Stephanie Favata

REINTERPRET: AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION STEPHANIE FAVATA ADVISOR KATIE BROH DREXEL UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE THESIS 2020

THESIS STATEMENT: HOW CAN AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION REINTERPRET AND REPAIR A CITY DIVIDED BY OPIOIDS AND INFRASTRUCTURE?

WHAT CHARACTERIZES KENSINGTON? KENSINGTON PHILADELPHIA IS CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH CONCRETE WALLS ALONG THE STREETS AND TWO MAIN RAIL LINES. THE MARKETFRANKFORD AND THE INDUSTRIAL RAIL LINE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE CITY TO THE DELAWARE. KENSINGTON IS ALSO KNOWN AS ARGUABLY THE EPICENTER OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN PHILADELPHIA.

PHOTO CREDIT: STOCKBRIDGE, JEFFERY. C AND TUSCULUM STREET. 2012 PHILADELPHIA

HOWEVER, DESPITE BUSINESS CLOSURES AND SHUTDOWNS DUE TO THE GLOBAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE OPIOID OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC STILL RAGES ON IN THE CITY.

WHAT ARE THE STATISTICS? IN 2017 PENNSYLVANIA HAD THE THIRD HIGHEST OVERDOSE DEATH RATE IN THE UNITED STATES. AS OF LAST YEAR PHILADELPHIA NOW HAS THE HIGHEST OVERDOSE DEATH RATE OUT OF ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY. PHILADELPHIA CURRENTLY HAS AN AVERAGE OF THREE OR MORE PEOPLE PER DAY WHO HAVE DIED FROM A DRUG OVERDOSE. KENSINGTON HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF OVERDOSE DEATHS OUT OF ANY NEIGHBORHOOD IN PHILADELPHIA.

PHOTO CREDIT: STOCKBRIDGE, JEFFERY. BESIDE THE KENSINGTON AVENUE UNDERPASS. 2018. THE NEW YORK TIMES.

REINTERPRET

OPIOIDS: IN THE UNITED STATES

OPIOIDS: IN PHILADELPHIA

9.2

48. NORTH DAKOTA

8.5

49. SOUTH DAKOTA

8.1

44.3

11.5

46. IOWA

3. PENNSYLVANIA

46.3

50. NEBRASKA

2. OHIO

57.8

37.2

1. WEST VIRGINIA

44.0

4. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

5. KENTUCKY

10.5

47. TEXAS

OPIOIDS & OVERDOSES: 70% OF OVERDOSES IN THE UNITED STATES INVOVLE OPIOIDS THE PARTICIPANTS: AN ESTIMATED 2 MILLION AMERICANS ARE ADDICTED TO HEROIN AND OTHER OPIOIDS FACTS ON DRUG USE: PENNSYLVANIA HAS THE THIRD-HIGHEST RATE OF DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE U.S.

OPIOIDS & OVERDOSES: 80% OF OVERDOSES IN PHILADELPHIA INVOVLE OPIOIDS THE PARTICIPANTS: AN ESTIMATED 75,000 PHILADELPHIANS ARE ADDICTED TO HEROIN AND OTHER OPIOIDS FACTS ON DRUG USE: IN 2017 DRUG OVERDOSES WERE THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN PHILADELPHIA,

BEHIND HEART DISEASE AND CANCER

NUMBER OF DRUGOVERDOSE DEATHS BY ZIP CODE IN 2018

OVERDOSE DEATHS PER 100,000 PEOPLE

MORE THAN 50

STATE RANKING

26 TO 50 10 TO 25 LESS THAN 10

OPIOIDS: IN CITIES

OPIOIDS: IN KENSINGTON

33.5

BOSTON

41.5

21.9

DETROIT

CHICAGO

48.1

CLEVELAND

61.2

PITTSBURGH

65.2

PHILADELPHIA

83.3

71

BALTIMORE

19124

20.6

PHOENIX

OPIOIDS & OVERDOSES: THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 192 OVERDOSE DEATHS PER DAY THE PARTICIPANTS: RATES ARE HIGHER IN URBAN AREAS FOR DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS INVOVLING HEROIN FACTS ON DRUG USE: URBAN AREA DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE AT 22.0 PER 100,000 PEOPLE WHILE

8

160

42

19137

19134

19133

29

19125

25

19104

12

19106

OPIOIDS & OVERDOSES: THE KENSINGTON AND PORT RICHMOND ZIP CODE, 19134, HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF OVERDOSE DEATHS OUT OF ANY ZIP CODE IN PHILADELPHIA

THE PARTICIPANTS: TODAY KENSINGTON IS A DESTINATION FOR HEROIN USERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MANY

RURAL COUNTIES ARE AT 20.0 PER 100,000

OF WHICH SPEND YEARS LIVING BOTH ON AND OFF THE STREETS OVERDOSE DEATHS PER 100,000 PEOPLE NAME OF CITY

58

19148

FACTS ON DRUG USE: TODAY KENSINGTON HAS SOME OF THE CHEAPEST AND PUREST HEROIN IN THE COUNTRY AND USE OCCURS DIRECTLY ON THE STREETS FOR EVERYONE TO WITNESS TOTAL OVERDOSES IN 2018

ZIP CODE

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES, WHAT’S THE PURPOSE? AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE (OPS) IS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS ARE PROVIDED WITH STERILE EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL OVERSIGHT AND OVERDOSE-REVERSAL MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY ON HAND IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. BENEFITS OF AN OPS INCLUDE REDUCING PUBLIC DISORDER & PUBLIC INJECTION WHILE INCREASE PUBLIC SAFETY, REDUCING HIV & HEPATITIS C RISK BEHAVIOR, AND SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE ON-SITE OVERDOSES WHICH REDUCE DRUG OVERDOSE RATES. PROMOTE LONG-TERM TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION THROUGH SERVICES OFFERED AND RELATIONSHIPS CREATED BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE IN PHILADELPHIA? THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE THE FIRST OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE IN THE UNITED STATES WITH AN ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS SAFEHOUSE. THIS YEAR IT WAS RULED THAT AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE WAS NOT AGAINST THE LAW, SAFEHOUSE MOVED TO QUICKLY OPEN AN OPS IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA BUT RECEIVED BACKLASH FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED BY THIS DECISION. THE OPS DID NOT OPEN AND SAFEHOUSE IS CURRENTLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY OF KENSINGTON. MANY PHILADELPHIANS ARE STILL IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO OPENING AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE, WITH AN ESTIMATED 50% DISAPPROVAL FROM ALL PHILADELPHIANS.

REINTERPRET

COUNTER ARGUMENTS RAISE ETHICAL CONSIDERATION, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, AND CONCERNS THAT THIS IS NOT THE BEST METHOD OF TREATMENT IT IS CONSIDERED UNETHICAL FOR DOCTORS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES. SAFE

SAFE INJECTION SITES ARE MORALLY AND LEGALLY WRONG TO ENCOURAGE INJECTION SITES HAVE AND ALLOW DRUG USE. SAFE INJECTION SITES WILL PROMOTE HIGHER LEVELS OF CRIME AND HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON DRUG DEALING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. NEIGHBORING COMMUNITITES. SAFE INJECTION SITES WILL BRING MORE DRUG USERS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

NOT IN MY BACKYARD.

DRUG USERS WILL HAVE A SENSE OF SECURITY WITH THE PRESENCE OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL, WHICH WILL LEAD TO MORAL HAZARDS IF INDIVIDUALS INCREASE THEIR DOSAGE.

SAFE INJECTION SITES ARE SOCIAL “BAND-AIDS” NOT CURES. DRUG USE WILL BE PROMOTED AT THE SITE. SAFE INJECTION SITES DO NOTHING TO DETER DRUG USE OR HELP DRUG ADDICTS. NORMALIZATION

OF DRUG USE WILL OCCUR IN THE NAME OF HARM REDUCTION. CRIME LEVELS WILL

INCREASE AROUND THE SITE.

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

WHAT’S AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL VIEW? THERE ARE VARIOUS ARCHITECTURAL PRECEDENTS FOR OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES ACROSS THE WORLD. ONE STANDING SIMILARITY BETWEEN MANY OF THESE INCLUDE HAVING COMMUNITY AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE. A SECOND CONCEPT IS A LINEAR APPROACH IN PLAN, WHERE A PERSON ENTERS AND CIRCULATES THROUGH ONE PATH, NEVER BACKTRACKING, AND ULTIMATELY EXISTING THE BUILDING THROUGH A DIFFERENT DOOR. A THIRD CONCEPT INCLUDES THE USE OF A NONDESCRIPT FACADE, WITH THE GOAL TO NOT BRING ATTENTION TO THE PURPOSE OF THE BUILDING.

SOURCE: “DRUG CONSUMPTION CENTER.” PLH. 2016. https://www.plh.dk/en/projects/drug-consumption-center/

REINTERPRET

H17 -COPENHAGEN

INSITE - VANCOUVER

H17 -COPENHAGEN

INSITE - VANCOUVER SOURCE: LEYLAND, HANNA. “INJECTING SPACE: A CULTURAL HISTORY AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE DRUG CONSUMPTION SPACE.” APRIL 2017.

2

NORWAY

5

DENMARK

2

12

FRANCE

SWITZERLAND

13

LIN EAR “NU DGI NG”

2

CANADA

24

GERMANY

SUMPTION CON

LUXEMBOURG

ERY RECOV POST CO MPTION NSU

31 NETHERLANDS VATION W R E S O1B ITH

1

AUSTRALIA

SPAIN

LOCATION: IN SETTINGS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC USE & TARGETED AT SUB-POPULATIONS OF USERS WITH LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES (E.G. THE HOMELESS OR SHELTERED)

CAFE

COMMUNITY

STORAGE

MEN T OFF ORING ICES &

& CAFE

AUXILARY

MEE

(SUPPORT)

(AWARENESS)

AUSTRALIAN SIF: HAS FOUND NO OVERALL LOSS OF PUBLIC AMENITIES, NO INCREASE OF CRIME, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY HAS ACCEPTED THE INJECTION SITE INITIATIVE

TING

AVERAGE O F 60

REST AREA

ENTRANCE

(POST-INJECTION)

RECEPTION

CHECK-IN

(PRE-INJECTION)

OBSERVATION

OFFI

PRE-INJECTION

H OFFERS C WHIC LIN

INJECTION

SUPPORT

STO RAG E

N

TIO MA

IC

CLIN

NURSES

BOOTHS

POST-INJECTION

CES

(INJECTION)

OR INF

SERVICES

ICAL

OOM ING R WAIT

REFERALL

COMMUNITY SPAC EA

OUNDATION HE F ST

RECOVERY

MIN U

NSITE AT I TES

OTHER

STATION

INJECTIO N

STA

KEY KEH TE

PUBLIC

INCREASE IN DRUG RELATED CRIMES (E.G. DRUG TRAFFICKING, ASSAULTS & ROBBERIES)

A

SOCMEOF N OPSs NUMBER IAL TORIN COUNTRY SER G & VIC ES

CRIME: NO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN FOUND TO SUGGEST OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE LEADS TO AN

V

S - OUTSIDERS ORITIE TRANSPARENCY - PAT H AUTH S GROUP S ECUR TS - DUAL V ITY DEN DIVI ESI TE - IN

RM

& SPACE EVENTORMATION INF ENTER C

HEALTH PROFESSIONA NTS - SS - OBSERVATION - LS - NEIG A P I C SAFETY HBO RTI PENNE - PU RHO : PA LINES - O S BLIC OD R T E H VS OLD S: SIG PRI R

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THIS INDUSTRIAL RAIL LINE? THE INDUSTRIAL RAILROAD HAS A LONG STANDING HISTORY IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. FIRST AS A PART OF THE READING RAILROAD, THIS LINE GREW TO BE THE LINE THAT SUPPORTED ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL FREIGHTING EXPORT LOCATIONS IN THE CITY. HOWEVER, WITH THE DECLINE OF INDUSTRY AND THE RAILROAD THE RESULT LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON THE STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING THIS RAIL LINE. TODAY THE RAILWAY SUPPORTS DANGEROUS INDUSTRIES THAT HARM NOT ONLY OUR ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO ARE A POTENTIAL DANGER TO THOSE LIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THESE INDUSTRIES IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AT ONE POINT THE CITY STREETS WERE ON GRADE WITH THE RAILROAD LINE, THIS IS NOT THE CASE TODAY. AROUND 1916 BRIDGES AND UNDERPASSES WERE BUILT IN ORDER TO HAVE THE CITY STREETS GO UNDERNEATH THE RAIL. THIS IN PARTICULAR HAD A LASTING IMPACT ON THE URBAN CONTEXT.

HOW DOES THE INDUSTRIAL RAILROAD RELATE TO THE EPIDEMIC? THERE IS A STANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RAILROAD AND THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN PHILADELPHIA. IN 2017 A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, REFEREED TO AS EL CAMPAMENTO WAS CLOSED DOWN

BY THE CITY. THIS AREA WAS KNOWN AS THE LARGEST OPEN-AIR NARCOTICS MARKET IN THE CITY. AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THIS ENCAMPMENT, INDIVIDUALS MOVED LIVE UNDERNEATH FOUR OF THE RAILROAD UNDERPASSES. IN 2018 THE CITY CLOSED DOWN THESE ENCAMPMENTS OF PEOPLE. MANY OF WHOM DISPERSED INTO THE STREETS, WHICH ULTIMATELY RAISES THE CHANCE OF A POTENTIAL OVERDOSE DEATH.

REINTERPRET

PHOTO CREDIT: STOCKBRIDGE, JEFFREY. UNDER THE 2ND STREET BRIDGE IN EL CAMPAMENTO. PHILADELPHIA.

PHOTO CREDIT: ROURKE, MATT. A COUPLE CARRY THEIR POSSESSIONS OUT AS POLICE MOVE IN TO CLEAR AN ENCAMPMENT IN PHILADELPHIA. PHILADELPHIA.

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

INITIAL PROCESS STUDIES THROUGH FORM AND IMAGE MAKING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THE PROCESS OF STUDYING THROUGH FORM AND IMAGE MAKING LED MUCH OF THE INITIAL DESIGN EXPLORATION. FIRST STUDIES INCLUDED LOOKING AT THE EXISTING SITE AND DETERMINING HOW TO HANDLE THE EXISTING RAILROAD. STUDIES INCLUDED SKETCHING AND MODEL MAKING THAT OBSERVED THE POTENTIAL STRATEGIES BEHIND TWO DIFFERENT DESIGNS - THE FIRST LOOKING TO WORK AROUND THE RAILROAD AND THE SECOND WHICH LOOKED TO REMOVE THE RAILROAD. THE DECISION BEHIND PICKING ONE DESIGN CONCEPT OVER ANOTHER WAS ULTIMATELY INFLUENCED BY THE EVIDENT DIVISION CREATED BY THE RAILROAD IN THE URBAN CONTEXT AS WELL AS THE HARMFUL AFFECTS THE RAILROAD HAS HAD ON PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS, ULTIMATELY THE DANGER OF THIS INDUSTRY LED TO THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE RAILROAD IN MY DESIGN CONCEPT. OTHER STUDIES INCLUDED STUDYING FORM THROUGH ABSTRACT ART AND MODEL MAKING.

PINCH POINTS

DIVIDED PROGRAM REINTERPRET

ABSTRACT SITE MODEL

PROCESS PARTI IMAGE

CONNECTIONS MODEL

CONNECTIONS MODEL

FINAL PARTI IMAGE AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

INFILLED GREENWAY

COMMUNITY PAVILIONS

KENSINGTON AVENUE

EXTERIOR ART INSTALLATION

HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER E LEHIGH AVENUE

COMMUNITY GARDENS COMMUNITY MARKET

MULTIPURPOSE GAME COURTS CONTINUOUS PUBLIC STREETSCAPE

PLAYGROUND

RECREATION CENTER

EMERALD STREET

PRIMARY SITE FOCUS OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE

PRIVATE OASIS GARDEN COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE

COMMUNITY CENTER WITH SERVICES ENUE ORD AV F K N A R F

MASTERPLAN BUILDING STUDY

REINTERPRET

MASTERPLAN LANDSCAPE STUDY

PROGRESS THROUGH THE DESIGN REVIEW AND TECHNICAL DESIGN REVIEW THE INITIAL DESIGN STUDIES LOOKED AT AN OVERALL MASTERPLAN WHICH HAD THE DESIGN INTENT TO RECLAIM AND RECONNECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THE RAILROAD AND THE AREA OF ELEVATED LAND KNOWN AS THE LEHIGH VIADUCT. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FOCUS THE SHIFT FROM STUDYING AN ENTIRE MASTERPLAN TO SPECIFICALLY DESIGNING THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE. THROUGH MODEL MAKING TWO FORMS WERE MADE, ONE A SIMPLE RECTANGULAR FORM THAT WAS INTERSECTED BY AN ABSTRACT FORM THAT BECAUSE KNOWN AS THE MONUMENT. THE STARTING CONCEPT OF THE MONUMENT BEGAN SIMPLY AS A FORM. IT BECAME IMPORTANT TO FIND PURPOSE AND MEANING WITHIN THE MONUMENT, AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BUILDING REACTS AS THE MONUMENT INTERSECTS IT.

OLIN IMAGE: ABERDEEN CITY GARDEN PROPOSAL, DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO & OLIN

IMAGE: PARCO DORA - LATZ+PARTNER

IMAGE: NATIONAL HOLOCAUST MONUMENT - STUDIO LIBESKIND

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

THE FINAL REVIEW DOCUMENTATION AND THE SITE AXONOMETRIC THE FINAL DESIGN CONCEPT IN PLACE WITHIN THE SITE LOOKS TO RECLAIM THE LAND TAKEN BY THE RAILROAD AND RECONNECT THE EXISTING CITY STREETS WITHIN THIS AREA OF PHILADELPHIA. A CONTINUOUS ELEVATED PATH CROSSES THROUGH THE SITE AND IS INTENDED TO EXTEND BEYOND, LEAVING THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE INTERVENTIONS. INTERSECTING PATHS ON GRADE WITH THE EXISTING STREET LEVEL LOOK TO CREATE DISTINCT ZONES WITHIN THIS NEW PUBLIC REALM. THESE PATHS ALSO LOOK TO RECONNECT THE EXISTING CITY STREETS. THE PATHS NOT ONLY CREATE DISTINCT ZONES BUT THEY ALSO HELP TO DEFINE THE EXTERIOR PROGRAM. IT IS INTENDED FOR THE AREA LOCATED ALONG LEHIGH AVENUE TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY MORE URBAN AND OPEN STREETSCAPE. IN CONTRAST TO THIS, THE AREA OF THE SITE CLOSET TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A DENSER LANDSCAPE. THIS NOT ONLY CREATES A BUFFER BETWEEN THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE BUT IT ALSO HELPS PROTECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE MORE PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT THAT IS INTRODUCED THROUGH THE ELEVATED PATH AND VARIOUS EXTERIOR PROGRAMS. THE LAST CONCEPT INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF THE HIGH SITE WALLS FOUND THROUGHOUT THIS AREA, WHICH HELPS TO CREATE A MORE POSITIVE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

SITE AXONOMETRIC

REINTERPRET

FEEDBACK, OBSERVATIONS AND REFLECTIONS FROM THE FINAL REVIEW MANY OF THE FINAL REFLECTIONS THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE YEAR PERTAIN TO THE SITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT. IN A PERFECT WORLD I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEDICATE MORE TIME TO THE OVERALL SITE, THAT BEING SAID MUCH OF MY FOCUS ON THE PROJECT WAS LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE BUILDING AND HOW IT REACTED TO THE MONUMENT INTERSECTION, A FORM WHICH TOOK WEEKS TO DEVELOP AND MANIPULATE. IT WAS EVIDENT IN THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT THE MOST UNDERDEVELOPED PORTION OF THE DESIGN WAS THE OVERALL SITE LANDSCAPE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT, A CRITICISM THAT I WAS FULLY IN AGREEMENT WITH. THE IMAGES IN THE NEXT PAGES IN SOME WAYS ARE LACKING SITE CONTEXT, YET ONE CHALLENGE WAS THINKING ABOUT THE SIZE OF GRAPHICS AND HOW THEY WERE PRESENTED FOR A FULLY DIGITAL PRESENTATION. THE FINAL PORTION OF FEEDBACK WAS THE OBSERVATION THAT MY PROJECT WOULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM HAVING A FINAL MODEL, SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY VALUABLE TO HAVE IF THE PRESENTATION HAD OCCURRED FACE TO FACE.

ELEVATED PATH

STREETSCAPE ALONG LEHIGH AVE SLOPED LANDSCAPE PLAYGROUND

THE MONUMENT INTERSECTION OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE CONNECTING STAIR PROTECTIVE LANDSCAPE

URBAN “OASIS” URBAN “FOREST”

SITE AXONOMETRIC DIAGRAM

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

FINAL REVIEW DOCUMENTATION AND THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT USER GROUPS AND VARYING ARCHITECTURAL EXPERIENCES THAT OCCUR WITHIN THE DESIGN, THE FIRST BEING THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE.

NORTH-WEST ELEVATION

THE OVERDOES PREVENTION SITE IS CHARACTERIZED BY A SITE WITH A DENSER LANDSCAPE THAT CREATES A PROTECTIVE BARRIER AROUND THIS HALF OF THE BUILDING. THIS BARRIER IS ALSO ACCOMPANIED

BY THE REINTERPRETATION OF THE EXISTING STONE WALLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY FOUND ON THE SITE. THESE STONE WALLS ARE MEANT TO BE REBUILT AND REINTERPRETED TO GO FROM AN EXISTING NEGATIVE CONNOTATION TO A POSITIVE CONNOTATION IN WHICH THEY LEAD SOMEONE AROUND THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE BUILDING AND OFFER A LAYER OF PROTECTION FROM JUDGMENT AND PRYING EYES. THIS IS CONCEPT OF PROTECTION IS CONTINUED BY THE USE OF A CONCEALED ENTRANCE, AS WELL AS THE USE OF ALUMINUM METAL PANELS THAT COMPLETELY REMOVE ANY VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING INWARD. THE USE OF METAL PANELS ALSO HELPS TO OBSCURE THE SURROUNDINGS AROUND THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE. WITHIN THE BUILDING A LINEAR PATH IS INTRODUCED THROUGH THE PROGRAM LAYOUT. THIS CREATES ONE FLOW OF MOVEMENT, WITH NO BACK TRACKING BY THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. AN INJECTION ROOM IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY ADDITIONAL SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE CLINICAL, COUNSELING AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE

FURTHERMORE THIS LINEAR PATH IS EMPHASIZED BY THE PRIMARY CIRCULATION OCCURRING ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS THE USE OF VARIOUS MATERIALS TO CREATE DISTINCTIONS WITHIN THESE PATHS COMMUNITY CONNECTOR CENTER

BUILDING PLAN REINTERPRET

BUILDING SECTION

EXTERIOR VIEW

OPS CLINIC ROOMS

STAFF AREA RECEPTION & WAITING

BACK OF HOUSE

COUNESELING & SUPPORT

SAFE INJECTION ROOM

BUILDING PLAN

INTERIOR VIEW AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

FINAL REVIEW DOCUMENTATION AND THE MONUMENT THE SECOND USER GROUP AND EXPERIENCE TAKEN IS THROUGH THE MONUMENT, WHICH IS WALKED BY SOMEONE WHO COULD BE CONSIDERED AN OUTSIDER, ONE WHO DOES NOT USE THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE FOR ITS PRIMARY FUNCTION.

SOUTH-EAST ELEVATION

THE MONUMENT IS INTENDED TO CONVEY AN EXPERIENCE, ONE THAT IS SPECIFIC TO HELPING AN OUTSIDER EMPATHIZE WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF SOMEONE FIGHTING AGAINST ADDICTION. THERE IS AN OPEN ENTRANCE TO THE MONUMENT, ONE THAT IN REALITY IS MISLEADING. THE TWO FORMS MADE OF CONCRETE AND STONE BEGIN TO CONVERGE TOGETHER, THESE FORCES BEGIN TO COMPRESS DOWN UPON YOU AS YOU WALK THROUGH THE MONUMENT. THE RESULT IS AN OVERWHELMING AND CONSTRAINING FEELING. WHEN THERE APPEARS TO BE NO END IN SITE THE CONSTRAINT LIFTS AWAY AND THE RESULT IS AN OPEN AND PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT. THE FORCES ALLEVIATE AND OPEN TO A COURTYARD THAT IS FILLED WITH HOPE AND UNDERSTANDING. THE STONE AND CONCRETE ARE REINTERPRETATIONS OF EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS. THE STONE REPRESENTS THE OLD IDEA AND MISCONCEPTION AND OUTSIDER HAS TOWARDS SOME STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION. THE CONCRETE THEN REPRESENTS THE IDEA OF A NEW UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY. THE CONCRETE IN EACH CASE ALWAYS EXTENDS PAST AND BREAKS THE STONE, STOPPING THE OLD INTERPRETATION IN ITS PLACE.

BUILDING PLAN REINTERPRET

EXTERIOR VIEW

EXTERIOR VIEW

EXTERIOR COURTYARD VIEW

INTERIOR VIEW AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION

FINAL REVIEW DOCUMENTATION AND THE MONUMENT INTERSECTION AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE BUILDING AND MONUMENT A REINTERPRETATION OF IDEAS OCCURS WITHIN THE BUILDING. THIS MANIFESTS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THE FIRST BEING A CHANGE IN PROGRAM, WHICH SHIFTS FROM THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE TO A COMMUNITY FOCUSED CENTER. THE NEXT CHANGE IS SEEN THROUGH THE ELEVATION WHICH SEES A REACTION OCCUR AT THE INTERSECTION, WHERE THE TOP MOST PLACE OF THE MONUMENT CREATES A TRANSITION BETWEEN THE METAL PANEL AND STRUCTURAL GLASS. DESPITE THE CHANGE HERE THE FACADE IS STILL UNIFIED, AND DEPENDING ON THE ANGLE IN WHICH YOU STAND, THE GLASS AND METAL PANEL BLEND SEAMLESSLY TOGETHER, GIVING THE APPEARANCE OF ONE ENTITY.

NORTH-EAST ELEVATION

ANOTHER REINTERPRETATION IS FOUND THROUGH STRUCTURE WHICH TRANSITIONS FROM CONCEALED TO REVEALED. CEILING HEIGHTS ALSO VARY, FROM FIRST BEING AT A TYPICAL HEIGHT AND MORE COMFORTING IN THE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE TO BEING OPEN AND LIFTED.

PRIVATE REFLECTION SPACE

FINALLY A SUNKEN GATHERING SPACE IS INTRODUCED AND SEEN THROUGH A REACTION IN PLAN, THE CONTINUOUS CORRIDOR IS DISRUPTED AND A NEW SPACE EMERGES. THE LAST CONCEPT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ARCHITECTURE STANDS AS A METAPHOR FOR THE IDEA OF REINTERPRETATION. INDIVIDUALS, OR PARTICIPANTS IN THE SITE, ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. THE PERCEPTION OF AN OUTSIDER IS REINTERPRETED TO ONE THAT IS BRIGHTER AND MORE UNDERSTANDING.

KITCHEN & LARGE GATHERING LIBRARY & COMPUTERS

DONATION & SERVICES

IT IS MY HOPE THAT THROUGH THE METAPHOR OF THIS DESIGN FOR REINTERPRETING EXISTING IDEAS THAT IN THE DESIGN THERE IS A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THIS SPACE.

BUILDING PLAN REINTERPRET

SECTION THROUGH MONUMENT 01

SECTION THROUGH MONUMENT 02

AN ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION