Visions: A new Public Space at the Basilica of St. Lawrence

Visions

A New Public Space at the Basilica of St. Lawrence Clemson University School of Architecture Professors Ersoy and Hecker

MAPPING ANALYSIS 05

DESIGN PROPOSALS 47

APPENDIX 184

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03

MAPPING ANALYSIS 05

SITE

275 0

BASE MAP - CITY SCALE 06

550

1100

SITE

125 0

BASE MAP - SITE SCALE

N

250

500

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2190’ 2180’

2210

’

2210’

2240’

0’

223

2210’

’

80

21

2150

’

275

08

0

TOPOGRAPHY MAP - CONTOUR EVERY 05’

550

1100

’ 75 21

2200

’

’

00

2240’

222 5

’

222

5’

22

2200’

125 0

TOPOGRAPHY MAP - CONTOUR EVERY 01’

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250

500

09

10

11

12

13

275

14

0

BUILDING HEIGHT - CITY SCALE

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550

1100

1-3 4-5 6+

125 0

BUILDING HEIGHT - SITE SCALE

N

250

500

15

CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICT RESIDENTIAL MULTI-FAMILY MEDIUM DENSITY NEIGHBORHOOD COORIDOR DISTRICT OFFICE DISTRICT NOT ZONED

275

ZONING DISTRICTS - CITY SCALE

0

16

550

1100

RETAIL/COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL RETAIL+RESIDENTIAL RETAIL+OFFICE RETAIL+OFFICE+RESIDENTIAL CIVIC PARKING STRUCTURE GREEN SPACE

125 0

BUILDING TYPE

N

250

500

17

>85% 70% - 85% 50% - 70% <50 %

275

WEEKDAY PARKING OCCUPANCY - CITY SCALE

0

18

550

1100

>85% 70% - 85% 50% - 70% <50%

125 0

WEEKDAY PARKING OCCUPANCY- SITE SCALE

N

250

500

19

20

WALL ST.

GROVE ARCADE

HAYWOOD ST.

N. PACK SQUARE

REUTER TERRACE

DOWN TOWN SQUARE

EXTERIOR

PARKS/PLAZAS/SQUARES

INTERIOR

PRITCHARD PARK

STOREFRONTS

275 0

TYPES OF URBAN SPACES DOWNTOWN

N

550

1100

21

22

23

125 0

24

250

500

ABCCM

CENTER OF HOPE EMERGENCY LODGE

HOMEWARD BOUND

BELOVED ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE COMMUNITY

TRINITY PLACE: RUNAWAY & HOMELESS YOUTH SHELTER

275

HOMELESS SHELTERS - CITY SCALE

N

550

1100

25

225

FLORA MAP - CITY SCALE

0

26

550

1100

HONEY LOCUST

BALD CYPRESS

SWEET GUM

RED MAPLE

MAIDENHAIR

MISC TREES

?

JAPANESE ZELKOVA

SYCAMORE

125 0

TREE TYPES - SITE SCALE

N

250

500

27

275

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ACTIVITY LEVELS - CITY SCALE

550

1100

residential

church

civic center library

park musuem

theatre

retail

hotel restaurant

5 pm

12 pm

8 am

12 am

government

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275

ASHEVILLE |STREET DIRECTIONS

ONE WAY STREETS

TWO WAY STREETS

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30

550

1100

125

ONE WAY STREETS

TWO WAY STREETS

0

ASHEVILLE |STREET DIRECTIONS

N

250

500

31

To Klondyke

To Grove Park Inn 275

STOPS

ART TRANSIT CENTER

OTHER ROUTES

0

32

ASHEVILLE | N BUS ROUTE

550

1100

To Klondyke

To Grove Park Inn

125

STOPS

OTHER ROUTES

0

ASHEVILLE | N BUS ROUTE

N

250

500

33

275

ASHEVILLE |BIKE PATHS

HISTORIC BIKE LOOP

BIKE LANES

BIKE ROUTES

0

34

550

1100

125

HISTORIC BIKE LOOP

BIKE LANES

BIKE ROUTES

0

ASHEVILLE |BIKE PATHS

N

250

500

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275

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0

ASHEVILLE | FOOTPATH

550

1100

125 0

ASHEVILLE | FOOTPATH

N

250

500

37

nashville | tn knoxville | tn raleigh | nc

asheville | nc charlotte | nc greenville | sc

birmingham| al

atlanta | ga

charleston | sc

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LOCAL METROPOLIS LINKS - REGIONAL SCALE

yearly

EVENTS - ASHEVILLE CITY LIMITS

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winter

bluegrass festival

farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market

biltmore estate + gardens

EVENTS - ASHEVILLE CITY LIMITS 40

fringe arts festival

spring french broad river festival LEAF festival black mountain | nc

montford music + arts festival mountain sports festival asheville tourists

socon basketball tournament amadeus festival

farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market

biltmore estate + gardens

after 5 concert

drum circle

beer city festival

orchid festival nc arboretum

N

EVENTS - ASHEVILLE CITY LIMITS 41

summer

percussion festival

asheville tourists

after 5 concert

farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market

art in the park

biltmore estate + gardens

concerts on the creek sylva | nc

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EVENTS - ASHEVILLE CITY LIMITS

fall

apple orchards

asheville tourists

farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market art in the park

biltmore estate + gardens

concerts on the creek sylva | nc

nc state fair asheville airport

EVENTS - ASHEVILLE CITY LIMITS

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new york | ny

detroit | mi chicago | il

philadelphia | pn

indianapolis | in

columbus | oh

washington d.c.

richmond | va

louisville | ky

raleigh | nc nashville | tn

asheville | nc atlantic ocean atlanta | ga charleston | sc

2000 - 5000 ft

tampa | fl

1000 - 2000 ft

gulf of mexico

500 - 1000 ft miami | fl

0 - 500 ft appalachia boundary

GEOGRAHPIC LINKS - REGIONAL SCALE

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DESIGN PROPOSALS 47

Diego Bazzani & Eric Bell

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Asheville is a city of texture. It is a highly faceted city - diverse in its variety of spaces, textures, and pathways. Its terrain folds and sweeps along underneath neatly-rolled-out streets and loose-hewn cobblestone sidewalks. Because of its particular spatial and textural diversity, Asheville is very much like a quilt.

This project explores these ideas. How can the site be enriched?

How can the idea of Asheville be condensed into a space where people can relax and play? Using irregular formal strategies and surface treatments, this project attempts to present a new and better alternative; a park of Asheville, for Asheville.

The texture of the city is varied, both in material and pacing/ Our design preserves Haywood Street and reroutes Page Ave. Haywood street would be operated with a time-based strategy in which motor hours during the week, or special events. The usage of texture is important for creating a spatial continuity across Haywood Street, which would encourage pedestrians to cross and to explore the area that is currently an urban dead-zone. traffic would be shut off from the area for the weekends, peak pedestrian.

To create this, a material strategy is applied to bridge spaces that would otherwise not be contiguous. The change of materials for both pedestrian paths and streets changes the pace of movement through the interstitial spaces. Our design attempts to weaken the border vacuum effect by weaving paths through the site, activating the border and encouraging movement throughout. Movement for both individuals and small groups is recognized, to give the site intention for both visitors and residents alike.

Like the many pocketed spaces of Asheville, our design aims to create the same spatial variety within the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core. Our masses have strong exterior facades to empashize the notion of the outdoor room. Each of the masses has tucked away a hidden space, one more secluded and more appropriate for smaller gatherings. The large central space facilitates movement through the masses, from the public plaza to the semi-public plazas. Within the plaza space, pathways and urban furniture separate spaces with different programmatic suggestions.

Slight level changes encourage views past the immediate site and towards the surrounding landscape.

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At its core, the park is designed to be both simple and efficient In response to the needs of the everyday commuter, one of the first decisions made was to include a “fasttrack,” a semi-soft rubberized track that cuts through the site in the fastest route possible. It is a space that the commuter can enjoy, while maximizing their efficiency.

For the tourist? For the family picnic? The park is designed to have a wide variety of interior spaces, separated from the fast-track by a lighter material, where people can relax and play. The spatial variety allows each person to find a place to call their own; one that they prefer over all others. The complex spatial strategies used here are a way to activate each space as much as possible.

Along those lines, the pathway is designed to increase the activation of each space. As pictured on the following pages, our strategy involved identifying the major axes that run through the site, and then disintegrating the continuity through and across it. To do this, we took all of the major axes (and long straightaways) and broke them up - either by intersecting them with another path or re-routing the path such that each straight section was terminated by a resulting “activated itermediary zone.” In most cases, these zones are represented by a lighter paving material.

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Almost every pathway in the park has a terminus - a place where the users must either re-route themselves or continue onwards into any enclosed space (pictured left, in red). By doing this, the park begins to lose its strictly-organized (and sterile) structure, and users feel more encouraged to explore. In doing so, they might find their favorite space. They might realize that different spaces are better suited for different activities.

The spaces were organized based on the fast-track (the fastest possible routes through the site). Many of the spaces directly adjacent to the fast-track (pictured below, in red) are zones that allow, and even encourage, free movement through the park. In contrast, zones that are set apart from the fast-track encourage pause and relaxation, like the tree-populated northwest corner of the site.

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Pictured left: Plan view of Immediate Site Model.

The models served as explorations of both material relationships and slight topographical alterations. Slightly raising zones above grade, or recessing them into the ground plane, gives the zones significance as moments of pause and gathering, off of the movement paths. The material strategy applied to the site was further investigated through the models to see how individual paths would connect points of interest in the surrounding site.

Pictured below: Path View of Section Model.

The section model served to determine paths across the immediate site and examine how a pedestrian would really interact with the topographical changes and materiality of the path. Our zones of respite are raised above the movement paths, and given a texture with less give, making it difficult to travel across quickly. Our determined paths of movement are given a material with some give to encourage a faster pace across the track.

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This design entertains the idea of a time-based strategy to lend additional continuity to the park during certain times of the day, week, or month.

In order to accomodate the large volume of people coming from the Basilica of St. Lawrence, the Civic Center, and the Grove Arcade, our design includes a temporal strategy to give the entirety of the park to the pedestrian, while closing off the bisecting road from vehicle traffic.

Pictured left: A normal weekday during rush hour.

There is a great deal of vehicle traffic running through and around the site. At times like this, the park will be given primarily to vehicles, as there would not likely be many pedestrians.

Pictured right: A busy weekend in downtown Asheville.

There is a wedding at the Basilica and a large crowd is to be expected. At times like these, the street bisecting the park (called New Street, for sake of ease) can be shut down to allow seamless pedestrian flow across. The park is designed such that the street can go from semi-permeable to completely permeable.

In reference to material strategy, the materials were chosen with little to no regard for the street; even the ground pretends it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there.

While car traffic is directed with subtle cues (i.e. hard textural edges, bollards, traffic lights), the space ultimately belongs to the pedestrian, independent of the presence of cars and buses.

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activating atmospherics an approach embracing Ashevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique topography while engaging the changes of the weather and the seasons

Colin Bland & John Owens

model image boundaries Use Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s layout (right) as a reference Image does not need to be same angle, just fit within the bounday Delete boundary boxes Use text samples given for Title and project text

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The focal void crafted from existing structures and the implementation of new commercial and residential development is aiming to create different sensory experiences year-round. The design aims at encouraging visitation multiple times a year, giving visitors a different phenomenological experience each time they visit. Ashevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s atmospherics will be engaged through the emphasis of verticality in the interventions. By expressing the project in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;zâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dimension we will activate the visual experience and create moments where voids and structure can begin to interact with the changing atmospheric conditions. Voids carved in the platform will interact with changes in solar orientation while also accommodating the verticality of trees. The experience of seeing a tree ten feet up will vary from interacting with a trunk on the ground level. The open void suggested through the built environment can provide the enjoyment of sledding during the winter and an area for children to play on during the summer. Spaces for passive enjoyment will be created through the architecture as both areas of shade and sunlight produce areas for seating and congregation. Open areas will facilitate barbeques and food-stand enjoyment in the summer while accommodating festivals in the fall.

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FLORA MAP 60

SITE

EXISTING FIGURE GROUND

PROPOSED FIGURE GROUND

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Vehicular Traffic Pedestrian Traffic

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The existing conditions provided an opportunity to introduce more flora into the site while simultaneously addressing the circulation issues surrounding the area. The topography of the area of study allowed for an intervention that morphed out of the steep hills and capitalized on the twenty foot change of elevation from Battery Park down to the Civic Center.

The proposed location of the masses creates ample space for commercial and residential development. The strategic locations of the development completes the connection from Haywood to the Grove Arcade and pulls pedestrians around the street to force the visual connection to St. Lawrence Basilica.

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Handrail System

Inhabitable Elevated Platform

Structural System

Stairs Commercial Development

Civic Development

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Elevation Changes in Section

Opportunities for Flora Introduction in Section

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SITE PLAN

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Vertical Circulation

Entry from Haywood

Approach from Arcade

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Year-Round Atmospheric Engagement

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Yage Chen

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EDGES MIKE CRIDER & MARIA MESA

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Walking up to the Basilica of Saint Lawrence is a moving experience from all directions. Although obscured by certain features of the surrounding buildings, it stands out through its magnitude. The way it sits up gracefully on the topography gives this structure a special hierarchy. As a team we are dedicating our time to design new landscaped plazas for the Basilica in order to benefit the community and urban context as a whole. Currently when you walk out of the Basilica you feel claustrophobic because you have a very small space between the road and the sidewalks. It is our main goal to create a place for our residents and visitors to congregate outside and around the church so as to maintain the idea that you are still part of that sanctuary when you are outside of the church. To do this we plan to connect the community and its visitors back to the two main arteries of access to the basilica through special plazas, specifically three. Each of these plazas will create different experiences, One being more secluded and intimate, another being more active and vivid, and the other being more open and welcoming. Maintaining the axis of Page Street and Haywood Street will connect the basilica back to the city and revamp the urban space. The shape of the new buildings will open up to the Basilica and will lead people up to the new open gathering spaces to and from the church. Keeping Haywood from crossing in front of the church will allow visitors to congregate directly out front, but people will still be able to get dropped off in front of the church for services and special occasions if need be. These new open spaces will create different moments for each person that steps through, sits, or moves around them. As a way to improve the quality of life for current residents of the area, the site will be able to meet between these new added structures and new spaces together as a way to improve the quality of life in the area. The “pit of despair” will become the “pit of opportunities.”

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Figure Ground

Greenery

Topography ’ 75 21

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Preexisting Conditions We Wanted To Incorporate Into Our Project

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Site Plan 85

Section Cut A

Section Cut B

Section Perspective

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1/8”:1’ Section Model

1/4”:1’ Section Model

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Birds Eye Rendering

Exploded Axond of Structure for Proposed Building

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Initial Concept COllage

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RENDERINGS

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Cascade + Rediscovery Grant Poteat | Travis Dale

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Our goal for this project is to give the Basilica of St. Lawrence a large public space immediately to the front of it, which it currently does not have and we feel it deserves. This public space would be something that the city of Asheville as a whole also currently does not have, as it would serve to combine the openness of Pack Square with the activity and accessibility of Pritchard Park, into one public space.

In addition, our goal is to revitalize the area around the basilica, the civic center, and the grove arcade, as the area has become a dead end for tourists and Ashevillians alike. We feel that Asheville as a whole, and the site in particular, is in need of such a revitalization.

In order to accomplish this, we have created five masses, all positioned with a complementary relationship to the basilica. These masses not only highlight the basilica, but also create spaces. They create a large open space in front of the basilica,which is the location of a new open space with a monumental stair that cascades from the Battery Park to the Basilica.

The smaller masses on the edge of the stairs would serve as local vendor stalls where one could sell local art, local produce, or whatever they would like. These vendor areas would be accessed by new roads that we would put in place. We hope that with our design, the area will see the revitalization that it deserves.

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New Additions

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New Pedestrian Pathways

New Car Circulation

New Pedestrian Circulation

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Axon view of staircase

Exploded view of staircase

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promenade + pause Jess Dancer

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How do pedestrians move through the urban network? Is it the direct connection between the cafe and the library? Or is it the back door exit through an alleyway to the local park bench? Such passages can vary between highly visible and often travelled to more conspicuous, personal routes. Time must also be taken into consideration--is the pace hurried and direct or slow and meandering?

This design explores the pedestrian pulse by creating a direct means of access from east to west with points of repose in the north/south direction. These juxtaposing motions of travel provide distinct perspectives of the surrounding site. The east/west direction provides views of the mountains while the north/south direction provides views of the basilica and back towards the rest of the city.

A series of typological conditions are sequenced together to enhance the journey of the pedestrian through the site. The spatial joints of the rooms are integrated together with the formal joints of the walls to create a variety of unique spaces. Some of these areas are programmed, such as an outdoor seating area for users. Other areas are more vague to allow the users to create their own programs, such as the elevated terraced green space that has views of the entire site and mountains beyond but whose use is open to the imagination of the user.

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stepped topography The topography allows the user a range of perspectives across the site, while walls are specifically placed to obscure views until a particular line of sight is desired. The massing is specifically designed to wrap the site and provide the â&#x20AC;&#x153;outer wallâ&#x20AC;? that binds the design together, cementing the form into this particular spot of the city.

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pedestrian pulse The site serves as a collection of gathering spaces whose versatility + materiality allow for multiple programs and functions to occur over the course of a day, week, etc.

SATURDAY_AFTERNOON

SUNDAY_MORNING TUESDAY_EVENING

THURSDAY_EVENING

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WALL_SCULPTURE

Perforated steel walls glow at night to help lighten the space.

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T EE TR DS OO YW HA

WALL_FRAME

Serves as a threshold to enter spaces.

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AC PL ILT RB

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UARE

LE SQ

WALL_FURNITURE

Becomes seating + table space

UE AVEN PAGE

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BATT

WALL_GARDEN

Plantings divide space in a transparent manner

materiality

Program becomes the direct consequence of materiality.

Walls + ground treatments signal time spent + activities engaged within the spaces. A mix of concrete, rock, wood and metal help to define these zones.

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narrative spaces

Quick travel along a defined path blurs spaces together, while a meandering pace creates vibrant, individual snapshots of specific spatial experiences.

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WALL_METAL

WALL_WOOD

paths of motion The site is split into two axis: a direct means of access from east to west is juxtaposed with points of repose in the north + south direction.

WALL_CONCRETE 109

View looking south from above basilica showing the linear directionality of the design and the large pause spaces.

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View looking north toward basilica.New massing is added next to the Battery Park Apartments to supplement retail program.

model studies

View looking west across the site at the entrance directly across from the civic center showing the concrete and wood materiality.

View looking west across the site from the entrance across from Hotel Indigo, connecting the two parts of the city together.

View looking north toward basilica. Layered topography as well as the spatial walls divide the site into smaller, more accessible spaces.

Section model through the site starting at the basilica and ending with the new massing at the opposite edge of the site. The spaces throughout the stepped topography are definied by walls as well as materiality.

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communal spaces Engaging moments between users and their environment allow for unique encounters and activities to take place throughout the site.

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/â&#x20AC;&#x2122;esker/ noun A long ridge of gravel and other sediment, typically having a winding course, deposited by meltwater from retreating glacier or ice sheet.

Lauren Grzibowski

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Spaces change over different scales of time. How does a plaza, a city, and a building change at the scale of lifetime, a seasonal scale, and at the scale of a single day? This landscape will function as a tool to frame Asheville at its different times. If we could carbon date the features of Asheville we would recognize that the Blue Ridge Mountains, where the city is nestled, has existing for over 1.1 billions years, slowly being shaped and weathered overtime to create the sloping curves we see today. The city itself has only existed for 224 years, miniscule in comparison to the mountains. The Basilica of St. Lawrence, only 112 years. A growing city is always morphing itself to new generations and ideas, but what things will always remain the same. What can be preserved and what is out of our control?

The new urban plaza will act as a tool to frame the views of Asheville at these varying scales of time. The weathered mountains, the Basilica of St. Lawrence, and views to the ever changing city of Asheville. How will these views look in 100 years? How will the architecture function in 100 years? This site will address the changes the will happen within the scale of a generation, season, and single day. The plaza will consist of a series of berms rippling through the spaces creating an interactive, touchable landscape to walk, ride, run, skate, or climb your way through. These berms function at different scales. A 6” berm can act as a step, a 3’ berm as a place to sit, a 6’ berm as a space divider between people, and a 12’ berm as an object to overcome to achieve a new vantage point. They speak the same language as the mountains, softly curving and gracefully aging as they weather overtime. The clay cladded berms will slowly erode over time, a person’s favorite spot to sit and have lunch will slowly erode with constant use, allowing the user to leave their mark on the landscape. These berms slowly change at the scale of a generation. The earthen berms, however, are much more malleable, they grow and receded with the season, becoming soft on rainy days and sprouting new species each spring. These berms will also be canopied by series of trees placed on a rigid grid. Though the grid in plan will remain unchanged over time, the trees will grow in elevation, constantly changing the landscape underneath. The valleys of these berms also serve a water collection function, pooling water together to create playful water features scattered throughout the plaza.

Taking advantage of the proximity to an iconic Guastavino dome, some of these berms will be occupiable. Different caverns can serve different purposes; some may act as small group gathering spaces or spaces of worship while others, that are more open, can act as larger features such as half pipes and curves for skating or biking. Large concrete ambiguous masses will also exist onsite; these buildings are intended to outlast the fickle static architecture of most cities. They will be intended for their function over 100 years, through indistinct form and the longevity of their materiality. They will act as a monument framing the mountains.

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SITE PLAN

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EXISTING SITE PLAN

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CONCEPT DIAGRAMS

SITE SECTION 118

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VIEWS

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JUNE 2070 2017

2017

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2120

OCTOBER 2017

2067

12:00 PM

DECEMBER 2017 9:00 PM

2117

10:00 pm

12:00 pm

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revitalizing the vault Brittany Lapple & Sarah Pine

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When we were first given the site we noticed the area was lacking in two major ways. Firstly, it was disappointing the public but failing to fulfill its potential as a pedestrian circulation route from Haywood to the Grove. It lacked the visual interest to continue walking that way, it lacked an attraction to make it worth the walk, and it lacked safe moments of pause to the path to give pedestrians a place to stop along the way. Secondly, it was letting the basilica down by not recognizing its significance in the city and allowing vehicular traffic to takeover the front.

So how to approach the redesigning of such a space? We turned to the most prominent factor of the site for inspiration, the basilica. Besides the religious importance, it is also an impressive architectural display. We chose to draw from the dome in both shape and construction .

The basilica was made a focal point, both figuratively and literally. Figuratively speaking, the large courtyard isolates the basilica and protects it from future development. It gives it the space to be a focal point of the city. The proposed masses, whatever they may become in the future do not enter the courtyard and thus cannot intrude on the basilica. By giving it the space that it deserves, the community has the room it needs in order to admire such a structure. Literally speaking, the geometry of the courtyard, the offset ellipse, came to be by making Guastavinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resting place within the basilica our first focal point, and the second was pointed in the direction of his birthplace.

The vaults act as a semipermeable boundary that activates the whole edge condition creating thresholds and allowing views to be directed for those who walk through them. They are quite literally framing the basilica, while the pores filter in the main pedestrian arteries of the city.

For the public we have tried to design a courtyard that serves as a place for outdoor activities and has series of spaces for moments of pause for outdoor leisure. For the basilica, we tried to design a space that pays proper respect to its history, marks its space out in the city, and gives it its own private space.

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Collage of Guastavino sketches accompanied by photographs taken during construction.

Example of vault generated by Rhinovault software.

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vault diagrams

The historic Guastavino vault has been reimagined as this organic and less rigid structure through the use of new technologies. Software created at MIT allows a form diagram and a force diagram to be meshed together three dimensionally in order to generate a entirely self supporting vault, reminiscent of those created by Guastavino himself. The notable difference is the variety of geometries that are now possible. Using a series of precedent studies and collages, the geometries of the vaults used began to be established. The needs of the public and possible uses of the vaults were the main deciding factors in the vaults shapes and locations. They are multifunctional; they can be walked on top of as well as below, they can be sat on, laid under, or used as a seat. The landscaping became important to the logistics of the site. While the placement may seem random, the gardens act as a buffer. They direct traffic, as well as tell people where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re allowed and where they are not.

vault photographs

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site plan

site model

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sections

perspective rendering

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BATTERY MOUNTAIN PARK WILLIAM MATHIS

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The site at the intersection of Haywood and Page offers a unique opportunity to connect the pedestrian circulation of the city of Asheville like never before. The site is a nexus of history and culture. Adjacent to the site are the historic St. Lawrence Basilica, Grove Arcade, Vanderbilt Apartments, Battery Park Apartments, the Civic Center, and the Pack Library. The site, currently vacant, holds the potential to connect these major locations with the pedestrian circulation of downtown, and bring together the people of Asheville.

At the same time, this site is recognized as the highest point within the natural elevation of Asheville, and holds special significance to the history and culture of the townspeople. The site was previously the top of a mountain, a public park, and now finally an empty pit. By addressing the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage, a deeper connection with the city and people of Asheville can be assured.

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Paths and Desitnations

Site Axis Grid

Vegitation

Site Axis Grid with Intervention

PROBLEMS WITH SOLUTION

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1 Entry from Haywood St

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2 Entry from Basilica

3 Entry from Page Ave

ACCESS AND VIGNETTES

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RENDERINGS

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RENDERINGS

SECTIONS

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MODEL PHOTOS 150

MODEL PHOTOS 151

cohabitat

model image boundaries Use Laurenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s layout (right) as a reference Image does not need to be same angle, just fit within the bounday Delete boundary boxes Use text samples given for Title and project text

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Structure In order to provide a a more pedestrian friendly space in front of the St. Lawrence Basilica, Haywood St. is directed away from the Basilica and carved into the ground, completely eliminating the danger that the intersection currently poses. This area is replaced by a continuous green space which is paved with grasscrete: an innovative product that integrates grass and conrete to give a comfortable walking texture. The structure of the space above the road is created with an ecologically designed artificial tree. This tree not only provides structure for the site, but also collects and filters water and solar energy, illuminates the road below, filters air, provides electricity for phone charging stations, and has many more opportunities for additional features.

Content Asheville is inhabited and surrounded by a diverse selection of life, including wildlife and human cultures. The idea is to provide a space for all types of life and create a symbiotic environment, therefore the site is divided into four space types: seed spreaders, pollinators, aquatic, and passive space. Each space is inhabited by itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own category of life. The seed spreader space incorporates oak trees, squirrels, birds, frisbee players, picnic-ers. The pollinators have honeybees, butterflies, cherry trees, flowers, couples, children. The aquatic area has willow trees, moss, frogs, writers, turtles. The passive space has maple trees, grass, sun-bathers, readers, birds. Of course all species areencouraged to intermingle and inhabit all spaces, and over time the site will lose itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boundaries and become one cohesive, cohabited site.

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North Carolina

Buncombe County

aquatic Flora such as willow trees and moss line this space. Frogs, turtles, and lizards are attracted to the space with planted vegetation and ponds.

seeded Resembling a forest, this area is home to oak trees, squirrels, birds, and animals that nest and spread seeds for further growth.

Asheville

passive Shade trees and ground cover along with decorative bushes and flora inhabit this space.

Residents, tourists, and commuters are invited to spend leisure time in this space.

flora Flowering trees and bushes fill this space.

Insects such as honey bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are attracted to this space and spread pollen.

Asheville is a very diverse place, not just with culture, but also species. If we zoom out to the state scale, we can see many types of life in North Carolina. As we zoom in, to Buncombe County, then to the city of Asheville, all of these types of life are apparent still. Cohabitat breaks these types down into four space types: seed spreaders, aquatic, floral, and passive space.

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ANIMAL SHIELD AIR INTAKE

grasscrete In order to integrate nature in an urban Asheville, we decided to use grasscrete, a versatile ground texture that has the benefits of grass, but uses a concrete grid system that provides drainage for water and eliminates the muddy mess.

There is a gradient to the grasscrete, the proportion of grass to concrete will be determined by the amount of foot traffic and type of space.

SOLAR PANEL

WIND TURBINES

WATER TANK

WATER TURBINE

SPEAKERS

(GENERATES POWER AT NIGHT)

WATER PIPE

OUTER COLUMNS

CO2 FILTER

(COVERED IN LED MESH)

AIR FAN

OUTER SHELL

OUTLETS

AIR OUTTAKE

WATER TO SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

artificial tree The artificial trees placed on the site have many functions that contribute to the site. These forms not only serve as structure for the space over the lowered Haywood St. but also collect rainwater and solar energy, provide light, serve as a charging station, and have the potential for many other features.

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existing plan

site plan 156

figure ground

park relations

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Cohabitat Amber Thompson & Andrew Ramsey 158

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AN URBAN PERFORMANCE Establishing the Basilica of St. Lawrence as a Focal Point of Asheville Tyler Rodgers and Caleb Roberts

160 01

Project Objective: To enable the Basilica of St. Lawrence to perform as an exhibit of architectural and cultural significance by implementing a series of design strategies that draw the public into its surrounding area to serve as spectators and actors in the urban drama of the city of Asheville. In addressing the characteristics of the site and its integration into its surroundings, the goal of this project is to implement a design strategy that will not only fill the gap, but will also add to the urban context of Asheville as a whole. To this end, the project utilizes a stepping strategy that mitigates the effects of the topography, a framing strategy that hightlights existing views, and a carving strategy that creates new underground performance spaces that add points of interest to the site.

161 02

Design Stategy

Analysis of Urban Conditions

Strategy 1: Stepping: Implementing stepping to mitigate the effects of the topography and add seating

1. Steep topography at the site

2. Existing lines of sight

3. The concentration of buskers in other areas of the city

Strategy 2: Framing: Establishing new builidings that emphasize and strengthen existing line of sight and frame significant views.

Strategy 3: Carving: Creating new underground performance spaces for the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s buskers to use.

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04 163

City Scale

Site Scale

05

164

Site Plan

06

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07

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Section Drawing Relating the Carving Strategy of the Underground Space to the Basilica

08

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171 12

Site Model Photos

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172

A

B C

A. Wooden planters placed along carved voids B. Lighting recessed beneath steps C. Wooden seating in performance spaces

Section Model Photos

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APPENDIX 185

collage study 01 ƃȶȍȍŔnjơ ɽʋʠƎˊ ߿ࠀ diego bazzani + eric bell ¶ɭnjŔȥǫƃ bȶɭȟɽ

ŔɢɢơȥƎǫˉ 12

186

collage study 02 ƃȶȍȍŔnjơ ɽʋʠƎˊ ߿ࠁ diego bazzani + eric bell áʠŹȍǫƃ eɭơơȥ

ŔɢɢơȥƎǫˉ 13

187

collage study 01 colin bland + john owens collage study 01 john owens & colin bland

appendix

188

collage study 01 collage study 01 Yage yageChen chen

appendix

189

collage study 02 yage chen

collage study 02 Yage Chen

appendix 190

collage study 03 Yage Chen collage study 03 yage chen

appendix

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collage study 01 mike crider + maria mesa

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collage study 02 mike crider + maria mesa

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collage study 03 mike crider + maria mesa

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collage study 04 mike crider + maria mesa

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collage study 01 travis dale + grant poteat collage study 03 Grant Poteat, Travis Dale

appendix 196

collage study 02 travis dale + grant poteat collage study 04 Grant Poteat, Travis Dale

appendix 197

collage study 01 collage study 01 jess dancer jess dancer

appendix

198

collage study 02 collage 04 jessstudy dancer jess dancer

appendix

199

collage study 03 jess dancer collage study 05 jess dancer

appendix 200

collage study 01 collage study 01 esker lauren grzibowski

appendix

201

collage study 02 collage study 02 lauren grzibowski esker

appendix

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collage study 01 emily heezen

203

collage study 02 emily heezen

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collage study 03 emily heezen

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collage study 01 brittany lapple + sarah pyne collage study 01 Lapple and Pyne

appendix 206

collage study 02 brittany lapple + sarah pyne collage study 02 Lapple and Pyne

appendix 207

collage study 01 william mathis

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collage study 02 william mathis

209

COLLAGE

collage study 03 william mathis

210

8d9092

collage study 01 collage study 01 Amber Thompson & Andrew Ramsey andrew ramsey + amber thompson

appendix

211

collagestudy study02 02 collage Amber Thompson Andrew Ramsey andrew ramsey + & amber thompson

appendix

212

collage study 01 caleb roberts + tyler rodgers collage study 01 Tyler and Caleb

appendix 15 213

collage study 02 caleb roberts + tyler rodgers collage study 03 Tyler and Caleb

appendix 17

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collage study 07 Tyler and Caleb collage study 03 caleb roberts + tyler rodgers

appendix 21

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collage study 04 caleb roberts + tyler rodgers collage study 04 Tyler and Caleb

appendix 18 216

collage study 01 jessica schultz

217

collage study 02 jessica schultz

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