MARKET STALLS

One of the major challenges for planning the sequence of new stalls was the design of market’s new infrastructure. Considering the fact, that the logistic center is going to be built in the southern part of Carmel Market, the idea is to create a new, technological type of stalls. Here are some principles which led to the realization of the concept:

1) flexible shelves (30cm width), which can be rotated and fixed in order to fit a specific product’s display

2) the system of pneumatic garbage disposal ensures an easier cleaning process during the day

3) personal lockers for stall owners underneath the display

4) the system of water collection that supports the irrigation of the green area, created on Carmel St.

PNEUMATIC GARBAGE DISPOSAL & PERSONAL LOCKERS

COOLING SYSTEM

Water Collection System

Parametric Urbanism in hyper-dense context, NYC

Parametric Urban Studio 2018, 4th year

The Faculty of Architecture & Town Planning

The Technion

Haifa, Israel

Mentor:

Arch. Gary Freedman with:

Lev Zhitnik

Rotem Lewinsohn

Personal contribution: research, evaluation algorithms, urban grid aggregation, optimisation processes, graphic representation

Tools:

Rhino 3D

Grasshopper

Adobe Illustrator numerous Gh add-ons

Manhattan received its distinct irregular form through its history of urban planning. The image of skyscrapers adjacent to lower story buildings is prevalent throughout its skyline.

The first stage of this project included a thorough research to explore a hyper dense area in Midtown Manhattan. Quantitative measurements were used to research the behavioral characteristics of the urban system of the area. Some of the phenomenon studied were: block parcellation, street hierarchy, the effects of zoning regulations and different block massing strategies. To study the effects of this urban situation, our group used different predefined parameters to evaluate the behavior of the area such as: walkability, open spaces and built areas.

A study of open spaces showed a common phenomenon occuring as a result of the urban system: around 39% (!) of open areas are locked spaces in inner block yards. These locked areas are unused, inaccessible to the public and inefficient.

The second stage of the project was the development of a parametric model that embodies the urban behavior of the existing area in Manhattan and replicates its tendencies. Its purpose was to built an approximate urban envelope model, based on some zoning districts’ principles.

The last stage was focused on developing the algorithm which “distorts” the existing urban grid layout, bringing more of small green spaces to the urban fabric and enabling to improve some of other evaluation parameters. In order to compare the results properly, we preserved the same GFA (general floor area) for all the new configurations. Then, alternative city models were tested to offer improvements specifically to its residential areas and their accessibility to open spaces, suggesting the grid unification into “super blocks” similarly to a strategy implemented in Barcelona.

The chosen grid configurations show improvements to the evaluation parameters by incorporating open spaces and creating superblocks in residential areas. Thus, improving residential conditions and eliminating most of the locked spaces.

MANHATTAN URBAN BLOCK SCHEME:

ZONING LAW DEVELOPMENT & URBAN BLOCK PARCELLATION

The original 1916 Manhattan parcellation was intended for houses built in juxtoposition, which caused issues such as dense urban blocks and locked open spaces (small inner ventilation yards). These planning decisions were made due to the zoning rules implemented in NYC.

THE RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE & LOCKED OPEN SPACES

The urban blocks with juxtoposing buildings compose a situation that defines only one ventilated side (the street side) and, subsequently, demands at least another one (towards a small inner yard). That, in turn, leaves the residents living circumscribed about roads.

~39% of open space area

~61% of open space area

The concentration of most of the green space in the city is defined by the bounds of the Central Park, which creates a dichotomous situation with little or no hierarchy of green spaces and intermediate states, in which the urban fabric could be more versitile and ‘green’ in general.

RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

RES. + LOCAL RETAIL NEEDS

WALKABILITY & URBAN GRID FLEXIBILITY

The orthogonal grid planning could be described as “coherent” - it guarantees a comprehensible space orientation; its repetitive parcellation is easy for the land division and from the planning point of view. However, this urban structure does not allow dynamic pedestrian routes and shortcuts.

APPROACHABLE OPEN SPACES LOCKED OPEN SPACES

SKY EXPOSURE LINES

SETBACK CONFIGURATIONS

MAJOR CROSS-STREETS

STANDARD CROSS-STREETS