

towards it. Translucency of space would be a

suggestive way of eluding to spaces that are

to be discovered. It would be a way of spa-

tially hinting that there as spaces beyond; fur-

ther memories to nd. And nally, a traced

memory, which could be a space whose ma-

terials stretch beyond their normally contained

area. A ooring pattern that leads you to the

space and pulls you in, or a window into thespace where you can trace the way you get

there.

This sketch problem plays with materials while

walking through a sea of shipping containers

that have been transformed into physical mani-

festations contained memories.

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An aerial view of Head Island. This site was selected because of its proximity to the water. The

thought was that water could be explored as a building material. As a surface, water would have a

level of reectivity which would be constantly evolving — it would always portray the current, with

traces of the past being which are still physically present on the top most layer, the history of each

reection layered deeply beyond the surface. Shipping containers that currently inhabit the island

were thought of as memory containers — the transformation of these containers to accessible

memory banks was the aim in this sketch problem.

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Opposite page. The shipping containers were modeled and rendered in Archicad, then brought

into photoshop for overlay and collage. It was imagined what it would be like to experience the

container [memory] on all sides — if one were to travel above or below, how would the percep-

tion of the container change. A memory was thought of, for it’s physical manifestation, as a space

which completely reected it’s surroundings. You cannot see directly into it, but the reectivity of

the memory’s surface would provide the illusion of immense depth and continuous knowledge that

was contained within.

Experiencing the outside of a container on the ground level, a person touches the container and

all of their thoughts of what is inside become invisibly arrayed on the memory’s surface. The plan

of the existing shipping containers, as well as the traveling between resemble’s that of Eisenman’s

Berlin Holocaust Memorial, but instead of the solid masses, one would be able to inhabit the con-

tainer memories.

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Several articles inuenced the early

ideas of this thesis, and helped to iden-

tify potential program and spatial quali-

ties this thesis would need to explore.

R E A D

t h e s i s63


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t h e s i s63

I N G S

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Paul Rudolf’s Lindemann Mental Health Cen-

ter is an example of an expression of form and

material that does not consider the end user’s

comfort — he “made the building ‘insane’ in

order to express the insanity within.”15 The

hammered concrete walls that extend into the

building’s interior spaces become harmful to a

patient who attempts to tap the walls in order to

ground themselves in space.15

Architecture and the built environment have a

profound impact on our lives. Spending the ma-

jority of our lives indoors, it is inevitable that our

indoor environment can alter, or have the per-

ception of altering, our moods, attitudes, health,

and general well-being. However, the reverse

of this is also possible.

In an article, “The Architecture of Madness,”

Philip Nobel argues that our interior spaces,

and all the components that make up these

spaces, have great impacts on the building’s

occupants.

R E A D I N G S

interior environments that impact our lives

“the ‘wasted space’ of any building is ‘more im-

portant than that which is used’ because it pro-

vides ‘space for the subconscious.” 17

Photos of Lindemann Health Center. An interior

and exterior view. The building’s harsh exterior

texture travels inward.


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R E A D I N G S

creating a spatial memory

The architecture of Peter Zumthor as described

by Philip Urspring in his essay, “Earthworks,”

paints a romanticized memory of the approach,

entry and experience within the Saint BenedictChapel. Urspring states how his own under-

standing of Zumthor’s work was only what he

gathered through the infamous photographs of

this building by Hans Danuser.

However, upon visiting the site, his perception

of the chapel changes dramatically. Describing

moments such as “the effort of walking uphill,

the crunching gravel under [his] shoes,” re-inforces the notion that one’s experience of a

building starts before you enter.24

Upon entering, he realized that “the moment

of entry was not marked by a specic thresh-

old but by the sudden change of perception,”

and as Urspring moved through the space in a

spiraling fashion, which was delightfully discon-

tinuous to the linear movement in the approach,

he found a place to sit, to reect, “where the

memories of [his] trip to the chapel, the transi-

tion from the outside to the inside, the various

sensations, and the reection of the site blurred

together.”25

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“More than the legendary episode at the begin-

ning of Marcel Proust’s novel Remembrance of

Things Past—when the narrator dips a made-

leine into a cup of tea and experiences a ash-back to his childhood—was always intrigued

by another, less-known episode at the end of

the novel. Namely, the moment when the nar-

rator gives way to an approaching carriage in

a courtyard in Paris, steps back, and stumbles

against some unevenly placed paving stones.

He remains there, repeating the movement,

one foot upon the higher agstone and the oth-

er on the lower. He tries to gure out what this

movement reminds him of, while the passers-

by watch him with amusement. Eventually, herecalls the same sensation he had many years

ago and is overwhelmed with happiness: “It

was Venice.” The occurrence in the courtyard

evoked the feeling he had experienced as he

“stood on two uneven stones in the baptistery

of St. Mark’s.” What Proust describes—the tac-

tile sensation of the uneven ground under his

slow moving feet—is intrinsically connected to

what Maurice Halbwachs described as “spatial

memory.” And this spatial memory, I would ar-

gue, is a crucial component of the architectural

experience.” 25


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p r e c u r s o r

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The site was carefully researched on all dif-

ferent scales [macro & micro]. There was

a denite need to understand the site’s ex-

isting conditions, the surrounding area,

and the details held within the actual site

- nding RECALL at these different scales.

S I T E

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t h e s i s71

I N T R O D U C T I O N

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A collage of the site. The dominating force of

the site is the abandoned building, which sits

facing the highway and is surrounded by a eld

of at parking lots.

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The city of Houston is unrestrained; however,

the zone dened as downtown has very clear

borders, especially along the East edge, where

Highway 59 wraps around the edge of the sky-

line. This is where the site for this thesis is lo-

cated — on the edge of the freeway, on the op-

posite side of downtown Houston. The city ends

quite abruptly at this moment — all pedestrian

activity is limited to the West side of the free-

way, and scarcely is the underside of the free-

way crossed. The disconnection is increased

further because the site is currently littered with

the belongings of the homeless. There is a food

pantry to the North of the site, and a shelter to

the West, just beyond Minute Maid Park.

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h i g h w a y

D O W N T O W N

SITEfood pantry

shelter

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S I T E S P E C I F I C

The site’s existing occupants [homeless] reside

at this location because of the very nature of

the site’s meaning — forgotten pieces of soci-

ety who have ocked to this site, this building,

because it also represents a forgotten memory.

Thousands of commuters drive by this site on

the highway everyday — it is completely visible,

yet somehow is regrettably dismissed.

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R E C O N N E C T I O N

Such a disconnection creates a great opportu-

nity - reconnect the site with downtown, using

the highway as the connection or entry point.

The goal would be to transform the barrier into

a lter, one which brings people in and out.

One of the site constraints is that the site bor-

ders the on ramp to the highway; therefore, in

order to create continuous travel, there needs

to be access below the ground plane that al-

lows the lter to run independently of the trafc

above ground.

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S I T E : H O U S T O N T E X A S

at a glance

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8

abandoned building

minute maid

minute maid parking

highway 59

convention center

toyota center

downtown houston

buffalo bayou

Photos of the surrounding landmarks of the site.

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F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N

Houston is undeniably a freeway city. Layers of

vehicular trafc hover over the grounds, leaving

areas of the city impassable. Like many cities,

the highway wraps around the city skyline on

the East side. Not only are the highways occu-

pying the air grounds [space above the ground

plane], but the highways are also on street level

the majority of the time, making pedestrian traf-

c discontinuous at best.

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U N D E R G R O U N D

T U N N E L

Tunnels disconnect downtown’s street level ex-

perience; however, they do connect 50 down-

town buildings and parking structures 20’-0”

below ground. The only way to entry the down-

town tunnels are through the lobby or parkinggarages of the downtown buildings; therefore,

for many, these downtown tunnels are a mys-

tery. Only opened Monday through Friday dur-

ing normal business hours, there is a limited

population that ever get to experience these

spaces, which as one can see from the photo-

graphs [left], there is no connection to the street

level once you are inside the tunnels.

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C O N T E X T

t h e s i s85


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D I A G R A M S

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L I N E O F I N H I B I T I O N

This diagram looks at the aerial view of down-

town and the thesis site. The highway contin-

ues to travel North upon leaving the site, where

there is a very clear division of developed and

non-developed land.

The highway establishes height zones between

both dividing sides. It acts as a breaking point

for both height and scale of buildings which pro-

vides the necessary relief between large scale

dominance, but also creates a spatial barrier.


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This diagram indicates the three major public

buildings that exist along the line of the freeway.

Major functions that reside along the freeway

branch out from the highway and bleed back to-

wards downtown. Because the highway creates

a barrier, scattered pieces of leftover land and

buildings are seen throughout Eastern down-

town.

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This diagram clearly shows the uniformity of the

city block on the East side of the freeway, ex-

cept in the area directly adjacent to the thesis

site. This is because of the more residential and

small business development in East Houston.

The scale of program changes dramatically

across the highway. Feeding one site of the

highway are major public functions; however,

adjacent to the thesis site is primarily standard-

ized city blocks consisting of parking, empty

lots and residential.

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SITE

t h e s i s93


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H I S T O R Y

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R E C A L L T H E S I T E

examine the past for possible re-use

The abandoned building that sits on the site

was either an industrial or warehouse building

that supported the train tracks and Union Sta-

tion which are adjacent to the site. Once a ma-

jor hub of the city, this location was at one time

contained by the dominance of the train tracks,

ironically a similar condition to today’s restric-

tions due to the highway.


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redevelopment of a larger site

The site is located in the historical political

district called 2nd Ward. With the construc-

tion of the freeway which aided in people’s

work commutes into downtown, there was an

added level of interest to live downtown. Existing

buildings started converting to loft spaces,

which attracted younger generations to the 2nd

Ward. While the freeway brought people into

the city, it paralyzed the pedestrian activity inthe area adjacent to it. Back when this area

was in full production, there was a plethora of

schools to accommodate the growing popula-

tion in this area. Little by little these schools

closed down or were converted into different

programs because there was no longer that

need. However, since this area is beginning to

be more populated, and the city is investing of

the redevelopment, there seems to be a need

once again.

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These photos show various evolutions of the

surrounding site as a result of the construction

of the highway.

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public art plan

The City of Houston developed a master plan

for their vision of Houston’s future. The plan

aims to reclaim the waterfront of the Bayou,

part of which is below the intersection of two

major highways.

What is most interesting about the plan the city

put together is that the redevelopment does not

continue past the highway.

Although the art walk runs parallel to the high-

way, by not including the highway redevelop-

ment, it hinders the 2nd Ward of Houston abil-

ity to connect back to the city. At some point aplan development does need to have a stop-

ping point; however, by doing so at the strong

division line of the highway, an even stronger

barrier, or containment exists.

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This map is a part of the City’s Public Art Plan.

Its focus is to beautify the Bayou and create a

welcoming waterfront, but also to connect Dis-

covery Green, situated across from the Con-vention Center.

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SITE D I


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exterior movementOn the existing facade of the abandoned build-

ing, there is evidence of human activity. Theexterior re stairs add a layer to the facade, as

does the existing grafti painted on the bricks.

If one can identify these components as layers,

they could isolate each layer, pull them apart,

and the re-trace [re-imagine] the steps one

took to do the grafti. This ability to trace move-

ment is a form of RECALL. If you can visualize

something that is not there in the present, than

you are in essence, remembering. Now if morethan one person does this same thing, it is an

act of collective memory, which as it relates to

this thesis, means that all those who are a part

of this collection, are linked together, subcon-

sciously.

Another aspect seen here is the exterior move-

ment — the existing stairs represent a possible

re-animation of this facade by exposing the cir-

culation.

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This exploded diagram isolates layers on the

existing facade in order to identify the impor-tance of exposed circulation. Whether people

are actively using the stairs or not, by expos-

ing circulation, we as potential occupants of the

space can visualize ourselves moving in the

space, then when we actually experience the

space, we can RECALL the previous visualiza-

tions had and compare the pervious experience

with the actual experience.

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existing layers within the fat siteShifting to the ground plane, the site on which

the abandoned buildings sits is perceived asat at rst glance. However, when one takes

the time to examine the ground is actually

made up of several partially coated layers.

These fresh coatings of pavement spark the

curiosity that something is being covered up.


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locating the lifeThe site also has traces of plant life that are

visible - coming through the cracks of the ma-terials on the groundplane, and even above

the groundplane. These traces were typically

documented where there was a separation

of materials, or when two dissimilar materials

came together. Again, this resurfacing of life is

evidence of the life below that is seeking to be

RECALLED at the surface.

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These are photographs taken from the site, with

enlarged pieces to indicate that even though

the “‘life” is a small part of the whole, it does not

go unnoticed.

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The ground plane is not a singular entity. It is

composed of many distinct layers which is seenon the site. These layers are constantly shifting

and moving, and when they do, layers below

are revealed. These shifts promote the activ-

ity of cracking, which reveals that the top most

layer of the ground plane is the weakest. By be-

ing witness of these planes within the ground,

you are RECALLING the different layers of the

ground. Part of RECALL is the ability to iden-

tify a multitude of components ; however, thisknowledge is only valuable when put together

to form the RECALL of the whole


locating the life

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An exploded axon of the layers of the ground-

plane.

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While walking around the site, several voids

in the groundplane were identied. Lo-cated by either entry points or stairs, they

were found where there was evidence of in-

creased foot trafc. These holes, drew interest.

These voids, at their most basic root, are em-

bodiments of Maya Lin’s work. The way she

carved out land in the ground plane, yet the

voids did not read as empty holes, but as a

part of the continuous ground plane [recog-nizing that the ground plane is not a plane,

but a mass of space that can be inhabited].


voids in the ground plane


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Site photograph of the existing void. Shown

above is the same photographed with the drawn

in mass one can visualize on the site.

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During the entire thesis process, the program

changed several times. In trying to identify the

correct balance of new program and PUBLIC,

the plan for the new building turned to an art

school, with a plan to directly connect with

Houston’s Public Art Plan, establishing the

link needed to ensure the abandoned building

and its site is no longer a forgotten memory

PRO


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While trying to physically manifest ideas of RE-

CALL into architectural space, what needed to

be articulated was distinctive destinations. By

isolating space and distinguishing these as

areas of designation [Place], one has the po-

tential to identify these as memorable. The act

of someone recognizing Place sets up the po-

tential that they can then trace their experience

and in turn, re-live the experience.

Moving between program pieces to these iden-

tied spaces of Place becomes an important

program element in and of itself. The intersti-

tial spaces between Places become a part of

the program because it is during the movement

between where moments of rest and reection

can take place. It is in these spaces where it

would be necessary to have a sense of lay-

ered translucency throughout the building in an

attempt to remind the user of the Place they

came from, and provide a glimpse towards the

spaces they are headed to.

An inspiration of what not to design comes

from our daily encounters with maze-like ofce

buildings. In trying to maximize space and head

count, what is often overlooked is providing

workplaces that engage us, rather than isolate

us. In looking at the trends of recent college

residency design, there is a focus on the com-

munal and the individuality of space in order to

distinguish and make special.

Going back further in terms of the age of occu-

pants is the K-12 school system; at this age is

when we are most open to change and it is here

which, if given the opportunity, we can create a

strong foundation for the ways in which space

can foster our visual selves.

The establishing of spatial RECALL needs to

take place at the onset of learning; at a time

when children’s minds are visually oriented,

and their learning could be fostered by design-

ing with RECALL of space, as well as knowl-

edge, in mind.

D E V E L O P I N G A

P R O G R A M C O N C E P T

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RECALL of information can most easily be ac-

cessed when one has or can make a visual

connection to it.

Like with any piece of information that one

comes in contact with, if we can place a men-

tal image to associate the information with, the

chance of long term RECALL is increased.

Using a cell phone interface as a model for the

different ways one can organize visual informa-

tion, the Blackberry, like most cell phones, or-

ganizes information in a stacked format which

one has to scroll down to navigate. What this

allows is the ability for the user to read one

piece of information at a time.

However, if one were to look at the KIN cell

phone, there is a drastic difference in the in-terface. Visual information is not shown in a

stacked form, but is spread out in a partially

layered fashion. This interface was developed

with the younger generations in mind, as kids

have shown that they best understand informa-

tion when it is displayed in this manner.

Image of a Blackberry Storm phone.

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Image of a KIN mobile phone.

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place

place

place v e r t i c a l m o v e m

e n t

v e r t i c a l m o v e m

e n t

disconnect

disconnect

disconnect

disconnect

Diagram of a standard rectangular building with self contained levels, enclosed circulation, which

creates a disconnect between the levels of space.

Opposite page. Concept diagram of a building which is more open and visible. That which is self

contained still has a level of interaction with the whole, so that one never feels the disconnect, and

can always understand where they are in relation to the whole.

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f o r m u l a t i n g

i d e n t i f y i n g

t r a c i n g t h e p a t h

place

place

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R E C A L LEXTERIOR SPACE + PUBLIC + SITE HISTORY + ART

P R O G R A M :

art school

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After completing an analysis of site, studying the history of the land both

in terms of usage and potential, and understanding the current needs of

the area, a program idea started to develop. However, in order to ensure

longevity, as clearly this site has seen failed attempts at successfully es-

tablishing a stable program, an element of solidity needs to be added

to the mixture.

The demographics of this site consists mostly of young profession-

als either renting or rst homeowners, who located close to Houston’s

downtown due to the attractiveness of the nightlife and culture. Young

families also occupy the area. The City of Houston, as seen in the Public

Art Plan, is making attempts at animating this area of the City which has

a lot of residents but somehow has little pedestrian activity. It sought to

clean up the Bayou and add interest to the water by the now luscious

bike paths that follow the Bayou and travel under the freeway system.

This is an attempt to reclaim the land that was once lost and to celebrate

the beauty that could be.

However, the Public Art Plan has yet to nd a continuos path through the

city, with no real ties to any large program hub.

Therefore, in direct response to the needs of young families in the area

as well as the creating of a public core that can tie both the wishes of

the City and the interests of the residents, a public art school, located at

2017 Preston, is proposed.

Including the public as well as local artists, opening up the studios and

galleries, and bridging the once disconnected land caused by the devel-

opment of the highway, will create an open program that will thread the

past into the present and create both a destination as well as a link for the

City to RECALL the past and reclaim the forgotten memory of a building

that currently stands as a reminder of what once was.

P U B L I C

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establishes a Place to look back atthe experience - ability to observe all

program elements

area of work and display - workrooms to be

more contained so that exhibit space can be

highlighted

public & school interaction - artists to rent outstudio pods beneath highway - becomes the

node at which interest is drawn from either side

of the Line of Inhibition

live in artist residency - dorm housing for

summer programs - transition of work to play

important

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process is all about experimentation. you need

to investigate a multitude of options before

nalizing any decision. so when it comes to

design, we should never be satised with our

rst iteration. the best designs come from a

process that exemplies adaptation.“My goal is to create works that attract people to

possiblity where and as they live. The

development and realization of art in public is

a dialogue with a place and its time land and

sunstance, its past, its people,

the future they create made new immediate,

and somehow timeless.”

— NOBUHO NAGASAWA

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d e s i g n

128

l

s existing building


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An early study model was done to understand

the potential relationship between the existing

abandoned building and the new building. The

concept became to extract the hidden energy

held within the existing and pull them into the

new building, by means of pedestrian bridges.

Earlier diagrams of the existing building indi-

cated evidence of vertical movement along the

existing facade; therefore the idea for the new

building became to manage that existing move-

ment but contain it in an enclosed fashion - this

interstitial space would be the link that connects

the existing facade and the new building.

Given that the ideas of RECALL being explored

and the inevitable ties to the past that exist, the

new building, regardless of program, needs to

tie back to the abandoned building. In this mod-

el, a structural arm extends over the old and

reaches over to hold the new, as if the new is

supported from the old, from the past, of which

is needed in order for the new to even exist.

[ P R O C E S S ]

massing the old and new

b

u

i

l

d

i

n

g

m

a

t

e

r

i

a

l

building “arm”

new building

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With this same study model, what also needed

to be addressed at the onset of design is the

interstitial space between the existing building

and the new.

The quality of how to move people from one

building to another would be crucial. Perhaps

a necessary break and division between the

two spaces would help the subconscious re-

ect - aesthetically the spaces would have dif -

ferent qualities and the only way to understand

the signicant differences would be to have the

space between a space of cleansing, the space

at which one RECALLS the previous space.The bridges would activate the existing facade,

and at the separation of buildings one would

see people traveling between, as if there is a

window within one building that allows you to

see this activity which would normally be con-

tained. The actual slab of the bridge would ex-

tend into both buildings, where the facade of

the new would wrap under to give the appear-

ance that the bridges were being pulled fromone end to the other.

[ P R O C E S S ]

massing the between

e x i s t i n g b u i l d i n g

B R I D G E

new

Sectional Diagram depecting the need for a

bridge to connect and embed in both the exist-

ing and the new.

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Model View . Early model of the bridges — the

oor slabs appear to stretch from one to the

other, linking both the old and new buildings

with this interstitial space.

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[ P R O C E S S ]

massing the whole

A second study model was developed to fur-

ther investigate the massing of the design. The

advancement of the structural arms to several

bays expressed an insinuation of a continuous

wrapping of an element - some of which can be

seen above ground, but the other would be con-

tained underground. Hits of this activity below

ground would be evident on the ground plane

- disrupted elements in the earth mimicking the

movement below, [RECALLING], would be

made aware once a person reaches the view

corridor. This program element was developed

as an ending piece, a place to reach where one

could look back, reect, view, RECALL, the ex-periences they just had, and re-experiencing

them internally -

Another element being explored is that of oat-

ing masses, as they create shadow imprints of

their hovering footprint on the ground plane.

This imprinting allows the mass from above to

be RECALLED below during the day.

[IN PROCESS]

[PRESENT]

[ACTIVE]

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Model Views. Early model showing the ad-

vancement of the structural arms wrapping both

the old and the new. From the view corridor, one

can travel parallel to the layers of old and new.

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[ P R O C E S S ]

RECALL the implied

Collage. From the previous model, the idea of oating planes became an important aspect in the

design because the hovering created an imprint of the form above with a shadow on the ground-

plane. This collage shows how lighting on the groundplane and one the underside of the elevated

plane could mimic this imprint at night.

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Superimposing on the ground plane from

a mass above signies a connection to the

ground without having to touch it. In the collage,

a rough texture on the ground plane is what is

left over when the mass above is lifted. At night,

exterior up lighting and down lighting around

the perimeter would reinforce this connection,

and would dene exterior spaces.

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O th f d f th b d d b ildi i t [ P R O C E S S ]


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On the facade of the abandoned building exists

exterior staircases [re stairs].

Within the interstitial space, circulation would

exist both horizontally between buildings but

also vertically. Centralizing this would coerce

people to this location - essentially what this

now does is impose both buildings, subcon-

sciously, to always remind us that the other ex-

ists. Contained in one building too long wouldinadvertently lose the connection between the

new and the old. By the constant reminder that

both exist within the whole, each building can

be RECALLED every time movement within

the building takes place.

[ P R O C E S S ]

exposed circulation

Elevation of vertical movement . As seen in

the Genzyme design, exposing and central-

izing vertical circulation paths allows one to

be a part of the different levels of the space

simultaneously.

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Bridge Diagram. Experimenting with the facade

of the old wrapping on one side of the bridge

while the facade of the new wraps the other

side - the two merge together to create the new.

Rendering of vertical movement (opposite

page). As the design progressed it became

important for the vertical circulation to be in

the interstitial space facing the existing facadeof the abandoned building. This became the

way to constantly RECALL this once forgotton

memory.

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140

As the design advanced the structural arm that [ P R O C E S S ]


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As the design advanced, the structural arm that

extends from the existing building and above

the new building formed a new meaning once

it was determined that this arm was to be oc-

cupiable. Although still conceptually structural,

the arm evolved into a ribbon - an element that

would thread together the new and old, the

above ground and below, and the 2nd ward

with downtown. As the ribbon ties each com-

ponent together, a new level of RECALL will be

reached.

[ P R O C E S S ]

transformation of the ribbon

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Sketches Exploring the composition of the rib-


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Sketches. Exploring the composition of the rib-

bon. The design of the ribbon’s structure is in

layers to mimic the internal layering within the

building.

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[ P R O C E S S ]


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[ P R O C E S S ]

creating the ribbon

Model. Viewing the ribbon on multiple sides

and its relationship to the underground.


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[ P R O C E S S ]


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[ P R O C E S S ]

layering interior spacesleep

work

The development of the interior oor plan was

designed in layers, and meant to provide tran-

sitions between where one sleeps and works.

Between the existing and the new building

would be a layer of exterior space one must

travel through. This interstitial space provides

a relief between the stresses of work and the

relaxation needed before rest.

Within the interior of the building, circulation

space would be both centralized and highly ex-

pressive, as it is in these spaces of travel that

you would RECALL the vertical layers of the

spaces that also exist within the horizontal.

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Both the program and the massing design has certain dichotomy’s that exist which allow for progressions of spatial

movement to have interesting dialogues. The program has both working and living components which sets up a need for the

relationship between the two to have distinct separations; however, it is more than just isolating different program elements. The need

is more for a progression from private to public, playing with layers of transparency between the progression that never really allow

for any main program piece to feel isolated. As you travel from living to work space, you have the ability to always look forward and back.

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r e c a l l 150


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F I N A L

t h e s i s151


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S C H E M E

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S I T E P L A N


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scale 1:200

h i g h w a y buffalo bayou

SITE CREATES THE LINK BETWEENTHE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE

BUFFALO BAYOU (PUBLIC ART

PLAN) AND DISCOVERY GREEN

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minute maid parking lot

Site plan. A plan was developed to facilitate


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minute maid park

discovery green park



movement through the highway barrier. The site

is boarded on the Southwest by the on ramp to

the highway. High trafc on this road prevents

pedestrians from crossing freely. By creating a

tunnel which has the possibility of connecting

to the larger tunnel system within Houston’s

downtown, travel between the two sides of the

freeway is done so easily.

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S E C T I O N : east — west


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scale 1:30

Site Section. Indicates the threading of the

ribbon element from east to west across the

site.

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F I R S T F L O O R P L A N


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scale 1:50

entry

view corridor

connection bridge

tunnel exit

gallery space

performance space above

performance space above

the entry modifies the back of the abandoned building on the first two

levels - one walks between the existing building and the new ribbon

elements which touch the ground in a way which allows one to see how

deeply rooted the ribbon element is threaded through the site

upon exiting the tunnel, one is able to either enter the gallery space on

their left or travel through the site on the right. the way one moves up

and down the ramps within the tunnel correlates to the movement of the

ribbon itself, which one is witness to as they reach this point and

understand that the form on which they were walking on extends up and

becomes the enclosure of the tunnel itself

highway on-ramp

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F I R S T F L O O R P L A N

l 1 50


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scale 1:50

art studios

ribbon enclosure

art studios below

tunnel entry

landscape mimics street edge

of adjacent lots

landscape continues column line

ribbon elements unfold

ribbon bench

the art studios are built into the ground — the layout echoes the ribbing

structure of the highway above which can be seen from below by skylights

[in the same shape as a “rib”]. the studios are built along a corridor, meant

to resemble an art bleed on paper

the ribbon which extends over the building unfolds in the landscape on

this side of the freeway — the concrete formed structure creates benches,

signage opportunities and overhead structures which help to define zones

Documents

(Thesis) Creating Space