The Braddock Innovation Center Reviving the Rust Belt
Research Book Adria Moyer
Spring 2013 Professor Hajo Neis
The Braddock Innovation Center- Reviving the Rust Belt I. Thesis Topic Research
a. Post Industrial Urban Decay
b. Housing Generation Y
c. Live Work Housing Research
II. History of Braddock III. Project Proposal
a. Urban Proposal
b. Building Proposal
IV. Project Language V. Site Analysis VI. Program
a. Project Statement
b. Various User Descriptions
c. Values and Goals
d. Building Site analysis
e. Space Needs Summary
f. Detailed Program Analysis
g. Adjacency Studies
h. Design Explorations
VII. Case Studies VIII. Bibliography
I. Thesis Topic Research a. Post Industrial Urban Decay post-in-dus-tri-al- of or relating to a period in the development of an economy or nation in which the relative importance of manufacturing lessens and that of services, information, and research grows. ur-ban de-cay- is the process whereby a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude.
The topic I am interested in investigating is post-industrial urban
Winkler, 2010). At the same time, they deterred new industries because of the
decay. Within the United States, cities’ struggling from post-industrialism is a
high presence of labor unions.
relatively new issue, but other countries have struggled with this issue before
the US. There is also the potential that countries outside of North America
must have variety rather than relying on a single industry. Braddock’s
will have similar problems when industries move locations. Therefore, this
steel mill is still in production, and produces 28% of the US domestic steel.
is a global issue of human failure, not just an isolated occurrence. Examples
Although it did suffer a decline in production, it still employs about 900
outside of the United States include the Soviet Union. The economy of
people, most of who commute from the suburbs of Pittsburg into Braddock.
the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 from the industry’s inability to adapt to
(Carnegie Plant that Made Pittsburgh the Steel City Marks 125th Anniversary,
changing technology. Germany also suffered from deindustrialization after
2000) So, the steel industry is still present, there just aren’t any supporting
WWII, along with Japan.
industries or residents.
As history has shown, in order for a city to be healthy, its economy
This project is focusing on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh was
1950
1990
successful for developing industries because it is located at the intersection of
Iron and Steel
Education
the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers which form the Ohio River. Steel mills
Construction Personal Services
Healthcare Construction
Railroads Electrical Machinery
Restaurants Wholesale Trade
lined the MonValley while company headquarters were located in the city center of Pittsburgh. Braddock was one of the steel towns located along the Monongahela River. As manufacturing decreased in Pittsburgh, other service sectors grew, and Pittsburgh shifted from steel production to the education and healthcare.
The reason steel towns such as Braddock were hit so hard is because
their local economy relied entirely on steel production (Power, Ploger, &
b. The Influence of Generation Y on Housing
generation to that time, and likewise, the wealthiest. It was because of this
Generation Y, also known as the Millennias, were born from 1980 to
2000, and are currently between the ages of 13 and 33. This is the next big
wealth, that the size of their homes grew, and they increased in material
wave of home owners, and the way that this generation thinks about housing
possessions. Like their parents, they relied heavily on cars, and helped to fuel
is drastically different than previous generations.
the growth of the suburbs.
The Greatest Generation (born from 1914-1924) and the Silent
Like their predecessors, Generation Y is heavily influenced by their
Generation (born 1925-1945) had a large influence on the way cities and
upbringing. They have grown up in a very technologically connected time,
suburbs formed. These generations grew up during the great depression
yet physically disconnected environment. This means that they have grown
and took advantage of economic prosperity after WWII by creating and living
up in a time of social networking, where they could communicate with their
in the suburbs. They created the idea of the American Dream, which was
friends and family at any time, no matter the distance. At the same time, they
in essence, the democracy of lifestyle. With respect to consumerism, the
are cul-de-sac kids, and grew up in a suburban environment where they were
American Dream can be broken down into four categories; the Dream of
dependant on cars to get to all of their activities. “They’re very social [and]
Abundance which offered material goods to all Americans making them proud
hang out together more than any previous generation” (Kirk, 2011).
to be the richest society on earth (Morris, 2001). The Dream of Democracy
of Goods where everyone had access to the same goods no matter race or
urban environment. They are interested in walk able neighborhoods with
gender. The third American Dream addressed by consumer culture was
lots of amenities (Kirk, 2011). Gen Y doesn’t want to be car dependant like
the Dream of Freedom of Choice which allowed people to create their own
their parents, and would rather be close to public transit with restaurants and
lifestyle. Finally The Dream of Novelty, in which ever changing fashions
shopping nearby. “They don’t look to live in their home so much as they’re
broadened the consumer experience. This consumer dream of a democratic
looking to live out of their home; home is a place to come back to” (Stern,
lifestyle is what helped to fuel the growth of the suburbs. Every family could
2012).
own a home and a car, and have the ideal life. These generations tended to
live in modest size suburban homes and were very car dependant.
influence on what Generation Y wants (and can afford) in housing, and how
the functional attributes of this type are going to change. Since Gen Y can’t
The Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) where the children of the
Greatest and the Silent Generations. They were the most educated
It is because of this that Generation Y is so interested in living in an
The average college graduate has $25,000 of debt. This is a huge
afford the houses their parents could, what they want in housing is different.
They want smaller homes with more usable space. They don’t want spaces
place a high priority on low maintenance, so little to no yards. Also, they are
like formal living rooms or dining rooms that only get used once a year. They
much less car focused then their parents generation, so less of a priority will
are all about flex spaces, rooms that have the ability to be transformed for
go to garages and parking spaces, and more on the proximity and walk ability
multiple functions. Since Generation Y is so focused on functionality, they also
of the area. Average Square Feet of Single-Family Homes
American Homes Attached 64%
2005 2,400 sf 7% of residents in detached homes are under the age of 30
1985 1,800 sf 1950 1,000 sf
36% Detached The majority of Generation Y is living in attached homes.
35 yrs 20yrs Data from Census Bureau
Attributes of Gen Y Housing
Location
Housing
-Close to public transit
-Shared Amenities-gym, bike storage, community garden, ect.
-Walk able neighborhood
-Flex spaces- rooms that can serve multiple functions
-Amenities near by
-Energy efficient
-Close to work
-Sustainable features -Low maintenance- little to no yards
c. Live-Work Housing
There are three different types of live-work arrangements. The
and working spaces. Often times, the living is located over the working
first type, and also the most well-known, is the Live-With Proximity Type,
space (living above the store). The third type is Live-Nearby Proximity Type
or an artist loft (Dolan, 2012). This type consists of one room or common
and the living and working spaces are separated by a short walk. In single
atmosphere where there is no separation between the living and the working
unit conditions, it may just be an outbuilding where a workshop or studio is
arrangements. Many of these projects are converted factories and adaptive
located, and in multiple unit cases, the work spaces may be separated from
reuse projects. The second type is known as Live-Near Proximity Type and
the living spaces by a commons or an open courtyard.
is often a form of shop house where there is some separation between living
Live-With
Live-Near
Live-Nearby
Pro-This is the most flexible for users because
Pro-This arrangement is flexible in that the
Pro-The separateness is beneficial for visiting
there is the fewest interior partitions so it
living space can be (in the future) used by a
clients.
allows the user to create their own balance of
different occupant the working space.
living and working.
Con-If the separation is exterior, inclement Con-The proportions of live and work are
Con-Since there are not physical separations, there is no privacy for client visitation.
dictated by the design of the unit.
weather can be a problem.
After looking into the different arrangements for a live-work project, I
work which is successful in that it encourages interaction between residents.
feel the Live-Near arrangement is most applicable to the Braddock Innovation
In this arrangement, entries for the housing unit would be located off of the
Center. An example of this type is a Flexhouse, where the living unit is above
courtyard.
the working, with a storefront entry to the working. There is then a second
door which leads from the working unit to the housing unit. This arrangement
Clients visiting the occupant won’t feel as though they are invading the
allows for change in the future, which is one of the goals for this building. In
resident’s personal space. At the same time, it is connected enough that the
the future, the housing unit can be rented separate from the work unit. These
resident can easily access their housing unit from their studio, and vise-versa
Flexhouses then have the opportunity to be arranged into a courtyard live-
readily. It is a good balance of separation and connection.
The advantage of a Flexhouse is that it allows a sense of privacy.
Needs of Live-Work Projects
Live-work buildings have a unique set of needs. Since they are
creating nodes of interaction. These can be anything from communal laundry
removing the commuting and opportunities for interaction that exist with
facilities, mailroom, courtyard, or gardens. The other approach to communal
traditional workspaces, the major concern with live-work is isolation, and
space is to integrate it in the work spaces with a café like community space or
“Opportunities for casual interaction are important to counter this hazard.”
shared workshop.
(Dolan, 2012, p. 32) The second need for live-work is to create a community
While it is important to create a sense of community within the building, it
and sense of place. Since more time is spent in the unit, the residents will
is interesting to look at how, live-work buildings will help to create a strong
have a stronger sense of place, and need a communal gathering space.
sense of community in an area where it may be lacking. This strong sense
of community and place that exists with residents had the opportunity to
There are two different ways to create interaction between residents.
The first is external, and focuses on the location of the project. By locating the
influence the surrounding community. It will also encourage the growth of
building on a successful street, with walkable amenities, residents will have
a walkable neighborhood, because residents won’t be commuting, and will
the opportunity to interact with one another and the surrounding community
encourage growth in a walkable radius from their unit.
at in informal level. The second is internal to the building, and can be done by
II. History of Braddock
Braddock’s first industrial facility was a barrel plant which opened in
as a public library. The bathhouse has recently been converted to a pottery
1850. The town’s industrial economy began in 1873 with the opening of the
studio; the Music Hall is currently under restoration.
Edgar Thomson Steel Works built by Andrew Carnegie. It was constructed
on the historic site of Braddock’s Field in what is now North Braddock. This
1910, 19,357; 1920, 20,879; 1940, 18,326. From its peak in the 1920s, Braddock
was the first steel mill in American to use the Bessemer process. As of 2010, it
has since lost 90% of its population. During the early 1900s many immigrants
continues operation as a part of the United States Steel Corporation.
settled in Braddock, primarily from Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary.
Braddock is also the location of the first of Andrew Carnegie’s 1,679
The early population figures were these: 1890, 8,561; 1900, 15,654;
Braddock lost its importance with the collapse of the steel industry
in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. This coincided with the crack
public libraries in the US. The Braddock Library included a tunnel entrance
cocaine epidemic of the early 1980s, and the combination of the two woes
for Carnegie’s millworkers to enter the bathhouse in the basement to clean
nearly destroyed the community. In 1988, Braddock was designated a
up before entering the facilities. An addition in 1893, by Longfellow, Alden
financially distressed municipality. The entire water distribution system was
and Harlow, added a swimming pool, indoor basketball court, and 964-seat
rebuilt in 1990-1991 at a cost of $4.7 million resulting in a fine system where
Music Hall that included a Votey pipe organ. The building was rescued from
only 5% of piped water is deemed “unaccounted-for”.
demolition in 1978 by the Braddock’s Field Historical Society and is still in use
1891
1983 Steel Collapse in Braddock- lines at the food bank
Images from explorepahistory.com
III. Project Proposal a. Urban Proposal
b. Building Proposal
The urban proposal for regenerating Braddock is comprised of 3
The Innovation Center would be my proposed building design. The
components. Their first component would be a Technology Center to be
Braddock Innovation Center would be a community focused building and
added onto the Steel Mill. This would ensure the longevity of the steel mill,
would be used to both reintroduce a population to the area, and establish local
allowing new technologies to be introduced into their production. The second
business. Resident designers could rent individual studio spaces and housing,
would be to break through the industrial edge along the Monongahela River
and share larger, community workshops. These workshops would not only
with a green street along 11th, which would transform into a waterfront park
be accessible to the resident designers, but any members of the larger
at the river’s edge. This park would also give Pittsburgh the opportunity to
community. These opportunities for interaction would fuel collaboration
extend the Three River’s Heritage Trail bike path through Braddock. The third
between designers and community members. At the same time, projects and
component would be a live/work Design Innovation Center located along
designs created at the Innovation Center, could be displayed in the Gallery, or
Braddock Ave. Although Braddock does need other amenities, such as a
sold in the shop. These two programs, along with the lecture hall and event
grocery store, these interventions are intended to bring in the residents to
venue, would be used to attract visitors from the greater Pittsburgh area.
support these businesses.
Generation Y is the most likely age group to market this towards. They are just starting to establish families, and their civic minded ideals would help to revive the community. They would value the low cost of living, and future potential to be independent of cars.
IV. Project Language Visibility-Users should be able to see from one space into another. Even if rooms are physically separate, they should be visibly connected allowing users to see one another and see what is going on within a space. Movement-Spaces should allow for movement so designers can quickly switch from designing and generating ideas to creating and constructing prototypes. Collaboration and Isolation-There should be spaces designed to foster collaboration and spaces designed for Isolation. These should be separate and distinct. Natural Light- All creative spaces should have access to natural light. Flexibility- Live-work units should be flexible enough to accommodate larger or smaller workspaces and future changes in use. Engaging- The ground floor should be engaging to the street. Retail spaces and community spaces should open up to the exterior. Collaboration- Secondary spaces, such as cafĂŠs should be used to foster collaboration and community in an informal environment. Sustainable- The Braddock Innovation Center should use passive and active sustainable strategies. Since it is displaying what is on the cutting edge of design, it should also reflect what is on the cutting edge of sustainable design.
V. Site Analysis
Braddock is only a little over half a square mile in area, and is located 8
fence at the far edge of the train tracks to prevent people from trespassing.
miles from the Pittsburgh city center. The main street in Braddock is Braddock
Ave, and runs east to west. This street receives a lot of commuter traffic from
the river. It seems to be in constant use, and aside from a low white noise, is
Pittsburgh into the suburbs. There is a bike path that runs along the river and
relative quiet. It is also interesting that the steel mill can be seen from nearly
stops right at the edge of Braddock; the Three River’s Heritage Bike Trail. The
everywhere in town.
Three River’s Heritage Bike Trail is 24 miles of bike paths along the Pittsburgh
waterfront, and has the opportunity to connect Braddock to downtown.
instances where every home on a block is abandoned but one. Some of the
abandoned homes are left open to the elements, as of residents left without
The north and eastern portions of Braddock are primarily residential,
The steel mill is in the south eastern corner of Braddock, also lining
The residential portions of Braddock are suffering. There are several
with industrial to the south lining the Monongahela River, and a small
bothering to shut the door. Others are boarded up, front yards overgrown and
commercial district in the center of Braddock. Currently, it is really difficult
reclaiming the sidewalks and cracks in the streets.
to get to the river’s edge with all vacant industry there. There is a chain link Estimated House Value
Demographics White $164,700 $38,066
In Pennsylvania
22.6%
Mixed
In Braddock
Hispanic: 1.9% American Indian: .6% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: .2% Other .2% Asian: .1% Statistics obtained from city-data.com
2.3% 3.1%
Black
72%
SPRING
FALL
WINTER
SUMMER
Density and Green Space
N
Perceived Zones
N
BRADDOCK
RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL
INDUSTRIAL MONONGAHELA RIVER
Site Conditions
Carnegie Library
Brewery
Catholic School
Elementary School
Braddock Farms
Edgar Thompson Steel Mill
N 61 BUS ROUTE TO DOWNTOWN
COMMUTER ST TO DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH
59 BUS ROUTE
BUILDING SITE NORTH
Saint Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church
SURROUNDING CONTEXT
EAST
Vacant
Existing building on site: to be removed
SOUTH
WEST
Saxon Uniform Network
Steel Mill Property (storage)
Braddock Employment Training Center/ office space for lease
BUILDING SITE
Saxon Uniform Network
SURROUNDING CONTEXT
WEST
Existing building on site: to be removed
NORTH
EAST
SOUTH
Good Shepherd School
Braddock Farms
Edgar Thompson Steel Works
VI. Project a. Project Statement
The Braddock Innovation Center will serve as a center for creation, collaboration, and education. It will be the home and studio for local entrepreneurs
and designers to create. Shared workshops and lounges will provide opportunities for resident designers to collaborate with one another, and community members using the facility. The innovation shop and gallery will attract locals from Pittsburgh to see what is on the cutting edge of design, and the lecture hall and classrooms will serve to educate and teach the larger community.
b. Various User Descriptions User A: The Resident Innovator
The resident innovator will spend most of his/ her time working in the workshop, or her small studio. Her housing unit will be
directly above her studio, so she can easily go upstairs and grab some lunch, or check on the family. At the same time, it is separate enough that visiting clients do not feel as though they are invading her personal home. The designer will sell her work in the shop, and she may occasionally teach classes to the community on her craft. Her studio space lacks the resources and space of the shared workshops, so often times she works in the workshops. This also gives her the opportunity to collaborate with other designers, and exchange knowledge. User B: The Community Member
The community member lives in downtown Pittsburgh. She travels out to the Braddock Innovation Center every week for her graphic
design class, and sometimes on the weekend to work on her projects. Her kid’s love to hang out at the waterfront park while she works in the workshop, and sometimes they bike home on the waterfront path. She occasionally attends lectures and always checks out what is new in the shop. User C: The Resident’s family
The resident’s family lives above the studio. They enjoy resident’s lounge space, and the community green space, and sometimes
walk down the street to the waterfront park. They enjoy living close to the library, and can walk across the street to school.
c. Values and Goals VALUES
GOALS
HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL
To encourage interaction between designers and the surrounding community. Since this building is oriented towards a sustainably minded generation, it should use sustainable and environmentally friendly techniques. The building should strive to be low impact on the site, and the landscaping should be used to treat the building’s waste. The building should elude to and respect the steel and industrial culture of the area. The project should work with the existing typologies and materials of the area rather than introducing a new idea. The work spaces for designers should be cutting edge, and flexible enough to adapt to new technologies that may be introduced in the future. The building should allow for change as design fields evolve. The project should be flexible enough for changing community needs.
CULTURE TECHNOLOGY TIME
d. Space Needs Summary Room Live-work Unit (20) Design Shop Reception/ Lobby Gallery/ Event Venue Warming Kitchen Event Storage Bike Storage and Repair Auditorium for 200 Workshop Computer Lab for 25 Studio style classroom Mech Room CafĂŠ Retail Spaces Workshop Lounge Restrooms Total
Area 1800 1000 500 3000 200 100 200 2400 3000 280 300 1000 600 3000 300 300 52,180 sf
User Designer and Family Community Community Community Staff Staff Designer and Family Community, Designer Designer, Community Designer, Community Community -Community, Designer, Family Community Community, Designer, Family --
Space Requirements -Entrance from Braddock Ave Entrance from Braddock Ave, Tall ceilings, Natural Light Tall Ceilings, Open, Natural light Ventilation -Entrance, Located Near Housing Tall Ceilings, Acoustically Sound Tall Ceilings, Separate enough for noise, Ventilation No windows to exterior Natural light, Tall ceilings Near Exterior wall Entrance from Braddock Ave Entrance from Braddock Ave Contain Kitchenette --
e. Detailed Program Analysis Live-work units- The live-work units will be compact and efficient. The ground floor will be commercial with housing above. They will be flexible and arranged around a community courtyard or exterior space to encourage interaction. The studios will have the opportunity to be accessible to the public, and flexible enough to accommodate a variety of different design disciplines within one layout. Since the aim of the innovation center is to foster collaboration between design disciplines, the individual studios will be relatively small in size. Bike storage and repair- The bike storage room is meant to be accessible for residents and the public and will include a secure room for bike repair. Design Shop-The Innovation Center is to include a shop which will sell the products and inventions created by resident designers and the surrounding community. This shop will serve to attract shoppers from downtown Pittsburgh and the surrounding suburbs. Gallery Event Venue- The gallery will serve to present the design of local and resident designers to the surrounding community, and will also be used to host events. Auditorium- The lecture hall will be used to host public lectures and shows on design innovation. It will hold about 200 people and have access to the gallery and event venue. Shared workshops- A large workshops will be used to provide the equipment necessary for the designers and entrepreneurs to create their designs. They will be flexible open spaces that allow for multiple people to be working on large scale projects at the same time. Classrooms-With the wealth of knowledge contained in the innovation center, classes could be offered by resident entrepreneurs to engage the local community. There will be two classrooms, one being a studio style classroom, and the other a computer lab. Workshop Lounge- Central to the design of the innovation center is a lounge space which would encourage interaction and provide an addition space for residents to relax. It would be designed to encourage relaxation and interaction as opposed to production, and would be provide ample natural light and views to the exterior. The workshop lounge will serve as a transition space between the live-work units and the workshop spaces.
Exterior Community Space- This space would be accessible to the public and serve as the park space Braddock is currently missing. It would tie in the local community with the Innovation Center residents, and the extended, visiting community of Pittsburgh. It would be a lively space which opened up to cafes and retail. Reception/ Lobby- The lobby will be a tall, open space that will serve to welcome the public. CafĂŠ-The cafĂŠ will be accessible from the street, and used not only by the residents, but by the surrounding community. It will be an informal environment for interaction and collaboration. Retail Spaces-Additional retail spaces, not necessarily associated with the Braddock Innovation Center, will be incorporated on the Braddock Ave side to encourage local businesses to grow. Services- Warming kitchen, Storage, Mechanical
f. Adjacency Studies
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Retail Spaces
Gallery/ Event Venue
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Live-Work Unit
Workshop
Live-Work Unit
Design Shop
Live-Work Unit
Mech Room
Live-Work Unit
Lobby
Cafe
Live-Work Unit
Workshop Lounge
Classroom
Live-Work Unit
Studio Bike style Storage classroom
Auditorium for 200
Kitchen Event Storage Restroom
Workshop
Housing
Bike Storage
Studio style classroom
Workshop Lounge
Event Storage
Gallery/ Event Venue
Computer Room Restrooms
Cafe
Design Shop
Lobby
Auditorium for 200
Kitchen
g. Design Explorations
Proposed green street on 9th Street will make the connection from Braddock Ave to the water front
Site
Technology Center The proposed waterfront park will create a connection from the commercial center of Braddock to the waterfront, breaking the hard industrial edge.
Continuation of bike path from Pittsburgh through the industrial landscape of Braddock, and the proposed waterfront park.
VII. Case Studies Bethlehem Steel Stacks ArtQuest Center Spillman Farmer Architects, 2011
This particular case study was beneficial in that it was introducing new
sits on, also known as BethWorks has been divided into 2 sections. Eastern
architecture in an industrial setting where many of the historic buildings still
section is being developed by Las Vegas Sands Corporation as a casino and
existed. It’s aesthetics referenced its industrial heritage without imitating it,
hotel, and the western section is being transformed into retail, residential,
and it really highlighted the industrial character of the area.
entertainment, and cultural area, known as the SteelStacks.
The Bethlehem Steel stacks is a series of projects under progress
On this western portion sits the new Arts Quest Center which is the
in Bethlehem, PA. After Bethlehem Steel declared bankruptcy, the site sat
center of the revitalization project. It is a new building that works with the
abandoned for 15 year. The total complex is 1,000 acres, or 1/5th of the cities
existing industrial surroundings. There is a 450 seat venue for live music, and
land. It is the largest privately owned brownfield in the country, and most
the materials used embrace the materials and craft of the sites industrial
of the projects are being privately funded. The 125 acre portion the stacks
heritage. The Blast Furnaces serve as a backdrop to events within the
ArtQuest Center.
Other projects at the SteelStaks include the Levitt Pavilion, which
seats 2,500 people on the lawn and hosts concerts and music festivals during the summer. PNC plaza holds weekly farmers and antique market, and music festivals. The latest project is the Festival Center which is an adaptive reuse project of the Steel Turn and Grind Shop. It will host exhibitions, performances, and concerts, and the existing crane run within the building will be retained.
Bohouse Xsite Architecture, 2010 Live-work Housing Middlesbrough, England
Bohouse is a scheme of Live/Work apartments for rent just north of Middlesbrough Railway Station. The building is a long, narrow three storey block
running north up Sussex Street with two ‘rooms on the roof’ adding a fourth storey with roof terraces adjacent. There are three front doors serving stairways with apartments arranged around them resulting in an efficient net to gross area and good prospects for a social and business aspect to neighbourliness, an important factor in the briefing for the building which anticipated a ‘networking’ environment both in and around the building.
At its southern end the block forms a side to a small section of high quality public realm developed with Boho One and acting as an orientation space
for Bohozone and a meeting/resting space between the town and the much anticipated Middlehaven beyond. Each tenant is expected to have a credible and functioning business in the digital or creative sector and many will have or will develop relationships with the larger businesses in the adjacent Boho One building.
Each apartment has one or two bedrooms and a
dedicated work space. This is located near the front door and is able to be opened out but remain distinct from the living area of the residence. This fairly unique arrangement allows home working but more importantly allows a fully functioning business to employ people and entertain clients or customers comfortably without compromising living arrangements. A high level of design input has been achieved relative to projects of this type in the area resulting in very desirable homes with work space and even in two instances roof terraces in the centre of town. It was recognised very early in the process that to be successful this scheme had to be affordable but also stylish and suit the image of the creative sector it is trying to attract.
Houtsma Site Live/Work Factory Architectenbureau Marlies Rohmer, 2010 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The urban structure of the neighborhood follows old farming field boundaries from the 19th century. Living and working functions intermingle in
the neighborhood. The Houstma Site occupies a prominent location on a shipping canal, Kostverlorenvaart, and is named after the former Houtsma kitchen furniture factory.
The urban development brief for the Houtsma Site was the outcome of close consultation with local residents. The key concepts were functional
mixing, a livelier atmosphere, better public safety and a varied program of housing which would boost the social structure. A prominent building of up to five stories was required at the corner of Bellamystraat and Wenslauerstraat, plus a section no more than two stories tall on the side facing into the neighborhood (so as not to impeded daylight and views). Locals coined the name “Neighbourhood Factory” for the new development.
It had to harmonize with the characteristics of Bellamy but retain its “factory” typology, which harks back to the industrial past of the canal and is
consistent with the busy little factories and other business premises dotted around in the small-scale fabric of Bellamy. At the same time, the resulting building had to be a contemporary icon which would not be out of place among the individualistic buildings flanking Kostverlorenvaart, such as the Wester Mosque across the canal.
Lofts at Habersham Live-near Flexhouses Rick Black, 2006
This case study was beneficial in that it was a live-near development project using townhouse style units. Since this is similar to how I am going to
develop the live-near units in the Braddock Innovation Center, I found it is extremely useful.
The Lofts, consist of 33 mixed-use flexhouses in a site plan, arranged on two sides of a street. They contain a two-level residence unit above a 710 sf
commercial space on the ground floor. Each flexhouse contains a total of 2,130 sf on three levels. The ground floor commercial spaces are designed to house small mom-and-pop businesses, and contain restrooms, and access to the backyard which can be used for restaurants to spill out into.
The units have the flexibility to be used a variety of different combinations, with either the first floor being rented separate from the housing above, or
both being rented by the same individual. They were also designed with the possibility of commercial uses occupying multiple floors rather than just the first floor. Each of the live-work bays were 18’ wide by 100’ deep.
Although they were designed with the possibility of all three flours being used as retail, there are ADA issues with this.
Formerly Urban Projecting Rust Belt Futures
Formerly Urban is based on a two-day conference on the benefits of improving urban environments in weak-market cities. There were two articles from
this book that I found extremely relevant and beneficial to my project. The first one is Its Not (Just) the Money by Mark Robbins, and the second one is Lessons Learned from a Shrinking City: Youngstown.
In Its Not (Just) the Money, Mark starts off by saying that when
state for city developments. Since they weren’t sure the best way to spend
making an intervention to remake a city, the intervention should participate
this money, they worked with the University of Syracuse to generate ideas.
in contributing to that new identity. I found this to be a very powerful idea. If
The final decision was to renovate a 140,000 sf warehouse for the School of
we are proposing a change in identity, our projects should be a bold statement
Architecture. Since the university purchased the building rather than rented
towards that change and the new identity, not just a supporting statement of
it, it create a sense of permanence and commitment in the eyes of developers
an existing change. Mark also talks about how the best projects have multiple
and businessmen. At the same time, since it was both publicly and privately
alignments, meaning they are both publically and privately funded (such as
funded, it created a complexity of implications that wouldn’t otherwise
the Olympic Sculpture Park).
occur. The public transit was extended to the neighborhood, along with the
university transit system. Private businesses began to open up to support the
What this article is mostly about is the city of Syracuse’s work in
revitalizing an underutilized neighborhood, and the effect it had on the entire
growing student population.
city. It began when the city received a large amount of money from the
“Radical departures from standard practice are often necessary...the same creative leap allows the sciences to progress, to innovate, and to seemingly create something out of nothing.”
Shrinking Cities: Youngstown focuses on the problems that face
They action plan has been broken down into 4 categories:
shrinking cities and include brown fields, abandonment, divestment, low
1. Acceptance- Youngstown needs to accept the fact that it is no longer a big
education attainment, and economic exclusion based on class and race. He
city and strive to be a model of a sustainable midsized city.
points out that “as a nation we conflate growth with prosperity and shrinkage
2. Alignment- Youngstown needs to realign itself to compete in new regional
with decline, and are all too often willing to write of whole cities as dying and
and global economies.
disposable because they are no longer growing.” So the challenge with these
3. Improvement- Youngstown needs to focus on its image and the quality of
cities is not so much managing growth, but managing change.
the life in its neighborhoods.
4. Action- Youngstown needs to take action
Youngstown, OH is one such shrinking city. For over a century
Youngstown identified itself as a steel town. After the steel industry left the population drastically decreased, crime rose, and the city waited. Unlike
Much of this is relevant to Braddock. While Pittsburgh has re-identified itself,
many transitioning cities, Youngstown didn’t focus growth in other areas;
Braddock is on the beginning of creating a new image, and it is important that
they waited and hoped the steel industry would rebound. What Youngstown
this proposal works towards creating that new image.
now faces is the challenge of forming a new identity. They are one of the first cities to acknowledge, with public policy, the goal of being a smaller and more sustainable city; “a city growing smaller”.
VIII. Bibliography Carnegie Plant that Made Pittsburgh the Steel City Marks 125th Anniversary. (2000). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dolan, Thomas. Live-work Planning and Design: Zero-commute Housing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print. Katase, M. (2012, September 28). KickStarter. Retrieved October 1, 2012, from www.kickstarter.com: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/brewgentlemen/the- brew-gentlemen-beer-co?ref=home_popular Kirk, Patricia. “Developers Give Gen Y What They Want.” Urban Land. N.p., 24 June 2011. Web. 25 Dec. 2012. Lachman, Leanne, and Deborah Brett. “Generation Y: America’s New Housing Wave” Urban Land. N.p., 2 Jan. 2011. Web. 25 Dec. 2012 Power, A., Ploger, J., & Winkler, A. (2010). Phoenix Cities: The Fall and Rise of Greaet Industrial Cities. Bristol, UK. Sichelman, Lew. “What Does Generation Y Want?” Urban Land. N.p., 17 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Dec. 2012. Stern, Julie D. “Planning for a Generation That Thinks Outside the House.” Urban Land. N.p., 11 July 2012. Web. 25 Dec. 2012. Christopher Morris, “Shopping for America in Mississippi, or How I Learn to Stop Complaining and Love the Pemberton Mall,” Reviews in American History”
March 2001 v.29#1 103-110
Precedents Sources “Our History.” Levitt SteelStacks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. <http://www.levittsteelstacks.org/history/>. Olanoff, Lynn. “Lehigh Valley Live.” Lehigh Valley Live. Lehigh Valley Live, 31 Aug. 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.
ssf/2011/08/artsquest_gets_2_million_in_st.html>.