Productivity + Integration: Transitioning West Baltimore's Post Industrial Landscape by Mandy

PRODUCTIVITY+ INTEGRATION

TRANSITIONING WEST BALTIMORE’S POST INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE

MARCH HOUSING + URBANISM DESIGN THESIS BY AMANDA BLAIR PALASIK, 2016

ABSTRACT

1.0

INTRODUCTION Re-Qualifying Post-Industrial Landscapes Through Transit-Oriented Development 6

2.0

WEST BALTIMORE: UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN TRANSFORMATION 12 2.1 Re-Positioning Within The Greater Regional Network 14 2.2 Spatial And Socioeconomic Complexity Of West Baltimore 18 2.3 Critique Of Current Vision For West Baltimore 32 2.4 Parameters For Regeneration 34

3.0

FROM 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

4.0

TRANSITIONING POST-INDUSTRIAL TO KNOWLEDGE-BASED LANDSCAPES 50 4.1 Defining The Spatial And Programmatic Trends Of Knowledge-Based Productivity 52 4.2 Strategy For Development: Densify/Intensify + Activate 54 4.3 Planning For Multi-Scalar Resiliency 62 4.4 Establishing Vitality Through Housing 66 4.5 Planning + Policy 66

5.0

PARAMETERS FOR GROWTH 74 5.1 From Obstacle to Amenity 76 5.2 Transit-Oriented Development Along The “Highway To Nowhere” 78 5.3 Strategy For Developing Edge Conditions 80 5.4 Transitions: Adaptations To The Existing Urban Fabric 86 5.5 Envisioning The Corridor’s Future Potential 90

6.0

CONCLUSION From “Highway To Nowhere” To Gateway Of West Baltimore 92

STATION TO STATION DISTRICT: FOUNDATIONS FOR TRANSFORMATION 36 Limitations Of The Current Station Configuration 38 Integrating A Physical + Social Infrastructure 42 Redefining The Role Of The Station 44 Method For Integration: Connect + Create Hierarchy 46

WORKS REFERENCED 94 IMAGE CREDITS 96

ABSTRACT

Cities, as dynamic organisms, fluctuate over time. A testament to this phenomenon are residual post-industrial landscapes, ubiquitous among cities. This thesis explores the prospect of re-qualifying these areas (in Western economies), in conjunction with a driving shift towards knowledge-based productivity, as contributing productive territories both locally and within a regional network. The strategy focuses on the role of mobility as a tool for integration and design reasoning to generate longterm value through redevelopment.

critical importance of planning for resiliency across an array of scales, from the spatial need for flexible architectural typologies to accommodating transitioning markets. Likewise, the value of thoughtful design reasoning is emphasised through the need to create a balanced spatial composition that facilitates collaboration amongst the various actors, enriches the areas vitality, and establishes a network of resources to build up a lively urban neighbourhood at the station district.

Using a blighted urban territory in West Baltimore as a test bed, the first phase of the thesis looks at establishing a focal point for redevelopment along a redundant infrastructural corridor (aka “Highway to Nowhere”) that segregates the urban fabric, re-positioning this barrier as an opportunity area. The primary study will build upon the potential of the area’s key asset, the existing regional rail connectivity to Washington D.C., to transform an existing station into a vibrant station district. In turn, this development will serve as a catalyst for future regeneration along the corridor that connects West Baltimore to the Central Business District.

The second phase of the proposed strategy will look at future development along the corridor “void”, starting at a proposed light rail station (by the Maryland Transit Administration) to connect West Baltimore to the Central Business District. These explorations will address the spatial complexities of the corridor’s edge conditions, expanding on the architectural language developed in the station district to evolve into a compound fabric of mobility infrastructure, landscape, and architecture to activate the void. The proposed intervention creates an integral mesh that will mend the former gap in the urban fabric attributed to the failed “Highway to Nowhere” project.

The premise of the design argues against generic mixed-use development, instead building upon the unlocked potential of the area to benefit from its existing capacities, including low land values, adaptable building stock and connectivity to a strong network of talent and economic resources. The design strategy of the station district explores the spatial and social implications of the transition from industrial to knowledgebased productive landscapes. Learning from the consequences of the post-industrial era, the proposed development strategy will focus on the

Understanding the greater socioeconomic and spatial consequences in blighted post-industrial areas such as Baltimore, the ambition of the thesis strives to balance a meaningful, yet reasonably scaled intervention that does not offer a solution to “fix” the larger issues at hand. Rather, it offers an example of incrementally scaled interventions that strive to achieve a meaningful impact at the local and regional level, in an effort to eliminate the stigma of the wider region and establish its credibility as an opportunity for future urban growth.

1.0

INTRODUCTION

RE-QUALIFYING POST INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPES THROUGH TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Transit-oriented development, or TOD, is a type of community development that includes a mixture of housing, office, retail and/or other amenities integrated into a walkable neighborhood and located within a half-mile of quality public transportation... Ultimately, the success of a plan is based on the quality and character of existing and new buildings, as well as the streets and open spaces within a station area. Different place types that are built have a mix of building types, and each building type will have a mix of architectural styles. In addition to buildings, there are different types of open spaces appropriate for TOD. The regional transit network should provide access to a range of different types of open spaces, from small transit plazas to large regional parks.â&#x20AC;? - Reconnecting America on Transit-Oriented Development

MOBILITY AS A DRIVER FOR CHANGE Cities are in a constant state of transience. From long-term population growth and decline to the daily commute of inhabitants, a city’s ability to effectively adapt to varying degrees of flux, a byproduct of time, qualifies its resiliency. The lingering spatial and socioeconomic consequences in cities of western countries that were built on Fordism foundations, such as vast parts of Baltimore or Detroit, are testaments to the inability of these regions to adapt to current economic and cultural trends that would attract a sustaining population to these regions. On the opposite spectrum, rapidly growing cities are looking at these peri-urban industrial zones as opportunities for expansion to alleviate pressures on the city core. In either extreme, connectivity plays a critical role in re-establishing these areas as contributors to the greater urban area, allowing shared distribution of services and resources within a multi-scalar network. The challenge explored in this thesis lies in the former, where lack of financial resources and overwhelmingly vast regions of blight are major deterrents for attracting re-investment. Where do cities begin to tackle such immense issues? How can we start to perceive these blighted regions, not as major burdens on the greater city, but as opportunity areas of unlocked potential?

The transition to a knowledge-based economy is a critical driver in repositioning these areas for redevelopment. At the crux of the shift is the global talent migration into urban cores. As a result, American cities formerly built on the foundations of private automobile usage are now transitioning to more preferred European models of mass transportation mobility. In turn, these new and improved mobility networks provide opportunity for transit oriented development. This development trend shifts the focus from reliance on the station as merely a conduit of people and goods, a stop along a line, to a catalyst for transformation within a wider territory to generate long-term value at the local and regional scale. Despite the potential of transit-oriented development, neither proximity to mobility nor a mix of programme equates to a successful project as we can see in many unsuccessful attempts at TOD. Design quality and logical planning are critical components of effective implementation. There is not a “one size fits all” model for adoption. Transit-oriented development needs to integrate and enhance the existing characteristics unique to its location, while complimenting development within the greater network.

FIELD’S MALL AT THE ØRESTAD CITY METRO STATION IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF A TOD DEVELOPMENT TREND THAT STACKS GENERIC RETAIL USING INTROVERTED TYPOLOGIES, THUS INHIBITING THE URBAN VITALITY OF THE STATION DISTRICT

COPENHAGEN CENTRAL MALMÖ CENTRAL

MALMÖ’S WESTERN HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT, REACTIVITNG A POST-INDUSTRIAL SITE INTO A MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL QUARTER THROUGH TOD

The Swedish city of Malmö is a prime example of a post-industrial transformation validated by the construction of the Øresund Bridge (rail and motorway), that connects the city to Copenhagen and the regional airport. Previously classified as a shrinking city during the 1980s, Malmö has transformed tremendously since establishing connectivity, attracting private investment and establishing Malmö University 1. The Western Harbour development, in particular, is undergoing transformation into a major residential quarter. Marketed as an icon of sustainable urban living, the development offers diverse affordable housing for residents and those who do not mind a 35-minute (40.9 kilometer) commute to Copenhagen. Without connectivity to greater resources and a wider population base, Malmö’s immediate transformation would not be feasible.

In contrast, Copenhagen’s expanding urban core is looking to its peripheral industrial zones as opportunities for expansion. BIG’s Loop City proposal aims to validate these areas through transit-oriented development, implementing a light rail system to connect and transform various post-industrial territories into urbanised station districts of varying identity 2. Future proposals plan to link these regions to the greater regional networks within Denmark and Sweden (attributed to the Øresund Bridge), creating a cohesive loop of urbanity, recreation, and economic opportunity.

SCALE OF INTERVENTION Building on the fundamentals of successful transit-oriented development exemplars, the research set forth in this thesis will explore urban reactivation of a post-industrial area in the American Rustbelt city of Baltimore, specifically an existing transit node in West Baltimore. The design strategies investigate the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential for transformation at the regional and local scale, drawing on existing and proposed mobility infrastructure, and paired with a driving shift to a knowledge-based economy, as impetus for change.

BALTIMORE

Design explorations will focus on two areas along a redundant recessed highway corridor that links West Baltimore to the Central Business District. The primary intervention, at the existing transit node, will explore how to transition the commuter station into a productive station district that strengthens the network of services between Baltimore and Washington D.C. The second area of intervention focuses on the area around a proposed light rail station (in the centre of the corridor and east of the transit node), in order to address the edge conditions created by the recessed infrastructure of the corridor and to integrate transit-oriented development within the existing urban fabric.

WASHINGTON D.C.

REGIONAL SCALE, BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON NETWORK

LOCAL SCALE- WEST BALTIMORE CORRIDOR CONNECTING TO CENTRAL DOWNTOWN

ARCHITECTURAL SCALE INTERVENTIONS

TRANSFORM THE EXISTING RAIL STATION INTO A PRODUCTIVE STATION DISTRICT

ADDRESS EDGE CONDITIONS ALONG THE WEST BALTIMORE MOBILITY CORRIDOR

STRENGTHEN NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT AROUND LIGHT RAIL STATION

2.0 WEST BALTIMORE UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN TRANSFORMATION

2.1

RE-POSITIONING BALTIMORE WITHIN THE GREATER REGIONAL NETWORK

PERCENTAGE OF CREATIVE CLASS CONCENTRATION THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES [2014]

% CREATIVE CLASS 20.7 25

Baltimore City is an exemplar of a post-industrial shrinking city with great potential for urban regeneration initiated through transit oriented development. Located along the United States’ Northeast Megalopolis, which includes the region between Boston and Washington, D.C., Baltimore is well connected to the megaregion through heavy rail. The United States Federal Rail Administration has recently invested in improving existing infrastructure and adding additional high-speed rail routes between cities 3.

The Northeast megalopolis is a powerhouse region, accounting for nearly 20% of the U.S. GDP and providing residency for 17% of the U.S. population 4. It is home to a quarter of the United States’ leading universities, a large percentage of Fortune 500 companies, world renowned hospitals, as well as a global financial centre. Leading industries such as information/ technical services, finance, media, health care/research, and educational services sustain the region’s economics 5.

40 46.1

Compared to other major cities in the Northeast Corridor, Baltimore has the lowest cost of living index (consumer price plus rent index) of the region 6. According to the Martin Prosperity Institute, Baltimore ranks in the top three for overall contribution to the U.S. creative class share at 1.3%, trumped by Washington, D.C. in first (3.7%) and Atlanta in second (2.2%) 7. With the population of the Northeast region expected to increase 6 million inhabitants by 2025 8, what impact could this have on shrinking Baltimore?

6.5 HOURS, EXISTING EXPRESS 4 HRS PROPOSED ROUTES

COST OF LIVING INDEX

8 HOURS, EXISTING 5.5 HRS PROPOSED ROUTES

BOSTON

NEW YORK

PHILADELPHIA

BALTIMORE

WASHINGTON DC

FEDERAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED HIGH SPEED ROUTES IN NORTH EAST CORRIDOR, WASHINGTON D.C. TO BOSTON

% VACANT HOUSING STOCK IN BALTIMORE

ANTICIPATED GROWTH IN GREATER REGION

OPPORTUNITY FOR BALTIMORE

BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON METROPOLIS Existing infrastructure linking Baltimore to the neighbouring U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport allow for routine commuting between the cities. Three stations link Baltimore to Washington, D.C.- West Baltimoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s auto-oriented station, Penn Station to the north of the Central Business District on the Penn Line and Camden Station near the Inner Harbor on the Camden Line.

BALTIMORE POP 622,104

BWI AIRPORT 16 KM/ 20 MIN COMMUTE

WASHINGTON D.C. POP 658,893 64 KM/ 1 HR COMMUTE

TOP, FROM LEFT BALTIMORE INNER HARBOR HISTORIC MT. VERNON FEDERAL HILL OUTDOOR MOVIE EVENT BOTTOM, FROM LEFT WASHINGTON D.C. CAPITOL BUILDING NATIONAL MALL SMITHSONIAN NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Washington’s strong economic opportunities paired with the neighbourhood culture and low land values of Baltimore create a strong dynamic between the regions. Combined, the BaltimoreWashington metropolis retains the highest IT market in the United States, surpassing Silicon Valley 9. Baltimore alone has continued to see rapid growth in the tech industries, such as data processing and tech consulting, over the past decade due in part to the city’s leading universities.

In addition to work related commutes to Washington’s strong economic centre, many Baltimoreans take advantage of the transportation links to visit the nation’s top cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian Institute and Washington Monument. Baltimore attracts crowds to its renowned downtown inner harbour entertainment and historic districts. Key institutions such as the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Peabody Music Conservatory, and University of Baltimore attract new talent to the area.

2.2

SPATIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC COMPLEXITY OF WEST BALTIMORE

However, there is an extreme polarity between central and West Baltimore. While development in Baltimore has generally been focused in the downtown north-south spine, the west and parts of the east have been plagued with urban decay since the late 1950s as a result of industrial decline and ‘white flight’ to the suburbs. These areas were left as spatially and socioeconomically segregated voids in the city, ridden with crime and poverty. Currently the region operates as a repetitive landscape of mono-functional (and mostly vacant) housing with clusters of post-industrial remnants. Consequently, these vacancies not only place a huge burden on the city’s image, but also on its tax base, costing an additional $1,472 per vacant structure annually in public safety funds 10. In a city with over 16,000 vacant structures, these funds could be contributing towards advancing the city’s education or infrastructure projects. Despite West Baltimore’s critical condition, it is still home to a large population, of which a majority are living well below the poverty line.

WEST BALTIMORE’S “HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE” Adding to the complexity of the region, is a vast spatial void in the urban fabric resulting from an abandoned highway infrastructure project, locally referred to as “The Highway to Nowhere”. The recessed void bifurcates neighbourhoods to the north and south, starting from the central business district and tapering off at the West Baltimore Station. The social consequences of this scar run as deep as the spatial, as it was often referred to as a slum clearance that displaced several neighbourhood blocks.

The void is approximately the length of the New York’s Highline Park, approximately 50 meters wide and 12 meters deep at its maximum. Within the recess are redundant east and west highway lanes that begin and end at the same location as the roads above. Although used by commuters traveling east and west during weekday peak periods, the roadway is vastly under-utilised by motor vehicles. A series of eight bridges connects north and south vehicular traffic, with an additional two pedestrian bridges.

HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE BALTIMORE 2.33 KM/22 HA THE HIGH LINE NEW YORK 2.33 KM/2.25 HA PROMENADE PLANTEE PARIS 4.7 KM PATTERSON PARK BALTIMORE 55 HA

HYDE PARK LONDON 142 HA

CENTRAL PARK NEW YORK 341 HA

PEDESTRIANS BRAVE CROSSING THROUGH NATURAL TERRAIN ON THE “HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE” NEAR THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, HIGHLIGHTING THE PHYSICAL BARRIER CREATED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE

POSITION OF WEST BALTIMORE STATION + CORRIDOR IN RELATION TO BALTIMORE’S CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT .25

4 KM

$400K

$200K

100 M

36% DENSITY AT STATION AREA

$31,729

MEDIAN HOUSE VALUE

100 M

$382,647

MEDIAN HOUSE VALUE

DICHOTOMY OF THE CORRIDOR BETWEEN WEST END [NEAR STATION] AND EAST END [NEAR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT]

42% DENSITY AT CBD

A: PARKING LOT AT WEST BALTIMORE STATION

B: TYPICAL CONDITION AT RECESSED HIGHWAY

C: NEAR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

EXISTING PROGRAMME ALONG CORRIDOR

80 M

A: VIEW FROM WEST BALTIMORE STATION FACING EASTBOUND

B: VIEW FROM MID-CORRIDOR BRIDGE FACING EASTBOUND

C: VIEW FROM BRIDGE FACING EASTBOUND ONTO UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CAMPUS AND CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

The urban fabric of West Baltimore predominately consists of housing. Despite a severe lack of neighbourhood services surrounding the corridor, such as grocery stores, commercial space, and adequate retail amenities, several primary and secondary schools provide educate opportunities to the community. The University of Maryland Medical Campus and several commercial office buildings anchor the east end of the corridor at the central business district.

2.3

CRITIQUE OF CURRENT VISION FOR WEST BALTIMORE

The city has grappled with how and where to address the problems in West Baltimore for several decades but ideas routinely change with political turnover, resulting in continued decline and increased frustration from those that consider West Baltimore home. From failed public housing towers to suburban-style row homes equipped with picket fences and vinyl siding, the city’s lack of innovation and thoughtful design reasoning is evident. But this was not always the case, so what is missing? In the late 1950s, Baltimore’s Harbor Place was hailed as a pioneer in achieving a successful post-industrial waterfront redevelopment. Likewise, the city has had previous success in the neighbourhood transformation of its downtown Otterbein neighbourhood, where urban pioneers were sold blighted homes for $1 with the promise for restoration. Currently, the city is offering a similar Vacants to Value program to sell off its vacant stock, thought not quite as affordable as $1, in addition to requiring homeowners to undertake management of the construction rehabilitation project. More recently the city’s leading institutions, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Maryland Institute College of Art, University of Maryland Medical Center and University of Baltimore, are leading transformation around the universities. Although these institutions are valuable stakeholders for urban development, Baltimore cannot solely rely on the interests or financing from a single entity

PROPOSAL FOR PUBLIC TOWER BLOCKS AT “HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE”, 1954. THE LOWER DEVELOPMENT WAS ACTUALISED BUT TORN DOWN IN THE 1990S AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING ITS FAILURES AS AN EFFECTIVE HOUSING SOLUTION.

REPLACEMENT SUBURBAN STYLE TOWN-HOMES WERE PUT IN ITS PLACE, AVOIDING THE GREATER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES OF THE REGION.

to deliver a cohesive redevelopment plan for West Baltimore. The complexity of the area, in contrast to downtown, require an orchestrated effort involving many stakeholders to deliver a secure redevelopment strategy.

With the city’s limited resources and little interest from private development, how can West Baltimore be repositioned as an opportunity area with great potential in order to make the area attractive to investment? What can be learned from Baltimore’s previous pioneering successes?

Acknowledging that a timely transformation of the greater West Baltimore is not viable, interventions will need to be incremental, yet effective and meaningful enough to become catalyst for future transformation, unlike previous attempts to merely rebuild what exits. Additionally, development must be sensitive to the socioeconomic issues of West Baltimore, planning for development that will strengthen and not further marginalize the communities of these fragile regions.

CONNECTIVITY IN BALTIMORE IN RELATIONSHIP TO VACANCY PATTERNS AND LEADING INSTITUTIONS

MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED EAST/WEST LIGHT RAIL

BALTIMORE VACANT BUILDING DENSITIES, 2015 KEY INSTITUTIONS (RESEARCH + EDUCATION)

8 KM

2.4

PARAMETERS FOR REGENERATION

A recent proposal to connect east and West Baltimore via light rail, the Red Line, aims to provide these impoverished areas with much needed access to jobs and resources in the city centre, allowing access to the central business district in less than 10 minutes. Despite West Baltimore’s current isolation from the city centre, its regional West Baltimore Station connects with Washington, D.C. and runs approximately 40 commuter trains daily (20 each way), including daily ridership of approximately 850 commuters (24,000 daily ridership along the Penn Line) 11. The Maryland Transit Administration projects that regional ridership will nearly double by 2030 12. With the anticipated Red Line system, the existing station would see a ridership increase to approximately 4,550 daily commuters. Baltimore is relatively well connected along the north and south axis of the City, sustained by its major educational and research nodes. Clustered along this north-south axis are complimenting cultural, commercial, retail, and entertainment nodes.

Despite having some of the most challenging conditions in all of Baltimore, West Baltimore’s existing and future connectivity, proximity to key institutions, low land values and malleable urban fabric also has the greatest potential to transform the decaying region into a contributing piece of urban fabric, thus alleviating the socioeconomic pressures on the city as a whole. In such a vastly blighted area, the challenge in envisioning transformation is not only what to do, but where to start. This proposed thesis will investigate the potential of the existing West Baltimore Station and the interlinked light rail (proposed) corridor that connects to the central business district as a starting point, acknowledging the station area as the lowest risk for investment. How can the issues of the area be transformed into opportunities that become contributors that manifest into a built environment attractive to future investment and a place where people may actually want to live and work?

Development must be balanced to achieve longterm value with limited resources, maximising the potential of existing amenities and infrastructural investments to achieve a meaningful impact. As a starting point for regeneration, the proposed design explorations will analyse the potential for transformation of the existing West Baltimore Station into a productive neighbourhood station district and its impact on the local and regional scale. A secondary exploration will analyse the potential of the station’s interlinked “Highway to Nowhere” mobility corridor, focusing on the proposed light rail stop, to transform the void into an integral piece of contributing urban fabric, creating a gateway from the West Baltimore Station District to the Central Business District.

THE PROPOSED STRATEGIC VISION FOR REDEVELOPMENT FOCUSES ON THE POTENTIAL OF THE WEST BALTIMORE STATION CORRIDOR TO BECOME A CONTRIBUTING LOCAL AND REGIONAL LINK WITHIN THE GREATER NETWORK OF RESOURCES

EDUCATION/RESEARCH CAMPUS CULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT MAJOR RETAIL/COMMERCIAL NODE

3.0 FROM STATION TO STATION DISTRICT

ION

5M IN

L BA

R MO

T STA

100

200

400 M

3.1

LIMITATIONS OF THE CURRENT STATION CONFIGURATION

VIEW FROM STATION PLATFORM EASTBOUND ONTO PARKING LOTS

The characteristics of the current station juxtapose that of a suburban park-and-ride and an urban neighbourhood station. A survey of the site within a five-minute walking radius (400 meters) reveals the sites layered history. Residual postindustrial remnants, warehouses and factories, clustered around the station in a sea of mass produced worker’s row housing. The prominent facade of the former American Ice Company factory borders the north edge of the station, coexisting as a bus stop rest for commuters. Neighbourhood amenities are limited to a functioning primary and secondary school, several liquor/tobacco stores, and a surplus of adaptive re-use religious establishments amidst a food desert. Due to the fact that the station’s operation is synced with the mobility patterns of the corridor, reconsideration of the corridor’s circulation as a combined system will need to be analysed.

Needless to say, the existing station is currently not operating effectively as a result of this disjunction. Pedestrian access to the current station has been compromised by the abandoned highway project, resulting in the station’s isolation within a sea of under-utilised vehicular parking (totalling four urban blocks) and road infrastructure. Currently, access to the station’s platforms are consolidated to the north end of the station. Stair access to southbound trains enter and exit through the parking lot, which has become a shortened path (in lieu of sidewalks) for commuters from the adjacent neighbourhood. The platform for northbound trains is located off a staircase on the opposite (west) side of the rail infrastructure. Stairs are accessed through a tunnel with a 1.5-metre sidewalk that parallels the main road. During drops offs, this path is

prone to congestion and is uncomfortable for pedestrians crossing under the viaduct due to low lighting, limited sidewalk space, and minimal buffer between passing vehicles. Despite the station’s compromised access, it does have fairly good visibility from the neighbourhood and parking lot. From a human comfort perspective, the station could drastically benefit from simple improvements such as handicap/bicycle ramps and or elevators, adequate coverage from the elements, as well as access to basic amenities such as coffee or ticket sales.

CURRENT STATION IS ISOLATED AND AUTO-ORIENTED, LIMITING PEDESTRIAN ACCESS

PEDESTRIAN + VEHICULAR PASSAGE THRU VIADUCT TO NORTHBOUND PLATFORM

STATION PLATFORM ACCESS ADJACENT TO PARKING LOT

HOW CAN THIS VOID SPACE BE REIMAGINED AS A RESTORED FABRIC THAT SPATIALLY INTEGRATES THE NEIGHBOURHOODS OF WEST BALTIMORE

FINDING POTENTIAL IN THE ISSUES

THE URBAN FABRIC OF WEST BALTIMORE IS SEVERED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURAL CORRIDOR BIFURCATING NEIGHBOURHOODS

Given the limitations of the current station, how can the station be reconfigured to extract value from the existing infrastructure, becoming an asset that integrates and enhances the existing community rather than merely a vehicle drop-off zone for commuters? Furthermore, what is the potential of the station and interlinked corridor to perform not merely as mobility infrastructure that connects West Baltimore to the Central Business District, but as a potential new piece of urban fabric that becomes both a physical and social infrastructure to mesh the divided north and south neighbourhoods of West Baltimore? Can this corridor, as an integral extension of the West Baltimore Station, become a gateway for the region?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Larger than life but part of it, infrastructure has an immediate presence; it shapes our environment and urban life in vital, authentic, and often messy ways. Tabula-rasa. New beginnings are rare for cities; hence, infrastructure of both movement and culture, must evolve and activate preexisting conditions. Highway, subway, utility lines, and teledata increasingly fragmented fabric of our metropolitan world.â&#x20AC;? Weiss/Manfredi, Public Natures: Evolutionary Infrastructures

3.2

INTEGRATING A PHYSICAL + SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

ST. LOUIS ARCH PARK PROPOSAL BY BJARK INGLES GROUP MERGES ARCHITECTURE + PUBLIC REALM TO OVERCOME EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURAL BARRIERS

CONCEPTUAL VISION FOR THE WEST BALTIMORE STATION + CORRIDOR

PUBLIC REALM BECOMES A BRIDGE TO ACCOMODATE LEVEL CHANGE

WEISS/MANFREDI’S TAEKWONDO PARK CREATES AN ARCHITECTURAL TOPOGRAPHY THAT BECOMES A COMPLIMENTARY LANDSCAPE OF ACTIVE PROGRAM + CIRCULATION

As a strategy for development, considering the elements essential to the proposed transitoriented development as a unified compound infrastructure - transportation mobility, architecture of the station district, and the public realm in between - capitalises on the crossover between these elements to create a unique urban morphology for new development. An example of this concept is evident in BIG’s proposal for redeveloping the St. Louis Arch Park, where an alchemy of architecture, landscape, and infrastructure becomes a hybrid public territory with articulate insertion of programmatic spaces that enhance public interaction 13. To overcome infrastructural barriers, the public landscape seamlessly bridges the horizontal and vertical divides of the existing highway and rail viaduct, offering varying experiential vantages of the park.

Likewise, Weiss/Manfredi’s Taekwondo Park works within the parameters of existing natural topography, morphing the architecture of proposed program into a complimentary artificial topography 14. With similar canyon like spatial conditions as West Baltimore’s manmade corridor, the tiered configuration of the architecture becomes a public infrastructure, creating a landscape of programmed circulatory terraces that blend in with the existing terrain. Can we use these principles to mesh the transition created by the “ditch” condition along the corridor and further develop a unique architectural language at the station district and along the corridor?

WEISS/MANFREDI’S CONCEPT FOR ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRATION IN LANDSCAPE

3.3

REDEFINING THE ROLE OF THE STATION

Defining the role of the station is essential to implementing an effective strategy for development within the station area. In recent development trends, we see the dichotomy of the station typology as either a stacked mega-structure (typically with generic retail) or as part of a clustered development. In the context of the West Baltimore Station, a stacked station approach such as Kengo Kuma’s proposal for the suburban Gare de Saint-Denis Station in Paris, would not be an economically feasible option 15. Despite the convenient access to an array of amenities this typology affords, these models are relatively expensive endeavours that require substantial stakeholder investment with enough supporting critical mass to sustain development. Additionally, depending upon the design implementation, these typologies can potentially become introverted models that take on mall-like characteristics, thereby lacking integration with adjacent urban fabric.

KENGO KUMA’S PROPOSAL FOR THE GARE DE SAINT-DENIS STATION IN PARIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A STACKED, YET EXTROVERTED STATION TYPOLOGY .

However, what is unique about the Kengo Kuma’s proposal that can be applied to the conditions of West Baltimore is the integration of the station as a community asset. Programmes such as a multimedia library, business space, and retail amenities provide services for commuters and residents alike. Furthermore, the design utilises a series of undulating ramps to externalise the functional circulation of the building, activating the facade as an extended public realm. An alternative typology that could be adapted to suit the context of West Baltimore is Cobe’s Nørreport Station renovation in Copenhagen 16. Similar to the spatial conditions at West Baltimore, the original Nørreport Station performed as an isolated element surrounded by vehicular roads. Cobe’s solution translates the everyday circulation patterns of commuters through the site into a cohesive open plan, deriving an extroverted, almost transparent, station architecture. In essence, the station becomes an extended public plaza, consolidating vehicular circulation to one edge and seamlessly integrating into the surrounding urban fabric.

COBE’S RENOVATION OF THE NØRREPORT STATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN EXTROVERTED STATION TYPOLOGY THAT BECOMES AN INTEGRAL PIECE OF PUBLIC REALM, SUPPORTING THE ACTIVITY OF ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT.

Acknowledging the urban vitality of the Nørreport station area as significantly healthier than that of West Baltimore, the concept of creating a public platform from the infrastructure of the station can be translated with the understanding that proposed development within the station area will need to compliment the station’s open space and attract enough critical mass to sustain a level of activity.

EXISTING MOBILITY PATTERNS

PROPOSED MOBILITY PATTERNS

.25

As evident in the issues of the current stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s limited access, the mobility patterns of the corridor have a direct impact on the function of the station. As a starting point, eliminating the redundant and under-utilised highway lanes within the corridor will free up space to allow the new light rail system as well as space for future development. Consolidating vehicular mobility into a streetscaped boulevard along the south edge will reposition the corridor, establishing hierarchy along the southern end while providing future opportunity to transition into an active corridor. To the north, local roads will reserve access for residents while freeing up space for pedestrian scale improvements and bicycle infrastructure. Effectively, these new mobility patterns will organise transit exchange at the station (bus/vehicular, light rail, and bicycle), while creating separate and ultimately safer pedestrian access.

2 KM

PRIMARY STREET SECONDARY STREET LOCAL STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CROSSING EXISTING REGIONAL RAIL STOP LOCAL + EXPRESS BUS ROUTES PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL STOP (BY MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION)

3.4

METHOD FOR INTEGRATION

THE STATION’S AUTO-ORIENTED CONFIGURATION CREATE UNDESIRABLE ACCESS FOR LOCALS WHO RELY ON THE STATION FOR EVERYDAY COMMUTING. ACCESS TO THE PLATFORMS IS GAINED FROM THE PARKING LOT OR UNDER THE VIADUCT, PARALLEL TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC. STRATEGIC MOVES ORGANIZE MOBILITY PATTERNS TO ESTABLISH CONNECTIVITY TO THE ADJACENT NEIGHBOURHOOD

CONNECT Expanding on the revised circulation patterns of the station, the proposed development strategy aims to reconnect and integrate the station into the community. Acknowledging the economic and structural limitations of the existing station’s infrastructure, proposed modifications aim to retain as much of the existing neighborhood while making necessary improvements for human comfort, safety, and convenience. Consolidating vehicular circulation to the southern edge of the station frees up the road along the north edge of the block (where platform access is location) for pedestrians, no longer mixing pedestrian and vehicular circulation along the platform entrance paths. Drawing on the existing circulation routes of walking commuters through the car parks, streamlined diagonal access to the platform entry is created in aversion to rigid structure of the rectangular grid, opening up the corners and establishing permeability through the site. This intentional break in the original grid creates a formal sense of arrival to the station. Maximum visibility to the station is achieved in this scheme by retaining

LEAVING THE STATION, A MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN ATTEMPT TO CROSS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE STATION, WHERE NO CONSIDERATION FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALLING HAS BEEN PROVIDED.

the linear access imposed by the street grid (through the viaduct opening) at the north of the site, establishing a diagonal vista at the southeast corner of the site, and reconnecting the north-south axis along the viaduct. Additionally, the proposed modifications re-connect the north and south communities through an open circulation path running parallel to the station platform, restoring the north/south street grid that was obstructed by the rail infrastructure.

CREATE HIERARCHY The established connectivity patterns superimpose a secondary grid onto the site, opening up large plots for redevelopment. Understanding the limitations of the traditional Baltimore urban block is fundamental in leveraging the impact of the proposed diagonal configuration. The rectangular grid of the traditional Baltimore block dictates a formal hierarchy of public and private; where public facades run parallel to the road with private backyards or service space facing onto the interior. As a public space, the station district strives to maximise openness and transparency. Given the existing stationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position in the nucleus of the site, a formal block arrangement would limit visibility to the station, losing a sense of arrival and security as one approaches. Additionally, imposing a secondary grid through the centre of the site to achieve a vista to the station would create building orientation conflicts with the existing context and limited development area potential to thin rectangular plots.

PROPOSED: AN INTENTIONAL BREAKING OF THE GRID CREATES A DIAGONAL AXIS OF ARRIVAL TO THE STATION

Although unconventional, the proposed diagonal grid equates to a permeable composite block, maximising the internal space of the block while retaining permeable corners for fluid circulation throughout. In additional to establishing a strong sense of arrival that can be programmed with activity, the diagonal circulation route assumes the hierarchal position as a datum for organising new development. The resulting configuration of plots creates opportunities for unique architectural forms that establish a new identity for the area, intentionally contrasting to the adjacent massrepetition of rectangular forms.

ALTERNATE TEST INVESTIGATES THE POTENTIALS + LIMITATIONS OF RETAINING THE SITEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ORTHOGONAL GRID STRUCTURE

PROPOSED MOBILITY PATTERNS OF THE STATION SEPARATE VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO CREATE AN INVITING PUBLIC ATMOSPHERE AT THE STATION, RATHER THAN A DROP OF POINT

ENVISIONING THE FUTURE WEST BALTIMORE STATION As evident in the lingering decay of the current station area, the existing connectivity of the station alone cannot trigger successful redevelopment. A complimentary mix of programme to attract a critical mass and spur investment will need to coincide with meaningful design reasoning. The station typology itself is not the focal point of redevelopment, but a tool for integration, enabling the movement of people and the potential for social, cultural, and economic appropriation within the clustered development of the station district. Therefore, redevelopment of the existing station must achieve a cost effective, yet quality design that can transition with the area’s future growth.

In addition to major reconfigurations of the station’s mobility patterns, a series of upgrades will be proposed to increase the efficiency and experience of the station. Drawing inspiration from Nørreport Station, a light and open architecture is derived from the existing infrastructure of the West Baltimore Station that does not constrain future growth. Providing a roof structure over the station platforms and associated circulation routes creates a sense of hierarchy and enclosure, in addition to protection from the elements. Open spaces within the overarching structure can be carved out and delegated to an array of programs such as temporary food kiosks, bicycle rental/storage, and ticket sales.

Similar to Kengo Kuma’s Gare de Saint-Denis Station, accommodating height differences between the ground level and station platforms via a gradient infrastructure that doubles as public realm, maximises the investment in the necessary circulation upgrades. Not only does this technique provide barrier-free access for disabled commuters and cyclists, it coexists as a platform to foster conversation between commuters, as well as space for local vendors to sell amenities and commuters to enjoy. Additionally, interstitial space under these infrastructures can be programmed to activate the ground floor, providing community and commuter amenities.

PROPOSED VISION FOR INTEGRATION OF THE STATION WITH FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, CREATING A COHESIVE URBAN FABRIC UNIQUE TO THE WEST BALTIMORE STATION DISTRICT

4.0 TRANSITIONING FROM POST-INDUSTRIAL TO KNOWLEDGE-BASED LANDSCAPES

4.1

DEFINING THE SPATIAL AND PROGRAMMATIC TRENDS OF KNOWLEDGE-BASED PRODUCTIVITY

As is evident in the lingering consequences of post-Fordism cities in America’s Rustbelt, the significance of a region’s economic productivity cannot be understated as a vital component to the alchemy of a healthy city. Previous renewal attempts to revive West Baltimore have failed in part due to the inability to generate jobs or to provide access to economic opportunity. Technology and mobility were critical drivers of the industrial revolution. Advances in manufacturing machinery and railway infrastructure allowed for mass production within a greater network of exchange. As these methods of material productivity transition into less tangible forms of knowledge-based productivity, similar paradigm shift are observed in both mobility and technology today. Along with this transition is also a new culture and mentality of productivity that dictates different spatial requirements than those set out by the former revolution. Technology has freed us from the regulated spatial confines of what was considered traditional work space, allowing new forms of transient work to emerge, such as telecommuting and hot-desking, with just the essentials of a laptop and wifi connectivity. A new knowledgebased “work” culture has emerged, where workers appropriate coffee shops, local libraries, trains, and their own homes as ephemeral work spaces. In recent trends, the co-work hub typology has emerged as a proposed solution for this need, spatially combining the elements of the former via free coffee incentives, cozy home-like

furniture setups, playful atmospheres, and most importantly, offering a dynamic collaborative environment. These configurations attempt to blur the traditional delineation of living, working, playing, and learning. The nine-to-five is becoming obsolete and the traditional notion of “work” has amalgamated to encompass the broader concept of “productivity”, where life-long learning is favoured over long-term employment. As Adam Scott, Dilbert Comic artist describes it, “Work can be described as anything you’d rather not be doing. Productivity is a different matter”. BROOKLYN BOULDERS IS A HYBRID MIX OF FITNESS MEETS COLLABORATIVE WORKSPACE, CREATING A WORK/PLAY BALANCE IN ONE TYPOLOGY

Knowledge-based/creative jobs are shaped in a starkly situative manner by the spontaneous interaction of manifold options, and encourage communication and cooperation…the neighbourhood becomes the production space where products and services are honed by the inspiration and cooperative environment which boasts high levels of diversity and the continual dynamics of a work in progress. Klaus Brake, Contemporary Perspectives on Jane Jacobs

CEDRIC PRICE’S VISION FOR THE POTTERIES THINKBELT, REACTIVATING INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AS A MOBILE NETWORK OF KNOWLEDGE.

WEST BALTIMORE STATION PLAYS A SIMILAR ROLE IN THE TRANSPORT OF TALENT WITHIN A GREATER PRODUCTIVITY NETWORK. HOW CAN THE STATION AREA ACHIEVE GREATER VALUE THROUGH THESE RESOURCES AND BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CIRCUIT, SIMILAR TO PRICE’S PROPOSAL?

COMMUTERS WORKING ON THE PENN LINE FROM D.C. TO BALTIMORE. THE ROLE OF TRANSPORTATION IN KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMIES IS NO LONGER LIMITED TO A COMMUTE. RAILCARS BECOME MOBILE OFFICES IN THE EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN REGIONS.

In some respects, these transitory patterns of knowledge-based productivity are the modernday realisation of Cedric Price’s Potteries Thinkbelt 17. In Price’s proposal, existing redundant rail infrastructure within a postindustrial context is re-activated as a mobile campus. The flexible architecture of the station adapts to accommodate various programmes, creating an active learning circuit. The integration of infrastructure and architecture critiques the introverted university typology, suggesting a more flexible, mobile, and extroverted model for learning.

infrastructural lines as a network of ideas, creativity, and social exchange. It seems logical that the station, as conductor of this exchange, has the potential to harness this capacity and to perform not just as a point of interchange along a line but as a contributing node within a greater network of knowledge. The city performs as a campus of productivity no longer limited to only the act of learning, but also working, living, and playing.

key components to repositioning the area as an attractive location for investment. Understanding the scale of intervention for the site is critical to its success. The station is not in a position to compete with Washington D.C. or Baltimore’s Central Business District, but will rely on the network’s greater access to stable resources while offering a unique contribution that attracts enough critical mass to sustain development.

As was the case in West Baltimore, rail infrastructure once used for the transit of manufactured goods now functions for the transport of people - activating these

This inspiration sets the context for redevelopment of the West Baltimore Station area and its potential to pull from and contribute to a strong circuit of knowledge-based resources and attract a promising talent base within the greater region. West Baltimore’s strong connectivity, low land values, and malleable urban fabric are

4.2

STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT DENSIFY/INTENSIFY In order to transform the station into a station district, a balanced mix of programme is necessary to sustain the clustered development. As discussed in the introduction, a generic mix of retail, commercial, and housing, typical of transit-oriented development models, will not ensure successful redevelopment. The programmatic mix must cater to the needs of the existing and prospective population, integrate with the scale of the urban fabric and harness the potential of the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing qualities so that it retains its unique and attractive character.

CLUSTERED DEVELOPMENT AROUND ALLOWS FOR A VARIETY OF PROGRAMME. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED VIBRANT URBAN LANDSCAPE, A BALANCED MIX OF ACTIVITY MUST BE PROVIDED AND SUSTAINED BY AN ATTRACTED CRITICAL MASS OF PARTICIPANTS.

SECTION THROUGH NORTH EDGE OF SITE DEPICTING POTENTIAL USAGE OF SPACE

Densification is an obvious necessity to achieving a thriving station area. Likewise, development must contain adequate intensification to offer a suitable array of program, commensurate to establishing a desired level of urban vitality within the area. One of the greatest challenges of the transit-oriented development model in these complex post-industrial sites is balancing the appropriate scale of density and intensity with limited resources, effective enough to have a meaningful impact and attract a critical mass.

KNOWLEDGE-BASED INSTITUTION CULTURE RETAIL/SERVICES PRODUCTIVITY SPACE HOUSING PROPOSED PROGRAMME MIX FOR CLUSTERED STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT

32 M

LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES

SPATIAL INTEGRATION

Given the sites key drivers and the strong economic forces of the region, the site could become an incubator offering low rent opportunities for start-ups, individuals, and organisations, such as the regions rapidly growing IT industry, live/ work space for local artists and students of the renowned Maryland Institute College of Art, satellite education/research space for DC or Baltimore institutions, or flexible work space for entrepreneurs and freelancers. The looseness of the adjacent urban fabric afford the ability for expansion over time into the greater station area, appropriating former industrial buildings and rowhomes, or infilling vacancies with new development and economic opportunities depending on the scale of the needs.

Drawing on the connectivity and organisation patterns described in the previous chapter, the proposed development cluster aims to provide an attractive mix of programme to sustain a thriving 24/7 milieu, that is both complimentary to the operation of the station and attractive to the unconventional and desired urban lifestyle of the creative class. As a productive neighbourhood, the scale of development must be sensitive to the existing historic context yet respond to modern day and future needs. This can be achieved through massing and architectural articulation. Acknowledging the floor-to-floor height of the

traditional Baltimore rowhome (approximately 3.5 meters) is not conducive to modern commercial needs or future adaptations, higher ratios can be provided that allow space to be stacked or reconfigured as required for various needs. For instance, new ground floor retail ceiling heights could align with adjacent twostory cornice levels (approximately 7 meters), creating visual continuity of scale. Additionally, architectural details such as window mullion grids/patterns and material contrasts break down the massing to a human scale.

Additionally, diversified housing options for transient and longer term residents, retail, entertainment, community services and amenities would reinforce the station area as a productive neighbourhood to live, work, collaborate, and play.

LEFT MIXED-USE GROUND FLOOR ACTIVITY OF THE PROPOSED STATION AREA DEVELOPMENT AIMS TO CREATE A VIBRANT ATMOSPHERE, USING THE DIAGONAL STATION AXIS AS A SPINE OF ACTIVITY.

PROPOSED MASSING AT SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR AT ENTRY POINT OF DIAGONAL

PROPOSED MASSING AT NORTHEAST CORRIDOR ADJACENT TO EXISTING ROWHOMES

EXISTING TWO-STOREY + THREESTOREY ROWHOMES ADJACENT TO SITE.

ACTIVATE In addition to a logical spatial composition, a critical mass involving multiple actors is vital to achieving an active and collaborative environment. The site’s clustered composition creates a sequence of differentiated spatial experiences. The use of dual facades on public institutions such as libraries and food markets, creates transparency through the site, eliminating the barriers between interior and exterior, and creating a sense of openness and belonging to the public realm. The main diagonal becomes a public promenade animated by active facades. At the west end of the site, the promenade integrates with the circulation of the station to create a fluid pubic exchange. This area spills into a town squareesque plaza enclosed by the existing American Ice Company factory, providing an accessible yet intimate space for community events such as farmer’s markets, outdoor movies, food truck rallies, and outdoor dining.

THE PROPOSED CLUSTERED DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE STATION CREATES A SEQUENCE OF DIFFERENTIATED PUBLIC SPACE, AT MULTIPLE LEVELS, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR, TO CREATE A CONTINUOUS ACTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS COLLABORATION. THE SUCCESS OF THE AMBITION IS RELIANT ON PARTICIPATION FROM AN ARRAY OF ACTORS.

Carved-out public spaces along the promenade, both exterior and interior, facilitate crossover between uses such as education and productivity, and culture and retail, to strengthen the social infrastructure within the area. The role of the station adjacent to these platforms of interchange enhances the flow of people and ultimately knowledge, thereby increasing the potential synergies that can arise within the site as a cohesive collaborative environment. ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE IN CANTERBURY, ENGLAND GROUND FLOOR RETAIL SERVICES WITH STACKED HOUSING CREATE A VIBRANT PEDESTRIAN SPACE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO ENJOY

PUBLIC PLAZA IN BRIGHTON, ENGLAND AN INTIMATE PUBLIC PLAZA, ENCLOSED BY THE JUBILEE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LOCAL RESTAURANTS, FACILITATES CROSSOVER BETWEEN USERS WHILE PROVIDING EVENT AND RECREATION SPACE

SECOND FLOOR PROGRAMME ENGAGEMENT VIA PUBLIC REALM

Drawing inspiration from Kengo Kumaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gare de Saint Denis Station, design of the public realm is articulated at multiple layers to address level changes in building program and topographical variances. This design strategy creates a fluid transition from interior to exterior and upper to lower, integrating architecture within the continuous public realm. An example of this is illustrated in the proposed theatre box adjacent to the rail station. In order to accommodate the grade change of the theatre entry caused by the infrastructure of the viaduct, a landscaped ramp

continues from the main promenade into the open threshold of the lobby. This public space can provide opportunity for everyday actives such as outdoor picnics and performances. Additionally, the permeation of public space into interior space can further generate crossover between users and stimulate a collaborative environment. For example, creating a monumental stair within the proposed community resource library not only creates access to upper level programs, but becomes an open forum for events

such as public lectures and community movie nights. Additionally, flexible infrastructures between programs, such as a moveable and optional bridge between the library and factory building, allow for collaborative events and programs such as art galleries, product exhibitions and seminars. Additionally, these flexible spaces can be rented out to private events as a means to generate further income.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

It's not about putting people under a Bucky Fuller dome, it's about reinventing cities and infrastructure so people aren't in these 20th-century bubbles, segregated physically, socially, and technically.â&#x20AC;? SHoP Architects, on designing innovation

4.3

PLANNING FOR MULTI-SCALAR RESILIENCY

Understanding a balanced scale of initial intervention is key in initiating transformation of the area. Due to the project’s undetermined future, a resilient development strategy articulated through thoughtful design reasoning and flexible architectural typologies will allow a structured “non-plan” (as best described by Price) for adaptation to variables such as marketing trends, demographics, population, etc. As evident in the site’s current state of decay, a resilient development model is fundamental to ensuring sustainability over time. Industrial typologies such as factories and sheds, once used to house large manufacturing equipment, offer the confines of a vast and unobstructed volume of open space. These pragmatic forms are particularly amenable to appropriation and can accommodate a variety of uses from social functions to productivity to mobile classrooms. Because of the intrinsic nature, these forms allow for easy modification over time with minimal financial investment.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS OF THE SHED TYPOLOGY, EXPLORATIONS BY LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

The topic of preservation opens up much debate as to who and what qualifies a typology as obsolete? Should an Aldo Rossi versus Cedric Price mentality be adopted, what is the logic of preservation versus replacement? Although the reality is there are several economic and structural decisions that must also be considered in the feasibility of adaptive-reuse projects, there seems to be an inherent value in retaining some facets of unique architectural history in a built environment that is becoming evermore populated by generic market driven development.

RESILIENT TYPOLOGIES Nestled within an industrial area, the Copenhagen Street Food market is an example of an appropriated industrial shed reincarnated as a haven for local food trucks and kiosk. Weather pending, the events on the interior spill out and activate the otherwise redundant pier edge. Flexible lease space attracts a dynamic mix of cuisine, providing food amenities and a social culture to the adjacent homes and businesses that have started to populate the re-development.

COPENHAGEN STREET FOOD MARKET INTERIOR

ADJACENT OUTDOOR SPACE PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVENTS

Another prime example, the Old Truman Brewery is a former factory typology transformed into one of London’s most vibrant arts and media quarters. What once housed distillery machinery, now houses art galleries, event space, restaurants, and offices to create a collegial atmosphere that responds to the diverse needs of the new users. Additionally, former redundant work yards and lanes are now animated with patrons of local boutiques and cultural venues that repopulate the factory, forming an irreplaceable social atmosphere unique to the site. TRANSFORMED GALLERY INSIDE THE OLD TRUMAN BREWERY, EAST LONDON

EVENTS AND LOCAL RETAIL SHOPS ACTIVATE THE FORMER BREWERY YARDS

Drawing on the successes of these renewal projects , can the same principles be applied to reincarnate West Baltimore’s American Ice Company factory?

ADAPTING THE FACTORY FOR KNOWLEDGE-BASED PRODUCTIVITY Located adjacent to the West Baltimore Station, the former factor has remained vacant on site since 2004 when a major fire wreaked havoc on the structure 19. The factory is a testament to Baltimore’s prominent position in the ice industry since its construction in 1911 and evolved to adapt with technological advances in the industry (such as home refrigeration in the 1920s) up until the fire. Currently, the front facade wall and western entry building are in tack, leaving an empty footprint in the rear. The proposal for renovation of this structure requires a balance between preservation and adaptation. Integrating the historic facade onto a shedlike “container” in the rear of the factory provides space for a flexible array of programs. Additional fenestration is added to the existing facade to improve the interior quality and to activate the facade, creating transparency between the functions of the proposed factory of knowledgebased productivity and the surrounding environment.

AMERICAN ICE COMPANY FACTORY, CIRCA 1938

Within the shed, a multitude of configurations are possible, from small scale individual live/work spaces to collective work environments for start-ups and small companies. Standardised forms such as shipping containers or pre-fabricated pods provide cost-effective solutions to address the need for dedicated space. Additionally, open space allows for non-architecture reliant forms of productivity such as collaborative meetings and hot-desking.

PRESERVATION OF EXISTING STRUCTURE WITH PROPOSED SHED ADDITION IN REAR (CURRENTLY VOID)

CURRENT FACTORY CONDITION, 2015

OPEN SPACE CAN BE APPROPRIATE WITH MOVEABLE FURNITURE FOR INDIVIDUAL/COLLECTIVE WORK

THE SHED’S OPEN PLATFORM ALLOWS FOR OPTIMAL FLEXIBILITY OF PROGRAMME. MODULAR FORMS CAN FACILITATE EASY ADAPTATION OF SPACE AS NECESSARY.

BREAKING DOWN THE INTROVERTED FACADE OF THE FACTORY TO ALLOW TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS BETWEEN ACTIVITIES OF ADJACENT STATION ENVIRONMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY FACTORY, FACILITATING CROSSOVER AMONGST PARTICIPANTS

MODULAR FORMS SUCH AS SHIPPING CONTAINERS CAN CREATE STACKABLE UNITS FOR LIVE/WORK OR INDIVIDUALISED WORK SPACE

SPACE CAN BE CONFIGURED AS A COMBINATION OF OPEN AND ENCLOSED SPACES SIMILAR TO DELFT UNIVERSITY’S ‘THE WHY FACTORY’

4.4

ESTABLISHING VITALITY THROUGH HOUSING

The transient nature of knowledge-based productivity has a direct impact on housing. Telecommuting options liberate individuals from a static residency. This opens up opportunities for transient work locations - at home, at the local hot-desk, or even while traveling. Material possessions become less of a necessity and as a result spatial needs decrease to basic living essentials. Shared resources such as kitchens and communal living rooms provide platforms for engagement while maximising spatial efficiency and cost. Likewise, the amenity of the West Baltimore station and its role in the constant movement of people between the greater region provides additional demand for ephemeral/short-let housing options. A suitable scenario could involve an out of town freelance worker who flew into Baltimore-Washington International airport for a meeting the next day in either Baltimore or Washington. Requiring an affordable

ECKWERK, BERLIN EXTERIOR PUBLIC REALMS MEANDERS THROUGH THE INTERIOR, FACILITATING COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTS YEAR ROUND

accommodation with capacity to work and access to amenities, a twenty-minute train ride into the West Baltimore Station would afford that option. However, a suitable balance of stable and transient living needs must be provided in the station district. While a transient flow of people brings a constant feed of new ideas and culture, invested residents have the potential to bring an organic and unique value to an area, creating a community that can only be established through evolving commitment. This concept is particular evident in collaborative work communities of knowledge-based hubs. A sense of ownership and belonging must be established through design solutions that allow appropriation and individualisation. Collective community spaces, such as the internal courtyard garden, allow networks of interaction while private spaces such as balconies and entryways allow for personal appropriation.

MAJOR TALENT MAGNETS, SUCH AS GOOGLE AND APPLE, HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ESTABLISHING SILICONE VALLEY AS A MECCA FOR IT TALENT. UNDERSTANDING THE LIFESTYLE PREFERENCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY WORKERS, THESE COMPANIES HEAVILY INVEST IN CREATING INTROVERTED-MICRO CITIES IN REMOTE LOCATIONS EXCLUSIVE OF HOUSING OPTIONS. ACTIVE THROUGH THE WORK DAY, THEY FALL QUIET AT NIGHT. INVESTMENT IN THESE SETTINGS DO NOT CAPITALISE ON POTENTIAL VALUE GENERATED BY INCLUDING ON-SITE HOUSING THAT WOULD BRING ADDITIONAL CROSSOVERS AND VITALITY TO THE CAMPUS.

ECKWERK, BERLIN: ADJACENT TO PROPOSED CREATIVE COMMUNITY AT SITE OF FORMER HOLZMARKT (RIGHT OF VIADUCT) INSERTION OF RETAIL SERVICES IN VIADUCT ACTIVATE THE FORMER BOUNDARY, WHILE PENETRATIONS FACILITATION OPEN CIRCULATION BETWEEN COMPLIMENTARY RESIDENTIAL DEVELPMENTS

ECKWERK LIVE/WORK COMPLEX, BERLIN An example of transient housing is illustrated in the proposed Eckwerk project in Berlin, by Graft and Kleihues + Kleihues Architekten - another exemplar of a co-operative development model. The project consists of a mid-rise live/work complex that aims to capture the essence of a transient collaborative environment, “The Eckwerk is no place for settledness because a constant flow of ideas and energy is to be guaranteed. Constantly new people are joining in to work and live here. Others make room, leaving the Eckwerk again because they have become too big or they are leaving their room to others as planned… The temporary is the great constant of this architecture.” 21

ECKWERK, TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL FLOOR PLAN: BUILDING A

Situated on a site along the Spree River, the project uses the adjacent rail viaduct as an armature to link with the adjacent Holzmarkt area -a renowned self-made entertainment from the 1990s, now slated for transformation into a self-made crafters and creators community as part of the areas master plan. A series of five residential towers sit on top of a thickened ground floor, which compliments the massing of the adjacent viaduct, creating a balcony-like upper level to overlook the Spree. Public permeability is retained on the lower level to allow open access to the river edge. A series of differentiated interior spaces are created throughout the ground floor, creating alley like experiences near the viaduct and more open arcade-like conditions on the interior of the block where services and retail is located.

ECKWERK, TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL FLOOR PLAN: BUILDING B COLLECTIVE

INDIVIDUAL

The towers contain minimal living cells consisting of a bed and bathroom, sharing an open floor plan equipped with a communal kitchen, dining, and co-workspace. The modularity of the floor plates allow for flexible adaptation. Additionally, a continuous ribbon of programmed public space organically meanders throughout and connects the towers above the platform, allowing the public controlled access to the interworking of the project. This space, deemed as an experiential path, contains space for collaboration and relaxation. VISION OF PROPOSED ECKWERK LIVE/WORK PROJECT

DIVERSE HOUSING FOR DIVERSE LIFESTYLES Without people, a city simply has no life. Despite West Baltimoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surplus of housing stock, it lacks a stable population to fill the voids. In order for the proposed West Baltimore Station Area to harness the potential of the global talent migration into the Northeast megalopolis, it must position itself as a unique and attractive area for this population to live, work, and play. Recognising there is not a one-size-fits all preferred housing typology, providing diverse options that suite the needs of a variety of users is essential.

BIG YARD, CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING IN GERMANY INCORPORATING A COMMUNAL INTERNAL COURTYARD PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION, FACADE ACTIVATION, AND VISUAL CONNECTIVITY FOR SECURITY.

BIG YARD PROJECT, VIEW FROM UNIT INTO COURTYARD. SIMILARLY PROPOSED LARGE FENESTRATIONS MAXIMIZE THE QUALITY OF LIGHT WITHIN THE SPACE COMPLIMENTED BY AN OPEN LAYOUT TO ALLOW MAXIMAL ADAPTABILITY OF THE SPACE.

INTEGRATING LIVE/WORK LOFT SPACE INTO THE HOUSING MIX, SUCH AS THIS UNIT IN A BERLI CO-OPERATIVE, PROVIDES A FLEXIBLE SPACE WITH A SPATIOUS AND OPEN FLOORPLAN, CONTRARY TO THE AREAS ROWHOME HOUSING STOCK.

4.5

PLANNING + POLICY

PHASE 1: 1-3 YEARS

Establishing new mobility patterns at the station and corridor, thereby creating the spatial foundations for reconnecting the site to the surrounding neighbourhood, is a top priority for positing the site’s renewal. Given the complexity of the area, initial low-risk investment will need to stabilise the site, in order to attract future interest and investment. With limited resources, enough stakeholder buy-in to make a meaningful impact is critical. Through minor renovations to the existing American Ice Company, the site could anchor an initial hub for productivity -in the Baltimore-Washington region, providing low-rent start-up/incubator space, artist live-work units, and satellite classrooms (for universities and non-profits) and attracting a critical mass across a broad array of users, as was the case in London’s Old Truman Brewery. Site mobilisation can be achieved by a combination of temporary installations and events. An active schedule of public events can spur interest, reversing the area’s former stigma. An example of this concept proved effective in London’s Boxpark, where temporary retail, entertainment, and commercial space was added to stabilise the site until future development could occur. The success of the installation suggests it could become a permanent asset to Shoreditch. Phase 1 will require a combination of public and private investment. Improvements to infrastructure and the associated West Baltimore Station will rely on city, state, and federal investment. Renovation to the existing American Ice Company building (privately owned) will require private buyin. Applicable national historic tax credits offer financial incentives for adaptive-reuse projects. Similar to the revival of the Old Truman Brewery, a critical mass of interested users is vital to the projects ongoing success.

BOXPARK, EAST LONDON TEMPORARY EVENTS HOSTED AT LONDON’S BOX PARK SPUR ACTIVITY IN THE AREA WHILE UNDERGOING REDEVELOPMENT

PHASE 2: 3-5 YEARS Upon establishing a sufficient critical mass, Phase 2 development could include the addition of more permanent support services and amenities that cater to both a transient and permanent (new and existing) population. Flexible shed-like typologies allow these spaces to adapt and transform as required. Providing public amenities by the station, such as a food and craft market similar to Copenhagen Street Food, would provide local businesses and entrepreneurs employment opportunities to sell their products while providing amenities and social space for commuters, workers, and residents to enjoy. In turn, these functions could spill out and activate the adjacent public space. The addition of a versatile cultural venue would start to establish vitality and culture within the area as a space for entertainment and events. Activities such as art galleries, local music concerts, open public lectures, and community cinemas are opportunities that can start to integrate the development within the interests of the existing community.

BOXPARK, EAST LONDON RETAIL SERVICES CONTINUE TO GENERATE INTEREST AND BRING LIFE TO THE AREA

PHASE 3: 5-7 YEARS After establishing the station district as an area of interest, investment can occur in more stabilised forms of housing options. Anchoring the neighbourhood corner of the site, this infill development would replace the formerly demolished set of vacant row homes. The architectural detailing of the proposed development mimics the proportions of the adjacent rowhomeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cornices in a response to the sensitivity of the adjacent neighbourhood scale. This potential mix could include live/work lofts, co-living apartments, and various one to three bedroom options. Additional ground floor retail and services would further support this new population. Additional flex space can provide additional services and support program. Possibilities could include a kitchen incubator space for local entrepreneurs to make and sell foods at the neighbouring market building. Additionally, this community amenity could hosts educational sessions related to food nutrition or leisure cooking. The tall ceilings and flexible shed building typology allows adaptation to accommodate alternate programs such as additional retail space or an indoor gymnasium/rock-climbing facility.

PHASE 4: 7-10 YEARS A balanced mix of programme is included in Phase 4, providing space and programme for living, working, collaborating, and playing. The inclusion of stacked housing and ground floor retail brings additional density and services, stabilising a critical mass for the station area. As a newly established neighbourhood, additional investment in public amenities such as a media library with satellite classroom would provide additional services for both the new and existing community. These public institutions play a critical role in integrating the development into the adjacent neighborhood. Spaces for activities such as public lectures, job training, community meetings and extra-curricular activities facilitate interchange between the new and existing community, provide a vibrant social network, instill a sense of belonging and improve community moral (a critical condition that has been lacking in West Baltimore since its decline).

CO-OPERATIVE INVESTMENT MODEL

The combination of low-rent and industrial typologies has a strong history of attracting creatives to an area, arguably contributing to the cycle of gentrification. This phenomena can be observed in the transformation of Soho, New York; East Berlin; and Hackney, London. Despite the successful transformation within these areas, many of the pioneering users have been priced out of the area. Although this discourse has no immediate relevance to the proposed redevelopment strategy for the West Baltimore Station Area, thoughtful consideration and planning for future concerns (based on historical trends ) can ensure the integrity and long-term value of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future, gaining the security of initial investors. Berlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Selfmade, co-operative city model can be considered as an alternative model for stakeholder investment in West Baltimore. With similar spatial and socioeconomic conditions, East Berlin was plagued with vast amounts of vacant buildings and land. Creatives and nonconformists have flocked to these areas, building a unique underground culture driven by lowland values. As expected, the fall of the Berlin Wall brought radical change to the area and at the turn of the century, international investment drastically increased the land values of these areas, jeopardising affordable living and working options in the city. In response, the co-operative model became a critical development method to take back parts of the city for living, working, and culture. In short, the advantages of co-

operative models do not rely solely on public or private funding but leverage buy-in from multiple stakeholders, whom form a mutually beneficial network of resources and common interests 20. As a result, a lower initial investment risk is achieved through shared distribution. Additionally, cooperative models, in conjunction with policies such a ground rent agreements (common in Baltimore City), have been successful in ensuring affordable rent to stakeholders in the midst of transitioning economies. Although this model requires significant coordination among multiple players, given the complexity of West Baltimore, it is a promising alternative to traditional development models that place heavy reliance on private investment (such as universities or companies) or public agencies to fund investments. For instance, a network of emerging start-up companies or nonprofit organisations could crowdsource to raise funds to redevelop the American Ice Company buildings, leasing additional space to generate profit for future investment, contingencies, or retain a pool of income for sustained low rent. Members of the co-operative are not just financially invested in the projects, but are active participants living out the day-to-day functions of the project.

EXROTAPRINT, BERLIN A GROUP OF ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST FORMED A CO-OPERATIVE TO SAVE THE FORMER BRUTALIST ROTAPRINT FACTORY. ADAPTING THE SPACE OVER TIME AS FUNDING ALLOWED, THE SPACE HOUSES LOW RENT LIVE/WORK SPACE FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND NON-PROFITS AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY CANTEEN. AS AN ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY EVENT AND MEETING CENTRE, CO-OPERATIVE PARTICIPANTS OFFER FREE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS AND JOB TRAINING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.

5.0 PARAMETERS FOR GROWTH

5.1

FROM OBSTACLE TO AMENITY

Assuming the successful transition of the West Baltimore Station District, the next phase will focus on future growth along the corridor as a gateway into downtown Baltimore. Prior revisions to mobility patterns around the station and corridor have eliminated vehicular traffic from the “ditch”, freeing up space for future development. Similar to the tactics used in the station area development, initial low investment interventions and temporary uses can be implemented to turn this current obstacle into a public amenity, while connecting the several bordering neighbourhoods. With existing road infrastructure in place, the creation of safe bicycle lanes and jogging trails provide recreational relief from the density of the urban neighbourhood while connecting downtown Baltimore to the station district for cross-commuting. City partnership programs, such as free or reduced bicycle rentals, can activate the corridor while providing a safe recreational environment for neighbourhood children to enjoy. Additionally, the existing vegetation strip can be adopted by local schools or organisations to create communal gardens or outdoor classrooms. Minor interventions such as public art, landscaping, recreation stations, and street furniture will contribute to the stabilisation of the corridor, attracting activity until future development is established.

WEST BALTIMORE’S ARTIFICAL CANYON-ESQ CONDITION

A SERIES OF ACCESS POINTS ARE ESTABLISHED ALONG THE CORRIDOR EDGE TO ENCOURAGE USE FROM ADJACENT NEIGHBO

.25

2 KM

ACCESS VIA TRANSIT STATION SECONDARY STAIR ACCESS GROUND LEVEL ACCESS ACCESS VIA ARCHITECTURE

ATLANTA BELTLINE, UNDER CONSTRUCTION A MAJOR PHASED RENEWAL EFFORT CONSISTING OF 53 KM OF CONTINUOUS MULTI-USE TRAILS, CONNECTING AND PROVIDING A PUBLIC AMENITY FOR 45 NEIGHBOURHOODS. THE GREENBELT HAS THUS FAR BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CATALYSING ADJACENT DEVELOPING, PRECEDING A PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM THAT WILL CONNECT THE REGION IN THE FUTURE. TRAILS PROVIDE ALTERNATE ROUTES FOR EVERYDAY COMMUTING AS WELL AS RECREATION EVENTS.

HELSINKI, BAANA TRAIL A REDUNDANT RECESSED FREIGHT LINE TURNED INTO A MULTI-USE RECREATION PATH, 1.5 KM LONG AND 7 METERS DEEP, LINKS CENTRAL STATION AND LÄNSISATAMA (WEST HARBOUR). PLAYFUL PAVEMENT MARKINGS, VERTICAL VEGETATION, AND INTERACTIVE STREET FURNITURE CREATE AN INVITING ATMOSPHERE WHILE PROGRAMMED SPACES SUCH AS BOCCE BALL AND BASKETBALL COURTS ENCOURAGE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY. A SEQUENCE OF STAIRCASES AND RAMPS CONNECT THE CITY TO THE TRAIL.

LANDSCHAFTSPARK DUISBURG-NORD, GERMANY A FORMER INDUSTRIAL SITE TRANSFORMED INTO AN URBAN RECREATION PARK. REDUNDANT INDUSTRIAL WALLS ARE RE-USED AS ROCK-CLIMBING SPACE. A SIMILAR UNIQUE ACTIVITY COULD BE APPLIED TO THE CORRIDOR WALLS OF WEST BALTIMORE.

5.2

TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE “HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE”

The second area of intervention will aim to unlock the potential of the proposed light rail system to generate transit-oriented development around a proposed transit stop (by the MTA). Despite Baltimore’s dire need for east/west connectivity, the Redline light rail project has met much opposition due to its substantial cost. As evident in the MTA’s vision, the city is failing to acknowledging the true potential of what this new infrastructure will bring to West Baltimore. Not just a stop along the mobility corridor, the following investigations explore visions for how this area can be re-imagined as a unique neighbourhood, attracting further investment and thereby maximising the long-term value of the infrastructural investment.

MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION’S VISION FOR THE CORRIDOR LIGHT RAIL STOP

MARYLAND TRANSIT AUTHORITY’S VISION FOR INTEGRATION OF THE PROPOSED LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM STATION INTO THE “HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE”, AN EXAMPLE OF THE CITY’S MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO MAXIMISE THE VALUE OF ITS INFRASTRUCTURAL INVESTMENT.

Surrounded by a rather mono-functional sea of housing and neighbourhood schools, the area significantly lacks access to basic services and employment opportunities. Proposed development around the light rail stop will operate on a more low-key urban scale in comparison to the lively intensity of the West Baltimore Station District. A balanced mix of diverse housing options, productivity space, and critical community services and amenities around the light rail stop are essential to functioning as a productive neighbourhood.

ST AIL

WA N I M

R KF

100

LIG

200

400 M

5.3

STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING EDGE CONDITIONS Design investigations will address the unique edge conditions created by the void, exploring techniques to vertically connect the urban fabric to the recessed light rail stop in the corridor. Additional explorations will investigate the sequence of horizontal edge conditions, exploring ways in which proposed development can mend this gap and begin to transition into the greater urban fabric.

TYPICAL EDGE CONDITION ALONG WEST BALTIMORE CORRIDOR. FENCING IS USED AS A BUFFER BETWEEN THE FACING ROWHOMES AND CORRIDOR EDGE

AERIAL VIEW OF CORRIDOR EDGE CONDITION

INTEGRATING THE EDGE VIA ARCHITECTURE + LANDSCAPE To achieve a consistent identity throughout the corridor, extending the architectural language of the station to create a compound morphology of architecture, landscape and infrastructure will derive a new unique piece of urban fabric. As previously illustrated in BIG’s S. Louis Arch Park and Weis/Manfredi’s Taekwondo park (ref. Chapter 3.2), this concept can become an integral solution to activate the space in addition to addressing the topographical issues attributed to the recessed highway project. Another example of a hybrid architectural landscape is OMAs proposal for the Chu Hai Campus in Hong Kong. Two freestanding eight-storey vertical slabs simulate a similar canyon like condition as West Baltimore. The design aims to create an intimate and inwardly focused atmosphere animated by campus affairs, while retaining open views onto the surrounding natural landscape to maximise natural ventilation. A series of undulating ramps create a thickened ground floor to link the slabs, creating a continuous public mat for gatherings. Additional access can be achieved by integrating circulation into architectural development. An example of this concept is best illustrated in Sanaa’s design for the Gifu apartments. Access to housing units is consolidated along the exterior, layering on a secondary facade activated by the communal circulation. A transition from public to private is achieved through a slight gap that separates the main stair from a parallel semiprivate arcade where the units are accessed from.

PROPOSITONAL CONCEPT SKETCH FOR ADOPTION OF GIFU APARTMENT CIRCULATORY FACADE AT CORRIDOR EDGE

OMA’S PROPOSAL FOR CHU HAI CAMPUS IN HONG KONG

ADAPTED VERSION OF OMA’S CHU HAI CAMPUS BY ROCCO DESIGN ARCHITECTS

SANAA’S GIFU APARTMENT COMPLEX IN JAPAN

CONCEPTUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CORRIDOR AS A CONTINUOUS, MULTIDIMENSIONAL PUBLIC REALM FROM STATION TO CBD

ESTABLISH POINT OF INTERVENTION AT EXISTING PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

PROPOSED ACCESS VIA PUBLIC LANDSCAPE Combining elements from aforementioned case studies, a vocabulary to test architectural interventions along the corridor edge are tested. One method for establishing connectivity to this redundant space is to create a landscaped public infrastructure that connects from the interior of the corridor at the station to the existing pedestrian bridge above. This concept creates a unique spatial experience, terracing from the urban grid into the canyon like conditions of the corridor. As in the design modifications to the existing West Baltimore Station, interstitial space below this infrastructure can be programmed to activate the ground level, including neighbourhood amenities and services such as coffee shops, convenience stores, or work studios. In this particular situation, this space can double as a covered shelter for commuters of the light rail stop.

ELEVATE TO MERGE WITH EXISTING PED BRIDGE

POPULATE PROGRAMME IN INTERSTITIAL SPACE

PROPOSED ACCESS VIA ARCHITECTURE Additional tests within this area explore the potential of housing as infrastructure, providing differentiated public and private vertical access to the station. An advantage of the corridor’s depth is that it can achieve higher density, while keeping with the height and scale of the existing neighbourhood. The original urban grid is retained in order for the proposed intervention to integrate with the existing context. As a result, the existing facade’s orientation pattern is preserved to create visual continuity between north and south blocks, despite the void between them. The proposed development clusters straddles the existing pedestrian bridge, retaining pedestrian access and visual continuity through the site. The proposed building orientation creates a semi-public residential atrium at the north end of the path, creating an inviting atmosphere and pedestrian scaled point of access to the station, a stark contrast to the existing conditions.

STRENGTHEN ACCESS TO EXISTING AND PROVIDE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND AMENITIES WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE TRANSIT STOP

Likewise, this connectivity creates a fluent network of circulation throughout the site, strengthening access to existing amenities. The inclusion of additional amenities such as local retail/services and productivity space encourages crossover between the north and south neighbourhoods, activating the in-between intervention.

CONSOLIDATE ACCESS TO MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORT OPTIONS

RECONNECT INTERVENTION WITH THE ADJACENT BLOCK VIA CONTINUATION OF THE URBAN GRID, RETAIN PATTERNS OF EXISTING BUILDING ORIENTATION

MIXED-USE HOUSING INTERVENTION The proposed interventions explore two sequences of edge conditions: at the border of the corridor (01A, 01B) and as a transition between the border and existing row housing (02).

01B The second investigation draws on the circulation techniques used in Sanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gifu Apartments and that of the landscaped public infrastructure as a means of combining architecture and circulation. Similar to the first concept, a terraced facade aims to create visual relief from within the corridor, while allowing optimal daylight to penetrated through the glazed facade. A sequence of terraced switchbacks provides communal outdoor space for resident gatherings as well as additional semi-private balconies along the western edge. Additional floor space at the pedestrian bridge provides opportunities for local services, creating a buffer between the residents and the more communal path towards the station.

01A This concept is tested in a new mixed-used housing complex that straddles the edge of the corridor, providing private access to residents from upper and lower levels. In keeping with the original grid orientation, the building is accessed from the pedestrian bridge running perpendicular to the corridor. A glazed undulating facade provides visual relief from the linearity of the corridor walls, while framing large unique views from the units. Large openings in the facade allow daylight to spill into the circulation corridors (in addition to vertical light well) along the face of the corridor wall, in addition to becoming communal outdoor terraces. Similar to the structure of the Gift apartments, the modular structure of the building allows for adaption of room sizing, providing suitable housing options for growing families and or live/work spaces. Additionally, ground floor retail and productivity space activate the ground floor adjacent to the station, creating a hierarchy of stacked public and private (residential) space.

02 Positioned within the existing micro-grid, the second exploration aims to respond to the existing context while providing diverse housing options and spatial requirements that cannot be achieved with the rowhome typology. Due to its position as a corner unit, dual facades will be provided in keeping with the areas original orientation. Fenestration patterns, although larger to allow more desired daylight, align with the rhythm of the existing rows. Penetrations in the facade allow relief from repetition, yet accommodate the existing massing.

O1A

SECTION THRU PROPOSED INTERVENTION AT CORRIDOR LIGHT RAIL STOP

O2 8

32 M

O1B

Drawing inspiration from Berlin’s co-operative models, this development can become a coliving environment for families. Given the areas current unemployment rate and family dynamic, these cooperate environments could prove exceptionally beneficial, offering shared services such as childcare and elderly assistance. Acknowledging these shared conditions, the units feature spacious open floor plans than is provided in the narrow rowhomes,. A private communal interior courtyard and rooftop terraces provide differentiated spaces for gatherings.

O1A

LEFT, 3XGRÜN CO-OPERATIVE, GERMANY SIMILAR OPENINGS IN THE PROPOSED FACADE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNAL TERRACES, ENCOURAGING RESIDENT INTERACTION AMONGST THE VERTICALLY STACKED UNITS. RIGHT, TYPICAL MEWS CONDITION, LONDON A SEMI-PRIVATE MEWS LIKE CONDITION IS CREATED BY THE GRID STRUCTURE BETWEEN THE UNITS 01A AND 02, OFF THE MAIN PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PATH. IN THE TYPICAL BALTIMORE BLOCK CONFIGURATION, THESE REAR ORIENTED FACADES FACE ONTO INACTIVE SERVICE ALLEYWAYS. HOWEVER, THROUGH DESIGN ARTICULATION THE SPACE BECOME A VALUABLE INTIMATE COMMUNAL SPACE RATHER THAN MERELY A SERVICE PATH.

5.4

TRANSITIONS: ADAPTATIONS TO THE EXISTING URBAN FABRIC

WORKING NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE AMERICAN BREWERY, BALTIMORE C.1950

Additional explorations begin to investigate the edge transitions between new and existing development. In particular, these exercises tests the potential of Baltimore’s existing rowhome typology to adapt to the spatial requirements of modern day productivity and family dynamics in order to become a contributing asset to the productive neighborhood. While there is much debate over the preservation versus mass demolition of Baltimore’s vacant rowhome stock, understanding the limitations of this typology can leverage its effectiveness in responding to these modern day needs.

WEST BALTIMORE NEIGBOURHOOD NEAR STATION, NOVEMBER 2015

During the industrial revolution, neighbourhoods such as West Baltimore, were built on the foundations of manufacturing. The factory, as the hub of the neighbourhood, was the economic lifeline for residents in the area. The mass construction of rowhousing was a response to house the large quantities of workers employed in manufacturing. Corner stores and delis were set up to provide community services before a widespread network of transportation was available, when the “walking city” concept was still relevant 18. Children played in neighbourhood parks, workers drank in local pubs or beer gardens near the factory. These former neighbourhoods were vibrant and rather autonomous. Although the means of productivity has changed and the factory is no longer the economic lifeline of the community, the desired convenience and active community network remain valid preferences in today’s knowledge-based landscape.

ROWHOME AS DESIGNED CIRCA 1900

ROWHOME AS USED CIRCA 2015

However, the evolving family dynamic and productivity needs have rendered the rowhome spatially inadequate in some regards. Despite its issues, on an urban scale, the rowhome typology creates a strong hierarchy and continuous street presence, preserving public and private boundaries. In addition, continuous facades at a comfortable human scale.

AERIAL VIEW OF BALTIMORE’S ENDEMIC ROWHOMES C. 1950

MODERN DAY ADAPTATION OF THE ROWHOME IN AN EFFORT TO ACCOMMODATE ADDITIONAL SPATIAL NEED REQUIRED BY MODERN DAY LIFESTYLES AND FAMILY DYNAMICS.

EXPLORING POTENTIAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE ROWHOME FOR HOME-BASED PRODUCTIVITY A survey around the West Baltimore station area yields several layers of home-based productivity amidst the urban bligh such as home-based AVON sales (top left), home-based daycare centres (middle), to ground floor retail below housing (right). Due to its efficient form, the circulation orientation of the rowhome directly affects the spatial organisation of adjacent spaces. The following schematic arrangements investigate adaptations to create a suitable environment for living co-existing with productivity (depicted

in orange) within the context of a typical Baltimore rowhome dimension. Acknowledging that there are invariable forms of productivity with additional specific needs, the focus on this exercise assumes modifications based principally on the general limitations of the current rowhouse configuration to provide a suitable environment for productivity, such as insufficient space, lack of transition between living and work functions (particularly for multi-person firms) as well as inadequate daylighting.

VISITON FOR HOW THE BATIMORE ROWHOME COULD BE RE-IMAGINED IN THE FUTURE

SUITABLE FOR 1-6 WORKERS LIVE/WORK SEPERATION 4/5 MAXIMUM OPENNESS IS ACHIEVE IN THE LOFTY FLOORPLAN, ALLOWING NATURAL LIGHT TO PERMEATE THE BASEMENT RENDERING THE SPACE USEFUL. A SHARED KITCHEN SPACE CREATES A TRANSITION BETWEEN LIVING ON THE UPPER FLOOR AND PRODUCTIVITY ON THE LOWER.

SUITABLE FOR 1-4 WORKERS LIVE/WORK SEPERATION 5/5 WHILE THIS CONFIGURATION PROVIDES OPTIMAL SEPARATION BETWEEN LIVING AND WORKING, IT DOES NOT PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER LEVEL WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE CIRCULATION AS A BARRIER BETWEEN FUNCTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, LOCATING SHARED AMENITIES IN THE LOW LIT BASEMENT IS NOT IDEAL.

MAIN PRODUCTIVITY ZONE

SUITABLE FOR SINGLE WORKER LIVE/WORK SEPERATION 1/5 OPENNESS OF GROUND FLOOR ALLOWS VISIBILITY FROM PRIVATE WORK LOFT ONTO FUNCTIONS BELOW. THIS SETUP MAY BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR WORK FROM HOME PARENTS WHO NEED TO RETAIN SURVEILLANCE ON THE HOUSE BUT NEED A SENSE OF SEPARATION.

SUITABLE FOR 1-12 WORKERS LIVE/WORK SEPARATION 3/5 THIS OPTION ALLOCATES MAXIMAL SPACE TO PRODUCTIVITY REDUCING PRIVATE LIVING TO THE BEDROOM. A LOFTY OPEN PLAN ALLOWS NATURAL LIGHT TO PERMEATE INTO THE BASEMENT. ADDITIONAL CIRCULATION AT THE REAR PROVIDES THE OPTION FOR SEPARATE ENTRANCES.

5.5

ENVISIONING THE CORRIDORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FUTURE POTENTIAL

Establishing the fundamental infrastructure of the corridor and its potential as an integral new urban fabric, what are the future potentials for growth? As a tool for envisioning future transformation within the greater West Baltimore area, the corridor can act as a gateway, an armature, for prospective redevelopment. Diversified housing options and services to enhance everyday life such as daycares, grocery stores, and productivity space would significantly improve the vitality of the existing residential area. Activity nodes and amenities such as recreation and park space could provide a nature reserve within the dense urban fabric. Adjacent to the central business district, programmatic extensions of the bordering the University of Maryland Medical Campus can begin to occupy the redundant space, providing amenities such as resident housing, research libraries, and restaurants. More than merely a multi-mobility path to link the West Baltimore Station District with the Central Business District, the corridor and its surrounding neighborhoods can grow into a vibrant environment where residents can live, work, and play.

RIGHT, FUTURE VISION FOR THE WEST BALTIMORE STATION AND CORRIDOR AS A GATEWAY FROM WASHINGTON D.C. TO DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE

6.0

CONCLUSION

FROM “HIGHWAY TO NOWHERE” TO GATEWAY OF WEST BALTIMORE

Considering the complex challenges in re-qualifying inner urban industrial landscapes in cities such as Baltimore, this thesis demonstrates the necessity to think beyond standard transit-oriented development models by deriving a tailored strategy that builds upon existing foundational elements in order to establish the area viable for redevelopment. The transformation of the West Baltimore Station into a productive neighbourhood station area, illustrates the ability of cities to not only maximise long-term value from existing infrastructural investments, but also catalyse future transformation within a larger territory. Although this concept may seem like an intrinsic occurrence in many prosperous cities, given the challenges in rust-belt regions such as Baltimore, the success of such neighbourhood scale transformations establishes a crucial turning point by reversing associated stigmas of blighted areas to attract additional investment. Additionally, the vital importance of mobility in effectively distributing services and resources across a wider network is illustrated in West Baltimore’s potential for redevelopment, and acknowledging the area’s reliance on some of the strongest economies within the greater BaltimoreWashington D.C. region and the Northeast megalopolis. As in the case of Malmo’s redevelopment, without access to this greater network of resources and talent base, redevelopment in West Baltimore will not be feasible. As with any strong circuit, the distribution of shared resources must be balanced amongst elements, so as to enrich and not hinder the effectiveness of the network as a whole. This requires development at the West Baltimore station to offer a unique asset that compliments the greater needs of the region in order to attract a critical mass that can sustain development.

As an intermediate node between burgeoning Washington D.C. and Baltimore’s urban core, the West Baltimore Station District provides lowrent options for living and working with strong connectivity and close proximity to both economic centres. This results in an attractive alternative to the soaring costs of living in the city centre. Harnessing the potential of Baltimore and Washington’s growing knowledge-based industries, the station area development performs as a springboard for local and regional talent. Opportunities for expansion into the surrounding urban fabric provide additional room for growth and regeneration in the area. Arguing against generic mixed use-development, the project exemplifies the need to build on the potential of existing conditions in order to derive unique solutions that cater to the specific needs of the area, while incorporating quality design solutions to gain a competitive edge. This concept is critically important in re-establishing fragile urban areas with limited economic resources. Sensitivity to the scale and needs of the existing urban context must also be considered for integration and to build a mutually beneficial network that enhance, not marginalize existing communities. The transition from post-industrial to knowledge-based productivity has not only changed the nature of what is considered work, but it has also created new lifestyle trends resulting in new spatial requirements. The design explorations put forth in this thesis exemplify the potential of resuscitating post-industrial remnants (e.g., the American Ice Company factory) when paired with new flexible typologies, ultimately enriching the area with architectural character and allowing for a sustainable means of programme diversity and adaptation to create a knowledge-based landscape. This resilient approach to design ensures a lower development risk, allowing the needs of the user and market to transition over time.

Understanding the reality of West Baltimoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deep socioeconomic and spatial issues, the ambition of the interventions set forth in this thesis do not strive to provide a cohesive solution for the greater area, but suggests incremental, neighbourhood-scale regeneration projects can have a meaningful impacts to unlock the potential of the area on a local and regional scale. This thesis argues that in order to achieve successful urban regeneration, a cohesive strategy involving a combined vision across multiple actors at multiple design scales must align. The organisation of such effort is no simple feat, and requires buy-in from multiple stakeholders over a phased amount of time. Therefore, the importance of planning for resiliency, from an architectural scale to cohesive development models, is critical in determining the ability to transition and evolve within the innate dynamic of urban environments.

The thesis investigates the potential of the established West Baltimore Station District to become a catalyst for future regeneration in the area focusing on the potential of the redundant recessed highway corridor to become a gateway linking the station with Baltimoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Business District by maximising the value of the proposed light rail infrastructure through transit-oriented development. Expanding upon the design strategies set forth in the station development, explorations in the corridor question the potential of infrastructure as a former neighbourhood barrier, to become an opportunity area for community enrichment.

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