THESIS MASTER PROJECT
ILLINOINS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE SPRING 2013 JESSE NGUYEN PROFESSOR DIRK DENISON
POLYDWELLINGS
1/128" = 1' SITE MODEL
PERSONS/ACRE 860+
430
0
FAMILY INCOME $200K +
$100K
0
2KM 2MI
.4KM .4MI
VANCOUVER, BC
THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR THREE MIXED-INCOME, MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES IN VANCOUVER, CANADA. VANCOUVER�S CURRENT URBAN GEOGRAPHY IS UNIQUE BECAUSE 50% OF ITS LAND USE IS DEDICATED TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIALHOMES. THIS IS AN INEFFICIENT MODEL BECAUSE VANCOUVER�S POPULATION GROWTH IS CURRENTLY OUT-PACING CANADA�S NATIONAL AVERAGE BY 9%. INCREASING THE AVAILABLE HOUSING STOCK AND SUBSEQUENTLY, INCREASING THE POPULATION DENSITY, IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE HOUSING THAT CAN BEGIN TO MEET THE EXISTING DEMAND.
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PUBLIC PROGRAM AND AMENITIES
GROUND LEVEL
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COMMUNITY INTERACTION
The three sites are located immediately adjacaent to each other. The goal is to increase housing stock so it was important to select three empty lots as opposed to tearing down existing buildings. I have also chosen this site because it is located in a buffer zone between the downtown peninsula and Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood. The two distinct areas are within just 2 miles of each other. A large goal of this project was to create a community that is attractive to new residents but one that also does not displace current residents. This was achieved by increasing retail and amenities for the community. This will improve the local economy and expedite the community's development. Secondly, there was ample space allocated to social services to provide support for the lower income residents. Lastly, there are various scales of public outdoor space that are adaptable to numerous programs (from balconies and interior courtyards to an open park) to encourage interaction between all community members. A focus was placed on organizing public program and amenities so that pedestrian traffic and sidewalk activity would increase.
PROGRAM SECTION
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SITE 1 INCREASED PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY
PUBLIC COURTYARD
MATERIALITY: PERFORATED COPPER SCREEN
MATERIALITY: HORIZONTAL WOOD FACADE
MATERIALITY: MASONRY BRICK WEAVE
PREFABRICATED BRICK PANEL This project is sited in one of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhoods, VIctory Square. The existing architecture is compressed of mid-rise masonry buildings commonly seen around North America built in the last century. There was an effort to acknowledge the area's history without imitating the area's surrounding architecture. This challenged was tackled by choosing materials that will age gracefully and create their own stories and histories - copper which patinas to a vibrant green, timber which loses its colour and turns into a steel gray, and masonry whose weight speaks of timelessness. Having three buildings cladded in different materials will create individuality, identity, and pride. An attempt was made to use the materials to skin the building in interesting ways that still stayed true to the material's essence. For example, the unit of the brick was translated into the unit of the prefabricated panel that is still stacked the same way a traditional brick would be. The unit of the brick was further emphasized by offsetting the way each was stacked to create an interesting texture. Thirdly, depending on the program of the specific part of the building, bricks were taken out of the wall to create openings.
MATERIALITY
In an ode to the area's strong industrial past, the facades are mechanically operable. This gives the inhabitants the ability to control natural lighting and fenestration.
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SITE2: OPERABLE FACADE
MIXED-INCOME 12
DIVERSE UNIT MAKE-UP
Circulation is key to all housing projects. In this case, circulation includes organization of unit types - market and subsidized. It was important that various units were dispersed throughout the project, so as to not segregrate. Buildings also shared one residential entrance and lobby. Units are all organized in U-shapes to provide shared outdoor courtyards elevated above the street. Additionally, units were pushed and pulled to to create varied floor plates to accomodate square-footage unit requirements. This created balconies or sunrooms in some units and increased square-footage in other units.
SITE2: TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL UNIT LAYOUT
RESIDENTIAL COURTYARDS
20FT
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SITE3: OPERABLE WOOD FACADE AS SCREEN
SITE 1: PERFORATED SCREEN
FACADE MODEL
LAYERING
FACADE SECTION
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CIRCULATION 16
SITE3: TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL UNIT LAYOUT
25FT
SITE1: PRIVATE COURTYARD
SHARED OUTDOOR SPACE 18
SITE2: COURTYARD PERSPECTIVE SECTION
GATHERING SPACES SITE2: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MODEL
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DYNAMIC SCREENING 20
SITE1: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MODEL
POLYDWELLINGS SITE3: 1/16" = 1' SCALE MODEL
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