TRANSFER | TRANSLATE | TRANSFORM
COREY J STINSON WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS SAM FOX SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND VISUAL ARTS GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN DESIGN THINKING SPRING 2016 INSTRUCTOR KATHRYN DEAN
TRANSFER | TRANSLATE | TRANSFORM This book intends to capture the vacancy and deteriorated condition of St. Louis while developing a strategy to Transfer existing material resources to a needed location, Translate the language to meet local context and Transform and reinvigorate that environment.
CONTENT TEMPORARY PERMANENCE | EXPOSING DECAY 01
INTRODUCTION
01 -12
02
SITE SELECTION
13 - 38
PERMANENT TEMPORARINESS | PROMOTING ACTIVITY 03
PROGRAM PROPOSAL
39 - 70
04
SOURCES
71 - 72
What is the Fabric of City?
Genius Loci
by Anastasia Savinova Sweden based visual artist, Anastasia Savinova, has created a series of collages that seek to capture the spirit of cities. Titled “Genius Loci,� her collages form a big house that is composed of many buildings putting on display the characteristics of each city, visualizing the way of life, the atmosphere, and the feeling of each
01 Introduction 01
Copenhagen
SE Skane
SE Norland 02
What is the Fabric of a St. Louis? What is the fabric of St. Louis? If it could be drawn or photographs could be combined into a collage, what would it look like? As a symbol, we are tied to the views of the arch, the gateway to the west, and while that might be a symbol of the city, that is not the true spirit or representation. In my attempt to mimic and recreate the collages of Anastasia Savinova, my view and understanding of St. Louis changed. The city can not be con ned or restricted to a single shape. It has become a series of vast vacant prairies with the reminisce of a Post Industrial era. It consists of voids, existing underneath the vacant infrastructure or between two buildings where there once stood a series of row houses. But even these claims only attend to a portion of the city. One could argue that the spirit of St .Louis can be found in single a material. A single piece of the built condition that represents the history or understanding of the area. The material the city was built with, and has stayed true through multiple generations. It gave the city a sense of identitiy and style that other cities could not replicate. It was used to construct homes for both the rich and poor, factories, hospitals and police stations. 03
St. Louis | Corey Stinson 04
Temporary Permanence Exposing Decay
Temporary Permanence is how we describe the world in transition between on state and another. Budhist religion describes it in the form of an apple. “We call it seed because it grows in the apple and gives life to a new apple tree. We call it apple because it grew on the tree and will be eaten/rotten soon. We call it eaten apple because it once was the apple and will soon be ‘nothing’ anymore.” The same transition of one state to another is found in construction. Clay to brick, brick to building, building to occupancy, occupancy to vacancy, vacancy to decay, decay to nothing. The work of Gordon Matta-Clark exposes the temporary nature of these solid masses. By cutting voids into the buildings he reveals the tectonic nature of construction in which the building is in the transitions of decay to nothing.
Gordon Matta Clark
Above and Below - 1975 Splitting: Four Corners - 1975 05
06
St. Louis
Brick and The Built History of St. Louis As early as the 1820’s, brick began being used in St. Louis. Brick was and is still the most prominent material in the buildings we see today is because of the dozens of underlying clay deposits situated under the city. Dogtown and The Hill were both neighborhoods that were shaped by immigrant groups who moved there to work in clay mines. By 1939, St. Louis brick yards were turning out more than 20 million bricks per year. After a re that devastated much of St. Louis in 18 9, city leaders passed an ordinance requiring all new buildings to be made of noncombustible material. That law, along with the rich clays of eastern Missouri, led to a ourishing brick industry. Historians say that at the industry’s height, around 1900, the city had more than 100 manufacturing plants, and St. Louis became known for the quality, craftsmanship and abundance of its brick. The brick industry was passionate and the masons took pride in their craft. With the abundance of material, the craftsman became artist. They would reinvent new ways to use brick rendering no two facades alike. 09
10
Brick Thieves and The Deteriorated Condition As you drive through parts of North St. Louis, the rst thing you notice is the vacancy. Entire city blocks are gone, and the buildings that are there are falling down. At rst glance you would think they are deteriorating. The neglect and abandonment has forced these beautiful old buildings to collapse onto themselves. After looking closer, you will notice that certain portions of the building are intact, while the rest is completely gone. These buildings were not designed to have one area less structural then the other. Because of its uality and uni ue style, St. Louis brick holds value. The abandonment and lack of supervision has made North St. Louis a prime area for looters to come and steal brick. This happens in multiple ways, some will attach a chain to the chimney and pull it down with their truck. Others will set the building on re and let the re ghters wash away the mortar that holds the brick together. “They love it in New Orleans and the South wherever they re rebuilding, they want it because it s beautiful brick,” said Barbara Buck, who owns Century Used Brick. “It really gives the building a dimension, a ngerprint.” “The whole block is gone they stole the whole block,” Mr. Moore marveled as he drove through his ward s motley collection of dilapidated homes and vacant lots. “They re stealing entire buildings, buildings that belong to the city. Where else in the world do you steal an entire city building ” 11
12
02 Site Selection
Vacancy in St. Louis These spots in red show the areas of the city most affected by vacancy. Speci cally, North St. Louis has 25 parcel vacancy. Those areas include the neighborhoods of St. Louis Place, eff Vanderlou, Old North, and Hyde Park. 15
16
History of Old North The rst attempt to develop this area was made in 1816, when the Village of North St. Louis was incorporated by William Chambers, William C. Christy and Thomas Wright. It was bounded by the present Monroe, Hadley, Montgomery Streets and the Mississippi River. It continued as a village until 18 1 when it was absorbed into the City of St. Louis. A uni ue feature of the village layout was the provision for three circular public use areas. These were Clinton Place as a school site, ackson Place for recreational and assembly purposes and Marion Place for a church and cemetery. A public wharf at the foot of North Market Street was called E change S uare.
17
The Village was to provide sites for mills similar to those in the New England hometowns of the village s rst settlers. The village was about a mile upstream above Roy s Wind Mill, which marked the northern limit of the town of St. Louis at the foot of Ashley Street, and on the Great Trail which later became North Broadway. Other prominent roads of the north side were Natural Bridge Road, which was laid out in the 18 0 s as a northwestward e tension of Mound Street, and Florissant Road which was a northward continuation of STLOUIS-MO.GOV 16th Street in a western addition to the village.
18
History of Old North In 1981, a group of residents, small business owners and community leaders in the neighborhood established a restoration group as a non for pro t corporation. With a mission to restore and develop the social dimension of the community in respect to it its historical, cultural and urban character, the restoration group was faced with a neighborhood in a state of profound and painful decline. Massive population loss has resulted in the abandonment of entire blocks. For much of the group s rst ten years, they worked together to renovate each other s homes much like the barn raising of close knit communities of the past. After successfully achieving designation as a National Historic District in 1994, the community received a substantial grant from the state of Missouri which allowed the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group ONSLRG to purchase and stabili e several strategic buildings. Over the past decade, the organi ation has facilitated thousands of hours of volunteer service for neighborhood clean-ups and vacant building board ups, hosted street festivals, sponsored annual house tours and coordinated crime prevention initiatives. Many of the open tracts of land remaining after the buildings were demolished have been adopted and are being maintained by local residents and businesses. With conditions improving and available land, the neighborhood began to attract outside developers. With a commitment to maintain the historic character and the economic and racial diversity that made the neighborhood special, the community began to look at ways in which it could develop the vacant land in the surrounding area while preserving as many of the historically signi cant buildings as possible. 19
1910 | North Market & Fifteenth
20
Branc
h St.
ED
ID
Branc
ED
h St.
AS
church PK
CC
community care ED liqour BA industury AS restaurant / bar CH market
LQ ID RB MK
CC
RB
CH
CC AS CH
PK
MK CH AS
CH
CC
ED
CH
AS
LQ
195 Buildings
135 Housing Units
495 Parcels
17% Vacant
29% Vacant
40% Vacant
21
AS CH LQ
70
CH
ED
Hwy
auto service
70
AS
PK ED
CH
ve nt A
bank
MK CH
rissa
BA
ID
N Flo
Even though the Old North neighborhood has experienced an immense amount of decay, this small area of St. Louis still has many amenities throughout the area. Recently, the Fourteenth Street Mall has seen alot of redevelopment bringing in new businesses and improving the social dynamic and neighborhood fabric.
education
ED
RB
Hwy
OLD NORTH
ED
LQ
ve nt A rissa N Flo
PK
park
ID
AS
RB
MK
Amenities
Branc
Branc
h St.
Branc
h St.
Hwy 70
70
N Flo
Hwy
70
N Flo
Hwy
N Flo
rissa
rissa
rissa
ve nt A
ve nt A
ve nt A
Street Grid
h St.
Vacant Parcels
Existing Buildings 22
Artist Studios [2002]
WrightOLD St. NORTH
St. Louis Avenue
14TH STREET MALL
23
Crown Candy [1913]
Old North Renovation Group [1981]
Montogomery
Event Space [2004]
Building Workshop [2008]
Fire Cracker Press [2013]
Possible Site Location
Warren St.
Possible Site Location
Possible Site Location
Benton St.
Hardware Store [1875]
N Market
24
Possible Site Location
Urban Arts
OLD NORTH 14TH STREET MALL
Warren St.
Kennedy’s Pet Shop 25
Benton St.
Possible Site Location
Marx Hardware & Paint
The Gospel Temple
Residential
Possible Site Location
N Market
Bread of Life Church
Vacant Lot
Retail 26
Retail | O ce Space
OLD NORTH 14TH STREET MALL
St. Louis Avenue
Residential Crown Candy Kitchen 27
Artist Studios
Chess Park
Retail / Residential
Old North Restoration Possible Site Location Behind
Central Print
Firecracker Press
Salon and Spa
Montogomery
Retail / Residential
Event Space
Building Workshop [2008]
Commercial Space
Closet Repairs 28
h N 13t
t t Stree 3th Stree 1 N
ONRG
ONRG
treet
treet
40,400 sqf40,400 sqf
ery S tgom
ery S tgom
ue Aven
andy n Candy Crow
nC Crow
Mon
Mon
ouis
St. L
29
Scale: 100 ft
ue Aven
North
ouis
Located along 14th Street, this site was chosen because of its size and proximity to the Old North Restoration Groups and its ability to utilize two vacant buildings located on the site. This locations will allow the facility to work with member in the old north community as well as continue to revitalize Old North.
St. L
Vacanct Parcels 14th street Mall
t. on S Clint
Mon
t. roe S
t
Stree
M treet 4th S
all 1
rket N Ma 16,527 sqf 28, 871 sqf
68,580 sqf
on S Bent
treet
eb Warr
t Stree
ue Aven r i a l B
30
Site Photos Monroe Street 31
32
Site Photos 14th Street Mall 33
34
Site Photos Clinton Street 35
36
Site Photos Blair Avenue 37
38
03 Program Proposal In North St. Louis, along the riverfront, a city owned parcel is used to store raw material. These conditions are not monitored, cared for or maintained.
Permanent Temporariness | Activity In developing countries around the world, informal settlements and houses have become typical living condition for millions of people and little can be done to prevent them. Pritzker Prize winning architect, Alejandro Aravena has designed a series of Row houses to help prevent these settlements from occupying valuable land. “Why not provide a site and make their installation as easy as possible? We provide the infrastructure which the residents cannot easily install on their own, the foundation, plumbing and utilities. We then trust the residents to provide their temporary settlement. and provide their own color, texture and sence of aesthetic variation.
41
42
DE-CONSTRUCT THE NEGLECTED | REVIVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE | EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY
43
THE BUILDINGS
The buildings are an important part of culture and how we identify ourselves as a city. It is important not to destroy the existing fabric but to protect and emphasize what is still there. Buildings will only be torn down and their materials re used if they are beyond rehabilitation.
THE CITY
Public access to the facility is strongly encouraged. The goal of this facility is to bring people in from all aspects and teach them how to safely deconstruction, maintain, and rebuild homes in the community. A performance space will also be used as a outreach tool to help gain community involvement
THE PEOPLE
The project will aim to facilitate the existing restoration group in the area. Located directly adjacent to their current facility, Old North Restoration Group will have complete access to materials, event spaces, classrooms, workshops, and o ces.
44
eet h Str N 13t
ouis
St. L
How do we make use of the abandoned yet valuable materials? How can we regain a sence of permanence and activity in a neighborhood?
ue Aven
By destructing the deteriorating buildings and sorting through the construction materials, we can provide the neighborhood with a platform and resource to rebuild the neighborhood with the same materials that once helped it thrive.
[ ASSEMBLE ]
Vacant Deteriorating Buildings North
45
SORT
Scale: 100 ft
DE - CONSTRUCT
treet ery S
tgom
Mon
DE-CONSTRUCT | SORT | RE-BUILD
SORT
RE - ASSEMBLE
46
47
DE-CONSTRUCT
SORT
Neglected Buildings in North St. Louis
Unwanted Material
5%
25%
Storage.......................3,500 sqf
Processing..................17,200 sqf
- Vehicle Storage - Tool Storage
- Brick Cleaning - Wood processing - Glass Repair
STORE
PERFROM
EMPOWER
REBUILD
Salvaged Inventory
In the Absence of Materials
Repair and Reconstruction
The Community
30%
20%
15%
5%
Storage..................20,600 sqf
Performance................13,700 sqf
Educate................10,300 sqf
Storage.......................3,500 sqf
- Material Storage
- Small Medium and Large - Set Design Workshop
- Classrooms - Workshop - O ces
- Vehicle Storage - Tool Storage 48
SHINGLES ROOF
METAL
BRICK WOOD
DE-CONSTRUCT | SORT | RE-BUILD In the Old North Neighborhood, 20-25 commercial and residential buildings could be demolished because of their current state or deterioration. Most of this material would be taken to the land ll when it could be restored and re used.
49
GLASS
OCCUPIED SPACE
GYPSUM BOARD
CONCRETE SOIL
DEBRIS FOUNDATION
DE - CONSTRUCT
RECYCLE RE-USE RESTORE SORT
RE - BUILD 50
8,400 BRICKS IN THE AVERAGE HOUSE 2 ( 30’ + 20’ ) 75’ = 7500 sqf
|
20” = area of one brick | ( 2 wythe )
A re purposed brick from St. Louis is worth 3x the amount of a new brick because of the time and labor it takes to restore and it has much more character. The goal is to nd a way to reduce the cost of re purposing brick to make them cheaper and more readily available to the community.
400
21
BRICKS PER PALLET
PALLETS PER HOUSE
51
2.5” 4”
8”
30’
2 WYTHE
* 70’ BUILDING DEPTH 20’ 52
16,000 BOARD FEET OF FRAMING LUMBER 14,000 SQUARE FEET OF PLY AND FINISH WOOD 50
18
2x4 PER PALLET
PALLETS PER HOUSE
53
10’ 30’
Typical Framing
1.75”
3.75”
* 70’ IN DEPTH
20’ 54
CAM
AREAS TO RE-BUILD GRAND CENTER
In the heart of the city, and most connected to the urban context, Grand Center has the oppurtunity to build homes and business in the vacant parcels surrounding SLU, The Fox Theatre, and multiple museums. Materials collected from the deteiroated buildings throughout the city would be used to ll the vacant lots and bring more people into this area. VACANT PARCELS 55
LINDEL
L BLVD
ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY
D
RAN
NG
FOX
56
NAT
URA
AREAS OF RE-BUILD NORTH ST. LOUIS
On the northern edge of the city, vacant parcels are abundant and the lack of physical presence results in crime and continued detoriation. Using matariels from the salvage facility, we can begin to restore the city fabric and improve the community. VACANT PARCELS 57
L BR
IDG
ER
OAD
RAN D NG
Fair Grounds Park
58
AREAS OF RE-BUILD CENTRAL WEST END
Fountain Park is a historic economically challenged part of the St. Louis that is located just a few blocks north of Central West End. The economic divide between these two areas has been made apparent in the vacant parcels. Bringing new residents and business into this area could help the communitys economy grow. VACANT PARCELS 59
HODIAMONT
ROW
N EUCLID A VE
Fountain Park
60
SITE OCCUPANCY This program allows the opportunity to teach and learn the process of deconstruction and reconstruction. Currently, the site has two abandoned buildings which will be kept as is, to teach and put on display the process of maintaince and de construction. Materials can be stored and cataloged for use as needed in new construction projects within the neighborhood of Old North and other neighborhoods throughout the city. While awaiting their use in reconstruction, the sorted materials would be curated by members of the community to ful ll temporary roles as needed. As the uantity of materials uctuates, the voided space will be lled with performance, creating a new transitional amenity within the neighborhood.
Abandoned Deteiroated Buildings 61
reet treet S n o Clint
n St o t n i l C
14th
ire Bla
nue Ave
ll t Ma Stree
68,500 sqf
e St o r n o M
reet
62
Transitioning the Site material storage
13,500 sf
sorting and processing
11,250 sf
performance
7,000 sf
set design | workshop
2,000 sf
educate
6,750 sf
administration
4,500 sf
deteirorating building 65
alley
quantity of material | space allocation
+
minimum inventory
alley
alley
alley
maximum inventory 64
Maintaing the Void material storage sorting and processing performance set design | workshop educate
material storage performance 13,500 sf
sorting and processing 11,250 sf
set design | workshop 7,000 sf
classrooms
alley
2,000 sf
offices
6,750 sf
Clinton Street 67
EMPOWER TO MAINTAIN
Alley
EDUCATE TO REMOVE
Monroe Street 68
Design Intent This program allows the opportunity to teach and learn the process of deconstruction and reconstruction. Currently, the site has two abandoned buildings which will be kept as is, to teach and put on display the process of maintaince and de construction. Materials can be stored and cataloged for use as needed in new construction projects within the neighborhood of Old North and other neighborhoods throughout the city. While awaiting their use in reconstruction, the sorted materials would be curated by members of the community to ful ll temporary roles as needed. As the uantity of materials uctuates, the voided space will be lled with performance, creating a new transitional amenity within the neighborhood. 69
70
IMAGES
04 Sources
page
source
01-02
ARCH DAILY | Genius Loci by Anastasia Savinova
05-06
NEW YORK TIMES | Gordon Matta Clark
09-10
BRICK BY CHANCE AND FORTUNE | Bill Streeter
17-18
NORTH MARKET & 15TH STREET | Missouri History Museum
35-36
ELEMENTAL | Alejandro Aravena
REFERENCES BRICK BY CHANCE AND FORTUNE |
Stretter, Bill, dir. Brick by Chance and Fortune. 2011. DVD.
BRICK THIEVES |
Gay, Malcolm. “Thieves Cart Off St. Louis Bricks”. Nytimes.com. N. p., 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
OLD NORTH RESTORATION GROUP |
Onsl.org. N. p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
HISTORY OR ST. LOUIS NEIGHBORHOODS |
“Neighborhood Histories By Norbury L. Wayman Published In 1978”. Stlouis-mo.gov. N. p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
ST. LOUIS HOUSING TYPOLOGIES |
“St. Louis To Document City Plethora Of 19Th-Century Triangular & Flounder& Row Houses”. stlpublicradio.org.
CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION RECYCLING |
“ Recycling Construction And Demolition | Saint Louis County, Missouri “. Stlouisco.com. N. p., 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.