This portfolio is a reflection of work completed while attending the urban planning program at DUSP. The work selected demonstrates skills and efforts that I feel will translate well as I enter the dialogue of planning. The majority of projects are abridged to highlight aspects that support this demonstration.

To view projects in more detail, please visit my portfolio website:www.stephenjameskennedy.com

All graphics and images were created by the author, unless otherwise noted.

Stephen James Kennedy

4 - 7

12 - 13 14 - 15

An urban design and redevelopment project rethinking a site dominated by surface parking and big box retail, from Eran Ben-Josephs introductory urban design studio.

magazine beach

cambridge, ma

16 - 17

A series of diagrammatic studies created as part of research for Eran Ben-Josephs recent book, ReThinking a Lot, on the history of surface parking lots.

parking diagrams

research assistantship

18

A New Orleans initiative to pair local artists with small business owners to design iconic neon signage to revitalize a main street, through Broad Community Connections.

iconic signage

new Orleans, la

Green stormwater man-agement infrastructure strategies for the former Mill Creek watershed, an initiative of the West Philadelphia Landscape Project.

stormwater mgt

west philadelphia, pa

A Site & Environmental Systems Plan for the east bank of the Harlem River, creating new public space and a greenway for residents of the South Bronx.

bronx waterfront

8 - 11

brOnx, ny

thessalOniki, greece

A proposal for activating Thessalonikis underuti-lized waterfront, using a system of public realm lighting and projection for cultural events.

astiko teatro

portfolio

2 - 3

19

atlanta, ga

An exploration with community members in defining an in-between neighborhood of downtown Atlanta.

lot & parcel

firm foundation

banjarmasin, indOnesia

A competition design that reduces physical vulnerability and enables endogenous development of the urban riverfront communities with a flexible kit of parts of gabion foundations.

the city of 1000 rivers: banjarmasin is undergoing turbulent changes, the city needs a firm foundation.

Banjarmasin sits at the southern tip of Borneo, where the Barito river empties into the Java Sea. It is the self-proclaimed City of 1000 Rivers. Although the actual number of rivers falls short of the thousand declared, it quickly becomes clear just how integral the river system is to the daily life of its citizens. More than 150 km of rivers, canals, and tributaries course through the city. The water is used daily for transport, cleaning, bathing, trade, recreation, production, and fishing.

Banjarmasin is currently undergoing many large-scale physical, economic and environmental transformations. Declining industrial

production has left behind a legacy of contamination and ecological damage on the rivers edge. Banjarmasin is growing but the city cannot keep up with this urbanization. Many communities live without utilities and basic infrastructure. The citys tidal levels are rapidly rising due to climate change. Residents battle with the waters everyday to maintain their wood-built homes and livelihoods. Firm Foundation reduces physical vulnerability and enables endogenous development of the urban riverfront communities with a flexible kit of parts of gabion foundations. The project engages communities towards stewardship of their neighborhoods and waterways with a participatory design process.

Firm Foundation provides a stable ground for the urban poor in Banjarmasin, reinforcing the livelihoods and cultural identity of the riverfront communities.

Self-Reliant URban DeSign foR RiveRfRont HoUSing

urbansos: water

aecOms student design cOmpetitiOn

teamsummer 2011

sOlO, indOnesia alice shay, bima putra, addina amalia

win

ner

o

f the

2011*

rainforest (1950)

Structural Support for adjacent houSing

physical stability

public health

ecology

a

b f

c g

d h j

e i k

localiZed WaSte collection point

regeneratedaquatic ecology

andesit

Boat harBor

SuStainaBle houSe-hold Water reuSe

Support for informal economieS

emBedded piping for houSehold Water

graniteenhanced puBlic realm

rainforest (today)

intermodal connectionS

Separated SeWage netWorK

grayWater Vegeta-tiVe filtration SyStem

gabion mattress base

3

partner organization

sOlO kOta kita

gabiOns prOvide stable grOund tO meet the

needs Of banjarmasins urban pOOr. this

urban design strategy increases resiliency

with a simple structural system.

scaled gabion stacking

above left: Gabions are a landscape device that can be easily constructed without the use of heavy machinery by community members themselves. Gabions arrive on site partially assembled in flat pack format with lacing wire and locking pins for permanent connections.

top: To mitigate these physical vulnerabilities, we came up with a simple structural system of gabions to increase resiliency. The gabions extend perpendicular to the shoreline in the spaces between groups of homes. Functionally, they reenforce the stability of housing, create new pathways, and enable the construction of platforms for waterfront activities.

above right: Local materials can be used to construct the gabions. Stone is a particularly enticing material option. Kalimantans rainforest lumberresources are nearly depleated. An alternative to wood is more sustainable.

resources of Kalimantan

a

b

d

c

k

j

k

i

i

gh

fe

*as the winning entry, firm foundation received $25,000 seed funding & will implement the first phase of the project in summer 2012.

to see the full proposal, please visit:

www.stephejameskennedy.cOm/wOrk/firm-fOundatiOn

several neighborhoods of west philadelphia are

built on the buried floodplain of the former mill

creek watershed. the city is gearing up to become the

exemplar of municipal stormwater management and

is eager for new applications of green infrastructure.

the water, landscape, & urban design studio at mit

analyzed the hydrological, social, and physical

conditions of these neighborhoods. through these

studies, we were able to develop new proposals for

infrastructure that has benefits beyond stormwater

management.

in addition to the natural hydrological system and

built environment, several public transit lines cross

through the project area. transit stops define nodes

that neighborhood residents use on a daily basis. bus

stops often coincide with the location of inlets at

low points on many blocks.

water, landscape, & urban design

west philadelphia landscape prOject

fall 2011

west philadelphia, pa

transit-oriented green infrastructure for stormwater managementmill creek watershed

project partner

ann-ariel vecchiO

Market-frankford

21 bus 31 bus 64 bus

eleVated rail line to SuBWay

pennS landing to 69th Street tranSportation center

city hall to 76th-city

49th-parKSide to pier 70

5heightmap & topography (top): the neighbOrhOOds lOw-lying areas

clearly illustrate the presence Of mill creeks buried flOOd plain. the lOw

pOints abOve were mOst likely part Of the mill creek bed, abOut 3/4 Of a mile

frOm the creeks mOuth at the schuylkill river.

the municipal drainage system (bottom): the philadelphia water

department uses sewersheds tO define primary flOws tO the municipal

drainage system. hOwever, tO understand the true drainage patterns in a

watershed, One needs tO lOOk beyOnd these engineered bOundaries.

to see more details from this project, please visit:

http://tinyurl.cOm/westphilly-stOrmwater

site hydrology

water, landscape, & urban design

west philadelphia landscape prOject

fall 2011

west philadelphia, pa

impervious & pervious coveragestormwater management

project partner

ann-ariel vecchiO

10%32%21%35.7 acreS

12%20.4 acreS 54.4 acreS 54.4 acreS

imperViouS perViouS

23%52 acreS

The high amount of impervious, or paved, surfaces in this area creates a large volume of water that flows directly into city sewers and, eventually, into the Schuylkill River. However, this also indicates that the implementation of stormwater management BMPs has huge potential to reduce sewer overflow events.

Given that multiple transit lines and transportation corridors cross the project area, the opportunity emerges to combine best

management practices for stormwater management with public and private transportation. BMPs can be incorporated into transportation infrastructure, can enhance public transit facilities, and can take advantage of large parking lot surfaces.

Furthermore, the fact that high volumes of commuter traffic flow along Market, Chestnut, and Walnut Streets every day makes BMPS along these routes highly visible.

+ + + =transportation infrastructure public transit surfaceparking lots stormwater bmpseffective

green stormwater infrastructure

7stormwater infrastructure designs

to see more details from this project, please visit:

http://tinyurl.cOm/westphilly-stOrmwater

run-off from the elevated rail line:

each sectiOn Of track cOntributes arOund 130

cubic feet Of run-Off during a 1 stOrm that is

sent directly intO the cOmbined sewer system

frOm dOwnspOuts in the track pylOns.

by discOnnecting the track dOwnspOut at the

base Of each pylOn, stOrmwater run-Off can be

diverted intO adjacent cisterns with a capacity

Of 950 gallOns - a vOlume that hOlds 90 percent

Of run-Off frOm each sectiOn Of track during

a 1 stOrm.

public transit green way:

fOur bus lines crOss the prOject area. because

mOst bus stOps in the prOject area dO nOt

have shelters and cOincide with lOw pOints

and sewer inlets On many blOck cOrners,

new shelters cOuld be designed tO divert Or

intercept run-Off frOm streets and sidewalks

befOre it flOws intO sewers. green stOrmwater

infrastructure alOng these highly trafficked

rOutes wOuld alsO be visible tO many residents

and can treat run-Off frOm relatively wide

streets.

stOrmwater stOred in cisterns can then be

diverted tO adjacent planters, which filter Out

harmful particles picked up frOm the tracks.

bronx, meet your waterfront plan

the bronx, meet your waterfront plan presents strategies that

reconnect the river to its adjacent communities.

After years of industrial use, pollution and heavy infrastruc-ture along the Harlem River have rendered the 8-mile stretch of waterfront mostly inaccessible to the bronx community. The City has already begun to bring attention to the Harlem River through

the recently completed Mill Pond Park and upcoming renovation of the High Bridge. This project seeks to capitalize on these major investments by creating a Harlem River Greenway that connects the wide range of experiences of the Harlem River waterfront, from manicured to natural landscapes and from industrial to residential neighborhoods. The Greenway winds its way along the Harlem River through the Highbridge and Mott Haven neighborhoods.

site & environmental systems planning

department Of urban studies and planning, mit

professorspring 2011

brOnx, ny eran ben-jOseph

the full project brings targeted improvements to four locations along the harlem river. together they form the harlem river greenway.

hb md p5 la

high bridge

macombs dam

pierfive

lincolnavenue

PIER

5W

ETLA

ND

PARK

SPEC

IAL

HARL

EM R

IVER

WAT

ERFR

ONT

DIST

RICT

LINCOLN AVENUE WATERFRONT

ROBE

RTO

CLEM

ENTE

STA

TE P

ARK

WAS

HING

TON

BRID

GE PA

RK

HARL

EM R

IVER

PRO

MEN

ADE

DEPO

T PL

ACE

HIGH

BRID

GE Y

ARDS

COR

RIDO

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HIGH

BRID

GE Y

ARDS

COR

RIDO

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MAC

OMBS

DAM

PAR

K-IT

PLA

CE

MIL

L PO

ND

PARK

Yankee Stadium

GatewayMall

High BridgePark

MacombsDam Park

FranzSigel Park

MullaylyPark

Joyce KilmerPark

HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FARMERS MARKET

LINCOLN GALLERY

BRONX MUSEUM OF THE ARTS

POST OFFICE

PREGONES THEATER

GAUCHOS GYM

1

2

6

MillPondPark

ANDREW FREEDMAN HOME

UNION REFORM CHURCH OF HIGHBRIDGE

MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE CENTER

AFRICAN DESIGN CONCEPTS, INC (KENTE CLOTH FESTIVAL)

HIGHBRIDGE VOICES PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL

HIGH BRIDGE STEPS

HIGH BRIDGE WATER TOWER

BRONX COUNTY COURT

BRONX TERMINAL MARKET

ALL HALLOWS SCHOOL

PS 91 / PS 11

THE HUB

NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL

PROPOSED HOTEL

NEW AFFORDABLE

HOUSING

PROPOSED MIXED

USE

3

45

2

52

4

6

4

4

B D

hb

md

P5

la

P5

bx Signi f icant BuildingsGreenway Parksother ParkswaterP roposed Developmentsinland routesHarlem river GreenwayS treetscape improvement AreasSubway S top2

9

our masterplan for the harlem river greenway presents a vision for how the four overarch-

ing themes eco-puncture, temporary activation, waterfront access, and infrastructure

adaptation might be integrated into specific contexts along the waterfront.

Through targeted investments in particular locations, the Bronx will see an expansion of and compliment to the existing open spaces and activity centers along the Harlem River. A non-traditional waterfront greenway with new off-street pedestrian paths and improved streetscapes will connect the waterfront to inland destinations and to the surrounding neighborhoods. This series of connected but diverse waterfront spaces responds to and cel-ebrates the infrastructure, culture, and history of the area, and provides a unique waterfront experience for neighborhood residents and visitors alike.

arch

00

TyPE

vEHICLES PER DAy

LANES OF TRAFFIC

harlem river

Water-front

rail corridor highWay

fringeforest

urban fabric

highbridge

NyC DEPARTMENT OF PARKS &

RECREATION

bronx, meet your waterfront plan

Transect studies of infrastructure and access around three key bridge interchanges on the Bronx Harlem River waterfront.

high bridge site details

The High Bridge, New york Citys oldest surviving bridge, is set to reopen to pedestrians in 2013. This is an opportunity to make stronger connections to the waters edge. Already there are plans developing to reconstruct the crumbling High Bridge Staircase and to develop a waterfront promenade. Our proposals use these developments as a catalyst to create a Harlem River Greenway between Roberto Clemente State Park and Macombs Dam Bridge and to strengthen upland connections to the Highbridge residential Neighborhood.

Proposed Depot PlacePedestrian Ramp

EXTERIORSTREET

EXTERIORSTREET

11high bridge site team

laura manville, dOminick tribOne

below: A dramatic elevation change separates the High Bridge entrance

from the waterfront. Inviting and clearly marked paths will make this

transition easier to navigate.

above: A set of historic stone steps connects the High Bridge at the top of the ridge to the riverfront at the base of this huge hill. Clearing out the underbrush and thinning out the trees will highlight the staircase and the elevation change.

left: The proposed gateway at 170th Street will extend the visibility of the High Bridge Plaza to visitors coming from the Grand Concourse or subway stations.

to see the complete bronx, meet your waterfront plan:

http://tinyurl.cOm/brOnx-waterfrOnt-plan

Thessalonikis waterfront is its most recognizable feature. The space is already active, particularly in summer, but lacks a romantic quality that would elevate it as a great space. Currently, it is used as an axis of movement from one end of the city to the other. There are few moments where there is an incentive to pause and stay. There has been considerable public realm development on the coastal portions of East Thessaloniki, but the city has yet to truly capitalize on the central waterfront as a critical asset. Wedged between two key nodes, the White Tower and the ancient port, and centrally anchored by the citys most important public space, Aristotelous Square, the embankment presents an opportunity to reference Thessalonikis historic predominance as the regions hub for transportation, industry, and creativity.

At the local scale, the waterfront is primed for place-making and the perfect setting for the city to expand, creating new venues on the water. At the global scale, it is a blank canvas on which to create a stronger image of the city. Astiko Theatro is an urban proposition

that attempts to address these two scales through the creation of an integrated system of event space and new media at the waterfront.

Astiko Theatro envisions Thessalonikis central waterfront as an urban theatre with all its principle components. Each component is manifested as a system of urban products for staging, lighting, and auditorium. This system creates new places and supports an already burgeoning creative events culture.

digital city design workshop

senseable city lab, mit

spring 2011

thessalOniki, greece

thessalonikis 21st century urban waterfront theatreastiko teatro

JAN FEB MAR MAY JUL AUGAPR JUN SEP OCT DECNOV

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

INAUGURAL SYMPHONY CONCERT

MEGALIPIRKAGIA

SUMMERREGATTA

DIMITRIACITYFESTIVAL

DOCUMENTARYFILM FESTIVAL

GOOD FRIDAY:PROCESSION OF THE EPISTAFIOS

PIXELDANCEVIDEO ARTFESTIVAL

BIENNALE OF CONTEMPORARYART

MEGLI EVDOMDA

INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR

ALKIONIDESMERES

facade asprOjectiOn surface

awnings asprOjectiOn pixels

water asprOjectiOn surface

professors

carlO ratti, dennis frenchman, assaf bitterman

JAN FEB MAR MAY JUL AUGAPR JUN SEP OCT DECNOV

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

INAUGURAL SYMPHONY CONCERT

MEGALIPIRKAGIA

SUMMERREGATTA

DIMITRIACITYFESTIVAL

DOCUMENTARYFILM FESTIVAL

GOOD FRIDAY:PROCESSION OF THE EPISTAFIOS

PIXELDANCEVIDEO ARTFESTIVAL

BIENNALE OF CONTEMPORARYART

MEGLI EVDOMDA

INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR

ALKIONIDESMERES

aristotelous squareparking

lot

white towerport

thermaikosgulf

astiko theatro(proposed intervention)

astikO theatrO is a

prOpOsed public realm interventiOn that

links existing Open spaces alOng the central waterfrOnt.

13

Thessaloniki is the creative and intellectual hub of the Macedonian region. A robust annual event calendar highlights the citys contributions in graphic design, contemporary art, multi-media production, international film, and music. Astiko Theatro can be incorporated into the citys program for large-scale redevelopment planned in anticipation of the citys 100th anniversary of the incorporation into Greece. The program has budgeted an estimated 28.2 million in 2011 alone for the revitalization of the citys physiognomy.

The flexibility of Astiko Theatro allows a customizable program for the citys full range of events and institutions. The system enables unique experiences throughout the year: from atmospheric conditioning for daily lighting in winter, to hosting outdoor exhibition space in conjunction with the convention center for the International Trade Fair, to stargazing nights hosted by the Science Center & Technology Museum.

a year Of events in thes-

salOniki. the city can utilize

astikO theatrO in a fOrmat

custOmized tO the unique

prOgramming Of each event.

to see the full proposal, please visit:

http://tinyurl.cOm/astikO-teatrO

urban design introductory studio

department Of urban studies and planning, mit

fall 2010 group members

cambridge, ma dOm tribOne, rOsie sherman

magazine beach mixed-use redevelopment

Dec March Junecourtyard apt building2mixed use tower1 rowhouses3 small apt building4 triple decker5 duplex6

building typologies

separated cOmmercial and residential entrances

individual tOwnhOuse entrance and parking

undergrOund parking fOr residents and custOmers

scallOped rOOf gardens

typOlOgy typical Of cambridge riverfrOnt near harvard square

u-shape allOws mOst units face river, cOurtyard, Or park

dOuble lOaded cOrridOrs One stOry Of undergOund parking with

additiOnal On-street spaces

unifOrm blOck feel 3-stOry street-facing units with back yards

individual entry semi-submerged parking Or rear lOt

mid-rise building single-entry with dOuble-lOaded cOrridOr

rear parking lOt with additiOnal On-street spaces

classic cambridgepOrt typOlOgy single-entry with dOuble-lOaded stairwell

rear Or side parking lOts with additiOnal On-street spaces

cOmmOn cambridgepOrt style individual entry

driveway and On-street parking

50 units 30-40 units single-family units 8-12 units 2-6 units 2 units

The 6.25 acre site is located at the southwest corner of Cambridgeport, a neighborhood that is bounded by the Charles River to the south and the west, MIT to the east, and Riverside to the North. The site faces directly onto Memorial Drive, a highly trafficked state highway. The site is also opposite Magazine Beach, a public waterfront park with both passive and active recreation, a public swimming pool, and a boathouse.

The site is at the intersection of a fine-grained residen-tial neighborhood oriented on a northeast-southwest grid and a strip of larger footprint commercial and institutional buildings and expansive surface parking lots that run along the Charles River. This plan will build on the existing residential fabric of Cambridge-port, extending both streets and housing typologies to Memorial Drive. Streets will converge in a new park. Microcenter and Trader Joes will be consolidated into a new, signature mixed-use building.

15

this plan will build on the existing residential fabric of cam-

bridgeport, extending both streets and housing typologies to

memorial drive. streets will converge in a new park. microcen-

ter and trader joes will be consolidated into a new, signature

mixed-use building.

Like Louisberg Square in Beacon Hill, Shell Square creates an intimate public yard for surrounding apartments and a green oasis for passive recreation. Large, setback apartment buildings with raised courtyards create an airy expanse along Memorial Drive. Bike lanes, planters, and parallel parking provide a buffer zone between pedestrians and fast moving traffic on Memorial Drive.

research assistanship with eran ben-joseph

department Of urban studies and planning, mit

publicationfall 2010 - spring 2011

cambridge, ma rethinking a lOt

parking lot studies

surface

lots

buildings

streets

illustrated diagrams tO

cOmpare area dedicated tO

surface parking in typical

american city centers and

strips.

new england town center

Midtown/downtown

suburban strip

chelmsford, ma

pulaski, va

tulsa, ok

orlando, fl

sMall town Main street

typical urban conditions

MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL

STRIP MALL

OFFICE PARK

BIG BOX RETAIL

CITY BLOCK

STADIUM

406 ft

17

several typOlOgies Of surface

parking explOring the relatiOnship

between usage, OrientatiOn, dimensiOn,

and typical cOnditiOns.

Big Box

retail

City

bloCk

multi-family

residential

strip

mall

office

park

sports

stadium

the iconic signage project relighting a new orleans main street

Iconic Signage Project (ISP) received $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support the revitalization of New Orleans Broad Street Main Street corridor by creating a cohesive visual identity. The Arts Council of New Orleans and Broad Community Connections matched the NEA grant to commission visual artists and designers to create neon signage for local businesses along the cor-ridor. Currently a hodge-podge of facades, the Iconic Signage Project will create a glowing cohesive visual identity for BroadStreet [State Highway 90], which is a vital East-West route through the center of the city. The long-term impact for them will be demonstrated through the continued improvement of Broad Street

as a vibrant commercial corridor through further street and facade improvements. As progress is made, iconic signage will ensure a direct tie to the vibrancy of culture and history that has been a part of New Orleans neighborhood fabric.

To support the ISP, I researched signage typologies, showing existing signage along Broad Street, as well as innovative signage from around New Orleans and examples from around the world. I created guideline to good signage, translating the dense zoning ordi-nance into diagrams and visuals so that participating artists and businesses can better understand complex signage guidelines.

public service fellowship

brOad cOmmunity cOnnectiOns

supervisorjanuary 2011

new Orleans, la jeff schwartz, executive directOr

Signage typology diagrams from the good guide to great signs, which also included visualizations of typologies, lighting methods, and general tips for signage design.

on exhibit at

curated by

archival ink

& translucent paper

On acid-free bristOl bOard

a memory mapof poncey-highland

burnaways inaugural

fundraiser at the gOat farm

& wOnderrOOt gallery

susannah darrOw

& christa tinsley spaht

pOncey-highland is an unusually unknOwn place given its

central lOcatiOn. mOreOver, even mOst Of thOse whO are

aware Of it wOuld find it difficult tO describe its bOundaries.

with that in mind, we decided tO investigate the variOus

definitiOns Of pOncey-highland that exist amOngst thOse

whO call it hOme. tO dO this, we asked pOncey-highlanders tO

make maps, frOm their respective memOries, Of the neighbOr-

hOOd. we culled Our representative frOm twO neighbOrhOOd

institutiOns, One new, One Old: manuels tavern and king Of

pOps pOpsicle stand.

their respOnses are depicted in tinted transparent paper On

Our map. the actual neighbOrhOOd bOundaries are indicated

as black hairlines: pOnce de leOn tO the nOrth, mOreland tO

the east, freedOm parkway eastbOund tO the sOuth, and the

prOpOsed beltline tO the west.

materials

lot & parcel

artists map atlanta july 2010

lOt & parcel atlanta, ga

19

in collaboration with

travis ekmark