SAVANNAH A Map of Perceptions
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.� -Eliel Saarinen
Table Of Contents:
Project One: City Scale: Entry, Path and Place
Project Two: Ward Scale: Edge, District, Path, Node, and Landmark
Project Three: Building Scale: Plans, Elevations and Sections
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
Project One Contents City Scale:
A Study of Entry, Path and Place
Primary Entries at 1” : 1000’ Primary Pathways at 1” : 500’ Path Distillations at 1” : 500’ Cultural Pathway Civic Pathway Historical Pathway Recreational Pathway Walking Radius Presentation Board
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Primary Entries River Street Entry from Tugboat at Westin Hotel
Talmadge Memorial Bridge Entry
0
Oglethorpe Ave. Entry
As I entered into Savannah for the first time, I crossed over the Savannah River on the Tugboat Ferry which launched from the Westin Hotel. This showed me the picturesque skyline view of Savannah. This became my primary entryway as it was my first entryway. My secondary entryway is the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. This gives more of an aerial skyline view, which is still stunning. The third view I got of Savannah was after I crossed the bridge and entered into Savannah. I was greeted with the beautiful Spanish moss oak trees and historic buildings that make Savannah the unique city it is.
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
1000’
Primary Pathways
River street
Bull street
Broughton Street
Oglethorpe Ave.
0’
500’
The primary pathways within downtown Savannah are unique to each person’s perceptions of the city. For me, the four primary pathways are the streets that are most traveled and have the most significance in the city. These are River Street, Bull Street, Broughton Street, and Oglethorpe Avenue.
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Path Distillations
0’
500’
River Street Cultural Pathway
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0’
Oglethorpe Ave. Civic Pathway
500’
Bull Street Historical Pathway
500’
0’
500’
Broughton Street Recreational Pathway
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
River Street
Cultural Pathway
8
6 11
1
5 9
10 47
2 3
1. Savannah’s Riverboat Cruises 2. Savannah’s Candy Kitchen 3. Cotton Exchange 4. Wet Willies 5. River Street Sweets 6. Kevin Barry’s Irish Pub 7. Bernie’s on River Street 8. Live Wire Music Hall 9. The Warehouse 10. The Waving Lady Statue 11. Savannah Bee Company
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River Street is Savannah’s main cultural pathway. When Savannah was founded in 1733, River Street was the main port street. Today, River Street serves as a place where locals and tourists go to enjoy history, Savannah’s best sweets, and hit the town at night!
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
500’
Oglethorpe Ave. Civic Pathway
1. Consolidated Utilities Inc. 2. Savannah Fire Department 3. Jepson Center 9
8
3
4. Colonial Park Cemetery
2 1
5. Savannah Police Department 6. Housing Authority Of Savannah
5
7
6
4
10
7. Savannah Church of Christ 8. Juliette Gordon Low Federal Building 9. Savannah Commerce Building 10. Savannah Civic Center
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500’
Oglethorpe Avenue is Savannah’s civic street. Located on this Avenue are the Police Department, Fire Department, Federal Building, Commerce Building, Court House, and Cemetery. Without these vital departments, a city wouldn’t be able to function properly.
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Bull Street
Historical Pathway
9
1. Eliza Thompson House 2. Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace
10 3
6
11
3. Johnson Square 2 8
4. Mercer House
7 12
5. Savannah College of Art and Design 6. Christ Church 5
7. Savannah Board of Education 8. Independent Presbyterian Church
1 4
9. City Hall 10. U.S. Customs House
11. U.S. Marshals Service Office 12. Savannah Theatre
0’
500’
Bull street is known as the main street of Savannah. Before Savannah was founded, the Yamacraw Indians used the path that is now Bull Street as a trading route. Now located along Bull Street are many important historic buildings, Spanish Moss covered oak trees, and restaurants that Encompass what Savannah is all about. Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Broughton Street
Recreational Pathway
1. SCAD Theatre 2. Leopold’s Ice Cream 3. B and D’s Burgers 4. The Mirage 5. Civvie’s
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13 16 14
12 15 9
11 10
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7
5 6
4
2
1
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6. Starbucks 7. Panera Bread 8. Saigon 9. Paris Market 10. Sub-Zero Lounge 11. Banana Republic 12. Gap 13. Papillote 14. Urban Outfitters 15. Savannah Bee Company 16. La Berry 17. Marc by Marc Jacobs 0’
500’
Broughton Street is Savannah’s main recreational street. Bustling with Locals and Tourists during the day or night, people can find various stores for shopping, restaurants, two movie theatres, and a few clubs. Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Ten minute walking diameter Jasper ward - Madison Square
0’
500’
The ten minute walking diameter is a concept that is a fantastic feature of the Historic District in Savannah. The ten minute walking diameter states that from the center of the circle, an average person could walk five minutes in any direction and get to the edge of the circle. From any of the perimeters, that same person could walk ten minutes and be on the other side of the circle. This makes walking and biking an easy form of transportation to get anywhere one would need to go in the Historic District. Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
PROJECT ONE PRESENTATION BOARD H A N N i o n s ce t SAVpA p e c r Pla Of P e h and
“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context a chair in a room, a room in a house,
A M a f entry, pat udy o
a house in an environment,
A st
an environment in a city plan.” - Eliel Saarinen
CITY PLAN The historic city of Savannah is one of the best planned out cities in America. The downtown Historic District is laid out in a series of wards. In each of the wards, a square is placed in the center with two trust lots on the east and west sides. To complete the ward there are twenty tithing, or residential, lots on the north and south sides. This ward system was then repeated twenty-four times creating an easily accessible community that Savannah is known for.
MAJOR PATHWAYS WITHIN THE CITY Four major pathways in the Historic District represent different aspects of Savannah. River Street is a pathway that leads into the major port and is the heart of nightlife in Savannah. Bull Street is often referred to as the “main street” of Savannah, representing the beautiful squares, moss covered trees and churches that Savannah is most known for. Broughton Street is the recreational pathway. It provides various kinds of shops, restaurants, and activities to do all times of the day or night! Oglethorpe Avenue is a civic
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street where most of the important city buildings are located which keep the city up and running.
ENTRIES INTO THE CITY 0’
With countless entries into this captivating city, the river was the first entry point when this city was first founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe. Fittingly, this was also my entry point the first time I visited Savannah. The second and most common entry point is the crossing of the Talmadge Bridge, featuring breathtaking views of the skyline and deposits visitors onto Oglethorpe Avenue.
0 1000’
Draw 115 Graphics for the Building Arts Winter Quarter 2012 Ellie Isaacs Professor LaRaine Montgomery
Project Two Contents Ward Scale:
A Study of Edge, District, Node and Landmark
Site Plan 1 : 80 Black and White Site Plan 1 : 80 With Shadows Site Plan 1 : 80 Color Elevations 1 : 80 Diagrams Presentation Board
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Jasper Ward Site Plan Inked
Above is an inked site plan of Jasper Ward, otherwise known as Madison Square, located on Bull Street. From this view, one can see the overhead view of the ward. Meaning from this view, all that is visable are the roofs of the structures, tops of trees, as well as basic roads and sidewalks. Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Jasper Ward Site Plan
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
Jasper Ward Site Plan Color
Above is an inked site plan, with color, of Jasper Ward. The yellow represents the Green-Meldrim House, the house in the environment that I chose to focus on. The lighter shade of green represents the lower height of trees within the ward, and the darker shade of green represents the highest height of trees. Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Jasper Ward Elevations
These elevations are taken from the view represented on the section cut on the first inked site plan. The top elevation represents the foliage of the ward with the outline of the first view of buildings. The bottom elevation represents only the buildings seen at this vantage point of the ward.
Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
Jasper Ward Diagrams Much like the walls of a house, edge is the outer perimeter that defines the ward. The edges of Jasper Ward are: to the north West Liberty Street, to the south West Jones Street, to the east Drayton Street, and to the west Whitaker Street. Just like there are different zones for different areas of a house, district describes the different property zones in this ward. Jasper Ward includes Residential (white), Commercial (stripes), Civic or Institutional (black), and Mixed Use (CrossHatched). Pathways within a ward describe the traffic patterns through the ward from the primary to the quaternary. The primary pathway is Bull Street, the secondary pathways are West Harris Street and West Charlton Street, the tertiary pathway is East Macon Street, and the quaternary pathways are West Liberty Lane, and East and West Charlton Lanes. Nodes are areas within a ward where people congregate, much like the great room of a home. In Jasper Ward, there are three main nodes. Madison Square, St. John’s Church, and the Scottish Rite building. Landmarks of a ward are the specific places that come to mind when thinking of that particular ward; they are the focal points of the space. The four landmarks of Jasper Ward are the Scottish Rite building, SCAD’s Poetter Hall, St. John’s Church and the Green- Meldrim House. Draw 115 - Graphics for the building arts Ellie Isaacs Winter quarter 2012 Professor laraine Montgomery
PROJECT TWO PRESENTATION BOARD D R A W R E P JAS y of Edge, Disdtmriacrtk,
“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context a chair in a room, a room in a house,
A Stud de and Lan o Path, N
a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.” - Eliel Saarinen
Green -
Meldrim
House
Originally, the Green-Meldrim House was a residence built by John Norris in 1861. It is now the property of St. John’s Episcopal Church and is utilized today as a parish house and a museum. Located on the corner of Bull Street and West Harris Street, it is a classic example of the American Gothic Revival style but with a unique twist. The main entrance to the house is located on the south side to give the main parlors the beautiful views of the garden and church, rather then the square. The facade is elaborately decorated with cast iron. The entrance features three sets of doors, a heavy set of outer doors, a glass panel set for light, and a louvered set for ventilation. The second floor features oriel windows and a crenellated parapet to give the house a true Gothic look.
0’
EDGE Much like the walls of a house, edge is the outer perimeter that defines the ward. The edges of Jasper Ward are: to the north West Liberty Street, to the south West Jones Street, to the east Drayton Street, and to the west Whitaker Street.
DISTRICT Just like the different zones for different areas of a house, district describes the different property zones in this ward. Jasper Ward includes Residential, Commercial, Civic or Institutional, and Mixed Use, which is a mixture of two or more of these zones in one building.
PATHWAYS Pathways within a ward describe the traffic patterns to get around the ward, just like hallways to get to different rooms of a house. There are four different types of pathways in Jasper Ward, from the primary to the quaternary. The primary pathway is Bull Street, the secondary pathways are West Harris Street and West Charlton Street, the tertiary pathway is East Macon Street, and the quaternary pathways are West Liberty Lane, and East and West Charlton Lanes.
NODES Nodes are the areas within a ward where people congregate, much like the great room of a home. In Jasper Ward, there are three main nodes, Madison Square, St. John’s Church, and the Scottish Rite building.
LANDMARKS Landmarks of a ward are the specific places that come to mind when thinking of that particular ward; they are the focal points of the space. The four landmarks of Jasper Ward are the Scottish Rite building, SCAD’s Poetter Hall, St. John’s Church and the Green-Meldrim House.
Project Three Contents Building Scale: A study of Plans, Elevations and Sections Elevation of Green-Meldrim House 1:20 Elevation with Trees 1:20 Architectural Features of House 1:20 Floor plan of Green-Meldrim House 1:20 Organizational System Diagram 1:20 Formal Ordering Systems: Floor plan Formal Ordering Systems: Elevation Rendered Perspective of Exterior Isometric Drawing Presentation Board
Elevation of Green - Meldrim House
0’
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
5’
10’
20’
Green - Meldrim House The Green - Meldrim House of Madison Square was built by John Norris in 1850. The house was originally owned by cotton merchant and ship owner Charles green of England. Hoping to Save his home and Savannah from Destruction from the civil war union soldiers, Mr. Green offered up his home to General William T. Sherman and his army. It was during his time in Savannah, That General Sherman wrote his famous telegram to President Lincoln presenting to him a Christmas gift - the city of savannah. The house remained in the Green Family until 1892 when it was sold to judge peter meldrim. In 1943, the house became the property of St. John’s Episcopal Church. The former slave quarters and stables are now the rectory for the church and the house serves as a museum. IN 1976, the house became a National Historic Landmark.
Green - Meldrim House Landscape
The exterior landscape of the Green-Meldrim house is as unique as the house itself. What was once West Macon Street running through the lots between the house and the Episcopal Church, is now an English garden complete with a small fountain pool. There is also a connecting arcade between what is now the rectory and the church. The elaborate iron front entrance and front porch to the house are located on this side of the lot, giving the interior parlors a peaceful view. With blue hued slate slabs, A wide variety of Shrubs and trees, along with a shallow fountain pool, this completes the Simple, yet striking, garden.
Architectural Features of Green - Meldrim House The Green - Meldrim House is said to be the best example of the Gothic Revival Style of Architecture in the south. The Green - Meldrim House was the most expensive nineteenth century house in Savannah at the time it was built. The entrance greets you with an ornate ironwork double arch portico and one story front porch. The Entryway itself is quite unique with three sets of arched doors flanked by sidelights. The doors include a wooden outer set, a louvered set and a glass set. As one moves up the facade: long narrow windows on the first floor, oriel windows with three lobed clover foil on the second floor, drip molds on the second floor window hoods, a decorative cornice, battlements, paired and symmetrical chimneys, and an asymmetrical gabled roof identify this house as being Gothic revival.
UP
UP
Floor Plan of Green - Meldrim House
UP
0’
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
5’
10’
20’
Floor Plan of Green - Meldrim House The floor plan of the Green- Meldrim house has many gorgeous features unlike any other house in savannah. Starting at the entrance, one is greeted by three sets of doors. One wooden outer set, then a sliding louvered set for air ventilation, and finally a sliding glass set for light. Moving into the main hall, the curved marble and iron staircase is beautiful and topped with a glass dome. The top part of the dome could raise up, with the assistance of ninety-eight gas jets, to act as an air conditioner. The oriel windows have a unique feature as well. In the Interior, the windows were made into window seats with shutters to close them off to the rest of the room. This creates a little private nook for reading or children to play. The ceiling decoration and molding in the house is mostly made from a special form of paper mache. It is extremely intricate and delicate. All of the wood throughout the house is black walnut and stained to look like mahogany, the popular wood of the time.
UP
UP
Organizational System Diagram: Axial Clustered
UP
0’
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
5’
10’
20’
Organizational System Diagram: Axial Clustered
The Green Meldrim House is organized on an axial clustered system. Clustered means that all of the rooms are in a proportional rectangular or square shape, as accentuated by the heavy black line. Axial means that there is a cross shaped axis running through major hallways of the house, which is accentuated by the black dotted lines.
Formal Ordering Systems Floor plan of Green - Meldrim House
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
Formal Ordering Systems Floor plan Parti:
The parti represents the rooms of the house that the rest of the floor plan is based off of. The two hallways shown are the main walkways to get from room to room in the house.
Geometry:
The Geometry of the house represents the shapes that the rooms form and whether or not they create a golden ratio. I found that the Green - Meldrim house has one golden ratio and is made up of proportional squares.
Proportion:
Proportion refers to the commonalities in the shapes of the rooms. In the GreenMeldrim house the floor plan is made up of proportional squares or rectangles.
Circulation to Use:
Circulation to use represents how one would flow through the floor plan to get around the rooms.
Hierarchy:
Hierarchy refers to the importance of the rooms in the floor plan. I chose to show that the main parlors are the primary, the hallways are the secondary, and the once slave quarters as the tertiary.
Formal Ordering Systems Elevation of Green - Meldrim House
Draw 115 - Graphics for the Building Arts Ellie Isaacs Winter Quarter 2012 Professor LaRaine Montgomery
Formal Ordering Systems Elevation Parti:
The parti represents the entrances of the house that the rest of the exterior is based off of. The two entrances shown are the main entrances to get into the house.
Geometry:
The Geometry of the house represents the shapes that the exterior forms and whether or not they create a golden ratio. I found that the Green - Meldrim house has one golden ratio and is made up of proportional squares or rectangles.
Proportion:
Proportion refers to the commonalities in the shape of the exterior. In the GreenMeldrim house the exterior is made up of proportional squares or rectangles.
Circulation to Use:
Circulation to use represents how one would get into the house from the exterior.
Hierarchy:
Hierarchy refers to the importance of the windows and doors to the exterior. I chose to show that the main entrances are the primary, the windows of the main house are the secondary, and the once slave quarters windows as the tertiary.
PROJECT Three PRESENTATION BOARD m i r d l e M n e Gre e s u o H of
“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context a chair in a room,
a room in a house,
y s A Stud nd Section a ations v e l E , Plans
a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.”
- Eliel Saarinen The Green - Meldrim House was the most expensive nineteenth century house in Savannah at the time it was built. The floor plan of the Green- Meldrim house has many gorgeous features unlike any other house in savannah. Starting at the entrance, one is greeted by three sets of doors. One wooden outer set, then a sliding louvered set for air ventilation, and finally a sliding glass set for light. Moving into the main hall, the curved marble and iron staircase is beautiful and topped with a glass dome. The top part of the dome could raise up, with the assistance of ninety-eight gas jets, to act as an air conditioner. The oriel windows have a unique feature as well. In the Interior, the windows were made into window seats with shutters to close them off to the rest of the room. This creates a little private nook for reading or children to play.
The Green Meldrim House is organized on an axial clustered system. Clustered means that all of the rooms are in a proportional rectangular or square shape, as accentuated by the heavy black line. Axial means that there is a cross shaped axis running through major hallways of the house, which is accentuated by the black dotted lines.
UP
UP
UP
The ceiling decoration and molding in the house is mostly made from a special form of paper mache. It is extremely intricate and delicate. All of the wood throughout the house is black walnut and stained to look like mahogany, the popular wood of the time.
0’
5’
10’
20’
Parti:
The parti represents the rooms of the house that the rest of the floor plan is based off of. The two hallways shown are the main walkways to get from room to room in the house.
Geometry:
The Geometry of the house represents the shapes that the rooms form and whether or not they create a golden ratio. I found that the Green - Meldrim house has one golden ratio and is made up of proportional squares.
Proportion:
Proportion refers to the commonalities in the shapes of the rooms. In the Green-Meldrim house the floor plan is made up of proportional squares or rectangles.
Circulation to Use:
Circulation to use represents how one would flow through the floor plan to get around the rooms.
Hierarchy:
Hierarchy refers to the importance of the rooms in the floor plan. I chose to show that the main parlors are the primary, the hallways are the secondary, and