REIMAGINING HOUSTON TRANSIT
WHAT IF WE COULD MOVE TOGETHER?
DESIGN PROPOSAL TRANSIT CENTER
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an opportunity for a sister station at the north end of Main. This location provides the opportunity for a brand new, aspirational and iconic facility to set the standard and expectation for future Metro expansions.
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The current downtown transit center sits along Main Street on the south end of downtown. Metro envisions
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and providing new facilities to champion the continued growth and success of public transportation in the city. nS
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transportation is beginning to grow. The city and metro are interested in rebranding their existing transit centers
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decades after its metropolitan counterparts. As our population continues to climb, Interest and demand for public
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the city has not kept pace in developing public transportation. Houston opened its first 3 metro rail lines recently,
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with another nearly 5 million friends and family in the surrounding metro area. Despite sustained population growth,
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Houston is on track to soon become the nation’s third largest city. The Bayou city is home to over 2 million Houstonians,
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DESIGN TEAM SUMMER TEAM INTERN CLASS OF 2018
Kaushik Anantharam University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Architecture
Kamini Chavda University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Architecture
Jackie Chen Washington University Consulting
Lichao ( Jenny ) Liu University of Pennsylvania Architecture / Real Estate Development
Alexa McCallum Kansas State University Interior Architecture & Product Design
Hannah Monroe Mississippi State University Interior Design
Cassandra Crawford Purdue University Interior Design
Nina McDermott University of Texas Austin Advertising
Jasper Gregory Texas A&M University Architecture
Alec Moran Fairmont State University Architecture
Malachi Pursley Louisiana State University Architecture
Adina Schunicht University of Texas Austin Interior Design
Licheng (Olivia) Jiang
Michele Lee Kansas State University Architecture
Nicole Lide Rice University Architecture
Emlynn Smith Trinity University Finance
Elizabeth Stinespring University of Georgia Public Relations
Emma Wright Purdue University Interior Design
Rhode Island School of Design Interior Design
WHAT IF...
metropolitan
resilient
V I B RANT
what if Houston transit was an expression of Houston’s identity?
creation
congregation
CELEBRATION
what if Houston transit was A SOCIAL EXPERIENCE?
communit y
adventure
DISCO V ER y
what if Houston transit PROVIDED SOMETHING MORE?
WE COULD...
DOWNTOWN LIFE
CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN
EXISTING TRANSIT CENTERS
HOUSTON TRANSIT With the projected growth of numerous residential projects and employment opportunities, north downtown would benefit from a new transit center. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are utilizing transit centers that thrive outside of the work week and attract a broad audience with each amenity and experience. The Landing joins the movement toward public mass transit and further establishes Houston as a robust metropolitan city.
EXISTING TRANSIT CENTER
HOUSTON TRANSIT TRANSIT CENTER REACH EXISTING TRANSIT CENTER
PROPOSED TRANSIT CENTER
TRANSIT CENTER REACH PROPOSED TRANSIT CENTER REACH PROPOSED TRANSIT CENTER PROPOSED TRANSIT CENTER REACH
What If We Could add a new transit center downtown?
DOWNTOWN LIFE TRANSIT NETWORK
TRANSIT CONNECTION TO SITE
HOUSTON METRO BUS ROUTE NETWORK 1,285 MILES COVERAGE Light Rail Stop
114 LOCAL AND COMMUTER BUS ROUTES Path To Light Rail
9,050 COMMUTER STOPS
1233 BUS FLEET Bayou Path To Site
What If We Could increase use of public transit?
HISTORY OF TRANSIT THE PAST
Houston’s population has continually skyrocketed in the last 100 years, from around 200,000 people to nearly 2.4 Million people currently. This makes Houston the fourth largest city in the united states. Houston is known as an automotive-city. Over 90% of all Houstonians do not use public transportation in any aspect, placing the city far behind the transit use of other major hubs in America, such as New York, San Francisco, and D.C. The current transit system is hugely underutilized, which provides us with the unique opportunity to develop and reestablish the transit center to fit the booming culture of Houston. In the next 20 years, the Houston metropolitan area is projected to grow by over 60% of its current population. A new transit center will not only fulfill the current need for public transportation but also help Houston lay the groundwork for continued innovation in the future. By increasing transit facilities in Houston, moving people together becomes a vital experience in creating unity within the city.
THE PRESENT
CENTRALIZED TRANSIT CURRENT SITE TRANSIT LOCATION
TRANSIT DESIRES SURVEY RESULTS
Art/
Gallery Art Gallery Green Space
Green Space Breakfast
Breakfast Retail
Retail Open Market
Open Market Recreation
Recreation Restaurant
Restaurant Work
Space Office Space Event Space
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A survey was generated to see what expectations and wishes a new transit center could fulfill for public transit. The survey asked participants to select desirable amenities and give feedback on their public transit experience, as well as to describe Houston in one word. 150 Surveys were collected, mostly from office workers. The goal was to synthesize what both Houston public transit users and non-transit users wanted in their city’s infrastructure.
SURVEY
WHY DO YOU USE PUBLIC TRANSIT?
Have Not Taken Public Transit
DESCRIBE HOUSTON IN ONE WORD.
Convenience
DIVERSE CONGESTED
FRIENDLY
BIG SPRAWLING BUSY Affordable
HOT
ENERGY
TRAFFIC AUTO-CENTRIC
ECLECTIC BAYOU EVER-CHANGING FLAT
BAYOU CITY
INTEGRATE INTO THE BAYOU
0.5 miles
PARKS BIKING TRAILS WALKING TRAILS DOWNTOWN SITE LOCATION ALLEN’S LANDING
In 1836, Augustus and John Allen stepped ashore from the Buffalo Bayou to claim Houston as their own. In the decades that followed, the bayou city grew quickly into a sprawling urban metropolitan area, losing some of the organic connection to the bayou. Our site is located at a diagonally across from the green Allen’s landing park. The Landing’s name was chosen to honor and celebrate the story that built a city from the bayou.
EXISTIN EXISTING SIT
SITE CONDITIONS
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STREET VIEW
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FANNIN ST. VIEW FANNIN ST. VIEW COMMERCE ST.
FRANKLIN ST. VIEW
FRANKLIN SAN JACINTO ST. VIEW ST.
VIEW
VIEW
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SATELLITE VIEW SATELLITE VIEW
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COMMERCE ST. VIEW
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COMMERCE ST. VIEW SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
INFRASTRUCTURAL | ECONOMICAL
HIGH TRAFFIC
NO DIRECT ACCESS TO BAYOU
LOW ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
VACANT BUILDINGS
HIGH FLOODING
LACK OF PARKING
MODERATE CRIME RATE
DEMOLITION WILL CREATE MORE LANDSCAPE VIEWS
HARRIS COUNTY DRAWS COMMUTERS
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SO WHAT DID WE DO?
CO CONNECT
What If We Could SQUEEZE
SHAPE
What If We Could
SPLIT
What If We Could BRIDGE
SINK
What If We Could
What If We Could
What If We Could
What If We Could
ROTATE
CITY BLOCK
What If We Could
COVER
What If We Could move together?
What If We Could move together?
SO WHAT DID WE DO? BASE
INTERIOR
EXTE
INTERIOR
What If We Could
What If We Could
INTERIOR
What If We Could
INTERIOR
What If We Could
INTERIOR
What If We Could What If We Could
What If We Could
MOVE TOGETHER
CONCEPT OVERALL LOOK
green • dynamic • compelling • expressive
CONCEPT OVERALL FEEL
inhale • grow • move • envelop
FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 01
grab & go
• waiting
• restrooms
FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 02
coffee • event space •patio
FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 03
restaurant • lounge • outdoor seating
URBAN PLAZA
CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN
URBAN PLAZA //
arrive • engage • relax
The Landing is the gateway into north downtown Houston. The architecture communicates movement and is designed to create a dialogue between the bayou to the city. The northern edge of the site faces Buffalo Bayou, creating an inviting open area available to take in earthy, quiet views. The southern edge of the side faces downtown Houston to appreciate and mimic the bustling urban lifestyle.
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY //
move • play • explore
The Landing is expressive. It is a building that embodies the cultural, forward-thinking, and transformative attitude of Houston. The site is designed to be a destination meant for discovery and social engagement.
DOWNTOWN VIEW
DOWNTOWN VIEW //
arrive • see • follow
The form of the building reaches upwards and outwards towards downtown, creating a point of entry and drawing people into the site. A transparent glass facade captures a viewer’s attention and frames the active life inside. Movement within the project is highlighted by continuous red ribbons that follow paths of circulation directing users. An intricate panel design and complimentary shading device are unique to the building and can be easily deployed to other existing transit centers.
GREEN SPACE
GREEN SPACE //
relax • play • engage
The Landing is populated with community spaces, all working to move people together. The Echo Park Amphitheater contains informal seating and open areas that create a platform for a movie night, live music, and art installations. Adjacent to the Echo Park is a free-flowing public lawn.
RAMP
RAMP //
move • green • engage
The Landing emphasizes and reestablishes a relationship with Buffalo Bayou, allowing Houston to embrace the historic waterway as an amenity rather than simply a flood hazard. A large communal pedestrian ramp is designed for dynamic outdoor experiences.
TRANSITION
TRANSITION //
arrive • connect • move
The center of the building is a space of movement, connecting the outside corners of the site. Exterior activity is brought into the building across the central landing.
LOBBY
LOBBY //
enter • use • go
The lobby area creates dynamic interactions while providing convenience and comfort in a protected and conditioned lobby. Enter and immediately see people interacting in a variety of ways.
LOUNGE
LOUNGE //
discover • breathe • relax
An informal lounge space that offers transit users a moment to sit and breathe is located underneath the staircase which leads upstairs the opportunity for longer moments of pause.
CAFE
COFFEE //
pause • energize • collaborate
Each level of the building is designed to reflect the amount of time one might spend there. Located on the second floor, the coffee shop is a landing itself; it’s a place to take a break and grab a coffee.
EVENT SPACE
EVENT //
connect • inspire • learn
On the same level as the coffee shop is a rentable communal event space. Because of the increasing population downtown, the space intends to bring in events such as book readings, charity events, and job fairs, offering a unique opportunity to bring people together.
EVENT SPACE
RESTAURANT
RESTAURANT //
arrive • socialize • stay
The indoor/outdoor resturant offers another place to wait. Designed as a destination, people come together and stay outside their working schedules. The restaurant takes this transit center from a simple passing point into a desination for dining.
WE COULD MOVE TOGETHER
Gensler