Interior Design Research Thesis

CULTURAL PRESERVATION: AN ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND CULTURAL IDENTITY IN DESIGN

An Undergraduate Honors Thesis Submitted in Partial fulfillment of University Honors Program Requirements University of Nebraska-Lincoln

by Caitlin Senne, BS Design College of Architecture January 10, 2018

Faculty Mentors: Amanda Swartwout, BS, Interior Design

ABSTRACT

Architecture and construction industries contribute significantly to the global waste created every year. This relates to energy and material consumption throughout the world. Energy consumption is a major contributor to architecture’s global footprint, with the initial construction of a building representing between 10 to 25 percent of the total lifetime energy consumption of a typical building.1 In addition to this, anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are at their highest in history.2 Design has the ability to reduce this impact by being conscious of its effects on the environment.

The growing monopolies of hotel chains bring control of almost half the hotel market to single brands in cities such as Minneapolis, Mexico City, and Los Angeles, with other cities not far behind.3 These types of monopolies bring monotony to the hotel world, making the majority of hotels look the same no matter what city a person visits. Monotony in the built environment is an issue because architecture is a physical representation of a place’s history and culture.4 It creates a sense of shared identity through a medium that people can interact with, live in, and if necessary, adapt to record a new generation’s story. A thoughtfully crafted and historically appropriate design provides a unique opportunity to not only negate standardization, but preserve or enhance culture in the process.

This thesis investigates these problems by finding ways to reduce a building’s impact on the environment as well as ways to improve a hotel’s cultural relevance to its surroundings. The findings from these studies were then implemented in a test site in an underutilized historic building located within a city known for its commitment to sustainability.

In today’s society, there is a tradition of demolition and new construction that contributes to global climate change. It is a designer’s responsibility to mitigate these consequences whenever possible, as construction waste accounts for 24% of total municipal waste in the United States, and 31.5 million tons of construction waste are produced every year.5 This number represents a significant amount of energy that is re-produced every time a building is demolished and rebuilt. Demolition and new construction not only use present day energy to complete a building, but also negate and waste past energy investments, known as embodied energy, that were made in the previously existing building.6 When a building is demolished, any historical relevance it has to its community is demolished with it. By preserving a structure, a visual and tangible conservation of the building’s cultural identity is made. A place’s identity may be allowed to evolve along with the generations who adapt it to their needs, holding a piece of each generation who touches it.

Alternatively, it may be meticulously preserved in order to represent a specific instance of the past. In either case, preserving a building will allow its cultural significance to be built upon the established history and cultural identity of the location.7 These concepts demonstrate why it is important for designers to consider re-purposing existing buildings rather than demolishing them to create a new structure in their place.

As a way to further demonstrate why re-purposing existing buildings is important, the following project addresses historic preservation and its impacts on the surrounding community. The site for such a project was placed in Denver, Colorado. Denver was one of the first cities in the United States to embrace sustainable economic development. This occurred when the 2005 Mayor joined the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which was a pledge to reduce the environmental impact and carbon footprint of their cities.8 By joining this agreement, the Mayor set the precedent for years to come for sustainable initiatives to occur throughout the city. Now Denver is ranked among the top 20 of the most sustainable cities in the country.9

Downtown Denver is predicted to grow 12 percent in population by 2021.10 Along with this, the number of hotels in Denver was expected to grow at almost double the rate of the rest of the country between 2016 and 2017. That amount of growth would have brought the number of hotel rooms in the city to 45,000. By 2017 this number was actually exceeded, and is expected to continue growing at this rate for the foreseeable future.11 This information demonstrates that there is a rising need for new development of hotels in Downtown Denver. In order to draw visitors in to one particular hotel within this growing market, the design required an additional feature to set it apart from the others. This would be a restaurant or café typology that would draw in residents of Denver, as well as tourists to the area.

The main programmatic requirements for a building of this type would include a café, a hotel lobby, and hotel rooms. Restaurants, in general, need on average 15 square feet per customer, not including the space needed for food preparation.12 If the café needed to seat 100 people, it would need 1,500 square feet plus space for back of house functions.

A lobby would need a similar size. Lastly, guest rooms are required, but the amount may be determined by available square footage of the chosen building. A building suitable for a hotel would need a first floor big PROPOSED enough to hold the functions of hotel lobby and café, while it would SITE: also need several upper floors to support the hotel guest rooms.

DEMOGRAPHICS 14 FIGURE 1.1: PROPOSED SITE DEMOGRAPHICS

5 MILES 464,644 ppl $79,349 avg income 9.8% growth 2016-21

1 MILE 35,432 ppl $88,710 avg income 12.77% growth 2016-21

3 MILES 218,168 ppl $78,589 avg income 10.69% growth 2016-21

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2

The chosen location for the test site is the Baur Confectionery Company Building located in downtown Denver. The building previously held a company started by Otto P. Baur in 1871. His company created the Baur building in 1881, and it housed the most popular and longest-lived confectionery, catering, and restaurant firm in Denver. Baur had an expertise in candies, cakes, and other confectionery items and his company steadily expanded to include shipment of its candies across the country and overseas.

Baur’s nephew, John Joseph Jacobs, apprenticed at the store in the 1890s and returned to take over the business after Baur’s death in 1904. This new ownership led the company into its greatest era by developing new confections and greatly expanding the scope of operations. Jacobs was also known for his philanthropic endeavors, such as ice cream giveaways for children during the Great Depression, cakes delivered to elderly citizens on special birthdays, and sweets provided to local hospitals and orphanages.13

This building still stands, and has left a lasting legacy in the heart of Denver. It now holds a restaurant on its first floor, while the upper floors remain vacant.

The Baur Building has a rich history which could be much better utilized and represented within its culture in downtown Denver. It holds a total of approximately 27,000 square feet split between 3 levels. This building provides an ideal opportunity to demonstrate cultural identity within downtown Denver as well as to support the mixed functions of hotel and cafĂŠ. The first floor has 9,550 square feet which is enough to support more than 100 occupants in the cafĂŠ setting, hold a sizable hotel lobby, and support other necessary functions such as restrooms, elevators, and stairs. The second and third floors of 9,430 square feet and 8,000 square feet, respectively, hold enough space to support at least 25 guest rooms as well as a fitness space and storage functions.

To help meet the sustainable standards of the city of Denver, this project followed the guidelines of the WELL Building Institute.14 Air quality is one of their initiatives, and transportation is one of the major contributors to air pollution.15 As the Baur Building is within a growing area of downtown, it also has access to many forms of transportation including walking, biking, and trains.16 These alternative forms of transportation are more sustainable than individual vehicular travel, and access to them from the Baur Building helps it to create a sustainable legacy within its community.17 This location is also close to a convention center, several college campuses, and a wide variety of shops and restaurants. A hotel located near these amenities will benefit from business brought by events such as business conventions, parent weekends at colleges, and tourists visiting the city.

FIGURE 3.2: BUILDING PROGRAM

HOTEL HOTEL

BAKERY & LOBBY

FIGURE 3.1: SITE MAP skyline park

Baur Building th

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university of CO-denver denver center for performing arts

benedict fountain park

st ll

ma

metropolitan state university of denver

brown palace hotel

convention center ninth street historic park w colfax avenue colorado state capitol

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To best represent the historical and cultural significance of the Baur Building, the cafĂŠ amenity will function as a bakery. This represents the legacy of Otto P. Baur and continues the tradition of sweets being produced within the Baur Building. By combining these functions of cafĂŠ and hotel, tourists and residents of Denver are both brought into the same space to have a shared experience.

The first step in the design process was to consider which elements of the original building still existed and if they could remain for the new function of the building as hotel lobby and bakery. Figure 4.1 demonstrates that the entire existing shell of the building was kept. Another feature that would be kept was a raised ceiling in the south corner of the building. The original columns still existed, but had been altered from their original appearance. These would be restored to their original classical style to represent the era in which the building was originally created.

The diagrammatic floor plans in figure 4.2 demonstrate how the required spaces were arranged in a manner that would be efficient and functional for all elements included. Figure 4.3 shows the final adjacencies, and how they were planned in order to make the bakery space and the hotel lobby work together to allow these separate functions to feel like one space.

FIGURE 4.2: PROGRAM STRATEGIES PROGRAM KEY

bakery ordering counter cafe seating bakery kitchen

hotel lobby hotel reception bar hotel lounge

FIGURE 4.1: EXISTING FEATURES TO BE PRESERVED core elevators stairs restrooms

FIGURE 4.3: BUILDING PROGRAM

N

4

exterior and columns

raised ceiling

FIGURE 5.1: FINISH FLOOR PLAN

B

NTS

A

2

3

8

A

1 4

C

C 5 8

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The next step of the design process included laying out a more detailed plan of the elements within the first floor. Items that were considered include walkway widths, accessible turning radii, ease of circulation paths, accessible egress paths, variety in seating types, cohesive use of central space, and efficiency and functionality of both employee workspace and visitor space. Some of the most important spaces to determine function for were the center spaces. Near the elevator lobby, this lounge area functions for both the hotel – as a waiting area, and the bakery – as additional seating. In the café seating area, there are options for bakery customers and hotel visitors alike to join together at picnic table-like seating. This helps to facilitate community, which reflects the culture that Baur originally established for his company.

PLAN KEY 1

elevator lobby

5

hotel lobby

2

bakery service counter

6

hotel bar

3

bakery display kitchen

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hotel reception

4

cafe seating

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window display

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Figure 6.1 demonstrates how the ceiling height changes throughout the space. The vestibule on the right side of the drawing has the lowest ceiling height, and upon entering the main space, the ceiling immediately rises and the visitor experiences a threshold change as they walk into the hotel lobby. Along the check-in desk and luggage drop, the ceiling stays a constant height to note the similar function across this space. As a hotel guest would travel further into the space moving left, they would enter the “hotel lounge”. This is where the original raised ceiling was preserved.

This feature was highlighted by the use of a string light installation which helps to bring the scale of the space down while still emphasizing the height of the space. Finally, at the left edge of the drawing, the guest would reach the back of the space where there are stairs accessible only by

keycard which lead to the hotel rooms on the second and third floors. The wall cladding on the stairwell becomes an art installation which adds a playful element and brings the idea of the bakery into the hotel side of the space as well. This wall art is opposite to the feature kitchen and adjacent to the community café seating area. The opposing connection to the feature kitchen, created by the art installation, helps to bring the elements of the feature kitchen and the hotel lounge into one cohesive space by framing the café seating area.

The reception desk near the entry begins with a white oak section which is at a universally accessible height. It also features a luggage drop area to ease the check-in process and avoid congestion near the doorway. Behind this area is a representation of the hotel’s logo which would be visible from the exterior.

FIGURE 6.1: BUILDING SECTION C NTS

ylighting rock garden

macaroon sculpture wall

donghia drapery jolie cream

donghia astonish - pink

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ylighting blanca

interface carpet net effect

designtex boucle aqua

Moving to the left, the counter transitions to marble and raises to a standing height. Here there are accent light fixtures which bring the scale of the ceiling down to create a small scale feeling for conversations to take place between guest and employee. Further to the left is the bar where visitors may stand along the front side, or sit along the left side. The bar was included to provide activities for many different personality types to find enjoyment within this space. Mind is another initiative from the WELL Building Institute, it includes the concept that providing an environment which supports a healthy mental state can have substantial psychological and physical benefits. Interventions to mediate stress can include promoting community engagement, which is done in this space by providing space for social interaction to take place in several different settings.18 The materials within this space and throughout

ylighting diesel rock

the entire building were chosen for their color palette and texture which complement the concept of watercolor that is used throughout the space. Dark textured carpet grounds the lounge, while wood flooring used throughout the rest of the building helps all of the space typologies to merge together. Every lighting fixture included follows a linear style, which compliments the fine, clean lines of the rest of the space. A carefully chosen range of textures and seating types were used to add variety and interest to the space, while marble was used to highlight the places where visitors would interact with employees and bakers.

All of these design elements combine to make a unique and specific experience for the user, which is in contrast to the monotonous experience a user would encounter at one of the many existing chain hotels.

ylighting mini io

marble countertop

white oak

maharam orakelblume

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Figure 8.1 demonstrates what a person would see when entering the building from the bakery side. This entrance immediately directs viewer’s eyes towards the bakery counter and provides them with a direct, clear path towards the display case. The marble countertop provides an elegant backdrop for a variety of baked goods on display.

This counter is emphasized with wood paneling above. This white oak is used throughout the space to add texture, and anchors each area with this wood application. On the elevator bank seen on the right side of the

FIGURE 8.1: VIEW OF BAKERY SIDE ENTRY

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image, a watercolor wallpaper wraps around the entire core of the building. This provides a grounding element which helps visitors orient themselves within the space. There is a variety of seating included in the building which is visible in this view. CafĂŠ tables provide a small group option, while banquette seating and a corner booth allow options for smaller or larger groups. The columns which are within the bakery counter area, and throughout the first floor, are shown in their restored classical style to incorporate the sense of history from the original building.

FIGURE 9.1: VIEW OF HOTEL LOBBY

Figure 9.1 shows the hotel lounge and bar. The middle of the space features the building’s original and preserved raised ceiling, which is accented by the carpet inset below, and the string light fixture above. These elements bring a sense of comfort and closeness into an otherwise large space, and work to maintain the integrity of the existing element while also using it to create a focal point within the re-purposed space.

Variety is created within this area by providing many different seating options including a sectional sofa and many arrangements and types of lounge chairs. This diversity of seating types also supports the Comfort initiative from the WELL Building Institute. Ergonomics play a large role in mitigating physical and mental stress, as musculoskeletal disorders are common throughout the world.19 One example of this is when furniture choice impacts a person’s ability to feel comfortable. Some people find it difficult to stand from a chair when there are not arms to help push off from when standing up. By providing chairs of this type, along with a range of others, this area becomes universally accessible.

The windows along the wall are accompanied by a watercolor roller shade, and are set up for views into downtown Denver with couples of chairs grouped along each aperture. The hanging lights above each window help to create interest from the exterior as they will be visible from the streets at night. The bar at the back of the space provides yet another seating option and is anchored by the hotel’s logo hanging on a feature wall. Again, the white oak is used to provide a unified look from one area of the building to another - as this material was used above the bakery counter as well. The white oak is also dotted throughout the space in many table applications to provide consistency and to simplify the finishes within the building. The watercolor wall located on the right side of the image wraps around the core of the building which holds the elevators, storage, and restrooms. Placing core functions in the center of the space allowed the building to have many spaces which all act independently as well as together.

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Figure 10.1 shows the cafe seating area. This section of the building is one of the main spaces where interaction between tourists and Denver residents takes place. The community tables are centered in the space therefore acting as the main destination. The brick wall is original to the building and brings an element of historic relevance when paired with the classical style columns that exist within this space. Along the far wall is the feature kitchen, where visitors may sit and have an intimate view of the baking process that would take place behind closed doors in many

FIGURE 10.1: VIEW OF CAFE SEATING

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other bakery settings. By creating one continuous space, rather than one that is separated by walls, daylight can reach the back of the space through the windows along the hotel lounge as well as those along the main entrance of the building. Light, one of the initiatives from the WELL building institute, is an important factor in regulating circadian rhythm.

By allowing daylight to reach almost every area of the building, the changing nature of the light will be able to impact the circadian rhythm of each person within the building’s first floor.20

Figure 11.1 demonstrates the relationship between a customer sitting at the bar by the feature kitchen, and a baker working in the kitchen. The wall in the center of the drawing acts as a barrier between publicly visible space, and the back of house area where functions such as cleaning would occur. This design decision allows the bakery to be on display and permits visitors to feel engaged with the history of the space as they view the functions of the bakery occurring.

FIGURE 11.1: LINE OF SIGHT AT BAKERY DIAGRAM A NTS

2’ - 1”

4

white oak wood shelving

3’ - 0”

3’ - 0”

3’ - 6”

solid surface countertop

5’ - 10 1/2”

5’ - 2”

Section 3 1/2" = 1'-0"

marble countertop

polished ceramic tile

Adjacent to the display kitchen is the back of house area where less visually pleasing, but equally necessary functions can take place. As a result, the customer receives a front row seat to the baking process and can be educated about the ingredients and processes that go into their baked goods. Nourishment is another of the initiatives created by the WELL Building Initiative.

Highly processed foods can often contain potentially addictive qualities.21 In order to combat this commonality, the ingredients in this bakery are sourced from fresh, wholesome suppliers who prioritize sustainable practices. solid surface countertop

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Figure 12.1 shows what a person would see when looking out from the bakery side of the space. The bakery counter is seen with the marble countertop and decadent baked goods placed within the minimal glass casing.

The marble was used to draw attention to the main purpose of this area - to display the bakery items, and a minimal glass casing was used for the same purpose. The wooden bulkhead above is used to create a focal point at the bakery counter and draw attention to the important functions occurring there. Long linear lighting was used within the bulkhead to provide consistent controlled lighting on the baked goods, which will create an optimum viewing experience for customers.

FIGURE 12.1: VIEW OF BAKERY SERVICE COUNTER

The lighting over the tables to the left follows the same linear pattern but is used in a way which adds variety and interest to the banquette seating area.

The white oak is reflected down from the bulkhead to the chairs at the banquette seating to help create balance within this space.

The columns seen in this view are held out from the counter to allow them to be fully visible and become a historical feature.

The Water initiative is incorporated into the design by providing access to clean water without use of plastic bottles. The use of bottled water has negative environmental implications, while the quality can degrade over time as the plastic often releases undesirable toxins into the water.22 The design combats these impacts by allowing access to clean water for customers.

They may receive water by asking employees to fill their provided container, and employees will fill the container from the kitchen which provides drinkable, filtered water from the sink.

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FIGURE 13.1: BAKERY COUNTER DIAGRAM B NTS

textured woodgrain lvt

7’ - 6”

designtex boucle turquoise

5’ - 0”

maharam divina md

3’ - 0”

2’ - 10” 3’ - 8”

Figure 13.1 demonstrates the interaction that would occur at the bakery counter.

It shows the height of the bulkhead is high enough to clear head height, and high enough that the lighting within does not interfere with the normal seeing height of patrons or employees. The marble bakery counter is at an accessible height and allows room for roll up access for a wheelchair. The space between the counter and the floor allows for customers and employees to stand directly against the surface without their toes hitting the edge. The width between this counter and the chairs at the banquet seating area is five feet, which allows for ample circulation through this space and is enough room for a five foot turning radius which is needed for wheelchairs to turn around in a space.

This aisle will be busy, so it was important to make this measurement as if the chairs were occupied and pulled out with room for someone to sit.

The counter on the far right of the diagram is a staging area for employees to prepare and assemble pieces for carry-out orders.

8’ - 11 1/2”

2’ - 0”

marble countertop

2’ - 0”

3’ - 8”

solid surface countertop

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ADA ADA This project focuses on SPACE the main PROGRAM FIGURE 14.1: ADA floor because that is where the FLOOR 2 PLAN second oor majority of the activity will take place ADANTS ADA and where the main opportunities ADA N for historic preservation occur.

ADA PROGRAM KEY However, the top two floors were programmed and designed in floor ADA double room 1 ADAsingle room 1 N ADA plan in order to ensure they had the 24 ability to function properly ADAasdouble theroom 1 ADA N single room 1 single room 2 ADA guest room floors.

ADA

ADA

ADA

ADA

ADA

single room 2

single room 3

single room 3

double room 2

double room 2

24

The secondADAand third floorsADA ofsingle theroom 1 N double room 1 single room 2 hotel contain 26 guest rooms that 24 function for various types of guests. double room 1 single room 1 single room 2 single room 3 The third floor, shown in figure 14.2, holds a gym that helps to encourage single room 1 single room 2 single room 3 double room 2 guests to maintain a healthy balance in wellness during their stay. Fitness is an initiative of the WELL Building Institute, which notes that “physical inactivity poses one of the biggest third oor modern threats to public health.”23 By FIGURE 14.2: providing this fitness center, guests FLOOR 3 PLAN can be accountable for their wellness NTS 24 and are given the opportunity to care for themselves. The variety of guest PROGRAM KEY room types and sizes ensures that all types of guests can find a room that works for them within the hotel. core

1

rooms

gym

N

14

13

single room 3

double room 2

double room ADA 2

ADA

ADA

N

double room 1

single room 1

single room 2

single room 3

double room 2

FIGURE 15.1: VIEW OF HOTEL LOBBY

With the contribution that architecture and construction has on the energy and material waste created throughout the world, it is important to mitigate these effects whenever possible. In addition to material concerns, the popularity of hotel chains often brings monotony to hotels throughout the world. By preserving and repurposing a historical building in an environmentally conscious manner, the impacts of creating a new programmed space within a dense

center of a city are kept to a minimum. Historic preservation also provided the opportunity to renew a culturally significant story in a neighborhood where its legacy can be felt by Denver residents as well as visitors to the city. This combination of solutions provides an answer to the questions of environmental impact and sense of place that will have a growing importance in the world of architecture for years to come.

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“Air,” International Well Building Institute, http://standard.wellcertified.com/air.

“Baur’s Building: Turn Key Restaurant in Historic Downtown Building.” KEW Realtors, March 7, 2017, Baurs_Brochure_1st_Floor.pdf.

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