Chicago Studio Spring 2014

virginia tech

C h i c a g o St u d i o s p r i n g

2 0 1 4

andrew economou

Radical Conjectures 1

virginia tech

C h i c a g o St u d i o s p r i n g

2 0 1 4

andrew economou

Introduction or preface

This journal is an attempt to document four months spent in the bitter cold of Chicago working on architecture and urbanism. It is impossible to truly document the semester in a book format. But it is the perfect way to try to present the intensity and chaos in a nice ordered and structured document.

So here goes.

Chicago studio 2014 table of contents

Professional Practice

9

Codes of Conduct and Ethics Practitioner Interviews Lectures

11 17 35

Urban Mapping

65

Nine Planning Principles Cermak Abstract Cermak Analysis

67 87 88

Studio Documentation

91

Radical Conjectures Site Analysis Urban Propositions Internship

93 111 141 191

Professional practice table of contents

Codes of Conduct and Ethics

11

Interview with Laura Fisher

12

Practitioner Interviews

17

Don Copper Heidrun Hoppe Frank Weiner Zoë Ryan Tom Reagan

18 20 24 26 30

Lectures

35

Randy Guillot Drew Ranieri Brian Lee Natasha Krol Carl D’Silva Iker Gil Geoffrey Walters Laura Fisher Carl D’Silva: Act II Peter Ellis Adam Whipple John Syvertsen

36 38 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 60 62

9

Codes of conduct and ethics

Interview with Laura Fisher

12

Codes of Conduct 11

Ethics interview with laura fisher

managing director at ipm consulting ltd.

I interviewed Laura with Bryce about the AIA code of conduct, specifically on obligations to the client. We thought it would be interesting to talk with Laura about this because of her role as consultant on most projects, and the dynamic that that could set up between Laura, the client, and the architect. We also knew she is much more interesting that her first lecture made her out to be, so we just wanted to hear some more about what her thoughts are on the profession. But it is very tough to concisely document the amount of material covered and the topics discussed.

Laura’s role as consultant is always working for the owner, never the architect. So that definitely makes it easier in the event that she has concerns, she can go straight to the owner. Talking with Laura was surprising because a lot of the questions that we thought would have complex answers had extremely straightforward solutions for her, but many things we thought were easy problems were actually pretty complex.

I thought that one thing that would be a big point is on candor and truthfulness, where “members should be candid and truthful in their professional communications and keep their clients reasonably informed about the client’s projects.” But that was really easy for Laura to answer, she said it’s just a gut feeling you have on when to be truthful and when it might be appropriate to not divulge everything.

What obligations to the client really comes down to is your reputation as an architect. If you violate the contract or certain laws, your reputation is on the line, so why wouldn’t you be honest? Why would someone want to hire you for a project if you aren’t responsible?

One case Laura brought up that was an interesting dilemma I had not thought of but can be a real issue is putting your friends on a project with you. For a client Laura was consultant with, they had just gotten a project much larger than any they had worked on previously and needed a contractor for the project. Laura recommended an office she had worked with previously that had a good track record with projects of a similar scope and size. But the owner had a friendship and history with another contractor that they wanted to put on the project. So Laura tried to convince them to be unbiased with who would be best for them to work with, and base it more on the efficiency of the work that can actually be done.

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She did not get her point made and the office went with their friend’s as the contractor. Suffice it to say that the project did not go as smoothly as it could have, and it would not have been appropriate for Laura to say “I told you so,” but she definitely struggled with it.

Another ethical problem Laura spoke about that isn’t really related to client obligations, but is about relationships between architects is a case of using someone’s name on architectural drawings. There was a licensed architect a small firm in Illinois who left the office to start her own practice. She runs into a friend years later who thinks that she is still at the old office because they are using her name on all the plans they were submitting to the city. She had no idea they were doing this, and submitted a formal complaint to NCARB, but the state was so backlogged they said they couldn’t look at it for five years.

I don’t know how regularly cases like this come up, but it’s pretty disgusting. The fact that it would take the state of Illinois years to even begin to address the issue highlights either the flaws in the Illinois system of regulating architectural practice, or it means there are some really nasty people out there, and the state can’t keep up. Based on what Laura told us, it sounds more like issues with licensure in the state and confirming legality, but I’m sure that it’s a combination of both of these things.

Laura can compare that to how the system works in Texas, where they pay more to keep their accreditation, but they are held accountable consistently for their actions and people pay more attention to who is using a license and the legality of it.

Something else we briefly talked about was when to bring on a consultant to a project, which got a pretty straightforward answer. It’s about not over representing yourself to a client and understanding our limits as designers. If it’s something small where you can enlarge your scope of understanding but maybe not charging the client for the extra work you put in, sure, maybe you don’t need a consultant. But in general, it’s typically pretty obvious when you need a consultant. Of course we should hire a structural engineer and an HVAC coordinator.

I liked how Laura phrased many of the structural and environmental classes we take in school. Depending on what route we take, of

Codes of Conduct 13

course this can change, but typically, the classes are really just a way for us to have an understanding about these topics when other professionals focused in that field talk to us about what they are doing. It’s important for us to know our limitations and that we can’t try and do everything. One, it’s impossible, and also, if you try it and fail you will probably get sued because this is America.

One last story is about reputation, confidentiality, and public perception. In Springfield, the historic capital had grand doors that were in terrible disrepair but were restored. The doors were integral to the architecture of the building, and cost $60,000. Of course budget issues surfaced, and the information of the door restoration cost went public, and people got upset, to put it lightly. Accusations of irresponsibility were made (some were true, but that wasn’t about the doors). What the public didn’t get from the press was that a standard revolving door could cost $20,000. The door would probably last for years because of not just their restoration, but all the appropriate fittings that were also restored. So things can get blown out of proportion when taken out of context.

That only scratched the surface of what was discussed with Laura.

14 Laura Fisher

Codes of Conduct 15

Practitioner interviews

Don Copper Heidrun Hoppe Frank Weiner ZoĂŤ Ryan Tom Reagan

18 20 24 26 30

Practitioner Interviews 17

Don Copper

principal, grec architects

Don got into architecture because in high school he had a high aptitude in math and science as well as in creative fields. This is interesting because it’s fairly similar to why I went into architecture, so it’s cool that there can be a shared experience across generations of students learning architecture. At Virginia Tech, Don learned that education can actually be what you want and it’s only what you make of it.

Over a semester or a summer, there was a small group of students he was a part of that adapted and put on a performance of Oedipus where they made an inflatable structure for the stage and composed experimental music for the play. I think it was Donna who made them bring the piece to New York and perform it for a prominent theatre critic and his class of student directors in the city. This makes me wish we saw things that exciting happening at school now, and I’m sure fault can be put on both students for not engaging in acts like that, and on faculty for maybe not supporting those ideas.

So the year after graduating, Don had the opportunity to teach a silkscreen class and a filmmaking for architects class before he went into the professional world. On a road trip with friends Don was dropped off in Chicago, unknowingly looking for work during a bad recession, so overall, his career path has been very accidental and just sort of happened. He ended up at CF Murphy, Di Don is definitely most satisfied with the creative side of the profession, and it’s very rewarding to not only get commissions, but seeing them through the stages of design to completion is satisfying.

Don believes architecture can be very limiting, but is still satisfied when work is completed. It’s refreshing to hear how realistic he is about the profession and still maintains a pretty good sense of optimism.

Buildings are a way for Don to make a living, but the art, music, and theater Don does are a way for him to have a life. Painting is seen to him as an alternative form of expression, and he likes the separation of his architecture life from his art projects. Sometimes you can see pieces of his art coming into their buildings, but it’s definitely not something Don forces on others.

With the development of the office, it kind of just formed when they were at DeStefano and wanted to be doing more. For the structure

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of the firm, Don does not care hierarchy at the expense of creativity.

What does that accomplish other than making some people feel like their creative ideas might not be valued or putting up barriers for no reason other than ego?

Don offers constant advice, so it’s painful to write only a few things he has said, but life is a struggle as a kid, and as a adult it’s not as much, all it is is a bunch of tedious logistical things. Make your life a rewarding experience.

Practitioner Interviews 19

Heidrun hoppe

principal, heidrun hoppe associates

Why did you become an architect?

Heidi’s father had a furniture shop and she loved to be in there helping. She loved to build things there, made dream houses and dream families of the Trolls with colored hair. I like to think that this means she was always thinking about human interaction since a very young age. Heidi’s first degree was in English literature and fine arts, but eventually moved into architecture.

Who evaluates your performance?

Since Heidi only has one other partner working with her, no one internally evaluates her, which she thinks is a problem sometimes.

Because she often works as a consultant for larger firms, Heidi gauges her performance by whether they want to work with her again or not.

The same applies for private clients. She does miss the peer review, and said that typically the studio project head will evaluate you, but as you keep working strive to deal with the highest member at the firm.

What is your role and responsibility? (Title vs. Position) Heidi’s position is the principal of her firm, but she has many different titles. Based on the title she is using, she has to bill the client differently based on the work that is being done. But it’s necessary to be clear about the role that is being taken, whether it’s for a consultant, for a client, or for an internship.

An educated client knows exactly what they want you to do, but if not, then the architect must be responsible for defining their role, and not letting someone else define it in the contract. If working with a developer, they may try to narrowly define your role. This is why Heidi thinks that the role of the architect has been greatly diminished over the years.

What is difficult about this profession?

Because Heidi sees the role of the architect having been diminished, it’s difficult to deal with the other teams involved in a project, who see the architect as secondary or peripheral. So it’s critical for us to figure out how we will define our role in the future. Heidi also isn’t too fond of financial discussions and working out every little financial detail, and sees that as her role being undervalued. She thinks it’ll be

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important for people to recognize the real role of an architect, and that could really benefit the current perception of the profession.

Architects are supposed to increase the value of the project and don’t raise the prices. Heidi has heard people say “I can’t afford pretty.”

Naturally, she disagrees.

What do you like most?

Heidi loves to just build stuff. Creating things that didn’t exist before, especially for underserved communities, children, and seniors is very satisfying. She also thinks plans are really fun, and sees them as a puzzle where you’re trying to figure out how everything is going to go together.

What role does technology play in your position?

(author’s note: at the time of this interview, Heidi’s laptop was currently undergoing significant repair as all of the programs she typically uses day-to-day did not work after she had a friend update it for her)

Heidi does a lot of work by hand, even her schematic design is all by hand. She loves sketching and tracing, and doing field sketches. But she does take advantage of the computer, because it’s easier for the contractor to work with, and she thinks it feels cheaper to them, so that’s a plus.

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What could be improved in architectural training and practice?

Training: I don’t know what is going on at schools other than VT, so I limit it to VT. Judging by what I saw Katherine experiencing in her studies, it seemed to deal quite well with grappling with varied architectural ideas, scales, types, etc – individual design and group interaction – developing actual practical proficiency in computer applications – having speakers and travel exposing students to many viewpoints and ideally seeing architecture in person. It would be an improvement to look at larger global issues and ethics too – not ethics of running a firm but ethics in a larger sense. Probably VT falls short on architectural history. Not just seeing photos of buildings but in understanding the arc of the history – what it did when, why, how it shaped the world or failed to, what it meant to be an architect at various times vs. what it means to be one now – all of these things

Practitioner Interviews 21

understood through a study of places and the history they reflected or changed. I think it would help us to remember and develop our own role in this historic moment. Roundtable discussions of this kind of stuff would be great – designing is certainly necessary in school but really great to see who we are and what we might do with our learned and inherent gifts.

Practice: A more collegial world of architects would be an improvement. It is understandably hard when each person and each firm wants to get the most and best projects, make enough to live on, etc. Each is in competition with everyone else. But if we could see ourselves in a larger sense and develop more interactive working situations that I can’t even imagine at the moment – it would be good.

The more active role you mention is a given – architect as key player with wider influence.

What shifts do you see happening in architectural practice, in the recent past and future?

More women are a huge shift and this will continue. In a practical sense, it is more difficult to make a living now than it was in the past, and this creates a lot of angst. I do see architects moving off into other fields and non-standard ways of practicing, which I think is a really positive development.

Where do you see the profession in the next two years?

Unfortunately I think that in general the large firms drive the practice, and these firms will be continuing to try to get work overseas in isolated buildings that try to find a “wow factor” since that is what the clients look to us for. The recession is still too recent for architects not to remain afraid of failing to survive. If you get a chance to read Blair Kamin’s 3-part series in the Trib on China, I recommend it. He defines a lot of what is going on now and it will definitely still be going on during the next 2 years.

What is the most important piece of advice you would give this generation of architecture students?

Oh my! Righty tighty lefty loosy? It has helped me lots of times. Well, actually, how about this: always think 2 or 3 powers of ten beyond your own individual project or job. Expand your work.

22 Heidrun Hoppe

Practitioner Interviews 23

Frank weiner

professor, virginia tech

interview conducted in the lobby of the Palmer House Trying to determine his path into architecture is like driving in Switzerland, but he’ll try. Frank’s father was a builder in New York, so growing up he met a lot architects in the city. Essentially he saw his only career options as becoming either a general contractor or an architect, as he didn’t really know anything about any other careers.

Frank preferred architecture because it seemed like the people were more cultured and entertaining.

At Tulane, he said that he became a student of learning how to teach.

He enjoyed walking around studio and sharing information with other students and trying to assist them. One of Frank’s professors once told him that “buildings speak and you can hear what they have to say, ” so maybe that cemented Frank’s decision to go into architecture.

Once he finished school, he wanted to first become an architect before he became a teacher. Frank went to work in New York, and even then it was still about using the connections that you have to get a job. He also believes that to get a job, you need to have a job, as many people need to have the pride of working to be motivated. His first project was to pack up the office and move to a new office.

After that though, the project he worked on was a renovation of a concrete coal bunker into a boys and girls club, which he enjoyed working on. Frank was a project manager for five years, and got his license before graduate school. After some time spent going into a lot of bookstores, he felt the pull of graduate school, and went to Columbia. This is where he met Kenneth Frampton, who was one of the greatest influences on his design approach. At grad school, Frank had to learn how to be a student again, as limits are usually set for you in the profession, they may go away in academia.

He applied for teaching positions coming out of Columbia, and went straight to Virginia Tech, which he didn’t find very fascinating a place to start at, but he was interested in Olivio Ferrari. This is when Frank began to help construct architects, not architecture. Frank spent a lot of time paying attention, which is vitally important for teachers, even more so than for working architects. He talked with Olivio every day for eight years, and saw him as more than just a mentor in architecture.

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Now we’re moving into Frank’s views on the education of architects and the tendencies of the profession. Imparting knowledge to students is not very helpful, but pedagogy is. Reading, designing, and traveling are the three things Frank thinks are the most critical things for students (and architects) to grow as designers. He advocates school as a way for students to search and explore. We are in the ‘age of collaboration,’ which is an important skill to mature, but Frank thinks it’s just as important to work alone and develop yourself. Frank believes in the individual. You need to listen to the smartest person in the room and wait your turn to speak, but the question then is when does it become your turn to speak?

On the other side of that point, teachers can’t be afraid of their students being smarter than them. Frank wants to be able to say he’s had students who are smarter than him. His enjoyment is derived from our achievement. Everything matters and it all adds up. What will his generation contribute to the next group of students going into practice?

Practice can be a twap! The space between digital and physical buildings is getting smaller, but we need to be aware that technology is not a neutral tool. Frank is absolutely understanding of using technology because avoiding it would be naïve and unrealistic, but the key is not to become a slave to technology. Do 3D printed buildings have a soul?

There is a difference between architecture as a career and architecture as a way of life. Frank would prefer not to see people getting bored and just going through the motions of the daily routine.

You would be losing your soul. A lot of that is based on how firms articulate their own culture and what the reality is beyond the looks and appearances.

Frank sees himself as more of a preacher than a practitioner. Think about architecture as an addiction. Are we overlooking what has gotten us to where we are? Architecture has no style anymore. There are no curtains anymore, but there are screens.

“What does it matter what I did?”

Practitioner Interviews 25

Zoë ryan

chair and curator of architecture and design, art institute

Zoë started her education in art history at the University of Sussex, but was always interested in installation art and exhibition making.

She graduated and volunteered at the Victoria Albert Museum in the prints and drawings department, doing graphics. In the late 90s she was encouraged by her mentor to go and get more experience doing an internship somewhere. Zoë always enjoyed New York, so thought “why not just do one there?” She got a position in architecture and design at the MoMA, and was very intimidated by the world, but still interested in installations, and specifically the Projects Series.

Paola Antonelli is a senior curator there and became a crucial mentor to Zoë, especially for the 3-month baptism by fire getting an exhibition done that quickly for the Projects Series. Take in everything like a sponge. Paola helped her find a job at the Van Allen Institute, which has a larger focus on public spaces and interaction with the city.

Zoë also went back to school and continued to study art history as a way to ground herself, gain more knowledge, and learn how to look at objects.

Her thesis was on the Projects Series, which started in 1971 and was the first time many difficult issues like AIDS were presented in the design world. It’s similar to the Focus series Zoë started here, she sees the work more as an essay on the wall, research in progress rather than a typical exhibit. Emerging talent and problems that don’t get addressed in large exhibitions are some goals of the series, many museums today have a similar program.

Zoë is the curator for the 2nd Istanbul Design Biennial. It is a place for more ideas driven and conceptual projects from architects and designers. She loves the opportunity the event provides, and the chance to work between Europe and Asia, figuring out who’s there and what’s exciting. It’s also a chance to doing something not at the museum, working in a completely different realm again.

In planning the Biennial, Zoë has an associate curator, Meredith Carruthers, who is from Montreal, and there are many more people helping across different cities and countries. Building the right team for the exhibition is essential for the planning and success of the Biennial. They set up discussions at the start to meet architects and designers in and around Turkey and had conversations about what they think are the critical issues in architecture and design. It’s also important for them to understand the culture and politics of the country, especially because the country is in a turbulent moment.

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So they have built up an international core advisory group. Zoë has Paola on the committee, and loves to get her involved in as much as possible because she asks her all the time for advice. Stay connected with the key influential people in your life. When deciding the theme of the Biennial, Alice Rawsthorn was crucial in helping Zoë settle on “the future is not what it used to be.” Since it’s only the second showcase, this is the moment to tackle big issues and Alice gave Zoë the confidence to move forward with that idea as the umbrella term for the Biennial.

There was an open call for submissions, and around 800 from all over the world came in, after wading through all the projects it is down to 60, but hopefully can get to 50. Some submissions are just things, but many are more involved, with workshops and interactive displays.

The range of work is impressive, from interaction design, service design, graphics, fashion, products, and food. It’s exciting for Zoë to see the show coming together, but she’s realizing that you have to be confident that it can be a bit messy and multipronged and unwieldy; it doesn’t have to come together and be ordered and structured and official like in a climate-controlled museum.

It’s sometimes tough to gauge how projects will do when presented, some will bloom and flourish but others have a more uncertain future, it’s unknown how they will be received, but the work was important to be put out there. These installations are the opportunity to test out design ideas in a setting that is not driven by any concern other than the will of the people and their freedom to experiment.

Presenting the work isn’t about what Zoë likes, but putting a spotlight on things that can contribute to the world. What is different about contemporary material is that no one is completely knowledgeable about the topic since it is so current, but it is important to be confident that the project has a richness and can generate discussions. Since the Biennial is free and in Turkey, it will bring in a very diverse audience, and the country is quite sophisticated in their taste and hunger for design.

Once the Biennial is over, a large goal is to help the foundation make sure the exhibition stays established, as this is only the second display, it’s important to keep a foundation for future years. Zoë doesn’t want to be seen as a pioneer, but just wants to be a part of the conversation and discussion on design, and hopes the Biennial

Practitioner Interviews 27

can facilitate that. She also hopes that seeds of ideas will be left in Turkey and can grow more permanent in time.

I asked about an interview she did with Iker Gil, and his exhibit on Marina City is actually what kicked off the Focus Series at the Art Institute. He also sparks conversations and brings fascinating people together. What Zoë and Iker do is actually quite similar, the medium or format of presentation is really the only difference.

Planning contemporary exhibits is really difficult to think about, because if it takes years to put together, the work you put into it has to still be relevant by the time it is actually displayed. Certain exhibits come together quickly and keep the feeling of being current, but in the planned David Adjaye exhibition, it’s the argument that has to be framed to maintain relevance. Some newer work can be put into the show, but by the time the exhibit makes it from Munich to Chicago it will have been two and a half years from the start of planning, so that’s just a challenge of working in contemporary design.

One last thing I asked Zoë about was how they don’t scratch the floors putting in exhibitions like Christopher Wool’s. The massive Renzo designed white walls just have beautiful bricks inside them weighing them down which is how they can be free standing. For not ruining the wood floor, it’s just about having a great construction team who are very careful with the soft and sensitive wood floor. I assume they are very liberal with the use of blankets and pads when setting exhibits up. It’s sort of a silly question, but it’s these logistical things that Zoë and the museum team have to constantly think about.

28 Zoë Ryan

Practitioner Interviews 29

Tom reagan

business manager/controller at grec architects

interview conducted in Tom’s office at GREC architects Tom deals with pretty much anything non-architectural at GREC. He works on everything from personnel issues, computer problems, and finances, to water dripping in the office. When dealing with the building owners, Tom plays good cop to the design principals’ bad cop. He does all the accounting so he sends and receives the bills, does the payroll, and other financials. Since Savannah is such a great secretary he’s started to share responsibilities with her and they work on marketing proposals together.

Tom works part time at GREC, and does pretty much the same thing at the two other companies he works for. He began working part time at one of the offices after they downsized in 2008, which is when he started working part time at GREC as well. So though Tom has only been with GREC for five years, he has been working at architecture offices for fifteen years.

Prior to this though, he was at a Fortune 500 company with Chiquita Banana, was an assistant treasurer, and got to travel a lot. But after a while, the work became pretty stressful on many aspects of his life and Tom wanted to leave and go to a smaller company. Which is why he now works for two architecture offices and a developer.

This sets up some interesting potential conflicts, as the developer and GREC were both on the Ace Hotel project, so he got to see the focus of the architect and the focus of the developer on the same project.

But of course he has to maintain confidentiality between the offices. It sounds like it might be difficult, but Tom sees each office as Las Vegas, so what happens in each office stays there.

Hearing Tom talk about his perception of what works best for an architecture office is really interesting just based on his background.

So he sees most people as either the technical type or the design type, and if the firm owners are too design focused, they can get in trouble technically and financially. Sometimes it’s his job to rein them in and make the architecture actually happen.

In general for how the office is run, Tom is obviously in charge of the finances, and for the office move the goal is to use only the money from the lease termination for the design of the new office. Hopefully there will be nothing out of pocket. In terms of contracts, Tom mostly

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makes a few suggestions at GREC, but at the other offices he is more involved in the contract writing process.

Tom thinks that we are way underpaid for the job that we do, mostly because of the liability that follows us for years after construction is completed. Doctors and lawyers have a similar liability so he thinks that architects deserve more for that.

Some advice The first spring after graduating is pretty tough Don’t forget your personal life You can’t do architecture all the time

Practitioner Interviews 31

Practitioner interviews response

It was great to see the range of people that are represented in the interviews I documented. There are other people who I spoke with that did not make it into the documentation as I became so engaged in conversation that I felt it would be counter-intuitive to try and record these. I had a conversation with Randy once where we essentially just talked about social dynamics in the office and in life, hardly ever touching on the topic of architecture, which was nice. I am still trying to speak with Natasha and a set and exhibition designer/builder who Heidi recommended to me, so hopefully those conversations can happen fairly soon.

Overall though I was impressed with the general sense of energy and passion that these people have for what it is they do. Whether it’s Heidi’s empathy for others, Frank’s concern for the future of the architect, or Zoë’s desire to engage everyone in dialogue about design, there is a continuing interest they have all invested in what it is they do.

What’s interesting though is the point Heidi made about the ‘angst’ some architects are feeling towards the profession and the shift to fields outside of architecture. What this means for the profession in the future is a little uncertain though. Maybe it means that this is a way for others to understand the value that designers can bring to the world, and the profession will begin to be perceived in a better light. It’s consoling (encouraging isn’t the right word because it may not happen in our lifetime) that Tom thinks architects should be compensated more for the work that they do, because he was not in the design world until much later in his life than we started, it shows that some people really do see what is put into a project. On the other side, maybe it means that the people who move outside of architecture will leave the profession with people who turn it into a greedy and corporate nightmare.

Comparing Don’s view on art and architecture is an interesting contrast to Frank’s stance. Maybe it isn’t entirely a fair comparison since one is practicing and one is teaching, but Don sees architecture as a way to make a living, and art as a way to have a life. Frank prefers to think of architecture as a way in which to immerse oneself in all aspects of culture, and has certainly done so. In my eyes that have never practiced architecture, I prefer to think more the way that Frank does about this, because I’d want to consider all the design I engage in as a part of my culture and life. It’s an interesting dilemma that I’m

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sure I will have to consider in the future once I’m actually working and these issues begin to surface.

Another great point I noticed between everyone is that they all have something they want to achieve in life, whether it’s something simple or more complex, there is passion in creating, recording, making, presenting, teaching, building, and drawing. One of the biggest takeaways not just from these interviews, but in general, would be that there is no way you can set a clear and defined path for your life. Things are planned and shift and change without warning, opportunities arise and disappear, so in my mind that means I’ve stopped thinking long-term. Obviously I still do to some degree, like everyone tends to do, but I know it’s absolutely going to change by the time I graduate. Another example is that there is no way I could have expected what I would be doing this summer even halfway through the semester here, but it’s going to happen.

I hope I can take some of Don’s energy, Tom’s reason, Heidi’s empathy, Frank’s insight, and Zoë’s passion with me in the future.

Practitioner Interviews 33

Lectures

Randy Guillot Drew Ranieri Brian Lee Natasha Krol Carl D’Silva Iker Gil Geoffrey Walters Laura Fisher Carl D’Silva: Act II Peter Ellis Adam Whipple John Syvertsen

36 38 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 60 62

Lecture Notes 35

Randy guillot

principal, cannondesign

Build meaningful relationships through hard work

Have the ability to be ready for any process

Attach yourself to talented people Communication is everything

What your words and actions actually mean to someone

Representation is a form of communication Have broad influences and mentors

Find the people who know more than you do

Authentic, generous, creative Surrender to your time management demon

Fail at this surrounded by people who will help you

get better

Balance of leadership and group dynamics Your client is your design partner

Impressing upon others your value and making them

invested in you Listen

Take something and make it something different, and better

Don’t expect the outcome, but set yourself up for discovery

Relationship between the tools

Don’t get somewhere by skipping steps Promote your strengths

Show me what you’re good at

Exploit what you’re good at

Difference between profound arrogance and confidence

Give yourself credit Be generous and be courageous

Why do I care?

There is always more than one right answer

Thrive in the grey area Knowing what you don’t know is as important as knowing

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response

This was definitely the perfect way to start the professional practice lectures. I hope that I can maintain the same level of positivity and energy that Randy clearly has for what he does. A lot of what he talked about is things that I really strive to do and be good at, like listening, representing/ communicating, being generous and creating a process.

There are plenty of things to work on as well, namely learning how to promote my strengths. I know that ‘strength’ is meant in many senses of the word, but at least in terms of presenting my work I tend to show a range of projects and means of representation, maybe in an attempt to not be stuck working one way at an office. I think that the other ways to promote strengths can really only come across when you are interacting with people, and your social strengths will really be seen.

One thing that at first was a bit of a struggle at school was having professors with very different styles between studio years and other classes. At first it was challenging hearing viewpoints that really conflicted with each other, but I realized that that’s the only way I can discover for myself what genuinely influences me. And I have tried to maintain those relationships with the professors who I was closest with, because now it’s great to hear what unique perspectives everyone has.

A few of Randy’s points are issues I have not had to deal with yet, but I know will be in the back of my head in the future. One thing I plan to ask him is how he came up with the ten points. Actually, I guess the how just comes about after years of learning and working, and just are the phrases you keep falling back on. So that means a better question may be how long did it take for him to come up with the ten points? Though it is ever evolving as Randy said, I would love to know when he first completed the list.

Lecture Notes 37

Drew ranieri

associate principal, solomon cordwell buenz

Contracts

Always work with a contract

Spells out timeline of completion of drawings

15% of single-family housing designed by architects

What should be defined in a contract?

Money-Schedule-Roles-Responsibility-Expectation Accountability-Scope Basic Phases

Conceptual Design/ Programming

Schematic Design

Design Development

Construction Documents Bids

Construction Administration/ Observation

Design 1/3 CDs 1/3 administration 1/3 Responsibility

Clients hire architects for them to deal with the money well,

designing quality

Architect establishes what the choices are, but does not

necessarily make those choices

Architect’s drawings are a set of instructions

Good contract spells out what everyone is responsible for

Design/ build blurs the line of responsibility Overseas work and digital work is changing relationship between owner, architect, contractor and the public perception Architect typically sees the project through to the end, but how does accountability change when you don’t see the final Some have started to take on more liability in order to minimize risk Joshua Prince-Ramus

“We don’t know what it is, but we know it’s everything we

need it to be”

Less about inventiveness, more about logic of process

Clear Intention. Motive. Result.

38

response

Looking back on this lecture, it was either all over the place, or very concentrated on specific topics. Drew really wanted to get us to understand the realistic side of the process a project needs to go through, but showed us the Prince-Ramus videos to make sure we know concept is still important. At least I think that’s what he tried to do.

Regardless, it was fairly informative to hear some about contracts.

It was all so basic though that I think I’d just need to be involved in that process at an office to really be able to begin to understand all the specifics about creating contracts. Having this information in one place though will be good for the future.

The most surprising thing to me was that Drew did not seem fond of design/ build because the line of responsibility becomes much more blurred with their projects. We had always learned it as the architect retaining more control with the construction of a project. I understand wanting to have a clear distinction between different phases of a project and who is in control, but it seems that even when a project isn’t design/ build, the lines are pretty blurry too, so I don’t see what makes one process better than the other.

Moving into the Prince-Ramus videos, I had some previous knowledge of the projects that he talked about, but I’m sure that what I took away from it now is different from what I took away from it a few years ago. I think that a quote from one of the librarians about the Seattle library perfectly captures the program-driven style of architecture: “We don’t know what it is, but we know it’s everything we need it to be.”

The statement is clearly valid, and I think it can be seen as a success that buildings like this can be ‘sold’ to the stakeholders involved in the project, but I think that it sometimes avoids larger complex issues buildings contend with. I personally am not too optimistic about how these buildings will age and change over time. Whether it’s a material or construction question and the buildings will literally be falling apart, or more of a programmatic concern, with many ‘unprogrammed spaces’ becoming dead zones, I’m not sure what the future of these projects will bring.

For example, Heather mentioned that the 8 house by BIG has closed off the ramps around the whole building to the public, because most

Lecture Notes 39

response

of the residents just use the elevators to get to their unit, and don’t really want strangers walking or biking through their property. But as presented, the project promised that this circulatory ramp would be open to the public, and everyone would happily greet each other as they passed. I think that there is just as much danger as there is potential in the ‘this-building-is-a-natural-and-simple-response-tothe-contextual-conditions-and-the-only-logical-thing-to-be-built-here’ mentality.

It could be a natural aspect to the clear ‘intention, motive, result’ process that is presented by the architect. In the end, if the intention and motive are met, and only 50% of the anticipated result is achieved, couldn’t that be alright if the project is still successful as a whole? So maybe the building didn’t become a perfect community where strangers and residents gather and collaborate generating new ideas for the betterment of mankind, but instead became a place where residents love to live, relax, and spend time in everyday. Is there anything wrong with that?

Regardless, I’m looking forward to seeing what these types of projects become in ten years, whether I’ll be nonplussed by the degradation, or pleasantly surprised by the result.

40 Drew Ranieri

Lecture Notes 41

Brian lee

design partner, skidmore, owings, & merrill

Ethos of design ethos: the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations What has been done before and how can we improve on it?

Believes that group practice makes them strong The projects are not about authorship by one person Everyone isn’t like minded, but is like driven How does the building affect a larger condition?

Humanizing the experience

how people use the building

Questions of scale, light, material, landscape

“We shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us”

Adaptability of spaces for different scales of use Integrate and Connect

Finding the nuances of the area and proposal

Thinking about site, building, and landscape

Searching for a unique solution to a problem

Convincing the clients that an idea is worthwhile

Questioning things, these provocations become the design

Which proposal is best situated to withstand questions?

Scale

Understanding what scale is in projects Adaptability of spaces for different scales of use Giving large projects human scale Building not as form, but as place for human habitation Interior relation vs. exterior perception Similar amounts of time spent on large scale and small scale projects

History

Reinterpretation of shelter, hearth Contemporary architecture must speak to history Testing non-traditional ways of doing what we have learned Can you serve society in a meaningful way?

Find people who are invested in you Do everything you can to make yourself an interesting person What can you offer to a creative world?

42

response

I was pretty happy to see the perspective that Brian has about architecture compared with what most people’s perspective about SOM is. His belief on why they do so many tower projects is that they know that financially the project will be built eventually, regardless of whether or not SOM is involved, so they take the project because they think that they can do a better job with it than if it went to someone else’s hands. The statement could also be entirely self-serving, but I’m pretty certain it was authentic.

So it was really nice to have Brian help me understand and be able to take something valuable out of the buildings he showed us. An idea that is pretty critical that he brought up and also came up in our last review is the importance of scale in projects, and focusing on both the small human scale and large urban or overall scale. Obviously for built projects the scales in between are dealt with, but for our sake the two ends are the important ones to deal with. And that is how most of the project drawings and renders Brian had are presented, either an overall scheme showing form or arrangement, or a perspective showing the human spatial experience.

Another thing that I didn’t really notice while Brian was speaking, but I noticed looking back on the notes I took is the contrast between the more practical aspects of running the firm and the more theoretical notions of creating the work. I think that it’s important I didn’t notice a distinction when Brian was giving us the lecture, and that only when my notes have abstracted, simplified, and lost the character and tone of the verbal and visual presentation did I notice the difference. So it says a lot about both how Brian presented the work and how the seemingly contrasting ideas can actually work well together.

For example, the practical idea about group practice and not having specific authorship can be beneficial when testing non-traditional ways of doing what has been learned through history. Instead of one person generating the ideas based on their limited experiences and knowledge, the ideas can be joined and merged to become something greatly influenced by the past and looking to the future.

The advice about doing everything you can to make yourself an interesting person is something I’ve thought a lot about as well.

I don’t find myself a particularly interesting person. If I was, it would probably be more of the circumstances around me that are interesting, and I just happen to be in the middle of it. There will be more on this for Natasha’s lecture.

Lecture Notes 43

Natasha krol

engagement manager, mckinsey

Observation

Do a marathon around a single block

Observe and notice the world around us

Can be hard to define what you’re looking for

Making a trip more than just a typical site visit

Our experience of space, life, work, etc. is a result of how we

arrive in it On her job

-Spend a lot of time defining the problem

-Facilitating people to solve their own problems

-What is the problem, who is being solved for, how can they

do it?

-Uses deep structured interviews with clients to get at why

someone does something, not just what they’re doing

-Helps clients to develop a story on why they should change

-Finding the nodes of important people at an office as a way

to get them to influence the other workers and begin the

process of change

-The angriest people typically are the most helpful

-Office does performance and health indicators at the end of

a project to determine if the solution actually helped or not For us

44

Remember what it is that you have to offer Do the same things you’ve always done but with a different medium Take the time to create your own story What is my value?

All are ways to help figure out how you can better engage in the world Diagram your life What people say you’re best at vs. what you think you’re best at Polite / Openness / Empathy

response

I thought Natasha’s lecture was wonderful. There’s a lot that can be learned from her beliefs, but most of it will take time to think about and develop into cohesive ideas. So in a way she helped structure a foundation that we can now begin to build off of.

It’s great to see how someone who was trained in architecture and design brings those skills to her consultant position. It’s interesting to note that Heidi also mentioned how architects are moving off into other fields and non-standard ways of practicing, and said it was a positive development. This could be one way in which the perception of architects and architecture is changed. If designers start working in other fields and are successful where they work, it could potentially shift people’s perception of what architects really do.

As far as the work that Natasha does, the parallels between what we have been doing for site analysis and what she does when coming into a new office seem fairly obvious, so I don’t think I need to spell it out (using different mediums, observing and noticing, defining the problem, etc.). What I did find interesting was the comment about how the angriest people are the most helpful. And she even understands that angry isn’t limited to the outspoken person in the meeting, but also the person who is silently fuming and leaves the meeting hurriedly. It shows that there is a real understanding of social cues and how they can be used advantageously.

Something that I found interesting after the lecture was that many of my peers also enjoyed it a lot, but some weren’t all that engaged in it because all Natasha seemed to be telling us was obvious things about how to use our creative minds. Since I was really into it, I was pretty surprised by that, but at least for me I think that she framed her talk quite differently than how most architects would, and just seeing how these ‘tools’ have actually been applied in different settings.

What I take away from this is the importance of creating a narrative.

That’s essentially what Natasha does for different businesses, crafting a narrative for them to succeed. I should create a narrative for myself, the ‘story’ she talked about. It’s important how other people become part of that narrative, because everything we’ll be doing is really about social interaction, so what other people’s perception of me is versus how I think about myself. I will be working on that because I have no real direction on where I want to go yet (besides everywhere) or what I aim to achieve in my life, but I’m hoping it will be helpful to start now.

Lecture Notes 45

Carl d’silva

vp / associate principal, jahn

New Bangkok International Airport

Owner, designer, contractor structure of the project is

extremely complex dealing with the Thai government,

engineers, sub-contractors

Wanted to break the boundary between interior and exterior

and create transparency

Air side is the area of airport when you have went

through security

It would be nice to hear more about dealing with the country

and the difficulties that created in design and construction

Fabric is used to minimize solar radiation Special fritted glass was made for the building, white dots from outside (reflects light and is not visible from distance) and black dots from inside (easier for humans to look out of) Lighting the project was important because it’s how the airport is perceived Structure

46

Louvers are really cool That low-e coating is really nice too, super helpful Steel superstructure was created in a factory and transported then welded on site Use of a 5-pin truss for the concourse Fabric has an inner, middle, and outer layer Also helps with absorbing as much jet noise as possible, keeping it from reaching the inside The continuous glass cable wall is large

response

This wasn’t the most fascinating lecture we’ve had so far. I feel bad for the people who were in Blacksburg and already saw most of it. But the construction of the airport was pretty interesting and it was really cool seeing how the different elements were assembled and came together on site.

What I really wanted to hear about that Carl briefly touched on was the issues and everything that came up working with the Thai government and dealing with the many different groups involved in the construction. He said how Jahn had to bypass some groups and committees and were kind of sub contractors to themselves through another company, so I thought that could’ve been interesting to hear about.

Understanding the scope of what a project like this covers was crazy to imagine too. The airport was in the design phase for thirty years or something before it even moved into bidding, and was then put on hold and came back and was redesigned to match the new budget before it ever touched physical land for construction. Just hearing about the broad issues that come up when making a massive building like this was informative on its own.

Some of the specific components and pieces made for the project were interesting to hear about too. At what point is a building big enough that it’s financially feasible to manufacture special pieces for the construction? Is it even a question of scale?

Lecture Notes 47

Iker gil

director, mas studio

Background

Mas Studio, Mas Context, Chicago Expander

research program

Works at scales between architecture and the city

From Bilbao, Spain

Had a flood in 1983, then Foster did subway in 1995 and

Gehry the Guggenheim in 1997

Changed the city quickly and dramatically

Lived in Barcelona for 9 years

Got a sense for public space and how people use it Interventions

Creating precise interventions to make sense of a network

How to connect and communicate between different disciplines

Architecture for Humanity 2010 street furniture, providing a

way to approach a problem, not solving it, but making

a system to work in

City gave money to the area to become a public park even

though the boxes were only a temporary intervention

Flag exhibit, how the context changes going from Venice to

Millennium Park

Mapped Pedway system, thought about ways to better

utilize the network

Relationship between public/private spaces and having

communal spaces

Movies in the Park Âť Movies in the Pedway Marina City

Not many people know about the inside and the sense of

community and pride in the place

Has only 3 typologies of units

Exhibit addressed success in non-architectural terms

Made people who knew other cities well think about what

buildings the project could apply to in that city Context

48

How many people can talk about one similar topic Do what you’re interested in and find the people who are interested in it as well New Mexico trip, different levels of people at different times in their lives

response

These are already starting to get repetitive, and repetition is what makes good architecture, right? Similar ideas about how we can use our design skills for not just architecture and how there is no clear path that we can plan for our future came up again in this lecture.

We’ve met a lot of people who have just followed what they wanted to do and made something out of it, but especially with Iker he seemed the most committed to telling us just do what you enjoy doing and don’t worry about it. He enjoys making books and publications, so he just decided to start making one because he’s interested in doing it regardless of whether it’s for work or not. So we should find or know what it is that we can be that passionate about.

I really appreciate his study on Marina City and the attempt to document and understand the place through non-architectural terms.

A lot of us seemed to ask him the question about how the towers are successful architecturally, but that’s the exact point he was trying to avoid. Even if you can address it architecturally at first, at a certain point in time, the social aspect of a place could come to define it more than the physical qualities of the space.

Mas Context is amazing. Maybe at the beginning it was difficult for him and the firm to figure out, but they’re doing great now.

The interdisciplinary approach to the publication is probably the best thing about it to me. Having people of different backgrounds and approaches to similar topics but can all come together for a discussion is an idea that we really don’t see enough of. Just flipping through the books he had out I marked articles that immediately sparked my interest.

The Potential of Nothing Lawrence Abrahamson (Im)possible Chicagos Alexander Trevi

Lecture Notes 49

Geoffrey walters

principal, cannondesign

Background

Director of quality, standards development

The profession is a 3-legged stool of design, technical, and

business/management

Process, performance, detailing, documentation, delivery

are all considered

Whether or not the client is informed, important to get their

feedback and determine design goals

If the early process is deep and meaningful, it helps with the

design later in the project Performance and Process

Building performance was not really an issue until fairly

recently, but is huge now

Architecture 2030 challenge, a regimented path to net zero

by 2030

Goal for 2015 is 70-80% reduction, which is almost net zero

Emerging issues of building resilience and adaptability to climate

Impact of design decisions of building performance

Geoff thinks for him that this complex problem solving gives

a more rewarding experience

How energy modeling should be used as an iterative

process, not just testing a final

Since the process is about fundamental design decisions, it

shouldn’t affect the cost of the project Detailing

50

Informing design decisions by physical connections Using Revit not as a design tool but as a documentation tool Being thoughtful about how to still create a narrative when using BIM Is there even value in creating an entire virtual building?

The way buildings are delivered to clients and the expectations of what buildings can do are changing with digital tools If you don’t know why you’re doing something, it’s probably being done incorrectly

response

Geoff’s voice is very soothing and relaxing. He made some very interesting points, but looking back on it I can’t help but feel that a lot of what he told us was pretty standard information. There’s nothing wrong with that because it was still very informative, maybe it just didn’t get me thinking about more than the facts and timeline of where we’re heading.

In general, the practice and profession of architecture is constantly shifting even as we are being taught architecture, so it’s important to keep up to date and be aware of the changes (good or bad) of the practice. Probably the biggest thing to be aware of, and the thing I remember the most from Geoff’s lecture was the impending civilization collapse.

It sounds like a depressing point, but it really is meant as a way to be able to understand what it is that we’ve done as humans and how we have to change to avoid the current course that we’re on. Along the same lines as the possible collapse of civilization, on a much smaller scale it’s important for designers to understand the course that the profession is taking and being aware of the tools we use and the impact they have on not just architects, but the public perception of architecture.

That’s about all from his lecture that I can actually say something mildly intelligent about.

Lecture Notes 51

Laura fisher

managing director at ipm consulting ltd.

Background + Work

Spent her fourth year under Adrian Smith at SOM

Got an MBA in finance after her BArch. at Tech

Is a real estate broker, is LEED certified, and an AIA Fellow

In corporate architecture

Was on a team interviewing IM Pei for a project proposal

Worked for a bank, had carpenters, electricians, tradesmen

on team

75 floor Chase headquarters was being designed in

Houston, and they didn’t know what to do so they

brought Laura on

Chicago Charter School, designed and renovated a school

before the new school year started, contractor started above

architect, but they were clueless so they were fired

Taking inventory of furniture at a school, she didn’t actually

do the work, but helped the school figure out how to do it Advice

Take time to figure out a system that will work best for you

Know what your skill set is so you can deliver those services

to others

Evaluate yourself so you know what you can do, and are able

to turn down what you know you can’t do

Know the value of your work so you can charge appropriately

Broaden the work you do and the leadership skills you have

We’re being told how to dress properly…

Be observant

Start your career folder now…

Keep learning

Distinguish yourself, follow up, say thank you, appreciate others

52

response

Hearing about what Laura has done with her degree in architecture is another way it’s clear that we can pretty much go into whatever we focus our time on after school. It’s amazing to see what it is that she did after she finished architecture. Laura is a great example of someone who has not stopped learning, and has continued to use all the skills she has developed to succeed in many different careers (this is using the false assumption that jobs can easily be categorized into distinct and separate paths).

Again, figure out where your skills are and your worth so you can provide quality services to others. That’s something that is clear to understand, but it also is something that has to be developed through actually doing. You can theorize all you want about how to interact with people and how to provide your talents for them, but you have to actually attempt it to learn from those experiences and actually figure out how best to use your skills.

Some of the points Laura made about more practical job advice and tips on interviews and everything seemed either fairly straightforward or meant for a much younger audience. I guess I should start pulling my pants up.

Lecture Notes 53

Carl d’silva: act ii

vp / associate principal, jahn

54

Louvre

site analysis/context programming planning detailing

what are you trying to do?

Clear logic leads to good design What image presents the idea?

Have a freedom of exploration, but it leads to the focus Is there a very basic logic behind it regardless of the merit of the design?

analyzing designing

response

It’s easy to say that you will have a clear logic and image to present your idea, but it’s different to actually do it. Just another skill that we’ll continue to develop over the course of our education and practice.

I did a study on the Louvre for our building cities class in the spring semester of third year, and got to visit it in the fall semester, so hearing Carl talk about the Louvre was great to see where our thoughts aligned, and what he agreed with or noticed that I didn’t necessarily focus on.

The development and evolution of the ‘building’ is completely fascinating by itself regardless of the actual form, because the scale of it is so vast and encompasses so much of the city. It literally has two or three metro stops. This shows how important IM Pei’s addition to the Louvre was to help the museum enjoy continued success.

Lecture Notes 55

Peter ellis

principal, cannondesign

Introduction

Something about a project in Philadelphia and energy use

Chicago green grid

Burnham Plan

Water usage Future of Cities

Capturing water so it doesn’t go to the Gulf of Mexico

If we use waste to convert to energy, saves 20% and the

waste cycle becomes part of the energy cycle

Use of aquifers, wells, cisterns

Big wind, big solar, and more aim to create a completely

regenerative city

We are still making up for the devastation the car created

If Ford had known about what cars would become, would he

still have invented it?

Self-driving cars can free the city and the space necessary

for transit/parking

One car can be used for 11 families (current zipcar average)

We have to get there. It’ll just take time.

Designing in India

Gandhi didn’t want the future of India to have cities

Goal in creating the city was to convince people not to be

afraid of the public realm

There is very little land available, and the parcels are never

large enough

Hope to develop a public consciousness

Top floors are cheapest, as power is never a constant Essence of Cities

It is the fundamental elements of the urban fabric, not

specific monuments that make a city

The individual showpieces are haikus, but no War and Peace

Harmony between the urban and the natural

56

response

First off, everything I say about this may be inherently flawed because I did not see the beginning of Peter’s lecture, so everything I’m saying is based on half the information presented. I can’t really sugarcoat this any other way, but it’s exciting to hear someone Peter’s age very excited about change and what the future of cities can be, and not clinging to some outdated sense of what’s right for cities and how they should work because they’ve been working just fine for years thank you very much.

So it was great to hear about the ideas Peter had about cities that are essentially closed-loop systems, producing as much energy as is being consumed. Additionally, over the last few years in college and abroad this year I’ve become significantly more disenfranchised with cars. I don’t enjoy driving the way many people do. To me it’s just another task that has to get done. It’s not relaxing or a stress reliever.

I honestly believe that many of the problems with the United States come from just the sheer amount of land that our country covers and when it was settled everyone just spread out. So instead of continuing with the success in the past of the rail lines, we went with the personal independence and freedom of the individual automobile. From everything we’ve learned this semester, it seems like this mindset is shifting back to more communal transit options, but the goal is to get others to support it. There will always be people in this country that will not change their beliefs, regardless of how much sense it can make to others.

But it’s interesting to think about what cities can turn into once you remove essentially the majority of the infrastructure necessary for transit and parking. What new spaces or activities can occupy these areas?

Moving into when Peter was talking about India and the city they were planning, I’m a little more conflicted about how to feel about it.

It shouldn’t be surprising that the highest floor units are the cheapest because that’s exactly what it was like in cities like Paris when they were only going up to six floors, so in a developing city like the one they were working on, history makes it clear some of the points they’ll face. I also completely understand the aim to get people invested in their public space, but the trepidation to use public space could be a social cultural difference that maybe can’t be solved through design. Maybe certain spaces can’t be safe regardless of how they are planned?

Lecture Notes 57

response

Another point I thought about was the increasing degree of privacy in certain areas of America. Many gated communities offer the semblance of privacy and safety, though statistically they are no safer than similar non-gated communities. Out West specifically I’m pretty sure there is a rise in people who are moving into private isolated areas. I could just be making that up though.

Peter’s point about what defines a city means a lot. Thinking about any city I’ve been in, most of the differences are not about the monuments and landmarks, but about the general feeling of being in the city and that’s something much harder to quantify than the Hard Rock Café in every city.

Finally, the idea of having the urban and natural environments in complete harmony currently seems a lofty goal, but I am completely enamored with the idea. Maybe that’ll be what I hold onto in design and continue to strive for in later years. Can someone be successful without having goals in mind, or is some vision or objective necessary for the extended success of an individual? Ask me in ten years.

58 Peter Ellis

Lecture Notes 59

Adam whipple

project manager at newcastle limited

Background

MArch from U of Illinois, was in military, PhD from Harvard

Was at SCB and SOM as an urban project manager

What skills are we learning and who cares?

Problem solving, spatial understanding, presentation, communication

We should concentrate on the skills and what is actually

being learned, not about the degree title Project Management

Project has a budget, a schedule, a scope, happens once.

There are only slight differences between the general

industry and architecture practice

Differences in size of offices though

Had many responsibilities when he was at a small place

doing a small orthodontics office

But had very specific and limited responsibilities for the

Bahrain master plan

Belmont- convert into somewhere actually desirable,

needed lots of planning and quick construction

Cortlandia- worst house on the block, manage schedule,

budget, get permits, leases, and market the units Broadened Field of Architecture

Design thinking is being embraced by other industries

wrk-shp / isssstudio

Project management is a role always available in many

offices, not just specific to architecture

Design thinking can’t be imported, but other things can be learned

Figuring out what else you can do and how to present it

It’s about working within a wider profession, not outside of

the profession Advice

60

Read FastCompany Body language is extremely important Do mock interviews Perfect the elevator speech

response

Adam is another great example of someone we’ve met who knows the value of an architecture education outside of exclusively architecture. It’s still all pretty straightforward. Obviously the work you do will be a lot broader when at a smaller office and there are less people to do work, but the work you do at a big office will be much more narrow and focused because there are enough people to divide the work among. I guess this just means that we’ve already developed an understanding about the way many types of offices are run.

I just don’t find myself all too interested in exactly what Adam does.

Maybe it’s because it seems a lot more business and market focused, but that could just be my mind still hoping to just work on designing and not really too much of the other side of it. But also, what Adam’s doing now, or, at least how he presented it, doesn’t really seem like there’s too much design going on, which is fine, but not something I could see myself doing at this point.

However, I do really appreciate his points, similar to Natasha’s and many others, about what we’re learning in school and how we can honestly apply it to pretty much anything we want to go into after graduating. The profession is not some limited and closed off from the world system, but is actually much larger and expansive than most think.

After my awkward Skype interview, I will definitely be doing some mock interviews and elevator speeches before the next round of applications.

Lecture Notes 61

John syvertsen

senior principal, cannondesign

Background

In early career, taught at UIC and Minnesota

Was at OWP+P before CannonDesign, when they realized

that the office values were quite similar they merged

Started Open Hand Studio to increase the ability to improve

people’s lives

Went to the White House and more to have this

conversation, but there was a stark absence of designers

from the discussion on how to improve people’s lives Brownsville

The UT campus was splitting and wanted to move

Tight border control choked off the relationship between

Brownsville and Mexico

Cannon won the RFQ to have the master-planning job

12 sites were shortlisted, 11 were cottonfields, and 1 was in

downtown Brownsville

Took 5 months for the team to select the site

Use generosity as a way to establish trust

It was a daunting challenge met with radical optimism by

those involved

The project is irresistibly meaningful so it is engaging Hippocratic Oath

Give service and support to those who need it

Do it without primary concern for cost, maximize the impact

Take risk, if it’s not a risk, then what is the value?

Incredible energy comes from work

What is the reward?

Open Hand Studio

All flow and no ebb

There is business value to building community

Hold yourself accountable for your actions, never don’t meet

How is profit measured?

The older I grow and the longer I look at landscapes (or cities) and seek to understand them, the more convinced I am that their beauty is not simply an aspect but their very essence and that that beauty derives from the human presence.

JB Jackson

62

response “if this lecture was given by me” How do your values change over time?

Are there some things that become more important or rediscovered?

Remember to be empathetic and generous to others. Surround yourself with the people who genuinely want to see you succeed.

Don’t take anything too seriously. Care for others, but focus on yourself. My thoughts are as all over the place now as they were when I was a student.

I have always been fascinated with the relationship between man and nature. At first I thought it was a question about architecture and nature, but it really is about the way we as humans interact with our environment. Many of my early projects addressed issues of a building’s connection with nature, but once I got into installations and set design, the physical commune with the earth become less important.

But I realized that these seemingly different areas all dealt with similar concepts of time. Yes, I know, everything deals with time. This is more about permanence and ephemerality, changing spaces and places.

The importance of exhibitions and sets lies not only in the present of the performance or display, but also in the fleeting nature of its existence. The dismantling of the shows shifts the physical, spatial, and atmospheric attributes into memory, where our mind maintains and cultivates a feeling that an event generated. Similarly, in buildings that are truly part of nature, no one visit is ever the same. We retain memories of smells, shadows, and sounds, but the experience is always moving forward in time.

This is when I realize that I might sound like a nonsensical designer, so I always tried to balance the aspects of my life. Succeeding in design is the grandest balancing act of all. Professional life and personal life, context and detail, form and function, cost and quality, and many other things that I could say but would just bore you, and you’ll figure it out for yourself over time, so I won’t bother.

Travel every opportunity you get. It might be hard for some to appreciate the significance that travel has, but it really opens your eyes to the world we live in and helps to understand and empathize with others. I thought I had seen a lot of the world when I was a student, but I quickly found out I was completely wrong.

Know that no matter how it seems on the outside, everyone is tripping and stumbling through life, so don’t be afraid to find people to help you along the way.

Lecture Notes 63

Urban mapping

table of contents

Nine Planning Principles Cermak Abstract Cermak Analysis

67 87 88

Urban Mapping 65

Urban mapping

nine planning principles

Sustainability Accessibility Diversity Open Space Compatibility Incentives Adaptability Density Identity

68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84

Urban Mapping 67

Principle #1: sustainability maru padilla heather rosen

The first principle of the book City Building: Nine Planning Principles for the 21st Century is sustainability. It is chosen to head the list because it is an overarching principle which impacts all the others. It is crucial for urban planners to consider the sustainability of a project throughout the entire design process. The principle of sustainability does not only refer to environmental factors, but includes social and economic issues. Sustainability is a holistic design approach.

Sustainable urban planning can be broken down into two main efforts: conservation of the natural environment and smart city building. The natural environment needs to be carefully considered whenever designing a city. It is important to calculate the environmental carrying capacity of the land, manage the land use in an area, maintain clean air and water, conserve open natural space, and use local resources. The built environment must also be constructed in a smart way.

Strategic plans include using energy efficient systems, making dense developments, implementing efficient infrastructure, and utilizing local building materials.

Designing and building dense cities is a critical step towards achieving sustainability. Dense developments allow for maximum conservation of natural landscape and results in more livable spaces. In order to realize this condition, there needs to be cooperation and collaboration between regional and local governments. These groups working together can implement zoning and land use policies, inter-city transit infrastructure, economic sufficiency plans, and building code standards. Combining these elements will result in the planning of economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable cities.

68

Planned vs. Unplanned

Density vs. Sprawl

Guiding Populations

Urban Infill

Energy Efficient Materials

Intercity Transit Urban Mapping 69

Principle #2: accessibility kelsey dressing andrew economou

Accessibility is about facilitating ease of movement and maximizing circulation. In order to design a more accessible city, one of the most important aspects to consider is the concentration of density within an efficient transit network.

Compact developments can aid in reducing travel time, discouraging automobile use and encouraging walkability. By connecting concentrated pedestrian-friendly destinations with mass transit systems, the use of cars is reduced. In order to better serve the pedestrian, breaking down large areas into small blocks and streets can provide safer and easier crossings, while also giving the road system redundancy. If a breakdown occurs, parallel routes can provide traffic alternatives. When designing transit systems, having the ability to handle multiple modes of transport is beneficial.

Transportation, circulation and access corridors should be considered when designing a city. Setting aside areas as land reserves for future transportation use can prevent possible demolition of buildings. Transit corridors should be located at the boundaries of districts without blocking important views to create more walkable areas. By reducing the size and radius of turns, traffic is forced to slow down, which makes the area safer for pedestrians. Another way to increase pedestrian comfort is to consider the street types and design treatments. Wider sidewalks, designated mass transit, automobile, and bike lines, and landscape treatments can all work together to create a more pedestrian-friendly area. In conclusion, considering the needs of pedestrians and transit requirements in design can lead to a more accessible city.

Multiple Modes of Transportation 70

Small Blocks & Streets

SMALL BLOCKS AND STREETS

SMALL BLOCKS AND STREETS EASE OF MOVEMENT EASE OF MOVEMENT

Concentrated Destinations

CONCENTRATED DESTINATIONS

EASE OF MOVEMENT

Geometry & Scale

GEOMETRY & SCALE

Urban Mapping CIRCULATION

71

Principle #3: diversity anna knowles-bagwell aaron williams

Diversification of a place occurs within two main categories; the built environment and the residents. The built environment can be varied through the conservation of natural landscapes or significant historic buildings, allowing for the character of a place to develop over time and authentically reflect its history.

When developing new structures, design variation is important because it helps to increase visual variety. This can be accomplished by breaking larger parcels of land into smaller parcels and allowing different design approaches to take place. Design variation may be influenced by zoning laws, which over time vary building stock, or by simply allowing multiple design languages to be implemented. These strategies combine to create an urban landscape which is visually dynamic and representative of the people who inhabit it. However, simply creating an interesting and diverse building stock is not enough to keep people living and thriving in an area.

Mixed use can be used as the umbrella strategy for diversifying the cultural elements which draw people to a place, allowing them to find their niche and stay there. In this case, mixed use means more than just variation in the amenities and program of a development. Instead, it incorporates a larger scale of thinking, including accessible transit and practical proximity between amenities. This concept of immediacy reduces the amount of sprawl, creating communities which are overall more viable for residents. It is also important to retain multiple levels of affordability within a mixed use development, thus maintaining economic diversity and combatting social stratification. When all of these elements are brought together, in combination with other proven urban strategies, the result is a place which is rich in character as well as visual and intellectual interest.

72

Mixed use to reduce urban sprawl

+

=

Conservation of historic structures

VISUAL VARIETY

CONSERVATION

Optimizing adjacency between uses

Multiple voices within a development

SMALL PA

AVOIDING SAMEN Urban Mapping 73

Principle #4: open space bryce beckwith adrienne milner

The presence of open space within an urban environment is imperative for reasons pertaining to human health, natural habitats, and the quality of living environment.

Open space should take into account the preexisting habitat and natural systems. When designing large open spaces surrounding wildlife, migration corridors should be preserved. The ground plane needs to remain porous to accommodate watersheds that often exist surrounding flood plains, rivers, and drainage corridors. The isolation of park spaces should distance habitat from human contact, creating various spaces of sensitivity to natural habitats.

Recreation and urban landscape is an important type of open space for the health and quality of life within dense living conditions. Open space intended for recreational use and human activities should be programmed accordingly.

The urban landscape should contain green spaces for environmental purposes that improve the quality of life such as cooling air, filtering polluted runoff, and absorbing carbon dioxide. Various scales of open spaces should be distributed within an urban fabric in accordance to easy accessibility.

Lastly, open space is a crucial element of any built environment for the visual and spatial relief that it offers. Conserving man-made and natural landscape such as hills, rivers, parks, and skylight strengthens contextual characteristics. Views should be preserved, providing visual relief from the built environment, and highlighting landscaped contextual characteristics. Physical connection to these preserved views are important as it creates a release from cities and prevents the applicability of the island effect on the built environment.

Programmed open spaces for human activities versus open spaces that accommodate industrial and infrastructural needs.

74

QUNLI PARK, CHINA Large open spaces for habitat and natural systems such as water runoff and watersheds.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK Different scales of open park spaces for recreation in proximity to living areas.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA Dense living conditions surround open space creating islands that isolate wildlife.

Urban Mapping 75

Principle #5: compatibility isaac currey lindsey currey

“In deciding whether buildings are to stand out or fit in, the principle [of compatibility] suggests that elements of similarity are just as important in establishing a recognizable, identifiable sense of place as elements of singularity.”

Throughout the process of design, context should constantly influence a project. This means checking the proposal against current conditions, and looking at it as a part of the whole of the city. Designers should reference not only the surrounding urban landscape of today, but also the city’s historical context. In addition, designers should try to account for future conditions, even postulate as to what changes their project might spark in the urban fabric.

At the resolution of individual buildings, scale is a major factor in establishing compatibility. Parcel size, as well as height and setbacks can be regulated to form an urban consensus. However, allowances should be made for some variation, interest and relief. If desired, a height difference of up to two times can create a landmark building, but anything much above that will seem out of place and “freakish.” Likewise, over large parcel sizes break the continuity of the city.

“A building should be respectful of its surroundings and of its time.”

Beyond scale, designers are confronted with the temporal matter of style.

In many ways, the built environment is a visual timeline of history. Every architect or planner of a new project has to ask themselves how much they want to reference and reflect the context, “respect [the] surroundings,” and how much do they want to deviate, in order to be “of [the] time?” How should the character of the building sit in this timeline? These questions are answered primarily through decisions of material and detailing, color and historical preservation.

Compatibility is about the broader sense of place; about both similarity and difference. Seeking to respect the existing character and qualities of a site, compatibility in design makes way for the values of today and the possibilities of the future.

76

Urban Mapping 77

Principle #6: incentives patrick mcminn john sturniolo

Incentives for expanding or building a city generally focus on areas that have underutilized land,

infrastructure, or buildings. such as spaces that are in economic decline or brownfields. Development of these areas, often currently in economic decline or existing brown fields, can be carried out by either the government or private organizations. The most common incentives applied include provision of tax reductions, subsidies for land costs, new infrastructure, increased density allowances, public services, and open spaces.

A growing, livable city is an attraction for talented individuals, who then contribute to the

future successes of the city. Key to city development is the creation of new infrastructure according to a centralized master plan. The master plan, as a defined vision for the future of the city, provides a strategic approach for attracting new investments, economic growth, and overall development. Issues of circulation, location of open space, and phases of development are all central in the creation of an overarching plan for any community. Landscape beautification of streets, parks, and waterfronts can improve the way areas are perceived and have proven to be effective in generating positive interest. The consolidation of existing underperforming parcels as well as allowing for additional density can also make struggling areas more appealing to investors.

Infrastructural improvements that create high-draw destinations or that make areas more

accessible by public transportation increase the economic viability of future development. Transit oriented development is driven by the idea that growth which densifies near public transportation nodes will enjoy more success. The creation of public facilities such as airports, convention centers, ballparks, museums, performance halls, and educational facilities create new jobs and bring with them visitors and revenue. These destinations then increase the value of surrounding neighborhoods as new hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues move in, following the increased economic activity.

78

UNUSED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TRANSFERRED

HISTORIC BUILDING PRESERVED

Urban Mapping 79

Principle #7: adaptability gregory dalfonzo rachel montague

Adaptability, as framed by Kriken, is focused on the goal of creating cities that are flexible

over time. More flexibility enables designers to conserve resources and history as a city ages. Designers are expected to take into account the needs of a progressive urban landscape, while maintaining the vibrancy of the built environment. The main points of adaptability are centralized expansion, smaller modules, conservation of open space, and viability of communities. All of these topics overlap in their effects and intentions, developing a balance between adaptation and innovation.

Centralized expansion supports an efficient and understandable cityscape. By maintaining

focal zones of established areas, both the sense of incompleteness and debris from new construction are separated from daily life. The finished center serves as an orientation device for visitors.

Planning with smaller parcels of land encourages the most efficient use of valuable space

that centers on the pedestrian. Parcels can be combined to create distinct programmatic groupings that can later be reallocated as uses change. A high degree of walkability, supported by maintaining accessible walkways through larger buildings, connects these disparate elements of the city and supports collaboration. Open space is a precious commodity in the city. For urban dwellers to receive a share of wind, sun, view, and green spaces, cities must prioritize the maintenance and development of flexible open spaces.

The economics of the city are such that the supporting elements of daily life must be integrated

into every community. Shops, gyms, residences, and businesses can be developed in a mutually supportive way. The viability of communities also relies on simple spatial decisions. Engaging the street and pedestrians results in a more comprehensive use of buildings, which can support a change in program later in time. Most of the moves that support adaptability are common sense, but they are also often overlooked, as designers seek to develop their personal ideas. While the expression of concept is important in the success of a design, the awareness of and engagement with more general issues is just as crucial. Adaptability will make any design much more valuable, especially as cities become more crowded and adaptive reuse becomes mandatory.

DIRECTION OF EXPANSION

60’s

70’s

00’s

80’s

90’s

REUSE

RENOVATE ADD

DIRECTION OF EXPANSION

80

MIX

ADAPT

General Practice

Optimal Practice

PLANNED EXPANSION

VACANT LOTS

COMPLETE CORE

INCOMPLETE NEIGHBORHOOD

DEVELOPMENTS DEVELOPMENTS

PERMANENT PERMANENT SPACE OPENOPEN SPACE

GENERAL PRACTICE GENERAL PRACTICE

OPTIMAL PRACTICE OPTIMAL PRACTICE

PARKPARK

SCALED CITY PLANNING SCALED CITY PLANNING

OPEN SPACE

Urban Mapping 81

Principle #8: density ethan bingeman alec yuzhbabenko

Density is defined by the number of people living or working on a given unit of land. It varies based on many factors, but culture is the most influential. Developing countries tend to have a density of about 100 square feet per family while more developed countries have about 1,000 square feet for every 2 people. Another determinant of density is the terrain in the location of a place. Mountains, rivers, oceans and other natural boundaries impose limits and dictate the urban fabric.

When dealing with city design, there are three elements to consider in an effort to achieve a livable city:

+ Integrating transit with shopping, business, and entertainment with residential areas to support efficient transit and encourage walking.

+ A suggested density of 300 dwellings per acre to maximize views, sunlight, and adequate open space.

+ Establishing amenities (recreational, cultural, and supportive services) to activate the street at all times.

Implementing these elements, higher density, mixed-use corridors connect areas by means of public transportation. Strengthening neighborhoods provide a base for the density to form. Protecting landmarks, parks, and industrial areas, which are essential to a city and neighborhood character, bring economic benefit for the density to thrive. Lastly, expanding open spaces begins to make the higher density more enjoyable for residents.

Sprawling development destroys irreplaceable land, wastes energy and infrastructure, and causes millions of hours lost in commutes. Through transit oriented development, careful planning, and providing adequate amenities, these densities are sustainable, livable, and achievable.

S PRARIE AVE

S BLU

E ISLA

ND

AVE

S PRARIE AVE

S MICHIGAN AVE

S INDIANA AVE

S MICHIGAN AVE

S INDIANA AVE

S STATE ST

S WABASH AVE

S JEFFERSON ST

S STATE ST

S JEFFERSON ST

S PEORIA ST

S HALSTEAD ST

S CANAL ST

S PEORIA ST

S HALSTEAD ST

S MAY ST

S CARPENTER ST

S RACINE AVE

S MORGAN ST

S MAY ST

S ALLPORT ST

S MORGAN ST

S RACINE AVE

S CARPENTER ST

S ALLPORT ST

S THROOP ST

S LOOMIS ST

S ASHLAND AVE

S LAFLIN ST

S PAULINA ST

S WOOD ST

S WABASH AVE

S CLARK ST

S WOLCOTT AVE

S DAMEN AVE

S

ST

82

ISLA

AVE

S WENTWORTH AVE

S PRINCETON AVE

LTER

COU

CERMAK RD

S CALUMET AVE

AVE

ND

S BLUE

W

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S ARC

CERMAK RD

CERMAK RD

S CLARK ST

HER

S WENTWORTH AVE

ON CET

PRIN

S CANAL ST

S THROOP ST

S LOOMIS ST

S ASHLAND AVE

S LAFLIN ST

S WOLCOTT AVE

S WOOD ST

S DAMEN AVE

CERMAK RD

CERMAK RD

Establish Grid

Green Space

City Fabric

Infrastructure

Sensible Growth

Brownfield Sites

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

RESIDENTIAL

Financial Districts

Establish Neighborhoods

Residential Districts

Urban Mapping 83

Principle #9: identity catherine ives erin young

Identity is creating and preserving a unique and memorable sense of place. The primary sources through which cities achieve identity are natural features, climate, culture, and design. Because each one of these elements can vary, it gives uniqueness to cities because of the infinite combinations. The greatest challenge for modern city builders is designing fast-growing, yet livable cities. Such fast development can hinder builders from recognizing and utilizing attributes of a specific city, causing these elements to not have time to develop into rich and deep ideas.

On the other hand, generic components of a city can stitch together the urban fabric in an otherwise dense area with too many variables. The generic then becomes the background for specific landmarks and cultures to develop a sense of place.

A good city must involve the public interest to protect and enhance the city’s uniqueness over the private interest that threaten it. However, the development of identity can be inhibited by conflicting interests, such as too many monumental icons that don’t respect their existing context.

Establishing identity within a city is difficult and can be faced with many challenges. Many of the issues are common among cities, such as environmental sameness, repetition of elements, places that are hard to comprehend, a sense of being lost, and a lack of natural features.

By utilizing existing conditions and recognizing a city’s potential, it is possible to create a sense of identity.

84

Balance between generic and unique

Issues environmental sameness, repetition of elements, places that are hard to comprehend /sense of being lost, and lack of natural features

Urban Mapping 85

Cermak abstract

Urban Mapping Analysis, Motor Row Redevelopment The biggest goal in the development of Motor Row was making the area accessible for pedestrians and visitors, and reducing the impact of the car on the district. With the narrowing of streets, creation of gathering spaces, and increase in amount of residential units, the increased density of this site combined with the density of the continually developing Ickes sustainable community bring plenty of local residents walking to the farmer’s market during days and going to bars at night.

One thing that won’t be an issue is incentives, with the Green Line stop that opened a while back, and that brings plenty of visitors from further out or even other cities coming to Motor Row. The infrastructural improvement really paid off, benefitting both the economy of the area for the city and people who wanted to see the new downtown Motor Row, so it has really helped the local businesses thrive, even with McCormick Place next door.

Another topic that comes up once in a while when plans are being worked on to continually improve Motor Row is the identity of the community. What’s amazing is that there is such a rich identity to this area already that everyone recognizes and appreciates, but it is always a question when working on new proposals. Especially with the first concentrated plan that was implemented north of 23rd St., we realized that there can be a successful way to preserve the identity of this place, referencing its place in history but also fitting the modern needs of the space. So that helped dispel any notions we had that Motor Row would lose its sense of identity, but it’s always something to be mindful of.

Something we didn’t anticipate becoming an issue was the presence of open spaces within our neighborhood. We thought that the lots we converted into parks would serve as enough open space for the residents, but especially after the hotel on Cermak opened, we have been working on developing a larger area into a public park. The bridge to Northerly Island has worked fairly effectively in bringing people to open space, but people are still skeptical of moving through McCormick Place and the distance is just so vast many are unwilling to travel that far just to relax. The biggest opportunity is probably going to be working together with the Ickes community and collectively determining what spaces can be developed for all of our residents to enjoy.

Urban Mapping 87

Cermak analysis

Urban Mapping 89

Studio documentation table of contents

Radical Conjectures

93

Tabula Rasa MegaBlock Cartography

94 100 104

Site Analysis

111

TU Delft Workshop Typical Atypical

112 116 126

Urban Propositions

141

Motor Row Site and History Radical Proposition Final Proposal

142 154 162

Internship

191

LEED Documentation Hotel

192 202

91

Radical conjectures

Tabula Rasa MegaBlock Cartography

94 100 104

Radical Conjectures 93

Tabula rasa

chinatown island

Transplant Chinatown from its existing context and create Chinatown Island in Lake Michigan. The extent of Chinatown should be determined and selected based upon one’s reading of the area, research, and intuition.

What is Chinatown without boundary?

94

Radical Conjectures 95

96 Tabula Rasa

Radical Conjectures 97

Investigations into what form the transplantation of buildings in Chinatown can take. They can maintain the same arrangement, they can cluster, they can stretch, expand.

98 Tabula Rasa

Transplantation of select buildings from Old Chinatown into Lake Michigan form the foundation of Chinatown Island, both physically and culturally.

Radical Conjectures 99

MegaBlock

(cermak axis)3

Reimagine the Cermak axis from Damen to McCormick Place as a unified MegaBLOCK. The proposition must fit within the ratio of a cube in an imaginary and isolated state. Convey a new order, atmosphere, culture, and infrastructure for horizontal and vertical movement.

100

Radical Conjectures 101

102 MegaBlock

Industrial, residential, and corporate programs occupy the perimeter of the megablock. The structure looks inwards to the central city, which houses the vibrant and active spaces of the Cermak Corridor.

Radical Conjectures 103

Cartography mapping senses

Record the Cermak axis, from Pilsen to McCormick, using only the sense of hearing (audioception). How do the senses, or the limitation of senses, remap the perception of space and place?

Imagine a cartographer’s workshop that uses only one sense to gather and record his or her findings. What is the organization and atmosphere of the space?

How does it relate to the body and the senses? What devices, maps or information is stored? How does the space inspire the work? How does the work inspire the creation of space?

104

Radical Conjectures 105

106 Cartography

Radical Conjectures 107

The WM Hoyt warehouse in the Industrial District becomes the space for the cartogrpaher to map sounds experienced in the environment.

The architecture provides her with volumes of varying spatial and material qualities to allow for the creation of different sounds.

108 Cartography

Circulation cuts through different levels of the space, giving her multiple points within a volume to record and generate sounds. She maps the areas she experiences based on memory, so her mind becomes mediator between experience and recording.

Radical Conjectures 109

Site analysis

TU Delft Workshop Typical Atypical

112 116 126

Site Analysis 111

TU delft workshop trash collection

A joint effort between students at Virginia Tech and TU Delft, the workshop aimed to generate innovative ideas for the future of Chicago and the Cermak axis.

This proposal was formulated after seeing the amount of trash in certain neighborhoods, and is an attempt to raise awareness of trash collection and the amount of waste we produce.

112

Site Analysis 113

Vacant lots can be occupied with highly visible and transparent trash receptacles, colored according to type of waste. The mundane act of throwing out trash becomes an act of entertainment, raising awareness each time you throw something out.

114 TU Delft Workshop

Since the towers are on the street, the visibility of the bins raises public knowledge of the amount of trash generated over time. Similar receptacles can temporarily occupy vacant lots throughout areas of the city.

Site Analysis 115

Typical analysis

local news and issues along cermak axis

Site analysis focused on the Cermak Axis as a whole, and covers local events, recent news, planned development, and significant buildings. This helps in understanding the communities and people living along the site, and what is important to them.

116

ward redistribution

WARD 25

ALDERMAN DANIEL SOLIS

WARD 11

ALDERMAN JAMES BALCER

WARD 3

ALDERMAN PAT DOWELL

WARD 2 ALDERMAN ROBERT FIORETTI

WARD 4

ALDERMAN WILLIAM BURNS

2014

2015

The 2015 ward distribution will cut Cermak Road into four sectors and place new parts of Chinatown under a different alderman.

Site Analysis 117

attendance DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

JULY

JUNE

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

130,000

120,000

110,000

100,000

90,000

80,000

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America and a major contributor to Chicago’s economy. The wide range of events hosted at McCormick result in extremely large swings in population from week to week.

cta green line station

The new Green Line station will make the eastern end of the Cermak corridor more accessible to Chicagoans living in other parts of the city. With a completion date set for late 2014, the station will soon benefit McCormick Place, Motor Row, and any projects being considered for implementation in the future.

118 McCormick Place / Motor Row

motor row redevelopment MARRIOTT 1500 RMS

CONCERT VENUE CHEAP TRICK FOOD/JAZZ/MUSEUM FAILED

BREWERY

BROAD SHOULDERS COMING SPRING 2014

ARENA

DePAUL BASKETBALL

DATA CENTER

RESIDENTIAL MOTOR ROW LOFTS SINCE 2010

Plans to bring additional activity to the Motor Row/Prairie District Area anchored by the development of several hotels and a basketball arena for DePaul University is currently in flux due to litigation stemming from land acquisition.

proposed hotel

This project is currently still in the design phase due to uncertainties involving land acquisition. The owner of the property is suing the city to allow him to follow through with his plans for a six-story data center on the site.

Site Analysis 119

ping tom park boat house

This is the first of four new boat houses in parks along the river promised by Mayor Emanuel. It was designed by Johnson & Lee Architects and opened in June 2013. The boat house offers storage for kayaks and canoes, as well as direct access to the river.

chinatown public library

The new Chinatown Branch Library will be a replacement for the old rental property that served 21,000 people each month. When the usual “prototype” design wouldn’t fit on the site, due to its non-orthogonal shape, Public Building Comissioner, Brian Bannon, opened the design for competition. The building, designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, is scheduled to open in 2015.

120 Chinatown / Industrial District

creative industries initiative WESTERN SHADE CLOTH CO

WM HOYT & CO GROCERS

TEXTILES

WENDNAGLE CO BARREL MANUFACTURERS

THOMPSON SPICE CO SPICES, TEA, COFFEE

In the Cermak Industrial Corridor, the Cermak Creative Industries Initiative, led by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, is attempting to realize the redevelopment of four historic industrial structures into artistic, high-tech, and artisanal manufacturing facilities.

environmental efforts

The Cermak / Blue Island project seeks to improve the streetscape of Cermak with an eye towards stormwater retention. Porous paving, bioswales, and vegetation reduce water runoff, while smog-eating concrete, light colors, and solar-powered LED streetlights help mitigate other environmental problems and inefficiencies.

Site Analysis 121

la casa student housing

The Resurrection Project, a community development organization, was responsible for the completion of La Casa. The building and resource center offers a location for college students from different universities to study because many of them do not have the space in their family homes.

benito juarez academy

The school was expanded in 2010 with the addition of an auditorium, soccer field, updates to the technology, and a larger campus. In 2013, Juarez was off probation for the first time in ten years with better student attendance and improved teacher performance.

122 Pilsen

community garden

Before the EPA cleanup of the lead contaminated soil at the former site of the Loewenthal Metals Smelter, Pilsen residents made makeshift signs warning the community of the dangerous area. The Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization is working with the EPA on the current cleanup process.

fisk station

After years of effort from Pilsen residents and activists, the Fisk plant was finally decommissioned in 2012. Currently the city and Pilsen are looking at the redevelopment of the site, and how best to utilize the area to serve the neighborhood and Chicago.

Site Analysis 123

chicago marathon

The Chicago Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors.

Limited to 45,000 runners annually, the race brings increased tourism to the tune of $150 million to the city including $15 million to charities. The route of the race travels through Pilsen, Chinatown, and finally up Michigan toward the finish.

dragon boat race

The Chinatown Dragon Boat Race for Literacy is held every year on the Chicago River in Ping Tom Park with thousands watching and participating. The proceeds are used to support and promote local literacy, cultural, and diversity programs.

124 Main Events

via crucis

Every year on Good Friday, Mexican Catholic parishioners reenact the Way of the Cross, with locals playing the various roles involved in Jesus’s procession and crucifixion. The event draws thousands from across the Midwest, and is also used as a vehicle for voicing injustice and reacting to local issues.

fiesta del sol

For four days every summer, Pilsen holds the largest Latino festival in the Midwest. Over one million people attend the block party, which is organized by the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, who strive to bring about social transformation with the opportunities the festival provides.

Site Analysis 125

Atypical analysis motor row district

Site analysis focused on the Motor Row district of the Cermak Axis, and covers the signage found all throughout the area. This helps in understanding the physical aspects of the site, and became a way to discover the historical character of the place.

126

American dream freedom juxtaposition contradiction duality cars alleyways dirty sterile whitebread bleached patina

s historic rust polished brick texture refined steel cold elegant sumptuousness prestige ownership escape limits boun

ndaries bleeding elevated broken empty busted bustling insulated under drained sucking desolate failed monster im

ien revive deny anomaly smother smut slither soggy leaky drip stain peeling run failure crack meth drugs smoke hazy

y blues skidmark skidrow cleanse redeveloped stormwater flip desperate wheels classic repetition gritty grimy grits g

d stumble stagger clank crutch exhaust support destroy dissolve evolve cycle reuse weather adapt excite lose ignite

spark fire flame thrust power empower possess deploy dispose filter repair repurpose sweaty salty bloody grimace b

ness reposition grasp release optimist sustain enterprise utility profitability vision government fascism socialist capita

alist consumerism desire cigarette tobacco smoke habit addicted addiction addict alone failure nova rebirth springs

pit color fall coating arm desperate drive-by driveway begin stoplight end brakes fluid squeal squelch squawk scream

m yell threaten beckon beg barter steal stolen give get need want dying money investment perpetual longing loan m

t credit debt buried melancholy tarnished chipped fractured removed pride toasted skeleton expire expose bare hac

ck hatchet maul chip axe rivet welded bolted felony felon violence drugs germs clean detergent divergent spill splat

Urban propositions

Motor Row Site and History Radical Proposition Final Proposal

142 154 162

Urban Propositions 141

Motor row

historic automobile district

The Motor Row historical district is contained mainly along three blocks of South Michigan Avenue. The following moves through the history of the site, a radical proposition for the redevelopment, and a microplan for the area, informed by site analysis, history, and the radical plans.

Cermak Road

Indiana Avenue

Michigan Avenue

Wabash Avenue

Urban Propositions 143

In the late 1800s, South Michigan Avenue was a residential boulevard, and in only twenty years was transformed into Motor Row, one of the premier automobile districts in the country. drawing by John McCutcheon, 1911

144 Motor Row

Above is a section of an auto manufacturing building and showroom in Motor Row, laying out the different spaces for production, finishing, and detailing of the automobiles.

Urban Propositions 145

Motor row

historic condition

146 Motor Row

Motor row

current condition

Urban Propositions 147

Motor row

national register of historic places

Motor Row was granted Chicago Landmark status in December of 2000, and in 2002 was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Below are some critical points from the landmark designation report.

“The continuous frontage - or streetwall­­ - formed by the groups of buildings on Michigan Avenue between Cermak Road and the Stevenson Expressway provides a distinctive urban streetscape for the city’s Near South Side.

The “urban canyon” formed by these buildings also gives a strong visual sense of the place for the district itself. It provides a clearly memorable image of what “Motor Row” must have meant to generations of Chicagoans who came here to shop for a new car.

Based on its evaluation of Motor Row, the Commission staff recommends that the significant historical and architectural features be identified as: all exterior building elevations, including rooflines, visible from the public rights-of-way.”

148

Urban Propositions 149

Motor row

planned development

Currently the city of Chicago and developers see the potential that the area has to offer, and are proposing the redevelopment of Motor Row into a thriving entertainment district. The Green Line L stop is one of the first projects that will be completed in late 2014, and will be able to bring many locals to the area more conveniently. Hotels, retail, bars, music, restauarants, and more are planned programs for the district.

150

Motor row

architectural proposal

As evidenced in the proposal renders for the redevelopment of Motor Row, the new construction does not respect the richness in the texture and character of the existing buildings. New zoning also prohibits the construction of additional residential units.

The architectural proposal takes the planned programs of an entertainment district, but a different approach to what could make the area successful.

152

Urban Propositions 153

Motor row

part one: radical proposition

Continuing with the theme of the radical conjectures as a means of site analysis and understanding what is best for the area, the first proposal for Motor Row follows the recommendation of the historical report and maintains the streetwall. What really defines Motor Row is the exterior building elevations fronting Michigan Avenue, and this streetscape is the only important part of the area to maintain.

So if everything behind the elevations was demolished, historical Motor Row as defined by the landmark commission would still exist, but have the freedom to create a ‘modern’ entertainment district.

154

Urban Propositions 155

Access into the site is limited to Michigan Avenue, highlighting the procession past historic elevations and through the faรงade into the rest of the site and new entertainment venues.

156 Radical Proposition

The building faรงades are framed by a wall.

Urban Propositions 157

The wall surrounding Motor Row restricts the entrance points and defines circulation, but the treatment of the wall can maintain visual connections between the activities in the entertainment district and the surroundings.

158 Radical Proposition

Existing building structure can be used when creating the circulation path behind the building faรงades.

Urban Propositions 159

The circulation behind the historic wall is free to create its own system of movement with the removal of existing walls and divisions.

160 Radical Proposition

There is potential in maintaining select walls of the existing building structures and utilizing the spaces created where old and new meet.

Urban Propositions 161

Motor row

part two: micro-planning proposal

The radical proposition for Motor Row asked important architectural questions that were then brought back to reality in what could genuinely make the district a successful entertainment area. Ideas of spatial sequencing, faรงade, and threshold became crucial to the next proposal.

Adding residential spaces into the new entertainment development is important for maintaining consistent activity levels of all types throughout the course of a day.

The goal for the proposal was not to create a destination, but a downtown community. Focusing in on a few buildings within Motor Row allowed for the character and texture of the existing buildings to be an important consideration when designing the new entertainment spaces.

Spatial sequencing was a key factor in the redevelopment, asking how residents and visitors can be drawn off the defining axis of Michigan Ave. and back into other spaces where they can gather, rest, relax, and enjoy.

162

Cermak Road

Indiana Avenue

Michigan Avenue

Wabash Avenue

Urban Propositions 163

Motor row

east side of michigan avenue

The east side of the street addresses more directly the question of movement between Motor Row and McCormick Place. Programs include a blues bar, a wine bar, a jazz club, and residences. How is the sequence of experience in these places defined by the existing context of the buildings? What is the relationship between the new order of the spaces and the existing structural order?

How do the private residences and public bars and clubs meet each other?

For the residences, it was important to bring light into the units. A light court is cut through the existing building, leaving the structure exposed and defining a courtyard on the ground level.

168 Michigan Ave- East

Urban Propositions 169

Leaving only the shell of the structure on the northmost building offers a pleasing spatial experience for those moving between Michigan and Indiana Ave. This path through the building leaves the vacant lot free to be converted into a park that offers a place for pause and some isolation from the street.

170 Michigan Ave- East

Urban Propositions 171

The site deals with different building conditions: existing building to existing building, existing building to new construction, existing building to vacant lot, and existing building to outside.

172 Michigan Ave- East

Urban Propositions 173

Motor row

west side of michigan avenue

The west side of the street addresses how to consider a vacant corner lot as well as a service alley. The corner offers the opportunity for new construction that can continue the streetwall along Michigan Ave., draw people back into the lot, and ask what the relationship between old and new can be. Programs include a banquet hall, farmer’s market, piano bar, restaurant, sculpture gallery, and public park. How can old uses for the buildings be reinterpreted to fit new programs? What is the transition from the street to the inside back to the outside? How can a service alley become an active space?

Motor row

marmon grand ballroom

How does the auto showroom adapt when the space becomes a banquet hall? The faรงade is pulled back from Michigan, providing a public street space for gathering, and a gentler transition into the event space.

176 Michigan Ave- West

The elevator previously used for cars can become the stage for events. Service spaces are pulled to the adjacent building and placed behind translucent glass, serving as a reminder to guests the preparation that goes into the event they are attending.

Urban Propositions 177

The rooftop level of Motor Row can offer another way to occupy the site, and a sculpture gallery on the roof gives the space a strong visual connection to the street level.

178 Michigan Ave- West

Urban Propositions 179

A public park is designed using the order of the elevations containing it, and a farmer’s market defines a sequence from Michigan Ave. transitioning from inside and opening up to the park space.

180 Michigan Ave- West

Urban Propositions 181

An alleyway between old and new buildings draws people through into the park space, and highlights the texture of the existing brick wall. The layout of the new restaurant is determined by views to Michigan, the park, and the textured elevation.

182 Michigan Ave- West

Urban Propositions 183

Motor row

select process work

Urban Propositions 185

186 Process Work

Urban Propositions 187

188 Process Work

MUSIC BAR HOTEL HUDSON

RETAIL/ RESTAURANT MUSIC BAR

BANQUET HALL

RETAIL/REST. RETAIL/REST.

PIANO BAR

BLUES BAR RESTAURANT WINE BAR

ITALIAN REST.

RETAIL

SPORTS BAR

COFFEE SHOP

HOTEL RETAIL POPCORN PARKING GARAGE RETAIL/ RESIDENTIAL

CIGAR SHOP BOWLING ALLEY COMEDY CLUB MUSIC BAR RESTAURANT BURGER JOINT ICE CREAM RETAIL MUSIC BAR

MOTOR ROW MUSEUM

CHICAGO DEFENDER HOTEL

MUSIC/PERF. THEATER

JAZZ CLUB RETAIL/REST.

Urban Propositions 189

Internship

LEED Documentation Smart Hotels

192 202

Internship 191

LEED documentation siemens chicago

We had the opportunity to work for Janet doing LEED documentation for two of the office’s projects. The first is Siemens’ office in downtown Chicago, and is a commercial interiors project. Anna and I documented daylighting credits for the building.

192

SIEMENS - CHICAGO DOWNTOWN OFFICE 20 S CLARK STREET, SUITE 2210, CHICAGO, IL, 60603 LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: IEQc8.1 SIDELIGHTING ZONE FLOOR PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

17’-5”

17’-5”

17’-5”

ELEV

ELEV

ELEV

ELEVATOR LOBBY

ELEV

ELEV

ELEV

TEL/ EQUIPM RM

TEL/ ELECT WOMEN'S

MEN'S

VESTIBULE STAIRS 2

PUBLIC CORR

JAN CLOSET

PUBLIC CORR

STRS 1

SMOKE TOWER

SIEMENS - CHICAGO DOWNTOWN OFFICE 20 S CLARK STREET, SUITE 2210, CHICAGO, IL, 60603 LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: IEQc8.1 REGULARLY OCCUPIED SPACES PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

REGULARLY OCCUPIED AREAS

NOT REGULARLY OCCUPIED AREAS

SIDELIGHTING ZONE AREA

22-04

22-06 22-07

22-05 22-14

22-15

22-16

22-17

22-18

22-07 22-19

22-12 ELEV

ELEV

22-05

ELEV

22-01 22-08

ELEVATOR LOBBY

ELEV

ELEV

ELEV

22-03

22-10 22-11

22-02

TEL/ EQUIPM RM

TEL/ ELECT WOMEN'S

MEN'S

VESTIBULE STAIRS 2

PUBLIC CORR

SMOKE TOWER

JAN CLOSET

PUBLIC CORR

STRS 1

Internship 193

SIEMENS - CHICAGO DOWNTOWN OFFICE 20 S CLARK STREET, SUITE 2210, CHICAGO, IL, 60603 LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: IEQc8.1 SIDELIGHTING SECTION DIAGRAM MAY 1, 2014

6’-4” 8’-10 3/4”

3

30”

1

2

17’-5”

SECTION 1

6’-4” 8’-10 3/4”

30”

17’-5”

SECTION 2

6’-4” 8’-10 3/4”

30”

17’-5”

SECTION 3

SCALE : 1/8” = 1’-0”

SIEMENS - CHICAGO DOWNTOWN OFFICE 20 S CLARK STREET, SUITE 2210, CHICAGO, IL, 60603 LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: IEQc8.2 SEATED VIEWS PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

NO VIEW

VIEW AT 42” A.F.F.

22-04

22-06 22-07

22-05 22-14

22-15

22-16

22-17

22-18

22-07 22-19

22-12 ELEV

ELEV

22-05

ELEV

22-01 ELEVATOR LOBBY

ELEV

ELEV

ELEV

22-03

22-10 22-11

22-02

TEL/ EQUIPM RM

TEL/ ELECT WOMEN'S

MEN'S

VESTIBULE STAIRS 2

PUBLIC CORR

SMOKE TOWER

194 LEED Credit 8

JAN CLOSET STRS 1

PUBLIC CORR

SIEMENS - CHICAGO DOWNTOWN OFFICE

20 S CLARK STREET, SUITE 2210, CHICAGO, IL, 60603 LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: IEQc8.2 EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE: MULTIPLE LINES OF SIGHT 90º OR MORE MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0” NO VIEW OR VIEW OF LESS THAN 90º

VIEW OF 90º OR MORE AT 42” A.F.F.

22-04

22-06 22-07

22-05 22-14

22-15

22-16

22-17

22-18

22-07 22-19

22-12 ELEV

ELEV

22-05

ELEV

22-01 22-08

ELEVATOR LOBBY

ELEV

ELEV

ELEV

22-03

22-10 22-11

22-02

TEL/ EQUIPM RM

TEL/ ELECT WOMEN'S

MEN'S

VESTIBULE STAIRS 2

PUBLIC CORR

JAN CLOSET

PUBLIC CORR

STRS 1

SMOKE TOWER

SIEMENS - CHICAGO DOWNTOWN OFFICE 20 S CLARK STREET, SUITE 2210, CHICAGO, IL, 60603 LEED FOR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: IEQc8.2 VIEWS FOR SEATED SPACES SECTION DIAGRAM MAY 1, 2014 2

1

DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT

42”

SECTION 1

DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT

42”

SECTION 2

SCALE : 1/8” = 1’-0”

Internship 195

LEED documentation 625 west division st.

Daylighting documentation for a seventeen story LEED new construction residential tower. The ground floor spaces considered for LEED are only the lobby space and the offices, but for the rest of the tower, all of the residences are considered.

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.1 SIDELIGHTING ZONE GROUND FLOOR PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

GF 01

GF 02

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.1 REGULARLY OCCUPIED SPACES GROUND FLOOR PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

GF 03 GF 01 GF 04 NOT REGULARLY OCCUPIED AREAS REGULARLY OCCUPIED AREAS SIDELIGHTING ZONE AREA

GF 02

Internship 197

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.1 SIDELIGHTING ZONE TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

17’-2”

17’-2”

03 B UNIT 01 A

01 C

02 B

UNIT 02 A UNIT 03 A

04 B

05 B

UNIT 04 A

UNIT 05 A

UNIT 06 A

UNIT 07 A

UNIT 08 A

01 B

08 B

09 B

16 B UNIT 11 A UNIT 16 A

16 C

UNIT 15 A

15 B

UNIT 14 A

UNIT 13 A

UNIT 12 A

12 B

UNIT 10 A

11 B

09 C

UNIT 09 A

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.1 REGULARLY OCCUPIED SPACES TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

NOT REGULARLY OCCUPIED AREAS

REGULARLY OCCUPIED AREAS

03 B UNIT 01 A

01 C

02 B

UNIT 02 A UNIT 03 A

04 B

SIDELIGHTING ZONE AREA

05 B

UNIT 04 A

UNIT 05 A

UNIT 06 A

UNIT 07 A

UNIT 08 A

01 B

08 B

09 B

16 B UNIT 11 A UNIT 16 A

16 C

UNIT 15 A

15 B

UNIT 14 A

UNIT 13 A

UNIT 12 A

12 B

11 B

UNIT 10 A

09 C

UNIT 09 A

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.1 SIDELIGHTING SECTION DIAGRAM MAY 1, 2014 2

1 8’-8”

RESIDENTIAL UNITS

11’-2”

FLOOR 17

21’-11”

30”

6’-3”

RESIDENTIAL UNITS FLOORS 4-16

17’-2”

8’-9”

30”

8’-2”

RESIDENTIAL UNITS FLOOR 3

20’-11”

10’-8”

30”

SECTION 1

SALES

GROUND FLOOR

13’-4”

10’-10”

26’-2”

30”

SECTION 2

SCALE : 3/32” = 1’-0”

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.2 VIEWS FOR SEATED SPACES SECTION DIAGRAM MAY 1, 2014 2

1

DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT

RESIDENTIAL UNITS FLOOR 17

42”

DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT

RESIDENTIAL UNITS FLOORS 4-16

42”

DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT

RESIDENTIAL UNITS FLOOR 3

42”

SECTION 1

SALES

GROUND FLOOR

DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT 42”

SECTION 2

SCALE : 3/32” = 1’-0”

Internship 199

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.2 SEATED VIEWS GROUND FLOOR PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

GF 01

NO VIEW VIEW AT 42” A.F.F. GF 02

RESIDENTIAL TOWER

625 W DIVISION STREET, CHICAGO, IL, 60610 LEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION: IEQc8.2 SEATED VIEWS TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL PLAN MAY 1, 2014 SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”

NO VIEW

VIEW AT 42” A.F.F.

03 B UNIT 01 A

01 C

02 B

UNIT 02 A UNIT 03 A

04 B

05 B

UNIT 04 A

UNIT 05 A

UNIT 06 A

UNIT 07 A

UNIT 08 A

01 B

08 B

09 B

16 B UNIT 11 A UNIT 16 A

16 C

UNIT 15 A

15 B

UNIT 14 A

UNIT 13 A

UNIT 12 A

12 B

11 B

UNIT 10 A

09 C

UNIT 09 A

Internship 201

Request for proposal smart hotels

An amazing opportunity to work on an RFP for a site we are very familiar with.

202

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW PREPARED FOR JAMES McHUGH CONSTRUCTION CO. PRESENTED BY: SMART-OLY

Internship 203

340’

CERMAK ROAD

Y SK GE

65’- 3”

ID

BR

96’

4’ -9”

DATA CENTER

INDIANA AVENUE

MICHIGAN AVENUE

160’

20’

20’ ALLEY

N

SITE PLAN

SCALE: 1” = 40’-0” 30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

304’ - 7”

65’ - 3”

F

H H

N 40 KEYS/FLOOR

TYPICAL GUESTROOM FLOOR SCALE: 1” = 40’-0” 30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

Internship 205

CERMAK ROAD

RETAIL

F&B

CHECK-IN B.O.H.

F

S

H

UP TO PARKING

20’ ALLEY

INDIANA AVENUE

MICHIGAN AVENUE

H LOADING

N

GROUND FLOOR PLAN SCALE: 1” = 40’-0” 30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

CERMAK ROAD

S

Y SK

LOBBY / LOUNGE H

GE

F

ID

BR

F&B

B.O.H.

INDIANA AVENUE

MICHIGAN AVENUE

H

N

AMENITIES LEVEL SCALE: 1” = 40’-0” 30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

Internship 207

" ยพ ยบร ยต $ "$ $ ยพ ยบร ร ยต $' $ ยพ ยบร ยต & $ ยพ ร ยบร ยต $ $ ยพ ยบร ยต $ ยพ ยบร ร ยต $ ยพ ร ยบร ยต # & $ ยพ ยบร ยต # ($ ยพ ยบร ยต $ ยพ ยบร ร ยต

# ) " $ #ยง &

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$ " ยพ ยบร ร ยต " ยพ ยบร ร ยต

รค ยบร ร ยตยง " ยง &

" ยพร ยบร ร ยต

DIAGRAMMATIC E-W SECTION SCALE: N/A

30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

70’-0” 57’-0” 49’-0” 41’-0”

45’-0”

WEST ELEVATION WITHIN MOTOR ROW SCALE: N/A

30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

Internship 209

SOUTHWEST VIEW FROM CERMAK ROAD 30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

SOUTHEAST VIEW FROM CERMAK ROAD 30 April 2014

HOTEL AT MOTOR ROW

G|R|E|C ARCHITECTS

Internship 211

virginia tech

C h i c a g o St u d i o s p r i n g

2 0 1 4

andrew economou

A closing

but not a conclusion

Two hundred and thirteen pages later, and I feel like it would be odd to end this without saying even something little here. I hope that I can bring some of the rigor from this semester to my final year at Virginia Tech, and an intensity to the work produced. Thank you, Andrew (feels even stranger in book form than email form) for always taking your time to meet and talk, whether it is about architecture, life, or Chicago flags. I love the group we had, and really want to thank those who kept me sane over the course of the months we spent together. I’m excited to see us all back working on thesis, and hope to go back and visit the city soon.

Maybe it’ll be warmer by then.