JMT Joseph M. Taglia Architecture Portfolio
Tiergarten Landscaping Berlin, Germany by Joseph Taglia, 2017
URBAN FLEXIBILITY Architecture that responds to resident’s lifestyle and affordability in order to form more stable communities.
As neighborhoods around urban centers see pressures of rising rent and affordability issues, longtime residents are feeling the heat from these increases as the begin to be displaced, moving to outer urban neighborhoods. By utilizing flexible design strategies in new residential buildings, residents can choose their affordability level without needing to move and leave their community. As residents stay in their now more affordable homes, flexible and modular building systems can later adapt their dwelling for lifestyle changes, further giving them the option to stay within their community. This now allows the home to adapt to the individual rather than the individual adapting to the home.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Graduate Thesis: Fall 2018 - Spring 2019 Prof. Michael Wolfson
Located on an existing empty parcel next to the community-loved Lo Presti Park, the building re-develops the land which has proven to be a location with easy connection to surrounding towns.
East Boston is a neighborhood that is seeing significant changes in the process of gentrification. Choosing this neighborhood to design for was clear through research of rent burdened residents in the area.
Units and Floor Layouts: There are a series of unit types, each remaining small in order to encourage utilization of modules for growth. The ground floor is mainly retail, while the second floor has a few resident amenities.
UNIT A: 400SF
UNIT B: 400SF
7th Floor Plan
UNIT C: 530SF
UNIT D: 470SF
UNIT E: 550SF
UNIT F: 630SF
5th Floor Plan (Typical) Typical Floor Plan
2nd Floor Plan
Ground Floor Plan
Perspective View: Modules also have the chance to interact with the community on the ground, making them more human scaled rather than distant facade objects. Small businesses can start to inhabit these spaces.
2020
2028
2035
2042
2050
The Use of the Module: Residents can select certain module sizes to be added to their unit. The time-line on the right depicts how a family interacts with these modules over a period of 30 years living in the building.
Community Within: Linking communal spaces through the building allows for a more connected way to traverse the building. This new egress method lets residents pass through numerous social spaces without needing an egress stair.
Construction Methods: These modules use a cross-brace system to help their stabilization, while being anchored along the wall that touches the base unit. The floor tapers the further away from the facade for less overhanging weight. These modules would attach via clips along the facade that are anchored deeper into the building for support.
Upper floor of double height common space
Lower floor of double height common space
CAN BATLLO SQUARE Master Planning: The Can Batllo Factory was once a bustling city block filled with workers at their machines. This former textile mill just west of the famous CerdĂ city master plan sits in an ideal location to downtown as well as the former Olympic site where the events took place in 1992. With much of the area now abandoned, this proposed master plan re-purposed many of the existing structures, while creating space for art, culture, and living to bring people to this historic place.
Building Design: With the master plan completed in pairs, each student then chose one area to further design. The design showcased in this chapter focuses on the residential portion of the master plan and some of the landscaping idea devised from the previous phase.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Graduate Studio Fall 2018 Prof. Manuel Delgado
Master Plan Scope: The overall master plan considers the existing arts program that is located within some of the old factory buildings while adding program to enhance the nearby olymipic park and the famous cuisine which Spain is known for.
Spanish Athlete Training Area
Barcelona Theater Expansion of Arts Program
Spanish Olympic History Museum
Additional Office Space
Residential Buildings
Master Plan Scope: The overall master plan considers the existing arts program that is located within some of the old factory buildings while adding program to enhance the nearby olymipic park and the famous cuisine which Spain is known for.
I-90 AIR RIGHTS PLAN The I-90 stretch through Boston has segmented neighborhoods as it sliced through the city with little concern for its surroundings. With land for development at a premium in the downtown area, Boston is now looking to the space above its sunken highway system as a new opportunity to grow while also reconnecting neighborhoods that where, at one time, more integrated. This master plan, devised by a group of six student, replicates the concept of movement happening below to create a seamless set of structures that fall into rhythm with one another and link the two neighborhoods back together. Each student chose an individual parcel to develop further, keeping in mind the master plan concept. Program within the master plan includes housing, park space, community centers, shopping centers, innovation space, and hotels, derived from interviewing locals. Pathways were meticulously designed to focus on the pedestrians experience while also allowing bikers to travel safely.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Senior Studio Fall 2017 Prof. Manuel Delgado
The decking and idea of layering movement was used in the development of the master plan. Many of the buildings are linear following the structure and cars below, with perpendicular members reaching out into the surrounding neighborhoods.
The development of parcel 18, programed as a residential area of the master plan, aligns itself to the structure of the highway below. Above, the landscape does similar, creating a lane-like system, like the vehicles below, for pedestrians to walk along.
The series of buildings align with the highway structure below. As the highway bends below this parcel, the tower portion responds as it is skewed to align itself to the new orientation of the road below. The bridges that connect each building house community space for residents to socialize. Spaces on either end of the parcel can be used for local farmer markets or plaza space for pop-up events.
UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTER On this city block stands the Universität der Künste where students participate in classes and lessons studying arts like music and dancing. The building also houses a small stage and seating for performances to occur. Across from the University is the Berliner Festspiele, a concert hall of sorts that offers a larger performance hall than the University. This design takes advantage of the current openness of this particular block to activate and bring people off the street into this “arts block”. The curve along the front of the building combined with the overhang and linear windows guide visitors along the facade where they can peer into the process of the arts at hand. Practice halls and studio rooms line the exterior of the building to showcase the rehearsal process to the public along the street. The building wraps around and dives into the block, with the main performance center situated to face the interior of the block. Being inside the block, visitors are completely surrounded by three performance halls with the one in this project inviting them inside with its large opening.
Wentworth Institute of Technology Abroad Studio Spring 2018 Prof. Joachim Door
With the placement of the building, outdoor performance spaces can be shared between venues before and after shows. The main stage area contains a full wall door which can open to let the performance bleed outside. The student dorms are located on the southern area of the block.
The squares on the ground of the performance area can be raised or lowered as needed for a dynamic range of spatial qualities for different acts. An orchestra may want risers while a dancer may want a flat surface.
PROFESSIONAL WORK During my time working in a professional setting, I have had the opportunity to work on various types of projects from new construction to renovation work. These projects have exposed me to different phases of the design and construction time-line.
Hingham Public Library Addition: The town of Hingham, Massachusetts requested an addition to expand their public library space. The addition included a new wing, shown on the right, and replaced the former entrance area with a transparent link between the now two wings of the building. New spaces for children were to be included as well as an outdoor play space and new landscaping around the building. With the design finalized, a rendering was asked to be made for public viewing.
University of Texas San Antonio Student Cafe Re-design & branding
University of Texas San Antonio Student Lounge & Seating Re-design
Harborview Hotel & Cottages: Harborview Hotel, on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, was looking to renovate their two large building while adding a series of new cottages for private stays. This project required coordination with the historical committees on the island.
Photo by HarborviewHotel.com
Proposed roof peak renovations to main hotel building
Proposed cottage with open green space
Proposed poolside cottage and renovated hotel building
SKETCHING & ANALYSIS Through both my undergraduate and graduate years, sketching was one of the main methods used though my discovery of space. Fluctuating in scale from the small details to the larger planning, these sketches analyses spaces, materials, and form. Urban analysis of space in downtown areas was a area of focus with a concentration in Urbanism.
One goal of this drawing series was to understand why some urban spaces are more successful than others through sketching. Spaces and buildings in Boston such as the Emerald Necklace parks, Government center, Quincy Market, Harvard Yard, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway were studied.
JMT