A Look Back by Laurence Reed

DESIGN PORTFOLIO laurence l. reed

I BELIEVE WE AS ARCHITECTS HAVE BEEN CHARGED TO TAKE ON THE MAJOR ISSUES OF THE URBAN REALM, FOR THE PEDESTRIAN, RELATING TO LIVING, WORKING, AND SOCIAL EXCHANGE. THIS COLLECTION OF WORK IS A REPRESENTATION OF EXPERIMENTING WITH THOSE AFOREMENTIONED ISSUES. LET THIS SELECTION OF PROJECTS SERVE AS A TESTAMENT TO MY ABILITY IN TACKLING COMPLEX ISSUES OF THIS NATURE.

TABLEOF CONTENTS PROFESSIONAL STUDIO INITIATIVE LITTLE FIVE POINTS LIBRARY

URBAN DESIGN COLLABORATIVE STITCHING THE VOID: URBAN DESIGN OF THE ATLANTA GULCH AREA

FOCUS-THICK URBANISM PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CENTER

THESIS RESEARCH CONNECTING THE ISLAND

STUDY ABROAD-GERMANY PARTICIPATION BY ARCHITECTURE

L5P LIBRARY SPRING | 2009

Staged with design constraints of being sandwiched between two existing structures, the intent of the solution was to bring in as much natural light to the new library. The importance of natural lighting is often forgotten in modern urban situations. Being placed in a thriving artist community, naturally allowed excess program space to become flexible gallery and studio space; a subtle device to bring the community back into one of the dying institutions of a flourishing society.

5 1 5

2ND FLOOR

SCALE 1’0”=1/8”

SITE PLAN

SCALE 1’0”=1/8”

1.Gallery 2.Studio 3.Lobby 4.Restroom 5.Office

6.Storage 7.Shop 8.Comp.room 9.Library 10.Lounge

11.Conference 12.Dining 13.Kitchen 14.Darkroom 15.Mech/Elec

1ST FLOOR

SCALE 1’0”=1/8”

SECTION A-A

SCALE 1’0”=1/8”

BASEMENT

SCALE 1’0”=1/8”

A direct result from solar studies allowed for a passively lit building that responded to its programmatic features. To maximize the existing solar conditions northern and southern extremes of light necessity were embedded in the placement of all elements relating to program. The final is a building to be appreciated in slices to capture the natural phenomenal qualities that all library patrons and studio artist could use.

URBAN DESIGN COLLABORATIVE FALL | 2010

RAILROAD JUNCTION Initial consideration focused on the way the existing railroads divide the districts of downtown Atlanta.

DISTRICTS The space of “The Gulch” is the negative space that currently surrounds the railroad system.

FINAL MODEL

NECESSITY Bridging the Gulch is a key element in connecting the surrounding neighborhoods.

FINAL MODEL

CENTRAL AXIS Idea of a central connecting the north south sides of the

GREEN SPINE axis Integrating the language of and the current railroad layout site. into the form of the main axis.

MOMENT OF RELEASE From the main axis, volumes and channels of park space and plazas spur towards the boundaries of the site.

HEIGHT GRADIENT

EXISTING GRID The “threads” of the neighboring districts provide an existing network in which a new development can occur.

BRIDGING The motion of bridging the Gulch is achieved by extending the existing street grids into the Gulch.

PROPOSED GRID With a street hierarchy created, secondary streets begin to divide the site, setting up a block system.

GROUND FLOOR

PRIMARY STREETS The first layout of blocks divided by the layout of primary and secondary streets.

SECONDARY STREETS The next phase of block developments, wherein tertiary streets begin to carve access between secondary streets.

ALLEYS The introduction of alleys and smaller streets/ pedestrian paths allows for even more connectivity.

ROOF PLAN

GREEN SPINE RENDERING

PROFESSIONAL L E A R N I N G C E N T E R FALL | 2011

The programs required for the creation of a successful elementary school are not able to function independently, therefore the interstitial spaces created by the over-lapping programs is what this proposal intends to thicken. The transitional spaces created between programs have lead us to discover that four arteries are required for specific use and circulation.

PROGRAMMATIC NETWORKING

COMPILATION OF PROGRAM

EXPLODED PROGRAM

T H E S I S R E S E A R C H C O N N E CT I N G THE ISLAND SPRING | 2012

AS ARCHITECTS WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAY WE ENCOURAGE INTERACTION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND BUILT SPACES. THE CULTURAL EXCHANGE THAT HAPPENS ONCE PEOPLE SHARE PLEASANTRIES, DIRECTIONS OR JUST MERE EYE CONTACT IS A MEANS OF TRANSFERRING INFORMATION. METAPHORICALLY, PEOPLE CAN BE SEEN AS COLORS, RED, BLUE, GREEN AND YELLOW, WHEREIN ARCHITECTURE IS THE BLEND TOOL THAT IS USED TO SHARE CHARACTERISTICS AMONG US. THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE NORMALLY VERY BASIC AND EXIST WITHIN THE CORE OF EACH PERSON’S CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS. HOW CAN A SPACE BE ACTIVATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT DAILY HABITS AND RITUALS COUPLED WITH CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ACT AS A LEARNING MECHANISM FOR RANDOM PASSERBY? THE PASSERBY COULD BE A LOCAL IN FACT THAT MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN THE RICH CULTURAL IDENTITY A SPACE MAY HAVE. THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL AGENDAS HAVE RAN PARALLEL INSTEAD OF PERPENDICULAR AND IN TURN CREATED SPACES WHEREIN THE TWO NEVER INTERSECT WHERE THEY SHOULD. FOREIGNERS COME TO ST. THOMAS, AND NEVER REALLY SEE, HEAR, TASTE, FEEL ST. THOMAS. INSTEAD OF ONE HELPING THE OTHER, THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL AGENDAS, THEY WORK AGAINST EACH TO FURTHER DESTROY THE FRAMEWORK OF SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES.

THIS SITE BEARS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE FOR A NUMBER OF PROLIFIC REASONS. STARTING WITH THE FACT THAT IT HAS THE PERFECT CONDITIONS TO CREATE A STAGE/THEATER FOR CULTURAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN LOCALS AND TOURIST. IT WOULD ALSO REESTABLISH THE ONCE VITAL ROTHSCHILD FRANCIS SQUARE AS A PROMINENT PUBLIC SPACE IN SEQUENCE TO BE USED FOR DAILY INTERACTIONS. THIS INITIAL MOVE WOULD HELP TO CONNECT THE SUCCESSFUL EASTERN SIDE OF MAIN STREET TO THE SEEMINGLY DEAD WESTERN SIDE WITH THE ROTHSCHILD FRANCIS SQUARE. AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE DESIGN WOULD BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM TO ACTIVATE WATERFRONT AS A MEANS OF COMMERCE FOR INTERACTION BETWEEN LOCALS AND TOURISTS. THE SITE IS A HAVEN FOR ALL TOURIST ACTIVITY COMING OFF OF THE CRUISE SHIP WHICH WOULD BRING AWARENESS TO THE PURPOSE OF MARKET SQUARE. THIS SITE WAS ONCE A COMPLETELY PEDESTRIAN DOMAIN WHERE CARS WERE FOREIGN MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. THIS SITE HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO REBUILD THE ONCE THRIVING PEDESTRIAN ROLE IN THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF THE HISTORIC CITY.

PRESENTLY THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE AMALIE IS EXPERIENCING A STAGE OF CULTURAL MIS-IDENTITY, WHERE IN THE LOCAL CULTURE HAS BEEN MISREPRESENTED SO MUCH FOR SO LONG THE LOCALS THEMSELVES MAY NOT REALIZE HOW CORRODED IT IS. WESTERNIZATION HAS POLLUTED A ONCE RICH MELTING POT OF INDIAN, AFRICAN, AND EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURAL INFLUENCE FOR A SUPERFICIAL EXPERIENCE WHERE “PARADISE” IS IDEALIZED. THE EVOLUTION OF THE DISTRICTS HAS SEGMENTED A ONCE TIGHTLY JOINED COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY. THE ALMOST JIGSAW SHAPED COMPOUND BLOCKS DO BODE WELL TO ALL THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLES HOWEVER. EACH BLOCK THROUGH TIME HAS MADE SPATIAL AND FORMAL CONNECTIONS TO ITS PERIPHERAL, MAKING AN ALREADY DENSE CITY HAVE INTANGIBLE INTERRELATIONSHIPS. WITH THE MANY LAYERS OF CULTURAL HISTORY INTERSECTING THROUGHOUT THE CITYS TIME LINE, THE CITY HAS EMERGED AS AN ASSEMBLY OF SPATIAL TYPOLOGIES. WORKING AS ANOTHER LAYER ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BUILT FORM, ROAD NETWORKS, AND THE LANDSCAPE.

2011

1779

1807

1961

CONDITIONS OF THE WATER FRONT TAKEN BY EARLY SETTLERS WHO WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ISLAND AND ITS TERRAIN

CONDITIONS OF THE WATER FRONT AFTER A CENTURY OF USE AND ADAPTATION FOR USE BY THE SETTLERS WITH ECONOMY

CONDITIONS OF THE WATER FRONT POST THE US PURCHASING THE VI AND THE EXPANSION OF WATERFRONT FOR A HWY

THE NEED FOR A NEW PUBLIC SHARED SPACE WAS A ROUTE I DECIDED TO TAKE BECAUSE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL NEED IN ALL URBAN COMMUNITIES. SHARED PUBLIC SPACES INCREASE AND ENCOURAGE EXCHANGE IN BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL MANNERS.

SOUTH THROUGH A STREET WHOSE USE IS PURELY TOURISM

IN A RESPONSE TO THE CONTINUING FRICTION BETWEEN BOTH GROUPS OF PEOPLE, LOCALS AND TOURIST, I PROPOSED A NORTH TO SOUTH EXPERIENCE THAT WILL TIE THE TWO TOGETHER AND TERMINATE AT THE OCEAN, THE ORIGIN OF CHARLOTTE AMALIE.

THIS SITE PLAN ILLUSTRATES THE MIRRORING OF THE EXISTING FABRIC, AND ITS VERY LINEAR APPROACH TO THE OCEAN. THIS ADDITION OF PUBLIC SPACE ON THE WATERFRONT WOULD HELP TO NOT ONLY BRING NEW LOCAL PROGRAM PROGRAM TO THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT, BUT ALSO IT BRINGS THE HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF THE ISLAND BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF COMMERCIAL ELEMENTS.

PROPOSED SOLUTION SITE A

PROPOSED SOLUTION SITE B

PROPOSED SOLUTION SITE C

PROPOSED SOLUTION SITE D

1 Participation by Architecture: Urban Upgrade City Centre of Dessau

Defribrillating Dessau

Prof. Stephan Pinkau / Alexander Kader / Dr. Sven Steinbach / Gwok-Wei Cheung

EXTENTION OF PLAZA UNTO BLDG

PUBLIC DISPLAY AREAS

EXTENTION OF PLAZA INTO BLDG

Elevation of the new Volksbank building with urban implementation (Scale 1:500)

Visualization

13,0 10,00 m

Lange Ga sse

13,00 m

Descriptions of concept and participative strategy (images / diagrams / text) 19,50 m

Summer

9:00

Winter

9:00

OKF = + 0,59 m

135/350 3 Stg.

(Roh) = + 1,845m OK Treppenpodest

WC-D

OKF = +- 0,00m =^63,75 HN OKF = +-0,00m

8 STG. 270/175

11 STG. 270/175

175 / 300 8 Stg.

OKF = +-0,00m

18,00 m

Spring

OKF = + 0,0m

175 / 300 11 Stg.

Hobuschgasse

WC-H

OKF Podest = +1,90m

Geländer

11:00

13:00

15:00

00 m

Autumn

Platz der Deutschen Einheit

Zerbster Straße

Ratsgasse

17,00 m

16,83 m

Winter

Site plan with urban implementation of the new Volksbank building (Scale 1:500)

Urban and ecological analysis (images / diagrams / descriptions)

L.Reed, A. Ritter, S.Peterson

2 Participation by Architecture: Urban Upgrade City Centre of Dessau

Defribrillating Dessau

Prof. Stephan Pinkau / Alexander Kader / Dr. Sven Steinbach / Gwok-Wei Cheung

DN UP

DN DN UP UP

DN UP

DN DN

L.Reed, A. Ritter, S.Peterson

3 Participation by Architecture: Urban Upgrade City Centre of Dessau

Defribrillating Dessau

Prof. Stephan Pinkau / Alexander Kader / Dr. Sven Steinbach / Gwok-Wei Cheung

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" $#$ %& ' * " +

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15m | Roof Line

12m | Fourth Floor

9m | Third Floor

6m | Second Floor

3m | First Floor

SEASONAL OPERABLE FACADE 0m | Ground Floor

-2m | Basement

! *#* B

! =#=

---

15m | Roof Line

SEASONAL OPERABLE FACADE C

12m | Fourth Floor

E UP

9m | Third Floor

C 6m | Second Floor

3m | First Floor

SEASONAL O OPERABLE A FACADE A

SEASONAL OPERABLE FACADE

0m | Ground Floor

-2m | Basement

! "#"

L.Reed, A. Ritter, S.Peterson