an architectural thesis by crystal keeran_newschool of architecture+design
iNTERgENERATIONAL
aRTS cENTER
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0 Thesis Advisor Andrew Duncan_+619.278.8464_aduncan@sbcglobal.net Outside Thesis Advisor Mary Lydon_+619.252.0295_mary.lydon@uli.org
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iNTRODUCTION+pRELIMINARY rESEARCH 001 general description + thesis statement 002 statement + background of the problem 003 theoretical framework + scope of the study rATIONALE + gOALS sTATEMENT 004 rationale + purpose of study tYPOLOGICAL aNALYSIS 005 kindergarten sigharstein_kadawittfeldarchitektur 006 das generationenhaus west_kohlhoff+kohlhoff 007 miss sargfabrik_bkk-3 008 villa van vijven_next architects 009 fruitvale transit village_mclarand vasquez emsiek sITE aNALYSIS 010 distance from city center + proximity to transit + adjacent uses 011 building area + indoor_outdoor area + project site_zoning 012 building use_user + vehicular_pedestrian circulation pROGRAMMING 013 summary + narrative dESIGN sTUDIES 014 charette massings + implementation of program 015 site_program reselction + schematic massing 016 space planning definition + phase one_design development 017 interaction discovery + phase two_design development rESULTS 018 site plan + floor plans 019 perspectives_elevations + sections 020 materials + interior_perspectives cONCLUSTIONS 021 022 further study aPPENDIX 022 definitions + bibliography
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iNTRODUCTION + pRELIMINARY rESEARCH general description + thesis statement statement + background of the problem theoretical framework + scope of the study
Introduction + Preliminary Research
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Typologies
Child Day Care Adult Day Care Art Center
Location
4981 Market Street San Diego, California
This thesis proposes to design an Intergenerational Arts Center as a prototype for design of a transitoriented development. The center will be built on an undeveloped parcel of land at 4981 Market Street in the Encanto Neighborhood of Chollas View in San Diego, California. There is an international change to the age demographics of the human species. This phenomenon has aided the transitional nuclear family and has segregated older adults as active members in society, which have both increased the travel distance for every generation. Consequently, there is a need for increased generational interaction and decreased automobile usage. If we appropriately increase and organize
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the opportunities available to the people from one generation to relate to people from other generations, more of these people will decide to make use of such opportunities and there will be more intergenerational interaction. The research for this thesis aims to acquire an understanding towards the design of a facility that can provide a support system for the entire community without dependence on the automobile. Studies have shown the impact individual and groups outside the family have on a child’s wellbeing, and how young people can brighten the lives of older generations. These two groups are truly what belong in the center of a community.
tHESIS sTATEMENT
an
iNTERGENERATIONAL aRTS cENTER located near
transit will provide a community resource by offering in-demand services for children and seniors
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FIGURE 1.1
Interconnection diagram of several phenomenon that this thesis hopes to address
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE
CHANGE IN TRADITIONAL FAMILY STRUCTURE
INCREASED OLDER POPULATION
DISPERSED FAMILIES
DISLOCATED SENIORS
INCREASED AUTOMOBILE USAGE
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Introduction + Preliminary Research
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Demographic change is increasing usage The changing age demographic and transitional family structure are forging the issues of physical proximity and decreased social interaction amongst multiple generations resulting in an increase in automobile dependence. The traditional family structure is changing, and older adults are being forced away from communities they have considered home just to be outcast from society. These phenomena raise a question regarding how architecture should respond to these issues facing each generation. Demographic change involves an increased older population that has aided in the transformation of the nuclear family. The change in traditional family structure has dispersed families over a larger region. The increased older population’s role has also changed within family structure even though they continue to be directed outside of society for care. Dispersed families and dislocated seniors have increased distance, and therefore automobile usage. Thus, it could be said that demographic change is increasing automobile usage and our affect on the environment.
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Introduction + Preliminary Research
BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM Old Age defined by appearance + capacity
Old Age defined by pension + retirement Horse-drawn streetcar
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1847
Electric rapid transit, train + bus
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[1820-1870] Industrialization [1845-1920] Women’s Rights Movement [1847] American Medical Foundation founded
Changing Age Demographic
Industrialization and the establishment of the American Medical Foundation in the 19th century enabled older adults to live longer, and decreased childhood deaths. The changing welfare system has further shaped how old age and older people are viewed by other generations. Age stereotypes of older people often include mental and physical decline, financial and social burden, and withdrawal from public and social life; however, there is an expansion the grandparent role due to change in family structure and longer life. Support provided by grandparents to their children as parents is on the rise. The 21st century generations of grandparents are healthier, wealthier and eager to help on a limited basis.
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Transforming Traditional Family Structure
The patterns of family formation and relationships between family members are directly influenced by the demographic change. In 1971, 68% of living adults were part of a married couple; in 2001, this changed to 50%. The average age of marriage and child bearing has also increased. In the mid-1970s, the average age of first time brides was between 22-24; in 2000, this average changed to 27. Trends of the 21st century show a shift towards fewer marriages, increased cohabitation and births outside of marriage, increase in divorce, remarriages, and reconstituted families, and an increase in proportion of lone parent and smaller families. From 1991 to 2001, cohabitation doubled. The
FIGURE 1.2
Important historical events influencing presented phenomena
Dominated by married-couple families
1900
Increasing divorce rate
1970
2010
[1914-1918] WWI [1973] Abortion Legalized [1929-1940] Great Depression [1939-1945] WWII [1945-1975] Vietnam War [1924-PRES] Gay Rights Movement
number of people living alone also doubled during this time from 3 million to 7 million. The reason most often brought forth through political and media attention is the rising divorce rate, which has increased steadily since the 1970s. Another reason is due to the increased desire for individuality. This brought forth changing ideas in regards to the right age to marry, greater sexual freedom, challenging gender norms, and increased opportunities in education, work and social roles for women.
Intergenerational Programs
The importance of intergenerational programs was first recognized in the 1960s. There have been several Intergenerational Programs that invite young and old to interact and become involved in the community. In the mid-1990s, one goal of the United Nations was to create a society for all ages. There is still relatively little research on intergenerational relations at community, neighborhood, or public space level - trends within family or the wider nation are still not necessarily replicated in neighborhoods. Although many such programs have been extensively researched, there is still a significant deficiency towards research in the design of architecture that responds to these programs.
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v Introduction + Preliminary Research
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
FIGURE 1.3
Venn Diagram showing relationships within thesis
The purpose of this thesis is to design an public facility standards, a changing economic intergenerational arts center as a prototype for a base, and environmental challenges. All of which typology of transit-oriented development. Those could benefit from what will be defined here as generations that lack the most in regard to social an intergenerational arts center. interaction and independent transportation are children and seniors. The only experience, or lack Many case studies looking at shared-site services thereof, with mental and physical capacity. and generational interaction were observed and analyzed for implementations of use. Each offer The project location is within one of the Pilot Village unique solutions to either increase generational developments chosen under the city of San Diego’s interaction or to promote public transportation, “City of Villages� strategy that shares the goal of but few are successful at combining these into benefiting communities citywide. Some of the one cohesive solution. reasons this strategy came about include unmet
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The research problem has been narrowed down to the study of the following variable: seniors + children + transit.
Introduction + Preliminary Research
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Seniors
There is an importance for seniors to remain active within their community. Senior day care facilities can offer the elderly a social environment that can improve life expectancy by increasing physical and mental activity. One method for seniors to remain active is through generational interaction, especially with children. Another method is to enable senior mobility through pedestrian-oriented development that is in close proximity to transit.
Children
Families are struggling to find suitable care for their young children, and are faced with an increased demand to maintain employment in a downed economy. A child care facility located near transit can strengthen the community by providing a central location that would generate family-oriented activity. The entire community can benefit from a family-oriented environment and generational interaction, which can be accomplished through a community arts center by placing different age groups under one roof and promoting creative interaction.
Transit-Oriented Development
There is an increased amount of pressure for the middle generations to traverse the miles in between to assist their loved ones. Locating indemand services for children and seniors near transit will create a better quality of life in a community arts center by increasing pedestrian and family-oriented activity, which will lead to an increasingly interactive community of multiple generations.
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rATIONALE + gOALS sTATEMENT rationale + purpose of the study
Design Studies
CHARETTE+PROGRAM STUDY
parti 2
parti 1
As the design of the thesis project advances, there have been significant modifications to the site and program; however, the goal that remains constant throughout is the encouragement of intergenerational interaction, located near transit, with an emphasis on seniors and children. Fro a mixed-use development, the project was then condensed to a community service center with senior care, child care, and outpatient care. However, the latest development now expresses the current transformation into an Intergenerational Arts Center. The impetus for this continued modification was influenced by exploring what would serve the existing and developing infrastructure within the selected area.
Initial Massing Studies
parti 3
These studies were made to compliment the initial phase in a mixed-use transit-oriented development. Although each study is unique, all express the exploration of relationships between senior and child; building and community; form and space.
Form+Program Integration
site program integration
The first attempt at integrating form and program provided a larger plaza on the corner of Euclid Avenue and Market Street, a seperate building and playground for the child care, and a large outdoor activity area. Reactions to this plan suggested moving the child care away from the street, reducing floor plate depth, and reconsidering scope of existing program.
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schematic roof plan
schematic design+future development pllan Design Studies
reSELECTION+SCHEMATIC MASSING
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In order to further the design, three options were discussed: keep existing site and continue messaging developed form; expand site to include the lot directly behind current site and complete a master plan for mixed-use; move to a smaller site adjacent to original site and reduce program significantly. This third option was most appealing when taking into consideration the future development plan proposed within the scope for the Euclid+Market Pilot Village Proposal approved in accordance with San Diego’s City of Villages planning strategy. In addition to senior care and child care, the original program included a large portion dedicated to multi-family housing; however there are already several new residential projects planned in an area already dominated by singlefamily residential. Another unresolved issue in the previous scheme was the large intersection children and seniors wold have to cross to get to and from the Euclid Transit Station, potentially decreasing ridership.
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Design Studies
floor plan diagram
reSELECTION+SCHEMATIC MASSING
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The new site selected is directly across Chollas Creek from the transit center. This provides the opportunity to incorporate a pedestrian bridge into this thesis project. This gesture also provides a safer passage for children and seniors , and creates a direct link from the transit center to the residential project planned to the west of the newly selected site. Another opportunity in this schematic massing is recessing the child care into the site so the children have a view into the creek instead of into the transit center parking lot. Suggestions to advance this design included further study and exploration in the delineation of the form and increased interaction with Chollas Creek.
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Design Studies
phase one_DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Next, the concept for furthering the design was explored. Continuing examining the relationship between two supporting objects. Abstract drawings of hands placed together to express support inspired the concept of fractal symmetry. Seniors and children are a reflection of fractal symmetry defined here as similar parts with extending differences. This design explored circulation patters (shown on the floor plans_next page) and the relationship between the space provided for each of the programmatic groupings: outpatient care, senior care, and child care. Reactions to this plan suggested that the space where intergenerational interaction is to take place needed to open up compartmentalized floor plans to allow for this interaction to take place.
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developed massing model
v Design Studies
phase one_DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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v Design Studies
phase two_DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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v Design Studies
phase two_DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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Lower Level
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Open Art Area Care Rooms
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Playground
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Reading Room Gallery Theater
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Main Level
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Dining Flexible Activity [arts, music, performance] Shared Garden
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phase two_DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
east elevation
east section showing elevator and interior roof planes
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north elevation
south elevation
east section through gallery+open art area
west elevation
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v Design Studies
phase two_DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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The issue with the previous design was lack of an expressed need for interaction, not just between the inhabitants, but also within the community. This led to the observation of the under utilization of the Performing Arts Center in the Malcolm X Library just east of the site, and of the outdoor amphitheater recently constructed directly south of the site. Another adjustment to the program brought forth the proposal for an Intergenerational Arts Center. This typology allows for a potential increase in generational interaction through the arts while also promoting seniors to stay active and teach children a way to participate in their community.
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