urban rowhousing - studio project

project in depth Class: Arch 410 Core Studio I Critic: Dr. Kapila D. Silva Original date: Fall 2005 Revision date: Fall 2007 Location: Brewer’s Hill, Milwaukee,WI

A study of the urban rowhousing typology

ď ł A selection of design work

by Ahicar Cruz

e: ahicar@hotmail.com ph: 414-732-9936 a: 1932 e Kenilworth pl apt 21 Milwaukee,WI 53202-1178

renderings-plans-sections-perspectives-diagrams-axonometric-interiors-furniture-construction methods-technology

project in depth

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urban rowhousing & community art center

the site

Design statement:

The brief called for a 9-unit urban row housing development for a community of artists to use as live/ work spaces. The project explored the notion of sharing community services and the structural implications of a repetitive building unit. Also the program required the analysis of semi-public and private spaces within the house and community. I approached this notion as various degrees of separation between what is work, living and entertainment inside the house; by increasing the privacy proportional to height. The house unit structure is pragmatic and relies on technology for on site energy generation and system controls.

The project is located on the trendy Brewer’s Hill neighborhood of Milwaukee. This post-industrial area is growing on residential condominium developments such as the one called for in the design brief. The project will be considered as a model for in-town collective living by the city.

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center

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The project’s program required the creation of a private

communal space with a meeting hall and gallery area for the residents. This green space creates a transition area and a secured playground for the residents children. The gallery and meeting hall feature green roofs that can be adapted for growing organic produce and herbs for the residents use. These roofs are stepped in relation to the site’s slope to allow shaded southern sun and Northern diffused light. These two spaces face each other and are divided by a trellised reception area (used for gallery nights as well other activities). On the west side of the complex an alley provides access for the residents vehicles.

View of main entry to complex

1 meeting hall

2

gallery space

1

3

3 - loading dock & accesible entry

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center

The row house units shared a concrete

block bearing wall that supports the floor decks.

These precast concrete decks are supported in turn by open-web steel joists that have horizontal bridging to prevent lateral movement of joist chords. The floors are covered with thin bamboo decking to provide warmth and with a non-slip rubber surface on wet areas. The roof deck its layered and has a local grass cover. The house stairs are made of steel and feature transparent landings to allow through light incoming from the skylight.

One feature explored in the project is the creation of a intelligent layered facade system.

This system is a prefab assembly; and includes a precast window frame, double pane low-e insulated windows, wood shading, breather units, and lighting. The breathing unit is a conceptual machine that mimics organic transpiration/condensation systems regulating the interior environment individually on each room according to a closed loop feedback system.

exploded axon parts to the whole

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center

daylighted areas

On the third floor of the house the north wall, adjacent to the stairs, features a reflective

typ unit structural section a-a

coating that allows the diffusion of daylight received through the main skylight. This reflected daylight provides soft illumination to the stairs, the dining area and living areas.

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center

5th

levels 1 & 2

4th

house elements levels 3 & 4

typical row house unit Plans

1st

3rd

2nd

(before and after furnishing)

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center Upon entering a typical row house foyer one faces the stairway, this area

the entryway foyer

features wall art displays. On the back of the foyer corridor is the entry to the house office, a rest room, and the back door (through the garage). The house office can be converted on a guest room on certain occasions. The typical row house unit features on this level a covered parking room with a storage, laundry and mechanical areas.

rowhouse level 1

entry

parking rest room

office

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center 1 2 the art studio

rowhouse level 2

storage

create

Level 2 is where the artist working space resides, it is here

that the user concentrates on reaching inspiration to produce artistic output. The studio space is divided in two areas, one for creation and display of art; the other for storage of materials and the preparation phase of art media. The studio air is completely isolated (a box within the box) to prevent the escape of toxic fumes to the upper house levels. This space has its own window breather and features a glazed wall on the stair corridor to encourage voyeuristic behavior of the house visitors and users.

2

1

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & community art center

Level 3 is the core of the house, the main area for family living were the privacy

degree is medium. Upon reaching this level through the stairs one gets to the dining area, to the right is the kitchen and to the left the living area. The kitchen has translucent sliding doors that isolate the area during special occasions, it features a center island, a non-skid surface on the main cooking area, bamboo covered cabinets and a venting hood for the stove. On a corner, a remote control system for the house systems can be accessed. The dining area has book shelving and hidden storage. The double height living room features a railing system for the TV set, allowing repositioning depending on the user watching mood and event. The window on this room features one of the main breathing window technology units.

2 1 cook

2

dine

live

3 cooking, eating & entertainment rowhouse level 3

1 3

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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urban rowhousing & 10 community art center

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1

1 sleep

2 bath

sleep

private resting & cleaning areas rowhouse level 4

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Level 4 is the most private in the house for it contains the spaces reserved for the family to

rest and for the daily cleansing ritual. The bathroom and two rooms receive diffuse daylight through carefully positioned sky wells on each room. These spaces are treated as boxes within boxes to allow sound isolation. The bedroom for two children has a transparent north and east wall to allow reflected diffuse sunlight inside the space.

A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview

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level 5- the roof- a privaTe family hang out During good weather the family reunites to be outdoors. The roof area accessed through the main stair skylight; provides a private shaded outdoor space for those get togethers; for activities such as cookouts. The green roof also provides good thermal insulation against the seasonal variations in temperature on this latitude. It is on this level, that the main electric generation takes place with the constant incoming wind. The wind engine used is the quiet revolution 2.5m diameter, this quiet, ultra low-vibration unit is ideal for roof placement and can generate energy from wind incoming from any direction at low speeds.

1 2

1

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A selection of design work by Ahicar Cruz for web preview