jeffrey alex
selected works 2012-15
1
PERFORMATIVE SITE East Boston
2
CHINATOWN BRANCH LIBRARY Downtown Boston
3
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL South End, Boston
4
ACTIVATING THE FENS B a c k B a y, B o s t o n
5
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Marketing Materials
1
$
The Back Bay Fens were built in the 1890s, while Back Bay was being filled. It was designed to solve drainage and sewage problems while providing civic value.
Ă˜
Parks like the East Boston Memorial Park were built in the 20th century, after East Boston had already been settled. It fails to act as an economic driver for the community.
1
PERFORMATIVE SITE East Boston
INSTITUTIONAL 58% COMMUNITY 42% OFFICE
AERATION POND
MIXED USE 71% RESIDENTIAL 29% RETAIL
RESIDENTIAL 60% HOTEL 40% DWELLING
TOTAL 66% RESIDENTIAL 12% RETAIL 13% COMMUNITY 9% OFFICE
COLLECTION & SEDEMENTATION RETENTION & DETENTION
80’ - 100’
|
30’ - 40’
|
PEDESTRIAN
LANDSCAPE
BUILDING HEIGHTS
50’ - 60’
FORREST
|
WETLAND
|
LAWN
WEAVE
|
FINGERS
|
TANGENTS
The pinch between waters in East Boston allows for an opportunity to link two entities while performing for civic value. At East Boston, the land that separates Chelsea River and Boston Harbor acts as a barrier. We shall connect them with a bridge of sorts to provide similar performative quality that the Fens do. As a way to relieve East Boston of sewage, drainage, and storm surge concerns, a new water link will remediate the runoff of different programs. It will be integrated with the existing urban fabric by weaving between civic and water nodes.
EXISTING RESIDENTIAL RUNOFF BOARDWALK
EXISTING HOTEL RESIDENTIAL & RETAIL
COMMUNITY CENTER
OFFICE
EXISTING RESIDENTIAL RUNOFF
BOARDWALK
EXISTING HOTEL RESIDENTIAL & RETAIL
COMMUNITY CENTER
OFFICE
AERATION POND
CHELSEA CREEK
CONSTITUTION BEACH REMEDIATION
WATER COLLECTION CIVIC NODES WATER NODES RUNOFF
WAT ER
V E GE TAT IO N
b rin g i n g t h e l a n d sc a p e i n
e x t e n d i n g o u t i n t o t he l ands c ape
WAT ER
V E G E TAT I O N
b ri n g i n g t h e l a n d sc a p e i n
e x t e n d i n g out i nt o t he l ands c ape
WAT ER b ri n g i n g t h e l a n d sc a p e i n
V E G E TAT I O N e x t e ndi ng out i nt o t he l ands c ape
The link between the two is comprised of the interweaving of water and civic nodes, each of which provide for the city. Civic nodes are characterized by the meeting of water, program, and vegetation. Water nodes are characterized by their function in the remediation process. Runoff water will be collected from new and existing civic nodes. At this pinch, the water will run from Chelsea River and discharge at Constitution Beach after enduring a remediation process which includes sedementation, retention, and aeration.
4 CONDITIONS
4 CONDITIONS
S T R E E T + W AT E R
W AT E R + V E G E TAT I O N
V E G E TAT I O N + V E G E TAT I O N
V E G E TAT I O N + S T R E E T
2
BOSTON COMMON oldest park in the US, 50 acres
MIDTOWN mixed-use developments
FINANCIAL DISTRICT banks, insurance companies and other large corporations
LEATHER DISTRICT historic appeal while offering 21-century amenities lofts and condominiums
SOUTH STATION largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston
CHINATOWN 28,000 people / square mile center of Asian-American life in New England
acts as a threshold from the URBAN CITY into the Chinatown NEIGHBORHOOD
//
from URBAN SQUARE to NEIGHBORHOOD PARK
DISTRICT ZONING SCALE: 1/192” = 1’0”
A new branch library for Boston Public Library in Chinatown. The new design incorporates primary vertical circulation along the eastern edge of the site, juxtaposed with the circulation of traffic on the street. In contrast, the relatively static program of the library is situated on the west of the site. Light travels through each level of the building towards a sunken auditorium, connecting the spaces of each floor.
2
CHINATOWN BRANCH LIBRARY Downtown Boston
e r s s a dope
e r e h s e o g g n i r e d n
LEVEL 1 1 2 3 4
periodicals/history circulation desk auditorium children’s
M A I N C I R C U L AT I O N
VOID
1
2 P R I VAT E S PA C E
4
3
R E A D I N G S PA C E
The library is organized around and vertical open space that extends upward from the auditorium to the top floor. Administration is located on the lower floor, while more library program fills the space towards the top. As stairs move up along on the east side of the building, program is embedded in a way that provides plateaus of static space within the main cirucation.
S
W
E VI
E
C
G
A SP
IN
KS
AD
RE
C TA
S
FF
A ST
M
O
O
R
S
S
LA
C LT
U
M
M
U
RI
IM
O IT
IA
D
E
D
2
AU
LT
U
M IA
D
E
IM 1
sectio
section 2
3
The preliminary site analysis for a new performing arts school located in the heart of the South End community in Boston gave insight on how the program could be organized. After comparing heights of surrounding buildings, their programs, and local green spaces, my idea was to use the complex to connect two parks together while enclosing a private green space between.
2 GREEN SPACES
3 GREEN SPACES
BUILDINGS PARTIALLY ENCLOSE MIDDLE GREEN SPACE
3
PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL South End, Boston
3 SCHEME CONCEPT
DISCIPLINES CLASSROOMS
AUDITORIUM
CIRCULATION
CLASSROOMS
DISCIPLINES
AUDITORIUM
The program of the school is separated into three schemes: auditorium, disciplines, and classrooms. This division uses a similar language as the site context, as one may pass along the grain set by the masses. Between these spaces are either open program or a breezeway, allowing pedestrians to pass through the building easily. Circulation is based around an atrium facing the gallery. This gallery is placed above a sunken improvisation space in a way that expresses its function to attract visitors. The two ‘L’ shapes of the course hold a void and a solid mass. The raising of the discipline scheme shows both heirarchy above classrooms and allows for open space underneath.
4
BUILT PROFESSIONALS
The Back Bay Fens of Boston, MA is a successful part of the city ecology. People, nature, and athletic environments harmonize to activate the site and define a social urban condition necessary for cities to thrive. This project attempts to represent the importance of this park to Boston by showing how the different parts of the Back Bay Fens are activated.
GROUND LOCALS
4
ACTIVATING THE FENS B a c k B a y, B o s t o n
4
3
1
2 1
2
3
4
5
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Marketing Materials
Event flyers requested by various organizations including dance teams and professional and social Greek organizations — including some at a national and regional level.
2012 - 2015 selected works
Jeffrey Alex jeffreyalex@gmail.com jeffreyalex.com Boston, MA