Citizen Architect - Draft One

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CITIZEN ARCHITECT

JOSE LUIS GABRIEL CRUZ


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To those who have reminded me that there is always another side of the story.


The citizen architect is a citizen first, architect second. His concepts, his work, his buildings are all too human; not separate from the world he lives in, but are very much of it. He learns of himself, of his surroundings, through the lens of society. He observes the strengths, faults, differences and ambitions of those around him. That is to say, his strengths, faults and his ambitions. 04

Rather than playing the role of the inventor, purposely creative, a wizard with an indiscriminant pencil for a wand, the citizen architect is more of an archaeologist.

Always digging. Always sorting. And occasionally coming across an architecture truly remarkable, as if what he has discovered has existed long before his involvement. This found architecture scares him and, at the same time, is a source of infinite hope. In this architecture, there is no flashy rhetoric, no truth with a capital “T,� nor a manifesto for reference. In the end, these discoveries result in question marks, not periods. Its result does not merely serve the architect’s turn. It simply is.


The contents within this monograph are to me what various chemicals in the lab may be to a chemist, ingredients for a larger experiment. In this case, these architectural ingredients are intentionally confronted with the nature of humans, creating spaces of greed, of compassion, of unfettered capitalism and non-passive interaction. In other words, it is an architecture that can do things, not merely represent things. It takes a stance. And because of this, the architecture is susceptible of success, of failure, of atrocity and of utmost kindness. Nonetheless, it is an architecture that foregos all responsibility to upkeep a perfectly autonomous, self-referential definition of itself in exchange for the complex contradictions of being human, all too human.

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This architecture scares me. And yet, it is a source of endless hope.

I suspect that an architecture that boldly embraces our imperfect nature, erects walls and columns as greedy and compassionate as we are.

Each project was an opportunity to question my understanding of architecture’s relationship to the human condition.

Each project is in response to a given program by the critics.

MONOGRAPH OVERVIEW This monograph consists of five, one-week projects developed on a single Manhattan block, split into five parcels, located between 12th and 11th Avenue and 40th and 39th Street.

WEEK FIVE Place of Stay, Hotel

WEEK FOUR Place of Performance

WEEK THREE Place of Storage

WEEK TWO Place of Retail

Week One Place of Cult

Week TWO, PAGE 00

Week One, PAGE 06

DECEIVERS & THE DECEIVED BUYERS &

DATE OF PUBLICATION Spring 2014

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

CRITICS Ada Tolla Giuseppe Lignano Thomas De Monchaux

PRODUCTION SITE 600 level of Avery Hall, third row to the left, second desk from the window with the empty Smart Water bottle and scattered sketchbooks

ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE VI The Monograph Studio

CITIZEN ARCHITECT Jose Luis Gabriel Cruz

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Week FIVE, PAGE 00

Week FOUR, PAGE 00

Week THREE, PAGE 00

SELLERS DEVELOPERS & HOARDERS PERFORMERS & SPECTATORS EXPLORERS & THE CITY 07


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DECEIVERS & THE DECEIVED


Week One place of cult

DECEIVERS & THE DECEIVED narrative

Charles Manson, Jim Jones and Adolf Hitler understood this: to achieve unrelenting compliance, a leader must assume the role of facilitator, deceiving a group of individuals by promising unattainable promotion. The pressure from the deceiver upon the deceived comes in various forms — psychological and physical — that, through thought-stopping repetition and ritual, converts the deceived into mindless followers. Architectural and social boundaries provoke internal events of initiation and discipleship that facilitate “cultic compliance,” sustaining the illusionary machine of belief.

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BUILDING HEIGHT 80 ft

GROSS SQUARE FOOTAGE 115,200 ft 2

concept

The concept of the plan depends upon the superimposition of two realities: the architecture and the resulting event. Walls — opaque, transparent and translucent — and the absence of them suggest a sequence predetermined by an authority figure that leads unsuspecting newcomers through ‘training.’ The activities within these walls, however, prove to be deceptive, controlling and hiding information, promoting the illusion of worldly benevolence while claiming unquestionable authority upon followers and outsiders. The ‘self’ is attacked, producing a vicious cycle of uncritical followers seeking newcomers.


PROGRAM

JOSE LUIS CRUZ Newcomers are welcome to partake in group rituals, giving an appearance of happiness and genuine experience. This seductive event encourages individuals to seek further discipleship, ushering them into small groups in which hard instruction prolonged THE DECEIVERS and / THE DECEIVED meditation diminish doubt and thereby strengthening compliance within the illusionary framework. Through a series of group related activities, offset by personal devotion time, individuals become members, ultimately adapting the imposed worldview and discarding their ‘guilt-filled’ past.

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THE DECEIVERS

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THE DECEIVED

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PLAN OF CULTIC COMPLIANCE

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NORTH

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THE SANCTUARY

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FIRST PHASE, SOUTH AERIAL

018 FIRST PHASE, EAST AERIAL


EXPLODED AXON

THE MOUNTAIN TOP

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40 YEARS OF WANDERING

CONVERSION LEVEL


SOUTH FACE

020


NORTH FACE

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TRAITS OF A CULT

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Deception / Lie Leave out important information Establish front groups Promise to fulfill their dreams Offer something free, make members obliged to do something in return Create sense of urgency Diminish doubt Surround members with happy true believers to create sense of normalcy Gather information and use to manipulate Make demands upon members Control behavior Prescribe rigid schedule Keep members active with as little rest as possible Control thoughts, emotion Induce guilt and fear Control information, block information Encourage spying on other members Attack self and provoke mental breakdown Interpret mental breakdowns as spiritual awakenings Make members paranoid of their own bodies Eliminate yourself of yourself Claim authority Bogus scientific research Encourage thought- stopping rituals and repetitive acts Chant Prolong meditation Revert members to mindless obedience, childishness Separate from friends and family Encourage conformity and dependency Discourage autonomy and individuality Confessionals Make them feel part of elite groups Establish enemies Demonize outsiders Us vs. Them Fighting resistance Critical thought is a crime

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BUYERS & SELLERS


Week TWO place of RETAIL

BUYERS & SELLERS big boxes & pop up shops

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permanent and temporary, the global and the local

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abandoned shopping complex

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TRADITIONAL DEPARTMENT STO


L MALLS AND ORES NEED HELP.

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vending trucks

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TRUCK VENDORS DEMAND BECAU NOMADIC BUS


CREATE SUDDEN AUSE OF THEIR SINESS MODEL.

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abandoned department store

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DEPARTMENT STO REQUIRE THOUSA FEET OF SPACE FO


TORES NORMALLY ANDS OF SQUARE FOR PROFITABILITY. 033


vending trucks

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TRUCK VENDORS RE


REQUIRE MUCH LESS. 035


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FLOOR PLANS

R EQ U I R ES CI R CU LATI O N I N FRASTRU CTU R E

SH ELVES PROVI D E N U M ERO U S O PTI O N S

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DEPARTMENT S PROVI D I N G ‘ I N D EFI N ITE’ SH O PPI N G EXPER I EN CE

VAR I O U S D EPARTM ENTS WITH I N O N E STO R E


LARG E FLO O R PLAN EN CO U RAG ES WAN D ER I N G

STORE LAYOUT

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TRUCK VENDOR

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I N D IVI D UAL VEN D O RS H I G H LY D EPEN D ENT O N D EN SE PED ESTR IAN TRAFFI C

TRUCK V

R ETU R N I N G LO CAL M ERCHANTS TO TH E

AFFO R DAB LE START- U P COST

M ERCHAN D I SE AN D SERVI CES CAN Q U I CKLY ADAPT TO CHAN G I N G CO N SU M ER TR EN DS


O N LY O N E PO I NT O F SALE

SPECIALIZED PRO D U CT FO R SALE

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VENDOR

E MAR KET

N O MAD I C STO R E

M O B I LE ADVERTI SEM ENT

D I R ECT B UYER/SELLER I NTERACTI O N


STACKING DIAGRAM

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PO I NT G R I D O F TR U CK VEN D O RS

X 3

TWO FLO O RS O F TRAD ITI O NAL ‘ B I G B OX R ETAI L’

X 3


B

A

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B

A

B

A


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SOME PLAY THE GAME. OTHERS ARE PLAYED BY IT.


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DEVELOPERS & HOARDERS


MORE or less MORE

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Week THREE place of STORAgE

Self-storage units are traditionally constructed in

An infrastructure that can sustain an endless

fixed sizes: from small to large units. This model

accumulation of cells, however, is ‘just right.’ While

isn’t the most efficient, however. It runs the risk of

some users may need one square foot of storage,

becoming obsolete if these predetermined sizes

others may need one million square feet of storage.

cannot be added to or subtracted from resulting

Either way, a basic unit of one square foot by one

in excess or insufficient space. This old model is

square foot serves as the foundational grid that

stubborn, falling into the Goldilocks dilemma, ‘not

spans the entire site. Exo-skeletal elevators and

too hold’ or ‘not too cold.’

stairs service the storage units at varying levels, allowing for the accumulation of these, as well, to store or retrieve small or extra-large items.


PROGRAM

No. UNITS

AREA (SQ FT)

SMALL

XXX +

XXX,XXX +

MEDIUM

XXX +

XXX,XXX +

LARGE

XXX +

XXX,XXX +

X - LARGE

XXX +

XXX,XXX +

STORAGE

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then: fixed cell xl

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l m s


now: grow your cell

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precede nts

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PLUG-IN CITY, PETER COOK

Kojimachi Project, Sachio Otani

THE CONTINUOUS MONUMENT, SUPERSTUDIO


An architect does not ‘create’ a city, only an accumulation of objects. It is the inhabitant who ‘invents’ the city: an uninhabited city, even if new, is only a ‘ruin.’

YONA FRIEDMAN

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SPATIAL CITY, YONA FRIEDMAN


arch itec ture OF THE CITY 062

NEW, EMPTY STORAGE INFRASTRUCTURE 1 OF 4 IMAGES

EXPANSION OF TERRITORIES 2 OF 4 IMAGES


TIME LAPSE

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DENSIFICATION OF UNIVERSAL INFRASTRUCTURE 3 OF 4 IMAGES

COMPLETE DENSIFICATION OF STORAGE SPACE 4 OF 4 IMAGES


INVEST IN NEW YORK BY STORING YOU 064

ELEVATION


K CITY REAL ESTATE UR POSSESSIONS! 065


UNIT MAKE UP DE

TA C

HA

BL

EL

AD

DE

R

BR U ST SHE RU D CT STA UR I AL NLE PL SS AT ST BR E EE U L RE SHE CT D AN STA (3’ 6” LE GULA INLE NG S TH R TU S S BE TE ) EL

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3’ x

3’6

”x

EXPLODED AXON OF STORAGE UNIT

3’6

3’ S

”P

TO R

ER

AG

IM

ET

ES

ER

PA C

FR

E

AM

E


E

C FA UR

S

T

N CE

US

SL

3’

N RA

T

’ x3

067

E

AM

E

BL

TA

A CH

IN

N

ER

DE

FR


BUY YOUR WAY IN NOW,

6

LOT A6

5

LOT A5

4

LOT A4

3

LOT A3

2

LOT A2

1

LOT A1

LOT B1

LOT C1

LOT D1

A

B

C

D

068


BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! 069

LOT E1

LOT F1

LOT G1

LOT H1

E

F

G

H


INVEST IN TO SECURE AR

AN

VERTICAL

3F TC LE

VERTICAL

070

CE 6F T

HO

RIZ

CL

EA

RA

NC

E

ON

TA L

D N PA ) X E FT 6 Y TL OF N A N IC (MI IF N AL G T SI R O TO A P ER YS D R BU O R IN E Y BU

HO

RIZ

ON

TA L


A PORTAL E A WAY IN!

AR

AN

CE

VERTICAL

6F TC LE

VERTICAL

071

HO

RIZ

ON

TA L

D

IN

AR W


BUY, BUY, BUy MORE

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SEQUENCE OF STORAGE ACQUISITIONS BY SINGLE BUYER


ADD CUBES TO YOUR PORTFOLIO 073


LOOK AT YOUR SPACE GROw! 074

FRAMEWORK SPANNING ENTIRE SITE

SITE SPECIFICS SITE DIMENSION

160’ x 180’

FRAME DIMENSION

160’ x 180’ x 60’

STORAGE UNITS

35,700 UNITS TOTAL


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FIRST PHASE OF STORAGE ACQUISITIONS


YOUR GAMEPLAN

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PHASE 1

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

PHASE 4


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FIRST PHASE OF STORAGE ACQUISITIONS


YOU’Re WINNING!

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SEQUENCE OF STORAGE ACQUISITIONS BY VARIOUS BUYERS


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Excitement and expenses are an investors worst enemies. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful. - A wise old investor


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PERFORMERS & S P E C TAT O R S

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PERFORMANCE AND SPECTATOR

WEEK FOUR

PERFORMANCE CENTER

SPECTATORS ARE AS MUCH OF A SHOW AS THE PERFORMER 088

NARRATIVE Everyday is a performance. Every day

CONCEPT The concept is first to understand the

when we wake - and night when we rest - we per-

scales at which people perform and spectate. This,

form, for ourselves and for others. No matter how

in turn, suggests relationships between the two. The

dull or mundane the activity, we are at all times our

intention then is to catalog a series of these rela-

own spectacle and at all times subject to judgement

tionships in order to understand a range of densities

- whether positive or negative - from the spectator,

from which I can conceptualize the organization and

who, unsurprisingly, also performs.

sequence of the building. This exercise, for me, is an attempt to discover a new method of designing

Buildings are like this as well. The question, to whom

spaces that begins, not necessarily with a geometric

does a building perform for?

intent, but rather a social one - combining diverse groups of people with each other.


THE PERFORMER LOOKS OUT ONTO THE SPECTATORS AS THEY FORM A CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE AROUND HIM

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

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PROGRAM TYPES OF PERFORMANCE & SPECTATOR

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WEEK FOUR

PERFORMANCE CENTER


NEW YORK, NEW YORK

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RECIPRICAL RELATIONSHIPS

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WEEK FOUR

PERFORMANCE CENTER


RECIPRICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GROUPS OF PERFORMERS AND SPECTATORS

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

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A

1

2

094

3

4

5

6

B

C

D

E


A

B

C

D

E

7

8

095

9

10

11

12


A

1

2

096

3

4

5

6

B

C

D

E


A

B

C

D

E

7

8

097

9

10

11

12


098


099


0100


0101


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0115

EXPLORERS & THE CITY


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Week FIVE place of STAY, HOTEL

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NARRATIVE

CONCEPT

A hotel, by definition, is for temporal and transient ac-

The building is birthed from the idea that people like

tivity - a foreign residence that becomes a get-away

to see and be seen by others, especially in an urban

home for a short span of time, usually no more than a

setting, and especially when they’re visiting an urban

few days. However, contemporary hotel designs relay

setting. By devising a field condition of spheres that

a completely different message, often resorting to an

scatter and span the site, visitors can book a room in

aggregation of confined boxy-units.

one of the numerous 600 foot towers that overlook the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan. A

An architecture, therefore, that more appropriately

pair of semi-circle rooms make up one floor and rise

reflects the ephemeral nature of a visitors stay is the

indescriminantly 60-stories high.

purpose of this design exercise. The idea is rather than confining visitors in their rooms, you expose

Rooms are spacious, each being 1000 square feet

them to the city - and, in turn, the city exposes them

but a 10 feet distance from core to glass creates a

back.

tendency for the visitor to constantly face outward towards the city and their neighboring visitors.


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PROGRAM 120 rooms per tower X 8 towers = 960 rooms total on site Lobbies located on ground level of each tower


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For me, intent is secondary to effect. While inspiration may come in many forms, the resulting effect is what ultimately matters: 0138

the effect on people, on circulations, on politics, on economics. Too often, I find a chasm between what I intend to do and how others interpret it. Thus, I design as


if to close this impossible gap: to design what I mean. And while I realize this is an impossible pipe dream, in the end, I hope that my architecture may become more intentional. The irony in this statement, however, is the disconnect between what I am currently saying and what you're viewing.

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HO

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CAN I CREATE LEVITATING, L AND ADDRESS OF THE URBAN


OW

E A SENSE OF LIT-UP SPACES S THE NEEDS N EXPLORER?

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10’

8’

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5’

3’

2’6”

0’


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PRESSURIZED AIR CIRCULATION


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N

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SERIES ONE

INDE THOU

SERIES TWO

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SERIES THREE


EX OF UGHTS

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