Systemic Grounding

To my husband, William, and my parents for your undying support.

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Kelli Cunningham Reinhardt

GROUND prologue 007 prospectus 017 landscape 019 politics 039 field excursion 047 intent 067

ANALYSIS collage site program schematic

075 093 115 133

IMPETUS midterm 173

development 189 structure 213 material 237

TENABLE sustainability 257 systems 273 code 287 construction 301

TERMINUS final review citations

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GROUND prologue 007 prospectus 017 landscape 019 politics 039 field excursion 047 intent 067

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GROUND Ground [N] - the bottom of a body of water; a basis for belief, action, or argument; a fundamental logical condition; a basic metaphysical cause.

Ground [V] - to bring to or place on the ground; to cause to run aground; to provide a reason or justification for; to furnish with a foundation of knowledge; to restrict to the ground. 1

The notion of ground provides for a base, a foundation of knowledge. This foundation is a place from which to build. The Ground within west Texas is the guiding force for all habitation with the region. The Ground at the La Linda Border Crossing will act in the same way; a guiding datum for the occupation of the site. It is on the Ground that the border is marked, on the Ground that the refugees must run, on the Ground that the line must be maintained.

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Prologue Ecology [ADJ]- a branch of science concerned with the interrelationship of organisms and their environments; the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment; human ecology; environment, climate ; also: an often delicate or intricate system or complex .1 Ground [N] - the bottom of a body of water; a basis for belief, action, or argument; a fundamental logical condition; a basic metaphysical cause.

Ground [V] - to bring to or place on the ground; to cause to run aground; to provide a reason or justification for; to furnish with a foundation of knowledge; to restrict to the ground. 2

Above View of Site at La Linda Border Crossing

Within the “Border lands� of southern Texas the border ceases to be an arbitrarily imposed line separating countries and cleaving eco-regions, and instead it becomes a mediating space for ecological processes and authoritative systems.

This mediating space, or the ecological ground of the TransPecos Region, is a theoretical foundation based on a complex system rather than the current condition, an indiscriminate line in the sand. The landscape of this region is comprised of desert, grassland, and pocketed oases to be crossed, acting as a thickened line, a gradient space. Within this in-between space, water and temporal landscape conditions must be heavily considered for human occupation.

Water constitutes the basis of life within the Trans-Pecos Texas, the Borderlands of the United States. The water in south Texas is closely related to the understanding of ground as the ecological foundation, without which there would be nothing but sand in the desert. Within this desert ecosystem water is scarce and the ground is only inundated during flash flood events near the Rio Grande. Furthermore, within the Chihuahuan Desert water is a commodity, which is not easily

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obtained by its inhabitants. While life within this desert is occupied with concerns of gathering water, the flash flooding events do not ease this burden, as they are inconsistent, making water collection difficult. The region must respond to the extreme change in water level, drought stricken or inundated, as the Rio Grande may rise several feet in just a few hours. The intricate levels of adaption at the human activity level further complicate the relationship between water and the ecological ground.

Larger water issues within the Trans-Pecos Region are caused by human manipulation of the ecological ground. The political water issues in Texas and more regionally the Southeast United States are based on excess and overconsumption within the watershed as water is presented by storm patterns. Many places experience similar conditions, such as Denver, Colorado where stormwater can only be detained for a few hours before it must be released into the watershed for California to collect downstream. In south Texas the problem lies in northern agricultural fields and the diminishing snow pack of the recharge region. 3 Many of the site scale water saving or capturing techniques are irrelevant if there is no new water entering the Trans-Pecos Region, and subsequently makes the ecological ground unstable.

The Trans-Pecos regional relationship to water is further exacerbated not only by climate change, but also by water rights within the western United States. Throughout Colorado (the upper stream of the Rio Grande watershed) an ever-growing California population purchases much of the water. Different limits of growth and the ownership of the water downstream in the Rio Grande is in constant negotiation with Mexico. Couple this with the farmers in the northern part of the watershed removing too much water and the Rio Grande is reduced to a stream miles away in the Southern Texas Borderlands. The natural water systems have been reduced to a sporadic behavior in the ecological grounds of the Borderlands, and these changes to the thickened line can be witnessed.

As water has served as the bases of life in this region and it is so sparse and sporadic what human occupancy exists proximally locates. Some examples include historic ranches and mining operations within Big Bend National Park. These human activities must provide their own water, siphoning it from springs and streams as well as trying to collect water during all rain events. Even as humans navigate the national park they are encouraged to stash water in Honor Boxes provided by the park in case of emergency. 4 Relative to the scarcity, many activities based on water needs, such as, human occupancy and agriculture, are required to provide their own water by way of collection or trucking in from other places. In the 1920s, water was siphoned from the Rio Grande and fed into stone acequia Prologue

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Above View of Site at La Linda Border Crossing. Mexico is shown across the river.

to irrigate fields. 5 This practice would not be possible along the border today as the Rio Grande has a less reliable flow. For the basis of life, water, to keep contributing to the Trans-Pecos Region and prevent the Borderlands from diminishing, new practices must be engaged.

Besides the gradient of water, the geographical ground of the Trans-Pecos Region is characterized by temporal and transitional ecologies. Stabilization of the landscape as is also a concern as the ecological shifts create a foundation for the biodiversity and occupancy of the Borderlands. Big Bend National Park and the Mexican-American border more broadly, contain many ecoregions. These ecoregions range from hot shrub deserts to grasslands and more lush deciduous forests. The large elevation changes in areas such as the Chisos Mountains provide a transition in temperature and vegetation creating many microclimates within the Chihuahuan Desert

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which claims most of the park and Texas border region..

Beyond the park, the desert stretches far past the MexicanAmerican border creating a continuous ground that transcends the political border. These varying geographies contribute to the gradient, the ecological ground.

This gradient of ecologies can also be visualized in the plant communities found within the region. Plant species found in the lower Chihuahuan Desert vary greatly from those found in the higher elevations of the park. The desert floor species include agave such as Lechuguilla, Sotol, and Tidestromia.

These plants have a habit of occurring in regular intervals as a colony in order to maximize the use of the water that falls on the site. 6 At higher elevations, such as in the Chisos Mountains, native trees including Ponderosa Pine, Texas Madrone, and Aspen take hold. These trees are supplied water by higher rainfall and cooler temperatures allowing more of the morning dew to reach the plants. Near more reliable springs, a wider range of wildflowers can survive. 7 This pocketed vegetation ( trees, cacti, and flowering ground cover) can lead to a geomorphological reading of the regional site at the surface. As these vegetation types are tied to soil and subsoil conditions, the sectional quality of the landscape can be understood based on the surface condition. The geomorphology therefore creates a foundational ground for all life tethered to it within the TransPecos region. The desert community is continually growing, and stretches the borderlands as climate changes and human intervene within the region. The lack of available water has accelerated desertification, slowly lessening biodiversity within the ecosystem. This subsequently changes the thickness and variation of the border.

The increasing desertification is not solely modified by the climate and river. Some target the overgrazing of livestock as the cause of the desertification in the lower grasslands. There is debate against this idea, as vegetation is often burned to allow for new seasonal growth, and this land is left bare. This results in any runoff water the soil receives to evaporate. Many of those who protest the fires have proposed solutions for reintroducing and maintaining healthy grasslands. One notable proposed solution from leading ecologist, Allan Savory, would reintroduce large herds of grazing livestock to an area with little to no grass remaining. In using a method he calls “planned grazing� the rotation of large plots of land for grazing can help restore the grassland and sequester carbon. The large herds of livestock mimic wild herds removing the dried grass but do not leave the soil bare, allowing for a healthier condition in the next season. 8 As grazing is a human intervention, this proposal could be a positive intervention into the ecological ground.

Similarly, this idea of planned grazing falls under the large park management strategy of adaptive ecological design, mentioned in an essay in Large Parks by Nina-Marie Lister.

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She asserts that resiliency, not stability, is the key to varied ecosystems surviving in a large-scale landscape. She continues:

Design of large parks with conflicting habitats and uses

calls for a long-term, bird’s-eye view of the whole system…

Specifically, theses parks demand an approach I have

generalized as adaptive ecological design. Long-term

sustainability demands the capacity for resilience- the

ability to recover from disturbance, to accommodate

change, and to function in a state of health- and therefore,

for adaptation. 9 The stewardship of the ecological ground of the borderlands must be maintained and planned in order to slow desertification and maintain passage and biodiversity across the Borderlands.

This system has already proven to be highly resistant in times of drought and inundation but destruction of grasslands and desertification are narrowing the ecological ground, the InBetween. The gradient mediation space is shrinking and becoming too uniform because of ineffective management.

The established political boundary of the United States and Mexico also contributes to a non-occupiable line instead of a healthy, wide eco-tone. The borderline bisects the region harshly rather than working within the systems of the Trans-Pecos Region. The political border was artificially established in 1884 in the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. 10 The border is composed of 1951.36 miles, of which 1253.69 miles are demarcated by the Rio Grande River. 11 This artificial line was drawn from political convenience and not heavily based on geographic features other than the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande). The resultant is an ecosystem, the Trans Pecos, cut in half.

Several policies associated with the demarcation of the borderline have bisected the region economically. According to Herzog in his book entitled From Aztec to High Tech, the creation of the Emergency Farm Labor Program, or Bracero Program in 1942 created a formal “cross-border labor supply system.” 12 The Bracero Program was an organized legal supply of labor commuting from Mexico to the United States daily to man farmland. This economic exchange between international border towns has become somewhat of a problem for the countries’ relationship to the border. These border towns engage in a local trade system, which is not substantiated by the national agenda. Rancher, farmers, and manufacturers saw the border as a line preventing cheaper, sometimes illegal labor. In 1994, President Clinton added a military presence to the border after the creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA created a loss of profit for the first time for many small-scale Mexican-American agricultural outfits. This policy directly severs the ecological region affecting those who live within this region. This policy bisects a system of human industrial ecology creating an osmotic flow of people across the 010

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border and it is the subsequent loss of profit thought to be one of the indirect causes for an increase in immigration across the and the creation of economic refugees. 13 The term economic refugee, used by Chomsky, alludes to the technical political meaning building on the guidelines created by the Refugee Act of 1980, in which a refugee is defined as:

A refugee, as defined by Section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), is a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her home country because of a “well-founded fear of persecution” due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin. 14

This definition notably does not include economic persecution and thusly qualifies political arguments that Mexican citizens crossing the border seeking a prosperous life are not refugees but instead are labeled voluntary immigrants. The roots of the “build a bigger wall” debate starts in the limited definitions found within these documents. The architecture of defense and division, in this instance a wall, is born out of these immigration status policies. The issue of the border is regional in economic effects but national in political ones, and can be applied to the idea of sustainability and the built form of division. Many of the built solutions for the border are not regional in construction and only serve the national policies. This region needs cross border exchange of local goods and ecologic policies to be sustainable. Current political policies divide the ecoregion rather than working within it to establish a healthy border condition for both countries and those that pass between them.

The current borderline acts as a rigid edge rather than a transitional space between two countries. It ignores the ecological ground of the Trans-Pecos region, which is a system of resilience and adaptation, much like the system of illegal immigration. Refugees and illegal immigrant focus on moving across the border and the Chihuahuan desert as fast as possible, adapting to the changing environment as they move. This fluid system of illegal immigration is more in line with the survivalist ecology found in part of Texas. The formalized legal system of immigration does not take into account some of the other temporal aspects of immigration that one can find in this harsh environment: for example a need for quick movement across the border and anonymity. This rigid U.S. legal system has been unable to adapt to a changing economic and global political climate since the creation of NAFTA. Its prescriptive immigration pattern further tightens the ecological ground in the Trans-Pecos by defying the natural systems and ecology.

The current borderline works directly in opposition to the ecological ground.

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As opposed to the harsh line of the political border, the traditional architecture of the Trans-Pecos Region illustrates the blending gradient between countries. The architecture of the border region largely supports the foundational grounding of this region in its qualities of sustainability and local material sourcing. Most architecture that subsists in the Chihuahuan desert is of the ground, literally as is the case with adobe construction, or figuratively with sustainable energy independent buildings. Herzog makes the argument that the artificial creation of the border heavily influenced the architecture on the Mexican side of the border. In his argument, new Mexican cities are closer in proximity to cities in the United States and are separated both economically and climatically from southern Mexican cities. He notes also that the northern side of the border elements of Mexican and colonial heritage are found in Trans-Pecos architecture. 15 Influences on form, materiality, and architectural relationships to water can be found to expanding across the borderline.

Above Gravel hill with the only human made color located on Land Port of Entry Site, yellow.

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The architecture within the Trans-Pecos Region can be used to read the blending within the ecological ground, as it clearly evolved out of two culture’s foundational building knowledge.

To successfully occupy this region it does seem to be only possible when architecture is considered to be of this region rather than based in one countries’ traditional style. The thickened forms born out of adobe construction can be found in the southwestern United States. They exist there because of their thermal massing properties, sustainably sourced local material, and simplicity and speed of construction. The methods of adobe construction directly support the notion of ground in the Trans-Pecos region. Adobe construction is made of local ground material, making it a place specific architecture.

It is also sustainable because of the low embodied energy within the material. Adobe also functions as thermal mass, which is a foundational idea when building in this expanse because maintaining human comfort in this environment is essential for survival.

Another way that Adobe architecture presents itself as part of the ecological ground in the Trans-Pecos region is the ease of construction. Despite this ease, one issue in working with adobe is the longevity of the building, which is directly tied to the ability of the craftsman. If the adobe contains too much sand, it softens and degrades. If too much clay is present in the adobe mixture it cracks in the sun. 16 The architecture is directly tied to the landscape through this poetic notion of the degradation of the site over time. Adobe is also slowly destroyed by water in physical and chemical erosion and ultimately can be washed away. This Mexican/ Spanish / Indian building technique is applicable to the region despite the imposition of the borderline.

Adobe is both literally of the ground and of the foundational ideas guiding occupation in this region of North America.

Anglo-American influences such as Las Vegas-like signage and timber construction can also be found in the region and on both sides of the borderline. The American building ideas appearing in Mexico go to support the idea of the border as a mediating space. These construction techniques are negotiating the borderline within the context of the ecological ground.

This gradient of ideas must have a two directional flow to be significant. The appearances of these Anglo-American elements do help to give the border region a southern boundary when traversed. Herzog explains,

Following the 1848 treaty that created the political boundary, most of Mexico’s border towns remained isolated from the heartland, and therefore open to building ties with the United States. Early Anglo-American influences on the townscapes appeared in the form of wooden (as opposed to stone) building facades, commercial signage in English, and the utilization of American regional architectural styles. 17

Herzog exposes the gradient exchange of building techniques within the Tran-Pecos Region by linking Mexican border towns to American building practices. Many of these southern border towns are constructed in non-regional methods based on the northern Anglo-American influence. The timber frame constructions are not supported by the regional knowledge or sustainability. The appearance of these ideas on the southern side of the border region is a visual example of human occupation in the gradient space of the ecological ground.

The architecture within Big Bend National Park further illustrates this idea of the border as ecological mediation space.

Regional architecture as shown in Thomas Alex’s book, Big Bend National Park and Vicinity, tends to be rural within the region of the park. Historically, building typologies included residences, ranches, mining facilities, water towers, and small commercial stores. Very little of the historic architecture was built by commercial means or with materials from outside the region. The majority of buildings within Big Bend are adobe or rubble masonry construction. These building are constructed of materials found within the site, be that dirt, rock, or clay.

The tectonic of the buildings do not vary widely based on programmatic intent with the exception of the mining facilities.

These are mostly built of large 16-inch timber accompanied by cable systems to connect different buildings. These buildings are mostly open air and elevated to account for the terrain. The terrain determines the organization of each mining compound directly, while the mineral being extracted determines the process needed to refine and sell the resource, which in turn determines not only the location of the building, but the form and construction type. In Big Bend there are reserves of cinnabar from which mercury is extracted. Within the region Prologue

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lead, zinc, and silver are also historically prospected. 18 Although the mining facilities are located based on the physical ground of the National Park, their tectonic language and use of wood as a focal material is not found in the specific regional methods. In fact it serves in contrast to the adobe construction found within the ecological ground of the borderlands, thin versus thick, stick versus solid, light versus heavy, above versus grounded.

Left Adobe construction at Castolon, Big Bend Texas.

Architecture serves as the only example of human occupation of this landscape to follow or not only the ecological ground.

Architecture has the ability to mediate the landscape conditions, political bisection, and further expose the mediation zone within the ecological ground. Architecture is the only human network to explore the perception of this foundational landscape as a gradient condition. Architecture in this sense can become the precedent for human occupation in this region.

Despite the many human constraints manufactured to thin the borderline to unperceivable thickness architecture can begin to elucidate the breadth of the ecological ground. It can also, through sustainable practices, try to ameliorate the destructive desertification.

The ecological ground found within the borderlands of the Trans-Pecos Region is an expanding regional gradient rather than a single line dividing countries. This mediating condition is loosely defined within the Chihuahuan desert of Southern Texas. Within this region human occupation and survival is relative to the availability of water, climate, and sustainable adaptations to architecture. This gradient in-between space acts, as a transition between cultures and countries, while not causing an ecological chasm within the landscape. Architecture in the Trans-Pecos Region serves as a precedent for successful human insertion into this ecological network. Architecture can be a system of human intervention that works within the ecological ground and not in opposition, as national polices.

The political borderline should realign with the axioms of the ecological ground of the in-between space to create a more sustainable gradient edge.

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Prospectus Prospectus [N] - a preliminary printed statement that describes an enterprise (as a business or publication) and that is distributed to prospective buyers, investors, or participants Prospectus [N] - something (as a statement or situation) that forecasts the course or nature of something 19 This book focuses on the construction of a Land Port of Entry, or border station, at La Linda Mexico. Within this desolate desert landscape the project must engage in dynamic systems including but not limited to flash flooding of the Rio Grande, dramatically shifting weather conditions, and the political realities of the Unites States Border. This site situates itself in an ecoregion, the Trans-Pecos, nearly destroyed by human intervention. This project must negotiate these dynamic systems while creating all the energy and water needed on site maintaining a sensitivity to the landscape.

This site controls access to and from the United States into Mexico and will have two thresholds. The official entry and the unofficial. Refugees and immigrates must cross inhospitable desert landscape in order to reach this threshold. Therefore this project must not only be a government checkpoint but must ask as an oasis for travelers and refugees alike. Defining place within the desert border region and identity for a sustainable government building is the nexus for this design question. 20

Left Border diagram at the La Linda site on the Rio Grande River.

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Landscape Landscape [N] -the landforms of a region in the aggregate Landscape [N] - a portion of territory that can be viewed at one time from one place Landscape [N] - a particular area of activity 21 “As a human-made projection, landscape is both text and site, partly clarifying the world and our place within it. The textual landscape is thus a hermeneutic medium. Landscape [architecture] might therefore be thought of as the practice of e-scaping and rescaping our relationship to nature and the ‘other’ through the construction of built worlds. In the desire to reflect both on our modern context and on our inheritance, landscape [architecture] might practice a hermeneutical plotting of the landscape - a plotting that is as much political and strategic as it is relational and physical.” 23 The landscape of La Linda is an ecology based on ground. This ecology subsists in a desolate place. This ecology exaggerates its gradient condition in section from upland hot shrub desert to riparian edge. The site of this Land Port of Entry must occupy this ecology without disrupting its connection to the ecological ground. Occupation within this landscape seeks to work within the landscape system to maintain life. This landscape, like all “natural” conditions only works within its network system.

Bisecting this region along the riparian assets, the Rio Grande, fractures the ecosystem and damages the ground.

Hermeneutic [ADJ] the study of the methodological principles of interpretation; a method or principle of interpretation. 22

Left The river and topological ground control the ecology of the site.

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Left Sierra Larga Mountain Range Map, Showing site for border crossing at La Linda Mexico.1

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United States

Sierra Larga Mexico

Rio Grande

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Topography + Hydrology The ground within this region is highly variable in elevation and hydrology. The region around the project site varies widely topographically. This area is bordered on the west by the Sierra Larga, part of the Sierra Del Carmen mountain range. The Rio Grande River flows on the southern portion of the site, dividing countries and bounding the project. This elevational transition from mountains to riparian flood plain produce a wide variety of species within the region and Big Bend National Park.

Within the geologic section of the site lies the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer. This major aquifer is contained under much of Texas, including major cities such as Houston. The Edwards-Trinity Aquifer is confined within this region at great depth. This extreme depth makes access and using the water very difficult and costly. The recharge zone for this aquifer is north under the Edwards Plateau. Most groundwater in this region is used for irrigation. The lack of easily accessible groundwater on the site sets up a condition where all occupants of the site much collect and store the totality of their water needs. This condition within the ecological ground necessitates an architecture of collection.

Left Digital Elevation Model with overlayed 5 m contour lines. 2 Left Below Aerial image of the La Linda Region with the United States portion of the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer.

Edwards- Trinity Aquifer

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Rio Grande Watershed

La Linda [ site ]

Rio Grande

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Rio Grande The Rio Grande currently forms the international border at La Linda, but within the ecological ground it forms a gradient transition. The Rio Grande functions as a threshold within both the landscape and political systems. This river has created the political threshold.

The Rio grande stretches 1900 miles to the mouth at Brownsville, Texas, making it the fourth longest river in the United States. 24 Many landforms have been carved by the once powerful Rio Grande River. This includes the project site and several sites visited on the field excursion such as Santa Elena Canyon. This once dramatic flow of the river forced through rock created dramatic landscape features. The width of the river was once more variable as well, stretching almost a mile wide at some points during the rainy season. So much water now however is siphoned away for agricultural that the river has slowed to a trickle. Other water concerns are determined by the international treaties that govern its usage and quality management.

Left Above The watershed and extents of the Rio Grande. 2 Left Below Rio Grande section flowing through site.

This riparian system cycles through periods of drought and flash flooding. Due to the dryness of the ground and the soil typologies found near the river much of the water runs off and flash flooding occurs in many arroyos and in the Rio Grande.

Couple this with evaporation and absorption by sandier soil types and the water from a flash flood recedes quickly. 25 This river, as mentioned previously, is the current border between the United States and Mexico for much of its reach.

The borderline lies at the deepest point of the river, but with scouring occurring throughout the river, that line is always changing. This dynamic line supports the ecological ground.

The political boundary should acknowledge the dynamism of the river to establish a boundary in flux and more congruent with the ecological systems.

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United States

Mexico

Rio Grande

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Ground + Geology The geology of the site is largely tied to the movement of the Rio Grande and formation of the rocks during the Paleozoic period.

The Big Bend National Park Region of the Chihuahuan desert is the terminus of both the Rocky and Appalachian mountain ranges. This condition exposes the tectonic plates actions upon the strata of the region. Geologic features such as those found at Devil’s Den Canyon, were formed by the deposition of sea life from the prehistoric inland sea. These sedimentary rocks shows the layers of static water level through time in this region.

Currently, not all static water level layers are horizontal as the region has some uplift by volcanic pressure. By reading the landscape typology ecologist can read the history of the ground in this specific location dating back 450,000,000 years. 26 Within the site at La Linda there are two landscape types, the first being gravelly top soil with 8-14” piece. Directly adjacent to the political border and riparian edge, the loamy bottomland soil is found. These soil types support a hot desert shrub ecosystem as well as some riparian species. Despite the low amount of rain fall, this arid ground still support a wide range of species supported by the water systems of the Rio Grande.

The ecological ground in this region is richly layered despite the homogenous appearance of the earth.

Left Above La Linda Site Region shows the landscape typologies.

Arroyo [Hot Desert Shrub] Gravelly 8-14” PZ Limestone Hills Loamy Bottomland Loamy [Hot Desert Shrub]

Left Below La Linda Site Region with the geology overlaid with landscape typology.

Alluvial Fan

Clay or Mud Gravel Limestone Sand

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Climate + Sunlight The climate along the southern border of the United States is unforgiving for immigrants on foot. Within the year the average temperature range from 32° to 95°, usually averaging around 65°.27 These temperatures appear mild until paired with the lack of humidity, precipitation, or shade. Human comfort in this region is also difficult to attain most of the year because of wind speed, low humidity and lack of rainfall. Human comfort outside is only achieved at temperatures between 75° and 82°.

Wind typically moves from the south, south-east direction, bringing in dry hot desert air. 28 The landscape provides little escape from the scorching sun of the Chihuahuan Desert. The amount of light and heat rarely provides conditions of climate comfort without augmenting the environment through architecture and human clothing.

This extreme condition of the ecological ground establishes an immediate need for people crossing the border: extended moments of shade. These climatic conditions also work against long term human occupation of the site. Without shelter people have a hard time mediating the temperature extremes and lack of water. These two factors could aid to push people through the threshold of the border station and the ecological ground. The architecture can serve to mediate the elements and travelers of the ecological ground.

Left Above Sun diagram showing lighting conditions on the La Linda site year round.

Summer Solstice Equinox

Winter Solstice

Daylight Hours

Left Below Wind Diagram of the prevailing annual winds at the La Linda Site, typically hailing from the south.

Primary Wind Direction Secondary Wind Direction

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Precipitation The local ecological ground is an arid ground. The La Linda site receives less than 13.78 inches of rain fall annually. The average humidity within the region is typically below 35%, dipping as low as 13% in winter months. 29 This lack of rainfall produces a thirsty ecology. Many species have water storage and collection adaptations out of necessity. There is no un-irrigated agriculture within this region. Some herding activities can be supported by natural drought tolerate grassland species. This harsh environment is difficult for humans to travel through, and demands humans to “pack out” their own water much like the local flora and fauna. Human migration through this region has to conform to the network ecology of the desert landscape, moving slowly and at night to avoid water loss. This pattern of movement can be accommodated with a diurnal shelter of architecture. This shelter can increase the surface area for water collection.

Left Above Chart showing average monthly precipitation in the La Linda Region

Monthly Precipitation

Left Below A swatch of nonporous limestone, showing the dryness of the ground.

The dryness of the site is further exaggerated by the physical ground’s relationship to water. The Rio Grande, as previously mentioned makes up the southern edge of the site. The river however is undrinkable. The site is located above a major aquifer, which cannot be accessed easily. This site must serve as an oasis within this ecological desert for human occupancy.

This occupancy can adapt to drought within this arid landscape.

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Desert Flora Most desert Fauna and Flora have many adaptations for water storage and collection. Many of these adaptations include waxy or thick skin, nocturnal behavior, and formal shapes to minimize water loss through transpiration. Yucca for example, have vertical fin shaped leaves coated with a thick waxy shell, to prevent water loss, but the shape also allows for mind movement with little direct light on the large vertical surface area. Many cacti in this region of the Chihuahuan Desert cluster near rock outcrops for temperature relief, and water collection during rainfall.

The Sotol plant is known for attracting pollinators such as bees the region. Sotols create a towering stalk from which flowers bloom. These act like markers within the landscape for productive ecologies.

Left Top Mammillaria Lasiacantha cactus with overlapping spines for protection.

Middle Top Rainbow Cactus at Devil's Den Right Top Agava Plant with vertical fins to minimize transpiration.

Left Bottom Prickly Pear Cactus on site at La Linda.

Middle Bottom Sotol Plant, attracts bees to site, aids in colony propagation.

Right Bottom Creosote bush adapting to rocky top soil on La Linda Site.

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Some plant colonies are specifically spaced to increase water collected by the roots system of the colony rather than the individual. This even dispersal of individual plants can be read in the landscape and can be used as an indicator for soil conditions and rainfall. Cacti using this colonizing technique could be useful when siting program within this project. This relations to the climate and the water allows the plant species to survive within the realities of the regional ground.

Left Diagram showing plant colony grid for cactus desert species.

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Giant Cane[ Arundinaria gigantea] Giant Cane is not of this ecological ground, it is an invader of the Rio Grande Ecosystem. There are several problems to the distribution of this plant species along the riparian edge. The first and major issue is the sediment capture the Giant Cane causes along the river. The cane grows directly on the edge of the river, and sediment is caught between the stalks of the cane.

This causes the banks to encroach on the river, narrowing the channel and not allowing for annual flooding in the bosques and other riparian communities. Giant cane is almost single handily responsible for the change in river flow and function.

The narrowing of the river channel has not allowed the river to slow and spread out, to create the thick boundary. The river ecology cannot function within this disturbed network.

Above Giant River Cane at the La Linda site.

Right Giant Cane location on site.

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Another issue with the giant river cane is the water sequestered within its cells. This water is negligible at the scale of the individual plant but when looked at as a community spanning the breadth of the Rio Grande that amount of water can be meaningful. This plant, although surviving within the region, has negatively impacted the ecological ground, narrowing the border to the width of a line within the banks of the river and consuming much needed water. 30 The National Park Service has tried many natural and somewhat labor intensive methods of eradicating the Cane, but without cooperation on the Mexican side of the border the problem will persist. This resilient plant although not native, has effectively survived this harsh ground.

PRECEDENT

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Politics Politics [N] - the total complex of relations between people living in society; relations or conduct in a particular area of experience especially as seen or dealt with from a political point of view. 31

Left Osmotic migration diagram.

The ground of this region is heavily influenced by national and international politics. The foundational basis of ground in this area must include political knowledge. This foundational knowledge influences how Americans and Mexicans perceive the border. Some see it as a place in need of fortification, while others see it as a threshold to a better life. This osmotic imbalance creates tension at places such as La Linda. These border places create the need for a watchful architecture, or a place of welcoming. This tension is the nexus of political debates and national policies on immigration. Some want to shut the border, some want to police it, and some one to open it.

The ecological ground calls for a flexible policy: a policy of flux, oscillation, and transition. This type of policy would produce a new architecture at Land Port of Entry. An architecture adapted to change and allows for program to do so as well.

This adaptation must adapt to the flux of the Rio Grande as the thickened border.

Politics

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Border Crossing Stations Included in this ecological ground is the preconceived notion of border crossing. These government run stations are designed to be welcoming, but watchful. Many of the design requirements involve lines of sight to and from the building. These buildings are meant to maintain the threshold to the country, to protect and to scrutinize. The building and site must act as a unit to engage the scale of the car and the pedestrian. This building typology is controlled by many government regulations. These include regulations on sustainability, security, productivity, and functionality.

Left Image taken at the La Linda Border Crossing Bridge.

Sustainability is one of the most applicable issues to the program at La Linda. The United States mandates that a Land Port of Entry must

-Meet emerging energy performance standards

-Maximize day lighting and natural ventilation

-Minimize water consumption

-Mitigate exhaust fumes, particulate pollutions, and

heat from vehicles idling at booths and canopies. 32 Other requirements include:

- Passive and active security systems

- Accommodation of four transportation types.

- Flexible architecture for adaptive program usage.

- Provide infrastructure necessary for current and

future technology. 33 These requirements dictate the flexibility within the architecture of border stations. Some of these requirements work against the ecological ground, the network systems established within the Trans-Pecos Region. These requirements do not make spaces for dynamic systems and changing illegal immigration networks. Other portions of the program and government standards require a more flexible ecological approach.

Politics

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United States Land Port of Entry, Massena The Land Port of Entry at Massena New York prioritizes site organization and usability of circulation for private and public user. Other design goals were to create a cohesive system to promote ecological sustainability between the building system and adjacent wetlands on the site. 34This project is one of the most publicized Land Port of Entry projects due to the intent to create a feeling of openness. The U.S. General Services Administration has required the Yellow “United States� signage be removed from the elevation of the building. The rational for this post construction change to the building lies within the anxiety for security at the site. The Administration claims the bright yellow color combined with the size of the text creates a targets for terrorists wanting a symbolic target for the United State. The architectural team believes this move is based in fear and defies the ideas of openness and strength the building is meant to exude. 35 The site engages with the landscape by saving and expanding wetland areas around the site. This is an example of human ecology bettering the site through simulated natural processes.

Location: Massena, NY Building: 84,000 SF Site: 57 Acres Client: U.S. General Services Administration

Left Above View of private storage building at the Massena Land Port of Entry. 3 Left View of the disputed signage on the vehicle entry point. 4 Left Below Night view of private storage building. 5

This example explains the security issues that arise with this typology of government building. This security concern and subsequent removal of the yellow signage can inform the branding of the building at La Linda.

precedent

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United States Land Port of Entry, San Ysidro The San Ysidro Land Port of Entry is a large border station where 102,000 people cross the border between Mexico and the United States daily. The goals of this 34 lane Land Port of Entry are to maximize efficiency both in building function and people movement. Photovoltaic panels and a closed-loop, ground-coupled geoexchange system are used to generate energy used at the port of entry. Other sustainable practices include a redesigned traffic flow to minimize pollution emitted at the site. This practice helps improve air quality at the site.

This project serves as a precedent for the project as La Linda in its attention to sustainability and its large water storage tank used for irrigation and grey water toilets. 36 Although much larger than the program at La Linda this site illustrates sustainable building practices that can be employed within the ecological ground.

Location: San Ysidro, CA. Building: 200,000 SF Client: U.S. General Services Administration Left Above Site Plan of San Ysidro Land Port of Entry. 6 Left Aerial view of the vehicle entry point at San Ysidro. 7 Left Below Design Rendering by Miller hull Partnership showing the tectonics and character of the entry point. 8

precedent

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Field Excursion Field [N] - An open land area free of woods and buildings; an area of land marked by the presence of particular objects or features.

Field [N] - the place where a battle is fought; also : battle; a large unbroken expanse; an area or division of an activity, subject, or profession; an area for military exercises or maneuvers.

Field [N] - the sphere of practical operation outside a base Field [N] - a space on which something is drawn or projected: as the ground of each division in a flag Field [N] - a particular area of activity. 37 Excursion [N] - a going out or forth : expedition Excursion [N] - deviation from a direct, definite, or proper course; especially : digression Excursion [N] -a movement outward and back or from a mean position or axis. 38

Field Excursion

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Field Excursion [ Day 01 ] San Jose Mission, San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas is home to 5 Spanish missions, each of which has recently been named an UNESCO site. The San Jose Mission is the largest surviving mission which is mostly original construction despite a renovation period in the 1930s.

Originally a Franciscan mission which specialized in agricultural technology, the mission welcomed many small native tribes into their fortress. This site served as a refugee camp, with Native Americans fleeing to its safety to avoid other warring tribes and Spanish disease. The construction of this rectangular site is reminiscent of a fort despite being a building for teaching.

The San Jose Mission is a great precedent for native material usage as well as sustainable building planning. The Mission is built of exclusively local stone, mesquite trees, and bricks made of the Texas mud. The site design lends it self to a defensible architecture for housing refugees. The plan of this mission gave people equal space, but the location of housing units gave a hierarchy to the site. The European settlers,for example, were housed closer to the church. 39

Top Left Gate connection demonstrates attention to defense and access with nesting doors and iron connections.

Top Middle Detail of hinge connection showing embedded iron rods in wood. This image also demonstrates the connection method for wood to stone masonry through a language of embedding.

Top Right Image of the San Jose Mission arcade leading to the cathedral.

Left Below Sketch of connections + Shadow Study

Tectonic

The visit to both the San Jose Mission and the Alamo illuminated a historic connection to ground. These places had to manipulate the ground for access to water, defense, and social construct.

These mission constructions were made of ground both earth, adobe, and rock, rubble masonry. Similar alterations must be made to the site at La Linda in order for the program to work within the ecological ground.

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Field Excursion [ Day 02 ] Lake Flato, San Antonio Texas + Fort Stockton Texas Day two of the studio field visit began with a tour and discussion session with the office of a Lake Flato. Being located in San Antonio, Lake Flato has done several recent projects in west Texas, most recently a residential project that is off the grid.

They not only gave a very informative tour of the office, but spent time discussing our project and the ecological and cultural landscape in which the project is situated.

Left Image of the transitional landscape under snow cover.

Some of the information they shared included a discussion of the solar implications of orientation in an arid rural context.

These included the necessity to block the northern wind, in all seasons, as well as the need for thermal mass. They advised the studio of the use of regional materials, not only for sustainability purposes but for practically in construction. Among those recommended were steel, concrete, adobe, corrugated metal, and a limited use of wood in protected or interior portions of the building. Due to the lack of available trees and the harsh arid environment, this material is more impractical in the desert. 40 The studio continued to Balmorhea, Texas after an unplanned snow storm impeded the route to Fort Davis and the University of Texas Observatory. This dramatic change in weather demonstrated the swift severity of the climate in west Texas, while also giving the studio insight into the frozen hot shrub desert landscape. This experience of climate in the Trans-Pecos region and the discussion with Lake Flato's office will aid in designing for the desert crosser within the ecological ground.

Field Excursion

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Field Excursion [ Day 03 ] Chinati Foundation, Marfa Texas + Terlingua Texas Day three of the studio field visit was spent at the Chinati Foundation. This excursion into Marfa’s large art compound founded by Donald Judd became a precedent for working within the desert ground, rather than placing art on top of the ground.

Judd’s philosophy that art’s site was landscape, architecture, and light was extremely evident in his untitled works and 100 works in mill aluminum. The art produced by Donald Judd can be looked at as neutral within the landscape, acting as a way of measuring the dynamic system in which it sits. 41 This idea can be applied to the border project as a lens for the working within the ecological ground.

Left Above Untitled works in cast in place concrete by Donald Judd, Chinati Foundation.

Left Below View through a ruin at Terlingua.

This Chinati foundation was also an example of Texas Military Architecture, at one point in its history being a military base.

The barrack buildings in particular have a “U” shaped plan to create an exterior courtyard with large overhangs that establish a sheltered micro-climate. This could be applied to the housing portion, as it has been historically, to create sheltered outdoor spaces for community activities. This plan could be beneficial to the project as a whole to shelter and protect the exterior spaces.

On the way to Big Bend National Park, the studio made a detour to Terlingua, a ghost town near the western border of the park.

This site provided some material context for the adobe brick and rock construction as well as a transitional view from the grasslands of West Texas to the Chihuahuan Desert. This was the last stop before crossing into the national park.

Field Excursion

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Field Excursion [ Day 04 ] Big Bend National Park Texas Big Bend National Park is a site with many landscapes contained within its boundaries including grassland, desert, and deciduous forest. On day four of the site excursion, the studio led by Park Ranger David Elkowitz, hiked into Devil’s Den. This limestone rock canyon was formed 450 million year ago, under the mid continent sea which extended north through Texas. Coupled with magma material uplift, the horizontal layers of sedimentary rock shifted into a diagonal orientation. 42 This hike not only exposed the harsh realities of a desert border crossing but also expanded the landscape palette known within the park.

Left AboveView into Devil’s Den. Left Below Sectional View of Adobe structure at Castolon, Big Bend, Texas.9

While within the park, the studio explored several architectural precedents. These included the Holmer Wilson Ranch, several adobe structures in Castolon, Santa Elena Canyon, and Luna’s Jacal. All of these structures demonstrated a vernacular building tectonic. The Wilson ranch displayed thick rubble masonry walls, with a low open porch oriented south for maximum winter exposure. The adobe structures demonstrated several different methods for constructing adobe structures and embedding the joists within the walls. This set of building also contained a restoration test structure where many types of adobe were being tested by the National Park Service. The last architectural stop inventoried was Luna’s Jacal, a primitive herding structure for range ranchers or indigenous people. This structure, made of dry set rubble, and a thatched roof was low to the ground and built into a boulder for thermal comfort and efficiency in construction. 43 All of these structures are made of the ground, whether rock or earth. These examples illustrate different foundational building techniques within the region. The earthen structures all work within the ecological ground to meet human needs in this inhospitable landscape.

Field Excursion

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Left Above Thickened rubble walls at Homer Wilson Ranch.

Left Below Luna's Jacal.

Left Reconstructed Adobe structure at Castolon in Big Bend National park.

Field Excursion

057

Big Bend National Park Texas

Right Santa Elena’s Canyon, Big Bend Texas.

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SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

The most poetic experience of the day was the hike into Santa Elena’s Canyon. This Canyon was carved by the Rio Grande over thousands of years. It is today a visual representation of the border, a fracture in the ground between two countries. This division is manifested into massive walls of rock giving way to the water, the border. This unnatural landscape manifests the political ideologies of a Land Port of Entry. As the Canyon is a void in the ground occupied by the line, the river, so the border station can be in the mediation gradient space of the ecological and political ground.

Field Excursion

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Field Excursion [ Day 05 ] La Linda Border Crossing, Texas Day five of the studio trip was a field excursion to La Linda, the site for the Land Port of Entry. The site appeared at first to be just the riparian edge and the closed bridge to La Linda, but as the day progressed site exploration and documentation exposed many potential building sites, including an old building foundation overlooking the bridge and upland cliffs on the east side of the site. The ecology of the site is based on the gravel and sandy soils observed on the limestone cliffs. Several cactus species occupy the upland desert, while Giant River Cane has invaded the riverbank acting as a secondary border for those who would cross by water. The flora observed, (refer to the landscape page 33,) on the site adds a secondary texture to the rocky hills, but during the visit the color palette of the site was the grey-brown of the ground plane and river and the bright cyan of the sky.

Left Above View of the closed bridge crossing the Rio Grande at La Linda, Mexico.

Left Below Detail photograph of the site ground conditions.

The ground of the site is varied and difficult to navigate. From loamy soft soil at the river edge to the rocky out cropping of hills on the eastern side of the site the soil varies widely. The ground made of limestone sub soil, gives way and cracks easily, mimicking the fracturing of the political ground. The architecture at this site will need to account for circulation along the muddy edge, the steep cliff, and the exposed expanses.

This project constructed within the ecological ground will also need to design for the fluctuation within the riparian system.

Field Excursion

061

La Linda Border Crossing, Texas

Right Above Map showing the La Linda region including Big Bend National Park.

Right Below Border Patrol Camera embedded within the landscape near the river basin.

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SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

The site is bordered on the west side by the Sierra Larga Mountains and the Heath Canyon Ranch. In conjunction these features act as the western boundary of the site. The Sierra Larga rise high above the Rio Grande forming a visual barrier to Big Bend National Park.

This landscape is desolate, far away from people on the American side of the river. On the Mexican side newer developments (along with ghost town remnants) overlook the river and the site of the La Linda Land Port of Entry. The site is currently watched over by the United States Border Patrol by cameras embedded within the landscape. Access to the site is limited to one highway, by which all materials must be brought to the site. These existing characteristics of the ecological ground will influence the new border crossing station at La Linda. Those that work against the ecological ground such as a authoritative voyeurism and giant cane will be rectified to work within the network of the ecological ground.

United States

Sierra Larga Big Bend National Park

La Linda Site

Mexico

Rio Grande

Field Excursion

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Tinaja [N] - : a large porous water jar for cooling water by evaporation, Southwest : water, pocket, pothole. 44 One detail found in the highland desert condition of the site was a Tinaja. The earthen jug is formed in a crater on the limestone of the site. This form of the rock, collects water for temporary storage and then slowly releases it to the landscape, making it a small scale oasis for cacti and other fauna.

Left Tinajas at La Linda Border Crossing Site, Texas

The field excursion yielded many revelations about the notion of ground within the Trans-Pecos region. These lessons include, + the need to collect water within the ground, much like the Tinaja. + the advantage embedded of the varied condition of the soil section. + allow for the thickening of the border at the Rio Grande. +the potential for human ecology to augment the ecologic ground in a positive manner.

The trip further confirmed the need to realign the site within the ecological ground to rework the relationship of ground to the required political program.

precedent

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Intent

The issues of the La Linda site are tethered to the physical and metaphoric ground of the Trans-Pecos border region. Ground meaning, the bottom of a body of water; a basis for belief, action, or argument; a fundamental logical condition; a basic metaphysical cause. The site serves as a study for larger regional ecological ideas affecting the national border regions.

Foundational political ideas of this border are tied to the geographic boundary between the United States and Mexico, which flows through this site. The division of ground causes chasms, ravines, and cliffs. Fractured foundational knowledge on which political policy is built creates a flawed spatial condition at the border. Ground, be that earth or knowledge, operates most sustainably as a continuous plane, a connected network. Under this charge, the Land Port of Entry will operate embedded within the ecological ground, to operate as a gradient of transition, or an in-between space mediating countries. This conception of border becomes a mediating space for ecological processes and authoritative systems within the region.

Left Cacti colony on rock outcropping on upland area of the site.

The neighboring Santa Elena Canyon (see page 54) is a visual representation of the current border, a fracture in the physical ground between two countries. This division is manifested into massive walls of rock giving way to the water, the border. This harsh ecology manifests the political ideologies of a United States Land Port of Entry. As the Canyon is a void in the ground occupied by the line, the river, there is also the current condition of the international border as a break in the ecological and political ground. In reconceptulizing border as a mediating space rather than a line, the border station must fit within the ecology gradient of that space. This project seeks to use architecture as an insertion point in the ecological network rather than a fissure providing a segue between political systems. Architecture will provide for the entrance to ground for migrants. The notion of unbroken physical and foundational ground will create the border station at La Linda.

Intent

067

GROUND prologue 007 prospectus 017 landscape 019 politics 039 field excursion 047 intent 067

068

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Both landscape [ground] and ecology serve as useful strategic models for three primary reasons: 1) they accept the often messy and complex circumstances of the given state, replete with constraints, potentials, and realities, and they have developed techniques- mapping, diagramming, planning, imaging, arranging, and so on- for both representing and working with the seemingly unmanageable or inchoate complexities of the given; 2) they both address issues of large-scale spatial organization and relational structuring among parts, a structuring that remains open and dynamic, not fixed; and 3) they both deal with time open-endedly, often viewing a project more in terms of cultivation, staging, and setting up certain conditions rather than obsessing on fixity, finish, and completeness. Landscape [ground] and ecology understand projects as dynamic, grounded temporalities, as context-specific unfoldingsbecoming, durational emergences, themselves seeding potentials that go on to engender further sets of effect and novelty. [Architects] tend to view the specificity of a given site- its environment, culture, politics, and economies- as a program unto itself, a program that has an innate tendency or propensity with regard to the future potentials. 45

INTENT

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GROUND prologue 007 prospectus 017 landscape 019 politics 039 field excursion 047 intent 067

NOTES 1 “Ecology,” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 12 Jan. 2016.

2 “Ground,” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 14 Jan. 2016.

3 Michael Wines, “Mighty Rio Grande Now a Trickle Under Siege,” 12 Apr. 2015. The New

York Times. 31 Dec. 2015.

4 David Brown, “Deep in the Heart of Big Bend National Park,” 30 Apr. 2015. Washington

Post. 4 Jan. 2016.

5 Thomas C. Alex, Big Bend National Park and Vicinity. (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub,

2010) 31.

6 Brown.

7 “Plants,” United States National Park Service, 2014, National Parks Service. U.S.

Department of the Interior. 4 Jan. 2016.

8 Allan Savory, “How to Fight Desertification and Reverse Climate Change,” March 2013.

TED. lecture. 1o Jan 2016.

9 Julia Czerniak, George Hargreaves, and John Beardsley, Large parks. (New York

Cambridge, Mass: Princeton Architectural Press in association with the

Harvard University Graduate School of Design, 2007.) 36.

10 Lawrence A. Herzog, From Aztec to High Tech : Architecture and Landscape Across

the Mexico-United States Border (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University

Press, 2001.) 43.

11 Leon C. Metz, Border: The U.S.-Mexico Line. (Fort Worth, Tex: TCU Press, 2008.) ii.

12 Herzog, 45.

13 Noam Chomsky, and Graham Cairns, Noam Chomsky: How the U.S.-Mexico Border Is

Cruel by Design. (Alternet. 28 Oct. 2013.)

14 “An Overview of U.S. Refugee Law and Policy. “ (American Immigration Council.

18 Nov. 2015.). 15 Dec. 2015. <http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/ refugees-fact-sheet>.

15 Herzog, 93-101.

16 Herzog ,97.

17 Herzog, 42.

18 Alex, 51-64.

19 “Prospectus” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 8 Feb. 2016.

20 Ursula Emery McClure, Arch 7006 Prospectus, 2016. School of Architecture,

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La. 21 “Landscape,” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 3 Feb. 2016.

22 “Hermeneutic,” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 7 Feb. 2016.

23 James Corner, “ A Discourse on Theory II: Three Tyrannies of Contemporary Theory

and the Alternative of Hermeneutics,” Landscape Journal (1991): 129.

24 Water Fact Sheet. United States Geological Survey. United States Department of the

Interior. PDF. 31 Jan. 2016.

25 David Elkowitz (January 2016) lecture.

26 David Elkowitz (January 2016) lecture.

27 “Temperature - Precipitation - Sunshine - Snowfall,” Climate Big Bend National Park.

07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/big-bend-national park/texas/united-states/ustx2354>.

28 Climate Big Bend National Park. 07 Feb. 2016.

29 David Elkowitz (January 2016) lecture.

30 David Elkowitz (January 2016) lecture.

31 “Politics,” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 3 Feb. 2016.

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SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

32 Alexis Malone ( January 2016) lecture.

33 Alexis Malone ( January 2016) lecture.

34 Smith-Miller Hawkinson Architects LLP, “United States Land Port of Entry, Massena”

21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.smharch.com/project_template.php?id=5>.

35 Nicolai Ouroussoff, “At a Border Crossing, Security Trumps Openness,” The New York

Times. 26 July 2009. The New York Times. 18 Jan. 2016.

36 “San Ysidro Land Port of Entry,” Miller Hull Partnership. 2014. Miller Hull Partnership.

22 Jan. 2016. <http://www.millerhull.com/html/inprogress/SanYsidro.htm>.

37 “Field.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

38 “Excursion.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

39 Ursula Emery McClure ( January 2016) lecture.

40 Lake Flato (January 2016) lecture.

41 Michael McClure (January 2016) lecture.

42 David Elkowitz (January 2016) lecture.

43 Ursula Emery McClure ( January 2016) lecture.

44 “Tinaja.” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 31 Jan. 2016.

45 Belanger, Pierre, and James Corner. Going Live from States to Systems. Vol. 35. New

York: Princeton Architectural, 2015. Print. Pamphlet Architecture. 77.

IMAGES All images are property of the author unless otherwise noted.

1 “Sierra Larga,” United States Geologic Survery, 1982. 130. University of Texas Library

System. Web. 31 Jan. 2016. <https://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/us_mexico_border/txu_ oclc_15606487_130.jpg>.

2 "Rio Grande Watershed," Karl Schmidt, 2016. Lecture. 1 Feb. 2016.

3 Smith-Miller Hawkinson Architects LLP, “United States Land Port of Entry, Massena,”

21 Jan. 2016. <http://www.smharch.com/project_template.php?id=5>.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

6 “San Ysidro Land Port of Entry,” Miller Hull Partnership. 2014. Web. 22 Jan. 2016. <http://www.millerhull.com/html/inprogress/SanYsidro.htm>.

7 Ibid.

8 Ibid.

9 “Castolon, Old Castolon Residence, Route 5, Castolon, Brewster County, TX,” Library

of Congress. Historic American Buildings Survey. Web. 31 Jan. 2016.

<http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Drawing: tx0989>.

notes

071

ANALYSIS collage site program schematic

072

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

075 093 115 133

ANALYSIS Analysis [N] - separation of a whole into its component parts; the identification or separation of ingredients of a substance; a statement of the constituents of a mixture; proof of a mathematical proposition by assuming the result and deducing a valid statement by a series of reversible steps; a method in philosophy of resolving complex expressions into simpler or more basic ones; clarification of an expression by an elucidation of its use in discourse. 1 Analyze [V] to study or determine the nature and relationship of the parts or by analysis; to subject to scientific or grammatical analysis. 2

Analysis

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SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Collage Collage [N] - an artistic composition made of various materials (as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface.

Collage [N] - a collection of different things.

Left Boke’s Button Cactus 1

Collage [N] - a creative work that resembles such a composition in incorporating various materials or elements 3 The act of collage allows for discovery through the process of constructing an image. This collage set is an attempt to merge regional natural qualities of sustainability with the construct intent of a border crossing. Precedents studied include Boke’s Button Cactus, Epithelantha bokei, Jimsonweed, Datura wrightii, and Texas Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum. These species all are able to inhabit the Chihuahuan Desert, a nearly uninhabitable ground, because of their relationship to water and their ability to fortify themselves.

Above Boke’s Button Cactus diagram of water storage expansion.

Epithelantha bokei, Boke’s Button Cactus was selected as the first precedent because of the cacti's innate water storage properties.

When water is available, small tubercles swell to contain the water, making the cactus almost completely spherical. In extreme drought it shrinks to a “concertina-like form.”4 The cactus has a waxy outer skin to limit transpiration. This ability to change form to store water is a major advantage in the Chihuahuan Desert and the Trans Pecos region in general. This plant is a regional indicator as it is only found in North America in the Chihuahuan Desert. 5

Collage

075

Closed day flower head of a Jimson

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SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Open nocturnal flower head of the Jimson Weed

The second tectonic investigated, Datura wrightii, known as Jimson weed, has several adaptations suited for the Trans Pecos Region of West Texas and Northern Mexico. The entire plant if eaten is poisonous.

This defense mechanism makes it lethal. The hallucinogenic properties of this plant were known to the southwestern native American tribes and used in rituals. The poison infects the consumer of the plant incapacitating it, protecting the immobile cacti. This adaptation of defense could be applied to the building at La Linda within the current political turmoil. Another, more formal adaptation is the plants consciousness of the time. The flowers will only open after dusk and will recoil by morning to protect the plant from water loss and attack by animals. Another layer of protection is found in the seed pods which are fully armored and covered in spikes. 6

Top Left Jimson weed, recoiled during high amounts of sunlight. 2 Top Middle Jimson weed, open at dawn with night dew still remaining. 3 Top Right A Jimson weed seed pod nearing maturity. 4 Below Diagram of Jimson Weed's consciousness of time.

Collage

077

Horned Toad with no precipitation

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SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Section Horned Toad skin section in dry conditions and below, during rain harvesting

The third, Phrynosoma cornutum, known as the Texas Horned Lizard or Horned Toad, has the ability to survive in very sparsely vegetated areas of the Chihuahuan desert as they are able to camouflage and to sustain life with few resources. The Horned Lizard is known for its burrowing during high heat hours of the day to preserve water and energy. A similar method is used to hibernate from late summer to early spring, in which the lizard will bury itself and slow its metabolism to use almost no food or water. 7 Relative to water storage this species is also known for water harvesting, in which during heavy rains the lizard stands with its body flat, and lowers its head to funnel water through the â&#x20AC;&#x153;interscalar channelsâ&#x20AC;? to its mouth. 8 The Horned lizard also possesses a unique defense mechanism, in which while under duress the lizard can shoot up to 1/3 of the blood contained in its system through a pore in the eye. This disarming tactic aids in protection against birds, insects and especially mammals, such as canines are repulsed by the ensuing smell and known behavior. 9

Left Above Diagram of the Texas Horned lizard rain harvesting, back stretching, head down.

Left Below Texas Horned lizard

5

All of these species give insight into surviving within the ecological ground. Many of the adaptations deal with water collection which is directly applicable to the human occupation at La Linda. The defense tectonics could lead to an investigation of a fortified threshold at the border station.

Collage

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Within the Chihuahuan Desert most species of flora and fauna have adapted to the harsh climate and rapid changing landscape conditions. The following collages attempted to borrow these adaptations from the Horned Lizard, Button Cactus, and Jimson Weed to create a tectonic construct of a border crossing.

The first tectonic construct collage was sited in a world too closely related to the project site at La Linda. This collage focused too heavily on the figural elements of the chosen animal. The resulting collage was not a singular construct and reads as a conglomeration of the animals studied rather than a new monster constructed from their adaptations. However, this collage did begin to capture some of the diurnal and nocturnal traits of the new monster, including the opening of the Jimson Weed at dusk. This collage lead to a further investigation of the Horn Toad and Button Cactus water collection and storage systems.

Left Above Desert Border Collage 01.

The adaptations of the flora and fauna become the architecture spatially.

Left Below Desert Border Collage 02.

The adaptations of the desert create a system used to cross the desert.

The second iteration of the border crossing tectonic construct focused on the idea of the water collection and storage process. The inter-scalar channels from the Horned Lizard collect available water in this image from the atmosphere and river. This water is funneled using the same posture the lizard employs lowering its head, which in this monster becomes a mining trough. The water is then funneled to the Button Cactus train for storage and movement across the desert. This process based image speaks to the antiquated mining industry and the journey an immigrant must take across the desert. In this collage the Horned Lizard acts as the unofficial entry across the border, aiding the immigrating cacti with water and safe passage.

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In the third construct the desert monster becomes the refugee searching for the missing resource within the desert, water. The creature searches for water, much like the martian landscape suggests, collecting any rainfall on its expanded lizard skin and channeling it through inter-scalar channels to the Button Cactus head. This head stores the water and expands to hold more. Growing from the main head are the protective antennae; these open at dusk to reveal horned lizard heads. These heads ward off would-be predators while collecting more dew to channel to the cacti bladder.

Left Desert Collage 03. The monster becomes the border inhabitant.

The critique of this monster is focused on the visual quality of the monster. He remained too tied to the original plant and animal selection. This desert construct is situated well within his new world but begins to blend into the daytime condition.

Within his parts, the skin does not visually express its function.

The construct does not focus on the thesis performance of the monster, but rather it tried to gain all the adaptations of the three species. This creature tries to create a new ecological network in which one animal possesses all the optional adaptations rather than specializing to perform its action well. Within the ecological ground, function must be specifically defined to allow for specialized adaptations, be those of a building or monster.

Similarly, the architecture of this project must also not seek to do everything within the ecological ground.

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The final tectonic construction becomes more machine than monster. This creature was an attempt to visualize the desert tectonics devoid of their original formal language. The newest creature collects water on its stretched back and siphons it towards the expandable storage center. Searching for water is the only activity pursued during this creature's lifetime, as the mars rover chassis makes reference. If provoked the creature has the ability to defend itself by spewing toxic fluids.

Left Desert Collage 04. The monster becomes the border inhabitant.

Within the ecological ground network of this region, this desert inhabitant has the ability to work within the prevailing system to achieve its goal rather than change the system. The network of ground this creature must traverse is not unlike that of the architecture of the Land Port of Entry. Each must survive in this harsh environment focused on water, protection, and a light adaptable presence to the ground.

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The first transition from collage to model [colladel] focused on the figural elements of the tectonic construction. The construction of the multiple heads was created using a structural fold to elicit the expansion. This monster's intention is focused on water collection and storage. This adaptation makes it suited for life within the Trans-Pecos ecological ground. This creature has found a way to function within the ecological network of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Left Desert Colladel 01. The monster becomes the border inhabitant.

One successful connection was found through the construction of the heads. Methods of construction were borrowed from the region such as embedding elements within a mass. The joint was created using the existing elements of a micro pipette to connect the water storage with the dew collection surfaces. The pipette serves as a defense system capable of spitting to prevent attack.

This desert construct was less successful in its evolution into the third dimension. The wing apparatus transformation was too formally extruded from the collage. There was little change in this extrusion with the exception of the layered construction.

The biggest weakness was the connection from the wing, water collector, to the head modules, the water storage. There was little representation of a transfer system.

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Right Desert Collage + Model 01. The monster becomes the border inhabitant.

In the final tectonic colladel, of Adapsys, the water collection system of this creature was further explored through the act of modeling. Using the same construction technique, the water collection wing was further layered. Tubes were embedded within the wing to convey water directly to the water storage heads. These tubes not only convey water during rain and flash flood events, but also structures the creature. These tubes embrace the wing and give the heads order. This construction better illustrates its adaptations for survival in the ecological ground of this region.

Several ideas found within this tectonic can be translated into an architecture for this region. The ideas rooted within the wing structure of expanding water collection surface, and embedded conveyance system could be adapted for water collection for the Land Port of Entry building. The water collection system could serve as the structuring system of the building. The expanding storage could be applicable to storage of rainwater in the building during times of inundation. These ideas can aid in human occupation of the site within the ecological network that is the ground of this region. The desert tectonic construction can inform how the human ecology reinserts itself on this site, as a light adaptable presence.

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Warka Water, Protoypes Warka Water is a humanitarian design project focused on bringing a water solution to areas of drought and climate change. Warka Water is a vertical structure that harvests potable water from the air to create another potable water source in rural arid environments. This structure is currently being tested in Ethiopia. The design team studied the micro and nano-structures of the Namib beetleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shell, lotus flower leaves, spider web threads, and the integrated fog collection system in cactus to create a pavilion for collecting water in many stages of the water cycle. This innovative project looks at collecting dew, fog, condensation, precipitation, and minimizing transpiration.

This construction functions completely without electricity or fuel to collect up to 26 gallons a day in an arrid climate. The ideas embedded within this project are applicable when considering the water collection for the border crossing at La Linda. This type of structure could be used in the project to allow for more water capture from evening dew, not only from precipitation.

Location: Prototypes in Ethiopia + Italy Surface Area: Mesh 323 sq ft Daily water collection: 13 to 26 gallons Water tank storage: 800 gallons Construction: 10 days, 10 people [by hand, no electrical power machinery required] Cost : ~ $1,000 Left Above A photograph of Warka Water in situ. 6 Left Below Diagram of Warka Water methods for water harvesting. 7

This project has been exhibited all over the world, most notably at the 2012 Venice Biennale. 10

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Analogous Site Model The process of building ground reinforces the notion of ground as foundation. The first analogous site model was constructed using an additive method. In this model, ecological systems were mapped onto the site using a grid as scalar reference (see page 34). These ecological systems included soil and plant typologies in relation to water necessity. The first system, the high desert gravelly soil, shown in thin yellow thread, was regularly strung to examine the colony pattern found among many desert cacti. These plants maximize water collection for the colony by spreading out in even intervals based on root span. This grid system is translated into the network model in the stringing pattern.

Left The first in a series of analogous site models exploring the overlap of ecological ground typologies.

The other two systems mapped are the invasive can species in loamy soil and the riparian condition, including the river. These were mapped on the same grid but with varying stringing patterns. The yellow thick yarn, representing the river cane network was strung thick to create a vertical barrier. The riparian network was strung to show movement and flux in the water level and species diversity. Where these three networks overlap a mediating space is located.

This model brought about the realization that many local scale ecologies, and therefore mediating zones, are in opposition to the region scale ecologies. From this observation came the idea to analyze the program based on which activities operate at a regional scale and which are local activities.

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Right The second in a series of analogous site models showing the removal of the non-ecological ground.

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The second iteration of the analogous site model was made =in excavation. After establishing the ecological in-between at the local scale, the non-ecological ground was removed. This creates a harsh environment in which all remaining land on the site is within the ecological gradient. This act of excavation did not create more ecological ground as excavation has the power to do. This diagrammatic exploration simply limited the operating zone for the project within existing ecological networks.

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Right The second in a series of analogous site models showing the removal of the non-ecological ground.

In the third analogous site model, the principals of the first two models and their exposed foundational knowledge were combined to explore the notion of regional versus local ecologic ground. In this model the thick yellow yarn maps the regional ecological ground, this mediating space occurs over more of the site and also higher in elevation on the section. The thin yellow thread is closer to the riparian edge and lower in elevation as compared to the regional. This model begins to inform the siting of the project within the two networks.

The critique of this model was that the human ecology had been removed from the site. This intricate network of authority and human migration must be considered in the network ecology of the site. Humans could produce productive marks upon the ground. The idea of human systems enhancing the ecological networks of the site could be the insertion point for human occupation on the site. Humans need to occupy the landscape as the colladel construction does, slipping through the ecology, not damaging the landscape. This model also left the location of the project too open and ambiguous.

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Right Above The fourth in a series of analogous site models attempting to show human occupation with planes.

Right Middle The fifth model looked at a different location on the overall site, and combine the method of constructing planes with excavation.

Right Below The sixth model mapped the two ecologies found on the site, while attempting to show how humans can influence the system.

In the second set of analogous site models, the scale was changed from 1"=100' to 1"=20'. This brings the model to the specificity of the human body. Three sites from the larger scale were selected based on their location within their ecological ground, and the ecology overlap found on these sites. Upon these models , potential human ecology was diagrammed with planes and excavation marks.

The goal of this exercise was to begin to select a specific site for the Land Port of Entry and begin to organize the required program within the section of the site. This set of models did not however diagram the current condition of human ecology on the selected sites which could be more helpful if mapped with the flora and river ecologies. This process led to many assumptions without the knowledge of human ecology on the site. These models were not successful in this task of placing program due to their materiality and lack of existing condition mapping.

The next investigation aims to select a site and begin to locate human ecology within the section of the site. Human ecology includes places to shelter, security, both exposed and unexposed, electrical infrastructure, and transportation both pedestrian and vehicular.

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Right Above The northern most site selected has a heavily weighted cacti ecology, and very few human marking on the site.

Right Middle This model contained more invasive cane ecology, which aids in the security of the illegal crosser.

Right Below The southern most, flat site is bisected by cane ecology, not aiding in the creation of a mediating space.

The next investigation at this scale (1/20) began by placing human ecological systems on the three sites selected. These marks included hatch marks for shelter, vertical pins for security, both exposed and unexposed, electrical infrastructure, and excavation marks for transportation both pedestrian and vehicular. These marks were then overlaid with the landscape ecology within these moments at La Linda.

This investigation can be directly tied to program analysis for the required site functions. The shelter become analogous to the housing program, the security locations led to the location of the official and unofficial crossing paths and the official happening on the site at places of exposure and views were found at higher elevations of the site. The unofficial crossers are given security and refuge in lower elevations, under brush and between rocks. These typologies of security are heavily tied to the physical condition of the ground. Transportation was mapped with excavation, created in the same method as the well worn footpath. These marks were more speculative in respect to their location without definitive proof of river crossings in the shallows of the Rio Grande.

These models begin to identify insertion points within the ecological network for human ecology to begin to edit the natural ecology, at which points can the ground be entered.

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Orongo Station Conservation Masterplan Nelson Byrd Woltz, a landscape architecture firm, created a land management and wildlife preserve on an agricultural island.

Over years of herding activity the hillside has been transformed to a desolate peninsula. Forestry activities increased mice, cats, weasels, rabbits, and other alien mammals that quickly annihilated native bird [grey-faced petrel] and amphibious populations. This population decrease created a break in the food chain of the Tuatara, a large reptile found only in this region of the world.

Through a manipulation of the ecologic network to mimic that of the precolonial ecology the Nelson Byrd Woltz team was able to reintroduce the Tuatara to this habitat. Methods included keeping rodents out of the site using buried fences and bringing the nesting population of Grey-Faced Petrel to the site using recordings to entice the bird. After ten years of migration to the site of the Grey-Faced Petrel the Tuatara was reintroduced to the island: a feat for ecological design. Through landscape restoration and some rodent prevention methods the team was able to restore the endangered species, Tuatara , to the site at Poverty Bay. 11

Location: Poverty Bay, New Zealand Site: 3000 Acres Client: Private Farm

Left Above Aerial image of Poverty Bay showing predator fence. 8 Left Below Diagram exploring cultural, agricultural, and ecologic networks on the site. 9

This project exposes the ability for human intervention to repair and restore ecological systems. In this example human intervention was inserted into the weakness of the evolving ecology to restore positive features within the ecology. Human ecology in this instance influences the systems on the site in a positive way, rather than the typically negative influence. This method of occupying ground influenced this intent for border.

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Sponge City, Theoretical Peter Cook, a founding member of Archigram, led several investigations into the intersection of landscape architecture and architecture, and the relationship of building to site. This work focuses on a theoretical embedment of program into the site, a mountain. The project, titled Sponge City, speaks to the ability of landscape to absorb human ecology and program.

The exploration through this project and Mound, speak to the potential of the project at La Linda to be absorbed into the ecological ground, to expand the landscape ecology while stacking function in section. Peter Cook speaks to this project by saying, "an environment of a totally built but growing landscape, forecasting, the way in which cities, will in the future be absorbed into the proactive, recombinant (a human engineered, modified) landscape." 12 This project speaks directly to the notion of the ecological ground and the ability to insert the human ecology without damaging the ecological network.

Location: Theoretical, Exhibit Left Exhibit image of Sponge City showing a mountain inhaling program

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Tree Constructions Barry Cox has pruned and trained trees to create the interior space of a chapel. The creation of these spaces is a landscape tradition dating back hundreds of years to French and English gardens. The included example is comprised of several species to form the building, cut leaf alder for the roof canopy, copper sheen for the walls, and camellia black tie, acer globosum and thuja pyramidalis for the external faรงades. 13 The structures selected support the idea that architecture of ground can be structured and enclosed by Flora within the ecological network. These structures are site specific, sustainable, and adaptable. This method of construction could inform, for example, the unofficial occupancy placing it within the Cane ecology at the river's edge. These structures could be constructed and disassembled as need dictates to mediate the disturbance on the site. This tectonic would be applicable within the ecological ground.

Location: New Zealand Building: 3281 SF Site: 3 acres Client + Designer: Barry Cox Left Above Cox Chapel. 11 Left Willow Chapel, tree grove trained to create domed structure, created by Left Below Another willow structure by architect Kalberer . 13

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Ronchamp Gatehouse and Monastery The addition of program to Le Corbusier's Ronchamp Chapel needed to have a subservient form to the landscape and original chapel. Renzo Piano Building Workshop was selected to create an embedded monastery within the hilly landscape.14 This submerged plane follows the existing topography and allows for maximum views. This orientation and entrenched plan allows for people not only to see over the structure, but also allows for privacy within the monastery. This privacy is created in the inability for tourist to see into the building from above as shown in the left top image.

Location: Ronchamp France Building: 7053 SF Client + Designer: Notre-Dame du Haut Church + Monastry, Renzo Piano Left Above section through a cell living space within the convent spaces. 14 Left Below Aerial image of the site at Ronchamp. 15

This architecture's relationship to the landscape allows it to disappear to those not intended to engage with it. This idea could influence the organization and sectional relationship of users within the La Linda site. This entrenched architecture can be applied to the regional official, private programs needed within the Land Port of Entry, such as the patrol break spaces and living spaces. These programs include all secluded spaces that support the official border and the legal processing of immigrants.

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Infrastructure space is a form, but not like a building is a form; it is an updating platform unfolding in time to handle new circumstances, encoding the relationships between buildings, or dictating logistics. There are object forms like buildings and active forms like bits of code in the software that organizes building. Information resides in the often undeclared activities of this software-the protocols, routines, schedules, choices it manifests in space.15

Left Diagram beginning to identify the specific site of the project based on the previous models.

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Right Above First model placing program on the site selected from the previous iterations. Official occupancy is embedded within the site, while unofficial occupancy is constructed of the site.

Right Below The second in this series of explorations placing program on the site, official occupancy is embedded using only the site to construct the space, while the unofficial program is also excavated within the site.

These models begin to place human occupancy with respect to the programmatic requirements on the site. Based on the previous three models, official occupancy, those program spaces dealing with official passage into the United States, are placed in the upper topography of the site. These spaces would include the official gate, lobby, offices, processing and detention rooms, officer living spaces, and support spaces for those uses.

Using topography as a gradient for the mediation spaces, the unofficial program such as the camping areas were placed lower on the site to take advantage of the natural security provided by the cane ecology and cliff faces. These spaces begin to explore the notion that human ecology can augment the site in a positive way, and remove the cane ecology to construct the unofficial occupancy, shown in yellow yarn. By removing the cane the river is allowed to fluctuate more naturally, and also creates a shallower passage across for the unofficial crossers.

The idea that human marks on the site can create a healthy ecology, while also supporting the required program is one way these model begin to place the occupancy within the ecological ground. The second model not only removes the river cane but also constructs all the structures of the ground, by embedding these spaces and using site materials to provide shelter.

The critique of these models was the apparent separation of the program, the mediating space is lost within the landscape.

The program needs to retain the conditions in which they were sited, but the site needs to be amended to create these conditions in a more condensed manner, bring the gradient of spaces into focus. The program could be organized from most official spaces (regional gradient) to least (local gradient) to begin to better order the site.

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Embedded Plant Construction

Embedded Embedded

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REGIONAL REGIONAL

LOCAL

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Program Program [N] - a brief usually printed outline of the order to be followed, of the features to be presented, and the persons participating.

Program [N] - a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal; curriculum; prospectus, syllabus.

Program [N] - a plan for the programming of a mechanism; a sequence of coded instructions that can be inserted into a mechanism; a sequence of coded instructions (as genes or behavioral responses) that is part of an organism 16

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Above Foundational ground condition at La Linda.

The program as given to the studio is listed below. This program must be reorganized and combined to fall within the ecological ground.

Site Rio Grande Crossing (by road or by water) TBD Public Entry way and Parking (20 Cars, 3 Trucks, and 1 Bus with one truck turnaround space) Mexico +/-6,400 S.F. Private Entry way and Parking (20 Cars)

US +/-5,400 S.F.

Animal Containment Area (6 small animal kennels 10â&#x20AC;&#x2122;X20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;, 1 large animal Pen 4000 S.F. , one incinerator) US 5,200 S.F. Public Exterior Recreation Area - Should be located near the Picnic Area US TBD 116

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Official Threshold 3 car/truck gates with patrol booths 1 pedestrian gate with patrol window Public Rest rooms accessible after passage with small parking area

size per code size per code 5m/5f, size per code

Vending machine area

500 s.f.

Picnic area 3 sheltered picnic tables Unofficial Threshold 6 camp shelters with water and fire 3 shower/toilet rooms accessible single sex Private 4 bay Patrol Car Garage with one bay for mechanical work/washing area (1100 s.f.)

Fuel island, Storage

Offices(8) and Administration Area (4 person) Conference Room Storage Arms safe, General document storage Break Room/Kitchen Cooking Area, Rec Area, Pantry Bunk Room (M/F) Bunks, Lockers Private Bathrooms and Shower/Dressing Areas (for 30 employees)

+/- 100 s.f. each size per code

>4000 s.f. >2000 s.f.

200 s.f.

200 s.f.

800 s.f.

500 s.f. ea. size per code

Public Lobby >800 s.f.

Interview/Processing Rooms (4) 400 s.f.

Holding Cells (8) w/Sally Port and Security Room >450 s.f.

Waiting Room 300 s.f.

Seating Area, Admin Desk Rest rooms (can be the same as Rest rooms above) size per code Medical Suite Exam rooms (2) Doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office (1) Nurses Station (3 person) Medical Storage, >850 s.f.

Quarantine Room, Waiting Area Miscellaneous Janitors Closets (3) Electrical Closets (3) Mechanical Rooms Program Total

75 s.f.

100 s.f.

10% of Gross s.f. +/-30,000 s.f. 17

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Official Occupancy

Regional

Official Gate

patrol booth, pedestrian gate, interview/processing rooms holding cells

Official Processes

public entry, offices, conference room, administration, waiting room, arms safe, file storage, animal quarantine human quarantine, patrol car garage, public parking

Official Shelter + Sustenance

private entry, bunk room, private restroom, kitchen, lockers, mechanical room, janitor closet, electrical support water storage

Support

Unofficial Occupancy

Local

rest area, restrooms, vending, picnic medical wing, nurses station, doctor’s office, exam rooms

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Unofficial Shelter

camps, restrooms, unoffical passage

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Su pp Un ort offi cia lS

he lte r

es s

elt er

Sh

ial

Of fic

Of fic

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Pr oc

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Above Site Diagram placing program within the section of ground.

The Program was redistributed as follows and placed on the site at La Linda as shown in the diagram. These programmatic spaces were organized on site within a gradient from official, the regional scale program, to unofficial the local scale program.

This regional versus local reading is based on the overlapping of ecological gradients found at this site (Analogous Site Model Page, 93).

Regional Official Gate 3 car/truck gates with patrol booths size per code 1 pedestrian gate with patrol window size per code Interview/Processing Rooms (4) 400 s.f.

Holding Cells (8) w/Sally Port and Security Room >450 s.f.

Official Processes Public Entryway and Parking (20 Cars, 3 Trucks, and 1 Bus with one truck turnaround space)

+/-6,400 S.F.

Animal Containment Area (6 small animal kennels 10’ x 20’, 1 large animal Pen 4000 S.F. , one incinerator) 5,200 S.F. 4 bay Patrol Car Garage with one bay for mechanical work/washing area >4000 s.f.

Fuel island, Storage Lobby >800 s.f.

Offices(8) and Administration Area (4 person) >2000 s.f.

Storage 200 s.f.

Arms safe, General document storage Waiting Room 300 s.f.

Seating Area, Admin Desk 120

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Conference Room Rest rooms

200 s.f. size per code

Official Shelter + Sustenance Private Entry way and Parking (20 Cars) US +/-5,400 S.F. Break Room/Kitchen 800 s.f.

Cooking Area, Rec Area, Pantry Bunk Room (M/F) 500 s.f. ea.

Bunks, Lockers Private Bathrooms and Shower/Dressing Areas (for 30 employees) size per code Janitors Closets (3) 75 s.f.

Electrical Closets (3) 100 s.f.

Mechanical Rooms 10% of Gross s.f.

Support Medical Suite Exam rooms (2) Doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office (1) Quarantine Room, Waiting Area Nurses Station (3 person) Medical Storage, >850 s.f.

Public Rest rooms accessible after passage with small parking area 5m/5f, size per code Public Exterior Recreation Area - Should be located near the Picnic area 3 sheltered picnic tables Vending machine area 500 s.f.

Wind Farm Collected Water Storage Unofficial Shelter Rio Grande Crossing 6 camp shelters with water and fire 3 shower/toilet rooms accessible single sex Program Total

+/- 100 s.f. each size per code +/-30,000 s.f.

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1. The major components of the program can and should be combined uniquely.

Within the renegotiated program, listed on the previous page, the program has been reorganized to create a gradient from official to unofficial, regional scale program to local scale. This program organization allows for the border station to function as an ecological mediating space.

2. Shade must be provided at all exterior spaces.

Shade is provided in all exterior spaces using the landscape to create a shadow and a screening system which overlaps multiple human ecologies including shade.

3. The multiple occupancies/programs that occur on the site will demand thresholds/transition points: between types, between scales, between actions, between amounts of action.

Above The ground condition at La Linda.

Action is organized within the program spaces to create a gradient transition between users. The public and private spaces are divided along an east west datum, with all public program on the northern side of the site. The circulation happens within the space of the datum. Materiality further delineates thresholds between program, as well as the location within the ground section.

4. The joint between land and water and water and land is a critical juncture. It is fundamental to this project.

Within the ecological ground the current river official crossing is maintained as well as the highway. The unofficial crossing is renegotiated in the absence of Giant River Cane.

This passage links the shifting river to the architecture within the ground.

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5. A position regarding how the border presents itself to crossers must be determined, open or closed, tight or loose, welcoming or not?

The border appears non-menacing to unofficial crossers, slowly emerging for the landscape. The passage to the provided shelter is welcoming. The landscape of the border station at La Linda acts as a marker, a windmill, to water and respite.

6. All facilities must be off-the-grid. This includes the offices and the garages.

Sustainable energy is produced through a combination of a wind harnessing landscape and solar energy.

7. All components of the project must be connected but maintain their security requirements as designated in the program.

Security was one of the defined human ecologies used to organize the program adjacencies and location within the ground plane. The most secure program is protected within layers of landscape and architecture.

8. All constructed surfaces must contribute to the storage of water and the sites stability in times of flood.

Water collection is a top concern within the Chihuahuan Desert. The project at La Linda collects water on all overhead surfaces, while trying to not absorb water from the surrounding landscape. The water screen ecology follows the model of Warka Water, see page 91, to collect water from the air in the form of dew and condensation, rather than only catching water in rain conditions.

9. All lodging spaces must have direct access to the exterior.

All shelter spaces are allowed access to the exterior, the private official shelter spaces open to the south, allowing for ventilation of the buried spaces, as well as light and views.

The unofficial shelter is open air protected within the mediating space between architecture and ground.

10. The animal area must be separated from the facility but accessible to the roads.

The animal containment area is south of the building, along the main highway, on the private side of the datum. This program is on the western side of the datum due it its official regional scale function.

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Right Sunrise in West Texas.

11. All facilities must augment and preserve the nature of the site and its surroundings.

The border station at La Linda, will insert itself and the users into the ecological ground. It will work within the ecological networks present on the site currently and the those human ecologies added to the site, such as water and energy collection, official processes, security, shelter, and human transportation.

12. All facilities must be ADAAG compliant including one unofficial camping area.

All exterior areas are accessible by a ramping system to negotiate the steep slope of the topography of the site.

13. The lobby area must provide access to bus loading.

The lobby is adjacent to the pedestrian and vehicular access including the bus loop.

14. The project must serve as a beacon of safety at night and simultaneously not pollute the night sky. Night access is as critical as day access.

The created landscape for wind collection can also serve as a nocturnal beacon to guide unofficial border crossers to the safety at the border station.

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Program

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PRIVATE

PUBLIC

North

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The redistribution of the program produces a more linear architecture formed around an east west datum and based on the ecology present on the selected site. This datum divides the program by intended user. All publicly accessible spaces, be that for official or unofficial border crossers , exist within the northern half, while all the privately accessed spaces, for those employees working there, occur on the southern side. Each user group has a flanking circulation that allows them to move down the site towards the river and into the interior of the project. From west to east along the datum a gradient of program typologies are created, from the most official gate, to the unofficial shelter. The datum will snake under, through and above the ground to create different relationships to ground based on the program needs.

The gradient of program's relationship to ground will produce the mediating spaces within the programmed human ecology and the overlap of human and natural systems. These overlaps can help to determine the tectonic structure of the spaces. In this way the human ecology being added to the ground will not be harmful to the ecology but will increase the productivity of the ground.

Left Site diagram showing the program organization across the datum.

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Dutch Mountain This residence by Denieuwegeneratie, is a good precedent of a space emerging from being entrenched within a mountain.

The Northern side is pressed into the man-made mountain for insulation during the winter months. The southern and western side emerge from the mound of earth for lighting the public interior spaces. This created hill and resulting plan help to minimize the ecological footprint of the project. The private and utilitarian spaces are tucked into the packed earth on the northern side. This program arrangement can be useful in organizing the border patrol official program within the ecological ground. By packing the more private spaces deep within the hill and allowing more social public spaces access to natural light and the exterior spaces. 18

Location: Dutch Nature Reserve Designer: Denieuwegeneratie Left Dutch Mountain residence tucked into the folds of a hilly landscape. 16

This space however does not engage the ground in a variety of ways, as the program necessitates at the La Linda site.

This project only embeds within the ground or is exposed.

The program of the border station must be buried, exposed, embedded, carved, and submerged.

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Left This residence is submerged into a man-made hill, only allowing access based

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Schematic Design Schematic [N] -something done or said that may serve as an example or rule to authorize or justify a subsequent act of the same or an analogous kind; the convention established by such a precedent or by long practice. 19

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Right Above The first schematic model created two programmatic caves.

Right Below This iteration became too visible and austere from the Mexican side.

The first attempt to give the program form within the intention constraints was unsuccessful in its construction method. This model was excavated without allowing for the landscape to be manipulated then rebuilt. The surface of the earth was treated as if it was precious. This model did follow the program logic with region, official program on the upper side of the site transitioning down to the local unofficial program. However, the ground was not renegotiated within the lens of the architecture.

In the second model of this series each type of program (see page 106) was assigned a relationship to the ground section. The regional, official gate and process program protrudes from the ground and pierces below for security. The official shelter is allowed to meet the surface where it cannot be seen from the road, but it vastly underground. The support program hovers over the ground creating a covered space between the ground and the architecture for the unofficial shelter. These elements were arranged within a bounding bar traversing the ecological regions of the site. The major critique of this model was the lack of gradient in both tectonic construction and site placement, no defined program officially met the river's edge. This model was more successful in the programs relationship to itself and the ground section.

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The next model attempted to create a system that would spatially connect the river crossing with the support program of the building. This system is comprised of vertical steel columns that can manipulate the sediment to create a shallow passable path across the river. This system replaces the cane ecology to remove the harmful aspects of that system. These vertical elements start to densify and create shelter for the unofficial crossers. This system was also intended to prevent erosion in the same way the river cane catches sediment and narrowing the river. This system was unsuccessful in creating a transition between the embedded official programs and the tectonic system of the unofficial. The gradient was still not visible, but instead a collision of the two construction systems occurred.

Another major critique of the model was the organization and proportions of the embedded program. This model assigned the same relationship to ground to all the official program. In this method all the spaces become a mass to create a bunker.

This building has an exposed face to the north, where the public access the building. From the south the building is not visible from the road, providing security to the official shelter housed there. This model does provide a better slope condition for the official tourists parking on the site. Over all this model was less successful in programing the ground then the previous model.

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Above The first attempt at a systematic overlay replacing the cane ecology.

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Official Gate Official Processes

Support

Unofficial Shelter

Official Shelter

Above Linear program layout with overlapping mediating spaces.

The next exploration into schematic design was performed at a larger scale, 1/16" = 1'0." At this scale the human begins to appear within the architectural scale. The organization of this program more closely follows that of the linear model. The tower from the previous models was removed, and the connection to the ground was negotiated based on the five program typologies (see page 120).

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Regional official gate- spanning through Official processes- embedded and exposed Official shelter- carved Support - suspended above Unofficial shelter- tucked within

These programs begin to fit within the ecological ground while still allowing the native ecologies to maintain their position on the ground. This model creates a gradient of construction types and created a mediating space tectonically at the support zone of the project. This mediating space happens within the screen element. This screen is meant to mimic the system Warka Water ( see page 90), where dew can be collected from the night air and collected for human consumption. This layering of human ecology with the natural systems creates a successful method of construction within the ground at La Linda.

The method of water collection becoming structure was born out of Adaptsys, (see page 89), in which the structure of the water collection system structures the tectonic construction.

Like the wing structure, a by-product of the screen is a microclimate. This screen layers the water collection system, while providing shade and shelter for unofficial and official programs. This screen allows for much of the southern face of the cantilevered support space to become glazing for visibility.

The creation of mediating spaces by overlapping infrastructural systems is one that will move forward to resolve some of the remaining site organization issues, including the system that will link the official and unofficial programs, the river and the desert.

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Above Schematic section showing the gradient relationship to ground with layered infrastructural systems.

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This schematic section, based on the previous model, begins to explore the options for the mediating space and the architecture of the unofficial zone of the site. In this study the cane is replaced by an adapted wind farm system using traditional windmills to create a gradient transition from one infrastructural system and program space to another. The density of this system is still not dense enough to begin to provide the security layer for the illegal border crossers coming across the Rio Grande.

The wind system must either densify or work in conjunction with a passage system to provide the traveler with a sense of security. This representation of ground makes the relationship to program more clear within the section.

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These cross sectional sketches, running north to south, are examining the layering of spaces within the previous model scheme. The first cross section is through the eastern most part of the enclosed structure, through what will be the medical program, temporary shelter, and public rest rooms. Below the enclosed space is the unofficial shelter, shaded and cool during the day, tucked out of the wind at night. The shade produced by this screen structure creates a microclimate within its shadow.

Left Above Section through support program with water collecting screen.

Left Below Sketch showing official program section.

The second cross section, explores the relationship between the public passage below ground on the northern side, to the official shelter, and the private passage on the southern side allows for open ventilation for deeply embedded spaces. These circulation spaces are treated equally to maintain the equality between different users of the border patrol and way station.

Through the creation of these sectional studies the notion of the border station as a Tinaja, a bowl shaped section of ground formed by water for its storage, developed the spaces of the section are beginning to be formed by the need to collect and store water. The border station begins to sever the community of users as a Tinaja, between the collection ecology of the screen and the large storage cisterns below ground. The wind mill landscape can begin to poetically mark the existence of the border station within the desert, much like a windmill marks water within a pasture.

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Messner Mountain Museum The Messner Mountain Museum, design by Zaha Hadid Architects, is an applicable example for embedment within a steep landscape. This museum has similar siting requirements, being placed on a cliff, with limited access to one side of the site.

The section reveals the handling of glazing and daylight the interior spaces by angling light into the depths of the section and glazing the limited exposed facades. These spaces do have different lighting requirements than the Land Port of entry, however the space appears to be open, yet secure. 20 This project lends itself to comparison not only in the site relationship but also in the connection to both the high and low ground. This dual access of the building to the exterior of the mountain on both sides can begin to inform how the Land Port of Entry official occupation begins to pierce completely though mountain.

Location: South Tyrol, Italy Building: 3281 SF Client: Skirama Kronplatz/ Plan de Corones Left Above Plan of the Messner Mountain Museum showing the buried components. 18 Left Section of the Museum by Zaha Hadid exploring the relationship of exposed to secure spaces within the mountain. 19 Left Below Elevational image showing form piercing through the topography. 20

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Desert Outpost In this high desert home by Olson Kundig Architects, connection with the landscape was integral to the design. The footprint of this house was minimized to limit the damage to the landscape.

When designing in this landscape Tom Kundig, lead architect, said the architecture's job is to create an "experience of place."21 The small footprint forces the inhabitants to engage with nature in the sheltered courtyard. Because of the wind conditions on site, the sheltered garden acts as an outdoor living space.

Other ideas applicable to the site at La Linda that are embedded within this project include the use of materials and building siting. The exterior masonry walls create a thermal mass and guard the interior materials from the harsh elements. The easy assembly of the concrete block was considered for the short season for construction in this region. The use of glass allows for views out of the structure while maintaining a comfort climate inside the building. The interior materials include unfinished fir and marble. These soft materials are not exposed to the elements. The building is placed in a desolate desert and its method of locating itself within the vastness could be used in orienting the project at La Linda. These ideas of materiality and siting could be applied to this project within the ecological ground.

Location: Bellevue, Idaho Building: 2,760 SF Site: 40 Acres Client: Jan McFarland Cox

Left Above Site diagram produced by OK Architects. 21 Left Section of the Idaho Outpost. 22 Left Below Elevation within the snowy desert condition. 23

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Norwegian Retreat Lund Hagem created a summer home in Norway that intimately engages with the surrounding landscape. This project traces the topography, occupying a crevasse within the rock. In this way the project's roof serves to create a literal continuous ground, This continuous ground comes in the form of an occupiable roof connecting topography.

The creation of open air passages between the natural ground and the building are a spatial solution for several sunken circulation paths within the La Linda project. This relationship of rock to building allows for large amounts of glazing to allow light to filter into the space. The rock shelters this vulnerable material while still providing views to the water below. This embedded architecture can afford to use softer materials below its concrete cap because of the surrounding rock faces. This relationship of rock to building informed the schematic design of the project at La Linda. 22

Location: Norway Building: 98.5 SF Client + Designer: Private Left Passage way carved into stone with exposer to the interior spaces. 24

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Left Plan showing connection to the landscape through topography. 25 Above Roof of residence shown forming to rock while allowing light in with large amounts of glazing. 26

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Windmill [N] a mill or machine operated by the wind usually acting on oblique vanes or sails that radiate from a horizontal shaft; especially : a wind-driven water pump or electric generator; the wind-driven wheel of a windmill 23

Left Windmill in west Texas. 27

Texas is the largest wind energy producing state in the United States thanks in part to the Renewable Energy Credit program.

This allows for energy companies to continue farming nonrenewable sources by buying credits towards solar and wind energy infrastructure. Texas produced 20% of the countries wind energy in the year 2015. This gives a statewide precedent for the use of wind energy in this landscape. 24 Windmills and Wind Turbines vary in scale and form, but the basic function is the same. Wind rotates the turbines or wind fan, causing the shaft to spin and to produce electrical energy or pump water from an underground source. These structures mark the location of water within the rural landscape, and can thus server as a marker for the tinaja, the water at the border station. Windmills have a thin connection with the ground and do not disturb the surrounding ecologies. A windmill inspired system can inform the construction of the unofficial passage from the political border through the site at La Linda, a light construction that overlays electrical infrastructure while marking the location of water within the landscape.

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Hotel Hotel Interior

Location: Canberra, Australia Designer: March Studio Date: 2015

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This interior exploration by Studio March used reclaimed wood from the site to create a blurred interior space by use of the line.

The space is created only through the amassing of lines that start to loosely form planes and division for hotel lobby spaces including the reception, bar, restaurant and seating areas. 25 The technique of creating space with lines rather than a defined plane could be a method for constructing the occupancy of the unofficial crosser. At the border crossing these lines would rotate ninety degrees and become vertical, allowing for people to weave within them from the river. This project looked at available unused materials to define space, while in the La Linda project the removal of the cane presents an ecology to be reused.

This ecology can been used elsewhere on the site reversing the negative quality of silt capture along the river to erosion control higher on the ridge. By moving a vertical ecology higher in the topography, erosion of soil is slowed on the steep hill. In this way the human ecology on the site could positively influence the natural landscape while also gaining the benefit of security for would-be river crossers.

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Above Image showing human habitation of the lines . 28

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Above A rendering of Windstalk at the scale of citywide infrastructure showing human occupation of the wind field. 29

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Windstalk- Prototype In searching for a human ecological system to integrate within the landscape, wind energy seemed to be an appropriate approach. Windstalk is a prototype from Atelier DNA, New York. This system is composed of 180' carbon fiber reinforced resin poles topped with LED lights. These poles are embedded within the ground connected to a torque generator. The ground is warped by the base of these poles, allowing for humans to occupy this area and also to channel water during rain events.

Beneath the site are two large chambers housing the electricity pumps. When the wind blows, the pumps move water from the lower chamber to the upper one. When no wind is present the water from the upper chamber moves to the lower chamber turning the pumps into generators. 26 This system could be combined with the screen system to overlay another human ecological mark, energy production.

The creation of a landscape between the river's edge and the building that could harness energy from the wind, while not affecting the native ecologies would directly support the idea of the ecological ground. This system could be scaled to support a building rather than a city, while still providing shelter for would-be unofficial border crossers.

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Section Through Pole Base

Transversal Section Showing Underground Chambers of Ecological Network

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Section Through Pole

Axonometric Detail Showing Torque Generator Left Schematic Design of Windstalk. 30

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Cite Du Corps Human The Cite Du Corps Human project by Bjarke Ingels Group, embraces the ground plane as a mechanism for space creation and transition of occupation. Without climbing a stair people can walk from the entry level up and down several levels inhabiting the exterior spaces of the project. The project brings a park into the museum using the connection of green roofs to the ground as a way of connecting people to the view and environment. 27

Location: Montpellier, France Building: unbuilt Designer: Bjarke Ingels Group Left Aerial rendering showing the transition of the pulled landscape. 31

The highly manipulated landscape creates a seamless transition between the ground plane and the built condition. In this project the ground becomes the architecture and the architecture the ground. It is this idea that is applicable to the intent for the border station at La Linda. Like the slicing and peeling of the landscape on this flat site, the La Linda ground must also be sliced to allow for insertion of the program beneath the surface.

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Left Rendering showing the landscape peeling up to expose habitable space 32 Left Below Diagram of exterior space created between the peeling of the landscape 33

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ANALYSIS collage site program schematic

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NOTES 1 “Analysis,” Merriam-Webster. Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 18 Jan. 2016.

2 “Analyze,” Merriam-Webster. Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 18 Jan. 2016.

3 “Collage,” Merriam-Webster. Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 14 Jan. 2016.

4 “Bokes Button 1,” Desert Ecology. 14 Jan. 2016. <http://archive.bio.ed.ac.uk/jdeacon/desertecology/bokes1.htm>.

5 “Bokes Button 1,” Desert Ecology. 14 Jan. 2016. <http://archive.bio.ed.ac.uk/jdeacon/desertecology/bokes1.htm>.

6 “Datura Wrightii,” NPIN: Native Plant Database. Lady Bird Johnson

Wildflower Center. 14 Jan. 2016. <www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DAWR2>.

7 “Phrynosoma Cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard),” Animal Diversity Web.

14 Jan. 2016. <animaldiversity.org/accounts/Phrynosoma_cornutum/>.

8 Wade C. Sherbrooke, “Rain-Harvesting in the Lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum:

Behavior and Integumental Morphology.” Journal of Herpetology 1990: 302.

JSTOR Journals. 15 Jan. 2016.

9 George A. Middendorf, and Wade C. Sherbrooke, “Canid Elicitation of Blood-squirting

in a Horned Lizard (phrynosoma Cornutum),” Copeia 1992.2 (1992): 519–

527. 18 Jan. 2016.

10 “Design,” Warka Water Every Drop Counts. 24 Jan. 2016. <http://www.warkawater.org/design>.

11 "Orongo Station Conservation Masterplan." Nelson Byrd Woltz. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.

<http://www.nbwla.com/projects/farm/orongo-station-conservation- masterplan>.

12 Michael Patrick Spens, "From Mound To Sponge: How Peter Cook Explores Landscape

Buildings." Architectural Design 77.2 (2007): 12-15. Avery Index to

Architectural Periodicals. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.

13 "New Zealand Nature Lover Grows Living Tree Church and Lush Labyrinth Walk,"

Designboom Architecture Design Magazine New Zealand Nature Lover

Grows Living Tree Church and Lush Labyrinth Walk Comments. 08

July 2015. Web. 21 Feb. 2016. <http://www.designboom.com/art/living-tree- church-new-zealand-barry-cox-07-08-2015/>.

14 "Ronchamp Gatehouse and Monastery," Renzo Piano Building Workshop. 29

Feb. 2016. <http://www.rpbw.com/project/80/ronchamp-gatehouse-and monastery/>.

15 Keller Easterling, Extrastatecraft: The Power of Infrastructure Space

(London: Verso, 2014), 14.

16 “Program,” Merriam-Webster. Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 08 February. 2016.

17 “Prospectus,” Merriam-Webster Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 8 Feb. 2016.

18 "Dutch Mountain by Denieuwegeneratie | Dezeen," Dezeen. 28 Feb. 2012. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2012/02/29/dutch-mountain-by denieuwegeneratie/>.

19 “Schematic,” Merriam-Webster. Online, 2015, Merriam-Webster, 27 Feb. 2016.

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20 "Messner Mountain Museum Corones / Zaha Hadid Architects," 04 Aug 2015. ArchDaily.

Accessed 21 Feb 2016. <http://www.archdaily.com/771273/messner mountain-museum-corones-zaha-hadid-architects/> 21 "Outpost," OK - Olson Kundig. Web. 09 Feb. 2016. <http://www.olsonkundig.com/projects/outpost/>.

22 "Stepped Roof Creates Viewpoint atop Norwegian Retreat by Lund Hagem," Dezeen.

29 Jan. 2016. 29 Feb. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2016/01/29/cabin knapphullet-svein-lund-house-lund-hagem-retreat-norway/>.

23 "Windmill," Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2016.

24 James Osborne, "As Wind Power Booms, Texas Lawmakers Consider Yanking

Support," 22 Mar. 2015. Web. 03 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dallasnews.com/ business/energy/20150322-as-wind-power-booms-texas-lawmakers consider-yanking-support.ece>.

25 "Hotel Hotel Reclaimed Wood Interior by March Studio," Dezeen. 29 Dec. 2015.

02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2015/12/29/video-interview-hotel hotel-march-studio-recycling-thousands-pieces-reclaimed-timber-movie/>.

26 "Windstalk," Atelier Dna. Web. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://atelierdna.com/windstalk/>.

27 Bjarke Ingels, Hot to cold : an odyssey of architectural adaptation.

Kรถln: Taschen, 2015. Print.

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IMAGES All images are property of the author unless otherwise noted.

1 “Epithelantha Bokei,” Encyclopedia of Life. 14 Jan. 2016. <http://eol.org/data_objects/27488904>.

2 “Datura Wrightii,” NPIN: Native Plant Database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

14 Jan. 2016. <www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?idplant=DAWR2>.

3 “Datura Wrightii.”

4 “Datura Wrightii.”

5 “Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma Cornutum),” Texas Parks and Wildlife. Web. 14 Jan.

2016. <http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/thlizard/>.

6 “Media,” Warka Water Every Drop Counts. 24 Jan. 2016. <http://www.warkawater.org/design>.

7 “Design,” Warka Water Every Drop Counts. 24 Jan. 2016. <http://www.warkawater.org/design>.

8 "Orongo Station Conservation Masterplan," Nelson Byrd Woltz. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.

<http://www.nbwla.com/projects/farm/orongo-station-conservation- masterplan>.

9 "Orongo Station Conservation Master Plan Poverty Bay, North Island, New Zealand,"

ASLA 2010 Professional Awards. Web. 15 Feb. 2016. <https://www.asla. org/2010awards/205.html>.

10 Michael Patrick Spens, "From Mound To Sponge: How Peter Cook Explores Landscape

Buildings," Architectural Design 77.2 (2007): 12-15. Avery Index to

Architectural Periodicals. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.

11 "New Zealand Nature Lover Grows Living Tree Church and Lush Labyrinth Walk,"

Designboom Architecture Design Magazine New Zealand Nature Lover

Grows Living Tree Church and Lush Labyrinth Walk Comments. 08

July 2015. Web. 21 Feb. 2016. <http://www.designboom.com/art/living-tree- church-new-zealand-barry-cox-07-08-2015/>.

12 "Living, Growing Architecture," Dark Roasted Blend. Web. 21 Feb. 2016. <www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/09/living-growing-architecture.html>.

13 "Living, Growing Architecture."

14 "Ronchamp Gatehouse and Monastery," Renzo Piano Building Workshop. 29

Feb. 2016. <http://www.rpbw.com/project/80/ronchamp-gatehouse-and monastery/>.

15 "Ronchamp Gatehouse and Monastery."

16 "Dutch Mountain by Denieuwegeneratie | Dezeen," Dezeen. 28 Feb. 2012. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2012/02/29/dutch-mountain-by denieuwegeneratie/>.

17 "Dutch Mountain by Denieuwegeneratie | Dezeen." Dezeen. 28 Feb. 2012. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2012/02/29/dutch-mountain-by denieuwegeneratie/>.

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18 "Messner Mountain Museum Corones / Zaha Hadid Architects," 04 Aug 2015. ArchDaily.

Accessed 21 Feb 2016. <http://www.archdaily.com/771273/messner mountain-museum-corones-zaha-hadid-architects/> 19 "Messner Mountain Museum Corones / Zaha Hadid Architects."

20 "Messner Mountain Museum Corones / Zaha Hadid Architects."

21 "Outpost," OK - Olson Kundig. Web. 09 Feb. 2016. <http://www.olsonkundig.com/projects/outpost/>.

22 "Outpost."

23 "Outpost."

24 "Stepped Roof Creates Viewpoint atop Norwegian Retreat by Lund Hagem,"

Dezeen. 29 Jan. 2016. Web. 29 Feb. 2016. <http://www.dezeen. com/2016/01/29/cabin-knapphullet-svein-lund-house-lund-hagem retreat-norway/>.

25 "Stepped Roof Creates Viewpoint atop Norwegian Retreat by Lund Hagem."

26 "Stepped Roof Creates Viewpoint atop Norwegian Retreat by Lund Hagem."

27 "Buffalo Lake Texas Windmill," Wikipedia Commons. 2009. Web. 3 Mar. 2016. <https:// upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Buffalo_Lake_Texas_ Windmill_2009.jpg>.

28 "Hotel Hotel Reclaimed Wood Interior by March Studio." Dezeen. 29 Dec. 2015.

02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2015/12/29/video-interview-hotel hotel-march-studio-recycling-thousands-pieces-reclaimed-timber-movie/>.

29 "Windstalk," Atelier Dna. Web. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://atelierdna.com/windstalk/>.

30 "Windstalk."

31 Bjarke Ingels, Hot to cold : an odyssey of architectural adaptation.

Kรถln: Taschen, 2015. Print.

32 Ingels.

33 Ingels.

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development 189 structure 211 material 235

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IMPETUS Impetus [N] - a force that causes something (such as a process or activity) to be done or to become more active; force that causes an object to begin moving or to continue to move 1

Architecture, whether of a town or a building, is the reconciliation of ourselves with the natural land. At the necessary juncture of culture and place, architecture seeks not only the minimal ruin of landscape but something more difficult: a replacement of what was lost with something that atones for the loss, In the best architecture, this replacement achieves an intensification of a place: landscape emerges no worse for human intervention, and culture's shaping of a place to specific use results in a heightening of the beauty of the landscape. In these places we seem worth of existence. 2

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Mid-Review Criticism The work produced at Midterm focused on the organization of program within the ground section, circulation for the multiple users within the site, and the overlapping of human ecologies with the other ecological systems to create a mediating space.

The evidence produced included a 1/16th" building and site model, a 1/8th " section model, several detail models at various scales, and six collage of spaces within the project. The material presented at the mid-review was meant to convey decisions made during the schematic design phase of the project in relation to the border station as ground in La Linda.

Left Julienned River Cane for concrete panel mock-up.

The images shown at midterm sum up the decisions made about tectonics and program organization in relation to ground at this point within the project. The overlapping of human and natural ecologies creates the mediating space of the border station, in this section the overlap created the carved-out space for the unofficial and structure for circulation and the support program. This section of spaces was deemed by the jury to the most successful spatial representation of the intent for La Linda.

Overall critiques given by Bruce Sharky (Landscape Professor,) Catherine Bonier, Kristen Kelsch and Michael McClure (Architecture Professors) focused on the expansion of the program placement and the circulation and view to the site.

It was recommended that a circulation diagram be compiled to explain access and experience upon approach within the landscape. This diagram would show the transition from natural landscape to manipulated layered ecologies within the project site, and should include all user circulation, as well as all natural ecological movements. Most agreed that the circulation approach would run perpendicular to the linear circulation within the building.

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Above Midterm review pin up

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The construction of the building model focused on organizing form within the ground section along the five program sectors; the regional gate, regional processes, official shelter, support, and unofficial shelter. This model maintained the datum of spatial organization from the previous models that divides the site by public and private official. Along this datum the program was organized to create a gradient from regional official to local unofficial. This model also tried to establish the construction method for each programmatic space, the official being carved and stereotomic, and the unofficial being a lighter, floating tectonic construction. The screen in this iteration wraps the eastern side of the building to become the structure of the unofficial circulation up the hill while the landscape between the riparian edge and the architecture was infilled with a human ecology creating a wind generation landscape. This landscape was intended to create a spatial condition similar to that of the river cane in regards to the security of the unofficial crosser.

Left 1/16th" building model focused on the organization of program within the ground section.

The critique of this model focused on the circulation through the site for both the official and unofficial users. The circulation of the unofficial crossers should be perpendicular to the internal circulation of the building. In this way, the rotation of access points needs to be explored further. The negotiation of the slope from the river to the building needs to be more clearly defined as the addition of the wind collection landscape was not defined enough to create a security ecology for the crossers. Another major critique of this model was the placement of program within the section of the ground, although the jury found the operation successful within the intent of the project, spaces such as the holding cells needed to interact with the ground in a more humane way, which would need another construction of security.

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Left 1/8th" building section model focusing on circulation mediation space and the tectonic of the constructed water screen.

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The construction of the 1/8th inch building section model focused on the tectonics of the official and unofficial spaces.

This section was chosen to explore the tectonic of the cantilevered support spaces, the embedded private official spaces, and the human ecological system of the water collection screen. This screen was explored within its connection to the ground plane. In this model the screen was allowed to pierce the ground in several places allowing dew to condensate within the earth and drain into a cistern. This model also explored circulation spaces in relation to tectonic construction. Within this iteration, circulation happened within the mediating space between ground and building, the void in ecologies mediated by the traveler. This model was successful in studying these ideas for the mid-review.

Left Above 1/8th" building section water collection screen view from south east.

Left Below 1/8th " building section view to the private official spaces including garage, bunk room, and kitchen. Gaps between carved rock and concrete forms hold circulation.

The critique of this model was in exposing the power of the unofficial shelter space, a space created through bracketing between landscape and built form, enclosed by land, screen, and architecture. This space was discussed at length for its ability to inform the rest of the project spaces at La Linda. The screen was also more closely examined for its multi-functionality.

The extension of it to the south and the integration of it as a structural system were discussed as possible explorations. The idea that the section of the screen creates the mediating space within the project and begins to support physically the program nested within. The cantilevered space should further embrace its relationship to ground and be allowed to hover between the ground and the screen. Again the operation of placing the program in relationship to ground was not questioned, merely which spaces fell within or above the ground.

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Right Above Detail model exploring the scale of the water collection screen ecology at 1/2" =1'0" Right Below Sectional view of a full scale river cane, tensile structure concrete pour.

The detail models were approached as a way of illustrating how the precedent research related to the materiality of the ground at La Linda. The first is an exploration of the construction of the water collection screen both in its materiality and relation to ground. This model exposed the vast space captured under the screen at the human scale that was not as evident in the smaller scale models, despite the addition of scale figures.

The 1:1 concrete mock up was made to begin to talk about an adaptive reuse of the invasive cane ecology on the site. In this investigation a composite of river cane was made with a construction, non-water soluble adhesive and julienned River Cane. The bottom tensile addition was a section of River Cane in its original state.

There was little discussion during the mid-review of either of these models as objects. The notion of the screen was addressed through the discussion of other models and evolved into a structural system overlapping more ecological networks.

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Right Above View towards the project through the wind farm from the riparian edge. This is the security landscape for the unofficial.

Right Private official exterior passage to the private shelter spaces.

Right Below Private parking and maintenance bay with a view to the subterranean kitchen and break room.

The collages selected for the mid-review, pictured on this and the following page, were selected to show a range of occupational experiences by the different users in relation to the ground section. This first selection was meant to illustrate the approach from the river through an imagined wind farm ecology and the private circulation for border patrol officers within the embedded portion of the building. The second collage illustrates the exterior private passage between the ground and the tectonic architecture; this ventilated space will begin to influence more of the project spaces. The third collage conveys the subterranean private spaces, including the vehicle maintenance spaces and access to the kitchen and the break room for the employees.

The critique of these collages focused on the lack of clarity established within these spaces. The first image created a daunting approach to what should be a welcome respite from the sun and exposure. The windmills do not mark the availability of water in their mass instead they act as a deterrent marking an area of surveillance. The other two collages in this circulation set were more successful in representing the spaces of the models but did not modify the project through the medium of collage.

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Right Above Public entrance from parking area.

Right View towards the river from the support program spaces under the screen.

Right Below Unofficial camping area under the cantilevered support program spaces.

The next collage illustrates the entrance for the official visitor or tourist to the site. They can see the wind farm and screen ecologies but their entry is into the embedded spaces. The second collage pictured on this page is a view towards the river from the support spaces, this collage was meant to allow the jury to see back out of the project into the landscape while experiencing the cantilevered space and screen ecology. The last collage is a view into the unofficial camp area under the previous space; this final sequence of space showing the habitation of the public, be that official or unofficial. This space was more successful in the modeling exercises as the collage did not add any information to this area of the project not present in the model. This image did however talk about the overlapping of space within the landscape and the built form that hovers above.

This space appears more embedded in the collage than in the models which is more evocative of the intended condition.

The critique of the collage on the whole was that they were somewhat disjointed and unrelated to the qualitative feelings within the spaces. They replicated the information within the models rather than expanding that understanding of material and construction through their making. The collages were one place where the notion of political ground could be explored further to create equality between user groups in relation to the ground plane. The border crossing station at La Linda must be better integrated within the grounding conditions of the site and allow for a better understanding of the overlapping ecological conditions present.

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Design Development Moving forward from the midterm review, the project process focused on specifying program organization, material selection, structural planning, and systems planning. Many of these decisions have been designed through the act of sketching and working construction documents. In the design development stage of the project many realities of the project were addressed, such as parking and ADA access to the building on the large slope. The vehicular circulation and personnel access to the building had to be addressed in scale and within the legalities of the international building code.

Left 1/16th " sketch of the eastern elevation showing the screen as circulation, shade, and water collection.

Other program placement decisions were made stronger by reexamining the program requirements and requisites of the site. One example, the location and access to the holding cells were moved deeper into the ground to allow access directly to the patrol car bay for loading of prisoners. The addition of several lanes of traffic for the patrol booths also demanded a renegotiation of the exact building placement in relationship to the road. Many of these program issues were addressed in the 1/16th " building model on the following page. The issues plaguing the northern facade, and the relationship to the traveler were still left unresolved in the elevational sketches and building model.

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OFFICIAL PROCESSES

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SUPPORT

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PUBLIC OFFICIAL

Left 1/16th" building model diagram of program spaces.

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Elevation 1731’

Elevation 1711’

Official Gate Official Processes Official Shelter Support Unofficial Shelter Elevation 1693’ 192

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During the design development phase, the adjacency and overlaps within the program spaces were better resolved. The gradient set up by the program adjacencies allows for user groups to interact within the mediating circulation spaces, while allowing users to maintain privacy within their own ends of the datum. The program works from the western edge starting with the most official program to the unofficial shelter trickling down the landscape in the east.

Left Program diagram.

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PUBLIC OFFICIAL

Left 1/16th " building model diagram of site circulation.

PUBLIC MEXICO PUBLIC US OFFICIAL

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Elevation 1731’

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Elevation 1693’ 196

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In the design development phase, the updated circulation diagram became more specific to the users intent within the space. The building was divided along the east-west datum allowing for private circulation to occur on the southern side and public circulation, both official and unofficial to occur on the northern side. The circulation supports the ecological intent to create a mediating space by allowing the crossing of users from one zone to another. The primary east west circulation obeys the datum but the secondary north-south circulation is allowed to filter into the programmatic space.

Left Circulation diagram

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The elevation sketches on the opposite page begin to explore the relationship of the screen to the north facade. The first, showing the screen curve to capture the entrance circulation, much like it has on the eastern facade to hold the unofficial entrance staircase. The building beyond the screen still appears too monolithic despite being a floating volume on the eastern side. This sketch also starts to expose of the circulation issues due to the steep unaltered slope of the site and parking lot.

Left Elevational studies of the north facade of the border patrol station.

The second elevation allowed for pockets of space to push the screen away from the facade and create the picnic spaces, required by the program. This gradient of the screen is more evident in this image, while the materiality of the entrance zone is still unclear despite its light appearance as compare to the ground.

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NURSES STATION 217 29'-621"

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LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830

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CONSTRUCTION TYPE [II-B] NUMBER OF EXITS REQUIRED [2] NUMBER OF EXITS PROVIDED [5] TOTAL OCCUPANT LOAD [458]

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Above Iterations of Floor 01 plan.

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Above Iterations of Floor -01 plan.

Bottom Iterations of Floor -02 plan with roof plan superimposed to asses venting.

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The ecologies mapping at the site scale was explored digitally to test the marks in the initial diagrammatic mappings, see page 101. These digital models were also imposed with the grid of the cacti ecologies marking the landscape within the Chihuahuan Desert. These digital models were designed to be printed in plastic, but are shown printed in gypsum. This lead to the security ecology model breaking at two points based on the subtraction of the grid from both the ground plane and the forms. The uniformity of the grid allows for the models to be compared to at the ground plane.

Left Human ecologies diagrams, from the top, Security, Transportation, and Shelter.

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Left 3D Printed human ecology diagrams.

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During the design development phase, the details of construction of the screen were investigated at the scale of the actual material.

These studies were an attempt to gauge the needed spacing. 1 inch by 2 inch lumber was cut down to 12 inch lengths and laid out to test spacing. Spacing shown on the opposite page are 1, 2, and 3 inches on center. The three inch on center was most successful for allowing light in, while still blurring the view into the space. When close to the wall a view out is not obscured.

Using this spacing further tests were conducted on the over lap of these vertical pieces to show occupation within the spaces inclosed by the screen. The screen mock ups on the following page also attempted to give the nylon screen materiality in the construction.

Left Screen vertical spacing test

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Left initial mock ups of screen details.

Above Light study on the 3" on center screen layout.

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Left Perspective study of the unofficial program spaces.

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Structure The construction of the border and way station at La Linda is firmly tied to the ground. The structure will be supported and formed by the ground. The methods explored in this project will include those structural systems made of earth, gabion walls, quarrying spaces, rubble masonry, and earthen roofs. Other systems that will support the habitation of the border station include a tectonic screen system and glazing enclosures. The structure is tied to the project in the same method that program is placed within the ground section. The official program will be made of heavy earth transitioning to an open air tectonic construction in the unofficial program spaces. The structural overlap will occur in the mediating space between program typologies.

Left Ground condition along the Rio Grande at La Linda.

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Right Natural Buff Limestone in West Texas

Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed in thick strata by deposition of organic material from prehistoric oceans.

Limestone deposits are found in many areas of the United States that were once under the inland sea, including the site at La Linda. Other large notable deposits are found in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. 3 Limestone is a porous stone, graded by density of material, color, and texture.

West Texas ground is composed of fairly dense, buff colored Limestone.

Limestone is composed of calcium carbonate or calcium and magnesium carbonates. This elemental composition matched with the density makes it the softest of the building stones. The Texas foundational ground however is densely packed making it fairly self-supporting. Limestone has historically been quarried in large blocks to build temples and pyramids. Limestone is both a welcoming and intimidating material, used to clad many governmental buildings. Limestone, although sometimes palatial in stature, will be carved into for the border station at La Linda. La Linda will become the quarry, the support space for the region. This excavation will still hold some of the poetic meaning of grandeur while maintaining the security of the border.

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Quarrying methods for limestone vary little depending on density and location of the limestone deposit. Typically quarry methods begin with removing the topsoil, overburden, at the site where a deposit is located. This removal can involve machinery or small explosive charge. Once the limestone face is exposed, stone is removed in "benches" usually in panels 8 to 12 feet square by 20 feet deep. This size can very based on the geology of the site. These panels are cut from the ground using a drill to cut holes along the edges of the bench, then cutting between the holes using a diamond wire saw or by splitting the rock apart using hydraulic splitters. Forklifts can then be used to lift the limestone benches from the bedding planes, the bottom of the split rock. Alternatively, and most likely at the steep site at La Linda, heavy lifting equipment is used to lift the limestone bench and transfer it for processing. Any limestone extracted that is not large enough to reuse in some fashion on the site can be crushed and used in portland cement on site for cast-in-place concrete pours. 4 One of the largest limestone quarries in the United States is located in Thornton, Illinois. This quarry is 2,000 feet across, 1,000 feet wide and 300 feet deep, and was created by removing 76 million tons of limestone. The material being mined is now 420 million years old. This massive quarry is going to become a reservoir to protect neighboring communities from flooding.5 This precedent is useful in understanding the potential scale of quarrying in limestone to produce a void within which to occupy the ground.

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Above Thornton Quarry in Thornton Illinois1

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PLASTIC GROUT TUBE

CENTRALIZERS HEX NUT BEVELED WASHER BEARING PLATE GTH E LEN

FRE GTH

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EXISTING ROCK FACE

Limestone slopes around the site may need to be stabilized as grading of the unofficial passage begins. These stabilization measures will include the introduction of scaling. Scaling, the process of removing potentially loose rock, can be done by hand removing the need for heavy equipment on the steep portion of the site. Overtime, this may be the only landscape maintenance to be repeated every ten years.

Left Rock Bolt diagram 2

Rock bolts will be used to stabilize the slope from shearing off in large pieces. Rock bolts, tension anchors, are inserted in the cliff in grid pattern to minimize shearing resistance in newly cut rock at the site at La Linda. These rock bolts are a system composed of a 20 ft rods with a hex nut and bearing plate, to disperse the tensile load from the bolt.

Tension Anchors are used to add compressive stress to joints within a rock mass. The rock bolts add friction along the fracture planes within the limestone to reduce shifting within the slope. 6

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Much of the quarrying action within the official program spaces of the project at La Linda will require retaining foundation walls. The construction of these walls will require steel reenforcements as well as water proofing. Despite the arid condition, any rain received by the site will filter through the limestone quickly if it does not run off the slope. Because the backfill is gravel and limestone, the subsurface drainage plan and water proofing is important in the subterranean spaces.

Left Rock Stairs built on a retaining structure and abandoned foundation at La Linda.

Limestone blocks quarried and processed could be used as retaining walls for gravel top soil area of the site. These retaining walls can be anchored to the limestone slopes using the same anchor bolts used to stabilize the slope. Based on the high bearing strength of gravel and rock soil types, as well as the infrequent freeze thaw cycles, poured concrete retaining walls and foundation structures will be less likely to crack.

Retaining wall methods used at La Linda will include gabion walls, masonry, and poured concrete walls. The notion of the ground will greatly impact the use of retaining structures around the site both within the enclosed and unenclosed spaces. This construction in the ground of the ground is the basis of the construction intent.

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Rubble masonry construction, similar to gabion construction, is made of the limestone excavated from the site. This method effectively doubles the enclosed space created by the act of excavation, as all the excavated material is used to create another system of enclosure. Rubble masonry has been historically used in the Chihuahuan Desert for shelter in the harsh landscape.

Within Big Bend National Park, jacals were constructed in this manner using stone close in proximity to the selected site.

Buildings in the ghost town of Terlingua were constructed using rubble masonry techniques, and due to the dry climate no mortar is needed to reduce humidity on the inside of the structure.

Left Rubble construction in Terlingua, Texas.

One factor that makes rubble masonry more sustainable is the lack of transportation needed to procure material on site.

The material is taken directly from the ground . This method, like gabion walls, uses the local limestone material to create enclosed space and a transition between embedded within the ground and creating architecture above it.

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Above Metropolitan Park South Access

by Polidura Talhouk Arquitectos 3

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Gabion construction like rubble masonry can create a sustainable structure from material excavated from the site.

The density of the rock can create a solid wall or screen. In the Metropolitan Park Access project, pictured on the left, gabion construction is used to create a translucent wall of local material.7 This type of construction could lend itself to a mediating space between embedded within the ground and a more tectonic construction method at La Linda. Within the rural secluded site, gabion construction can also aid in the manipulation of topography, acting as a manageable construction method for retaining walls within the landscape. These walls can be filled by several construction workers and does not require concrete to be trucked to the site for construction.

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Above Example cast of concrete with bamboo structure. 4

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Bamboo composite structures have been tested and proven to be as strong as steel in lab testing. Dirk Hebel, has tested the fiber for a sustainable alternative to steel. The composite is composed of bamboo fibers and an organic resin. The material was originally studied for its inexpensive propagation and its regional habitat in rapidly urbanizing areas of the globe. This material precedent can be applied to the site at La Linda by testing River Cane as the tensile structure for concrete. This would allow for reuse of the cane removed from the site. The cellulose structure of this plant allows for its fibers to maintain tensile strength. 8

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CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS

Steel frame construction is the structural basis for the unofficial program spaces. This point system will emerge out of the stereotomic secure program spaces embedded within the ground. This structural steel framing system will be enclosed using the precast concrete panel system.

Left Structural diagram highlighting steel frame.

The organization of the steel structural system works in coordination with the retaining walls. The two systems support the intent by, burying the official program within the retaining walls and allowing the unofficial program to float in the steel frame. The support program, the most unofficial program, cantilevers off the steel frame. This point system runs through the center line of the enclosed spaces creating the datum referenced by the circulation and program spaces.

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Precast concrete sandwich panels act as the enclosing plane for the less secure and unofficial program. As the program begins to open to allow access by all user groups, the building begins to emerge from the ground and will be clad in precast concrete panels. These panels add to the thermal mass effect established by the retaining wall buried in the ground. The thickness of these panels, 12 inches thick, combined with the embedded rigid insulation panel, will help to maintain the interior temperature and decrease heat gain or loss through the wall.

Left Precast panel detail at hollow core floor panel.

Precast hollow core concrete decks will be used for the floors in the enclosed spaces. This method of floor deck construction will be used because of the distance for commercial mixed concrete for large pours. Hand-mixing enough concrete for the retaining walls, decks, and roof is not feasible at this location.

Therefore, all concrete members will be precast and trucked to the site, where one crane will be used to lift them into place.

These decks will be 6 foot panels with a depth of 10 inches.

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Right Above Diagram of counterfort retaining wall proportions.5 Right Below Section keying equations to part of the counterfort retaining wall.6

Precast concrete retaining walls are used within the official section of the plan to hold back the earth. These retaining wall are counterfort retaining system because of the height of the retaining wall. This type of wall is used for retaining walls over 25' tall. This type of retaining wall uses buttresses on the earth side of the retaining wall to make the wall thinner and economically built. The calculations for retaining wall width are below. This calculation is for a retaining wall without a counterfort, therefore the wall can be thinner with the added strength from the counterfort buttress.

Xh=h â&#x2C6;&#x161;(Ca / 3)9

width between counterforts

Xh=57 â&#x2C6;&#x161;(.307 / 3)

0.3(H)13 0.3(57')= 17'

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B = 1.5(Xh)10 B= 1.5(18) B= 27' Xt= B/311 Xt= 27/3 Xt= 9' ts= Tb= .08h12 ts= Tb=4.56' Without a counterfort the retaining wall within the secure embedded section of the building must be 4'7" wide. This massive width is due to the height of 57' of soil that must be retained.

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Left Retaining Wall Diagram.

CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS

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Materiality Materiality of the border station at La Linda is tied to ecological necessity and programmatic intent. As the programmed spaces are tied to the ground section relative to the human ecological network, these ecologies can also be tied to the built materiality.

Those official spaces requiring the most security are embedded within the ground, constructed with concrete retaining walls.

Enclosure is made with earth and glazing.

Left View through limestone aperture at Terlingua.

The unofficial spaces are constructed in a tectonic method bracketed by the river cane composite screen. The unofficial programs function closer to the landscape ecologies, with only layers of screening between the occupants and the open desert.

These screens provide thermal modifications and protection for the boarder crossers.

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Right Dominus Winery Wall by Herzog & de Meuron. 7

Gabion construction is not only an efficient method of construction in this rural landscape, but it also has a poetic connection to the landscape. Like adobe construction, gabion walls are made of the site upon which they are built. They are a reconfiguration of the ground. The geology of the site, refer to page 27, provides the material for enclosure. Limestone from the site can be fractured by a human and used to fill the armature.

The frame work is constructed by overlapping steel mesh and larger frames. These panels provide thermal mass and allow for a greater level of enclosure and protection for the climate.

The poetic transformation of ground to architecture and architecture to ground must drive the material selection for the border patrol station at La Linda.

Gabion walls can be used to block wind around the parking lot, reenforce the unofficial shelter spaces under the cantilevered space, and around the public and private official entrances. This refabricated ground has become occupiable both internally and externally around the site. It frames the space as well as holds it.

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Material

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Telleres de Diseno Mexican firms Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura created a circulation screen in the remodel of the art education facility at Telleres de Diseno.14 The steel structure supports a sun screen and circulation armature. This screen interacts with the slight topography on the site, continuing the contours to embrace the building. This project serves as a precedent for structure and materiality of the proposed water screen at the site of La Linda. The use of a steel structure to support the river cane composite screen can also serve as the chassis for the circulation to snake within and across the sloped eastern side of the site. In this precedent, a ramp is fishtailed within the screen while the screen expresses the circulation elevation through the folding form.

Location: Monterrey Institute Technology's Le贸n campus

of

Designer: Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura Date: 2012 Left Talleres de Diseno screen sctructure on western side of building. 8

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Left Side view of circulation screen. 9

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Found in the same precedent by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura, is the use of layering fritted glass, habitable space, and a wooden circulation screen. The fritted glass could be used to create an inviting, light filled lobby and waiting space in the border and way station at La Linda. Fritted glass used as a material will allow for some customization of the facade between the northern and southern faces. The southern face can have a gradation allowing for more winter light, while the northern side will be more focused on privacy for official private spaces, the frosted appearance hiding the official program from visitors, both official and unofficial. Layering of interior spaces wrapped in fritted glass will also create a greater gradient from interior to exterior. This layering will aid in create a mediating space for unofficial and official users.

Left View of layering with the circulation screen, circulation space, and fritted glass.10

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The Riparian House The Riparian House, by Architecture BRIO, structural design

by Girish Wadhwa, Vijay K. Patil, sits atop a 1:4 slope, a similar condition to the slope of the site at La Linda. This project resolution is similar to the structural and material solutions for the border patrol station. The building is partially embedded within the hilly terrain, uses large retaining walls and the bedrock of the site as retaining structure. The cantilevering tectonic piece of the house, uses similar screening elements made of local material, bamboo. 15

Location: Karjat, Maharashtra 410201, India Building: 990 ft sq Designer: Architecture BRIO Date: 2016 Left The Riparian House screen layer. 11

The open air corridors also elude to the circulation of the border station at La Linda. The fresh air and light are allowed into the embedded spaces by allowing the edges to be open rather than fully enclosed.

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Layered Verandah Space Embedded Building

Above Axonometric expressing screen, glazing, and retaining enclosure.12 Right Plan of the Riparian House showing embedded portions of the structure. 13

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These line drawings express the construction of the spaces in relation to their embedment and floating qualities. The axonometric speaks to the layered encloser of space, and the order of materials within the layers. The plan allows the ground and retaining structures to be visible in their adjacencies to the layered edges. The clarity in these line drawings will aid in creating clarity within the required construction documents.

1 Living room 2 Dining room 3 Kitchen 4 Kitchen Courtyard 5 Pantry 6 Staff room 7 Staff bathroom 8 Kid's room 9 Kid's bathroom 10 Master bedroom 11 Master bathroom 12 Guest room 13 Guest bathroom 14 Verandah 15 Deck

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SECURITY ROOM 105

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LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29°27'7.39"N 102°49'29.60"W

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Above Section showing screen wrapping unofficial and support programs.

Right Section of river cane.

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The removal of the river cane from the river leaves locally sourced building material for the construction of the border patrol station. This river cane can be composed into a composite using resin and pressure. The screen is made of the river cane, nylon mesh for dew collection and is placed on a steel structure.

The materiality and location of the screen allows for several ecologies to be contained within the structure. This materiality allows for it to collect water, create shade, shelter from harsh north wind, support circulation, provide enclosure to the upper medical suite, and provide layers of privacy. This semi-enclosure allows for passive thermal regulation within the unofficial spaces.

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IMPETUS midterm 173

development 189 structure 211 material 235

NOTES 1 “Impetus,” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

2 W. G. Clark, " Replacement," in The Hand and the Soul. ( London : University of

Virginia Press), 279.

3 Edward Allen and Joseph Iano, Fundamentals of Building Construction : Materials and

Methods. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2009.

4 University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products. "Limestone Quarrying and

Processing: A Life-Cycle Inventory ." Oct. 2008. PDF file.

5 Neil Stienberg, "Thornton Quarry — the Grand Canyon of the South Suburbs — Will

Soon Be Underwater." Chicago Sun-Times. 10 May 2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2016. </www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-155418705CAD8D80.html?refid=easy_hf>.

6 Office of Federal Lands Highway, " Context Sensitive Rock Slope Design Solutions - 2011

: Rock Slope Stabilization," 2011. PDF File.

7 Lorena Quintana. "Metropolitan Park South Access / Polidura Talhouk Arquitectos,"

ArchDaily. 22 Oct. 2013. 13 Mar. 2016. <http://www.archdaily.com/440276/ metropolitan-park-south-access-polidura-talhouk-arquitectos>.

8 "Bamboo Fibre Is Stronger and Cheaper than Steel Says ETH Professor," Dezeen. 04

Nov. 2015. Web. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2015/11/04/bamboo fibre-stronger-than-steel-dirk-hebel-world-architecture-festival-2015/>.

9 "PROPORTIONING OF RCC RETAINING WALL." The Constructor. 2013. Web.

09 Apr. 2016. <http://theconstructor.org/structures/proportioning-of-rcc retaining-wall/8398/>.

10 "PROPORTIONING OF RCC RETAINING WALL." 11 "PROPORTIONING OF RCC RETAINING WALL." 12 "PROPORTIONING OF RCC RETAINING WALL." 13 "Builder's Engineer." PROPORTIONING OF RETAINING WALLS. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.<http://www.abuildersengineer.com/2012/12/proportioning-of retaining-walls.html>.

14 "Talleres De Diseño by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura." Dezeen Talleres De

Diseo by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura Comments. 27 Nov. 2012.

Web. 18 Mar. 2016.

15 "The Riparian House / Architecture BRIO" 08 Mar 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed 3 Apr 2016.<http://www.archdaily.com/783402/house-by-a-river-architecture brio/>

252

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

IMAGES 1 "F.H. Paschen / S.N. Nielsen." FH Paschen Projects. Web. 17 Mar. 2016. <http://www. fhpaschen.com/projects.cfm?id=151>.

2 Office of Federal Lands Highway, " Context Sensitive Rock Slope Design Solutions - 2011

: Rock Slope Stabilization," 2011. PDF File.

3 Lorena Quintana, "Metropolitan Park South Access / Polidura Talhouk Arquitectos,"

ArchDaily. 22 Oct. 2013. 13 Mar. 2016. <http://www.archdaily.com/440276/ metropolitan-park-south-access-polidura-talhouk-arquitectos>.

4 "Bamboo Fibre Is Stronger and Cheaper than Steel Says ETH Professor," Dezeen. 04

Nov. 2015. Web. 02 Mar. 2016. <http://www.dezeen.com/2015/11/04/bamboo fibre-stronger-than-steel-dirk-hebel-world-architecture-festival-2015/>.

5 "Builder's Engineer." PROPORTIONING OF RETAINING WALLS. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.<http://www.abuildersengineer.com/2012/12/proportioning-of retaining-walls.html>.

6 "PROPORTIONING OF RCC RETAINING WALL." The Constructor. 2013. Web.

09 Apr. 2016. <http://theconstructor.org/structures/proportioning-of-rcc retaining-wall/8398/>.

7 John Lambert Pearson. "Dominus Winery." Photograph. Web. 13 March 2016.

8 "Talleres De Dise単o by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura." Dezeen Talleres De

Diseo by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura Comments. 27 Nov. 2012.

Web. 18 Mar. 2016.

9 "Talleres De Dise単o by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura."

10 "Talleres De Dise単o by Shine Architecture and TA Arquitectura."

11 "The Riparian House / Architecture BRIO" 08 Mar 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed 3 Apr 2016.<http://www.archdaily.com/783402/house-by-a-river-architecture brio/> 12 "The Riparian House / Architecture BRIO" 08 Mar 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed 3 Apr 2016.<http://www.archdaily.com/783402/house-by-a-river-architecture brio/> 13 "The Riparian House / Architecture BRIO" 08 Mar 2016. ArchDaily. Accessed 3 Apr 2016.<http://www.archdaily.com/783402/house-by-a-river-architecture brio/>

notes

253

TENABLE sustainability 255 systems 271 code 285 construction 299

254

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

TENABLE TENABLE [ADJ] - capable of being defended against attack or criticism; capable of being held, maintained, or defended 1

Tenable

255

I cannot convince myself that settlement, even the most economical, the most beautiful, is better than wilderness. Even the mill is not better than no mill; but the mill is necessary for our existence, and therefore worthwhile. It is an image that keeps returning, proof that use of the earth need not be destructive, and that architecture can be the ameliorative act by which, in thoughtfulness and carefulness, we counter the destructive effect of construction. Nothing else is architecture; all the rest is merely building.2

256

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Sustainability Sustainable [ADJ] - able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed; involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources; able to last or continue for a long time.3 Sustainability has become a buzz word within the architectural community in recent years. In the true sense sustainability, or the ability to preserve and persist in an environment has always been a fundamental part of architecture. Sustainability in the face of climate change becomes an even more relevant principal within the practice of architecture. Sustainability is essential for survival within the harsh, arid condition at La Linda. All structures and inhabitants must reside within the Chihuahuan desert in a sustainable conscious method. Life in the desert must conserve and be able to collect during periods of plenty, be that heavy rainfall, long daylight hours, or high winds. This notion of living on little and storing excess is crucial for the sustained functionality of the border patrol station. This way station must operate off the grid, without any utility connection to a larger grid.

Within the desert environment, water becomes the most critical resource for any human occupation at the site at La Linda. This demands the water collection ecologies to be layered within all other ecologies on the site. The screen serves as the best example for these layered human and natural systems and creates the mediating space.

sustainability

257

Right Screen Layer Diagram

Water is one of the most sought resources within the Chihuahuan Desert. All the water used on site is collected from the disturbed site including the parking lot, roof surfaces, brown roofs, and the screen system. Water collected is not siphoned from the surrounding landscape. The building also collects water from the air through the use of the screen (much like local cacti colonies.) Allowing dew to collect on the screen at night, and also actively condensing ambient water during the day allows for a fairly constant supply of water for the occupants, both official and unofficial.

Grey water is recycled and used within the toilet plumbing system. In addition, composting toilets and waterless urinals will be used as there is no sewer system in this area of the West Texas. Composting toilets reduce potable water usage on the site.

The site has no irrigation as the plant material is all local species of cacti and sotol. The river cane was removed and now allows more water to be absorbed into the landscape and the Rio Grande. The building attempts to provide its own water without taking and water from the surrounding ecological systems. This relationship to ground is established by the LEED sustainability standards.

258

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Structure Mesh- Dew Collection Bamboo Composite - Shade

sustainability

259

260

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Renewable Energy production is an requirement for all sustainable programs, including LEED and Sustainable Sites.

This federal government project is required to have a source of renewable energy and energy storage. To accomplish this, an ecology of photovoltaic cells was utilized across the open roof spaces of the project. These south tilting panels can produce more than enough energy to support the wattage needs of the program, as well as generate enough energy to store and allow visitors to charge electronic devices.

Left Solar field in the desert.1

Wind energy was originally explored as the primary system of energy production, but this system would have required too many wind turbines to support the needs of the program. A single wind turbine will still be used to produce excess energy as well as serve as a vertical marker for a place of shelter and water to unofficial crossers.

sustainability

261

CONCRETE RETAINING WALLS

262

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

CONCRETE INSULATED PRECAST PANELS

Thermal Mass is a large component of sustainability within the desert climate. The official program is buried within the ground, providing a thermal barrier to the fluctuating air temperature. This regulating wall type is carried out into the unofficial program spaces with precast concrete wall panels.

These precast panel are 12" thick and contain rigid insulation to thicken and strengthen the effect of thermal mass throughout the enclosed conditioned spaces. As the building emerges from the ground, the thermal mass walls are opened with screens and louvers to allow for air flow through the building allowing for ventilation and light.

Left Diagram of precast concrete thermal panels and concrete retaining walls.

The thermal mass is a poetic expression of constructing with ground. The ground is used as a construction material and method, producing the massive sustainable retaining walls.

sustainability

263

S

W

264

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Daylighting Strategies helped to inform the facade material choices of the building as well as the overall plan layout.

Daylighting needs produced a narrow plan to allow light into the depths of the building. Natural light and ventilation are of great importance for the official program buried within the ground.

Left Summer and Winter Solstice, noon Daylight within the unofficial program section.

The intense sun however, must be shielded against in the Chihuahuan desert. The screen acts as a mediating layer between the occupant and the heat. The shade alone can lower the perceived temperature 15 degrees. This can greatly influence human comfort levels within the unofficial program spaces that are unenclosed. The Embedded official program remains cooler because of the ground temperature averaging 69.째 The screen system also aids in blocking the North wind. This keeps to unofficial spaces protected from the cold air in the winter months. This screen orientation helps to regulate the exterior spaces temperature in regards to human thermal comfort.

sustainability

265

266

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Renewable building material will be used for the construction of the water collecting screen. River Cane which is a kin to Bamboo structurally will be used in composite form to create the structure. Structural bamboo sequesters 30% more carbon than timber of the same size, and many of the products qualify for LEED credits. Another desirable quality in structural bamboo composite products is the dimensional stability, Lamboo products have a 99.9% rating as compared to 88.0% rating for Southern Pine, typically used in frame construction in the southern United States. Tensile strength for bamboo structural composites are between 21,465 - 55,694 PSI parallel to the grain and 543 PSI perpendicular to the grain. This is compared to the average 36,000 PSI for steel that is 8 inches thick. 4

Left Image of the building site at La Linda showing current river cane colony along the river.

The poetic removal of the invasive river cane and subsequent atonement of the construction of the screen is the physical manifestation of the intent at La Linda.

sustainability

267

268

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

The following page contains a LEED v4 scorecard on which the border patrol station at La Linda was tested. This scorecard was used to not only test the building for its planned sustainable strategies, but exposed some elements that had previously not been considered in the schematic design phase of the project.

Many of the site strategies were already in place, while the indoor air quality issues had not been fully resolved. The building material quality and life-cycle planning is a requirement of the federal government in planning a building that will last through the foreseeable future. Based on the proposed systems, site, and material design, the border station at La Linda qualifies as a LEED Gold project under the v4 New Construction scoring system.

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269

LEED v4 for BD+C: New Construction and Major Renovation Project Checklist Y

?

Pr Da

N

1

Credit

Integrative Process

16

10

Sensitive Land Protection

1

Y

Credit

High Priority Site

2

3

1

Credit

Surrounding Density and Diverse Uses

5

1

1

Credit

Access to Quality Transit

5

2

1

Credit

Bicycle Facilities

1

2

1

Credit

Reduced Parking Footprint

1

2

1

Credit

Green Vehicles

1

4 1

1

3 Location and Transportation

1

1 1

10

0

Credit

LEED for Neighborhood Development Location

Credit

0 Sustainable Sites

16

10

Y

11

Y

Y

Prereq

Construction Activity Pollution Prevention

Required

Y

1

Credit

Site Assessment

1

1

2

Credit

Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat

2

2

1

Credit

Open Space

1

3

Credit

Rainwater Management

3

2

2

Credit

Heat Island Reduction

2

1

1

Credit

Light Pollution Reduction

1

3

9 Y

2

0 Water Efficiency

11

Prereq

Outdoor Water Use Reduction

Required

Y

Prereq

Indoor Water Use Reduction

Required

Y

Prereq

Building-Level Water Metering

Required

2

Credit

Outdoor Water Use Reduction

2

6

Credit

Indoor Water Use Reduction

6

Credit

Cooling Tower Water Use

2

Credit

Water Metering

1

2 1

1

1

5

5

1

1

20 Y

2

0 Energy and Atmosphere

33

Prereq

Fundamental Commissioning and Verification

Required

Y

Prereq

Minimum Energy Performance

Required

Y

Prereq

Building-Level Energy Metering

Required

Y

Prereq

Fundamental Refrigerant Management

Required

Credit

Enhanced Commissioning

6

16

Credit

Optimize Energy Performance

18

1

Credit

Advanced Energy Metering

1

1

Credit

Demand Response

2

1

Credit

Renewable Energy Production

3

Credit

Enhanced Refrigerant Management

1

Credit

Green Power and Carbon Offsets

2

1

1 1

270

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

71

roject Name: ate:

0

Y

0

Border Patrol Station a La Linda 3-Apr-16

0 Materials and Resources

13

Prereq

Storage and Collection of Recyclables

Required

Y

Prereq

Construction and Demolition Waste Management Planning

Required

3

Credit

5

1

Credit

2

Credit

Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction Building Product Disclosure and Optimization - Environmental Product Declarations Building Product Disclosure and Optimization - Sourcing of Raw Materials

2

Credit

2

2

Credit

Building Product Disclosure and Optimization - Material Ingredients Construction and Demolition Waste Management

1

Y

3

2 2 2

0 Indoor Environmental Quality

16

Prereq

Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance

Required

Y

Prereq

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control

Required

1

Credit

Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies

2

2

Credit

Low-Emitting Materials

3

Credit

Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan

1

2

Credit

Indoor Air Quality Assessment

2

1

Credit

Thermal Comfort

1

Credit

Interior Lighting

2

3

Credit

Daylight

3

1

Credit

Quality Views

1

1

Credit

Acoustic Performance

1

5

5

1

1

1

1

2

0 0

0

8

0 Innovation Credit

Innovation

Credit

LEED Accredited Professional

6 5 1

0 Regional Priority

4

Credit

Regional Priority: Specific Credit

Credit

Regional Priority: Specific Credit

1

Credit

Regional Priority: Specific Credit

1

Credit

Regional Priority: Specific Credit

1

3 TOTALS

1

Possible Points:

Certified: 40 to 49 points, Silver: 50 to 59 points, Gold: 60 to 79 points, Platinum: 80 to 110

110

Above LEED Score Sheet based on the station border patrol

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271

The very act of designing and building is by definition an affirmative one. Today, an architecture that inquires deeply and radically into the relationship between itself and society, itself and the world, is more resonant and relevant than ever. The complexities of contemporary practice demand not only strategic realism but also critical discernment and conscience. Indeed, while architects have a minimal responsibility to do no harm, they may also aspire to do some good.5

272

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Systems Building systems act as the vascular system of the architecture, and within the desert environment must adapt the ecological ground on which it is built. These systems include electrical, heating, cooling, water collection, and water usage. These systems must operate off the urban infrastructural grid and be self sustaining. They also must be low maintenance and reliable.

Theses systems have all been negotiated within the context of the ecological ground to not disturb the other ecologies on the site outside of the built footprint. These systems, especially in regards to water, try to do more for the site than the current condition allows without the presence of architecture. It is through the building systems that the architecture can be tested as a mediating space between ecologies.

systems

273

Above Site plan diagram showing location and area of solar panel field.

274

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Energy production must equal energy usage within the border station as it has no outside energy source including an electrical grid connection. This energy will be produced using photovoltaic cells placed only on the disturbed ground, the roof of the building. The estimated kilowatt load is as follows: ITEM WATTAGE/HR HR

Fixture #

Coffee maker 900-1200 12 Washer 350-500 .5 (3)Computer CPU awake 120 12 (3)Computer CPU asleep 30 12 Monitor 30-150 12 Drinking Fountains 500-800 24 Fans 125 24 Portable heater 750-1500 3 Microwave 1000-1800 .5 Printer 10-20 12 Refrigerator 725 24 Vending Machine(r) 3500 24 Water Heater 4500-5500 24 Elevator 1600 1 Heat Pump 3200 24 TV 20000 2 Lighting 4000 (per fixture) 24

1 1 3 3 3 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 30

TOTAL WATTAGE LOAD: 2955,200w

2955.2 kW The average solar output for West Texas is 6.5 kW per day per meter squared. To produce 2955.2 kW per day, 454 m2 (1489.5 ft2) area of solar panels are needed, the total area allotted is 9450 ft2.

Therefore 18720 kW can be produced by the solar field.

systems

275

276

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Ventilation of the embedded spaces is accomplished through several electrical fans and a large vertical chase centrally located within the official program. Several fans pull the air into the chase to allow for a vertical exchange of air. The top story of the building has operable glazed panels to allow for that floor to open completely to the outside, while still providing thick walls to maintain temperature. The unofficial spaces can be naturally ventilated constantly as they are only enclosed by a variation of the screen system. All spaces that are exposed to the open air have opening to allow for air change to occur.

Left Building Section through the embedded portions of the building showing air changes.

systems

277

Above Site plan diagram showing location and area of geothermal heat pump field under building, and trunk lines through the screen.

278

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Heating of the enclosed spaces is of high importance within the secure spaces embedded within the ground and also in the sleeping spaces in the winter months. The secure spaces are submerged in the ground, with an average temperature of 69.Ë&#x161; This ground temperature coupled with the depth of the embedded spaces makes using a geothermal heat pump a viable sustainable option for heating and cooling.

The geothermal heat pump system pumps water into the ground to exchange heat. This water is then pumped through the precast concrete floor decks to produce radiant heat during winter months and radiant cool in the summer. Furthermore these spaces are also enclosed within the ground to allow some radiant cooling through the walls of the holding and interview cells, parking garage, and storage spaces. This sustainable and poetic exchange allows the ground to regulate the thermal comfort of all of the embedded official spaces.

systems

279

Shade

280

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Geothermal Heat Pump water Pumped Through Screen.

Cooling in the desert can be accomplished mainly through airflow, as the humidity is very low in West Texas. Although the geothermal heat pump system will provide radiant cooling in the secure spaces, the more open and exposed unofficial program spaces must be cooled through air movement. This will be accomplished with layers of screening that still allow the prevailing winds from the southeast to enter the building as well as large 8' diameter fans. These large fans are virtually silent and move air to produce a 10 Ë&#x161; cooling effect, while in the winter these fans can push hot air that has risen, down to heat the space more uniformly.

Left Axonometric screen diagram with cooling properties.

The screen system provides shading for much of the building, allowing the precast concrete shell to remain cooler. Additionally the cool water from the geothermal heat pump will be pumped through the screen allowing for the air moving through the screen into the unofficial and resting spaces to be cooled not only by the shade but more actively by the overlapping systems packed within the screen.

systems

281

282

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Water collection systems must be layered across the entire disturbed site. In the parking lot, grading and trench drains pull water from that area of the site and siphon it to the cistern located above the geothermal heat pump system at the center of the building datum. Water is also funneled into the cistern from all roof surfaces including brown roofs. These roofs have a low parapet to allow the roof to hold more water during flash storm events, giving the drain more time to allow water to flow into the cistern without making the drain and pipes too large.

Left Site plan showing water collection systems.

Most notably water is constantly collected from the air by the screen element. This screen system based on the prototype of Warka Water, see page 91, pulls water from the air by allowing dew to collect on a nylon mesh within the rigid river cane composite screen. This screen passively collects water and allows it to drip into pipes to the cistern, but to increase the volume of water collected, the geothermal heat pump water is piped through the screen cooling the mesh and increasing condensation. This process is reversed when the air is cool, heating the screen to increase condensation and thus water collection.

Water is only collected from disturbed ground on the site, water is not siphoned away from the remaining natural ground. The water collection systems become the structure for the unofficial spaces, the systems coupled with cooling, shade, circulation, and enclosure systems.

systems

283

284

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

The precedent Warka Water, see page 91, collects 13-26 gallons a day for a mesh surface area of 323 square feet, roughly .04 gallons per square foot of mesh on the low estimation. Based on this calculation, and a screen mesh area of 13247 square feet, the border patrol station at La Linda should collect a minimum of 523 gallons of water per day from condensation. The screen yields a yearly average of 194,545 gallons. Water is also collected during rain fall events off the roof and parking structures.

Assuming the yearly average remains constant at 13.78" of rain per year at La Linda, the rain collection calculation is as follows,

Left Building section showing cistern size proportionally.

52,605 sq ft x 13.78"/year = 724896.9 gallons per year Combining the collected rain water, 724,896 gallons, and the dew condensed by the screen, 194,545 gallons, the site collects 919,441 gallons per year. If 15% of this water is lost due to evaporation, leaks, and waste, 781,524 gallons would be stored and usable per year. None of this water is siphoned from the surrounding ground.

When estimating water usage for the entire site, the maximum usage must be calculated in order to ensure enough water at maximum capacity. As there are bunks for 20 employees, and 24 hour occupancy is assumed, which will rarely if ever occur at maximum capacity, looking at the national average of 106 gallons per person per day, 773,800 gallons will be needed yearly to sustain this population. There is no estimations made for people crossing through the border as the employee calculation is greatly over estimated and covers to little traffic through the station yearly. The site at La Linda does procure enough water for the occupants survival, as 773,800 gallons is less than 781,524 gallons collected. This need would size the cistern at 193450 gallons, assuming each gallon required 7.48 cubic feet the cistern will be 25,862 cubic feet. systems

285

286

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Code The regulation established within the International Building Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 forms the basis of the regulator ground at the border station at La Linda.

The International Building Code focuses on the general safety associated with the occupancy of a building, especially in cases of fire. These minimum standards of egress are provided to all spaces within the border station at La Linda. All of the following information is based on information provided within the 2012 International building code.6 The Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, establishes the basis for equal occupation of the spaces created at the border patrol station. The ADA Accessibility Guidelines, ADAAG, sets the minimum standard required for equitable occupancy.

These requirements are met in all but the unofficial spaces, This foundational idea is not upheld within the unofficial circulation spaces as they are not meant to be used by the general public, the users of this unofficial circulation are not within the United States officially, and therefore are not required to meet ADAAG standards.

Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security, has there own regulations governing Border Patrol Stations, the US Border Patrol Facilities Design Guide. This document lays the foundational knowledge for the creating the spaces required for the programs associated within the border station at La Linda.

Most of the code adhered to from this document deal with the placement of the building within the landscape for security purposes. These codes serve as the ground, foundational knowledge, for construction of the spaces at La Linda to be safe and non-discriminatory.

Code

287

Occupancy Types 302.1 General.

Structures or portions of structures shall be classified with respect to occupancy in one or more of the groups listed in this section. A room or space that is intended to be occupied at different times for different purposes shall comply with all of the requirements that are applicable to each of the purposes for which the room or space will be occupied. Structures with multiple occupancies or uses shall comply with Section 508. Where a structure is proposed for a purpose that is not specifically provided for in this code, such structure shall be classified in the group that the occupancy most nearly resembles, according to the fire safety and relative hazard involved.

304.1 Business Group B. Business Group (B) occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, for office, professional or service-type transactions, including storage of records and accounts.

Lobby Offices(8) and Administration Area (4 person) Storage Arms safe, General document storage Waiting Room Seating Area, Admin Desk Conference Room Rest rooms Break Room/Kitchen Cooking Area, Rec Area, Pantry Janitors Closets (3) Electrical Closets (3) Mechanical Rooms Exam rooms (2) Doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office (1) Quarantine Room, Waiting Area Nurses Station (3 person) Medical Storage, 288

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

>800 s.f. >2000 s.f.

200 s.f.

300 s.f.

200 s.f.

800 s.f.

75 s.f.

100 s.f.

10% of Gross >850 s.f.

307.4 High-hazard Group H-2.

Buildings and structures containing materials that pose a deflagration hazard or a hazard from accelerated burning shall be classified as Group H-2.

4 bay Patrol Car Garage with one bay for mechanical work/washing area Fuel island, Storage Storage Arms safe, General document storage

>4000 s.f.

200 s.f.

308.5 Institutional Group I-3 This occupancy shall include buildings and structures that are inhabited by more than five persons who are under restraint or security. An I-3 facility is occupied by persons who are generally incapable of self-preservation due to security measures not under the occupantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; control.

Interview/Processing Rooms (4) Holding Cells (8) w/Sally Port and Security Room

400 s.f. >450 s.f.

310.4 Residential Group R-2.

Residential occupancies containing sleeping units or more than two dwelling units where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature.

Bunk Room (M/F) Bunks, Lockers Private Bathrooms and Shower/Dressing Areas (for 30 employees)

500 s.f. ea.

500 s.f. ea.

The unofficial shelter program spaces do not meet IBC as they function within the landscape as a space of refuge for those who traverse the landscape.

Code

289

Construction Type

Below Holding cell GSA required 3 hour fire rated walls highlighted.

602.2 Types I and II. Types I and II construction are those types of construction in which the building elements listed in Table 601 are of noncombustible materials, except as permitted in Section 603 and elsewhere in this code. The official program is all built to this construction type, IIA. 602.5 Type V. Type V construction is that type of construction in which the structural elements, exterior walls and interior walls are of any materials permitted by this code. All of the unofficial spaces enclosed within the river cane composite screen fall into this construction type, VA. Additional fire rating information was obtained from the US Border Patrol Facilities Design Guide. Fire Separation for the detention area and sallyport must be 3- hour rated. 7 Elevation 1731â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Elevation 1711â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

290

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Fire Resistance of Exterior Walls Wall Location

Fire Separation Distance

Rating

North

x ≥ 30

0

East

x ≥ 30

0

South

x ≥ 30

0

West

x ≥ 30

0

Fire Resistance Rating Requirements ( IIA) Rating Required

Rating Provided

Structural Frame

Wall Type

1

2

Bearing Walls- Exterior

1

2

Bearing Walls- Interior

1

1

Nonbearing Walls- Exterior

1

1

Nonbearing Walls- Interior

0

1

Floor Construction

1

3

Roof Construction

1

1

Fire Resistance Rating Requirements ( VA) Rating Required

Rating Provided

Structural Fram

Wall Type

1

1

Bearing Walls- Exterior

1

1

Bearing Walls- Interior

1

1

Nonbearing Walls- Exterior

1

1

Nonbearing Walls- Interior

0

0

Floor Construction

1

3

Roof Construction

1

1

Code

291

Occupant Load and Building Exiting The following is an analysis of the required egress elements within each occupancy type and floor within the border station at La Linda. All levels have an exit that exits on grade. The following page outlines the required and provided egress for the institutional and residential occupancies.

Right Business occupancy provided exit routes.

Occupancy

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

B

29

13

56

Number of Exits Number of Exits and Exit widths from Each Level

Exit Width Stairs

Required

Provided Required

Provided

First Floor

2

2

44"

46"

Second Floor

2

3

44"

46"

Third Floor

2

4

-

-

292

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Elevation 1731’

Elevation 1711’

ExIT ROUTES

Elevation 1693’

N Code

293

Occupancy

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

I-3

-

12

8

Number of Exits Number of Exits and Exit widths from Each Level

Exit Width Stairs

Required

Provided Required

Provided

First Floor

-

-

-

-

Second Floor

2

2

44"

46"

Third Floor

2

2

-

-

Occupancy

First Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

R-2

-

48

Number of Exits Number of Exits and Exit widths from Each Level

Exit Width Stairs

Required

Provided Required

Provided

First Floor

-

-

-

-

Second Floor

2

2

-

-

Third Floor

-

-

294

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Elevation 1731’

Elevation 1711’

ExIT ROUTES I-3 ExIT ROUTES R-2

Elevation 1693’

N

Code

295

Area Limitations The border station at La Linda being mostly embedded or unenclosed has a very low floor area to allowable floor area ratio.

This corresponds to the construction intent to work within the ecological ground and preserve most of the natural ecology.

Plumbing Requirements Plumbing requirements are established based on occupancy groups and floor area served. Within the border station at La Linda there are four users of restrooms, those for employees, visitors (both official and unofficial), resident employees, and detainees.

296

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Area Limitations

Occupancy 01

Occupancy 02

Occupancy 03

Occupancy 04

Occupancy Group

B

I-3

R-2

H-2

Area Limitations

37,500

15,000

12,000

11,000

Allowable Floor Area

37,500

15,000

12,000

11,000

Actual Floor Area

7,066

3,792

2,404

5732,

187,500

30,000

36,000

22,000

Total Allowable Floor Area

Water Closets

Lavatories

Occupancy type

Floor Area Served

Load Factor

Occupant Load

B

7066' 2

100 gross

70

3

6

3

6

2

7

2

7

I-3

3792' 2

100 gross

8

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

R-2

2404'

50 gross

48

2

4

2

4

2

4

2

2

MALE

FEMALE

MALE

FEMALE

req / given

req / given

req / given

req / given

4

Total Number of Fixtures

11

11

12

12

Number of Accessible Fixtures

2

2

2

2

Number of Drinking Fountains

Required

1

Provided

1

Accessible

1

Code

297

Americans with Disabilities Act

Right ADAAG Diagrams for egress, plumbing, and circulation. 2

The ADA Accessibility Guidelines provide the minimum requirements for public spaces to be accessible to all people, not just those with a physical disability. These guidelines must be met in all new construction projects accessible to the public. These guidelines extend to paths of travel, egress routes, restroom fixtures, All paths of egress must be at a minimum 36 inches wide including the path and any openings. This ensures clearance for the wheelchairs. All ramped areas must have a maximum slope of 1 to 12, one vertical inch for every twelve horizontal inches.

At least one toilet and lavatory must be wheel chair accessible, minimum plan is shown on the right.

298

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

1525

48 min

0' -1220 8"

0' - 9"

1525

60 min

0' - 8"

915

815

36 min

32 min

ramp run

815

915

760

32 min

30 min ramp run

36 min

48 min

1220

915

36

1220

12201220

36 min

915

815

36 min

915

32 min

36

915

back w C L

915

42 min

seat C wall L

915

150

X

46 max 361170

1170

46 max

1170

46 max

1170

46 max 461170 max

915

1170

46 max

DOCUMENTS WITHOUT 38 adjo ARCHITEC slop

48 min 1220 X<4 Note: inside finished dimensions measured at the center points 100

865-965

501 GOVERNMEN P.225

865-965

865-965

865-965

34-38

34-38 865-965 34-38

865-965

34-38

865-965

34-38

865-965

34-38

1525

1220

1370

54 min

1525

60 min

36 min

915

1525

915 915

(e hinge approa 33 42 mi8

36 min

60 min

36 36 minmin

915

915

1525

1525

1220

48 min

36 min

60 min 601525 min

1220

48 min

1220

48 min 481220 min

1220

60 min

48 min

865-965

34-38

1220

865-965

34-38

48 min 1220

48 min

60 min

865-965

34-38

2030

865-965

34-38

2030

1220

36 min

Project Name ProjectProject Name Name

34-38

865-965 865-965

34-38 34-38

865-965

865-965

34-38

865-965

34-38 865-965 34-38

865-965

34-38 865-965 34-38

865-965

34-38

865-965

2030 34-38

X > 80

685

1220

33 min (b) 840 two spaces (d) hinge approach, pull side

840

(c) 12 min front 305 approach, push side, door provided with both closer and latch

42 min

42 42 minmin

1065

10651065

915

(b) (d) spaces approach,

1525

60 min

1065

1525

42 min

60 min

1220

48 min

610

915

(c) front approach, push side, door provided with both closer and latch (a) (b) (d) (i) single space two spaces hinge approach, pull side latch approach, pull side, 24 min door provided with closer610 24 min 24 min 610

(b) front approach, push side (h) latch approach, pull side

1065

42

1065

(e) hinge approach, pull sid 1525

1370

1220

48 min

1220

48 min

18 min

(a) front approach, pull side

48 min

38

33 min

(a) single space

(c) folding door

815

1½ min

915

60 min

32 min

34-38

2030

X > 80

2030

X > 80

X > 80 > 80 X 2030

2030

X > 80

1525

60 min

60 min

560

1220

685

X > 27

685

X > 27

685

X > 27

685

1525

60 min 60 min

1065

(e) hinge approach, pull side

60 min

22 min

(b) sliding door

815

90 °

(d) hinge approach, pull side

32 min

(a) hinged door

815

815

48 min

32 min

42 min

1065

915

es

1370

90 °

1525

42 min

32 min

840

(e) two hinge pull side hinge approach, pul 445 (d) (d) (d) (d) (e) (e) (e) (e) 12 min hinge approach, hinge hinge pull approach, approach, side hinge pullpull approach, side side pull side hinge approach, pull approach, approach, side hinge pullpull approach side side 36 hinge minhinge 305 915(a) (c) (b) single space 33 min 33 min 36 min front approach, push side, door front approach, push side 915 840 840 (c) provided (c) (c) (c) (b) (b) (b) (b) with both closer and latch front push approach, front front push approach, approach, side,front door push push approach, side, side, door door push side, door front approach, front front push approach, approach, side front push push approach, side side side provided with provided both provided closer with with both and provided both latch closer closer with andboth and latch latch closer and latch 18 min (a) 24 min (d) 24 min 445 610 hinge approach, pull side front approach, pull side 610 22 min 12 min 24 min 42 min 36 min 305 560

(a) front approach, pull side (a) (a) (a) (a) front approach, front front pull approach, approach, side front pullpull approach, side side pull side

90 °

90 90° °

60 min

36 min

1525

815

(c) (b) (a) 32 min 32 min folding door sliding door hinged door 815(c) (c) (c) (b) (c) (a) (a) (a) 1½ min (a) (b) 815 (b) (b) folding folding door doorfolding door sliding door doorsliding doordoorfolding hinged doorhinged hinged door doorhinged doordoorsliding 38 sliding

305

54 min

12 min

60 min

32 min

(c) walking surfaces

(b) ramps

90 °

(a) stairs

1525

60 min 601525 min

815

305

305

36 min

48 min

815 815

840

(c) walking surfaces

12 min

(b) 12 min 12 12 minmin 305push side 305 305 front approach,

501 GOVERNMEN P.225

33 min12 min33 min

36 (c)min (a) 915 walking surfaces single space

48 min

32 32 minmin

815 815

305

54 min

32 32 min min

1525

60 min

815

445

12 min

(b) ramps

48 min

815 815

18 min 48 min 481220 min

32 32 minmin

815

305

915

1220

32 min

815

445 445

445

1½ min

38 © THIS SET OF D SPECIFICATIONS, AND ADD ELECTRONICALLY DISTRIB THE EXPRESSED WRITTE NO PLAN ROOM, ELECTRO NOR REPRODUCTION CO DOCUMENTS WITHOUT ARCHITEC

38 38

12 min code | 2

(b) ramps

48 min

32 min

18 18 minmin

445

1525

815

18 min

1220

815 815

(a) stairs

(a) 18 min front approach, pull side

48 min

865-965

34-38

32 32 minmin

815

90 °

865-965

34-38

865-965

32 min

1½ min (c) 38 32 min folding door

(b) 32 min sliding door

(a) 32 door min hinged

34-38

es

X > 80

2030

X < 80

2030

305

38

1½1½ minmin

38

(c)

(b)

(a) stairs

48 min

815

12 min

1525

90 °

38

(a)

1220

32 min

815

1½ min

1½ min

305

1½ min

walking surfaces stairs ramps (c) (b) (c) (c) (c) (a) (a) (b) (a) (b) (b) walking surfaces walking surfaces walking surfaces walking surfaces stairs stairsramps stairsramps ramps ramps

685

32 min

815

305

12 min

305 305

36 min

445

305

12 12 minmin

305

(a) stairs

305

18 min

X > 27

32 min

12 min

(b)

curb ramp slope

1

685

20

100

X < 80

adjoining surface maximum slope

38

27 max

1170

46 max

1½ min X<4

0

12 min

305

305

max

100

12 min

305

12 min

305

curb ramp slope

X > 27

(b)

4 max

20 1 4 max

2030

255-610

(a)

X > 27 X < 80X 685 > 27

> 10-24 max

255

27 max

10 max

12 min

children

54 min

865-965

150

34-38

865-965

6 min

865

34-3848 max

> 10-24 max 255-610(c) (b) (b) 12 min ramps 12 min walking surfaces

1220

34-38

10 max (a) 255 (a) stairs 12 min

865

34 max

1220

2030380

X> 1580 min

48 max

915

36 min

34 max

865

865

1170

34 max

865

34 max

1220

48 max

1220

865

1220

865 1220

1220

865

34 max 34865 max

380

48 max

15 min

34 max48 max 1220 865 3448 max max

34 max 865 48 max 34 max 1220

1220

380

6 min

100

adjoining surface maximum slope

685

(b)

255

685

100

X > 27

X<4

305

adult 10 max

2030

X < 80

27 max

2030 685

X < 80 2030 X27 < 80 max

685

2030

X < 80

685

27 max 27685 max

27 max

1170

46 max

865

1220

48 max

curb ramp slope

1

685

1170 865

20

100

34 max

0

adjoining surface maximum slope

34 max

46 max 1220

48 max

max

(b) 180 degree turn (Exception)

(a) 180 degree turn

1

18 36 © THIS SET O 915 48 min SPECIFICATIONS, AND 12 min adjoiningELECTRONICALLY surfaceadjoining maximum adjoining surf 150 9 min 1220 6 min X<4 DIST back wall slope slopeslope 230 150 100 THE EXPRESSED WRI Note: inside305 finished dimensions measured at the center points C (b) (c) L NO PLAN ROOM, ELEC of opposing sides X<4 X <X4< 4 X<4 20 elevation plan NOR REPRODUCTION 100 100 100 100 48WITHO min DOCUMENTS 6 min children 10 max > 10-24 max 36 min 36 min ARCHIT 150 1220 255 255-610 915 partition 915 Note: inside finishe 10 max 10 10 max max 10(a)max > 10-24 max > 10-24 > 10-24 max max> 10-24 max (a) (b) 501 GOVERNM control (c) seat(b) C of opposing sides P. C L wall 255 255 255 255 255-610 255-610 255-610 L elevation255-610 elevation plan wall X< 6 min (a) X < 48 (a) (a) (a) (b) (b) (b) children (b) adult 100 1220 150 (b) © THIS SET OF D 180 degree turn 10 max (Exception) SPECIFICATIONS, AND ADD 12 min 10 max > 10-24 max ELECTRONICALLY DISTRIB 305 255 255 255-610 12 min 6 min THE EXPRESSED WRITTE 305 150 NO PLAN ROOM, ELECTRO (a) (b) 1½ min NOR REPRODUCTION CO

100

305

1220

1220

X<4

100 100

10

1065

X <X48 <4

1220

(a) (b) (c) of opposing sidesaccessible 12mounted min PLUMBING FIXTURES | Minimum one drinking fountain at 36 inches. One toilet and lavatory ADA elevation elevation plan 12 min X < 48 X < 48 100

915

815

1220

48 min

915

X < 48

36

1170

6 min(b)

150

36 min

32 min

915

36 min

815

32 min 81536 min

915

815

46 max

10651065

1065

255-610

6 min

150

48 min

1220

48 min 481220 min

1220

48 min

32 min 32815 min 36815 min 36915 min 91532 min

36 min

32 min 915

815

36 min

32 min

815

815

30 min

760

1220

42 m

42 mi 42 42 minmin

(a) (a 180 degree180 turn 180 degr de

610

48 min

915

610

1065

24 max

36

815

915

24 max

42 min

control C L wall

back wall C L

32 min

36 min

1220

> 10-24 partition max

6 min

(a)

48 min

36 min

255

32 min

915

815

760

36 min 91532 min

30 min 36 min 760 915min 30 36 min 760 32915 min 32815 min 81536 min

30 min 34 max 760

1220

865

34 max

32 min

760

30 min

48 max

1220

380

48 max

15 min

34 max 15 min 865 380 48 max

(b) partition plan

10 max

610

48 min 1220 Note: inside finished dimensions measured at the center points X < 4 control seat C C L wall L 100 ofwall opposing sides

430-635

150

305

1220

24 max

915

610

(b) plan

150

(c) 17-25 plan

6 max

(a) elevation

430-635

6 min

230

12 min

1220

1120

4 max

150

865

760

1525

60 min

1220

48 max

15 min 15380 min

15 min

44 max

1120

100

150

12201220

36

back wall C L

seat C wall L 17-25 24 max

(b) plan

34 max 865 46 max

30 min

9 17-25 (b) 230 430-635 plan

9

6 min

partition (b) elevation 6 min 150 children

48 max

1120

1120

44 max

4 max

4 max 4 max

30min min 36 760 30 min 915

760

760

44 max 44 max

1120

1120

44 max

1120

44 max 441120 max

44 max

1220

2030

X < 80

915

36 min 4 915 max

1525

arm

760

30 min

760

30 min

30 min

760

760

30 min 30760 min

2030

1220

1220

230

>20-25 max 36 min 510-635 915

60 min

1525

60 min

915

arm

1525

arm

60 min 36 min

arm 2030

1220

1220

48 min 1220 30 min

48 min

30 min

230

1220

430-635

(a) elevation

(b) 12 min parallel 305

9 min

230

1220

48 max

1065

685

1220

380

15 min

48 max

1065

36 min

150

1220

9 min curb ramp slope

1 42 min

17-25

6 max 6 max 6 (a) max 17-25 6 max 17-25 17-25 partition 430-635 430-635 430-635 150 150 150 150 elevation (b) (a) (a) (a) (a) (b) (b) (b) parallel elevation elevation elevation elevation plan plan plan 48 min (b) 6 min 150 1220 parallel 6 max

(a) elevation 10adult max 42 min 42 min 1220 4 max 255 (b) 1065 1065 partition 100 10 max 10 10 max max 10 max 180 degree turn 255 255 255 255 (Exception) min 612min X < 48 305 150 >20-25 max 12 min 1220 510-635 305(a) 180 degree turn X < 48

27 max

915

36 min

815

32 min

1170 815

4632 max min

20

1220

915

48 min

partition 48 min (a) 1220 elevation 6 min 150 adult 10 max (b) 255 parallel 9 min

48 min

48 max

36 min

510

42 min

915

1220

48 max

915

1220

510

20 max

adjoining surface maximum slope

100

48 min

1525

1220

48 max

60 min

1220

X<4

36 min

20 max

6 max

760

48 max

380

(a) 180 degree turn

1220

1220

48 max

1220

1220

48 max

1220

1065

15 min

24(b) max 610 plan

15 min 38048 max

380

36min min 15 915 15380 min 32380min 48 815 max 481220 max 15 min

X < 48

1220

430-635

48 min

1065

48 min

17-25

150

42 min

48 max

6 max

42 min

32max min 48 815 60 min 481220 max 1525 36 min 1220

915

36 min

760 380

230

1220

9

48 max

min 1530 min

815

32 min

815

915

32 min

1220

230

30 min

20 max X < 48>20-25 max 30 min 36 510 min 510-635 1220 760 915 (b)>20-25 max 20 max max>20-25 >20-25 >20-25 max max 24 max (a) 510 180 degree turn 610 510-635 510-635 510-635 510-635 forward (Exception)

1220

20 20 max max 24 max (a)20 max 610 180 degree510 turn48 min 510 510

9

230 230

1220

partition

(a) forward

915

230

9 9

230

BEVELED EDGE

430-635

(a) straight

9

(b) 6(b)min 150 parallel parallel

510-635

36 min

1065

X < 48

1220

24 max (a) 610 elevation

760

BEVELED EDGE

17-25

150

(a) elevation

9

12201220

380

685

X > 27

610

42 min

1525

610

SQUARE EDGE SQUARE EDGE CLEAR ACRYLIC PRIMARY AND BACKPLATE CLEAR WIT SECON AND PA (b) (b) 24 max 24 PAINTED max MP55685 SNOWFLAKE AND (b) in direction SECOND SECON change 610 change in direction 610 SURFACE ON BACKPLATE. PRIMARY 48 min plan 24 max 24 24 max max 24 max 24 max 24 24 max max 24 max 1220 610 610 610 610 610 610 610 610 48 min 48 48 minmin 48 min

6 max (a) straight

48 min

48 48 minmin

1220

(a) (a) (a) forward forward forward >20-25 max

36 min

X > 24

1220

48 max

380

1220

48 min

42 min 60 min1065

610

48 min

15 min

380

815

min X >36 15 915

32 min

815

915

32 min

610

48 min

30 min

915

24 max

230

(b) parallel

30 30 minmin(a) 30 min 760 760 forward 760 (a) (b) forward parallel

760

915

20 max

X > 80

30 min

36 min

510

24 max

48 min

1220

1220

24 915

915 915

1525

610

X> 2030

36 min

36 36 minmin

915

24 max

48 min

305

30 min (a) forward

48 min 481220 min

48 min

610

X > 24

1525

2030

X < 80

685

X >60 80min

2030

1220

36 min

685

X > 27

60 min

27 max

685

X < 80

1525

landing

24 max 610

12 min

48 min

760

610

X > 24

610

X > 24 X 610 > 24

610

380

60 min

27 max

610

48 min

13

X > 24

380

X > 15

24 max

½

2610

15251525

1220

1525

24 max

X > 15

60 60 minmin

48 min

60 min

1525

PAINTED MP25849 DURANGO GRAY RAISED0'TEXT - 0 1/2"

ramp run

landing

9

915

305 305

100

ramp runramp run landing

36 min

12min min 12

4 max

915

380

X > 15

380

380

X > 15 X 380 > 15

X > 15

60 min

D CHANGE IN LEVEL

36 min

915

1220

36 min

100

915

36 min

305

307.2 LIMITS OF PROTRUDING OBJECTS 307.2 LIMITS OF PROTRUDING OBJECTS 4 max

Note: X = tread depth

landing landing

at least as wide as ramp run

1220

307.4 VERTICAL CLEARANCE

1525

base

1525

307.4 VERTICAL CLEARANCE X

36 min

36 min 80 min 915 12 min

(b)

ramp run

34 max

(b)

60 min

1525

1220

base

305

380

(a)

X > 12 610

305

685

685

X > 12

landing

at least as wide as ramp run

610

48 max 481220 max 15 min

(a)

X

24 min

48 min

305

X > 12 30524 min

1525 1525

1525

610

27 max

305

305

X > 24

12 max

380

5.10.3 BOTTOM HANDRAIL EXTENSION AT STAIRS

12 max 27 max

305

27-80

305

685-2030

12 max

X > 15

27-80

685-2030

X > 12 12 max

2030

80 min

1525

3448 max max 865 481220 max

305

1

PAINTED MP25849 DURANGO 60 min GRAY RAISED TEXT 1525

turning radius required for turnaround.

60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min Ramp circulation require a maximum slope of 1 vertical inch for every 12 inches of length

12 min

60 min

1525

60 min

60 min

1525

60 min

1525

1065

42 min

1525

1525

60 min

1065

42 min

60 min 601525 min

1370

54 min

1065

42 min

1065

42 min

42 min

1065

1065

1065

42 min

42 min

1370

1065

42 min

1065

1220

1065

1370

42 min

42 min 1065 42 42 min min 421065 min 1065

1065 1065

42 min 42 min 421065 min

54 min

42 min

1220

1220

PROJECT NO:

DATE:

X>8

48 min 1220

48 min

(a)

1220

1220

305

48 min

1220

12 min

(b)

PHASE: ISSUED FOR

205

205

205

1220

1220

48 min

X>8

X>8

1065

1065

42 min

48 min

1065

(c) push side, door provided with both closer and latch

205

445

1065

1220

42 min

1065

48 min

1220

305

X>8

18 min

48 min

48 min

1065

48 min

1065

42 min 421065 min

42 min

1220 1220

48 min

42 min

42 min

1065

1065

42 min

1220

1220

1220

48 min

48 min

48min min 48

(b) push side 1525

205

60 min

X>8

54 min

1220 1065

42 min

1370

48 min

1220

48 min

1220

1220

48 min 481220 min

48 min

48 42min min

1220

54 min

1525

1220

(k) X>8 latch approach, push side, 205 door provided with closer 24 min (a) 610 pull side

1220

1220

1065

60 min

1220

1065

48 min

42 min

1220

48 min

60 min

1525

1065

42 min

48 min

42 min

1220

1220

48 min

1370

48 min

1220

54 min

1525

1525

60 min

1065

560

42 min

610

22 min

48 min 481220 min

1220

48 min

1220

60 min

1220

1065

24 min

(d) stop or latch approach

22 min (f) (c) 560 hinge approach, foldingpush doorside

(b) sliding door

48 min

1220

48 min

1065

1370

1525

1220

24 min 42 min 610

(a) hinged door

915

12 min

54 min

24 min 22 min 610 22 min 560 (g) (j) 560 610 (c) (b) hinge approach, push side, door latch approach, push side front approach, push side, door front approach, push side 24 m provided with both closer and latch 24 min provided with both closer and latch 610 610 36 min 22 min (a) 42 min (c) 305 22 min (d) 1065 (h) front approach 915 pocket or 560 hinge approach (d) (e) p 560 (b) stop or latch approach (i) latch approach, pull side hinge approach, pull side hinge approach, pull side 18 min 18 18 m side approach latch approach, pull side, 24 min 445 445 22 min 24 min door provided with closer 610 560 610 24 min 24 24 minmin (k)24 min (d) 22 min 22 22 minmin 22 min (h)min 24 min 24 24 min 24 min (e) (g) (f) (j) 610 610 610 610 (i) 560 560 560 560 latch approach, push side, 610latch approach, 610 610 pull side610 hinge approach, pull side hinge approach, push hinge X>8 hinge approach, push side, door sideapproach, pull side latch approach, push sidelatch approach, pull side, door provided with closer 205 provided with both closer and latch h door provided with closer (a) (c) (a) (d) front approach pocket or hinge approach pull side (b) stop or latch approach (c) (a) (a) (a) (a) (f) (b) (c) (c) (c) (g) (c) (a) (a) (a) ( (d) (d) (d) 24 min(d) side approach 24 min hinge push side, approach door stop or latchstop front approach, push side, door front approach front front approach approach front approach hinge nt approach, push side pocket pocket approach orapproach, hinge or hinge pocket approach approach or hinge 610latch approach pull side pull pull side side pul (b) (b) (b) approach, (b)push side pocket or hinge approach stop or latch or latch approach stop approach or 42 min 36 min with both closer and latch 22 min provided with 610 both closer and latch provided 24 min side approach side side approach approach side approach 22 min 24 min 22 min 1065 (k) 560 915 610 24 min 560 610 560 610 latch approach, push side, (k) (k) (k) (k) closer door provided with latch approach, latch latch push approach, approach, side,latch push push approach, side, side, push side, door provided door door with provided closer provided door with closer provided closer 18 min with closer (h) (d) (e)with (a) (c) 48 min 445 (d) latch approach, pull side 12 min hinge approach, pull side hinge approach, pull side 48 minor hinge approach(i) front approach pocket 1220 approach latch approach, pull side, (b) stop or latch 305 1220 24 min 22 min door provided with closer 24 min side approach 24 min 610 560 610 DATE: 610 X>8 X>8 X>8 (g) (f) (j) 205 205 205 (k) hinge approach, push side, door hinge approach, push side latch approach, push side PHASE: latch approach, push side, provided with both closer and latch h (a) (c) door provided with closer (a) (d) (a) (b) (a) (d) ISSUED FOR 18 min front approach pocket or hinge approach pull side (b) stop or latch approach pull side stop or latch approach 48 min 445 12 min 48 min side approach 36 min

PROJECT NO:

(a) pull side

X>8 205

X>8

12 min 305

(b) push side

X>8

(c) 48 min push side, door provided with 1220 both closer and latch

48 min

GEN 48 min

1220

1220

(c)

AC

DATE:

205

205

A

(a)

1220

1220

1220

48 min

445

610

(c) 48 min

(c) push side, door provided with both closer and latch 48 min

(b) push side

18 min 1525

24 min

(d) stop or latch approach

60 min

1065

(c) pocket or hinge approach

PHASE:

(d) stop or latch approach

(a)

(a) pull side

(b)

ISSUED (c) FOR

GEN PROJECT NO:

(b) push side

(c) push side, door provided with both closer and latch

48 min 1220

AC (c)

Code

code | 3

299

GEN

300

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Construction The physical construction of the border station at La Linda must support the intent to create a mediating space of the ecological systems within this ground. The making of these space define their relationship to ground and establish a way into the ground at La Linda for border crossers. The following construction documents serve as a way to test the ideas of structure and materiality against the realities of both construction and the site.

The layering of human ecologies with the preexisting natural ecologies produces a reactive architecture, an architecture which atones for the disturbance of the site while aiding human occupants.

Construction

301

178

1'

6'

177 17

71

'

FM

1751'

1756

'

1761'

Y

1766

HW

'

27

26

6.6%

GABION RETAINING WALL 1746'

11'-6"

1741

'

R23'-11"

1726'

1721'

1716'

1731'

1736'

FRENCH DRAIN

SEMI TURN AROUND

19'-4" 1711

'

R60'

170

6'

9'

MEXICO '

'

1666

'

'

1671

1676

1681

'

1691

1686

'

169

6'

170

1'

PERMEABLE PAVING

11'

SUBTERRAINEAN CISTERN 18' BALLARDS

LIMESTONE CAVES + STAIRS

1731'

39'-212"

SOLAR FIELD

97'

35'-11"

UNITED STATES

POINT OF ORIGIN 29°27'7.39"N 102°49'29.60"w 19'-712"

71'-8"

81'-2"

SECURE GARAGE ENTRANCE

SEMI TURN AROUND

R54'-9"

PERMEABLE PAVING SEMI PARKING

KENNEL

ENCLOSURE

SITE PLAN

SCALE 1/64” = 1’

302

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

PROJECT SITE

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC

MEXICO

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

UNITED STATES

VICINITY PLAN

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

LEGEND EXISTING CONTOURS NEW CONTOURS

N

Left Site plan construction document.

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.03.26 2016.03.31 2016.04.05

SCREEN ROOF BROWN ROOF SOLAR PANELS INTERNATIONAL BORDER PROPERTY LINE

DESCRIPTION

Site Plan

SP-101 2016.04.06 DATE

Construction

303

CAP 330

PATROL BOOTH 200

CAP 165

INTERVIEW 204

HALL 220

4

INTERVIEW 205

"

5

LOBBY 206

CAP 330

3

5

INTERVIEW 202

CONFERENCE 207

1000 SF = 10 P 100 SF/P

5

CAP 165

910 SF = 9 P 100 SF/P

BREAK + KITCHEN 209

ADMIN 208

350 SF = 3 P 100 SF/P

RESTROOM RESTROOM 210 211

1

1

WOMENS RES 218

1480 SF = 14 P 100 SF/P MEDICAL 219

INTERVIEW 201

17

VERTICAL CHASE

CAP 165

EGRESS PLAN

SCALE 1/8” = 1’

304

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

20

1 ELECTRICAL 212

MENS REST 220

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

CAP 330 21

STROOM

1

6

2 EXAM

TROOM

2128 SF = 21 P 100 SF/P 6

OWNER

N

NOTES

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

CONSTRUCTION TYPE [II-A] NUMBER OF EXITS REQUIRED [4] NUMBER OF EXITS PROVIDED [8] OCCUPANCY TYPE [BUSINESS B -5600/100 = 56 P I-3 = 4 P] TOTAL OCCUPANCY LOAD [60 PEOPLE]

LEGEND

00002

Left Life Safety Plan

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.03.26 2016.04.02 2016.04.10 2016.04.21

FIRE EXTINGUISHER FIRE RATED WALL- 1-HR EGRESS PATH

DESCRIPTION

EGRESS PLAN

A-001 2016.03.28 DATE

Construction

305

A

B

D

C

E

F

G

232'-6"

56'

18'

18'

18'

A

18'

18'

1

N A-202

A-301

36'-11"

6

WT-3

83'-912"

10'-712" 35'-212"

12'

8'-8"

6'-512"

14'-8"

30'-3"

14'-9"

21'-9"

5

WT-5

20'-212"

10'-7"

11'-10" INTERVIEW 204

HALL 220

7'-012"

INTERVIEW 205

5'-11"

11'-1012" WT-2

LOBBY 206

6'-1"

4

OUTDOOR PATROL BOOTH 200

WT-4

12'

2'-6" 6'-512"

11'-312"

18'-0"

INTERVIEW 202

BREAK + KITCHEN 209

ADMIN 208

CONFERENCE 207

56'-9"

RESTROOM RESTROOM 210 211

WT-4 6'-6"

12'-7"

6'-5"

22'-5"

MEDICAL E 219

3

10'-512"

INTERVIEW 201

6'-512"

8'-1012" 12'-2"

19'-112" VERTICAL CHASE

20'-8" 18'-0" 11'-112"

5'-512"

11'-112"

20'-5"

MENS REST 220

2

WT-2

7'-7" ELECTRICAL 212

WT-1

1

4'-212"

31'-8"

20'-6"

48'-012"

5'-2"

194'-7"

FLOOR PLAN ELEV 1731’ SCALE 1/8” = 1’

306

WOMENS RES 218

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC 717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824 H

I

18'

18'

J

K

18'-112"

18'

B 4

A-301

A-303

72'-212" 10'-6"

43'-1012"

14'

2

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

WT-3

A-303

3'-7" 35'-1112"

STROOM 3 A-303

14'-412"

WT-4

E A-201

EXAM

3'

8'-412"

TROOM WT-3

3'-712"

1 A-303 88'-3"

11"

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

Left Floor Plan Elevation 1731'

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

N

NOTES

2016.03.26 2016.04.02 2016.04.10 2016.04.21

FIRE EXTINGUISHER ELEVATION MARKER SECTION MARKER WT-3

WALL TYPE

DESCRIPTION

N

Ground Floor Plan

A-100 2016.03.28 DATE

Construction

307

A

B

D

C

F

E

G

232'-6"

56'

18'

18'

18'

18'

18'

N A-201

A A-301 53'-212"

14'-912"

18'

6

22'-11"

5

12'

SECURITY ROOM 105

12'

HALL 121 12' WT-3

WT-1

29'-1"

18'

32'

4

7'-112" RESTROOM 106 26'-712"

9'-8" HOLDING 104

WT-6

HOLDING 102

56'-9"

9'-7"

10'-4"

HOLDING 110

HOLDING 111

6'-7"

11'-3" ADMINISTRATION 115

RESTROOM 117

14'-912"

BUNK ROOM 116

18'-0"

3

HOLDING 112

16'-11"

15'-6"

BUNK ROOM 118

WT-6

40'-712"

WT-6

HOLDING 101

RESTROOM 117

HOLDING 108

HOLDING 109

9'-8"

9'-11"

12'-8"

VERTICAL CHASE

18'-0"

2 1

4'-212"

GROUND PLAN ELEV 1711’ SCALE 1/8” = 1’

308

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

6'-012"

10'-1112"

30'-812"

WT-2

23'-7"

6'-1112"

57'-8"

H

18'

I

18'

J

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC

K

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

18'-112"

18'

B A-301

68'-9"

WT-3

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

5'-012"

E A-201

OUTDOOR CAMPING 120

WT-3

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

Left Floor Plan Elevation 1711'

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.03.26

N

NOTES FIRE EXTINGUISHER ELEVATION MARKER SECTION MARKER WT-3

WALL TYPE

DESCRIPTION

Floor Plan

A-101 2016.03.28 DATE

Construction

309

A

B

D

C

E

F

G

226'-5"

49'-8"

18'

18'

A

18'

18'

18'

N A-201

A-301

53'-212" 6

27'-4"

5

12'

14'-012"

8'-812"

4

WT-1

12'

MECHANICAL 005 56'-9"

31'-11"

40'-8"

80'-8"

3

18'-0"

JANITOR 002 15'-612"

WT-4 STORAGE 001 W A-201

VERTICAL CHASE 21'-4"

18'-0" WT-3

2

WT-1

4'-212" 1

8'-1"

21'-412"

22'-912"

33'-4"

PATROL BAY MAINTENANCE 006

BASEMENT PLAN ELEV 1693’ SCALE 1/8” = 1’

310

7'-1012"

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

55'-8"

I

H

J

K

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC 18'

18'

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

18'-112"

18'

B A-301

72'-312"

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

WT-3 UNOFFICIAL CAMPING 005

E A-201

45'-012"

WT-1

89'

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

Left Floor Plan Elevation 1693'

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

N

NOTES

2016.03.26 2016.04.12 2016.04.20

FIRE EXTINGUISHER ELEVATION MARKER SECTION MARKER WT-3

WALL TYPE

DESCRIPTION

Basement Plan

A-102 2016.03.28 DATE

Construction

311

1

2

3

5

4

44’- 2”

6

6'-2"

1'-11"

ROOF HEIGHT ELEV 45'-0"

RIVER CANE COMPOSITE SCREEN STRUCTURAL STEEL

20'-721"

16'-1"

ROOF HEIGHT

FLOOR 02 ELEV 27'-0"

PRECAST CONCRETE PANELS 6’ X 18’

17'-821"

24'-4"

27'-5"

CARVED LIMESTONE STAIR LANDSCAPE FLOOR 01

2'-821"

ELEV 0'-0"

13'-621"

CAVE FLOOR 01 ELEV -17'-6"

45'-10" 11'-6"

CAVE FLOOR 02 ELEV -30'-0"

LANDSCAPE FLOOR ELEV -45'-10"

EAST ELEVATION SCALE 1/8” = 1’

312

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

23'-821"

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

Left East Elevation

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.04.05 2016.04.08

DESCRIPTION

Buildnig Elevations

A- 201 2016.04.06 DATE

Construction

313

K

J

I

H

F

G

E

163'-3"

18'

STEEL BUILDING STRUCTURE 17'-8"

FLOOR 02 HEIGHT ELEV 27'-0"

12'- 0" 2" X 2" STEEL TUBE SCREEN STRUCTURE

2" X 1" RIVER CANE COMPOSITE VERTICALS

12' -0" FIBERGLASS MESH SCREEN

FLOOR 01 ELEV 0'-0" 12' -0"

CARVED LIMESTONE STAIRS

CAVE FLOOR 01 ELEV -17'-6"

NORTH ELEVATION SCALE 1/8” = 1’-0”

314

36'

18'

36'-0" 6' X 18' PRECAST CONCRETE INSULATED PANELS

ROOF HEIGHT ELEV 45'-0"

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC 717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

30'-9"

B

C

A

24'-312" GLAZING

SITE CAST RETAINING WALL

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

D

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

Left North Elevation

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.04.14 2016.04.22

DESCRIPTION

NORTH ELEVATION

A-202 2016.04.22 DATE

Construction

315

3

2

4

4'-712"

SECURE HALL

8'

LOBBY 206

18'

8' 6" 39'

4'

HOLDING 112

SECURE HALL

RESTROOM 106

19' 30'-9"

46'

13'-2" PATROL BAY 006

20'

SECTION A

MECHANICAL 005

3

2

4

SCALE 1/8” = 1’ W-1 A-401

19'-312"

MEDICAL PORCH 216

42'-412"

9'-21

BREAK AREA 120

20'

UNOFFICIAL CAMP 121 27'-912" 38'-11"

SECTION B

SCALE 1/8” = 1’

316

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

5

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC 3'-1"

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

ROOF HEIGHT ELEV 45'-0"

FLOOR 03 ELEV 27'-0"

64'-5"

SECURITY ROOM 105

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29째27'7.39"N 102째49'29.60"W

FLOOR 02 ELEV 7'-9 1/2"

FLOOR 03 ELEV -14'-0"

6

5

ROOF HEIGHT ELEV 45'-0"

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

FLOOR 03 ELEV 27'-0"

00002

1 " 2

Left Building Sections

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

UNOFFICIAL CAMP 121

2016.03.26 2016.03.30

26'-4"

FLOOR 02 ELEV 7'-9 1/2"

CAVE FLOOR ELEV 0'-0"

DESCRIPTION

Building Section N

NOTES

A-301 2016.03.28 DATE

Construction

317

2

A A-302

RIVER CANE COMPOSITE 1" x 2" PURLINS

ROOF HEIGHT ELEV 45'-0"

FIBERGLASS MESH SCREEN CONCRETE PARAPET

CONCRETE PARAPET

STEEL BUILDING STRUCTURE

STEEL BUILDING BEAM

FIBERGLASS MESH

RIVER CANE COMPOSITE 1" x 2"

STEEL STRUCTURE VERTICAL W 12 x 65

MEDICAL PORCH 216

18'-5"

INTERIOR SCREEN ELEVATION

PRECAST GROUT JOINT CONCRETE TOPPING LAYER

A-S

HOLLOW CORE FLOOR SLABS 1' THICK FLOOR 02 HEIGHT ELEV 27'-0"

SCALE

1'-1"

EMBEDDED ANGLE PLATE

S-1 A-303

19'-11"

BREAK AREA 120

UNOFFICIAL CAMP 121

LIMESTONE STABILIZATION BOLT

B A-302

RIVER CANE COMPOSITE1" x 2"

1112"

2'

B-

2'-912"

SCA

FLOOR 01 ELEV 0'-0"

COLUMN FOOTINGS

PILE FOOTINGS

W-1 - SCREEN WALL SECTION SCALE 3/8” = 1’-0”

318

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

RIVER CANE COMPOSITE LUMBER 1" x 2" PURLIN STRUCTURAL STEEL FRAME

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC

SCREEN ROOF DETAIL

E 1” = 1’-0”

- STABILIZATION BOLT

ALE 6” = 1’-0”

CARVED LIMESTONE GROUT

ROCK BOLT

HEX NUT

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29°27'7.39"N 102°49'29.60"W

717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

BEVELED WASHER BEARING PLATE

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America PROJECT No.

00002

Left Wall Sections + Details

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.04.14

DESCRIPTION

Wall Section

A-302 2016.04.15 DATE

Construction

319

FIBERGLASS MESH S SLIP JOINT

WASHER 2" x 2" STEEL TUBE LAG BOLT

1" HOT DIPPED GALV

1

1" x 2" RIVER CANE C

112"

1'-6"

18' VERTICALS 1" O.C.

FIBERGLASS MESH S SLIP JOINT 412" WASHER 2" x 2" STEEL TUBE LAG BOLT

1" HOT DIPPED GALV 1'-6"

2

1" x 2" RIVER CANE C

9"

VERTICALS 4.5" O.C.

18'

FIBERGLASS MESH S SLIP JOINT

WASHER 2" x 2" STEEL TUBE LAG BOLT

1" HOT DIPPED GALV 1'-6"

1" x 2" RIVER CANE C

6" 18'

3

VERTICALS 6" O.C.

FIBERGLASS MESH S SLIP JOINT

WASHER 2" x 2" STEEL TUBE LAG BOLT

1" HOT DIPPED GALV 1'-6"

1" x 2" RIVER CANE C

3" 18'

4

VERTICALS 3" O.C.

S-D -PLAN SCREEN DETAILS SCALE 1”= 1’-0”

320

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

1" x 2" RIVER CANE COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LUMBER FIBERGLASS MESH SCREEN

SCREEN

K C REINHARDT ARCHITECTS LLC 717 ROYAL STREET BATON ROUGE, LA 352.895.9824

LOCK NUT

SLIP JOINT 2" x 2" STEEL TUBE WASHER

VANIZED STEEL PIPE

COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LUMBER

LAG BOLT WRAPPED FIBER GLASS MESH SCREEN

1" HOT DIPPED GALVANIZED STEEL PIPE

LA LINDA BORDER PATROL AND WAY STATION FM 2627 Hwy, Alpine, TX 79830 29°27'7.39"N 102°49'29.60"W

SCREEN

VANIZED STEEL PIPE

COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LUMBER

SCREEN

S-1 - SCREEN SECTION DETAIL SCALE 1’0” = 1’-0”

VANIZED STEEL PIPE

COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LUMBER

FIBERGLASS MESH SCREEN

SCREEN WASHER SLIP JOINT

OWNER

Department of Homeland Security United States of America

LAG BOLT 2" x 2" STEEL TUBE 1" HOT DIPPED GALVANIZED STEEL PIPE

1" x 2" RIVER CANE COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LUMBER

VANIZED STEEL PIPE

COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL LUMBER

PROJECT No.

00002

Left Screen Panel Details

Kelli Reinhardt DRAWN BY REVISIONS

2016.04.21

DESCRIPTION

S-2 - SCREEN PLAN DETAIL SCALE 1’0” = 1’-0”

Wall Details

A-303 2016.04.15 DATE

Construction

321

TENABLE sustainability 255 systems 271 code 285 construction 299

NOTES 1 “Tenable.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

2 W. G. Clark, " Replacement," in The Hand and the Soul. ( London : University of

Virginia Press), 280.

3 "Sustainable." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 2016.

4 "LAMBOO® Architectural and Structural - Engineered Bamboo Technologies."

LAMBOO® Architectural and Structural - Engineered Bamboo

Technologies. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

5 Joan Ockman, "One for the Sandpile. " Journal of Architectural Education, Volume 62,

Issue 3, 2009 .

6 2012 International Building Code. Country Club Hills, Ill: ICC, 2011. Print.

7 Department of Homeland Security . U.S. Border Patrol Facilities Design Guidelines. U.S.

Department of Justice, Nov. 1, 2003. PDF.

322

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

IMAGES 1 Desert Sunlight, Occupying 2.1 Square Miles East of Joshua Tree National Park. Memories

of the People. Web. 9 Apr. 2016. <https://memoriesofthepeople.wordpress. com/2016/03/24/solar-arrays-in-the-desert-killing-more-birds-than-you-i magine/>.

2 Jennifer Price ( February 2016) lecture.

Construction

323

TERMINUS final review citations

324

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

327 352

TERMINUS TERMINUS [N] - a final goal : a finishing point; a post or stone marking a boundary, either end of a transportation line or travel route; also, the station, town, or city at such a place : terminal; an extreme point or element . 1

TERMINUS

325

326

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Above Final exhibit

Final Review

327

328

SYSTEMIC GROUNDING

Final Review The work produced for the final review focused on the representation of the overlapping ecologies that bracketed the spatial condition of the border station at La Linda. Each image attempted to represent the sometimes unobservable ecologies within the site and the building. The systems diagrams attempted this most bluntly but all the rendering had elements of the overlap within their construction of ground.

Left 1/16 th" building model, Unofficial Entrance

The intent of the project was well received and allowed for the discussion of specific aspects of the projects within its context.

Overall critiques given focused on the drawings selected to represent the project intent. The jury, which included Bruce Sharky (Landscape Professor at LSU,) Ashlie Latiolais (Architecture Professor at ULL,) Gene Guidry (Trapolin Peer Architects,) Bill Aylor ( Lake | Flato,) and Kevin Morris ( Holly & Smith,) could understand the project spatially through the models and renderings, but they were unsure on the overall relationship to site based on the site systems diagram, as the scale did not accommodate the bridge. The lack of a traditional site plan was one of the greatest weaknesses within the presentation, as the site scale systems diagram was printed in layers on transparencies, the clarity of the plan itself was buried under the ecological systems.

The documentation of the screen should have also been more evident in the exhibit, as the jury were impressed by the intent and construction, but were unsure of the metric associated with the water collection and solar orientation. The final major critic was the absence of a rendered view from Mexico to show the screen at night as a beacon or a view from the bridge showing the building as a point of hope.

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Above View from tourist outlook looking southeast

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Above Site scale systems diagram.

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Above Building systems diagram originally printed in layers on transparencies.

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Above Unofficial Entrance

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Above North elevation with winter shadow Below Sections showing the embedded secure program

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Above North elevation

1

N

Elevation

A

PATROL BOOTH

INTERVIEW ROOM

INTERVIEW ROOM

B

Below Sections showing the tectonic unofficial program.

6

LOBBY

CONFERENCE

INTERVIEW ROOM

ADMIN

KITCHEN

PATROL BOOTH MEDICAL PORCH

EXAM ROOM INTERVIEW ROOM

ELECTRICAL

3

Left Building plans showing embedded to tectonic structural transition

Elevation 1731’ Scale 1/16” = 1’0” North

UNOFFICIAL CAMP

SECURITY ROOM

HOLDING CELL

HOLDING CELL

HOLDING CELL

HOLDING CELL

BUNK ROOM

UNOFFICIAL CAMP

HOLDING CELL

ADMIN

HOLDING CELL BUNK ROOM

HOLDING CELL

HOLDING CELL

Elevation 1711’ Scale 1/16” = 1’0” North

UNOFFICIAL CAMP MECHANICAL

STORAGE

5

STORAGE

2

4

PATROL BAYS

Elevation 1693’ Scale 1/16” = 1’0” North

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The structural intent was not discussed at length during the critic despite its support of the statement of intent. An example of the structural diagrams is shown above as well as an example of the informational cards used in the exhibit. The cards were coded based on topic and explored the ecologies present within the project. The exhibit benefited greatly from the informational cards, while the jury found the information a lot to process during the review.

Above Retaining wall strutural diagram.

Left Above View through the vehicular tunnel Left Below Night view to campsite and glowing support spaces.

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The construction of the screen was debating in its specifics which allowed for a deeper discussion of the intent to create a mediate space from the overlapping ecologies at the border.

The jury did request more documentation of how the water is specifically captured by the condenser in light of the vertical height the water must drip. However the renderings and model did do the spatial aspects of the screen justice in their representation. The screen detail model was not discussed in great detail during the critique. The screen model is shown on the following page.

Left Above View east from the support program spaces within the screen Left Below At the border check point traveling from Mexico

Overall the review was a productive conversation centered around the ability of the project to accomplish the intent.

The ability of the renders to evoke the spatial qualities was appreciated, but a more zoomed out view would have shown the connection to the landscape more effectively. The intent to work within the systemic ground was successful within the landscape and programmatic context. In reconceptulizing border patrol as a mediating space rather than a line, the architecture sought to bracket the spaces between the architecture and the ground. This project uses architecture as an insertion point in the ecological network rather than a fissure providing a segue between political systems. The architecture becomes a refuge, a tinaja, for migrants within the harsh systemic ground. Working within these overlapping, political, natural, and built networks creates the armature necessary for the border patrol and way station at La Linda.

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Above 3" on center screen panel.

Right Screen detail assembly in the exhibit.

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Above Inside the unofficial shelter, bracketed by architecture and the ground.

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