FONTHILL PARK DEVELOPMENT PLAN BRADLEY WINOGRAD
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
1
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
5
MASTER PLAN
11
SITE DESIGN
15
FINAL DESIGN
23
APPENDIX
27
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
FONTHILL CASTLE MERCER’S FORMER RESIDENCE
SILVA VOCAT The Forest Speaks
PROJECT BACKGROUND: In this project, the goal was to develop a master plan for Fonthill Park that resolves the programmatic needs of the Bucks County Historical Society into a fully-fledged campus of event and learning spaces that resolves the relationship between building and landscape into a cohesive vision that amplifies the vision of Henry Mercer when he bought the property over a century ago. To respond to Mercer’s vision, my goal was to transform the site into something to creates a romantic fantasy of the old world through prospect and refuge. Taking cues from Mercer’s lifetime and Arts & Crafts interests, I wanted to create a space that feels enclosed, private, and intimate yet gives opportunity for exploration through spaces that are seen in the distance. With a view towards one space, the user will encounter another space that could not originally be seen; thus each point of refuge creates a new perspective of prospect.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Settled in 1907, Henry Chapman Mercer purchased 95 acres of land within his hometown of Doylestown, Pennsylvania with the vision
of creating a nature sanctuary home of a thriving ecosystem of native vegetation and local fauna. Inspired by the architecture of Old Europe and Latin America, Henry Mercer established a home for himself called Fonthill followed by the founding of the Moravian Clay & Tileworks in 1916. As a man inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement of Britain, Mercer became an inspirational American figure who pioneered the appreciation for pre-Industrial Americana during the height of industrial and wartime America. Once Mercer passed, the site was taken under the care of the Bucks County Historical Society and Bucks County Department of Parks & Recreation as a historical park for the citizens of Doylestown to honor a local hero.
FONTHILL ALLEE HISTORIC ROAD TO FONTHILL CASTLE
REAEARCH PRECEDENTS & SITE ANALYSIS & ANALYSIS
Located in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA, Chatham Village is a green-cities movement development that uses private lawns and vegetation to create enclosure. The use of vegetation height, density, and proportioning to an open space were explored to create a private and intimate space.
ENCLOSURE: CHATHAM VILLAGE / PITTSBURGH
As you walk along the Sydney Harbor, the curvature of the path and the vegetation from the Royal Botanical Gardens act to conceal then reveal the Sydney Opera House. To understand reveal, the ideas of topograhy, vegetation density, and materiality were explored to create motion and threshold.
REVEAL: ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS / SYDNEY
NORTHERN CATALPA
SASSAFRAS
PINE OAK
CUCUMBER MAGNOLIA
RED MAPLE
LONDON PLANE EXISTING CONDITIONS
TOPOGRAPHY
HYDROLOGY
VEGETATION
ZONING
SITE ANALYSIS
CONCEAL + REVEAL: PROSPECT, JOURNEY, & REFUGE
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
PATENT NARRATIVE: EMPHASIS ON REVEAL
LATENT NARRATIVE: EMPHASIS ON CONCEAL
REVISED PARTI DIAGRAMS: LATENT NARRATIVE
PARTI DIAGRAMS & PROJECT GOAL
Vegetation and topography act as planes that create a visual frame around central temple. Temple’s red color acts to juxtapose nature.
Bridge path acts as a series of thin delicate planes that transition into a dense volume of vegetation with little visibility.
Vegetation and pond form planes that create an open enclosure. Temple is a detached form from the perimeter. Gold color creates juxtaposition.
Mountains, glaciers, and silt mounds turn towards and away from each other creating a series of weaving planes into the background.
Serial sections of tapered walls create a sense of mystery by create a reveal that is partially hidden by the previous form.
Tree lines create a delicate and more transparent enclosure with the weaving line implying a direction towards the inner refuge.
Hard lines from the trees and lake create a grandiose opening leading towards the main point of refuge, as if one is walking between the gaps.
Thin delicate trees offset from the path create a translucent enclosed path that feels
Opera House creates a break in the plaza plane creating an artiďŹ cial peak. Concavity of form creates shadow and a place of refuge.
Arch creates a delicate ceiling plane to frame the mountain ridges in the background. Creates prospect, but frail sense of enclosure.
Canyon crevasse unfolds into a series of stepped planes accending towards a centralized prospect. Cliff face makes space open, yet closed.
Threshold creates a stark contrast from the heavy mass of the interior. Thick stone planes create a sense of stability and calming refuge.
EXPERIENTIAL PRECEDENTS: PROSPECT, JOURNEY, REFUGE
DESIGN MASTER PLAN INITIAL DEVELOPMENT ITERATIONS PATENT NARRATIVE ITERATION
LATENT NARRATIVE ITERATION
DESIGN SPATIAL & NARRATIVE DEVELOPMENT VIGNETTES
EVENT SPACE
VISITORS CENTER
EDUCATION CENTER
NATURE CLUB
NEW PEDESTRIAN ENTRY
LITTLE STONE HOUSE
MASTER PLAN: SPATIAL VIGNETTES
FONTHILL FIELDS: FONTHILL CASTLE & NEW PEDESTRIAN ENTRY
FONTHILL WOODLANDS: EVENT SPACE & LITTLE STONE HOUSE
FONTHILL FIELDS: FONTHILL CASTLE & DOYLESTOWN NATURE CLUB
MASTER PLAN: PATENT & LATENT NARRATIVES
WINTER TERM
MASTER PLAN
MASTER PLAN: FIRST REVIEW
SECTION: FONTHILL CASTLE TO DOYLESTOWN NATURE CLUB
SECTION: VISITORS CENTER TO FONTHILL ALLEE
SECTION: EVENT SPACE TO LITTLE STONE HOUSE
NEW PEDESTRIAN ENTRY
FONTHILL ALLEE
SUPPORTING DRAWINGS
SPRING TERM
MASTER PLAN
MASTER PLAN (SECOND REVIEW)
MASTER PLAN
Cafe
Terraced Plaza
Concealed Connection to Woodlands
Reflecting Pool
SITE DESIGN
Revealed Play Garden
VISITORS CENTER & EDUCATION CENTER IDEAS
Ampitheater
Sculpting Patio
Forecourt Stepping with the Land
Procession Outdoor Terrace
EVENT SPACE IDEAS
OUTDOOR SPACE 1200 SF
WALK-IN 300SF STAFF 300 SF
RECEPTION 1800 SF
CATERING KITCHEN 1200 SF OFFICE 100 SF
SITE SITE & PROGRAM DESIGN ANALYSIS
CEREMONY 1800 SF
COMMON SPACE 600 SF
WOMEN 300 SF
MEN 300 SF
BRIDE 150 SF
MECH 100 SF
CONF ROOM 200 SF
PRE-FUNCTION 1200SF
GROOM 150 SF
USER RELATIONSHIPS: BRIDE: GROOM: GUESTS: CATERER: VENUE STAFF: EVERYONE:
Needs easy access to ceremonial space, contain private lavatory and distant from the Groom Should be distanced from Bride, provided a changing space, access to ceremony Easy wayfinding to ceremony, reception, and prefunction space, lavatories accessible Direct access to reception space and prefunction space, exterior door for deliveries Offices for management and a conference room to discuss event choices with client Access to nice outdoor spaces, spaces should feel welcoming and appropriate to use
PROGRAM ANALYSIS: EVENT SPACE
MORAVIAN TILEWORKS
FLOODPLAIN
WIND DIRECTION
MORNING LATE AFTERNOON
TONE TLE S T I L TO VIEW
0=0 3/16
SE HOU
3 .000
MIDDAY
FONTHILL CASTLE WATERWAY LITTLE STONE HOUSE CONCRETE POND
INVESTIGATED CONDITIONS: LOCATION: VIEWS: TOPOGRAPHY: DAYLIGHT: WIND: VEGETATION:
Within 100’ of Fonthill Castle and the Moravian Tileworks, 500’ from Little Stone House Directed towards Little Stone House with minimized obstruction, 15’ descent Site located on watershed ridge, water flows away from the building, very minimal grade Balcony oriented towards afternoon evening light, chapel entry towards morning light Strong westward direction minimized by dense western treescape Dense footprint and low-lying brush with small openings (Oaks & Maples)
IMMEDIATE SITE ANALYSIS
Henry Mercer was a very eccentric man and self-made architect who
SITE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN & LANDSCAPE PRECEDENTS
took inspiration from his many travels and passions. As a man who
THE LATE MEDIEVAL CASTLE
ENGLISH & NEO-PALLADIAN WINDOWS
THE CLOISTER
SPANISH TERRACOTTA TILES
STONE-CONCRETE COMPOSITE CLADDING
MORAVIAN TILES
advocated for the preservation of pre-industrial Americana, Mercer was fond architecture that was meticulously crafted and was fond the medieval archetypes of Europe.
In my design, I wanted to create a structure that felt genuine to the site and acted as a continuation of Mercer’s vision. Thus I needed to understand Mercer’s inspiration of design and interpret what he left as a result.
ARCHITECTURAL PRECEDENTS: ECENTRIC MERCER
TORONTO RAVINE
HA-HA RETAINING WALL
The Toronto Ravine is a system of rivers and forests that cut through the northern part of the Toronto metropolitan area. With a dynamic range of topography, viewsheds, bridges, and clearings, the Toronto ravine was an idea that I wanted to emulate within the Fonthill woodlands.
The Ha-Ha is an old agricultural technique of using retaining walls to restrict lifestock to roam a speciic area of the land. Because the event site has very gentle topography, this is an effect means of the idea of conceal and reveal.
LANDSCAPE PRECEDENTS
SITE BUILDINGDESIGN ITERATIONS
EVENT SPACE INITIAL ITERATION
EVENT SPACE SECOND ITERATION
FINAL DESIGN
SITE PLAN
AXONOMETRIC
ENTRY
FINAL SUPPORTINGDESIFN DRAWINGS
PRE-FUNCTION SPACE
SECTION PERSPECTIVE
SITE APPROACH
BUTTRESS PATH
PROCESSIONAL HALL
COURTYARD GARDEN
WINTER FINAL REVIEW With an emphasis on depth, your drawings feel lat. I resolved this by studying how Romantic and Picturesque landscape portray the sense of grandiosity and mystery. Your building’s exterior spaces should contain a stronger sense of unity. I resolved this by studying public outdoor spaces and plazas, developing these outdoor spaces into a series of plazas.
SPRING MID REVIEW In a luid path, your brick path patterns should be considered. Rather than going for a herringbone pattern, I decided to go for a running bond pattern that can weave with the path.
APPENDIX
Your public plazas contain a lot of hardscape. I decided to reinvestigate these spaces to play with landscape and natural forms like an ampitheater to create more green.
INTERMEDIATE CRITIQUES
FINAL REVIEW As a building embedded in the forest, it feels submissive to the landscape. With my parti that deines the ideas of concealing and reveal, I could increase its scale or verticality to reach beyond the trees. That way, a user not in the woods would see the spire the building from a larger distance and could be drawn to see what it is. The building could use better integration into the topography rather than sitting on it. I could potentially strengthen the connection to land by artiicially raising my structure and create a series of terraces or an entry that is more dynamic that being on grade. As your design takes the form of a more religious archetype, how could you make it appeal to a wider audience? Ways I intended to prevent a strong religious presence was by including very little stained glass, transepts, or apses and simplifying the cathedral to an aisled barrel vault instead. By stripping the cathedral I could allow for a more lexible event space rather than orienting it to weddings exclusively. Your design feels very eclectic like you compiled a bunch of ideas together, how would that make users feel? I chose to create a form that not only feels contextual, but also acts as a response to the existing structures on site. Creating an internal courtyard garden, a turret, and a cathedral my building could feel eclectic like Mercer’s work. Because event spaces are on-demand, how could the space around the building be utilized when there is no event going on? I intentionally chose to place it a short distance from Fonthill Castle and the Moravian Tileworks because users can past by my building to visit these other locations that are more actively used. If my design was pushed further into the woodlands away from the castle and tileworks, then it would feel abandoned when not in use.
FINAL CRITIQUE
PRECEDENTS: Chatham Village: Chatham Village, LandscapeVoice.com Royal Botanical Gardens: Bennelong Point, GoogleMaps Toronto Ravine: Natalie Wahlberg, Alamy Ha-Ha: Photographer unknown, UTA School of Architecture FONTHILL HISTORY & IMAGES: Bucks County Historical Society. “Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle -.” Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://www.mercermuseum.org/. Friends of the Little Stone House. “The Little Stone House in Fonthill Woods.” The Little Stone House in Fonthill Woods. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://littlestonehouse.org/. Historic Doylestown Cemetery. “Home.” Historic Doylestown Cemetery. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://doylestowncemetery. com/#about_history. SITE ANALYSIS:
APPENDIX REFERENCES
“Walking Tour of Notable Trees.” Mercer Museum. Accessed February 16, 2020. https://www.mercermuseum.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/01/ArboretumDNC_10-Final.pdf ”Average Weather In Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States, Year Round - Weather Spark”. 2020. Weatherspark.Com. https:// weatherspark.com/y/22895/Average-Weather-in-Doylestown-Pennsylvania-United-States-Year-Round. “Create Map – Rhino 5” CADMapper. Accessed February 14, 2020. https://cadmapper.com/pro/extracts/d33b4e81-de30-4ccf-988b7330376d8989/copy. Google Maps. “Fonthill Mansion.” Accessed February 14, 2020. https://goo.gl/maps/8L7Qd44u2Ta9oWdMA.
REFERENCES
“Who learns will love and not destroy the creatures life the flowers joy” - Unknown, the Little Stone House
BRADLEY WINOGRAD LANDSCAPE DESIGN STUDIO (WINTER - SPRING 2020) PROFESSORS DANIEL CHUNG & ALEXA BOSSE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, & URBANISM DREXEL UNIVERSITY