AN URBAN ICON
SAMUEL FOX BUILDING SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AMY FASNACHT
Site Location
Site
Located in San Diego, the Samuel Fox building is in the center of downtown in Gaslamp Quarter, and at the crossroads of multiple districts including the Core, East Village, and Horton Plaza. These districts each have their own characteristics and sense of place. Designing a project that is located between them will require understanding each specific district and coming up with a way to successfully blend them, as well as what type of program would be suitable and useful for users in the area.
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Horton Named for the historic Horton Plaza Park, downtown’s redevelopment began with the opening of the Horton Plaza shopping and entertainment center in 1985. The fifteen-block area is the center of downtown’s commercial activity and includes high-rise office buildings, stores, hotels, theaters and restaurants. San Diego’s Walk of Fame features statues of Alonzo Horton, former Mayor and Governor Pete Wilson, and Horton Plaza developer Ernest Hahn. The historic Balboa Theatre, one of the oldest performing arts venues in San Diego, was completely restored by the Center City Development Corporation (CCDC), on behalf of the Redevelopment Agency, and reopened as a live performance and conference venue in 2008.
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Core Government, financial and corporate institutions are concentrated in the Core District, which extends from A St. to Broadway and Union St. to Park Boulevard. Restoration and revitalization of many of the historic buildings are adding new residential, retail and commercial opportunities downtown. City Hall, the Copley Symphony Hall and San Diego Civic Theatre integrate arts and culture in this neighborhood. The trolley runs along C Street, a major east–west artery in this district, and plans are in the works to improve this important travel corridor. In the near term, these plans include safety and landscape improvements; in the future, projected plans address the entire public realm of the corridor and its function as a link to essential services as available in City Hall and the Civic Center.
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East Village At 325 acres, this is downtown’s largest neighborhood. It will experience a lot of growth in the coming years, including residential and commercial mixed use. PETCO Park, home of the San Diego Padres, opened in April 2004. Artist’s lofts, studios, galleries and shops are scattered throughout the area. Former warehouses have been transformed into residential units with mixed uses, creating a trendy and urban lifestyle downtown. San Diego City College, the New School of Architecture, two high schools and Thomas Jefferson School of Law make this neighborhood’s youthful and creative population. The Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, completing the 100-year vision of linking two of the region’s best assets, San Diego Bay and Balboa Park, will be completed this year.
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Gaslamp Revitalization has spilled into the Gaslamp Quarter where Alonzo Horton first encouraged downtown’s redevelopment in the 1870s by building a wharf at the foot of Fifth Avenue to facilitate trade with the area’s retail stores. The 16.5-block neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the ninety-four structures identified as historically or architecturally significant now house more than one hundred restaurants and nightclubs, movie theaters, stores, offices, galleries and lofts. Yearly events including Mardi Gras, Taste of Gaslamp and ShamROCK draw thousands of visitors to experience the vibrant and unique atmosphere.
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History This is a historical location, where the downtown essentially started in San Diego. The Victorian, Italian Renaissance, and Spanish Revival buildings still standing today established the defining character of the Gaslamp Quarter. The Gaslamp Quarter continued to grow at a steady pace through the 1920s to around 1930 when the Great Depression slowed development nationwide. During the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, major commerce continued to abandon the smaller scaled buildings of the Gaslamp Quarter in favor of larger sites in the north end of downtown. The area bound by Fourth and Sixth Avenues, Broadway, and Harbor Drive was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (National Register) in 1980 as a historic district. Property owners and merchants, along with the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Diego, continue to restore and revitalize the historic buildings of the Gaslamp Quarter Planned District (District). The District features the highest concentration of historically significant commercial buildings in San Diego.
Gaslamp Quarter 8
Demographics 1 mile Radius Population 2009 Estimated Total Population 2014 Forecast Total Population 2009 Estimated Daytime Population Households 2009 Estimated Total Households 2014 Forecast Total Households Age and Income 2009 Estimated Median Age 2009 Average Household Income 2009 Median Household Income 2009 Per Capita Income Business and Labor 2009 Estimated Total Business 2009 Estimated Total Employees Blue Collar Workers White Collar Workers Transportation 2009 Estimated Workers Drove Alone 2009 Average Travel Time to Work (Minutes)
2 mile Radius
3 mile Radius
33,347 39,320 85,238
85,016 92,113 116,706
165,440 173,960 231,828
17,303 21,133
36,243 40,719
42.7 $56,408 $31,118 $31,158
38.1 $60,590 $38,418 $27,311
37.1 $64,269 $42,971 $28,034
5,621 85,238 2,278 8,489
8,082 116,706 6,186 20,079
11,719 231,828 11,124 41,841
6,429 24
20,199 25
45,174 23
66,549 71,653
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Sense of Place and Linkages Important community and city issues to consider:
Image and Legibility The image and character of certain places are essential to a community. There are expectations about how certain places should look and these images need to be legible. It is important to understand these expectations and design to suit and enhance the legibility of the places. Downtown San Diego has a specific image especially the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Where a neighborhood or community begins and ends is important and how that is realized and communicated says a lot about the place.
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Streets and Linkages Certain streets have a connotation and a set of expectations associated with them. They are a form of way finding and serve as a kind of link between places. Streets have their own language and a way of communicating. Broadway Street In San Diego, which is the street my building is located on, has a very important identity. It is one of the most recognizable and visited streets. It serves as a link from the freeway through historic downtown, and eventually to the ocean. What is almost as important is the street life and what happens on the sidewalks and walkways. There can be a draw to certain buildings because of the street and sidewalk life.
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Connection to Place
Every community and place has a unique sense of self and an individual identity. It is important to realize what exactly this is and what is important to a particular community. In San Diego, and downtown in particular, Petco Park is a very important community draw. The streets around it seem to lead to the field and it is clear that you are nearing it. Buildings and sites should have a strong connection to place and this is usually very clearly communicated. How people interact with the building is a very strong indication of the building’s sense of place. What happens in a location is also important and what the people chose to do in an area says what kind of “vibe� the area has. Realizing what was present in the past and what is currently present on site is crucial and finding a way to design to celebrate and acknowledge that is key.
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DOWNTOWN 13
Places of Worship
Schools
Restaurants
Shopping 14
City Design Goals: Bicycle Infrastructure CCDC is planning to implement a bicycle infrastructure program starting in late 2010 that will connect future parks and amenities to the regional system.
Centre City Green Centre City Green is the sustainability master plan for downtown San Diego. It is an integrated, long-term strategy that addresses both downtown buildings and the public spaces in-between. The plan includes: • A voluntary private development incentive program that incentivizes developer to build “green” buildings that exceed adopted standards; • A “Green Streets” program concept to make our downtown streets more walkable and environmentally friendly; • An expansion of downtown’s current Transportation Demand Management Plan for commercial development by adding more program options to reduce traffic congestion; • Long-range goals and policies to ensure buildings and public spaces are designed and operated sustainably in the future. • A set of customized sustainability “indicators” to track downtown’s progress towards meeting regional and statewide environmental goals.
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Downtown Lighting Master Plan The Downtown Exterior Lighting Master Plan and Guidelines will implement the Downtown Community Plan goals, policies and guidelines for exterior lighting of buildings, streets and outdoor spaces in downtown neighborhoods. When complete, the plan will define criteria for building lighting solutions and guide property owners, developers, architects and designers wishing to invest in exterior lighting concepts as a way of adding interest, energy savings and value to property. Some of the Lighting Plan's key design principles are as follows: • Verticality of Buildings: Lighting guidelines and policy are defined by building use at the street wall, midsection and tower crown; • Geographic Proximity: Lighting guidelines and policy are adapted to downtown neighborhoods, districts and the waterfront • Timing: Lighting guidelines and policy are adapted to hours of operation Lighting guidelines for buildings are based on the following points: • The nighttime lighting of buildings should highlight the composition, massing, structure, features and articulation of architectural elements • Lighting strategies envisioned as "physical attachments" that have no visual relation to the architectural composition of the building are not allowed • Lighting above the street wall should dim or completely shut-off after business hours for energy conservation • Lighting objectives must be within the regulatory elements of the City of San Diego, Airport, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Palomar and Mount Laguna observatories. 16
Downtown Way finding Signage CCDC, in cooperation with the City of San Diego and the Unified Port of San Diego is working on a project to update and enhance the existing downtown way finding signage. The Way finding Design Signage Upgrade will address the following: • Commercial Attractions – Unique commercial areas or facilities, specialty shopping areas with a group of 30 or more shops with public parking. • Urban Neighborhoods or Districts – Identifying downtown districts, such as Little Italy, East Village and the Gaslamp Quarter. • Cultural and Institutional Facilities – Museums, colleges, government buildings, courts, libraries, theatres, convention center and business districts. • Historic Architectural and Sites – Identifying designated historic buildings and districts. • Recreation – Parks, biking trails and sports facilities. • Tourist Services – Visitor information centers, hospitals, and other tourist supportive services. Transportation - Transfer hubs, cruise ships, airport, trolley and bus stations.
Green Streets Designated green streets will serve as paths connecting downtown parks, the waterfront, neighborhood centers and other activity centers. Wider sidewalks and richer landscaping on these streets will extend the open space presence through the neighborhoods.
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Parks and Open Space Open space is vital to downtown's quality of life. Parks and open space are critical to satisfying the diverse recreational needs of downtown residents visitors and workforce, especially given high development intensities and the region's mild climate conducive to outdoor living. These spaces encourage social interaction and sense of community that define the public realm and urban culture. The recently adopted Downtown Community Plan takes these principles to heart. It calls for downtown to add more than 50 acres of open space to the existing 75 acres. The implementation strategy prioritizes the development of seven new major public open spaces, which will act as the nuclei for the various neighborhoods, putting every downtown resident within a five- to ten-minute walk of public open space. Parks consist of large expanses of open space, which are designed for active recreational and leisurely activities, as well as gatherings and events. Building height restrictions on southern and western blocks will allow infiltration of sunlight, and prevent heavy shading of the parks year round. Additionally, many new parks may contain underground parking, as a creative solution to increase downtown's parking capacity. Existing Parks and Open Space Downtown is 2.2 square miles and is the most intensely developed part of the city, making open space incredibly valuable. There are currently many different park options, from full block green fields for active recreation, to smaller pocket parks that offer a respite from the built environment.
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Site Specific Goals
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It will be very important to design a project that can serve the local community specifically the downtown area.
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Following the city’s set guidelines for sustainability and way finding.
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Have the site serve as a “link” between the different districts and apply to them all
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Being able to interact with the pedestrian traffic in an open and inviting way
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Building The Samuel Fox Building is the building I have chosen for my project. It is located in downtown San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter District. Current Images:
History: Entrepreneur Samuel Fox built this four-story building in 1928. The structure was built for $500,000 to accommodate his Lion Clothing Company, the sole tenant of the building until 1984. Showcasing 16foot ceilings, antique oak wood paneling, walnut window frames, castiron decorative grills, heraldic lions in full relief, sculptured terra cotta spandrels, and an overhanging tile roof, the building was recognized as an artistic masterpiece as well as a merchandising success.
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Program Intent The program for this project is essentially coming from site analysis and assessing the local community’s needs. What will suit and fit in to the downtown area is important, as well as assessing the users of the building. I am proposing that the program for the building be something that will suit all of the downtown community and celebrate the rich history and character that Gaslamp Quarter and the surrounding districts have. A gallery, museum, community art or music space are ideas that reflect this intention. The following factors were considered in coming up with the program:
• The young and educated population that lives and works downtown particularly in neighboring East Village. • The historic downtown and community’s interest in keeping the area authentic and to celebrate the past. • The community’s appreciation of the arts. • The lack of a place for families and children to participate in community activities. • The encouragement by the city for interaction and sense of community specifically through open spaces and parks, Green Streets, sustainably, and safety initiatives. Reviews and Site Needs: Residents of the Samuel Fox lofts have told me they love being in the Gaslamp District, “right in the middle of it all” as one resident described. Some also appreciate the buildings historic character, which provides them oversized windows and super high ceilings in some units. Sam Fox loft residents are a little disappointed with the parking structure; very low ceilings prohibit trucks from going in. It can also be quite noisy at times due to the bus noise on Market St. and general noise on the street.
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Floor Plans
1st Floor
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BUILDER'S SET
6th Avenue & Broadway San Diego, California
SAMUEL FOX BUILDING
1st Floor Mezzanine 23
Adjacencies and Other Issues Work live lofts occupy the second, third, and fourth floor. This creates the issue of how the first floor will communicate and interact with the other floors and occupants. Making sure there is clear way finding through the building, separate spaces and public vs. private areas is crucial. Residents entering the building need an easy and clear route to their loft or office on the top floors. How the public circulates through the space on the first floor will become very important and creating visual or physical barriers from the other floors will probably by necessary.
User This building has public and private users. The private users who have lofts or offices on the second, third, and fourth floor will need their privacy and specific entrances. Public users visiting the first floor will be staying on the first floor or first floor mezzanine. The public user varies from people in the vicinity of downtown such as business owners, workers, visitors, and families.
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Design Goals To design a building interior that reflects the city’s goals of environmental responsibility, community, as well as celebrating the building’s past and already strong sense of place. More Specifically: • • • •
Design a space that appropriately fits the context of downtown San Diego and specifically Gaslamp Quarter Use day lighting techniques to bring light into the space LEED Certification Keep the integrity of the historic building and materials
Emerging Issues • • • • • •
How to deal with maintenance and renovation of a historic building specifically adding and removing walls Design a space that is appropriate for not only the present, but also the future Dealing with street noise Separating means of egress for use by both the public and private users Accessibility of the historic building Circulation between floors and public vs. private spaces
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Gaslamp Quarter Design Guidelines and Codes Chapter 15, Article 7 of the San Diego Municipal Code, known as the Gaslamp Quarter Planned District Ordinance (PDO): The distinctive historical character of the District will be retained and enhanced by established procedures and regulations that are deemed necessary to: (a) protect improvements, which represent elements of the District’s cultural, social, economic, and architectural history; (b) safeguard the District’s historic, aesthetic, and cultural heritage as embodied and reflected in such improvements; (c) foster civic pride in the beauty and character of the District and in the accomplishments of the District’s past; (d) enhance the visual character of the District by encouraging new design and construction that complement the existing historical resources; and
(e) protect and enhance the District’s aesthetic and historical attractions to residents, tourists, visitors and others, thereby serving as a stimulus and a support to business and industry.
Chapter 15, Article 7, Division 3 of the San Diego Municipal Code: Outlines approved building permitted uses.
The following will be resources for guidelines and codes:
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The San Diego Municipal Code CCDC San Diego Historical Resources Board Gaslamp Quarter Planned District Guidelines
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DOWNTOWN
Program Gallery Space-the gallery space will feature multiple areas where exhibits and display areas. These areas can display various topics including: • • •
Community art Neighborhood history Workshop art
The gallery exhibitions will be displayed on a variety of curved partition walls through out the main and mezzanine floors. This will allow circulation through the space and allow for displays on both sides of the partitions.
Event Space-the first floor can be used as an event space at night, when not open to the public. During the day, the workshop areas and upstairs mezzanine areas can be used for semi-private community event spaces.
Workshop Areas- three workshop areas will be divided from the main space by curved panel walls, which will allow the public to see what is going on, but still provide enough separation and privacy to allow for specific classes or workshops. These spaces on the main level will be on the perimeter of the building allowing for interaction with the pedestrians outside and will be an invitation for people to come into the building.
Gathering Space- the remaining area on the main floor not being used for workshop and gallery spaces will provide common areas for the public and people who want to come and look at the exhibits as well as more seating for the café area upstairs. Upstairs on the mezzanine level there will be a common area with a coffee and café area providing a small seating area. This will not only provide the residents of the building a space to interact, but a space for the public and the people using the workshop and gallery spaces as well.
Design Issues • • • •
Design a space that is appropriate for not only the present, but also the future Separating means of egress for use by both the public and private users Accessibility of the historic building Circulation between floors and public vs. private spaces
Adjacencies Work live lofts occupy the second, third, and fourth floor. This creates the issue of how the first floor will communicate and interact with the other floors and occupants. Making sure there is clear way finding through the building, separate spaces and public vs. private areas is crucial. Residents entering the building need an easy and clear route to their loft or office on the top floors. How the public circulates through the space on the first floor will become very important and creating visual or physical barriers from the other floors will probably by necessary.
Concept To design a building interior that reflects the city’s goals of environmental responsibility, community, as well as celebrating the building’s past and already strong sense of place. The building will provide a space for the resident community to interact as well as a space for the public to learn about and appreciate local history and arts.
Early Conceptual/Inspirational Spatial Diagrams:
Spatial Layout: st 1 Floor
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Central gallery and exhibit area Common area Two workshop semi public workshop areas Public restrooms Private resident lobby
Spatial Layout: Mezzanine Level
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Café and seating area More gallery space Event space Storage space
Spatial Characteristics and Experience
1st Floor Entrance View
Mezzanine &1st Floor Connection
Bibliography United States. San Diego. CCDC. San Diego Municipal Code. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Olin Partnership, Gail M. Goldman Associates, and Public Solutions. "San Diego Downtown Design Guidelines." Centre City Development Corporation. Web. 11 Feb. 2011. <http://www.ccdc.com/planning/planningstudies.html>. City of San Diego Planning Commisssion, CCDC, San Diego Historical Resources Board, Gaslamp Quarter Association Land Use Planning Committee, and Heratige Architecture and Planning. "Gaslamp Quarter Planned District Guidelines." Centre City Development Corporation. Web. 8 Feb. 2011. http://www.ccdc.com/planning/planning-studies.html Cushman & Wakefield. Investement Sale Opportunity-Historic Gaslamp Quarter Holet. San Deigo: Cushman & Wakefield, 2011. Web. "Municipal Code | City Clerk." City of San Diego Official Website. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/officialdocs/legisdocs/muni.shtml>. "Interactive Map." Centre City Development Corporation. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://www.ccdc.com/projects/interactive-map.html>. Design, Dc. "Gaslamp Quarter." Gaslamp Quarter - San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://www.gaslampquarter.org/history/map.php>
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