Harkness Memorial State Park
Waterford, CT
Site Analysis
&
Programmatic Design Principles
•Site Analysis
•Programmatic Design Elements•Clients Requests
•Overall Theme – Watershed Drainage Basins
•Users of programmatic design concept
•Structural Architecture & Landscape elements
•Synthesis
Site Analysis
Location
•State of Connecticut
•Town of Waterford
•Shoreline neighbors
East Lyme
New London
Groton
•County of New London
•Town of Waterford
Location
Site PROPERTY LINES
Harkness Memorial State Park
•125 acres
•History : summer home for Edward & Mary Harkness – purchased 1907. Awarded to the state 1950
•Site features : ornamental gardens, nature preserves, 42 room mansion – circa. 1906
•Estate name : Eolia - Greek goddess of the winds.
Site PROPERTY LINES
Camp Harkness
•102 acres
•Program : specific for persons with disabilities
•Wheel chair accessible recreational facility
Site SITE HISTORY
- Landuse
•Bluffs – Rock Beach
•Upland forest
•Meadow
•Turf – Passive Recreation•Agricultural Land
•Preserves
•Ornamental Gardens
•Sand Beach
•Emergent Wetland* Wetland dominated by erect, rooted,
herbaceous hydrophytes- Ralph W.Tiner
Site SITE HISTORY
- Existing Structure
•Cabins, Recreational facilities •A.D.A. accessible playscape, parking lot & facilities area
CAMP HARKNESS
Site
HARKNESS MEMORIAL
STATE PARK
SITE HISTORY
- Existing Structure
•Mansion
•Water tower
•Green houses
•Parking lot
•Maintenance
•Caretaker
Site TOPOGRAPHY
Site WETLAND DELINIATION
Estuary Deepwater
Fresh water forest/PFO
Estuary Wetland
Map Sources:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
National Wetlands Index
Connecticut
Site HYDRIC SOIL
Map Sources:
U.S. Soil Survey Map New London county
Hydric Soil -
Soil that has standing water for significant periods and/or saturated at or near the surface for extended periods during the growing season.
Wetland Indicator: A Guide to Wetland Identification, Delineation,
Classification, and Mapping
Ralph W. Tiner
Site WETLAND SOIL
Map Sources:
U.S. Soil Survey Map New London county
Floodplain soil
Site SOIL TYPE
Map Sources:
U.S. Soil Survey Map New London county
Walpole Sandy Loam-
Poorly drained sandy soil. Permeability moderately rapid within surface layers.
Wetland Indicator: A Guide to Wetland Identification, Delineation,
Classification, and Mapping
Ralph W. Tiner
BUILDABLE /UNBUILDABLESite
Site OPPORTUNITIES / CONSTRAINTS
•Sensitive ecosystems
•Excessive parking lots, roads
•Excessive maintenance facilities
•Preserved historic landscape
Constraints :
Site OPPORTUNITIES / CONSTRAINTS
Opportunity :
•Buildable land with views
•Established vegetation
Site Forces
-Predominant winds from the east, south, and west
-Mean wind speed:
10.65 – 13.4 mph
Speed(ª) m/s = Wind power density
@ 10 m (33ft.)
9.8 + 11.5 /2 = 10.65 mph
@ 50 m (164 ft.)
12.5 +14.3 /2= 13.4 mph
WIND
Renewable Resource Data Center
http://rredc.nrel.gov
Programmatic Design Elements
•500,000 sq. ft. of building footprint
•200 parking spaces
•1 or 2 buildings
•Loading dock for ea. building
Clients Needs
Theme : Watershed Drainage Basins
Long Island Sound drainage basins
Southeastern
Drainage Basin
Harkness Memorial S.P.
Contextual water courses
Users of Programmatic Design Concept
•Non-for-Profits•Artist Space•Facility for persons with disabilities – Camp Harkness •Research Station•Cancer Center: radiation/chemotherapy treatment
Structural Architecture
& Landscape Elements
•Minimize structural exposure to the site elements
•Camouflage exposed structure with native plants indicative of the site
•Use new window technology to reflect and display site landscape elements
•Use low-impact design techniques for surrounding site landscape features
•Rain gardens•Porous pavers•Retention ponds
•Uncompetitive intervention within the existing landscape fabric
Inspiration - Structure
Inspiration – Architectural Style : Deconstruction
Philip Johnson’s - Glass House
New Canaan, CT
Baird House
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Ivy, Hedera spp., covers the cinder block structure
Inspiration - Windows
Amsterdam, Holland
Inspiration - Billboards
Billboard illuminated at night
Billboards during the day time
Material : vinyl banners
Baird House
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
See hardcopy master plan, sections, & models