Joseline Castillo

JOSELINE CASTILLO HOUSE OF MOTION | A RECREATIONAL CENTER FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DON JONES

PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT NARRATIVE Laws requiring equal access for people with disabilities have been debated for over 50 years. While many years have passed and revisions and improvements to accessibility codes have been made, the focus of this project is on the quality of access in recreational centers meant to service people with disabilities. Recently, one of the only recreational centers built for people with disabilities in the city has been closed leaving the community without a space where they practice sports and other daily activities. Displacing programs to other locations around the city and pushing many to stop practicing their sport for the lack of access.

ACCESS TO ADAPTED SPORTS The pandemic has affected all of us in many ways the past two years. Sports related events and facilities have been highly impacted due to unavoidable close contact and conglomeration of people that is typical of many sports programs. The Carousel House, the only recreational Center created for the disabled in Philadelphia, has not survived through the pandemic. After serving the community for 34 years the center has been closed to the public for good. As the only recreational center for people with disabilities the closure of carousel house know creates a gap in the city’s resources available to the disability community. Now, those programs that were once available at Fairmount Park in West Philadelphia have been relocated to other facilities in North Philadelphia and West Deptford, New Jersey outside of the city. Losing access to the rec center is detrimental to the health of its users and deprives some of a major, and sometimes only, opportunity of social interaction with the disabillity and local community.

As the only recreational center for people with disabilities managed by Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department its essential for this center is reestablished in the community. The Carousel House provided people with both, physical and behavioral disabilities, access to programs exclusively created for them.

The closure of this wonderful center should be taken as an opportunity to create a more inclusive environment in the area. This recreational center could be re-novated and re-opened within Fairmount Park and strive to expand its programs to create more opportunities for the community with activities that involve and welcome the local community to interact with the users of this recreational center, provide more resources for people with disabilities and aspire to be a national center for adapted sports programs and events.

STORY OF PLACE CAROUSEL HOUSE

The Carousel House is a Recreational Center that provided adaptive and inclusive programming to residents with all abilities (Including users with physical and intellectual disabilities).

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Carousel House has been permanently closed and all programs will be held at the Gustine Recreation Center in North Philadelphia and at the RiverWindsCommunity Center at West Deptford, New Jersey.

Carousel House Community Garden

PENNSYLVANIA CENTER FOR ADAPTED SPORTS A non-profit organization that provides access to many recreational and competitive adapted sports programs and activities. With a goal to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity of participating in one or more sports program no matter their ability through multiple locations in the area around the city of Philadelphia.

PCAS Cycling Program, MLK Jr. Drive

SITE INFORMATION FAIRMOUNT PARK

SITE

FLOODING MAP

SITE FLOODING EVIDENCE AT PCAS

107 ft.

68 ft.

310' - 0"

560' - 0"

185' - 0"

98' - 0"

MLK Jr. Drive

I-76

Train Tracks

123 ft.

Black Road

Lasdowne Drive

Please Touch Museum

ZONING MAP

75' - 0"

56 ft.

48 ft.

35 ft.

13 ft.

Edge of Schuylkill River

1895' - 0"

SITE SECTION

CASE STUDIES

ABILITY 360 - SPORTS AND FITNESS CENTER The Ability 360 Sports & Fitness Center is a adaptive sports, recreation, aquatic and fitness programs to promote the independence, health and overall, well being of people with disabilities and their family members. The center is also used as a venue for local, national and international adaptive sporting events. The Sports Center was developed in the final phase of Disability Empowerment Campus with the commitment to remove all barriers and seamlessly fuse function.

CASE STUDIES MAISON BORDEAUX

THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN PROJECT

CASE STUDIES UNITED STATES OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC MUSEUM The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum is located in Colorado Springs home of the United States Olympic Center.

The spatial experience of the museum is inspired by the organization’s inclusive values which translates to the form and circulation of the museum.

All spaces revolve around an atrium that houses the lobby in the center of the museum enhancing the connection to each floor through multiple look out balconies on each floor.

CASE STUDIES PLASSMAN ATHLETIC CENTER AT The Plassman Athletic Center in Fort Weayne, Indiana that provides children and adults with disabilities access to adaptive sports and recreational programs. The programs at this athletic center include therapeutic intervention, early education, case management, adult day services, health and wellness programming, sports and recreation opportunities for both people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

SITE PLAN

LOWER LEVEL

FIRST LEVEL

SECOND LEVEL

THIRD LEVEL

THIRD LEVEL SECOND LEVEL FIRST LEVEL LOWER LEVEL

BUILDING SECTION

FINAL REVIEW

WEST ELEVATION

EAST ELEVATION

PERSPECTIVE VIEW FROM PARKING LOT

PERSPECTIVE VIEW FROM LANSDOWNE DRIVE

PERSPECTIVE VIEW FROM I-76

PERSPECTIVE VIEW FROM BLACK ROAD

BASKETBALL COURTS

FEEDBACK - INCORPORATE WATCHING AND PLAYING WITH UNIVERSAL DESIGN - CAN EXTERIOR RAMP LANGUAGE EXTEND TO THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING? - CAN STRUCTURE BE EXPOSED? HOW WOULD NIGHT RENDERINGS LOOK LIKE? - DRAWINGS CAN BE FURTHER DEVELOPED - INCREASE NUMBER OF ELEVATORS - LOOSEN UP SYMMETRY THROUGH THE BUILDING - BREAKUP EQUIPMENT STORAGE - SHOW INSTANCES WHERE UNIVERSAL DESIGN IS PRESENT - WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE ENTRY SIDE IN TERMS OF SITE PLANNING? - WHAT IF PARKING MOVES TO THE LOWER LEVEL? - WHAT IF YOU CAN OPEN BIG DOORS BY THE POOL. CREATE AN INDOOR/OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE - THINK ABOUT ACOUSTICS IN THE BUILDING - THINK ABOUT INTERIOR MATERIALS, WHAT WOULD WORK WITH THIS PROGRAM? - HOW CAN SPACES BE A SPECTRUM BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE?