Gap to Gateway | an architecture masters thesis project by Andrew Gazda by Andrew Gazda

GAP oGATEWAY ANDREW GAZDA

PIERCE ELEVATED

MASTER PLAN

2017 MAIN

ARCHITECTURE BUILDING

GAP oGATEWAY the tranformation of a negative limit into a positive one Andrew Gazda

Thesis submitted to the faculty of

Texas A&M University

in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of

MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE 2017

Michael O’Brien | Chair of Committee

Miguel Roldán | Co-Chair of Committee

Shelley Holliday

Bruce Dvorak

Brian Gibbs

Master Plan Professional Advisors

Peter Merwin, AIA Gensler | Mixed Use Practice Area Leader, Principal Bill Neeson, LEED® AP Hines | Vice President, Construction Kyle Shelton, PhD Kinder Institute for Urban Research Advisor | Program Manager

0_IND EX

INDEX

0.00_INDEX 1.00_INTRODUCTION P.4 2.00_LOCATION P.10 3.00_PROBLEM P.20 4.00_SOLUTION P.26 5.00_PIERCE ELEVATED P.34 6.00_2017 MAIN: DESIGN P.42 7.00_TECHNICAL P.60 8.00_CONCLUSION P.78

1_INT RODUC T I O N

INTRODUCTION

1.00_INTRODUCTION .01_NATURAL CITIES P.6 .02_ECOLOGICAL URBANISM P.6 .03_BARCELONA CASE STUDY P.7 .04_22@ FOR THE 22ND CENTURY: BARCELONA P.8 .05_GAP TO GATEWAY P.9 .06_NEW METHOD OF PRACTICE P.9

INTRODUCTION

NATURAL CITIES 1.1

ECOLOGICAL URBANISM 1.2

Cities should function like a coral reef. This realization was made while visiting Takashi Amano’s Forests Underwater at the Oceanário de Lisboa. This temporary exhibition consists of a 40m long aquarium teeming with 46 species of plants and 10,000 tropical fish of 40 species. There is no waste within the aquarium as the natural waste from the fish is nutrients to the plants, which in turn provide substance to the fish. Nature has provided us with the blueprint to sustainable design. The further our cities and buildings stray from nature, the more resources are depleted and less pleasant these places are to live in. The following masters thesis project strived to be the synthesis between the urban ecosystem and the natural ecosystem.

This “style” of architecture and design is known as Ecological Urbanism. It views cities simultaneously at small and large scales and utilizes urban recycling in a cross-disciplinary and collaborative approach to retrofit existing urban conditions into cities of the future. Through the concept of Urban Acupuncture, cities can be transformed beyond just the physical limits, rather striving to have an even greater impact on the sociological aspects of the city. Designing for the mental, social, and environmental dimensions of society thus takes precendent. Such urban, long-range planning policies and projects “necessitate a much closer collaboration between the public and private sectors” and thus require a greater connection between the legal, political, economic, and design spheres than ever before.1

INTRODUCTION

BARCELONA CASE STUDY 1.3 A precursor of this method of public planning was introduced and implented in Barcelona, Spain in 1859 through the CerdĂ Plan and has continued to be successful through today. Barcelona has also implemented several other prime examples of urban acupuncture such as the deliberate interventions utilized to transform the Raval neighborhood. These included the Rambla del Raval, an open pedestrian walkway created by removing the dense urban fabric that previously existed; BarcelĂł Raval, a fivestar hotel; and the Filmoteca de Catalunya. These interventions impacted the sociological aspects of the neighborhood so much greater than just the physical, creating a safe, vibrant environment where one previously failed to exist. Other successful interventions by the City of Barcelona include the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition, the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, and the 1992 Summer Olympics, all of which the city utilized to develop a part of town considering how the developed area would benefit the citizens after the event.

INTRODUCTION

22@ FOR THE 22ND CENTURY: BARCELONA 1.4

6,70

6,70 6,70

Proposing an ecological urbanistic project for the future of Barcelona, 22@ for the 22nd Century was designed as a multi-scale intervention to take place within the 22@ district of Barcelona. This highly industrialized area must rediscover its identity as many of the industrial buildings have become abondoned and derelict. This project presents not buildings that should remain until the next century but prototypes to begin the process of tranforming 22@. Through five intervention strategies, the project presented a case-by-case consideration of each existing building and the appropriate manner to modify it ranging from simply changing the roof material to razing the entire structure and inputting a building that should remain until the 22nd century. The original site of the project demonstrated the hybridization of two of these strategies showing the diversity of the utilization of these intervention methods. This project presented just a step or two of the process to transform the industrial 22@ district into the Barcelona of the 22nd century.

1 URBAN SCALE STRATEGIES INTERVENTION

1:2500 22@ SITE PLAN 1:2500 22@ SITE PLAN

STRATEGY ONE:

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES - industrial buildings INTERVENTION STRATEGIES - remove roof & replace with glass to create greenhouse

STRATEGY ONE: STRATEGY ONE: - industrial buildings

- industrial buildings - remove roof & replace with glass to - remove roof & replace with glass to create greenhouse create greenhouse

STRATEGY THREE:

- add additional floors to existing structure to increase density

STRATEGY THREE: STRATEGY THREE: - add additional floors to existing

- add roof greenhouse on top of structure to increase food production to increase food production

- add additional floors to existing structure to increase density structure to increase density

STRATEGY FIVE:

- building skelaton - invest in infrastructure STRATEGY FOUR: STRATEGY FOUR: divide into plots/houses - -building skelaton

- raze building & replace with vertical

neighborhood STRATEGY FIVE: STRATEGY FIVE: - raze building & replace with vertical

- building skelaton - invest in infrastructure - invest in infrastructure - divide into plots/houses - divide into plots/houses

- raze building & replace with vertical neighborhood neighborhood

Barcelona in Transformation

NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE

- add roof greenhouse on top of structure to increase food production

STRATEGY TWO: STRATEGY TWO: - add roof greenhouse on top of structure

STRATEGY FOUR:

STRATEGY TWO:

01 01 01

22@ Intervention Plan

Barcelona in Transformation Barcelona Architecture Center Barcelona in Transformation 3 BUILDING SCALE

Design Studio SPRING 2016 I Miguel Roldรกn, Josep Ferrando Barcelona Architecture Center Barcelona Architecture Design Studio SPRING 2016 Center I Miguel Roldรกn, Josep Ferrando Design Studio SPRING 2016 I Miguel Roldรกn, Josep Ferrando

Barcelona: 22@ for the 22nd Century 22@ Intervention Plan Intervention Barcelona: 22@ for22@ the 22nd CenturyPlanAndrew Gazda Barcelona: 22@ forAndrew the 22nd Century of Architecture Texas A&M University |Gazda Masters Andrew Gazda Texas A&M University | Masters of Architecture Texas A&M University | Masters of Architecture

INTRODUCTION

GAP TO GATEWAY 1.5 This masters thesis project proposes several different strategies and typologies at varying scales, similiar to 22@ for the 22nd Century, this time for the city of Houston, Texas. The first of typologies is Gap to Gateway. This phrase means the transformation of a negative limit to a positive one and this typology is explored at the international, urban, and building scale through this project. At the international scale there has been a â&#x20AC;&#x153;gapâ&#x20AC;?, persay, for both the Department of Architecture at Texas A&M University and the Barcelona Architecture Center in regards to working and communicating mobily. This project, however, was completed and presented remotely from Barcelona to the advisory committee in College Station pertaining to a site in Houston. This thesis project has strived to pioneer the way for future students and faculty to take advantage of our rapidly shrinking world through our everadvancing technological capabilities.

BARCELONA ARCHITECTURE CENTER BARCELONA, CATALONIA, SPAIN

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, U.S.A. PIERCE ELEVATED HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A.

NEW METHOD OF PRACTICE 1.6 The standard method by which architects recieve thier commissions is being sought out by clients seeking a means to an end: a building to satisfy their needs. To design a city that functions like a coral reef, as mentioned before, requires a greater connection between the legal, political, economic, and design spheres. The standard method of practice is not sufficient to provide the oversight of such projects- the profession of architecture is currently too limited to lead projects of this scale and complexity. Within the software development world, the developer designs the app, program, etc and then seeks out investors to fund their project and share in the gains and losses. To create ecological urbanistic projects and cities, architects must begin designing like this. Realizing the problems the clients and city do not know they have and designing solutions for them, while also expressing the economic and socialogic benefits of said projects, can begin to create ecological urbanistic cities for the benefit of all.

CLIENT

ARCHITECT

SOFTWARE DESIGNER

INVESTORS

ARCHITECT

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

STANDARD ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE

TYPICAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

PROPOSED METHOD OF PRACTICE 9

0 2_LOC AT I O N

LOCATION

2.00_LOCATION .01_DEFINING THE SITE P.12 .02_THE PIERCE ELEVATED P.14 .03_THE NEIGBORHOODS P.16 .04_PROPERTY VALUES HEAT MAP P.17 .05_THE CLIMATE: PHYSICAL & SOCIAL P.18 .06_EXISTING PROGRAM P.19

LOCATION

DEFINING THE SITE 2.01

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

TEXAS

HARRIS COUNTY

HOUSTON

DOWNTOWN & MIDTOWN

LOCATION

SITE DATA 1) GRID ROTATED 35 ° OFF NORTH 2) BUILDING LOCATED OFF OF METRO LIGHT RAIL 3) MAIN ST & FANNIN ST MOST ACTIVE - BIKING & RUNNING (FLANKING SIDES OF SITE) 4) DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT AFFECT TxDOT’S PROPOSAL 5) LAYERS OF HISTORY

HOUSTON

DOWNTOWN & MIDTOWN

PIERCE ELEVATED

2017 MAIN

LOCATION

THE PIERCE ELEVATED 2.02 The Pierce Elevated is “the short elevated section of I-45 which forms the southern boundary of Downtown Houston1” and is the dividing element between the Houston neighborhoods of Downtown and Midtown. The highway structure was a result of the National Intersate and Defense Highways Act signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. Rice’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s Kyle Shelton writes in his “Pierce Elevated may go back to the future”: “During the planning stage for the roadway, city leaders hoped the Pierce would frame the city’s booming growth by offering views of the burgeoning skyline. On opening day of the roadway, leaders happily trumpeted the ‘magnificent view of the business district’ that the road gave. With its elevated position, they claimed, the driving experience was ‘most like going up in a cable car.” Others saw it however as an eyesore of a structure and claimed the space beneath it was “psychologically intolerable”, doubting any real urban life could function there. In response to this, the Houston Arts Commission was tasked to define functions for the space concluding it was ideal for “playgrounds, plazas, and parking”. Despite these claims, for the past 40 years parking has been the only major function utilizing the space beneath the Pierce Elevated structure.2

LOCATION

PIERCE ELEVATED, HOUSTON, TEXAS, U.S.A. ADJACENT CITY BLOCKS ON EACH SIDE APPROX LENGTH: 1.4MI, 7,280FT

LOCATION

THE NEIGHBORHOODS 2.03 The Pierce Elevated is located in Houston, Texas, a city dependent on the oil industry and designed around the car. This design method results in sprawling suburbs and neighborhood-separating highways. In the case of this project, the Pierce Elevated separates the Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods. Downtown is the economic center of Houston while Midtown is more the cultural center. The purpose of this project is to create a gateway connecting these prominent neighborhoods that each lacks affordable housing and ample public green space.

DOWNTOWN1 LIVABILITY AMENITIES COST OF LIVING CRIME EDUCATION HOUSING EMPLOYMENT

77 A+ C F F B A+

MIDTOWN2 LIVABILITY AMENITIES COST OF LIVING CRIME EDUCATION HOUSING EMPLOYMENT

82 A+ D C B C B+

The Pierce Elevated is the limit between Midtown and Downtown. It splits the urban fabric between these two vibrant neighborhoods, dividing them with its six-lane highway elevated twenty feet in the air dictating the industrial, run-down fabric that now permeates from this structure.

LOCATION

PROPERTY VALUES HEAT MAP 2.04 The property values of the Downtown neighborhood skyrocket amongst the skyscrapers and then slowly dissipate towards the Pierce Elevated. Similiarly, the value of the land in Midtown decreases as it approaches this eyesore of a highway structure. This same situation occured at the elevated railway through New York that eventually became the High Line park. Property owners along the freight line fought for years to have the structure torn down but, to their delight, with the realization of the park, property values inversed and began pyramiding down from the High Line. With the development of mixed-use buildings along the Pierce Elevated, a similiar effect will occur.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

In 2002, when I first took office, the High Line was one court decision away from demolition. Unused by freight service for more than two decade, it was seen by many as an eyesore and a barrier to development; a vestige of a bygone era that had outlived its practical use. A small group of New Yorkers, though, realized that the High Line presented an opportunity: the chance to transform an abandoned remnant of our past into a vital part of our future.â&#x20AC;? Michael Bloomberg New York Mayor (2002-2013) N

LOCATION HIG H LOW

AGE ANNU AL AVE R

9.1

44°

ANN UAL

SE 8. 2

62°

° 90

6.1

6.6

59°

6.9

° 84

E /S

NE SE / E 6.5 /S

7.7

7.6

78°

69°

° 66

° 72

THE CLIMATE: PHYSICAL & SOCIAL 2.05

SE / N

9.0

MON TH

JAN FE B

M A AP R R

N N

8.1

MON TH

4. 48

| 32 .3

| 59 .7

UTH

|110 .9

| AZIM

| 16 5.6 9

12 :00

VATIO N

3.4

|4 .71

5. 36 |8

TIME

| ELE

3.58

3.82 9

BUIL D SHAD ING HEIG HT/ OW %

5.1

9:00

3.5 9

:00

9:0

4.09

4.06

3.8

2015

2042

INCREASE OVER 25 YRS

6,656,947

9,170,833

+2,513,886

2,275,391

3,133,591

+858,200

100,755

177,036

+75,281

DOWNTOWN & MIDTOWN POPULATION

#2 AUSTIN, TX #3 DALLAS, TX #4 RALEIGH, NA #5 SEATTLE, WA #6 DENVER, CO #7 SAN FRANCISCO, CA

HOUSTON CITY POPULATION

71°

10 8

#1 HOUSTON, TEXAS

HOUSTON METROPLEX POPULATION

W/ R A

3.7

HUMID!

R YR

3.2 3

0 9.

IS HOT &

2.4

0 5:0

.2 69

4.1

DEC

3 6|

OCT NOV

9:0

DAYS PE

7 4.9

N JU L JU G AU SEP

| :00

MA AP R R

.63

59 9|

63°

.15

| 40

.2 173

45°

0.32

| 24

0 15:0

HOUSTON

MON TH A VG A NNU JAN AL (I N) - 4 FE 5.28 B

8.42

81°

NOV

DEC

3 | 36.62

6|1 | 132.2

52°

OCT

12:00 | 174.3 9:00

N JU L JU AUG SEP

HOUSTON, TEXAS

88°

15:00 | 220.37 | 24.4

EVERYONE

In 2015, Houston topped Forbes’ list as America’s Fastest Growing City.4 The population of the Houston Metroplex at this time was estimated at 6,656,947, with the population of the City of Houston estimated at 2,275,391. Meanwhile, the neighborhoods of Downtown and Midtown were home to a mere 100,755. To understand the population that will be present in Houston in 25 years, the Migration Scenario Data Tool Result was used. In 2042, the population of the Houston Metroplex is projected at 9,170,833 with a One-Half 2000-2010 Migration factor.5 For “America’s Fastest Growing City”, this may very well be be a conservative projection. This would place the population of the City of Houston at approximately 3,134,591 and the population of the Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods at 125,384. Considering the national trend of baby boomers and millennials moving to downtown and urban areas, the figure is more likely to be more in the range of 177,036. Despite some potential human error in these projections, the conclusion that the Houston neighborhoods of Downtown and Midtown will see a large influx in their population numbers over the next quarter of a century can be made.

93°

MONT

61°

70°

D (MP

74°

8.5

SPEE

NOV

ION

DEC

OCT SEP

IRECT

WIND D

AP R MA R FEB JAN

G AU L JU

Houston has a humid subtropical climate1 which is charaterized by hot, usually humid summers and mild to cold winters.2 August is typically the hottest month at 86.6°F and January the coldest month at 53.1°F. Rainfall is the most common form of precipitation in Houston with the wettest month being July with an average of 5.16in of rain and the city annually receiving 45.26 inches of precipitation on 106 days. Flash flood warnings are common all year. Due to the flat landscape, heavy rains often threat life and property in the city. Occasional severe weather in Houston mainly is in the form of flooding, which has recently become more intense and frequent with each passing year. Finally, according to the Beaumost Enterprise, Houston is the 9th most humid city in America with an average relative humidty of 78 percent.3

IN - 1

LOCATION

EXISTING PROGRAM 2.06

EXISTING SITE PLAN PIERCE LEVEL

MIDTOWN TOWNHOUSES

MAIN ST + METRO

CO-CATHEDRAL

ST. JOSEPH

CLAY ST Housing Authority of Houston

The Refinery Burgers & Whiskey

LEELAND ST

BY IN OB

Continental Center I

UR TH AR

OS CR

I LN AU

Tony's Corner Pocket

E IN HE

LL DA

BELL ST

R NE ST

D AN

W RE

PEASE ST

T RU

The Whitehall Houston

KBR Tower Work Parking

Camden City Centre Apartments

JEFFERSON ST

Camden City Centre Apartments

VL LE

Cullen Center

CWA Local Union 6222

Amegy Bank

Cullen Center

Young Scholars Academy for Excellence

Camden City Centre Apartments

Your Source Radio

Camden City Centre Apartments

[Strip Center]

Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

ST JOSEPH PKWY Lone Star Saloon The Edge Condominiums

New Hope Housing 1905 Crawford St.

Houston Passport Agency

Metropolitan Transit Authority METRO

Houston Fire Station 8

Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Dialysis

Former Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral

Joe Lee's Barber Shop

Pappas Bar-B-Q

PIERCE ST RISE Lofts

GULF FWY I-45 N GULF FWY I-45 S

Kirby Mansion [Strip Center]

[Strip Center]

St. John's Methodist Church

Bread of Life

ADA J. Edwards Center for Hope

Auto Temenos Repair Place Apartments

GRAY ST

CVS Pharmacy

[Strip Center]

commercial

healthcare

government

residential

office

religious

parking

power

CULLEN CENTER + HOUSTON PASSPORT AGENCY

2016 MAIN APARTMENTS

[Strip Center]

CHENEVERT ST

JACKSTON ST

CRAWFORD ST

LA BRANCH ST

AUSTIN ST

CAROLINE ST

FANNIN ST

HADLEY ST

MAIN ST

TRAVIS ST

WEBSTER ST MILAM ST

LOUISIANA ST

ER ST EB

SMITH ST

Midtown Surgical Center

Texas Children's Pediatrics Midtown

NTB - National Tire & Battery

Hertz Rent A Car

Legal Services

LS EI ON

Advantage BMW Midtown

Advantage BMW Midtown Service [Strip Center]

HAMILTON ST

Greyhound Bus Station

SAN JACINTO ST

BRAZOS ST

AY GR

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Central Square Plaza

[Strip Center]

BAGBY ST

St. Joseph Professional Building

Advantage BMW Midtown

[Strip Center]

2016 Main Apartments

BALDWIN ST

OR CT VI

Advantage BMW Midtown Service

McDonald's

Car Rental

abondoned

THE HAMILTON APARTMENTS

3_PRO BLEM

PROBLEM

3.00_PROBLEM .01_TxDOT P.22 .02_ELEVATED PARK IDEAS P.23 .03_HIGH LINE CASE STUDY P.23 .04_COMMUNITY DISAGREEMENT P.24

PROBLEM

TxDOT 3.01 TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) released it’s seven billion dollar North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP), which includes the rerouting of Interstate-45 around Downtown. When this happens, the Pierce Elevated will become obsolete and demolished. The land on which it stands will then be sold for typical development so that TxDOT can fund other right-of-way passages of the Improvement Project.1 NEED FOR PROPOSED PROJECT

- Increase population and employment increases - Manage projected traffic growth - Update to current design and safety standards - Move traffic efficiently, including evacuation events

PURPOSE OF PROPOSED PROJECT

- Manage Congestion - Enhance safety - Provide expanded transit and carpool opportunities with 2-way, 24/7 operations - Improve mobility and operational efficiency

NHHIP SEGMENT 1: BELTWAY 8 to I-610 (9 mi)

SEGMENT 2: I-610 to I-10 (3 mi)

610

SEGMENT 3: DOWTOWN LOOP SYSTEM (12.3 mi)

10 69 69 59

SEGMENT 3

Realign I-10 & add new Express Lanes (pass-thru) Downtown Connectors replace Pierce Elevated

Realign I-69 & depress from Commerce to Spur 527

“UNTANGLING THE DOWNTOWN FREEWAY SYSTEM”

Potential Open Space (Lamar to Commerce)

Pierce Elevated no longer needed

(Private Funding and Development)

BENEFITS: - +20mph = 55 mph free flow speed* - 50% reduction in delay during peak hour around downtown - Region-wide reduction in delay and increase to average speeds

*potential major air quality improvement for the region - positive overall impacts

PROBLEM

ELEVATED PARK IDEAS 3.02

HIGH LINE CASE STUDY 3.03 The High Line is a linear public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets of Manhattan’s West Side1

Before selling the Pierce Elevated land to the open market, TxDOT is first obligated to offer the land to the City of Houston. With a bright future laid out before it, the City may be enticed. Rather than allowing this structure with its unique, elevated perspective positioned in the center of Houston to be demolished, why not repurpose it for the people of Houston? It currently stands as a negative limit between the Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods. Instead of removing or erasing this element, it should be transformed into a postive limit that enhances the life and quality of the two adjacent neighborhoods. Other architects and designers have shared this idea, proposing the placement of an urban park on top of the elevated structure.

ELEVATED PARK

The High Line has become the quintessential case study for any proposition of an urban park utilizing an existing structure. In reality, the similiarities between the High Line and the Pierce Elevated are fairly superficial.

EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE

HIGH LINE CONCEPT

PIERCE ELEVATED PARK1 - Design paths for walking, running, and bicycling - Include dedicated areas for group excercise such as fitness boot camps and yoga - Furnish plazas with benches for viewing the downtown skyline - Provide direct access to adjacent buildings

PIERCE SYKPARK2 - Turn a freeway into a park in the sky - Convert the miles of elevated infrastructure into a sky park - Take advantage of space to enjoy the outdoors while viewing Houston’s amazing skyline - Deisgn for quality of life, sustainability, connectivity, healthy fun, and the environment

PIERCE ELEVATED3

Angela Palmer, Designer - Create an alternative transporation system - Direct access to the Buffalo Bayou via bike friendly avenues - Utilize Main St connection to produce a neighborhood culture - Bring natural park elements of the Bayou into the urban park through shaded structure

HIGH LINE VS. PIERCE ELEVATED SIMILIARITIES - reutilization of elevated structure - inclusion of an urban park

DIFFERENCES

- The High Line pre-existed in a dense, built up neighborhood vs. the Pierce exists in a relatively under-developed area - the Pierce Elevated is almost three times wider than the High Line at its widest point - The climate of Houston is stifling hot and humid whereas New York City pleasantly experiences all four seasons - New York has the density, population, and tourism to essentially make any public space successful vs. the Pierce sits in an almost residential desert

HOUSTON URBAN HEAT ISLAND An urban heat island is “an urban area that is signicantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activity.” In the thermal image, red and white areas indicate “hot spots” and generally correspond with roads and roofs. Blue, green and purple areas are cool and indicate water and vegetation. The temperature ranges are from approximately 149°F for the hot spots to 77°F for the cooler areas. With the introduction of an urban park along the Pierce Elevated in addition to other heat island mitigation strategies to new and existing buildings and developments, Houston can begin reducing its heat island improving air quality and relative temperatures throughout the city.

PROBLEM

COMMUNITY DISAGREEMENT 3.04

“

Tear down the Pierce Elevated. Make it Pierce Promenade. Forget the SkyPark. Let’s think ground-level. Let’s build a walkable promenade that could rival Barcelona’s Las Ramblas or even Paris’ venerable ChampsÉlysées. This would be an environment designed fundamentally for pedestrians, where cars have to make do. The opposite of practically every other street in Houston. We must undo the bad that was done by the Pierce Elevated: the destruction of vital urban fabric for traffic efficiency. We need a bigger idea for that.” John Jacob, Ph.D., Houston Chronicle, President of Eastwood Civic Association “On the Champs-Élysées [and Las Ramblas] there are long stretches of sidewalk with no cross streets, and many of the cross streets are narrow. Pierce Street is a totally different situation. Comparing the two is an invalid comparison.” - “Vera”’s comment to Jacob’s article. The Pierce Promenade would be islands of public space and functions separated by Midtown-Downtown thoroughfares every three hundred feet. The pedestrian would still be subject to the car. But by moving forward with the SkyPark idea, a mile and a half long uninterrupted pedestrain path would connect all of the buildings developed along it, safely elevated above the vehicles below.

“

It’s a really interesting idea. All that contiguous green space in a place never intended to be green space. But at the same time, the Pierce Elevated has been a barrier between Downtown and Midtown for all of these years. It’s counterintuitive to say, ‘Let’s keep it!’” Bob Eury, Head of the Downtown Management District

“

The elevated section of I-45 between Houston’s Midtown and Downtown should be eliminated in favor of a surface-level street. Removing the Pierce Elevated could reduce congestion and bring life to an area that has become blighted by the raised freeway. [I don’t] think the Pierce Elevated can be successfully transformed into a High Line-style park, despite the hopes of some advocates, because it doesn’t wind its way around interesting buildings the way the New York park does.” John Norquist, Former mayor of Milwaukee The idea of simply a park in the sky on the Pierce Elevated would not work. As Norquist correctly states, “it doesn’t wind its way around interesting buildings the way the New York park does.” However, the Pierce Elevated Development proposal first and foremost is a mixed use development: one that utlizes the existing structure as it’s cornerstone and spine. Thus, this proposal suggests the land beneath the Pierce be sold exclusively to a public private partnership with the intent of maintaining the highway structure as an added amenity of an elevated urban park that connects the developed buildings along it. In completion of the mixed use development, the path will finally wind around “interesting buildings the way the New York park does.” 24

PROBLEM

“

The wonderful thing about repurposing a freeway is that it could still look something like a freeway. The Pierce SkyPark could retain a trace of its history. Part of the problem with cities is that things get demolished with no trace left. That deprives the city of depth and memory. Allowing the freeway to look like a freeway would be a great way to retain a sense of place, of Houton’s past, present, and future [Similiar to the rail road tracks that still remain throughout the High Line park]. The freeway would change from a place of movement to a place of repose, from a place for cars to a place for people. Instead of a place where people are isolated in their cars, you’d have a place where people mingle and converse. The idea seems so utopian and lovely.”

“

Rachael Delue, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Princeton, American Art

You can’t just put up a planter...and call it a day. Saying ‘elevated park’ is no guarentee of success... It’s a freeway! An expressway! All that’s good and bad about Houston! The goal shouldn’t be to ignore that. The goal should be to celebrate it. It’s what people love and hate about Houston. Embracing the freeway: That’s the real trick.” Robert Hammond, San Antonio native & co-developer of the High Line in New York

“

The headliner for most people is that [TxDOT] is intent on selling the land under the Pierce Elevated to fund other right-of-way purchases, so that disappointingly kills the idea of a Pierce Elevated Park.” Tory Gattis, Houston Chronicle, Center for Opportunity Urbanism The Pierce Elevated Development proposal still aligns with TxDOT’s North Houston Highway Improvement Project proposal in that the land beneath the structure will still be sold for other right-of-way passages satisfying the Department of Transportation. By selling the land to a public private partnership, the mixed use development and urban park can be overseen and brought into fruition to the social and economic benefit of all public and private entities involved.

4_SOL UTION

SOLUTION

4.00_SOLUTION .01_MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT P.28 .02_CASE STUDIES P.29 .03_ECONOMICAL JUSTIFICATION P.30 .04_POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT P.32

SOLUTION

MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT 4.01 Agreeing with the fact that TxDOT’s intent on selling the land under the Pierce Elevated to fund other right-of-way purchases kills the idea of a sky park, the realization also must be made that this is Houston; Not New York or Seattle where a project that is soley a park could be successful due to political and social reasons. This is Texas. Everything is bigger in Texas. And again, this is Houston. And Houston is simply about the bottom line. So yes, the Pierce Elevated reutilization project should have a mile and a half long urban park that is elevated above the vehicular traffic below but for this site and city, this project must first and foremost be a mixed use development. Whereas the High Line in New York pre-existed in a built up neighborhood with the density and population to be a successful project, the Pierce Elevated mixed use development will import the permanent residential population and provide the commercial, retail, and entertainment spaces for the urban park to be a success.

“COMPLEX” BUILDINGS

MIXED USE PROGRAM

Every building in an urban setting should be “complex” or mixed use. Single use is wasted energy and resources when the building stands empty for up to half of the day. At a minimum, buildings must utilize the “fifth facade”, the roof. This could simply be urban farming.

ELEVATED PARK ELEVATED PARK

+ MIXED USE PROGRAM

EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE

HIGH LINE CONCEPT

PIERCE ELEVATED CONCEPT

What sets the Pierce Elevated Development apart from the other proposals of reutilizing the Pierce Elevated structure as an urban park is that the Development goes beyond the structure and beyond the neighborhoods of Downtown and Midtown. Despite using the High Line as a precedent, the other proposals essentially do what the High Line founder Robert Hammond states not to: “You can’t just put up a planter and... call it a day.” The Pierce Elevated Development will be a fully designed urban renewal and improvement project focusing on the architecture that will utilize the full integration of the Pierce Elevated structure as an amenity rather than simply trying to sell a park on a highway. This masters thesis project strives to impact the entire Greater Houston Area sparked by the reutilization of the Pierce Elevated structure as the cornerstone of a large development that will greatly improve, enhance, and transform the city of Houston. An important aspect to consider for this urban gateway to be truly successful is the program of the buildings along it require a desirable alternative to what already exists in Houston. Thus this proposal is for a mixed use development; but is is a mixed use development that through its design supports and promotes walking, biking, public transit, food markets, coworking, and coliving, as well as many other community-strengthening functions.

CROWDSOURCING INFORMATION

SOLUTION

CASE STUDIES 4.02 PONTE VECCHIO

DOWNTOWN HOUSTON TUNNEL SYSTEM

The Ponte Vecchio is a Medieval stone bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. This bridge exhibits the history of the concept desired for the Pierce Elevated structure.

The Downtown Houston Tunnel System is a network of subterranean, climate-controlled, pedestrian walkways that links 95 city blocks 20 feet below Houston’s downtown and is approximately 6 miles long. With the majority of Downtown’s retail stores and restaurants located within the tunnels, the street-level of Houston is often barren and lifeless.

SAN ANTONIO RIVER WALK

MINNEAPOLIS SKYWAY SYSTEM

Houston, Texas, United States

Florence, Tuscany, Italy

San Antonio, Texas, United States No. 23 World’s Most-Visited Tourist Attraction

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

The Minneapolis Skyway System is a secondlevel pedestrian movement system connecting downtown office, retail, hospitality, residential, and parking uses. The system consists of over seventy bridges and it connects nearly as many downtown blocks. Skyway-bound Minneapolis has been left out of step after a broad cultural shift around the world in the way people use urban spaces. No longer do people pass through city centers while traveling between work and home. City centers have become places to pause and enjoy life away from work and away from home.

“The San Antonio River has always been the heart and soul of San Antonio; indeed the river was the impetus for the beginning of our wonderful city. The River Walk reflects the history, culture, and ambiance that defines San Antonio and makes it such a unique and popular destination, for visitors and locals alike.” - Nancy Hunt, Director of the Paseo del Rio Association. The River Walk indeed, is a prime example of an amenity that draws visitors, both repeat and new, and locals, and is a quintessential precedent for an unhindered pedestrian path with mixed use functions along it such as residential, hotel, office, retail, and restaurants spaces. The Pierce Elevated development has the opportunity to transform a highway into a similiar amenity for the City of Houston.

BRIDGE OF HOUSES

HABITAT 67

New York City, New York, United States

Montreal, Québec, Canada

The Bridge of Houses was a proposal by Steven Holl for a disused elevated rail link in the Chelsea Area of Manhattan (the same one that eventually became the High Link park). In this proposal Holl presents a pragmatic mix of housing types. It is “an ornate collection of urban villas”, each one as a bridge itself, providing a passage at the pedestrian level, so that the promenade is in fact a series of public courtyards.

“For everyone a garden” - A Moshe Safdie, architect. Similiar to Habitat 67, the buildings along the Pierce Elevated master plan should be modular for adpatability as well as provide ample space for personal and commercial outdoor use. An initial concept for the master plan was viewing it all as one superstructure that would be able to suit a variety of mixed use functions.

SOLUTION

ECONOMICAL JUSTIFICATION 4.03

“ “

How will the Pierce Elevated mixed use development and urban park be funded?” ‘Through a public-private partnership”

What is a public-private partnership?” “A public-private partnership (P3) is a contractual arrangement between a public agency (federal, state or local) and a private sector entity. Through this agreement, the skills and assets of each sector (public and private) are shared in delivering a service or facility for the use of the general public. In addition to the sharing of resources, each party shares in the risks and rewards potential in the delivery of the service and/or facility.” 1 The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships “A perfect example of an extremely successful P3 is the High Line park.” “HR&A Advisors, a real estate consultancy, demonstrated the economic rationale for transforming the High Line into a vibrant park. Their analysis showed that increased revenue from property, sales, and income taxes from a conversion would exceed the city’s costs to preserve the viaduct. John Alschuler, chairman of HR&A Advisors, recalls: “Our firm did a very rigorous, very careful study and we argued, absolutely correctly, as it turned out, to the government, that an investment in park and open space will return more cash value back to the government in terms of increased property tax revenue, increased sales tax revenue, increased income tax revenue, that would pay three, four times what the cost of the park was.” “Alschuler served as chairman of the board of Friends of the High Line for five years, and advised the group for seven years. He was able to articulate a larger civic purpose for the venture and for public/private partnerships in general. He says: “The idea of a public, private partnership, the notion of private investment working with the government to lay out the tracks of a great city, it’s what we’ve done since the beginning of our country and since all great cities were founded. The New York City subway system was originally built with private capital. The railroads that service this region, originally built with private capital. The notion that government plays a role, working in collaboration with a private investment, is as old as the republic and inherent in the pattern of city building.” Despite its massive popularity and unique way to view the city from the in between, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat states: “The most significant success of the High Line may however be its economic impact in terms of rapidly increasing property values of existing and newly developed buildings in the adjacent area. In the five years following the opening of the park, the City attributed two billion dollars in private investment and 12,000 new jobs (incl. 8,000 new construction jobs) to the High Line project. The City itself, in 2010 alone, gained $100 million in property tax increases as a result of the High Line.” 2

In the case of the Pierce Elevated mixed use development and urban park the public entities involved could be: - The City of Houston - The Midtown Redevelopment Authority (MRA)/Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 2 (TIRZ) - The Houston Downtown Management District

The private entities would be local, national, and international developers looking to be involved in creating a microcosm of future Houston... And lastly, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit would be formed to oversee the development and construction of the mixed use development and urban park as well as be responsible for future operations, maintenance, and upkeep of the urban park and public functions. 30

SOLUTION

Steps to Financially Justify the Pierce Elevated Mixed Use Development & Urban Park

Invest in a professional economic analysis to establish if the “numbers work” - Establish the value of the land of the Pierce as well as the adjacent blocks which would be annexed into the master plan development - Determine the cost to purchase and then redevelop this land - Calculate the amount of mixed used development to be built to offset the initial costs

Invest in a professional market study - Compare the results of the market study with the “amount of mixed used development to be built to offset the initial costs” - Determine if the market can sustain the needed development considering the long build out process of the master plan

Determine a (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) TIRZ within Houston to function as a public agency for the project to gain subsidies for this community and infrastructure redevelopment and improvement project 45

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In some situations, broker deals if need be with property owners to purchase their land in exchange for space within the newly developed master plan

Similiar to the High Line, it can be hypothesized, and hopefully predicted through an economic analysis, that the City of Houston would gain many-fold returns on their investment in this urban park through increased property tax revenue, increased sales tax revenue, and increased income tax revenue. Developers buying into the master plan would reap the benefits of mixed use functions such as residential, hotel, office, retail, entertainment, and restaurant spaces. Other considerations to reduce the cost: - The HOME Investments Partnerships Program (HOME): provides grants to States and local governments to fund a wide range of activities... providing direct rental assistance to low-icome families. It is the largest Federal block grant program for State and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. - District Heating, Cooling, Waste, Energy: Pierce Elevated would have its own facilities and utilities so for the most part, utility lines for sewage, electrical, and water would not need to be greatly expanded all the way back to the larger main. - Renewable Energy Tax Credit (ITC) & Federal Support for Diverse Transportation 31

SOLUTION

POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT 4.04 Despite the amount of professional work required to properly predict the economic impact of the Pierce Elevated mixed use development and urban park, the potenial impact can be amateurly hypothesized. The following diagrams first present the current property values and skyline and then deduce the potential economic impact of the Pierce Elevated Development to the property values and the Downtown and Midtown skyline.

EXISTING HOUSTON SKYLINE

EXISTING PROPERTY VALUES

SOLUTION

POTENTIAL HOUSTON SKYLINE

POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT

5_PIE R C E E L E V AT E D

PIERCE ELEVATED

5.00_PIERCE ELEVATED .01_MASTER PLAN, PIERCE LEVEL P.36 .02_FORM-DRIVING IDEAS P.38 .03_DETAILED CONSIDERATIONS P.39 .04_MASTER PLAN, STREET LEVEL P.40 .05_PHASE ONE BUILDING LOCATION P.41

PIERCE ELEVATED

MASTER PLAN, PIERCE LEVEL 5.01

PIERCE ELEVATED MASTER PLAN PIERCE LEVEL; +20’-0”

PIERCE ELEVATED

FORM-DRIVING IDEAS 5.02 The Pierce Elevated structure is most simply a line. As it currently stands with its present-day function as a highway, it is despised by many Houstonians due to the common occurence of traffic jams and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unattractice appearance. To attempt to remove this bitter taste that is Pierce Elevated from the mouths of locals, the line is elongated. Where cars once zoomed (or crawled), now people will meander back and forth across its 105 foot elevated platform. This will help to improve the experience of patrons as well as dictate the views one has moving through the master plan. Continuing with the idea of Ecological Urbanism, the master plan aims for the public space to be the synthesis between the natural and the urban ecosystems. Lastly, as there will be three conceptual levels to the master plan- street, Pierce, and building- nature will be the element that blurs these vertical seperations.

MASTER PLAN SKETCH 1

ELONGATED LINE: IMPROVE EXPERIENCE & DICTATE VIEWS; REMOVE HIGHWAY CONNOTATIONS, SLOW PATH DOWN

LINE: PIERCE ELEVATED I-45 HIGHWAY

mall?

MASTER PLAN SKETCH 2

ECOLOGICAL URBANISM: JAGGED LINE = URBAN ECOSYSTEM ORGANIC LINE = NATURAL ECOSYSTEM PUBLIC SPACE IS THE SYNTHESIS IN BETWEEN

BLUR STREET, PIERCE, BUILDING: NATURE BLURS VERTICAL SEPARATION

MASTER PLAN SKETCH 3

PIERCE ELEVATED

DETAILED CONSIDERATIONS 5.03

Playground

Main St Glass Floor & Overlook

Botanical Garden

The Pierce level will include primarily active functions as well as serve as the primary circulation path of the master plan. It will also provide access to the vast amount of mixed use programs throughout the project, including Target and Macy’s both looking to get into Downtown which will anchor the ends of the master plan.

PUBLIC AMENITIES PIERCE LEVEL, +20’-0” Pocket Park Pocket Park

Downtown Overlook Outdoor Mall Overlook

R PA CO-CATHEDRAL OF THE SACRED HEART

MAIN ST.

TRAVIS ST.

MILAM ST.

KIR BY H

ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL

DWTN

ST. JOSEPH PKWY

The master plan will dictate the views as one moves through the development and for this reason the design of the plan was highly influenced by these views.

I-59

VIEWS PIERCE LEVEL, +20’-0” 8’

8’

4’ 8’

8’

5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’ 5’

8’

The existing structure is primarily flat and 105’ wide. The typical section of this provides space for commercial overflow, walking, biking, and street furniture. A section of the split levels of the highway is also provided.

TYPICAL SECTIONS PIERCE LEVEL, +20’-0”

PIERCE ELEVATED

MASTER PLAN, STREET LEVEL 5.04

MASTER PLAN STREET LEVEL; +0’-0”

Dog Park

Private Courtyard

Informal Sports Courts

Temporary Market Space

The street level of the master plan will include primarily passive functions such as informal sports courts, market space, and water gardens. Circulation here is greatly limited by the Downtown-Midtown thoroughfares but will be treated with a material change on the street.

Bike Kiosk Innovation Hub - creative workshops - makerspace - art/design/fabrication studios

PUBLIC AMENITIES STREET LEVEL, +0’-0” Bike Kiosk Playground Private Courtyard

Permanent Market Space Water Garden

Private Courtyard

PIERCE ELEVATED

PHASE ONE BUILDING LOCATION 5.04 The building to be developed for this architectural masters thesis project will also serve as phase one of the master plan as well as a prototype of the other buildings to be developed along the Development. The site of this building was extremely important to consider as in the future it would be the first built element of the entire project. Taking reference from history, every colony built by the Roman Empire was designed with a Main Street, the Cardo, and a main shopping street, the Decumanus. The forum of the city would be located at the intersection of these two streets.

PIERCE ELEVATED

PHASE ONE BUILDING LOCATION

Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Street, along with the Metro rail line on it, ran through the center of the master plan. The Decumanus, in this case, is the Pierce Elevated with its mixed use program. Thus phase one should be located at the intersection of these and should include some highly public functions. Relating to the site, adjacent to a 28 story apartment building, the opportunity existed to transform this negative transition between Downtown and Midtown into an experiential, and literal, gateway. By analyzing the site and context, the site of phase one must be located at 2017 Main and will include public functions reaching the height of 28 floors to create a gateway with the existing adjacent tower.

CARDO

MAIN ST.

DECUMANUS

2017 Main @ Pierce Elevated

6_2017 MAIN: DESIGN

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

6.00_2017 MAIN: DESIGN .01_SITE ANALYSIS P.44 .02_GAP TO GATEWAY P.45 .03_FORM-DRIVING IDEAS P.46 .04_FORM GENERATION DIAGRAMS P.47 .05_BUILDING GENERATION & ANALYSIS P.48 .06_CO-LIVING P.50 .07_CO-LIVING CASE STUDIES P.51 .08_RESIDENTIAL DESIGN DEVELOPMENT P.52 .09_MIXED USE PROGRAM P.53 .10_EXPLODED BUILDING PROGRAM P.54 .11_CIRCULATION CONSIDERATIONS P.56 .12_CO-LIVING DEVELOPED P.57 .13_VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD P.58

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

SITE ANALYSIS 6.01 So how do the buildings within this master plan bridge the gap, or more so, bridge the gateway between these two juxtaposing neighborhoods? Downtown is a hyper concentrated, dense, urban area of high rises built beyond the human scale while Midtown has a much lower density with its suburban lifestyle in single family houses. Thus the gap to gateway typology must be invented at the building scale. In this case, this typology takes quite a literal meaning, beyond the conceptual one, as the phase one building2017 Main- creates a literal gateway between Downtown and Midtown with the existing 28 story apartment building.

2017 MAIN DOWNTOWN

HIGH DENSITY HYPER CONCENTRATED TOWERS UNHUMAN URBAN MINIMAL

MIDTOWN

POPULATION JOB LOCATION PROMINENT STRUCTURES SCALE

LOW DENSITY DISPERSED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES HUMAN

LIFESTYLE

SUBURBAN

VEGETATION

ABUNDANT

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

GAP TO GATEWAY 6.02 High density is often dehumanizing and compact, cutting out necessary green space for comfortable living. Low density in contrast, has the green space but strains resources and results in long commute times. 2017 Main strives to define the strategy through which these two styles of living and working can combined: breaking the skyscraper down to the human scale and densifying the typical suburban neighborhood. This prototypical building synthesizes Downtown and Midtown by combining the lifestyle and vegetation of the neighborhood house with the density and structure of the skyscraper.

BUILDING VIEW FROM MIDTOWN

BUILDING VIEW FROM DOWNTOWN

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

FORM-DRIVING IDEAS 6.03 After considering the juxtaposition of Downtown and Midtown and the need to synthesize these two neighborhoods, several form-driving ideas were utilized to design 2017 Main. The first was that this building exists in context. It will stand on a block in the city center of Houston along the Pierce Elevated master plan and nature should be the unifying element that blurs these three spaces- street, elevated walkway, and building- together. Next, all the environmental, social, and political ideas that went into the design of the master plan must now influence the structures along it. 2017 Main must be the vertical manifestation of this horizontal mixed use development, which as mentioned before will create an experiential and literal gateway between Downtown and Midtown. The fourth idea that influenced the building’s form was the need to transition the horizontal growth of Houston from its suburbs to vertical growth in its center: to design a vertical neighborhood with the same amenities of suburban neighborhoods plus the added bonus of not having an hour long commute. Lastly, 2017 Main should be shaped by the Houston sun and climate and thus the south and west facades of the structure were carved out leaving the residential block with views to Downtown without the harsh sun.

ARCHITECTURAL DRIVERS 1) URBAN 2) SOCIAL 3) ENVIRONMENTAL BLUR STREET, PIERCE, BUILDING; BLUR STREET, PIERCE, BUILDING: NATURE BLURS VERTICAL SEPARATION NATURE BLURS VERTICAL SEPARATION

BLUR STREET, PIERCE, BUILDING; NATURE BLURS VERTICAL SEPARATION

When completed in 1967, city leaders claimed, with its elevated position offering views of the burgeoning skyline, the Pierce Elevated driving experience was “almost like going up in a cable car” and trumpeted the “magnificent view of the business district.”

2016 MAIN

VERTICAL MANIFESTATION OF PIERCE VERTICAL MANIFESTATION OF PIERCE ELEVATED HORIZONTAL PUBLIC PATH ELEVATED HORIZONTAL PUBLIC PATH

GATEWAY WITH EXISTING 2016 MAIN ST TOWER GATEWAY WITH EXISTING 2016 MAIN ST TOWER

HORIZONTAL NEIGHBORHOOD

VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD MESA VERDE

VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD

2017 MAIN @ PIERCE ELEVATED

ADAPT TO HOUSTON SUN & CLIMATE ADAPT TO HOUSTON SUN & CLIMATE

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

FORM GENERATION DIAGRAMS 6.04 Utilizing these five form-driving ideas, several iterations of the building were designed. The first was cut for desired sun angles and the excellent views towards downtown. The public space would be subtracted from the form such as a public pool or sports court. Circulation, both vertical and horizontal, would be difficult within this design however, so a central circulation core was placed. The space within the circulation core of iteration 2 would be relatively dark though as it was roughly 250’ tall with very little direct sunlight into it. In addition to this, half of the residential units would be blasted by the harsh southern and western sun. Inverting this design allowed for the office block to shade the residential block that would continue to have its desired downtown views. This however, still meant that a large amount of the program would be in the harsh sunlight. Finally, once again adapting to the sun and views, the southern and western facades were totally removed and replaced with solely circulation. This allowed for the residential units to only receive northern and eastern sunlight and maintain their downtown views.

CUT FOR CUT FOR SUN &SUN VIEWS & VIEWS SUBTRACT FOR PUBLIC SPACE SUBJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACE

VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD SOUTH ELEMENT SHADES NORTH RESIDENTIAL BLOCK OFFICE BLOCK SHADES RESIDENTIAL BLOCK

“VERTICAL CUL-DE-SAC” SKETCH

CENTRAL CIRCULATION CORE CENTRAL CIRCULATION CORE VERTICAL CIRCULATION ON EXTERIOR SURFACE HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL CIRCULATION

“VERTICAL CUL-DE-SAC” DEVELOPED

ADAPT TO& CUT SUN & CUT FOR VIEWS ADAPT TO SUN FOR VIEWS CIRCULATION ON SOUTH & WEST FACADES CIRCULATION ON SOUTH & WEST FACADES

VERTICAL & VEGETATED PATH

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

BUILDING GENERATION & ANALYSIS 6.05 The form of the building was designed through solar analysis and studies to produce a structure where no programmatic elements were blasted by the harsh Houston sun. In the final iteration of the structure, the residential block maintained pleasant views of Downtown without suffering the energy costs and solar radiation that are the result of several hours of direct sunlight. Once the overall building massing was designed, a box randomization and density study was done to begin to understand a proper ratio of solid vs. void to balance rentable square footage and outdoor terrace space. The final design was not designed through this method, albeit this study helped educate and inform the process resulting in a building that values outdoor space as much as interior square footage.

“SOLAR STUDY” GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT

HOURS OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT >/= 10.00

PRELIMINARY ITERATION SOLAR STUDY DEC 21 JUN 21

9.00

8.00

FINAL ITERATION SOLAR STUDY DEC 21

NORTH & WEST FACADES

SOUTH & EAST FACADES

SOUTH & WEST FACADES

SOUTH & EAST FACADES

7.00

6.00

MAR 20/SEPT 22

5.00

4.00

3.00

JUN 21

2.00

</= 1.00

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

“BOX RANDOMIZATION & DENSITY STUDY” GRASSHOPPER SCRIPT 1

ALL POINTS

SHELF 1 BOX GENERATION VARYING DENSITY AND RANDOMIZATION

1.1

16’ HORIZONTAL & 10’-6” VERTICAL GRID EVERY FOUR FLOORS STEPS BACK 16’ TO CREATE TERRACING

SHELF 1, LEVEL 1 BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 7 (85% OF TOTAL) RANDOMIZATION SEED: 60

1.2

SHELF 1, LEVEL 2 BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 12 (60% OF TOTAL) RANDOMIZATION SEED: 60

2.1

FULL BUILDING BOX GENERATION

FULL BUILDING GENERATED

SHELF 1, LEVEL 1 BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 15 (70% OF TOTAL) RANDOMIZATION SEED: 72

2.2

ALL SHELVES, LEVEL 1 BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 85% OF TOTAL RANDOMIZATION SEED: VARIED

SHELF 1, LEVEL 2 BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 18 (30% OF TOTAL) RANDOMIZATION SEED: 72

ALL SHELVES, LEVEL 2 BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 63% OF TOTAL RANDOMIZATION SEED: VARIED

FULL BUILDING BOX GENERATION DENSITY REDUCTION: 73% OF TOTAL RANDOMIZATION SEED: VARIED

ALL SHELVES, ALL LEVELS GENERATED

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

CO-LIVING 6.06 According to The Collective

CO-LIVING

Developing this “vertical neighborhood” was essential to entice people to move up rather than out. To do so, the benefits of living in a suburban neighborhood were considered. One answer is cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sacs are a space with extremely limited vehicular movement, with houses circling open public space which almost forces community to thrive within them whether it be for Fourth of July cookouts, New Years Eve sparklers or simply children chasing each other. 2017 Main asks how can this same intensity of community be created vertically and provides the solution: Co-Living. There are multiple benefits towards this way of living. In addition to the community developed within it, the cost of living is immensely cheaper. Because residents share their living room with three other people and their kitchen with eleven, they only pay a quarter of the square footage of their living room and a 1/12 of the kitchen. As a result of this, whereas a standard apartment in Downtown Houston will cost upwards of $1200 a month, a unit in 2017 Main will average roughly $550. But also contrary to current practices, rent can be paid annually, montly, weekly, or even According to The Collective daily to further promote mobility.

CO-LIVING

Co-Living is a way of living focused on a genuine sense of community, using shared spaces and facilities to create a more convenient and fullling lifestyle.

“

Co-Living is a way of living focused on a genuine sense of community, using shared spaces and facilities to create a more convenient and fulfilling lifestyle.” The Collective, The World’s Largest Co-Living Building

The big idea behind the co-living concept and typology is the ability to live and work anywhere one of these Co-Living hubs exists. So one could live in Barcelona for 3 months, then move to Houston for a couple weeks before going to Singapore. Netflix and HBO have capitalized off of the tv industry by making it service based. Uber has done the same with the vehicular industry and AirBnb with the travel industry. The milennial generation has grown up with the internet and the ability to have what they want, when they want it. So what is the Netflix or Uber of the housing market? 2017 Main suggests it is Co-Living. 50

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

CO-LIVING CASE STUDIES 6.07 A New Way to live in London.

A New Way of Living.

CO-LIVING: Communities of high quality studios and rooms with well-designed shared living spaces and facilities including a gym, cinema room and restaurant, all in one place. SERVICED LIVING: Quality, modern and serviced apartments, studios and rooms in some of London’s most iconic locations. WORKING: Flexible memberships for offices and hot-desking in creative workspaces and enterprising communities THE CO-LIVING LIFESTYLE: Co-living is designed to be the perfect platform for life in the city.

“WeLive is a new way of living built upon community, flexibility, and a fundamental belief that we are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. From mailrooms and laundry rooms that double as bars and event spaces to communal kitchens, roof decks, and hot tubs, WeLive challenges traditional apartment living through physical spaces that foster meaningful relationships. Life is better when we are part of something greater than ourselves. Whether for a day, a week, a month, or a year, by joining WeLive - you’ll be psyched to be alive.”

The Co-Living Lifestyle.

WeLive Membership

QUALITY: Live somewhere you’ll be excited to call home. Boutique interior deisgn, beautiful shared space, and luxury facilities for every member. COMMUNITY: Join a community of likeminded young people, living, working, and playing under one roof. Regular events and amazing shared spaces. CONVENIENCE: Enjoy a hassle free living The Collective: from public to private, experience that lets you focus on the things “Something in between” that really matter. All-inclusive billing, concierge service, and room cleaning as standard.1

- Beds and couches, towels and linens, and everything in between - Community-driven common areas, including a chef’s kitchen, laundry/ arcade and yoga studio - Full-time community concierge and housekeeping team - Optional month-to-month flexibility - Fully hooked up units with HDTVs, in-ceiling wireless speakers and sensorregulated environmental controls2

The Collective_Working

Workspace_Included Amenities

FLEXIBLE MEMBERSHIPS: Choose from a range of membership options, for innovators at any stage. From drop-in memberships to dedicated space or private offices. CONNECTED COMMUNITY: Join an actively managed and deeply collaborative community. Get more done and have more fun, working in a network of people with ideas. EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES: We organize regular professional, networking, and social events, exclusively for members. We also bring amazing partners to our spaces to teach, meat, and party. WORKSHOPS AND LEARNING: We partner with experts to offer training, education and inspiration to our members. We also encourage and organise peer to peer learning, to help our members help each other. BUSINESS SUPPORT: From basic services like post and printing, to in depth mentorship and investment. We offer a range of member benefits to improve productivity, growth and wellbeing. INSPIRING SPACES: Each of our spaces has a unique design approach, designed to spark ideas, encourage interaction, and make our members feel at home.1

Our workspace design features private offices (for teams of 1–100+) with glass walls to maintain privacy without sacrificing transparency or natural light. Common spaces have a distinct aesthetic and vibe that will inspire your team, as well as the guests you bring into our buildings. SUPER-FAST INTERNET: Hard-wired (Ethernet) connections as well as access to WiFi in all WeWork locations. SPACIOUS, UNIQUE COMMON AREAS: WeWork spaces includes desks, chairs, desk lamps, and lockable filing cabinets. BUSINESS-CLASS PRINTERS: Each WeWork floor has at least one multi-function copier/scanner/printer. FREE REFRESHMENTS: Get free micro-roasted coffee, tea, fruit water, and beer at every WeWork location. ONSITE STAFF: We have onsite managers available from 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri. PRIVATE PHONE BOOTHS: Phone booths are available on all floors for private calls. EVENTS AT WEWORK: Lunch +Learns, Office hours, Weekly Happy Hours, Networking Events3

more convenient and fullling lifestyle. According to The Collective

BLUR STREET, PIERCE, BUILDING; The corner of each shelf is communal space for the residents and include functions such as 2 a library and playground, a cinema and a small soccer field, a game room and a sand volleyball court, a gym and a basketball court, and finally a public restaurant and putting green. Combining these 5 shelves make up the 20 floors of the residential block. VERTICAL MANIFESTATION OF PIERCE GATEWAY WITH EXISTING ELEVATED HORIZONTAL PATH 2016 TOWER This residential blockPUBLIC consisting ofMAIN5ST floors of typical apartments and 15 floors of Co-Living 4 units is one of the two main elements of the structure. It sits on top of the other, the 7 story podium. This creates a sort of inverted high rise removing the often hidden functions and skeleton and utilizing them to benefit the users and building as a whole. The program sits in the front supported by massive angled concrete VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD ADAPT TO HOUSTON SUN & CLIMATE columns, then the horizontal circulation cuts through an almost 250’ void in the building before connecting to the vertical circulation, which then in turn counters the angled concrete columns. All of this rests above the podium below.

SHELF 5

ANDREW GAZDA The residential the building (the top MICHAELportion O’BRIEN | MIGUELof ROLDAN | SHELLEY HOLLIDAY | BRUCE DVORAK | BRIAN GIBBS 20 floors) was designed utilizing the concept of 1 Legos. EachARCHITECTURAL co-living unit is designed following several criterion and includes 12 bedrooms, 3 DRIVERS living rooms,1 with adjacent outdoor terraces, URBAN and one kitchen. Six iterations of this unit were 2 SOCIAL designed and then placed on structural shelves ENVIRONMENTAL 3 the that second as traditional apartment housing.

RESIDENTIAL DESIGN DEVELOPMENT 6.08

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

NATURE BLURS VERTICAL SEPARATION

HORIZONTAL NEIGHBORHOOD

SHELF 4

VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD

Hugh Ferriss

Ralph Knowles

1916 Zoning Law

Mesa Verde

Solar Envelopes

2017 MAIN @ PIERCE ELEVATED

Cerdà Plan

MESA VERDE

1909 Theorem

2016 MAIN

SHELF 3

Co-Living

Downtown Athletic Club

“Imagining Nothingness”

rotate

delirious new york

Vertical City

Ofce of Metropolitan Architecture

Little Denmark

Mountain House

Parkwest Valley

De Rotterdam

2017 Main @ Pierce Elevated “Third Way” Politics & the “Vinex Program” rotate

Parc de La Villette

Stacking Rødovre Skyvillage

Urban Acupuncture

Ecological Urbanism

Markthal Promenade Plantée

Industrial Revolution Moshie Safdie

Habitat 67

PIERCE ELEVATED

Jean Renaudie Ivry-sur-Seine

High Line

IDEAS DIAGRAM 1

SHELF 2

2) MODULAR CO-LIVING UNITS

1) MODULE ROOM UNITS

CENTRAL CIRCULATION CORE

CUT FOR SUN & VIEWS

VERTICAL CIRCULATION ON EXTERIOR SRF

SUBTRACT FOR PUBLIC SPACE

VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD

4) ASSEMBLY OF LEGO CREATION

LEGO CONCEPT DIAGRAMS SOUTH FACADE SHADES NORTH RESIDENTIAL BLOCK

ADAPT TO SUN & CUT FOR VIEWS

3) STRUCTURAL SHELVES traditional apartments

SHELF 1

CIRCULATION ON SOUTH AND WEST FACADES

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

MIXED USE PROGRAM 6.09 To ensure that 2017 Main never stands empty nor unused throughout the 24 hours of the day, it is provides space for a variety of diverse and mixed use programs. Within this single structure there is space for parking, market and grocery stores, retail stores, coworking, residential units both coliving and typical, various public functions both indoor and outdoor, a viewing gallery as well as a park of the 5th floor.

09:00

00:00

15:00

15:00 00:00

21:00 15:00

21:00 09:00

USERS PUBLIC PRIVATE COWORKING COMMERCIAL

09:00

00:00 09:00

21:00

00:00

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

EXPLODED BUILDING PROGRAM 6.10 Beginning on the first floor, a grocery store and fresh food market are placed just steps away from the metro rail stop so residents of the Pierce Elevated master plan can pick up their food on their way to and from work. In addition to this, there is ample bike parking behind the residential lobby, then the delivery path, ramp down to parking, and lastly the coworking lobby and street-level retail. The second floor is more of an intermediate floor between one and three and provides coworking space and a residential lounge. The third floor, at the same height as the Pierce Elevated, connects the master plan to the interior market. The market slopes from the third floor to the fifth at a 5% slope continuing to connect the Pierce to the 5th floor park while also providing retail space along a residential street. In addition to this, the third floor offers premium retail space at the center of the master plan as well as more coworking space. The fourth floor includes part of the market street as well as retail and coworking space. Continuing to the fifth floor, the market street culminates at the Public Park, a space for various outdoor activities as well as spectacular views over Midtown. There is also additional coworking space which, along with the sixth and seventh floor make up the last of the coworking space. All in all, the podium contains 65,000sqft of coworking space, 45,000sqft of retail space (10,000 of which is premium), and lastly 36,000sqft of public space. Floors 8-27 are made up of the previously mentioned residential shelves that provide a total of 85,000 square feet of Co-Living space and 45,000 square feet of typical apartment living. Once again, the corners of each shelf contain an indoor and outdoor public function. The final floor of 2017 Main provides a 360 degree viewing gallery over Houston as well as space for many of the systems necessary to maintain comfort within this structure.

ROOF TOP RESTAURANT + PUTTING GREEN

In addition to all of this, the design strives to fulfill this â&#x20AC;&#x153;vertical neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;? typology by providing the needs of users within the building itself or within the immediate vicinity along the Pierce Elevated master plan. 5TH FLOOR PARK

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

USERS PUBLIC PRIVATE COWORKING COMMERCIAL

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

CIRCULATION CONSIDERATIONS 6.11 The form of 2017 Main was greatly influenced by the diversity of the functions it would provide space for. The ground floor plan is a prime example of this as it was shaped by and for multiple means of circulation. The first method of transportation taken into account was the preexisting Metro rail line that ran down Main St. This North-South line, in addition to two EastWest lines and two planned lines provides or will provide access to: Downtown (the economic hub of Houston), the Galleria (another major economic hub as well as a primary shopping area), six universites, three major sport complexes as well as the NRG Astrodome (now a large event center), Hermann Park (a 445 acre park centrally located in the city), the Museum District, and several residential neighborhoods. This Metro rail line is envisioned as the main method for pedestrians to travel to and from the Pierce Elevated master plan whether it be to work, entertainment or any other of the many amenities along the rail line. Public access will exit off of the Downtown Transit Center Station and circulate up onto the Pierce Elevated through the monumental stairs included in the 2017 Main construction. Residents of the building will be able to enter a lobby and circulate vertically through the elevator cores to their co-living units or typical apartments as well as the many amenities and vegetation zones provided within the structure. Another common method of transportation for visitors and residents of the Pierce Elevated would be biking. Analyzing Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population running and biking data, Main St. and Fannin St. (two flanking sides of site), are two of the most active streets within Downtown and Midtown. Thus the ground floor plan of 2017 Main takes this into account and provides bikespecific entrances into the building and ample bike parking lockers and racks right next to the residential lobby. As the ground floor includes a market and grocery store in addition to other retail space, the delivery route was also taken into account and designed for. The last means of circulation used to design the first floor was vehicular traffic. Trying to minimize human-driven cars, parking is limited and solely below grade. Space within the garage is also allocated specifically for autonomous and electric vehicles.

METRO RAIL

PUBLIC

PRIVATE

BICYLCE

DELIVERY

VEHICULAR

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

CO-LIVING DEVELOPED 6.12 The majority of high rise architecture is often at the inhuman scale, thus the need to focus on the quality of life within the 2016 Main structure was vital. The concept of Co-Living can be seen brought into fruition zooming into the Co-Living units of the first shelf. Every unit is entered into through the kitchen which then branches off to the living rooms and outdoor terraces which then further branches into the four attached bedrooms. Every unit is three stories and can function at the individual renter scale, the family scale, or even the AirBnb scale.

G IVIN

-L

OD L P X

AM F 1 R G L DIA SHE

CO-LIVING EXPLODED ISOMETRIC

TYPICAL CO-LIVING FLOOR RENDERED SECTION

02 2

2.2

2.1

KITCHEN

1.2 LIVING 3 1.3 1.4

2.3 2.4

1.1 LIVING 1

01 CO-LIVING EXPLODED ISOMETRIC 2.2

LIVING 2

1.1

FAMILY 1

KITCHEN

2.1

LIVING 1

SHELF 1

03 3

KITCHEN

LIVING 2

2.3 2.4

AIRBNB UNITS

3.4 3.3 3.2 3.1

FAMILY 2

FAMILY UNITS

03 1.2 LIVING 3 1.3 1.4

3.3 3.2 3.1

FAMILY 3

INIDIVIDUAL UNITS

3.4

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

VERTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD 6.13 The bedrooms function as a sleeping space as well as provide a quiet refuge from a long busy day. The design of the co-living unit is meant to build camaraderie between the four members sharing the living room and provide a family-like atmosphere amongst the 12 members of the full unit. It is essentially a cul-de-sac. So if one co-living unit equates to one cul-de-sac, then essentially the residential block, with its 18 culde-sacs, equates to a vertical neighborhood.

2017 MAIN: DESIGN

“

Eating oysters with boxing gloves, naked, on the nth floor... This skyscraper is the manifestation of the American way of life; a machine to generate and intensify desirable forms of human intercourse.” Rem Koolhaas, Architect pertaining to New York’s Downtown Athletic Club building

7_TECH NICAL

TECHNICAL

7.00_TECHNICAL .01_STRUCTURAL SKELETON MODEL P.62 .02_MODULAR CONSTRUCTION P.63 .03_STRUCTURAL SYSTEM DIAGRAMS P.64 .04_MATERIALS P.65 .05_VEGETATION ZONES P.66 .06_CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURES P.70 .07_FULL DETAILED SECTION P.72 .08_DETAILED WALL SECTION P.72 .09_BUILDING ELEMENTS DETAILS P.74 .10_2016 MAIN @ PIERCE ELEVATED P.76

TECHNICAL

STRUCTURAL SKELETON MODEL 7.01 This massive, complex, light and heavy building requires a structure that is all of these things as well. The spaces in which people inhabit are designed with a light, almost elegant structure to bring this high rise down to the human scale. But within the massive, wild void, the structure is proportional with colossal concrete columns and heavy circulation cores connected by deep concrete beams holding the communal farming spaces.

TECHNICAL

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION 7.02 One of the primary goals throughout this masters thesis project is to design with awareness, responsiveness, and adaptability. Thus, the co-living units are designed as modular, wood structures. Because of this, an infrastructure that would allow these modular units to be slid in during assembly but also easily removed should the building be repurposed down the road was needed.

STEP 1: STRUCTURE

STEP 2: FRAMING, MEP, FINISHES

WOOD COLUMNS, GLU-LAM BEAMS, CLT INFILL

STEP 3: ASSEMBLY

TECHNICAL

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM DIAGRAMS 7.03

CROWN TRUSSES

The infrastructure necessary to receive the modular, wooden co-living units took the form of an 48â&#x20AC;&#x2122; deep trusses utilizing steel trusses (that would second as the traditional apartments) that spanned between the angled concrete columns to steel rods. Through this design, the loads would travel down the columns, the rods or the concrete cores. A second reason for this unique infrastructure is that the international building code (IBC) only allows the use of a combustible material (wood in the case of 2017 Main) as a structural system up to 8 stories above the ground floor. In this building, the Co-Living units do not even begin until the 9th story. However, by three hour fire rating the ceiling and floor of the traditional apartments with concrete slabs and defining the elevated walkways to and from the units as part of the fire-rated corridor, A new ground floor is essentially created every four stories.

VIERENDEEL TRUSSES

STEEL RODS

STEEL TRUSS SHELVES

CONCRETE COLUMNS

CONCRETE CORES

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM DIAGRAM ALLOW COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL ABOVE CODE ALLOWABLE

PODIUM STEEL FRAME

STRUCTURAL SYSTEM DIAGRAM

FULL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL

MATERIALS 7.04 The use of wood as a material did not stop as simply structure. Materials with lower embodied energy and that could be recycled down the road were selected when possible and so wood was utilized as both an exterior and an interior material on the Co-Living units. The higher embodied energy materials selected were primarily out necessity such steel, concrete, and glass. The two materials with higher embodied energy that were design choices were mirror-finished aluminum panels and corten steel. These were chosen to strengthen the life and quality of the the building. The mirrorfinished aluminum is placed on the underside of all 5 shelves so that when one is on the Pierce Elevated he or she can see into void and public park and vice versa. In addition to this, all the vegetation and life on the outdoor terraces would be reflected as well. The corten steel, or weathering steel, is utilized as window and door frames as well as planter boxes and handrails. The selection of this material is that it blurs the man made and the natural: essentially the entire building at the material scale.

ALUMINUM MIRROR-FINISHED

CONCRETE PANEL FACADE

STEEL & GLASS

CORTEN STEEL *not denoted on diagram

CONCRETE FLOOR/STRUCTURE BIRCH PLYWOOD

MATERIALS DIAGRAM: EMBODIED ENERGY | HOT TO COLD

WOOD WINDOW FRAMES

CHARRED WOOD_SURETO: SHOU SUGI BAN

SOLAR PANELS

*not denoted on diagram

TECHNICAL

VEGETATION ZONES 7.05 2017 Main is made up of seven different vegetation zones each unique in it what it grows and produces.

ZONE 1 | ENERGY PRODUCTION

Zone 1 | Roof Top: focuses on Energy Production growing corn, grain sorghum and sunflowers beneath the solar panels above. Zone 2 | Residential Terraces: allows the residents to grow small fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Zone 3 | Void: feels wild and overgrown and thus productive and flowering vines are specâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d for this space. Zone 4 | Communal Farming: located between the two concrete cores; the residents of 2017 Main have access to larger growing fields to produce medium sized vegetables. Zone 5 | Market: produces native Houstonian plants in the planter boxes above the market stalls. Zone 6 | 5th Floor Park: functions primarily as a grassy oasis for various activities with a few trees native to Houston. The grass specified is also native as well as drought tolerant and requires limited maintenance. Zone 7 | Pierce Elvated: The landscaping and vegetation specifications of the Pierce Elevated masterplan is beyond the scope of this final masters project.

ZONE 2 | RESIDENTIAL TERRACES

ZONE 3 | VOID, WILDERNESS

ZONE 4 | COMMUNAL FARMING

ZONE 5 | MARKET ZONE 6 | 5TH FLOOR PARK ZONE 7 | PIERCE ELEVATED

VEGETATION ZONES DIAGRAM

TECHNICAL

ZONE 1 - ROOF TOP ENERGY PRODUCTION Corn 26BHR50 Hybrid Zea mays

Sunflowers Nuseed 5009 Hybrid Helianthus annuus

ROOF PLAN

ZONE 1

Grain Sorghum AG1203 Hybrid Sorghum bicolor

Solar Panel Field

TECHNICAL

ZONE 2 - RESIDENTIAL TERRACES SMALL FRUITS, VEGGIES, & HERBS

TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL FLOOR

ZONE 2

Basil Genovese Ocimum basilicum

Blueberries Rabbiteye Vaccinium virgatum

Cilantro Leisure Coriandrum Sativum

Citronella Lemon Grass Cymbopogon citratus

Dill Bouquet Anethum graveolens

Garlic Silverskin Allium sativum

Lavender Hidcote Lavandula angustifolia

Lemon Eureka Citrus limon

Radish Cherry Belle Raphanus sativa

Rosemary Arp Rosmarinus officinalis

Sage Tricolor Sage Salvia officinalis

Snow Pea Oregon Giant Pisum sativum

Spinach Malabar Basella alba

Strawberries Quinault Fragaria ananassa

Thyme Lemon Thyme Thymus citriodorus

ZONE 3 - VOID, WILDERNESS PRODUCTIVE & FLOWERING VINES Bluebill Clematis pitcheri Deciduous

Evening Trumpetflower Gelsemium sempervirens Evergreen, yellow

Jasmine Gelsemium sempervirens Productive

Kudzu Pueraria montana Productive, invasive

Morning Glory Ipomoea lindheimeri multiple color varieties

Scarlet Runner Beans Phaseolus coccineus Productive

Silver Ponyfoot Dichondra argentea drought tolerant

Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Evergreen, slender, magenta

ZONE 3

ZONE 4

ZONE 4 - COMMUNAL FARMING MEDIUM SIZED VEGGIES

Bamboo Blue Bamboo Bambusa chungii

Eggplant Black Beauty Solanum melongena

Lettuce Iceberg Lactuca sativa

Muskmelon Cucumis melo Productive

Summer Squash Crookneck Squash Cucurbita moschata

Tomatoes Early Girl Solanum lycopersicum

Winter Squash Butternut Squash Cucurbita moschata

Zucchini Gold Rush Cucurbita pepo

TECHNICAL

ZONE 5 - MARKET HOUSTON NATIVE PLANTS

5TH FLOOR

American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana pest-free, deciduous

Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta cheerful & heat-tolerant

Cat Tail Liatris Liatris pycnostachya perennial prairie wildflower

Deciduous Holly Ilex decidua bright-red berries

Gulf Coast Muhly Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris pink-purple blooms

Gulf Coast Penstemon Penstemon tenuis attracts hummingbirds

Indian Blanket Gaillardia pulchella wildflower, attracts butterflies

ZONE 7

ZONE 6 - 5TH FLOOR PARK HOUSTON NATIVE TREES & GRASS Baldcypress Tree Taxodium distichum drought tolerant

Mexican Plum Tree Prunus mexicana drought tolerant

Sweetgum Tree Liquidambar styraciflua deciduous

Zoysia Grass Zoysia japonica drought tolerant, limited mowing

ZONE 7 - PIERCE ELEVATED TBD BY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

ZONE 5

ZONE 6

TECHNICAL

FULL DETAILED SECTION 7.06 The structure that holds all of this life, vegetation, and mixed use functions is both heavy and light, massive and complex. Beginning from the ground up, the front portion, attaching to the Pierce Elevated and supporting the residential block above, is primarily pre-caste concrete. Steel trusses are used over the entrances from the Pierce Elevated to the market on the inside of the void as well as in several cantilevering situations. Behind this concrete portion, stands 5 steel frame floors consisting of the market, retail space, coworking space and the 5th floor park. The concrete cores extend the full vertical height of the building which stands at 304’-6”. The cores are connected by concrete beams which the space in between is utilized as communal farming. The farming is accessed by the glass and steel walkways which then also connect to the traditional apartments and co-living units. In addition to the cores, the angled concrete columns span the distance from the ground floor to the crown of the structure. These columns taper as they rise higher and thus support less weight as well as carry hot and cold water to the residential units and take away sewage and rainwater. As stated before, 48’ deep trusses are created utilizing steel trusses spanning between the angled concrete columns and steel rods. The steel trusses are connected together both inside and outside, by vierendeel trusses, which are designed with W flanges connected with 8” square steel tubes. 6” of concrete will be poured on 3” metal decking spanning the 14’ between the steel trusses. This will then provide the space for the traditional apartments as well as the 3-hour fireproof rated surface on which the co-living units can be slid into place.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION DATA BUILDING OCCUPANCY TYPE: Business, Mercantile, Residential (R-2) = separation required from all other occupancies TYPE 1-A CONSTRUCTION (3-HOUR) - Non-combustible building materials - 3-HR RATING: structural frame, exterior bearing walls, interior bearing walls, party walls - 2-HR RATING: floor construction, party walls, exit stairs, exit passageways, shaft enclosures - 1.5-HR RATING: roof construction - 1-HR RATING: mall tenant space separations, dwelling unit separations - 0-1-HR RATING: exit access corridors SIZING EGRESS R-2: Sprinkled, max travel dist.: 250’ Largest area with a single exit: 10 occupants Max length of dead-end cooridor: 50’ sprinkled Min door width: 32” net clear, 48” nominal Min cooridor & stair width: 44” serving more than 49 occupants

STRUCTURAL RESIDENTIAL SHELF + COMPLEX COLUMN

TECHNICAL

FULL BUILDING SECTION 71

TECHNICAL

CONCEPTUAL SYSTEMS 7.07 2017 MAIN RAINFALL

WATER COLLECTION 1,911,816 gal/year approx. 5,238 gal/day 90% retention

FRESH WATER 2,885 gal/day

RETENTION TANK ## VOLUME

15,483 gal/day

Utilizing the many outdoor terraces of 2017 Main, the structure is designed to collect rainfall and, in conjunction with the rest of the Pierce Elevated master plan, recycle the rainwater and grey water. Black water is transported to a district biogas digester which will turn the human waste into energy for the Pierce Elevated Development. At the same site as the biogas digester will also be the district heating and cooling plants which will supply conditioning to the entirety of the Development.

5,238 gal/day

2,124,240 gal/year approx. 5,820 gal/day

FILTER

10,925 gal/day

LOSS

2,534 gal/day

HOUSING

requires 18,360 gal/day

PIERCE ELEVATED DISTRICT COOLING

408 lbs/day

PARK & FARMING

4,902 gal/day plant waste

40 days

CONCEPTUAL SYSTEMS DIAGRAM

BIOGAS DIGESTER

DETAILED WALL SECTION 7.08 The detailed wall section focuses on the typical co-living shelf with greater detail. Beginning at the structural steel truss, the exterior of the traditional apartments is metal zinc paneling and the base of the shelf is mirror finished aluminum panels. Again, these panels are places to visually connect the city and Pierce Elevated with the interior void and vice versa. The aluminum panels are dropped below the steel truss utilizing metal plates to maintain proper insulation of the the steel structure. Because the traditional apartment walls will be constructed in place, the insulation used will be recycled denim remaining aligned with the environmental goals of this project. Whereas the modularly designed walls of the co-living units will be factory built, the insulation used will be expanded polystyrene. The structure of the Co-Living modules will be Glu-lam beams, 8” wood columns, and CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) infill panels. These infill panels will typically be 5-ply thick but when utilized beneath an outdoor terrace, will be 7-ply thick. The interior floors connecting to outdoor terraces will be raised on height adjustable pedestals to ensure a perfectly smooth transition from interior to exterior. The interior wall finishes

of the co-living units will be birch plywood as will the ceiling material of the rooms on the third floor to hide the steel truss above. The exterior material of the co-living will be charred wood siding. The outdoor terraces of the co-living units will each include an 8” and an 18” deep planter box constructed out of corten steel and placed on top of height adjustable pedestals. Below these will be the thermal insulation maintaining a ¼” per 1’ slope to drain the planter boxes and terrace. The drain will run through the CLT infill panel and into an interior wall before moving the water to the collection system underground.

CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER DETAIL

TECHNICAL

TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL SHELF WALL SECTION 73

TECHNICAL

BUILDING ELEMENTS DETAILS 7.09 The outdoor terraces of the co-living units will each include an 8” and an 18” deep planter box constructed out of corten steel placed on top of height adjustable pedestals. Below these will be the thermal insulation maintaining a ¼” per 1’ slope to drain the planter boxes and terrace. The drain will run through the CLT infill panel and into an interior wall before moving the water to the collection system underground. As the terraces allow for a direct connection to the outdoors for the residents primarily on the exterior side (or city side) of the units, the window seat planters provide a blur between exterior and interior on the void side of the units. These connect directly to the Glu-lam and wood column structure projecting the resident and planter over 3’ into the void through the use of fabricated wood trusses. Storage space is provided in cabinets beneath the window seat and an 8” deep planter allows the resident to grow what he or she pleases.

GREEN ROOF TERRACE DETAIL

TECHNICAL

WINDOW SEAT PLANTER DETAIL

TECHNICAL

2016 MAIN @ PIERCE ELEVATED 7.10 The moment that 2017 Main is completed is not when the final piece of plywood is placed nor when the last window is wiped clean. 2017 Main becomes fully animated through the human and vegetation life for which it provides a home and shelter. As the sunlight shines through the walkways and warms the market below, children can be heard playing and chasing each other around the 5th floor park. Residents hustle back and forth on the elevated walkways to work, to school, to home, to run on the the Pierce Elevated master plan. Birds and balloons take flight in this massive void full of vegetation and light, fresh air and the hum of the Metro rail passing by. The moment people call this building home and families and plants take root, is the moment 2017 Main is completed. This structure is the product of intensely integrated sustainable strategies- both active and passive. This must emerge as a typology for mid and high rise architecture if we strive to design sustainable cities. Houston is currently quiet the opposite of this, but by integrating the Pierce Elevated master plan with buildings that follow the prototypical 2017 Main, the City can begin walking in the right direction.

TECHNICAL

“

We built the fourth largest city in the nation on the banks of a bayou. A glorified ditch really. Not a river. Not a lake. Not a bay. Not an ocean. A ditch. That’s Houston for you. We can pretty much do anything.” Chris Dulin, HIWI (Houston It’s Worth It.

8_CONC LUSION

CONCLUSION

8.00_CONCLUSION .01_IDEA DIAGRAM P.80 .02_REFLECTIVE SUMMARY P.82 .03_FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS P.82 .04_BIBLIOGRAPHY P.83 .05_WORKS CITED P.86

CONCLUSION

IDEA DIAGRAM 8.01 The Idea Diagram creates a “family tree” of ideas, buildings, architects, and political movements that have come to influence and shape their descendents. It depicts the intensive research and analysis of precedents that eventually led to the offsprings of the Pierce Elevated master plan and the 2017 Main building.

1916 Zoning Law

1909 Theorem

Sola

Hugh Ferriss

Ralp

Downtown Athletic Club Starrett & Van Vleck

“Imagining Nothingness” rotate

delirious new york

Vertical City

Ofﬁce of Metropolitan Architecture

De Rotterdam OMA

“Third Way” Politics & the “Vinex Program”

Parc de La Villette OMA

rotate Urban Acupuncture Markthal MVRDV

Promenade Plantée Phillippe Mathieux

High Line

Pierce Elevated

Diller Scoﬁdio + Renfro

Andrew Gazda

CONCLUSION

Mesa Verde

ar Envelopes

Isokon Building Wells Coates

Ancestral Pueblo People

ph Knowles

Mountain House BIG

Little Denmark

Co-Living

Parkwest Valley

BIG

Andrew Gazda

2017 Main @ Pierce Elevated

Stacking Rødovre Skyvillage MVRDV

Ecological Urbanism

Habitat 67

Moshie Safdie

Cerdà Plan

Ivry-sur-Seine

Ildefons Cerdà

Jean Renaudie

Industrial Revolution

CONCLUSION

REFLECTIVE STATEMENT 8.02

FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS 8.03

The thesis project Gap to Gateway has expressed and explored many ideas on the larger scope of the city and even society in order to create a more ecological urbanistic gateway linking two currently separated economic and cultural neighborhoods in Houston. This is a large-scope project focusing on the concept of a much more interconnected society at the political, economic, social, and commercial scales than we have today.

To the students considering to propose and design a similar master plan and/ or building: • Don’t bite off more than you can chew: I cannot stress enough to consider the time, effort, and mental toll such a complex and large scale structure will require. Even with the master plan aside, this building was an immense, albeit satisfying, concept to explore and design. I began researching for this project and analyzing the site at the beginning of May 2016, worked nights on it over the summer after full days at my internship, and lived an extremely intense schedule during the school year. Despite this, the building still felt somewhat underdeveloped come May 2017 due to the massive scale and complexity of it.

Many architectural projects involve different and perhaps much smaller scopes, i.e., a shoe store or dry cleaner. Often clients will come with a very specific purpose and possibly even design in mind for their project. Each is of equal importance and value, with it’s own budget and latitude. In Gap to Gateway, I have explored how to design comfortable spaces for humans to live, work, and enjoy. I have strived to understand peoples’ needs and design them in a more sustainable manner. These are lessons that can and should be applied to any project, any function, any scope. This will lead to finding ways to create interesting and enjoyable spaces that are also the most efficient designs to integrate quality, function, aesthetics, and budget. The insight into how people tend to function in everyday life can be applied to help each project meet the needs of the users of the completed project for living, working, shopping, or entertainment, and find ways to use spaces to fulfill multiple purposes. Sometimes this may simply mean that I explore what the client needs to operate and work to further streamline this within the design. Other times it may involve introducing an entirely new design concept which opens up more possibilities than they may previously have considered. Ultimately, an architect must get to know his client -- who they are, what they are asking for, and even see between the lines what they may desire but don’t have the words or artistic ability to express. I look forward to applying my skills as an architect and as a passionate and creative individual to each project that I encounter, helping my clients to achieve their goals and dreams.

• Document everything: Write up a quick summary after every meeting and presentation with professors, advisors, or outside individuals to be able to refer back to them months later. In addition to this, keep a running bibliography and works cited page for the entirety of the project. • Write a thesis statement and test against it: After producing a statement that defines your ideas and project, test the design ideas against it and determine whether they support the thesis statement or detract from it. No matter how “cool” the idea, if it dilutes your thesis statement, it does not belong. • Explore beyond your comfort zone: This is your last project as a student. It is the culmination of the past several years of architecture school as well as a bridge between academia and your professional career but also remember this will be the last time you are not at the mercy of a budget, a client, or a construction schedule. Allow yourself to be creative and push new and exciting ideas. Hopefully these ideas will be able to trickle into and educate your future professional work and projects. • Take risks: You have survived architecture school up to this point. You have run on little sleep, consumed sickening amounts of caffeine, and risen from scathing critiques. To contradict my earlier statement- bite off almost more than you can chew and give yourself a real challenge. Accept the consequences and ramifications and lessons that this brings about. The end result will be a much more complex, unique project and a more experienced designer stepping into the professional world.

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY 8.04 PIERCE ELEVATED MASTER PLAN RESOURCES Precedent - High Line, New York, Diller Scofidio + Renfro David, Joshua, and Robert Hammon. High Line: The Inside Story of New York City’s Park in the Sky. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2011. Print.

ttweak. Houston, It’s Worth It. Houston: ttweak, 2007. Print.

Ideas & Concepts

Friends of the High Line. Designing the High Line: Gansevoort Street to 30th Street; Field Operations, Diller Scofidio Renfro. 2nd Ed. New York, New York: Friends of the High Line, 2008. Print.

Gargiani, Roberto. Rem Koolhaas/OMA: The Construction of Merveilles. Lausanne, Switzerland: EPFL Press, 2008. Print.

Precedent - Bridge of Houses [unrealized], New York, Steven Holl McCarter, Robert. Steven Holl. London: Phaidon Limited, 2015. Print.

Mostafavi, Mohsen, and Gareth Doherty. Ecological Urbanism. Revised Ed. Zürich, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers, 2016. Print.

City of Houston

Koolhaas, Rem. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto For Manhattan. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978. Print.

Pope, Albert. Ladders. 2nd Ed. Houston: Rice University School of Architecture; New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2014. Print.

CONCLUSION

PIERCE ELEVATED MASTER PLAN RESOURCES

Koolhaas, Rem, Bruce Mau, Jennifer Sigler, and Hans Werlemann. Small, Medium, Large, ExtraLarge: Office for Metropolitan Architecture. New York, NY: Monacelli, 1995. Print.

Ideas & Concepts Broto, Carles, Jay Noden, and William George. Eco-Friendly Architecture. Barcelona, Spain: LINKS, 2011. Print.

Miscellaneous National Association of City Transportation Officials. Urban Street Design Guide. Washington: Island Press, 2013. Print.

Callebaut Architectures, Vincent. Fertile Cities. Paris. Hong Kong: Design Media Publishing Limited, 2014. Print.

Whyte, William Hollingsworth. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Washington, D.C.: Conservation Foundation, 1980. Print.

Holl, Steven. Urbanism: Working With Doubt. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Print.

Design Knowles, Ralph L. Energy And Forml An Ecological Approach To Urban Growth. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1974. Print.

CONCLUSION

PIERCE ELEVATED MASTER PLAN RESOURCES

TECHNICAL RESOURCES

Design [Continued]

Architectural Design Kundig, Tom. Tom Kundig: Works. First Ed. New York, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2015. Print.

Allen, Edward, and Joseph Iano. The Architect’s Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb For Preliminary Design. 5th Ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.

Zumthor, Peter, Maureen Oberli-Turner, and Catherine Schelbert. Thinking Architecture. 2nd, Expanded Ed. Basel, Boston: Birkhäuser, 2006. Print.

Green Roof Design Dakin, Karla, Lisa Lee Benjamin, and Mindy Pantiel. The Professional Design Guide To Green Roofs. 1st Ed. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2012. Print.

NRCA. The NRCS Vegetative Roof Systems Manual. 2nd Ed. Rosemont, IL: National Roofing Contractos Association, 2009. Print.

Graphical Representation Okamoto, Rai Y., and Frank Edward Williams. Urban Design Manhattan. New York: Viking Press, 1969. Print.

Ruby, Ilka, and Andreas. MVRDV Buildings. Updated Ed. Edited By Ilka and Andreas Ruby. Rotterdam: NAI, 2015. Print.

CONCLUSION

WORKS CITED 8.05 0.00_INDEX P.02

2.03_THE NEIGHBORHOODS P.16

.01_Sockihtx. (2016, December). [Pierce Elevated Traffic Image_Instagram]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/ BO89AnMjVID/?taken-by=sockihtx

.01_Downtown, Houston, TX Livability. Retrieved July 21, 2016, from http://www.areavibes.com/houston-txdowntown/livability/ .01_Midtown, Houston, TX Livability. Retrieved July 21, 2016, from http:// www.areavibes.com/houston-tx/midtown/livability/ .01_Myers, J. D. (2016, May 24). Main Street, Houston Texas - 2006 [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.jackson-myers.com/ Photography/ .02_[Midtown Image] Retrieved from http://www.har.com/1727-tuam-st/ sold_45174074

1.00_INTRODUCTION P.04

.01_Ludovino, S. (2015, September 30). Underwater Forests - Takashi Amano [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://archivexyz.blogspot. com.es/2015/09/underwater-forests.html

1.02_ECOLOGICAL URBANISM P.06

.01_Mostafavi, Mohsen, and Gareth Doherty. Ecological Urbanism. Revised Ed. Zürich, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers, 2016. Print. .01_Wnuk, M. (2016, March 2). Florestas Submersas by Takashi Aman [Digital image]. Retrieved from https://peha68.pl/forest-underwaterby-takashi-amano/

2.05_THE CLIMATE: PHYSICAL & SOCIAL P.18

.01_Wikipedia. (2017, April 14). Climate of Houston. from https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Houston .02_Wikipedia. (2017, April 16). Humid subtropical climate. from https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_subtropical_climate .03_Cohen, P. (2011, April 14). 10 most humid cities in America. from http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/photos/article/10-mosthumid-cities-in-America-1337274.php#photo-938825 .04_Carlyle, E. (2015, February 02). America’s Fastest-Growing Cities 2015. from https://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2015/01/27/ americas-fastest-growing-cities-2015/#4fa725af49e3 .05_Data retrieved from http://www.osd.texas.gov/Data/TPEPP/ Projections/Report?id=18189eba932f4781a43e4afe396823ec .01_[Forbes Cover Image] 2015, Forbes Media LLC

1.03_BARCELONA CASE STUDY P.07

.01_Fiesta Rambla del Raval. (2016). [image] Available at: http://irbarcelona. com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/fiesta-rambladelraval.jpg

1.06_NEW METHOD OF PRACTICE P.09

.01_Personal Finance. Gregor Cresnar. The Noun Project .02_Blueprint. Ofer Lehr. The Noun Project .03_Code. Nikhil Dev. The Noun Project .04_Crowdfunding. Gregor Cresnar. The Noun Project

2.00_LOCATION P.10

2.06_EXISTING PROGRAM P.19

.01_Sockihtx. (2016, November). [We <3 Houston_ Instagram]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/BNt_ XzfjX1T/

.01_[Midtown Townhouses] Zillow, https://www.zillow.com/ homedetails/901-Robin-St-Houston-TX-77019/84026067_zpid/ .02_[Main St. + Metro] Personal Photo - Andrew Gazda .03_[Co-Cathedral] Wikiwand, http://www.wikiwand.com/en/CoCathedral_of_the_Sacred_Heart_(Houston) .04_[St. Joseph] CampusSafety, http://www.campussafetymagazine.com/ article/feds_to_cut_funding_houston_hospital_after_patient_death .05_[Cullen Center] ENR Texas & Louisiana, http://www.enr.com/ publications/9/editions/719 .06_[2016 Main Apartments] HighRises, http://www.highriseshouston. com/2016-main-condos-houston.php .07_[Hamilton Apartments] Apartments.com, https://www.apartments. com/the-hamilton-boutique-downtown-houston-tx/glnc1by/

2.02_THE PIERCE ELEVATED P.14

.01_Wikipedia (2017, April 18). Interstate 45. from https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Interstate_45#Gulf_Freeway .02_Shelton, K. (n.d.). Pierce Elevated may go back to the future. from https://kinder.rice.edu/Shelton050415/ .01_[Houston Chronicle]. (2014, November 03). South Belt Houston Digital History Archive. from http://southbelthouston.blogspot.com. es/2014/03/the-gulf-freeways-never-ending.html .02_[Historic Pierce Images] Designs PeriScope. (n.d.). Historic Photos of the Houston Area. from http://www.texasfreeway.com/houston/ historic/photos/houston_historic_photos.shtml .03_[Underside Pierce Sketches] Houston Municipal Art Commission; City of Houston Department of Planning, “Beautification Study: Freeways,” 1968, Box 5, City of Houston Planning Department Collection, RG A 004, Houston Metropolitan Research Center. .04_ Duty, C. (2015, April 23). Pierce Elevated [Houston Chronicle]. Retrieved from http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/I45-moving-sinking-and-shifting-from-Pierce-6216991.php

3.00_PROBLEM P.20

.01_Chicago Tribune. (2015, June 26). [290 Construction]. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/ct-roadhazard-american-highways-20150626-story.html

CONCLUSION

6.00_2017 MAIN: DESIGN P.42

3.01_TxDOT P.22

.01_Texas Department of Transportation. (march 2017). North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) | Project Overview Briefing Packet. doi:http://www.ih45northandmore.com/ docs4/20170327_NHHIP_Presentation_Project%20Overview%20 Briefing%20for%20Website.pdf .01_TxDOT. (2016, April 15). Segment 3: South of Downtown Houston to I-10 [Digital image]. http://www.ih45northandmore.com/

.01_WeWork. (2014, December 15). [Lounge Space in WeWork’s West Broadway office in New York]. Retrieved from https://venturebeat. com/2014/12/15/wework-raises-355m-at-nearly-5b-valuation-plans

6.07_CO-LIVING CASE STUDIES P.51

.01_The Collective, https://www.thecollective.co.uk/ .02_WeLive, https://www.welive.com/ .03_WeWork, https://www.wework.com/

3.02_ELEVATED PARK IDEAS P.23

.01_Pierce Elevated Park, http://pierceelevatedpark.com/ .02_Pierce Sky Park, http://www.pierceskypark.com/ .03_Pierce Elevated, http://genslerbydesign.com/#/pierce-elevated/

7.00_TECHNICAL P.60

.01_Neilsen, J. (2017, April 7). Houston Chronicle [Market Square Tower Construction]. Retrieved from http://www.chron.com/news/houstontexas/houston/article/Take-a-look-at-downtown-Houston-from-apool-40-11058860.php#photo-7170910

3.03_HIGH LINE CASE STUDY P.23

.01_Friends of the Highline. http://www.thehighline.org/visit .01_[High Line Image] alisonmeier via VisualHunt.com (Creative Commons BY-SA) .02_[Thermal Image] Houston Advanced Research Center

7.07_CONCEPTUAL SYSTEMS P.72

.01_Rain Cloud. Cathy Moser. The Noun Project .02_Lake. Irene. The Noun Project .03_Water Filter. Fabien Saura. The Noun Project .04_Water Faucet. Yazmin Alanis. The Noun Project .05_House. Mani Amini. The Noun Project .06_Waste. Bakunetsu Kaito. The Noun Project .07_Silo. Laymik. The Noun Project .08_Farm Field. Bakunetsu Kaito. The Noun Project .09_Wine Bottle. Les Vieux Garçons. The Noun Project .10_Carrot. Creative Stall. The Noun Project .11_Tomato. Creative Stall. The Noun Project .12_Warehouse District. Melissa Schmitt. The Noun Project

4.00_SOLUTION P.26

.01_[The Domain in North Austin]. Retrieved from http://liveweirdrealty. com/weird-weekly-finding-your-place-in-austin-part-iii

4.02_CASE STUDIES P.29

.01_[Ponte Vecchio] http://blog.friendlyrentals.com/en/florence/general/ ponte_vecchio_florencia-posts-228-1_4676.htm

.02_[San Antonio Riverwalk] http://prosportsexpansion.blogspot.com. es/2014/11/ .03_[Bridge of Houses] http://socks-studio.com/2015/04/19/stevenholls-bridge-of-houses-1979-1982/ .04_Houston Tunnel] http://www.eduardoborn.com/2014/03/houstontunnels.html .05_[Habitat 67] https://archidialog.com/tag/herzog-de-meuron/

7.08_DETAILED WALL SECTION P.72

.01_The American Wood Council. (2016, February 11). [Cross Laminated Timber Detail]. Retrieved from http://seblog.strongtie.com/tag/clt/

8.00_CONCLUSION P.78

4.03_ECONOMICAL JUSTIFICATION P.30

.01_Sockihtx. (2017, February). [Invader Houston_Instagram]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/BQYxhM8j2ab/

.01_National Council for Public-Private Partnerships. (n.d.). 7 Keys to Success. from http://www.ncppp.org/ppp-basics/7-keys/ .02_School of International and Public Affairs Case Consortium@ Columbia. (n.d.). Public-Private Partnerships for Green Space in NYC | High Line. from http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/ caseconsortium/casestudies/128/casestudy/www/layout/case_ id_128_id_902.html .01_City of Houston | Planning & Development Department. (2016, May). City of Houston TIRZ Locations [Digital image]. Retrieved from http:// www.houstontx.gov/ecodev/tirzmap-large.pdf

5.00_PIERCE ELEVATED P.34

.01_Lee, R. (2014, December 16). 2014: The Year in Photos [Child on the High Line]. Retrieved from http://www.thehighline.org/blog/2014/12/ 16/2014-year-in-photos

Andrew