Maria Nefeli Pantou
01
Boston Fashion House
02
Cambridge Branch Library
03
Cafe, Christian Science Center
04
Visual and Performing Arts School
01 Boston Fashion House
Sectional abstract models solid vs. void
A central void provides the main circulation through the use of staircases and interior balconies. The social interaction and exposure between the public and private spaces is enhanced following the concept of ‘see and being seen’. In addition, the selected zoning strategy offers physical light to enter at the core of the building. The rest the program unfolds around this central void so to communicate efficiently with the main circu-
boston fashion house The School of Fashion Design is seeking a new building design to attract students and professionals. Being on a significant commercial and residential location, at Newbury Street, and occupying a building footprint of 24’ x 60’, it is necessary for the new school to have a vivid public character and to enhance its exposure from the street level. The focus of this new development aims at making the Boston Fashion House an academic and cultural center of fashion design industry by incorporating classes and studios, as well as multipurpose and exhibit spaces.
Concept model site infill
site in section
The program consists of residential spaces for visitors, academic rooms, services, storage facilities, and spaces for gathering, exhibit and fashion shows.
1 commercial Level 1 : Exhibition/Store and Multipurpose
2
Level 2 : Studio and Lounge
academic Level 2 : Studio and Lounge
3 residential Level 3 : Studio and Classrooms
4 Level 3 : Studio and Classrooms
Program
Diagram 2 : Circulation
Central void in section
Section 1
02 Cambridge Branch Library
U r b a n R e s p o nse
cambridge branch library The Cambridge Public Library seeks to expand by building a new branch library at Massachusetts Avenue and Landsdowne Street, Cambridge. The site rests among retail and residential developments and is easily accessible by public transportation. The main purposes of this new branch is to provide books, function as an educational institution offering up to date technologies, and being used as a public space inviting all the different population groups of Cambridge. For this reason, an outdoor space is required in the site to be used both by the library users and the general public.
Potential Site
Creating a landscape zone as an outdoor space
Creating a plaza ‘pocket’ to serve pedestrians
The most program of the library is divided between the collections of books (30,000 volumes) and the reading rooms. The ‘reading balconies’ function as secondary reading zones that overlook the main outdoor space.
reading balconies
outdoor area
lower floor reading area
upper floor reading area
Reading areas surrounding the bookstacks
Bookstacks zone in all 3 levels
Books
The books become the emphasis of the library. Their location is at core position in the building and in the site. The rest of the program (reading zones, services, and the outdoor space) rest around the books’ location.
The bookstacks zones store all the book collections of the library. Part of these zones, extrude out of the reading areas and the rest of the program, as a way to be distinguished as a public library and function as a physical barrier between the reading areas.
GROUND FLOOR Scale: 1/8”=1’
telecom closet
exterior dock
office 1 mechanical room
office 2
office 3
office 4
bookbinding room
classrrom
up
up
conference room
auditorium
up
online catalog workstations
up
down
circulation/info desk
computer /research area ENTRANCE
reading area
GROUND FLOOR Scale: 1/8”=1’
1
office 1
office 2
office 3
2
Second floor: Administration and Reading Area Scale: 1/8”=1’
office 4
bookbinding room
up
Third floor: Children’s library and Reading Area Scale: 1/8”=1’
reading area up
down down up down
down
reading area reading area reading area
3
Third floor: Children’s library and Reading Area Scale: 1/8”=1’
4
03 Cafe, Christian Science Park
Keeping the main circulation path of the site.
cafe, christian science center The creation of a small seasonal cafe at the Christian Science Plaza, is intended to invite and gather people. The plaza is characterized by the rows of linden tress, a reflective pool, a fountain, and secondary landscape elements, located along Huntinghton Avenue.
Circulation Analysis The rows of tress promote a linear/horizontal and parallel movement through the site.
The trees create two parallel pedestrians paths: one between the road avenue and the trees and one between the pool and the trees.
In between the trees; where the cafe is located, alternative movement paths are encouraged.
Engagement with the landscape
The interior program of the cafe (indoor seating) is located in the rows of trees as an effort to integrate the cafe with the existing landscape. In this way, the trees inside the cafe, become part of its architecture.
Parallel horizontal walls follow the linear pattern of the trees. They act as physical and visual boundaries from the car avenue blocking the cars’ noise. They orient the cafe to view at the pool and the general inner sights of the site.
I kept the pedestrian path between the rows of trees and the reflective pool as a way to become a physical distinction between the interior and exterior space of the cafe. By keeping the familiar ways of approaching at and moving through the site, the landscape of the site is not interrupted but rather it gives the clue of the position of the indoor and the outdoor space of the cafe. Keeping the landscape familiar as it is, the cafe becomes easily accessible and recognizable of its program: the indoor area under the trees, and the outdoor area next to the pool.
outdoor cafe Use of pergola that views the pool to define the outdoor seating area, and to provide the visitors to sit in the shade.
indoor cafe Use of glass room located in the trees,that views the tress and the outdoor seating area. It defines the indoor seating area.
indoor services Use of walls in horizontal orientation that ‘hide’ the services of the cafe such as the food service area, the restrooms, the trash and the mechanical rooms.
Conceptual Axonometric Diagram Diagram that emphasizes the vertical position of the cafe in the plaza,against the horizontallity of the Christian Science Center, on the Huntinghton Avenue side. This chosen orientation of the cafe enhances the views to the reflective pool and the heart of the plaza, whereas the formal characteristics of the cafe create boundaries from the car avenue and encourage the visitors to enjoy the landscape of the plaza.
04 Visual and Performing Arts School
School Typology Analysis Burr Street Elementary School (2004) Fairfield, CT. SOM In this assignment we studied design principles of various school typologies aiming at the creation of a comparative matrix. The studies of the school precedents and the matrix, will later function as an aid for the urban analysis and the final school design of the Visual and Performing Arts School project.
Comparative Matrix Group typology research
Each student analyzed a school precedent and created diagrams related to program organization, circulation and spatial relationships.
Interior landscape bringing light.
Bringing topography ‘inside’.
Structure adapting to excisting topography.
Transformation
TOPOGRAPHY.
Excisting site/ Landscape
TOPOGRAPHY
From ‘boxy’ to ‘organic’.
MORPHOSIS
ANALYTICAL AXON
SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Urban Analysis Located between Shawmut and Washington Street, the site becomes a division line between the residential character of South End and the commercial zone of Back Bay. In this respect, the site proposed consists of the school program, a school open space, a public open space, commercial and residential developments. Accessibility was one major theme for me that influenced my later urban and school proposals, and my final school design.
Site Approach: Making the site accessible from Shawmut and Washington Street
City Center
South End
South End South End traditional low-rise appartment buildings traditional low-rise appartment buildings traditional low-rise appartment buildings
South End
City Center
City Center modern high rise commercial buildings modern high rise commercial buildings modern high rise commercial buildings
Back Bay
south end south end
22.353
south end
back bay back bay
22.353
22.353
18.385
18.385
18.385
back bay
massing propositions
site propositions without context
streetscape propositions
Macrosystem Relationship between School and Public/Common Area
school’s educational and administrative functions
Microsystem Big art program, Small art program and shared space
common/public areas leisure/ auditorium outdoor perform dinning gathering
conceptual proposition art studio big program
small studios
shared common spaces courts
Residential
Commercial
After analyzing the site conditions, I located the school program in a way to be facing the residential zone and also be accessible from it, whereas the rest developments (commercial and residential) rest in the boundary of the commercial zone.
Site Analysis
Heights
Extension of street ‘neighborhood’
5 storeys
4 storeys
2 storeys
7 storeys
Voids/ urban open spaces
Public and Common Spaces
Circulation
public mixed
auditorium library media/computer lab dinning/lounge outdoor performance
school program
35,000 sf
school open space
10,000 sf
commercial program
10,000 sf
outdoor performance
private area music
dance
visual arts
theater
residential program public open space
110,000 sf 10,000 sf
school propositions within site context
Visual and Performing Arts School Located between Shawmut Street, Berkeley Street and Washington Avenue, the site requires a school program, and residential and commercial developments. The school is dedicated for students of the visual and performing arts especially for grades 9-12. Being an arts school, it requires a program mostly composed by studios and practice rooms, as well as exhibition spaces necessary for any art production of the school. Therefore, the school program consists of a large program such as the auditorium and the exterior performance space. The small program consists of mainly studios, labs and practice rooms, a gallery, common space, classrooms, services, and administration auxiliaries.
accessibility Making the school program accessible from Shawmut and Washington Street.
Clustering around voids
concept
Creating program clustering around outdoor spaces. Small voids are created that suggest their development to small inner courtyards private to the school.
Ground Floor 1/16”=1-0”
1 First Floor 1/16”=1-0”
First Floor 1/16”=1-0”
2 Second Floor 1/16”=1-0”
Art
Module Project Composition of 3D module shapes.
International Village Plaza Project Installation of a 3D Form in a public environment at Northeastern University campus.
Art Studio Abroad, Spain Study and exploration of organic forms through small scale model making.
Thank you