A Confluence
Taylor Tomman Tagg Heidgerken ARCH 1300 Section 3 Architectural Design III Fall 2019 University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture
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Table of Contents Introduction Site Analysis The Project
I. Preliminary Design II. Final Design
Refrences
I. Precedents II. Bibliography
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Intro
Our first semester project is graduate housing for students in Pittsburgh, Pa. The site sits on a steep hill known as Polish Hill. The surrounding area contains five Universities making this site a prime location for graduate students to reside. The most difficult task in this project is how to design a building that sits at two different elevations while simultaneously considering the people surrounding the site as well.
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Site Analysis
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I. Polish Hill, PA
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When I first arrived onto the site, I was surprised to see just how steep of a slope that our design would sit on. I also noticed two large “craters� or holes dug into the sight as well. The site had a little vegetation and the remains of an old retaining wall. However, what interested me most were the people who lived in the area. I interviewed a man who had lived on Polish Hill for 2 years. He described the area to be an odd mix of the elderly and millenials. He described how proud the people in their neighborhood are of their home. Every year, they host a large block party to celebrate the people and the culture of their home.
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Polish Hill
After touring the site and the neighborhood around it, I was sure to note the children’s park up the street from our site, a bar on the opposite end, and a Polish Church at its corner. However, I noticed that there was not a central location for people of all ages to use. Locals talked of how, the people of Polish Hill host an arts festival, but only once a year. This festival is the only time everyone is the community is together.
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The Project
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I. Preliminary Designs
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Site Plan
In my first scheme, I created an outdoor space accessible by residents in the graduate housing as well as the commuity around it. However, I found two problems with this scheme. The first being that the building on Brereton St. blocked all sunlight from the one on Donston St. The second problem being the 16’ wall in the garden.
Perspective Scheme 1
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In my second scheme, I shifted the buildind on Brereton St. West so that those apartments would be daylit as well. Doing this changed the shape of my bridge that connects the two buildings. The staircase in this design takes up most of the yard space.
Site Plan
Perspective Scheme 2
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Typograpgy
Vegetation
I realized throguhout my design process, that the key feature in the site is the garden area. To highlight this space, I made the staircase smaller and added more vegetation. I regraded the staircase to feel as though it curved with the original slope of the site.The garden not only welcomes the community into the site, but also leads them to the underground coffee shop. The pathway from the grand staircase also leads to a shortcut path connecting Brereton to Dobson St.
Ground Plan
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The Project
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II. Final Design
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Polish Hill
In my final design, I incorporated an underground coffee shop. This way, The staircase that steps down into the garden not only offers a space where locals and residents can enjoy themselves, but also provides a place where community meetings can be held, graduates can study and enjoy a cup of coffee While the bridge is only for the residents, is acts as an extension of the garden. The bridge appears to “float” above the garden and looks down into the site. Down in the garden area, locals can relax and enjoy eachother’s company. People can gather with friends and roast marshmellows by the fire or stay warm in the coffee shop.
Wesley Bridge
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William’s Garden
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Final Model
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Refrences
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I. Precedents
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The Soul House Location Da Nang, Vietnam Date 2018 Architect Ho Khue Architects Facilities Housing, Acomidation
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Villa Dall’ava Location Saint-Cloud, Paris Date 1984-1991 Architect Rem Koolhas Facilities Housing, Acomidation
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Refrences
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I. Bibliography
James Van Sweden, Tom Christopher. The Artful Garden: Creative Inspiration for Landscape Design. Random House, 2011. Print. Chris Van Uffelen. Facade Greenery: Contemporary Landscapes. Braun 2011. Print. James Van Sweden, Tom Christopher. Architecture in the Garden. Random House,2011. Print.
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