SOUTHWATERFRONT
FALL 2011 ARCHITECTURE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS PREP D A N I E L L E
THIREAULT
WATER
The Pacific Northwest has an abundance of water, a fact not fully appreciated. Greywater systems and rainwater collection systems are not new to this area, but water is still often wasted. Water is a resource that we can utilize to optimize heat and energy transfer both within and between building structures. Because water nourishes all life forms, and I will examine how it can be the center of a community. This resource can link between buildings as a network, both physically and conceptually.
THESIS INVESTIGATION How can we more effectively use abundant water resources and art activities to reinforce social, ecological, and economic sustainability? Ecodistricts are a progressive way to enrich our communities and decrease our impact on the local environment. These ecodistricts need to do more than just comprise of series of sustainable buildings. They need strong ecological connections, an interdependence with resource sharing, and a rich civic ecology built around a local economy and self governance. I have chosen the South Waterfront as an investigation site because of its strong relationship to the Willamette River and close proximity to natural ecosystems. Currently the area has made great progress in ecological planning and sustainable building, but it lacks the vibrant social life of a strong community. My thesis will explore how water and the arts can help develop internal neighborhood connections and links to the larger city.
PROPOSAL I propose to design an arts center that is part of a social network of resource sharing buildings. I will explore how the building design can use water to inspire sustainable behavior and support community interaction. As part of a ecodistrict network, I am striving to make my building a demonstration on how the sustainable strategies can be celebrated. So often people are desensitized to information. With the abundance on eco-friendly practices and statistics, there needs to be alternative ways to inspire sustainable behavior. My building design will celebrate water as a resource as well as demonstrate how it can be used to stimulate urban activity and community cohesion.