CHINATOWN
Transit Oriented Design This assignment was introduced as an urban planning/transit oriented development. I worked on it with the same partner as the Lake Villa assignment at the same time. It was a great experience working together on a design project and a technical project simultaneously. Although this was a group project and we worked on the design together, I have chosen only to display the work I did exclusively myself in order to portray more of my individual work. While the main task of the Lake Villa project was to create a simple, comprehensive building; the objective of this project was to create an idea of what this particular environment could potentially become. collage of 48 ariel perspectives of site (N,S,W,E)
SITE ANALYSIS Roads
Transit
Zoning
green cta
business
orange cta
commercial
red cta
residential
18th
freight train
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above grade
planned development site
s clark street
highway
s. michigan
state street
metra train
grade
cermack
i-70
below grade
Density
i-90
Program
Nature
high
health
green field
medium
civil protection
brown field
low
finance
water
entertainment
tree
business
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culture religion education housing recreation
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Overview
Points of Interest: located at a meeting point between multiple types of transit: three major rail lines a freight line, bus routes a highway It is adjacent to a cultural hub: Chinatown It is located next to the river It is surrounded by housing and business property
Density
SECOND FLOOR TRANSIT HOUSING
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GROUND FLOOR EXTENDING CHINATOWN
cerma
cermack We proposed to use the site as an extension of the existing Chinatown commercial district located to the southwest by opening up the circulation of the site and creating a boardwalk that runs through its center. The ground floor of the new structure would be used to house various commercial activities.
Using the existing rail lines and we created new circulation routes by connecting the major forms of transit, centered in the transit station. This multi-program mega structure located at the intersection of these transit routes is designed to help activate the site by drawing people towards the extension of Chinatown.
PARK-SCAPE We wanted to redevelop the large brown field into a park that would connect a strip of green spaces following the riverfront.
RED LINE We proposed to extend the existing pedestrian passageway north, connecting it to the transit station via an unused piece of infrastructure.
SCHOOL Located in a safe area by a police station the school would have easy access to the new park.
ORANGE LINE The curvature of the transit station follows the curve of the existing orange line.
COMMERCIAL ZONE A large open space which runs along the entire north-south axis of our site. It begins at the existing Chinatown and opens up into the landscape, branching off at main access points.
METRA LINE Our transit station extends down to connect to the metra line station. A new metra stop would be put in place.
PARKING Located at the northern and southern access points. CULTURAL CENTER Located between existing Chinatown and its proposed extension, acting as a bridge between the two zones.
100’
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ROOF ELEVATED LANDSCAPE
cermack We proposed taking the existing infrastructure and molding a park space over it. The topography of this landscape is shaped in order to create a new system of pedestrian circulation by connecting the existing fabric and allowing people to move freely throughout the site. BIKE TRAIL Connects the new park to existing greenspaces north and south of the site. OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER Attracts people to the largest and least used area of the site, activating the park and its local area. Used for concerts and other major events. RESIDENTIAL BACKYARDS Connects old and new housing to the urban park.
100’
100’
TRANSIT STATION
The focus of this design was on connecting the various forms of circulation. This was achieved through the transit station. We treated it as a type of anchor from which connecting strips would branch out. These strips, which facilitated each type of transit acted to create the form of the structure.
West Facade
Red Line Connection
TRANSIT PLANS GROUND
Bus Stop Parking Offices Shopping Lockers Bike Station
FIRST FLOOR Offices Shopping
SECOND FLOOR Offices Shopping
THIRD FLOOR Offices Transit Station
Transit Station Shopping Center
100’
West Elevation
Concept Elevation
URBAN PLAYGROUND
With the circulation strips in place it was time for us to use them in a playful manner. We weaved them together and pulled them apart to create a free flow of pedestrian circulation to all levels throughout the site. Where these strips met we created seating areas or communal spaces. For the cultural center between the existing Chinatown and its extension we took three strips and wrapped them around each other, mimicking the overall design of the urban plan.
Cultural Center
Landscape
Shopping Plaza