Design Studio V | Fall 2016 | High Speed Train Station

HIGH SPEED TRAIN STATION

JASON BOYD | ARCH 8570

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

CONTENT

sense of place | site key needs | program architecture | process

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SENSE OF PLACE

CLEMSON | SOUTH CAROLINA

A strong sense of place fashions a link between the past and the present. A genuine awareness of location and place can lead us to rethink mobility, at both the community scale and the regional scale. Through architecture, we can begin this dialogue to rethink the borders and dimensions of a place to help establish a new and sustainable model.

If we look at the history of the railroad in America, it has been the single most influencing factor in the settlement patterns in this country. At first, Clemson was just a pit-stop along the Southern Crescent, the picturesque train line that connects New York City to New Orleans, but by 1889 Clemson became the site for the largest land donated state university in the US. The Clemson train station located on the Northeast corner of US123 and SC-133 has been the site of significant moments in history for this community. It’s where soldiers reunited with America upon their return to the University after WWI. It’s where the community gathered to say goodbye to Franklin Delano Roosevelt as his memorial train rolled through town. The train station is the one binding place in the history of Clemson that has been timeless in its presence yet might be the most forgotten today.

Looking into the future, the America2050 plan puts Clemson in the heart of the Piedmont Atlantic mega region. Population growth in this region will need to be accommodated. With trends heading toward more connected communities, it is vital that Clemson begins to truly embrace the social, economical, and environmental qualities of a sustainable community, and in the process, create moments that enhance the fabric of our community and its potential as we move forward.

In my proposal for a new high speed train station I ask: how can architecture weave the borders and dimensions of a place in order to support a more engaged and dynamic community? In this case, a successful intervention is one that captures the energy of a place and its inhabitants while encouraging movement across barriers and into the community.

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

existing station

elevated site

elevated track

US-123 + SC-133

SC-133

The current Amtrak station is hidden and under utilized, therefore, the need to transition from a small caretaker sized station to a medium sized one is crucial.

By leveraging our sense of place we can use this moment to reinvision the way we engage each other and the community through architecture.

SITE PROS: - Elevated site with great views - Site at the corner of two major roads - Space for expansion - Proximity to different zones - Potential for community engagement

US-123

33

SITE CONS: - Rail road creates barrier across site - Steep terrain limits approach to station - Limited site porosity, hidden station - Poor pedestrian movement - Congested vehicular flow - Limited transit connections

SC-1

proposed site

existing station

US-123

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ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

PREMISE

HOW CAN ARCHITECTURE WEAVE THE BORDERS AND DIMENSIONS OF A PLACE TO SUPPORT A MORE DYNAMIC AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY?

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KEY NEEDS

HIGH SPEED TRAIN STATION

In order to optimize the unique site in which the proposed high speed train station was to sit, diagrams exploring movement across existing barriers were conducted.

Establishing a system that encourages horizontal and vertical movement across the site and into the community was paramount. To successfully develop an intuitive framework of porosity, key needs for the community and the station were outlined and implemented in a program narrative.

PROGRAM INTEGRATION ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

1. HIGH SPEED TRAIN STATION 2. TRAIN PLATFORM 3. BUS PARKING 4. PLAZA 5. NEW TRAFFIC CIRCLE 6. EXISTING AMTRAK STATION

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1

4 3

6

5

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ARCHITECTURE

WEAVING | WARP + WEFT

ENTRANCE: STUDY 1

After defining key needs and program, section models were used to develop the architecture of the train station. In the process, primary, secondary, and tertiary structures began to emerge. I focused on crucial moments like the train station entrance and stairs as a starting point to develop a specific architectural language of weaving that relates to my premise.

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

PLATFORM STUDY

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The inspiration for the overall design and construction of the station came from the weft and warp of weaving. The primary load bearing walls are the weft and act as a guide for the ribs. These ribs are the warp that help to construct the secondary structure of horizontal slabs and the tertiary elements like the entrance stairs and seating.

WARP

WEFT

PRIMARY

TERTIARY

SECONDARY

PRIMARY ENTRANCE: DIGITAL MODEL

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

3

2

1

1. WEFT - LV 1 2. WEFT - LV 2 3. WARP - SLABS + ENTRANCE | 12 |

ENTRANCE: STUDY 2

By developing a system congruent with the action of weaving, instructions for making the physical model become visual. An intricate system of openings and notches offers visual cues for how to build the model. Sliding ribs into their appropriate locations emerges as an intuitive process and self-sustaining one, as the need for glue is eliminated.

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

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ENTRANCE: FINAL

The main design goals for the train station were to create a light and transparent experience that allows the users to easily weave through the station and into the community while providing a place of refuge and a point of prospect to the surrounding area. The elevated tracks provide a unique moment for this experience to exist.

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

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FINAL OVERALL MODEL

Another important goal for the new station was to embrace the existing one. The ribs horizontally connect the two buildings in a way that opens into an elevated public space. The architecture was purposefully designed to fashion a link between the past and present. By leveraging our sense of place, I envision the old station becoming a historic artifact for the city of Clemson, such as a local museum.

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

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PROCESS ARCHIVE

ARCH 8570 | Clemson2050

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NOITATS NIART DEEPS HGIH

0758 HCRA | DYOB NOSAJ