portland build agency alexander froehlich_thesis proposal 2013_prof. howard davis
“the metropolis as a factory for the production of the common” hardt, negri
“the sleeping creator must be awakened... better the more consumers it is able to turn into producers, that is, readers or spectators into collaborators.” asger jorn
portland build agency an urban intervention for the production of cultural infrastructure
alexander froehlich thesis proposal ay. 2012-2013 prof. howard davis it is the intention of this project to imagine a new typology of production in the urban environment, one which enables citizens to reclaim the city for their benefit. this new agency will combine successful models of design-build construction and community design process to become a new model for production of the commons. the creation of cultural infrastructure, and new systems of resource flows will result in the restitching of the city into a resilient, locally-focused community.
life systems
environemenal science
l
ba
glo
sustainability
health
agriculture
ity
un
mm
co
l
ua
ivid
ind
healthcare
grassroots politicians social services
access
surplus
free market movements and activists
equality
holistic metric
fragmented domains
global warming l
ba
glo
stage
fossil fuel
habitat destruction fishery depletion ity
un
mm
co
al
du
ivi
ind
x
nvironmental injustice gmos gmos
x
x
racism
inflation
injustice
x
purchasing power
xenophobia militarism
fiscal consolodation income inequality social safety net
vertical exclusion
crises
connect
empower
combination, dialogue, understanding
equip, encourage, initiate
connect is the meeting place for ideas, people and resources, mining the collective imagination, and synergizing existing assets towards the production of common infrastructure. this is space for sophisticated pooling of problems, needs, dreams and visions in pursuit of common understanding of differences and collective action. connect will serve as a clearing house for all extraneous and unpurposed wealth and issues, compiling and collaborating. objectives are set in phases. it will produce dialogue, recommendations, and action strategies.
there are many barriers to project delivery under current model of production. whether it is lack of research, design, collaboration, construction or financing knowledge, many resources exist and people need to be enabled to use them. empower will provide the stage and resources necessary for people to turn project resources into useful infrastructure. this will be a place focused on learning, rather than teaching [alexander, 100], with the primary objective of inspiring action. it will produce agents of change, community champions, leaders and makers.
process
make
sustain
collaborate, materialize, manifest
partnership, reflect, grow,
dialogue and reflection is trivial if not accompanied by action. this will be a space for accomplishing goals defined by community vision through the manufacture of common infrastructure. flexible workspace will accommodate collaborators of various numbers and qualifications in processes of production. space will be made for neighborhood groups, staff members and individual entrepreneurs. project success will gauged on alternative metrics, focused on how new infrastructure benefits the health and equality of the system it is made for.
without careful attention to continued investment in infrastructure, community investment will wane, and the original improvement rendered ineffectual. sustain will focus on the maintenance of projects over time, establishing networks of stakeholders to observe and analyze outcomes, and plan for infrastructure improvement. this facility will maintain connection with community networks, providing administrative support, resources and maintenance services.
growth support role of facility Initial Cycle
growth of project in 4th dimension
establishment of independant networks for project sustainablity
networks of action dialogue with larger citizenry
establisment of neighborhood non-profit construction training for residents
forum for ongoing community discussion
use of recycled materials
establishment of neighborhood dialogue
“work-from-home” workshops
neighborhood elders
tax-exemption for new infrastructure
reuse of vacant infrastructure
parents at day care
pro-bono design services from landscae firm rising neighborhood “champions”
community identity neighborhood elders
neighborhood action events
student construction experience conditional use permit
local skilled craftspeople
in-kind donation from major construction company
reuse of vacant infrastructure
involvement of emerging demographics
partnership with local construction guild
engagement with neighborhood “old guard”
product processes:
citizen - made urban greenways
office
section through structure
section through burnside, production
section through structure section through burnside, production
section through burnside, production
section through structure
portland build agency will provide many of the design and action components of ecological initiatives, paired with research agencies and local/state governments. ideas may be solicited from designers of all types for the realization of public ammenities like parks, playgrounds, rainwater remediation, and habitat corridors. services can be used for creating urban farms. life systems
l ba
glo
health
sustainability
ity
un
mm
co
l
ua
ivid
ind
access
equality
surplus
neighborhood micro-infrastructures
action
informal and micro - enterprise
access
equality
surplus
life systems
l
a lob
g
health
sustainability
ity
un
mm
co
l
ua
ivid
ind
access
section thr
l
ua
ivid
ind
sustainability
similar to [see click fix], and similar programs, web-based crowd-sourcing by pba will be able to moniter the needs and desires of portland resdents to identify critical masses of resources. projects for small business owners will include building rennovation, business counseling, buy-local campaigns, food carts, and new infill structures.
section through burnside, production
ity
un
mm
co
section through structure
health
section thr
l
ba
glo
section through burnside, production
section through structure
life systems
section thr
section through structure section through burnside, production
portland build agency as nervous system identifies social needs of neighborhoods though connections with community groups. projects include sidewalk furniture, public art, bike transit and walkability initiatives, community events around food and music, and eventually housing and community structures.
surplus
equality
acing burnside
ard and design courtyard
_subsidiary _satellite
acing burnside ard and design courtyard
ard and design courtyard
acing burnside
_clearing house
_deployable
ard and design courtyard
acing burnside
acing burnside ard and design courtyard
ugh burnside, production yard an
acing burnside
deployable clearing house
ard and design courtyard
ugh burnside, production yard an
satellite
ugh burnside, production yard an
mobility
product
day labor station
fresh moves
phone booth book share
pop-up city
park[ing] day
objective
producer
delivery
construction
social
self - initiated
clearing house
reprogram
economic
community
deploy
remodel
ecological
micro - enterprise
satellite
build new
covington farmers market
bat cloud
proxy sf
the uni
see click fix
gallery
connect
large collaboration space open office commercial design office
public
artist live space public workshop artist live-work kitchen break space community project space
office office
business development office
sustain
food incubator community project space plotting, laser cutting, cnc routing shop
project workspace furniture shop structural steel project storage
staff
community project space painting contractor graphic design office
dirty
empower
financial office
ceramics studio
clean
educational design studio
design courtyard
shared conference room
design courtyard
conference room
design courtyard
office
office program
make
nursery space mason cold-formed steel framing community project space landscape contractor structural steel materials storage design office shared steel tools art car shop
site
reprogramming existing infrastructure
addition of services
expansion
expansion of program
dispersal of program into city
repurposing of site and foundation
scheme
section through burnside, production yard and design courtyard
section through structure facing burnside
grid planned
horizontal expansion
scaffold
vertical expansion
accomodation
large shop
small shop
beijing
baltimore
flexibility
container
workspace
diffusion
new orleans
santiago
alexander froehlich thesis proposal ay. 2012-2013 prof. howard davis