Margot Shafran's Portfolio by Margot Shafran

MARGOT SHAFRAN Academic Portfolio

Master of Architecture Master of Landscape Architecture Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts Washington University in St. Louis

CONTENTS 01 hot dirt 02 the one tree project 03 the greater chain of being 04 the baden project 05 centro communitario 06 702 westgate 07 our lonely island 08 st georges national arts park

MARGOT SHAFRAN

margot.shafran@gmail.com margotshafran.org 513.482.0063

DHM DESIGN Collaborative internship project focused on a strategically phased revitalization of the historic Carenage area of St. Georges, Grenada with a focus towards economic and ecological adaptability in the face of economic decline, social vacancy, and coastal threats. Implementation of a marketing document dedicated to the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects centered around rivers. Design and documentation support for the new visitors center at Pikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peak in Colorado Springs CO. Landscape Architecture Intern Denver CO | May - August 2016

CHRISTNER INC. Schematic design development for Washington Ave. as part of the pilot project of the Grand Center Master Plan. Internship research project on TownGown relationships studying modes and methods for improvement. Responsible for construction documents and design for planting plan of medical facility. Aided with construction administration and on-going research regarding green-roof technology, nature play facilities, tree ordinances, and grant requirements. Landscape Architecture Intern St. Louis MO | May - August 2015

FACILITIES PLANNING & MANAGEMENT Worked with grounds manager and horticulturist Kent Theiling to develop landscape strategies and designs for Washington University owned property on and off campus. Tasks included developing designs for small scale landscapes, generating palettes of Missouri native plants, and coordinating the implementation of designs. Assisted with the documentation of campus assets in a GIS database by taking survey points in order to expand and maintain campus records. Landscape Architecture Intern St. Louis MO | May - August 2014

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST LOUIS Master of Landscape Architecture, Sam Fox School of Design, December 2017 Master of Architecture, Sam Fox School of Design, December 2017 2018 University Olmsted Scholar

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Bachelor of Science in Architecture, 2013 Graduated Magna Cum Laude Dean’s List, Global Scholar, Cumulative GPA 3.82

DISTINCTION & AFFILIATIONS Co-President of the American Society of Landscape Architecture Student Chapter 2016-2017 Washington University in St. Louis Carol Macht Scholarship 2015-2017 Washington University in St. Louis President of Landscape Architecture for the Graduate Architecture Council 2014-2015 Washington University in St. Louis awarded to a graduating student selected by the Director’s Choice Award school director for outstanding merit in their field. 2013 University of Cincinnati Member // AIAS & ASLA

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE Modeling Software // ArcGIS, Rhinoceros3D, V-Ray, Revit, AutoCad, 3D Studio Max, T-Splines, Maya, Grasshopper, MicroStation, Sketchup Presentation Software // Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Powerpoint Analogue Abilities // Hand Sketch, Watercolour, Book Binding, Foundry Sculpture, Collage, Model Making Spatial and Conceptual Mapping, Typography and Layout Design, Idea and Conceptualization, Site Analysis, Design Development, Construction Documentation and Detailing, Program Development

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE Lehman Smith McLeish, Architecture Intern, mar - aug 2012 Washington DC

Teacher, Alberti Program june 2017 St. Louis Missouri

BHDP, Architecture Intern sep - dec 2011 Columbus Ohio

Laser Lab Monitor 2014 - present Washington University

Prototype Design Lab, Architecture Intern may - aug 2011 Toronto Canada

Computer Lab Monitor 2015 - present Washington University

MARGOT SHAFRAN

margot.shafran@gmail.com margotshafran.org 513.482.0063

ACADEMIC REFERENCES Rod Barnett Chair of Master of Landscape Architecture Washington University in St. Louis 334.332.8183 | rodbarnett@wustl.edu Jesse Vogler Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture Washington University in St. Louis 505.977.539 | vogler@wustl.edu

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES Marc Diemer Associate Principal DHM Design, Carbondale Colorado 970.425.6526 | mdiemer@dhmdesign.com Laurel Harrington Director of Landscape Architecture and Civic Market Leader Christner Inc. St. Louis Missouri 314.561.4445 | laurelharrington@christnerinc.com

GUIDING QUESTIONS What is the changing function of public space? How can it perform as a great unifier, a builder of communities and integral to the urban experience? How can designed efforts respond to changing ecological conditions while also supporting community enrichment? How can these efforts draw out a public; an audience? These are some of the uncertainties that have been raging in my consciousness while studying to become a landscape architect and architect. As a designer I look for questions only knowing that design thinking can bring together material, culture, and spatial practices. I work to orchestrate encounters between humans and natural phenomena and investigate in what ways contemporary society can become more attuned to one another and our surroundings. I value a collaborative environment where there is opportunity for interpretation and novelty. As always, this work is in process.

HOT D IRT Washington University in St. Louis Degree Project / Autumn 2017

hot dirt

St. Louis sits as a quiet contributor to the making of the atomic bomb. Along the banks of the Mississippi River, the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works processed uranium used in the Manhattan Project and for development of nuclear technology through the Cold War. The radioactive by-product of this process has since been dispersed though a series of migrations, but now sits on the outskirts of the city in West Lake Landfill where it was used as a capping material for daily refuse. The landfill has since been closed but has been on the EPA superfund site list since 1990.

Top: Movement of radioactive waste in St. Louis Metropolitan Area Bottom: Concentration of radioactive waste by West Lake Landfill

West Lake Landfill

9200 Latty Ave St. Louis Airport Storage Site

Weldon Springs Conservation Area

Mallinckrodt Chemical Works Plant

2mi

4mi

8mi

Locations of reported rare Appendix Cancer St. Louis International Airport Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals SSM Health DePaul

16,000'

Earth City Hollywood Casino

4,000'

8,000'

16,000'

Simultaneously, directly adjacent to West Lake landfill, is another landfill, where buried material is decaying at an accelerated pace, known as an anaerobic fire. As a result, there is a heightened sensitivity towards the radioactive remains at West Lake Landfill. Concerns relate to the threat of further destruction on human health and environmental health if the fire were to reach and cause expedited decay of the radioactive material. This project sits next to these landfills in a detention basin that collects water runoff diverted from Bridgeton Landfill and flows into the Missouri river.

SPECTACLE The practices of monumentalization and memorialization, the transformation of nuclear landscapes to cultural landscapes create landscapes for consumption and concealment. Instead, these landscapes should be considered landscapes of complex socio-political histories that need to be further tested and explored by designers. These methods of spectacularization reduce environmental memory by concealing their pasts.

UNBUILDING To unbuild: the practice of strategic assemblage, movement, and disassemblage of material, such that it can can be reused and re-assembled in different combinations. A strategy that acknowledges changing human needs, and non-static conditions.

CALL TO ACTION Human exposure to radioactive material destroys the body on a molecular level, damaging DNA and causing mutation. Activists seek to find solutions for removing this nuclear material from our environments to reduce human exposure and suffering. Nuclear material is boundless. Nuclear material is homeless. Scientists and activists must come together to help rectify this reality.

BUILDING HALF-LIFE Through design, we can create architecture that incorporates the inevitable decay of buildings by exploring the relationship between the rate of programmatic decay and building decay.

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CYCLES OF DISTURBANCE This project explores how designers can engage with inevitable disturbance in environments. This project does not address the challenges of nuclear waste disposal, nor the distillation of radioactive materials. Instead, this project is an effort to understand and interpret the post-conflict landscape of nuclear war in St. Louis. The creation of an open pavilion allows the landfill and controversies surrounding the remains of nuclear investigation to be accessed both physically and metaphorically by the existing publics, scientists, and governments that surround this condition. It is an open pavilion host to civilian space for discussion, activism as well as laboratory space for continued research on radioactive environments in the wake of human settlement and environmental destruction.

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MEETING ROOM

50 people

10 people

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LAB

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40 permanent parking spaces Ability to park 130 vehicles total

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PRESENTAION HALL 100 people

NUCLEAR WASTE SUMMIT

PRESENTAION HALL 50 people

MEETING ROOM

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LAB LAB

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Labs -1600sf each (composed of 2 project spaces) Project Space - 800sf Workspace - 200sf | 6 people w 6’x6’ workstation Team Collaboration Space 300sf Storage Space 300sf

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PEOPLE AND PROGRAM In its initial state, this building is a citizen centre for information and aid. The US Army Corps will have a resource library staffed with a Buyout Officer available to help community members interested in leaving the vicinity of West Lake Landfill to find new homes. During this time, the site will also act as a portal into participatory citizen science for those inclined to gather urban radiation levels. With the help of active citizens, the US Army Corps can begin to map out radiation levels across the city, and across time. Eventually, the smoldering fire at Bridgeton Landfill could reach the radioactive material at West Lake Landfill. At this point, the area must be evacuated, and the surrounding air filtered. In time, the fallout will dissipate, and radiation will be diluted. Perhaps, this area can be recolonized as a site of commemoration. In time, when the environmental memory of the site is forgotten, it may be prudent to mark the land as dangerous for future populations.

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EXISTING SITE LANDFILL WATERSHED 80 ACRES

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AUDITORIUM (300)

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remnant soil mound ENCOLSURE

labs / assembly

SILO SOLAR PLATFORM

EXCAVATION

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ARCHITECTURAL STRATEGY This is an investigation into how we might remember and interact with a paradoxical past; a past of conflict intertwined between awe and fear, triumph and tragedy, discovery and destructiveness. Instead of working against the nature of the site, the building works to re-choreograph existing site elements, dirt and water to offer a way of thinking about making architecture that is not immediate. Hot Dirt, acknowledges that everything is always changing and therefore offers architecture as a strategy of investigation instead of as a solution. The strategy begins simply by digging out a part of the basin to provide extra capacity for the basin; this will offset the capacity of the enclosure. Next, the cut material is mounded to the north of the basin where it will sit exposed to wind, water, vegetation, and gravity, which will ultimately shape the eventual cast enclosure. In time, these mounds will be cast in a thin shelled reinforced concrete with added formwork for openings to allow in light, air and water. After concrete has been cast and cured, dirt material will be removed slowly to expose enclosure.

(i)

(ii)

The site scale strategy is complemented by an architecture of occupation in the space between ground and sky; four varying strategies to experience, showcase, and perform environment. At every oculi within the caste concrete shell, it will be occupied by one of these four methods. The first is merely a leftover pile of dirt, mounded underneath the opening (i). With time, inflicted by water and wind, these mounds will erode, its material migrating elsewhere underneath the pavilion, practically erased as if it has never existed there in the first place. It is possible that these mounds will become vegetated - with exposure to sun and rain, they could pull dormant seeds up from out of hibernation, creating small islands of sprouting ground. They have no formal foundation or grounding to the earth - only the possibility that the roots of pioneer species will hold them in place. In the second occupation between earth and sky, a platform of limestone and concrete will be made to act as a stage - a place of gathering, and performance (ii).

(iii)

(iv)

As water streams into the oculus above, the limestone edges will weather and act as a metric to measure change and time. This platform will be constructed on grade. As such, it will possibly move slightly leaning this way, slipping that way. In the third strategy, the space between earth and sky will be plugged with a giant concrete silo rushing upward from ground to above the pavilion (iii). Inside will be a spiral staircase. When the concrete crumbles, stairs will still be hanging from the rebar of the construct to provide access upwards above the shelter. Finally, in the fourth mechanism for occupation, the space will be occupied in stratum - levels where conversation and research can take place (iv). This is built on a foundation of piles - around which air, water, and earth can move freely.

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MATERIAL EXPLORATION How can material in situ be used as concrete formwork? How does this mode of working offer an opportunity to find form instead of dictating form? Through the repositioning of materials found on a site, I disrupt typical concrete construction methods. Cast concrete is usually valued for its ability to achieve perfection and control of final form. Instead this is a material exploration of potentials instead of expectations Hot Dirt is a making of form to reflect context with the potential to physically reference site conditions or capture a moment in time. Rockite is a fast-setting, self-leveling, water based structural anchoring compound. It was chosen over concrete due to its ability to set quickly and in cold temperatures. When mixed with minimal water, it is elastic, like a yeast dough. This work is an effort to set initial conditions, then allow the properties of each material to generate form. Although the forms are somewhat predictable, the outcome of each piece is totally unique and impossible to predetermine. Through this method of making I discovered spatial and material relations that I would have otherwise overlooked, or not have had the sensibility to design without trial. This is a generative way of making that requires testing, open-mindedness, and the audacity to be willing to let go of control of an otherwise very controlled method of making form; casting concrete. This work was made in the ground, using various materials including ice, leaves, bark, soil, gravel, and fire.

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Further, this project works to bring the individual into a tuned interaction between oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self and the always changing environment around them. This is a project and site of becoming, a project that reveals itself in stages and welcomes the possibility of unknown futures contingent on the interaction of publics, elements, and other biota that interact in the space.

margot.shafran@gmail.com margot.shafran.org 513.482.0063 margotshafran.org/hot-dirt/

THE ONE TREE P ROJ ECT Washington University in St. Louis MLA Studio / Spring 2017 In collaboration with Robert Birch • Alisa Blatter • Shu Guo Yuting Ji • Scott Mitchell • Jesse Vogler

the one tree project

This project is structured around the imminent destruction of Washington University’s historic Brooking’s Drive Oak Allée. We begin with the hypothesis that landscape architecture has much to learn from a focused, intensive study of one tree. This is a project-based studio steeped in multidisciplinary research—and as such does not begin with a known outcome but rather with a working method to offer a window into the greater meaning of trees in our urban ecosystem and cultures.

Laser scan point cloud data for each of the 43 Pin Oak Trees distilled from the entire scan.

Working with arborists, ecologists, landscape architects, artists, dendrochronologists, and archivists, we worked to understand and bring forward the many meanings of one treeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from root to crown, from microbial sub-soil cultures to species habitats in its highest branches, from the monoculture of the 43 pin oak trees in the allĂŠe to the diverse ecological community beyond. The many ways of understanding one tree inform the ultimate direction of the studio resulting in various experimental platforms for exhibition that reframe this well-known cultural landscape and thank the trees for their 80 years of service

Aerial of the Brookingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drive Oak AllĂŠe April 2, 2017 captured using drone photography with assistance from Yi Zhang

3D LASER SCAN Using 3D laser scanning technology, we worked to capture 50 separate scans of the Brookings AllĂŠe to formulate a full scale point cloud scan of the entire space including all trees, building exteriors, and any other shape in the space.

ROOT EXCAVATION In an effort to truly understand the root system of a tree, we worked together to full uncover one main arterial root from one of the Pin Oak Trees. We used only our hands and hand tools.

SONIC TOMOGRAPHY Working with German tree expert Frank Rinn, we used sound waves to map the cross-sectional density of the trees. In doing so we gained knowledge regarding the quality of living material inside each specimen. Counter to what many believed these trees, 80 plus years in age, were still healthy, stable organisms.

Twenty Tree Core Samples taken from every tree of the inner Brookings AllĂŠe. Tree core samples reveal the inherent capacity of tree structure to archive its own history. In addition we collected the height, diameter at breast height and resistance of each tree.

Enclosure Construction and Reconstruction

ENCLOSURE 1.0 Constructed in response to our root archeology did site, this enclosure is conceived as a protective barrier between root trench and Brookings Allée - a space for entry within to the campus. This enclosure is based on a typical tree protection fence you see on construction sites, but in our case, we altered the inaccessible enclosure by creating a central entry void, and then bleacher seating. Through the misuse of the typical tree protection enclosure we were able to successfully appease the powers at be at Washington University who insisted we had to stop digging. Further, not only were we able to continue digging up the root, we were then able to more successfully invite those passing by into our dig site and talk to them about this historic space and its imminent transformation. Through this enclosure we were able to invite audience into the otherwise quite project.

ENCLOSURE 2.0 Enclosure 2.0 came in response to the demise of the first enclosure. Unlike the first, this enclosure is not situated in the Brookings Allée. Instead it sits parallel to Forsyth Ave. in front of the Arts School. No longer is the enclosure intended for root watching, now it is a place to be with a tree. Nothing more, but the result was more powerful than we could have expected. We disassembled the first enclosure and reorganized the various pieces as a long and narrow space. This space is contemplative, unusual, freeing yet secure. A place open to all who pass-by, but it is only the brave who make it their own. I wonder why is it that in our Midwest culture, here in St. Louis people do not take a moment from their day, and pause - take time in this enclosure, feel entitled to use the enclosure. We may have built it for the public, but the public wasn’t coming.

ONE TREES To distill one from many. And then to build back up into a chorus of independent forms. Patience is a requirement to collect the point data, patch and convert the points into a complete cloud, dissect the data into individual tree files, convert those individual tree files to formats that are usable in other programs, import those new tree files, apply animation, render, and compose.

Still from an animation of cross sections moving through trees submitted to the Cinema at City Garden film competition. Animation was constructed using 3DS Max and Adobe After Effects.

TREE ENCOUNTERS As I begin to develop my design practice, I become more and more curious and cautious about the term â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. We work with the public and design public space, but who is the public? With common use, the term public has lost specificity in meaning. Instead, I choose to use the term audience. Design is a performance, and we need to entice an audience to take ownership over environment; be participants in the choreography we establish through design. My work, over the course of this semester, worked to frame The One Tree Project as a performance, a constant exhibition that drew in an audience amongst individual streams of investigations. Throughout I worked to broaden interest in the project and sought to welcome non-dendrophiles to participate in our explorations. As such, through The One Tree Project, I explored methods of building an audience and participate practice in landscape design. These moments of establishment and engagement with a public are entitled Tree Encounters.

TREE BREATH To be with a tree, not an opportunity we take or find often. Usually we notice their presence as means of shade, or accent to a naturalized landscape. Now is the moment to counteract that... The beginning of a meditation I wrote specifically to engage in the present with a tree. To listen to or download the full meditation visit: theonetreeproject.org/2017/04/10/tree-breath/

Testing my meditation before improvements and publication.

AUDIENCE Contemporary audience takes form through many platforms. While I did focus on the web-precence of The One Tree Project via our blog and instagram, I especially worked to engage various groups around campus with our on-going investigations in physical space. As an homage to Washuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic identity, I created a graphic for the project through a rerepresentation of the 1906 school yearbook The Hatchet. This graphic became the emblam for the various installations we constructed on campus over the course of the semester.

Top: Tour of The One Tree Project with the Alberti Program, an educational outreach initiative that provides St. Louis students ages 8-16 an opportunity to explore architecture and design through weekend workshops. Bottom: Lecturer Michael Allen holds seminar class titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Unruly Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; inside The One Tree Project Enclosure 1.0

TREE TASTING Every Friday at 5:30pm, the Graduate Architecture Council (GAC) hosts a happy hour. In an effort to bring The One Tree Project to a larger audience, I worked with the GAC to host the happy hour in the Enclosure 2.0. - subject to forces around it including the rules of drinking on campus. In order to drink outdoors on campus, the boundary of the even must be enclosed, you need need to serve food, and you need stamps.

TREE WALK This walk promoted the bodily experience of the Brookings Drive Pin Oak allée one last time. Participants completed an orchestrated mediation between the vastness of tree body and individual body by materially mapping the interconnected condition between these beings. Each participant partnered with one tree, and began their solo walk from that tree into the vastness of the allée — each establishing their individual trajectory, interacting with other participants and trees along the way. Pace, direction and interaction with fellow participants matter. And so, while you begin at one tree – you go on a journey ultimately mapping out the constellation of trees and their interconnectivity that makes this landscape an allée. The material result is a mapping of individual paths, but also a mapping of interaction, and ultimately connectivity. To conclude the performance, each participant joined hands and marched down the allée one last time as a collective being, interacting with the constellation of ribbon constructed minutes before. Finally, as a group we ran forth out from the university ripping through the ribbon destroying it through motion. The outcome: a sense of togetherness and shared sense of experience. Together a public mapped out the allée, and together they destroyed it.

Sunday May 21 2017 2:30pm Washington University entrance, Lindell at Skinker In partnership with The Department of Walking www.dptwlk.org

THE ONE TREE TREE TRIBUTE PROJECT Sunday May 21 2017 | 1:00 PM

1 Brookings Drive | At the base of steps

A gathering to acknowledge the oak trees in front of Brookings Hall for contributing and holding stories over their 80+ years of living on the Washington University campus. A prayer and blessing will be offered to thank them for their partnership and the spiritual, spatial, and co-evolving bonds that have emerged throughout this time. Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies

Monday May 22 2017 | 9:00 AM

1 Brookings Drive | At the base of steps

TREE RAISING

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One Tree will be excavated then lifted by crane — roots and all — a ritual marking of this moment of transformation. This intact tree, opens up a singular experience of the tree as an entire organism. As a material artifact this tree carries the incredible potential to enrich narrative and ecological continuities across this moment of transition.

Sam Fox School of Architecture and Urban Design

TREE DAY The One Tree Project culminated in tree lifting day where efforts were made to hydro excavate the roots of one tree so that it could be lifted out of the earth by crane and suspended such that it can be walked under. In the end, the tree’s foundations prevailed. The tree was not lifted. No crane nor brain could outwit the strength of the tree’s root system. It was a spectacle. Tree people, active citizens, and university members came out to witness this extraordinary effort.

margot.shafran@gmail.com margot.shafran.org 513.482.0063 For more information about The One Tree Project visit: theonetreeproject.org

THE GREATER CHAIN OF BEING Washington University in St. Louis Landscape Studio / Fall 2016 In collaboration with Shuying Wu

the greater chain of being a contested terrain

The worlds we make and the landscapes we project are intimately tied to broader systems of belief and value. What is perhaps somewhat sobering, however, is the fact that this is true even, and specifically, if we do not make these belief systems an active part of our ideation. This project is an attempt to look directly at these structures of belief, as we bring into question some of the more abiding models and metaphors that have structured our relationship to the natural world. Through time, societiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; understanding of the human position in a world of other entities changes. At some points, the world chain of power has transformed from a hierarchical order into a dispersed system of competing subjectivities. The structure of a society has a direct effect on the spatialization of the landscape. Our dispersed system of competing subjectivities offers an opportunity to shift priorities from one of capital and political control toward environmental and social well-being; an active re-wiring of currently disengaged entities is both necessary and possible. As agents of space-making, landscape architects ought to work to reconcile these disparate subjectivities. This is a framework for how.

Bubbly Creek Stickney Water Reclamation Plant

I&M Canal Begins

The Volunteer

Wildlife along Roadway Portage Site

Channahon Parkway State Park

Residential Landscape

TERRITORIAL RULES Travel; to develop an understanding of the cultural, economic, political, and ecological landscape that together make up the context of a focus area. Road trip; from St. Louis to Chicago following the Mississippi River to the Missouri River, then through Grafton, Illinois up along the Illinois River to the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal.

Agricultural Landscape

Levees

In this time, through these places, we witness and identify existing territorial rules, cultural practices and landscape technologies. Externalities; the unintentional ecological consequence inevitable with every man-made structure. These are the conditions that spurred the following research.

Industrial Landscape Grafton

Mind map of Travel drawn by Shuying Wu

EXTERNALITIES IN SITU Through observation, the extent of external ecological consequences that result from every man-made system became evident. For example, we observed the Blue Gull using aeration chambers at Stickney Water Reclamation as habitat, the death of urban mammals lying on the side of the highways. We have a term for this externality: roadkill. We identified the earthworm struggling to survive in salt saturated soils. We acknowledge the possibility for vegetative species to spread via barges down the riverway. These moments and situations of identified externalities allowed us to examine how species survive in their human sculpted surroundings. Further, we must then question how we can position the role of landscape architect in the shaping of these new spatial and environmental conditions such that these external consequences are acknowledged and anticipated. In doing so, we can critically reposition landscape beyond the picturesque visual treatment into the realm of multi-layered functioning practice. Could we use our expertise as spatial choreographers to provide a better living condition for both non-humans and human?

I&M Canal

Barge Slips at Pilsen

Bubbly Creek

Stickney Water Treatment Plant

Muddy Lake at Portage Woods

Dry Canal at Ottawa

Floodplain in Lasalle at I&M Canal start

Levees Along Illinois River

CHAIN OF BEING EVOLUTION Over time, societiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; understanding of the human position in the world changes, transferring the chain of power from a hierarchical order into a dispersed system of competing subjectivities. The structure of a society has a direct effect on the spatialization of the landscape. The Great Chain of Being, a hierarchical structure of all matter and life as depicted in the Diego de Valades in 1579, indicates a belief that humans, and every other being and matter have a strict position in the order of the world. By the19th Century in Chicago, the chain of being had shifted. Practice of industrialization and urbanization indicate that humans have the capability and prerogative to manipulate all other beings and matter; the human species was at the top of the hierarchal diagram. A Contemporary Chain of Being that displays the Chain of Chicago is a chain of power with layers that interact with one another and can move throughout the system. Our proposed version, the Greater Chain of Being, reveals the city of Chicago as a dispersed power system, which has a reversed structure in comparison with the Contemporary version. This structure, with linkages about resources, power, and forces, renders a city more stable. The prioritized entities (such as the elites in the center before) are now in service to earlier marginalized entities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nature, space, and matter.

Top Left: The Great Chain of Being 1579, Diadacus Valades Rhetorica Christiana Top Right: Interpretive Early 19th Century Chain of Being Interpretation, Shafran and Wu Bottom Left: Contemporary Chain of Being 2016, Shafran and Wu Bottom Right: Proposed Chain of Being, Shafran and Wu

Towards a Re-prioritized Chain of Being

Possible Relationship

Towards a Re-prioritized Chain of Being

ACTIVE RE-WIRE In an effort to shift priorities from one of capital and political control toward environmental and social wellbeing, an active re-wiring of currently disengaged entities is both necessary and possible. As agents of space making, landscape architects ought to work to reconcile these disparate subjectivities. Based on the Greater Chain of Being, we randomly selected one marginalized and one prioritized component of the Greater Chain of Being and tried to discover three possible relationships between them. This was done by looking at existing relationships but also speculating on other possible relationship. The guiding principal for these new relationship propositions was to find a way to advantage a previously marginalized entity or condition to render it a priority.

Possible Relationship

Local Arts

Weeds

Chicago Board of Trade

Property Taxes

Heritage Corridor

Road Kill

Cook County Jail

Highway Transportation

Mississippi Flyway

Birds

Midway Airspace

Airline Transportation

Decompositon

Earthworms

Landfill

Legacy Pollutants

CHICAGO'S CHAIN OF BEING 2016 To further understand the existing structure of matter and life within the spatial context of Chicago and the territorial control over its waterway, we worked through mapping the chain of power and energy of competing characters organizations, institutions and environmental conditions. The complex knots of these relationships indicated a functional network of ecologies, economics, cultures, politics, and infrastructures. Overall, the system is hierarchical such that natural systems and spatialization of society are at the mercy of the other agents and subjectivities. However, the significance of competing subjectivities has the ability to move throughout the system. Therefore, we can understand the system as stable, but malleable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the prioritized entities can be manipulated. With this understanding, we propose that the chain of being diagram can be hacked, or re-wired to prioritize the previously marginalized entities.

Towards a Re-prioritized Chain of Being

Research two related agents, one currently prioritized, and another marginalized. Consider pairing undermined externality of an existing priorities

Research one marginal or prioritized agent to determine what other disparate agent it could be rewired into.

The proposals are categorized into eight basic strategies for a re-prioritization; there could be more. These methods include: an object, a place, a regulation, an injection, a removal, an incentive, a reveal, a replacement. These methods are essential to the rewiring of the world.

Replacement

How can we provide a general guideline for landscape architects to follow, so that landscape design can act as a mechanism of reprioritization within the existing Chain of Being? Through an articulation between subject (object) and process we defined four ways of managing the act of rewiring the Chain of Being. The four rewiring functions are: object + object, object + process, process + object, and process + process.

Process + Process

Reveal

STRATEGIC RE-WIRE

Incentive

Regulation

Process + Object

Removal

Object

Injection

Object + Process

Place

Object + Object

Marginalized Object with a Prioritized Object OBJECT

PLACE

REGULATION

INJECTION

REMOVAL

INCENTIVE

REVEAL

REPLACEMENT

Fruit Exploring + Wholesale Distribution

Pollination + Canal Maintenance

Migration + Airspace regulation

Marginalized Object with a Prioritized Process OBJECT

PLACE

REGULATION

INJECTION

REMOVAL

INCENTIVE

REVEAL

REPLACEMENT

Fruit Exploring Gull++Wholesale Water Treatment Distribution Plant

Freshwater Mussel + Canal Management Pollination + Canal Maintenance

Ramps Historic regulation Preservation Migration + +Airspace

Marginalized Process with a Prioritized Process OBJECT

PLACE

REGULATION

INJECTION

REMOVAL

INCENTIVE

REVEAL

REPLACEMENT

Fruit Exploring + Wholesale Distribution

Pollination + Canal Maintenance

Migration + Airspace regulation

Marginalized Process with a Prioritized Object OBJECT

PLACE

REGULATION

Fruit Exploring Hibernation + Wholesale + Thermal Distribution Pollution

Pollination Nesting++Canal Electrical Maintenance Lines

Migration Decomposition + Airspace regulation + Landfill

INJECTION

REMOVAL

INCENTIVE

REVEAL

REPLACEMENT

Earthworm

Asphalt

Earthworm

Interior Space

Public Space

Fresh Water Mussels

Canal

Water Treatment Plant

Ring Billed Gulls

SITE SELECTION We selected five sites along I & M canal as places for re-wire interventions. They follow below.

12” x 12” x 12” Mixed Media

SEALED IN Sealed In; to re-wire the contemporary chain of influences and powers, first we need to recognize existing conditions. The earth is a complex ecosystem of nutrients and lively organisms, and essentially it is sealed off by asphalt, a byproduct of societal demand for transportation infrastructure. The conditions below and above ground are radically different. While underground is continuously breathing life, above is bleak and lifeless. You will never be able to look at a parking lot again without considering the complexity occurring beneath it.

12” x 12” x 12” Mixed Media

BIRDS ON A WIRE Birds on a wire; an iconic image that covers the contemporary landscape. Human systems, however normalized, influence other beings. By solely multiplying, and varying the height of wires hung from electrical poles, we alter the way birds interact with an infrastructural structure.

12â&#x20AC;? x 12â&#x20AC;? x 12â&#x20AC;? Mixed Media

INSIDE OUT This proposition challenges our spatial understanding of public space by utilizing personal indoor furniture in an outdoor setting. Instead of concentrating urban design efforts of placemaking in more central, identifiable locals, this proposition makes space for a marginalized population, a community neighboring a marginalized creek.

12” x 12” x 12” Mixed Media

INCENTIVIZED DIVERSITY If we were to prioritize the growth of diverse weeds instead of the traditional American lawn, we could drastically increase the habitat for various insects, while also reduce the amount of water and herbicide use that goes into perfecting grass. To do so, we could reduce property taxes based on a ratio of impermeable property to vegetative diversity. This could cascade into large scale efforts across the city to reduce personal taxes, creating more money for individual home improvements and drastically increasing biodiversity in the city.

12” x 12” x 12” Mixed Media

INFESTED EXTRACTION The freshwater mussel is one species in Illinois that is increasingly threatened by human alteration of Chicago’s waterways. One reason for this threat is the impending overcrowding of habitat by the invasive zebra mussel. While the freshwater mussels are native to Illinois prefer a soft, vegetative habitat, the invasive zebra mussels prefer to cling onto hard materials like concrete and stone. By utilizing the ubiquitous 3x3 concrete blocks that line the industrial corridor of the Sanitary and Shipping canal, as devices to attract this invasive species, which can then be extracted to make space for the native mussel.

Exhibit February 2017. Work displayed in three separate exhibits within the school of art and design.

GALLERY OF PROPOSITIONS This investigation is an effort to describe an alternative way that architectural ideas are produced and disseminated. The world, although dominated by human interests, is dependent on natural processes and phenomena. These processes and phenomena are marginalized and deemed indifferent to contemporary urban life. How can we, as architects, address this disconnect in our field, as well as communicating this disconnect to clients and users and guide them with a clear strategic approach towards a Greater Chain of Being? We could bring them to the front stage, expose the problems to architects in our field, and guide them with clear strategic approaches. It is impossible for us to articulate all possible relationships and connections between subjectivities, however, using this framework we hope any possible relationship can be understood and re-understood. It is the responsibility of designers to use the knowledge and ability of our professions to learn, to test, to propose, and to alter the world such that the significance of natural processes and phenomena are not undermined by human entitlement. We can work to bridge the disconnect so that humanity considers its role in constructing positive re-wired conditions instead of unanticipated external consequences.

margot.shafran@gmail.com margot.shafran.org 513.482.0063

THE BADEN PROJECT Washington University in St. Louis Landscape Studio / Spring 2016

the baden project

This project aims to reduce the load on the combined storm and sewer system in the St. Louis neighborhood of Baden, by utilizing existing roadway infrastructure to collect water runoff and divert it into a park. This park facilitates an outdoor laboratory by flowing water from each input street through a series of bioregions sculpted into the terrain and mediated by concrete walls in order to filter the water. The result is a park that supports ecological diversity, mitigates combined sewer overflow and provides demanded recreation space for the neighborhood of Baden. Like other rust-belt cities, St. Louis suffers from an overabundance of vacant land. Through the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Urban Vitality and Ecology Initiative, efforts are being made to transform some of this land into ecologically significant vegetated space that supports social and economic development.

It is in everyday life and starting from everyday life that genuine creations are achieved, those creations which produce the human and which humans produce as part of the process of becoming human. Henri LeFebvre, Clearing the Ground

Local Watershed

Baden Neighbourhood

Project Scope

Land use in the Baden neighborhood can be defined as mostly occupied single family dwellings. These homes sit on small residential lots mostly covered by impermeable asphalt or near impervious lawn. While the residential characteristic of the neighborhood seems to be thriving, the business district is fairly vacant and does not resemble the vibrant commercial district it once was.

BADEN, ST. LOUIS

Our Lady of the Holy Cross Catholic Church | 1909

Baden School | 1907

The Wedge | 1944

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church | 1873

Baden Business District | 1950s

Baden Business District | Current

Neighbourhood Welcome Sign

Baden Branch Public Library | 1960

Current Typical Housing

Elevation Along North Broadway, facing West

Elevation Along Bittner Street, facing South

MSD Buyout Parcels MSD Long Term Project MSD Short Term Project Vacant Non-residential Buildings Lot Parcels Calvary Cemetery Prairie Vacant Residential Lot Single Family Residences Duplex/Townhouse Multi-family residences Banking/Tax Preparation Trade Bars Restaurants Grocery Commercial Utilities Industrial Community Center Churches/Synagogues/Temples US Post Office Medical and Other Health Services Fire Department Library

1000'

2000'

4000'

1,000 2,000

Residential Land Use

Imperious Groundcover

4,000

6,000

8,000 residential Feet

4,000 impervious

6,000

8,000 Feet

non-residential

Legend STL_OUTLINE STL County_Vacant

LUCODE Commercial Common Ground Duplex/Townhome Industrial/Utility Institution Multi-Family Recreation Single Family Vacant/Agriculture

1,000 2,000

Legend STL_OUTLINE

FLUID DIVERSION Water is diverted through a series of linear concrete structures that demonstrate the constructed nature of the hydrological system. Within the structures, a wide range of ecologies are initiated using variable depth charters, longitudinal gradients, still ponds, channels, and cascades to encourage and regulate adventive plant, animal and bird communities. Human visitors may navigate the field by walking along edge conditions, jumping from tank to tank and even negotiating the pools and rills, depending on current depth and flow.

WATER FLOW from street into landscape water system

highpoint

lowpoint

STREET WATERSHEDS from roadway runoff

300'

600'

Scale 1”= 1200’

1200'

WATER DIVERSION FROM ROADS INTO TRENCHES

Typical water collection from streets into Combined Sewer System

ROAD TRENCH Planted with Water and Salt Tolerant Native Herbaceous Plants and Ornamental Grasses

Green Infrastructure along roadway to collect water runoff

TOWARDS ECOLOGICAL LABORATORIES

Filtration Zone Laboratory Zone A Laboratory Zone B

300'

600'

1200'

Laboratory Zone C

Scale 1”= 1200’

300’ 300’ 300’

A AA

300’ 300’ 300’ 11’ 11’ 11’

BB B

DDD

CC C

Laboratory Zone A 70’ 70’ 70’

A AA

70’ 70’ 70’

BB B

70’ 70’ 70’ 11’ 11’ 11’

CCC

DDD

Laboratory Zone B 300’ 300’ 300’

A AA

300’ 300’ 300’

300’ 300’ 300’ 22’ 22’ 22’

BBB

CC C DDD

Laboratory Zone C

AAA

filtration filtration range range A A -- highlands highlands filtration dischargerange 90% A - highlands discharge discharge 90% 90%

BBB

filtration filtration range range B B -- floodplain floodplain filtration dischargerange 60% B - floodplain discharge discharge 60% 60%

CCC

filtration filtration range range C C -- lowland lowland filtration dischargerange 30% C - lowland discharge discharge 30% 30%

DDD

retention retention basin basin --- submerged submerged retention discharge basin 10% submerged discharge discharge 10% 10%

THAT PERFORM AS FILTRATION SYSTEMS

Filtration Zone I Filtration Zone II Filtration Zone III Retention Basin Water Flow | open Water Flow | piped

300'

600'

Scale 1”= 1200’

1200'

Upper SLope Lower Slope Pond Edge Permanent Water

Upper SLope

FILTRATION ZONE A: WOODLAND Upper SLope

Lower Slope Lower Slope

Pond Edge Pond Edge

Permanent Water Permanent Water

Upper SLope Lower Slope Pond Edge Permanent Water

Upper SLope Upper SLope

Lower Slope Lower Slope

Pond Edge Pond Edge

Permanent Water Permanent Water

FILTRATION ZONE B: TALL-GRASS PRAIRIE

Upper SLope Lower Slope Pond Edge Permanent Water

Upper SLope Upper SLope

Lower Slope Lower Slope

Pond Edge Pond Edge

Permanent Water Permanent Water

FILTRATION ZONE C: MEADOW

SITE AS LARGE PATCH supports larger species with greater range of mobility primary reliance on one ecosystem for vitality lower maintenance and management

SITE AS SMALL PATCHES AND CORRIDORS supports ecological diversity through range of habitats contributes to ecological resilience by harnessing greater biodiversity potential higher maintenance requirements connects to greater number of local patches

LABORATORY ZONE A

PATCHED FILTRATION STRATEGY as a method of creating ecological patches and harnessing diverse habitats to support biodiversity

125'

Scale 1”= 500’

250'

watertable

500' La (p bor re at vio or us y Z sp on re e ad A )

contingent futures

By presenting final images of what the project can be, we have already failed our profession. Ambiguity of changing systems is an essential characteristic of any space and the layering of various ecological and social systems. A design is not a finite intervention. It is a catalyst for possible and perhaps even unpredictable futures. While this approach proposes an initial construction of street rain gardens, and filtration laboratories, this is only an initial condition with various potentials. The images presented are a potential possibility, but neglect to project or consider other possible futures based on other existing and emergent systems and the feedback between one another. In response to my initial design proposal, I reconsidered the conflicting systems in the neighborhood of Baden, and have proposed an alternative catalyst to help mitigate combined sewer overflow, engage the existing residents in the fate of their surroundings, and a strategy to help reduce soil contamination in the area. This is merely a first step with a set of directives. As human and ecological systems engage with the strategy, possible outcomes can occur. Throughout time, a reevaluation of strategy and next catalytic moves will be necessary. This design makes no promises at total revitalization of the community. Instead, it promises continuous engagement in the community through observation, data collection, and in turn, reaction. The result will be novel, and for that reason impossible to predict.

nu e rid ge Av e

Or iol

ve nu

Pa rt

nue Ave zer Swit

Ro bin

Av en u

lm ore A

Gilmore Rain Gardens

ve nu

Oriole Rain Gardens

Partridge Rain Garden

A Sub-project of The Baden Project

AGGREGATED SELF-ORGANIZING WOODLANDS As urbanization decreases in post-industrial cities such as St. Louis, their peripheries become economically blighted. They lack simple public amenities - street lined streets and recreation parklands. Let us imagine a future where the neighborhood of Baden is integrated within its natural setting and fosters a sense of community, identity and pride. Soaking the Field is a project that seeks to develop a networked water management system that integrates social and ecological strategies with the standard flood mitigation objectives of the Metropolitan Sewer District, to deliver a self-organizing social ecology to the people of Baden. Through the design of sites of exchange rather than proposals for specific designed solutions, we use devices that offer varying degrees of performance and interaction. Included in this proposition is the seeding of a SelfOrganizing Woodland with Liriodendron tulipifera, a tree species that can absorb toxins from the soil and transfer them to the atmosphere. This simple strategy begins in primary school with every 5th grade student tasked to germinate a seedling, which is then planted to create a participatory self-organizing woodland.

Potential Overflow Basin

Frede

Church

rick Str

Road

eet

Newby St reet

Garth Avenue

Newby Rain Gardens

Baden Rain Garden

Bittner Rain Garden

Future Recreation Field

1. urban millet farm 2. fishing collective 3. community hub 4. self-organizing woodland 5. land and interlude 6. detention + retention + more

r Stree

Bittne

2018

2019

2020

2022

Year 15 | Flower and Seed Production Begins Provides food for insects, birds, and mammals

CITIZEN IMPLEMENTED URBAN WOODLAND

2018 2019

Participatory method of encouraging community members to actively contribute to The Baden Project. by allocating every dwelling one tree to be planted in their location of choice according to some brief directives.

2020

2022

Year 80 | Synchronized Relationship between Daily Life and Natural Cycles

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

CONDUCT SPECIES PROPAGATION

PLANTS ARE ABLE TO GERMINATE AND GROW

3,448 DWELLINGS

PLANT SMALL TREES IN BADEN

WHICH GROW INTO STATELY TREES

DIRECTIVES Data Collection Zone • Planted by Adjacent Streets on the first Planting Day • All Liriodendron tulipifera, but some are genetically modified for improved ability to absorb heavy metals • Not planted on privately owned property • Must be planted in line north to south with 30' spacing Calvary Cemetery • A continuation of the Tree Rows for soil Data collection will continue into the Calvary Cemetery. • The species chosen should not be Liriodendron tulipifera due to its resistance to dry soils (characteristic of this sloped site) • However species must have yellow fall color so that the lines of trees are legible during the autumn months. • A suggested species is Quarcus macrocarpa (Burr Oak)

Ongoing Woodland Generation • Those not living on Partridge Ave, Oriole Ave, Gilmore Ave, or Robin Ave in the Baden Neighborhood can plant their tree wherever they would like such that their tree is no further than 20 steps from at least 2 other planted trees • After yr 3 of the project, not all tree specimens need to be Liriodendron tulipifera *Note no tree specimen must have yellow fall color unless it is a Liriodendron tulipifera, it already exists on site, or it is planted in the cemetery *The above also applies to street tree planting - however the tree must be planted within 20 steps of property line

Year 130 | Mature and Complex Woodland Results in Urban Forest

4'-0"

8'-0"

4'-0

8'-

4'-0"

-0

8'-0

4'-0

8'-

4'-

30'0"

8'-0"

4'-0

24'-0"

19'-4 "

6'-

'-0

OUR LADY OF THE HOLY CROSS MASTER PLAN The work of the spring 2016 Baden studio was to project possible futures of water detention basins under the design of the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) by creating a connective fabric of vegetated recreation space. Since the end of the studio, involvement has continued to yield a community design charrette and master plan process. The schematic design of a small community garden and master plan for the Our Lady of the Holy Cross, an anchor institution in the community, continues to achieve these goals by working to define public and private partnerships and to strengthen the physical connective tissue of the overall neighborhood master plan. This initiative was conducted by a few students with the support of the CityStudioSTL grant. The principal partner for the project is Reverend Vincent Nyman of Our Lady of the Holy Cross Church in Baden. Other involved organization include the Revitalization of Baden (ROBA), Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT), the Urban Vitality and Ecology Initiative (UVEI) of the Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of the City of St. Louis, and Brightside St. Louis.

Â°

61'-5

1/2"

STEERING - making decisions based on an over all vision that includes other organizations and stakeholders. - an ongoing relationship. The landscape architecture works with clients for long periods of time - agility - ability to work with projects for a lifetime

margot.shafran@gmail.com margotshafran.org 513.482.0063

CEN TRO COMMUN ITARIO Washington University in Buenos Aires Architecture Studio / Autumn 2015

centro communitario ribera de la boca This project addresses the need for public services in an underserved sector of Buenos Aires: an informal settlement in the neighborhood of La Boca. The proposed intervention seeks to establish community anchor points of classrooms that are connected by a network of gathering spaces that weave into one another. They provide enriching cultural spaces for interaction, commerce and relaxation. Construction technique validates informal construction materials and can be built and modified by community members in time.

Traditional Community Amenities

Fragmented Community Amenities

CONCEPTUAL STRATEGY Establish community anchor points connected by a network of usable spaces that blur into one another, providing enriching cultural spaces for interaction, commerce and relaxation.

TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO PROGRAM ORGANIZATION

FRAGMENTED APPROACH TO PROGRAM ORGANIZATION

FRAGMENTED APPROACH TO PROGRAM WITHIN SITE CONDITIONS

INFORMAL SETTLEMENT

SAND SILOS

SITE STRATEGY A field that spans two city blocks along an edge mediating between highway, levee, and an industrial riverfront. Organize the community center so that it both physically and conceptually bridges between the informal settlement to the south, industrial structures and cultural centers to the west and along the river coast, and the larger community of La Boca further to the west. The expansive character of this project contributes to the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sense of permanence by providing the infrastructure necessary to build upon. By incorporating more land into the project, it claims the land as a community asset, and further enables enhancement of the neighborhood. Large walls guide the visitor through the site. They help to curate views, anchor the park into the context, as well as fold to form spaces. These walls create links between enclosures that provide auxiliary space for various programs and recreation.

PROJECT LOCATION

INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS

PALACIO DES ARTES

Avenida Aristรณbulo del Valle

Avenida Pinzon

Avenida Brandsen

site plan A v e n i d a S u10m a r e z 20m

40m

Each building can be used as a stand alone building, with its own organizations and own hours of operation. However, through a similar mode of construction, the collection of enclosures become unified, acting as a larger resource for community members. The buildings are outward focused, unlike the informal settlements that are inward facing. Nevertheless, similar to informal settlements this cluster of enclosures are organized in order to generate exploration and discovery through the complex. Spaces are layered and not necessarily exposed all at once. One must spend time in the community center for the spaces and opportunities to unfold.

9.9

3.5

10.7

5.8

9.3

11.7

8.3

11.6

16.0

9.1

11.5

GROUND PLAN 10m 20m

40m

Circulation

Exterior Program

primary circulation secondary circulation

playground south entry

open lawn market aromatic garden parking entry education garden north entry

9.1

5.9

2.8

2.9

9.7

Enclosure

Program

public commons education hub recreation hall

classrooms (5) administration gymnasium kitchen/cafe restrooms

STRUCTURAL STRATEGY Through the misuse of vernacular building technique, this project acknowledges community membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; construction abilities as an asset. By building in a way that those living in the informal settlement are familiar with, the construction of this project can employ members of the immediate community. In doing so, the community begins to take ownership of the project, thus promising a greater chance that the project will be embraced and taken care of by the community. Further, this building technique communicates to all of Argentina, that this way of building, typically seen as sub-par, is credible and can be optimized for refined design. It validates and supports informal housing.

typical brick and concrete construction technique

proposed misuse of typical brick and concrete construction

Reinforced Concrete Foundation

Polished Concrete Floor, Stage, and Bleachers

Drainage Pipes Through Space from Roof to Ground

Structural Slanted U-Columns

Wide Flange Beams Connecting Columns

T-Beams as Secondary Structure for Glass and Cap

Ceiling Bolted to Underside of Top Flange on Beam

U-Beam and Gutter

Aluminum C-Channel Resting on Wide Flange Beam

Secondary Plywood Ceiling Set in between T-Beams

Batt Insulation Set in Between C Channels

Corrugated Metal Roof and Aluminum Cap at Edge

Ceramic Brick Bearing Walls

Concrete Slabs and Beams Supported by Ceramic Brick Walls

Glass and Mullions

aluminum cap U beam gutter corrugated metal roof galvanized steel C channel 2in batt insulation

20mm ceiling wide flange beam n Â°450 T beam, 3in x 1/4in 18mm plywood ceiling

glass window w/ alum. frame

concrete sill ceramic block 19mm x 19mm x 39mm 0.42 brace between walls vapour and moisture barrier 0.160mm drainage pipe U Beam n Â°450 capillary water insulation 20mm rubber gym floor 200mm concrete slab on grade gravel base

0.6mm stirrup 0.16mm rebar

DETAIL SECTION 0.5m 1.0m

2.0m

SOUTH ENTRY

SECTION 2.5m

10m

TECTONIC ITERATIONS paper and tape

EDUCATION HUB

CROSS SECTION 2.5m

SOUTH LAWN

10m

WITHIN COMPLEX

margot.shafran@gmail.com margot.shafran.org 513.482.0063

702 WESTGATE Washington University in St. Louis Architecture Studio / Spring 2015 In collaboration with: Joshua Dobken â&#x20AC;¢ Jonathan Bryer

702 westgate

Quadrangle Housing, Washington Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rental apartment agency, is looking to expand its current portfolio by developing a fleet of new construction housing. In this studio, we worked as a collective office to develop and propose affordable and profitable NetZero multi-family residences. Considerations included making best use of the F.A.R and zoning conditions, market research, communal amenities and projected costs to reinforce a sustainable future for the community.

Form and Facade Iterations

In this third installment of Donks and Dyads, our goal was to propose new construction housing on vacant lots in University City for Washington Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quadrangle Housing. Part of the challenge was to identify how to maximize bedrooms, within the various zoning requirements, including parking limitations to provide our client with the most energy efficient, economically responsible and useful living conditions for their renters. In order to maximize the number of parking spaces possible on the site, the back half of the building was lifted up to accommodate tuck-under parking, allowing for 6 parking spaces.

SITE PLAN 8'

16'

32'

9am June 21

9am Equinox

9am December 21

5pm June 21

5pm Equinox

5pm December 21

SITE SOLAR ANALYSIS

SITE ELEVATION SOUTH 8'

16'

32'

SITE ELEVATION WEST 8'

16'

32'

On the first level, there is a one bedroom ADA accessible apartment, as well as a mechanical room to service the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water, air, internet, and gas requirements. On each of the second and third floors are a three and two bedroom unit. In every unit, the shared living spaces are located on the western faĂ§ade allowing views onto the street and daylight during the second half of the day when students are most likely in these spaces. The bedrooms face east, towards the quieter alley and where they can benefit from morning daylight. Between the public and private zones is a utility core from which water lines and ventilation simply run from the first level up to the roof.

1 A

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 2 11' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

Mech. 230sf

Entry 265sf

255sf

1 Bedroom (ADA) 700sf

KEY PLAN LVL 01

STRUCTURAL PLAN LVL 01

PLUMBING PLAN LVL 01

ELECTRICAL PLAN LVL 01

three bedroom unit, 1275sf

two bedroom unit, 1050sf single bedroom unit (ADA), 700sf

BUILDING SECTION N.T.S.

LEVEL 01 & SOUTH ELEVATION 4'

16'

LEVEL 02 & 03 4'

16'

150sf

3 Bedroom/2 Bath 1275 sf

225sf DN

2 Bedroom/ 2 Bath 1050 sf

160sf

KEY PLAN | LEVEL 2 & 3

STRUCTURAL PLAN | LEVEL 2 & 3

UP UP

PLUMBING PLAN | LEVEL 2 & 3

ELECTRICAL PLAN | LEVEL 2 &+3

Second and Third Floor Common Area, South Unit

Address Lot Size Building Code Occupancy Type Footprint Building Area Lot coverage FAR Required Zoning Variances Construction Cost NPV

702 Westgate Avenue 9497sf Residential Garden Apartment 2844sf 7207sf 76% 1:1 None $165sf $52,176

Second Floor South Bedroom

First Floor ADA Unit

Level 4 33' - 6"

A DETAIL A - FLOOR TO FLOOR ASSEMBLY (TYP).

Level 3 22' - 6"

1/64” = 1’0”

3/4” tongue and groove flooring 1/2” plywood sub-flooring mitek wood frame floor truss system (24” O.C.) r-18 batt insulation 2” x 6” wood framing and supports w14 steel beam 7/16” zip wall system (sheathing) 2” rigid insulation 1” air barrier brick tie 2” x 2” shelf angle

brick (typ.) 2” x 4” wood stud (ceiling framing) 5/8” gypsum white board

DETAIL B - CABLE CONNECTION DETAIL (TYP.)

Level 4 33' - 6"

1/64” = 1’0”

r-18 batt insulation 5/8” gypsum white board 2” x 6” wood framing r-18 batt insulation 7/16” zip wall system 2” rigid insulation brick tie 2” x 2” shelf angle typical brick ext. 3/4” exterior wood slat flooring 2” x 10” wood joists

steel c-channel w/ welded supports steel gusset plate for cable cross-brace connection 6” closed cell spray foam insulation 2” x 10” wood blocking (steel web) 7/8” anodized lag bolts

Level 2 11' - 6"

DETAIL C - CABLE TERRACE SUPPORT ABOVE 1/64” = 1’0” 2” x 5” steel gusset plate with through bolt angled steel support (cross brace) w14 steel beam c8 steel channel welded w/ though bolts 6” closed cell spray foam insulation r-18 batt insulation

Level 3 22' - 6" Level 1 0' - 6"

4 1

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

DETAIL E - BRICK TO WOOD FACADE 1/64” = 1’0”

brick wall assembly (typ.) mitek flooring system (typ.) w14 steel beam 6” closed cell spray foam insulation r-18 batt insulation 7/16” wood sheathing z-clip fastening system 1” treated wood paneling system

Level 2 11' - 6"

DETAIL E - PARAPET 1/64” = 1’0” brick assembly (typ.) 2” x 4” wood stud framing 7/16” sheathing 2” rigid insulation (tapered) 3mm waterproofing membrane 1/16” copper coping and rain drip

DETAIL F - SLAB ON GRADE AND FOOTING 1/64” = 1’0” 2” concrete footing 4” drain #5 steel reinforcing rods 6” crushed rock underlay 2” rigid insulation 6” concrete slab waterproofing membrane 7/16” sheathing 2” rigid insulation (tapered) 3mm waterproofing membrane 1/16” copper coping and rain drip

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 2 11' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

SECTION A

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 2 11' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

NORTH ELEVATION 5

16'

32'

A 5

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 2 11' - 6" D

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

SECTION B Level 2 11' - 6"

Level 2 11' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

Level 4 33' - 6"

Level 3 22' - 6"

Level 2 11' - 6"

Level 1 0' - 6"

WEST ELEVATION

margot.shafran@gmail.com margotshafran.org 513.482.0063

OUR LONELY ISLAND Washington University in St. Louis Architecture Studio / Autumn 2014

our lonely island

Our lonely Island is a place for escape and solitude. It wrestles with the idea of confinement, while at the same time embracing the context of the surrounding oceanic field. From one point of view, we are confined to the village grid, locked behind the fortified walls. On the other, we are at the mercy of the salt water to lift us away and into the expanse of the Balearic Sea. For a village that literally opens its doors to tourists as its economic sustenance, it is physically closed off from the outside world. I aspire to develop a future for Tabarca, Alicante Spain, that recognizes the wall as a cultural artifact, by developing secret places, that become sacred spaces, in order for the village to reach outward, and then pull back in.

SPAIN

ALICANTE

TRADITIONAL SPACIAL BOUNDARIES HOME

HOME

GARDEN STREET

STREET

CITY

RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING SEA WALL

EXISTING CONDITIONS

PROPOSED CONDITIONS

TABARCA

BLURRED SPATIAL CONDITIONS HOME GARDEN

GARDEN STREET CITY

CITY

INTENTION Along the Mediterranean Coast, Tabarca is a small and beautiful Island located in the South East of Spain. Here, we are tasked with developing emotional spaces that are closely linked to the context, including surroundings, climate, and the lifestyles connected to Mediterranean culture. Our Lonely Island works to create a locally appropriate alternative typology to a dwelling that establishes collective living spaces capable of establishing a close relationship between the street and the house, sea and the dweller, and the local with the tourist. Through an opening of building facade, drawing people through the homes and out to the sea, this architecture works to revitalize the social life of the island by creating an exchange between neighbors. Spaces are shared. Instead of fortification behind walls, the walls host uses, the kitchen, the closet, the bathroom, but people live beyond them such that islanders are connected with context, the island and the sea. In doing so, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, everyday life conveys and creates links with

SITE PLAN 25'

50'

100'

SOLID STREET WALL TO ECHO SURROUNDING HOUSING

VIEWS TOWARDS SEA IN ALL UNITS

TRADITIONAL: OPAQUE WALLS PARALLEL TO STREET

PROPOSED: OPAQUE WALLS PERPENDICULAR TO STREET

TRADITIONAL: SINGULAR ACCESS TO PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACE

PROPOSED: MANY ACCESS POINTS TO PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACE

GROUND PLAN 8'

16'

32'

6. 4. 5. 2. 1.

10.

11.

9. 8. 7.

LEVEL 02 8'

16'

32'

11.

12.

13.

LEVEL 03

1. living unit (1400sf) 2. private terrace (600sf) 3. rentable space for income (500sf) 4. public terrace with access to sea wall 5. living unit (1200sf) 6. private terrace (600Ssf) 7. living unit (1200sf) 8. private terrace (600sf) 9. public terrace (1100sf) 10. living unit (1700sf) 11. private terrace (600sf) 12. living unit (1700sf) 13. private terrace (1200sf)

WALL SYSTEM

IP H E R A L

COMMUNAL CORE P R IV A

TE PE

R IP H E

RAL

S E M I-

TRE

OCE

Indoo r Outd Living oor L iving

B C IC P E R

CITY S

S E M I- P U

M E T AL CAPPI NG

POROU S AD J U ST AB L E SCRE E N SY ST E M FI NI SH FL OOR, L I G HT WE I G HT PAT I O CON CRE T E FL OOR SL AB COM POSI T E M E T AL D E CK I N G E L E CT RI CAL B OX M E T AL J OI ST SY ST E M HI D D E N L I G HT I N G D ROP CE I L I N G T HE RM AL B AT T I N SU L AT I ON

4M M RAI N SCRE E N

SCRE E N ST RU CT U RE

FI NI SH I NT E RI OR SHE AT HI N G 3/ 4" PU RPL E B OARD AI R SPACE

FI NI SH FL OOR RE CE SSE D L I G HT I N G U N D E R FL OOR SL AB ON G RAD E ( PAT I O) COU RSE AG G RE G AT E FOR D RAI NAG E RI G I D I N SU L AT I ON 4" D I AM E T E R FRE N CH D RAI N

PI L E FOU N D AT I ON

SECTION PERSPECTIVE 4'

16'

NATION AL ARTS P ARK The Carenage Revitalization Project Summer Internship 2016 DHM Design

national arts park at st. georges quay

A once vibrant and cherished gateway into Grenadian culture, the Carenage is a space that now faces economic decline, social vacancy, and coastal threats. The cargo port on the east edge of the Carenage offers a unique opportunity to create an urban recreation and cultural landscape that could act as a cultural beacon for St. George’s. A civic destination as opposed to a private tourist enterprise such as a hotel or casino - an option that is currently being considered by the nation - the people of Grenada demonstrate their cultural pride and make St. George’s a more recognizable destination on a global stage. In the long run, this will be a more powerful and sustainable economic driver for the country than a single private use in this location. The National Arts Park at St. George’s Quay is a civic park that serves as a public recreation space for St. George’s as well as the setting for new arts and cultural spaces. It links the Carenage with Port Louis to the west, and helps to establish ecological resilience to the area.

SITE THE CARENAGE THE GRENADA PORT AUTHORITY

cuba

nicaragua

venezuala

Grenada

LOCATION The Carenage is located in the capital city of the island nation Grenada, St. Georges. As the southern most island of the West Indies, Grenada serves as a critical destination for many sailers and cruise ships along travels throughout the Caribbean. Unlike other Caribbean nations such as Jamaica, Haiti, and the Virgin Islands, Grenada preserves its local and cultural heritage minimally impacted by large scale tourism development. Its unique character has been reflected for decades through the Carenage, its historic downtown center right on the harbor. Once a place for boat maintenance (Carenage derives from the french phrase “to careen” or turn a boat on its side for cleaning) the Carenage of St. George’s is the heart of Grenada.

St. Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

The Carenage//Grenada Port Authority

Hurricane Ivan, 2004

March 2016

THREAT OF RISING SEAS AND STORM SURGE 0.8m

As climate change continues to shift global coastal conditions, island nations like Grenada find themselves in the middle of rising sea level and increased storm surge due to extreme weather concerns. Global mean sea level rise will continue during the 21st century, very likely at an increasingly faster rate. The change in sea level is an evolving prediction and scientists consider more than one climate change model. However, even conservative models predict that by 2050, just about thirty years from now, a sea level rise of between .15m and .25m. For this proposal, we focused on the midterm of 30 years, and proposed improvements to The Carenage that aim to mitigate a sea level rise of up to .25m.

0.25m 0.15m 0.3m HIGH TIDE 0.0m LOW TIDE

50 Year Projection: Estimated .45m Sea Level Rise Inundation Scenario

PREDICTED SEA LEVEL RISE BY YEAR 2100 cargo port RANGE OF EXPECTED SEA LEVEL RISE BY YEAR 2050 PRESENT DAY TIDAL RANGE, ST. GEORGE'S

existing quay along wharf road

THE CARENAGE REVITALIZATION PROJECT The National Arts Park at St. George’s Quay is a part of the larger Carenage Revitalization Project that envisions a series of practical, implementable improvements. The aim is to restore this unique historic district, so that it is more accessible and hospitable to locals and tourists, and more resilient in the face of increasing environmental threats of storm surges and rising sea levels. This project is inspired by The Carenage’s distinct sense-of-place, its scale, architecture and history with interventions that honor the character and culture of St. George’s prominent location at the entry to the country’s capital. This project emerged as part of a collaborative summer internship project with DHM Design. We worked across offices to develop an overall revitalization plan for the Carenage that acknowledges existing conditions in order to identify and prioritize needs and design opportunities. Five distinct areas, including the waterfront edge itself, emerged as focus areas. Individually, we each highlighted a unique condition along the waterfront that would benefit from specific improvements, and collectively, we presented a holistic vision for how the Carenage would benefit from a series of design interventions. The National Art’s park sits at the forefront of this plan, as it is by far the most ambitious and transformational component of the overall Carenage revitalization. Currently, Grenada’s existing container port, The Grenada Port Authority, occupies too prominent a location within the harbour. This project presumes that this port can be relocated to Grenville, a town more central to the island or elsewhere in favour, in favour of a civic use that will be a cultural introduction to the City of St. George’s.

C A

a. Wharf Road Promenade b. Monkton Street Square c. Hubbard’s Park d. Phoenix Building Market Plaza e. National Arts Park at St. George’s Quay

6 4

1. extension of wharf road promenade 2. dinghy dock 3. water taxi dock 4. leisure boat dock 5. outdoor cafe 6. gateway light beacon 7. lookout piers 8. naturalized edge 9. amphitheatre shelter 10. cascading open lawn 11. parking for carenage 12. national botanic garden 13. national arts and culture museum 14. mangrove restoration 15. boathouse 16. open lawn 50' 100'

200'

2 3 5

11 10 9

PHASED IMPLEMENTATION Due to the great scale of this project, it is implementable in three distinct phases. In the first phase, the Wharf Road Promenade is extended into the Grenada Port Authority terminating in curvilinear boardwalks that accommodate boat docking including dinghy boats from larger boats anchored at sea. Also included is a water taxi dock and the conversion of an existing small structure into a cafe with outdoor seating that highlights and support local food producers, exposing tourists to authentic local dishes. The National Arts Park will become a central node in the wider public transport network. The Carenage Revitalization Project introduces the idea of a regional water taxi service, which will provide a fun and efficient hop-on/hop-off transportation experience for tourists and locals. The water taxi will connect visitors, via the St. George’s Cabriolet, to the Cruise Terminal, Fort George, The National Arts Park, Port Louis, Grande Anse Beach, St. George’s University, and points beyond. In the second phase, a large parking lot will provide spots for 240 vehicles allowing for the removal of all street parking along Wharf Road, and thus the extension of a boardwalk adjacent to the water’s edge. Additionally, an outdoor amphitheater will serve as a venue for public events, such as a movie or sports screening, cultural dances, music concerts or a community theatre performance. In support of Grenada’s arts and cultural heritage, the venue will be open to all community groups that want to share their artistic aspirations with the general public. The stage pavilion sits at the water’s edge serving both park visitors and boats who have access to performance on the water. The final phase, in part to be funded from event proceeds, will include a National Art and Culture Museum which will be added to the park. In addition, the park will help shelter inland from storm surge by restoring the parks edges with mangrove habitat as part of the national botanic garden. This botanic garden provides a well-kept platform for locals to share their ecology with visitors while supporting native wildlife. At full build-out, the park will extend the full length of the existing quay and connect the Carenage to the Grenada Yacht Club and the Lagoon.

PHASE I EXTENSION OF WHARF ROAD BOARDWALK DINGHY DOCK WATER TAXI DOCK OUTDOOR CAFE LEISURE BOAT DOCK GATEWAY LIGHT BEACON

PHASE II PIERS NATUALIZED EDGE AMPHITHEATRE SHELTER CASCADING OPEN LAWN PARKING FOR CARENAGE

PHASE III NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS NATIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE MUSEUM MANGROVE HABITAT AND BOARDWALK BOATHOUSE

PHASE I

PHASE II

PHASE III

margot.shafran@gmail.com margotshafran.org 513.482.0063