Walkable Communities: The North Point and its Connections by Michael Duffy

Walkable Communities: The North Point & Its Connections A Thesis by Michael Duffy Spring 2015 Professor Zach Pursley

Environmental Issues

Walkability Health Smart Growth

Interaction

City

Transportation

Urban Design Sprawl

Shifting Scale Streetscape

Table of Contents Abstract

Introduction

Research & Precedent Studies

Methodology

-Back Bay, Boston MA -Highland Garden Village, Denver CO -Assembly Row, Somerville MA

-Implementing a Process -Infrastructure -Design Guidelines

Site 37 Design Project 43

Abstract As designers, we are trained to think critically and see the world in a different perspective. We are asked to solve problems and create visions for many and this ability to critically think is vital to our success. This is why the role of an architect is much broader than simply designing a building. We must look at the inhabitants and take their needs into account, providing them with necessary amenities. This thesis takes a look into how an architect can begin to shape the quality of life for an individual through a series of designed spaces, in different scales. Quality of life can be defined as the standard of health, comfor t, and happiness experienced by an individual or group.1 The phrase takes a close look at health in its entirety. To be truly healthy one must be in good physical standing as well as mental comfor t. A designer has the ability to shape all aspects of health and this must star t at an urban scale. By taking a look into the urban scale of a place, we can begin to focus on many of its intricate aspects, from transportation to pedestrian safety. As scales shift, health of the environment can be taken into account within the constructs of individual buildings. Healthy building design is just as important to environmental decay as an ever-inflating road system.2 The term built environment can be defined as “a material, spatial and cultural product of human labor that combines physical elements and energy in forms for living, working and playing.3 It has been defined as “the human-made space in which people live, work, and recreate on a day-to-day basis”. This definition delves into the idea that the built environment has a broad reach and incorporates more

1. 2. 3.

“Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2010. 1-75. “Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

than the physical structures in a community. It implies that the built world begins to have a cultural component and a health component that are related to its design.4 This idea is where my thesis takes shape. The built environment and individual health maintain a clear relationship that encompasses many facets of health, including environmental, physical, and mental, among others. Each holds a significant impor tance to the inhabitants of a place. This thesis takes a look at how we can make an area walkable and provide a healthy environment for its community members. Through its design, the built world affects everything around it. As designers, we can choose to focus on the health and walkability of a space and begin to shape the places we live, work, and play and focus on how these environments can improve our lives. The process that I am beginning to implement begins with finding an infrastructure in which to build upon. Once a cer tain infrastructure is established, I can then begin to overlay a series of design guidelines to enhance the area in an attempt to make it more walkable and healthier. As these design guidelines take shape, the community will begin to function as a new walkable neighborhood. The manifestation of a place like this would take years to come to fruition but the thesis allows for a glimpse at what a diverse walkable community could begin to be from its initial design standpoint. By taking a relatively blank site, there is an oppor tunity to give the site an entire makeover, allowing the site to be nearly devoid of vehicular circulation, giving only what is essential for the site to function.

“Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.:Island Press, 2011.

Introduction This thesis takes a look into how walkability and healthy community design can positively affect those that inhabit the space. The built world has impacted everything around it in some manner and its reach is tough to quantify. While the statement is open-ended, it focuses in on several words that are integral to its meaning. First, the built environment is mentioned. The built environment in this case refers to the built world, including everything from existing streets and infrastructure to the buildings that line them, and the natural and artificial environments that accompany it. The built environment incorporates material and spatial qualities but also carries a cultural impor t with it.5 How we build and shape our homes, shops, workplaces, and recreational areas can begin to give a sense of place and community. This cultural aspect is crucial in the built environment. The second keyword that is mentioned is Health. Health is an impor tant aspect that should be considered in the design of anything, as each design decision made can impact health of some sor t. In the case of this thesis, the health I refer to relates to an overall well-being, one that incorporates physical health with environmental health. Mental health is also an aspect that has been looked at in some respects and it relates closely with the other two mentioned. To live a truly healthy lifestyle, one must be able to find a balance between the three of these.6 The third keyword, or phrase, is quality of life. In this thesis, the term relates to an overall balance in amenities, taking comfort, happiness, health, and safety

into account. While everyone can see quality of life in their own light, this thesis looks at the term as a way to encompass some crucial needs to be healthy and happy. The combination of health, comfor t, and safety can lead to happiness and ultimately a better lifestyle. The design on my site, the Nor th Point neighborhood of East Cambridge, sits at an interesting junction between four communities. Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown, and Somerville all intersect at the Nor th Point neighborhood and it currently exists as an under utilized parcel of land. The site sits as a nearly blank slate in the heavy urban context around it, allowing for the creation of a brand new walkable community. The relation to its surrounding communities is what gives the site its viability in terms of being an area under dire need of development. The proposed program for the site consists of a large quantity of residential units and ample office space, as well as the creation of a pedestrian boulevard that gives the site commercial viability. The development of the project is an interpretation on what factors can contribute to make an area more walkable and healthy and overlays the design guidelines established last semester. The project takes idea of walkability and implements them on a realistic site and tries to address the major programmatic needs of a community with this idea in mind.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Google.â&#x20AC;? Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

Research & Precedent Studies Like any design, we must go through a rigorous analysis to fur ther our ideas. This analysis is especially crucial in terms of our thesis because most of what we are trying to accomplish has been done. The benefit we have from looking back at precedents is that we can see our topics from a variety of lenses. The easiest way to suppor t an argument is by showing examples of why its correct. This can be done in two manners; one by showing what works well and one that does not. By looking at the extremes in a precedent, one can begin to understand the qualities that make something worthwhile and successful. It can allow us to focus on not only the successes but the flaws as well to see what should not be done. This is especially true in urban design and in par ticular how it relates to walkability. There was a tragic push in the American downtown that led to roadways expanding wider and wider, thus giving our pathways to the vehicle as opposed to the pedestrian.7 There are many reasons behind why this happened but it is impor tant to look at both ends of the spectrum by researching. While looking at precedents, I began to focus on a few specific aspects. First, I star ted by looking on a city scale. I looked into areas of Boston and its surrounding communities to get a sense of density and look closer at the make-up of the places we inhabit. After looking at density, I was able to focus on the elements that make these locations either walkable or not. This look at density and its relation to walkability also took my studies to Los Angeles. This ties back to the idea of extremes as it is vastly different

from the city of Boston. The next step in my precedent research was to zoom in and find specific examples of what makes a street walkable. The precedent studies zoomed one step fur ther as I looked into healthy building design and how it can impact the overall environment we inhabit. Before my research was conducted I had a pre-inclination as to what I was looking for. This preconceived notion I had about urban environments and their relation to health was put to the test as I began to look closer into the actual design and layout of the precedents I studied. The initial investigations began by utilizing text and this investigation was a primary focus. As I read, a few common threads became more and more relevant for my project. The first of these threads relates back to walkability and how it can enhance an area; walkability adds another level of interaction on the street and thus the reliance on the vehicle begins to lose significance. The implications behind removing the car from the equation directly affects the health of the environment, from lower obesity rates due to increased walking to enhanced air quality. One source that was par ticularly helpful in relation to the impor tance of walkability was Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, by Jeff Speck. This book began to outline the potential also begins to approach the issue with a shift in scale in mind, something that Speckâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other book did not address.

7. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New York: Farrar, aaaaaStraus and Giroux, 2012.

Figure 1 12

The North End Park is an example of placemaking that generates walking. It functions essentially as a roof garden over the Mass. Pike and serves as a connection into the Historic North End

Research & Precedent Studies Some other resources that were used related more directly to major issues of health. The focus on health became more and more evident as I read. One aspect the two books did not cover in depth was health, so I sought different texts to accompany the idea of walkability and its impact on the body. The two books that helped most significantly were Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Health, Well Being, and Sustainability, by Richard Jackson, and Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change, by Peter Calthorpe. The first focused on the design of healthy neighborhoods and featured a series of ar ticles touching on different aspects of health. The second was a look into how climate change is affecting the way we design and shape our cities. They both add a more human way to look at design; it no longer is about the building but how the building informs the areas around and how it can positively impact the health of an area.

This figure ground takes a look at the density that can be seen in Bostonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Back Bay. Unlike the image of Roxbury, previously shown, the area has a dense urban fabric layed out by a grid.

Back Bay, Boston MA My initial precedent work came from looking at the city around me. The first example of an accessible, walkable area came when I was thinking about the Back Bay and what makes up the neighborhood. The Back Bay was initially an area of infill that was established in the 19th century as an area of infill and it still holds the iconic brownstones from its initial development. This residential base gave the area an oppor tunity to grow significantly and it has done a successful job in doing so.8 One thing that makes this area stand out is the consistent density it holds. The gridded streets all maintain a row of buildings around four to five stories that give it a hard street edge. This consistent density has a human scale to it on the sidewalk as many of the brownstones have stairs leading up into the first store. The strict setbacks that were established during the time help create a consistency among the street edges as well. Another reason why the Back Bay is such a walkable area related to the public transpor tation that surrounds it. With local transportation stops, it makes getting here very easy and moving through the interconnected street system is very simple. To accompany the transpor tation, there are two prominent shopping centers that provide a destination for pedestrians to go.

One final aspect to the area that enhances it significantly is the connection back to nature. In a dense urban environment this is difficult to accomplish. The development of the Back Bay took this into account and it is evident. With the Boston Common and Public Gardens close by, its residents have ample green space to roam around. The establishment of the Commonwealth Ave. Mall also ties the entire neighborhood back into the two public parks. The fact that the area was once a bay also helps tremendously and thus the Esplanade was formed. The neighborhood has had ample financial suppor t though, which other areas and communities in the area are not privileged to.

•Boston’s Back Bay •Initially a residential area •Has become mixed use neighborhood

“Back Bay History.” Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

The Back Bay is readily accessible due to the widespread use of public transportation. This image shows the local T stops in the neighborhood.

The neighborhood was initially founded as a residential place. This can still be seen as you walk along the streets as it still hold a firm residential spine.

The neighborhood has become a walkable shopping center for Boston with the formation of Boylston and Newbury to accompany the more residential areas.

One of the staples of the area is the wealth of green space available. From the Common to the Esplanade, the Back Bay has a relationship back to nature in a very dense urban location.

Back Bay, Boston MA The Back Bay is one example of a walkable urban location due to its density, accessibility, variety of uses, and relationship back to nature through open parks and water.

The master plan for the Highland Village does a successful job incorporating smart growth principles to create a healthy, walkable neighborhood for its inhabitants.

Highland Garden Village, Denver CO The winner of Overall Excellence in Smar t Growth for the 2005 National Smar t Growth Achievements, the Highlands Garden Village in Denver is an excellent example of building a community from the ground up with these principles in mind. Located on a twenty-seven acre plot at the site of an old amusement park, the village is truly a mixed-use community.9 Initial design work for the area incorporated the thoughts from nearby residents. With their input involved, the Denver Urban Renewal Authority came up with the master plan for the large site. The plan called for a well connected streetscape that focuses on the pedestrian as opposed to the vehicle. The “skinny street” system isn’t in a true grid and the roads slightly deviate to lessen the direct traffic through the area.10 The plan also called for commercial and residential buildings across from existing commercial blocks to tie back into the community. Single family homes front the other

side of the development, facing buildings of similar scale and program.

The community utilizes a wealth of green space to make the walking safer and provide a space for recreation outdoors. The community also includes shops, schools, gardens, community gathering spaces, a carousel pavilion, and a restored theater with historic context to the area. The design also called for a variety of housing types. There are single family homes on the twenty-seven acre site along with co-housing condos,

mixed income housing, senior apartments, live-work lofts, and carriage houses. These buildings were all built with recycled or recyclable material. While the master plan does a great job incorporating smart growth guidelines, it also has a regional characteristic to it. Located just ten minutes outside of Denver’s downtown, the area has become a model for compact, walkable communities throughout the region.

•Created a walkable, diverse community •Uses mixed-use streets located near residential areas

Growth, Us Epa: Smart. “2005 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.” US EPA: Smart Growth: Smart Growth Awards 2005 (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10. IBID

The Highland Village utilized a wealth of green space to give its residents a safe place to gather outdoors

The neighborhood uses a variety of housing types, with differing income levels to create a diverse community.

The street system features â&#x20AC;&#x153;skinny streetsâ&#x20AC;? that are aimed to slow vehicular traffic and enhance the safety of the pedestrian.

The retail and mixed-use space gives pedestrians a destination when they come to the area. This design is successful in that it focuses the parking inward and storefront out to the street.

Highland Garden Village, Denver CO With the variety of uses in the area, the Highland Village create a diverse community that is a safe and healthy place for its residents and shoppers to inhabit.

The master plan for the Assembly Square incorporates a wide variety of uses. The building height allows for a high residential density while also accomodating ample office space and a wide array of retail shops and restaurants.

Figure 2 22

Assembly Square, Somerville MA Figure 3

The architecture of the site is responsive to the street condition and offers plenty of storefront on the street level, creating an open inhabitable area.

Assembly Square is a neighborhood in Somerville, just outside of Boston. The Assembly Row site borders the Mystic river to the nor th and sits on a for ty-five acre site that used to hold a Ford Motors assembly plant. The redesign of this area star ted in the early 2000’s and first construction on the center was finished in 2006 with the building of several big box retailers. In 2012, new construction broke ground on a nine acre parcel for a diverse, mixed-use community that includes retail outlets, residential space, restaurants, a cinema, a hotel, and substantial office space.11 There is also an Orange Line stop located next to the site, providing much needed access for shoppers without cars. Across the train tracks, there is a large green space that fronts the river, creating a waterfront park. Initial planning for the area aimed to create a twenty-four hour mixed-use district. This vision was implemented ten years later as construction broke ground. The site does a successful job incorporating residential space in with the significant amount of retail space that fronts the streets. By including other uses like a cinema and hotel, the development has a wide array of programs that enhance the diversity. With another parcel under development, the site still has room to grow. The adjacent site looks to be home to a major office park and parking structure. The development of this area has enhanced a once rundown area of Somerville and has impacted a community not too far removed from downtown Boston. This area was designed with smar t growth principles in mind and it has already become apparent in the development’s brief existence how successful it can be.

11.

“Ward 1 Online.” : A Tour of Assembly Row. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.

Methodology As our explorations progress, we have been asked to begin to form a way of making. Through this making, we began to figure out ways to implement a process and it is here where the thesis ideas that were formed initially began to actually take shape. The act of making came in different methods and techniques. One familiar way in which designers make is by producing models or drawings. In many cases, it is difficult to create a model of an architecture theory or idea and this is where drawing can be such a successful tool. Another tool that was utilized in the making process was the act of writing. Writing was an instrument that allowed one to bring all aspects together. A suppor ting piece to accompany a well thought out drawing go a long way for the design process. The second semester of thesis focused on a specific design problem and was directly rooted in the work completed in the previous semester. As our ideas progress from their early stages into a full thesis proposal, the elements that a site can bring can be crucial. Many of the ideas formed can be related back to if there is an involved site. The existence of a site allows the viewer to cast their own thoughts and impressions on it. This allows an outside viewer the chance to understand different aspects to the thesis ideas that were in need of a specific location. Another step in the development of our thesis ideas relates to the program and intention of the project. A design thesis has a unique twist of both research and a design proposal that is backed by the information that has been sought out. The implementation of a program allows the second portion of the thesis to take shape. Once a program is established, the ideas begin to have an intention and a potential direction to expand into.

As a part of my Advanced Topics studio, I studied the impact of walkability in relation to a neighborhood in Los Angeles. My final proposal included a plaza adjacent to a transit stop that functioned as a pedestrian throughway.

Implementing A Process The next step in my development came in the form of writing. I began to implement a process to overlay onto an area in order to enhance its walkability and health. This came in the form of a series of guidelines that one could begin to overlay onto an established site. The hope is that with a given infrastructure, the guidelines would begin to encourage a successful redesign to turn an area’s focus back toward the pedestrian. There were three main goals that pushed the development of these ideas. The two key terms in doing so were quality of life and built environment:

Goals: •To underline a necessary infrastructure for the creation of a walkable, healthy urban environment •To create a set of guidelines and instructions on how to enhance the walkability of an area •Demonstrate ways that these guidelines begin to enhance walkability as well as the positive health aspects that accompany them

The Back Bay is one example of a walkable urban location due to its density, accessibility, variety of uses, and relationship back to nature through open parks and water.

Infrastructure •An area must have a reasonable density to it in order to thrive. For example, a walkable neighborhood designed with urban principles in a rural community would not yield the same results as a neighborhood in a small American city like Providence.16 •Access to a form of public transit is another crucial aspect to walkability. It is unreasonable to create an entirely walkable neighborhood without allowing for some outside connection to other destinations. The use of public transportation becomes key in the success for a location, as it allows the uses to expand and grow outside the original scope. •Diversity of land uses in an area can begin to establish the quality of a neighborhood. This is an aspect that can be altered but a solid mixing of uses is vital in the success of a walkable, healthy neighborhood.17

16. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d d a York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 17. Burney, David, Thomas Farley, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Amanda Burden. “Environmental Design and Health, Urban Design: Creating an Active City.” In Active Design Guidelines: Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design, 12-43. New York City: City of New York, 2010.

After reviewing many sources regarding urban planning and an idea of walkability, it is becoming increasingly clear how impactful a walkable community can have on the residents of the area. The ability for a location to incorporate walking as a vital aspect to its transpor tation impacts the area in a variety of ways; from health benefits to economic growth, walkability is a way to make an area or neighborhood thrive. As more and more people flock to cities it is impor tant to begin to cast walkable principles on the way we layout and develop cities as a whole.15 One way in which cities can grow is by expanding outward. For up-and-coming cities this is a realistic oppor tunity to expand the boundaries and push their edge. However, for many established cities, this is not an option. In areas like Boston, New York, and Los Angeles there is little to no more room for expansion. Cities like these have to look inward to focus on how to establish walkable neighborhoods within the city limits. By focusing in on problem areas, city planners can begin to establish or enhance the conditions that exist, to create a more walkable and healthy environment. Public health is an impor tant aspect to consider when walkability is mentioned. Looking at public health can be used to enhance not only the walkable environment, but it can be used to see the overall health aspects that these places can bring. The quality of life in a neighborhood depends greatly on the mobility and character that upholds it. The guidelines that I will begin to layout cannot be taken into account without a solid infrastructure already in place. Many of these guidelines require an urban setting with and already established density that is incorporated. Without a solid density in place, a neighborhood simply would not be able to survive in the walkable manner that is being proposed. With that said, there are a few key aspects that must be included in the infrastructure of these potentially walkable neighborhoods: 15. a

Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.

Once there is an existing infrastructure in place, there are a series of design guidelines that can be added to change the area. These guidelines begin to take a look at how to liven the street edge and create active, pedestrian friendly streets. As the main guidelines begin to become established, the scale begins to zoom in slightly and a look at healthy building design begins to come full circle with the neighborhood. The establishment of healthy places is something that takes place in a variety of scales, from the urban scale down to the human scale and the sidewalks we inhabit.18 The intention of these guidelines is to be able to overlay them on a site with a similar existing infrastructure to what was listed earlier. Once they are overlaid onto a site, there can be an investigation into the potential health benefits that accompany the design shifts. The guidelines in this case are broken into three sections: Program and the Use of Space, Walkable Streets, and Sustainable Environments. The reason that the guidelines are broken into these categories is due to the fact that there is simply so much that can be done to enhance the walkability and overall health qualities of a place. By breaking the guidelines into three, it allows for multiple aspects to be looked at and also allows for one to see the connections they have with one another very clearly. Program and Use of Space 1.Mix Land Uses: The mixing of land use relates back to the diversity mentioned in the infrastructure section. This is essential to the sustainability

18. “Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.:Island Press, 2011.

of a neighborhood. The mixing of uses in development is crucial because it allows for a dynamic environment. With the introduction of office and retail spaces in close proximity to residential and community establishments encourages movement through a neighborhood without the dependence of a vehicle. Another aspect that should be included in the mixing of uses is a focus on food resources, like full service grocery stores, and active recreation spaces. Low-income communities are the areas in need of these services most and it is in those areas where we see higher rates of obesity. Mixing of land use provides not only economic potential, but also reason to walk about the environment and neighborhoods you live in.19 2.Create Parks, Open Space, and Areas for Recreation: In many cities, there is a serious lack of public space, par ticularly of the green variety. Open parks allow for residents and visitors to interact with one another, creating a social realm otherwise lacking in a neighborhood. The incorporation of a park system in neighborhoods allows a place to attract a wide array of individuals; from young workers nearby on a lunch break to the parents and children that potentially occupy the apar tment complexes. The built environment surrounding the open park is also impor tant. By including buildings near an open space, it begins to encourage the use of that area by the buildings inhabitants; no matter what purpose the building might serve.

19. “Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.:Island Press, 2011.

Design Guidelines 3.Focus on Transit, Less on Parking: The automobile has allowed planning in the past fifty years to expand in the way it has, pushing residents far ther and far ther away from the city while still expecting to make a long commute back in. The idea of reducing parking takes the use of cars and limits it substantially. Cheap parking is a downfall for many US cities and a mistake that can be corrected. Focusing resources on a proper transit system is crucial in a sustainable urban environment. These guidelines encourage the use of transit but also how to enhance the use of transit in areas. By locating buildings and their entrances near transit corridors ridership can increase. Another impor tant aspect that relates is the placement of transit stops on well-connected streets. Accessible streets are crucial in the access to the transit locations.20 4.The Creation of Public Plazas and Pedestrian Through-ways: The use of public space is important in any community, let alone one that is built upon an idea of walkable destinations. The creation of pedestrian only spaces is key in promoting health and well-being. A public plaza begins to create a public realm where cars are not welcome; it also provides a safe place to gather. The use of pedestrian through-ways can begin to place an importance on walking. By including building uses specific to these pathways, it brings and emphasis that you must get out of the vehicle and maneuver around a space to experience it.

1. Mix Land Uses 2. Create Parks and Open Space 3. Focus on Transit, Not Parking 4. Create Public and Pedestrian Through-ways

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a quality city, a person should be able to live their entire life without a car, and not feel deprivedâ&#x20AC;? -Paul Bedford

20. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.

. By implementing more activity has the potential to pop-up. The image started as a run down storefront and is finally rendered as a renewed area.

Figure 10

Design Guidelines Walkable Streets: 1.Create Safe Places to Walk: One major issue in most cities today is that the emphasis is on the car. Roadways are designed to be speedways for vehicles as traffic engineers provide what is necessary for the driver to feel safe. The problem with this is that the drivers feel an over inflated sense of safety and push the limits even further. Pedestrian safety must be key in the design of any neighborhood, urban or rural. By introducing elements like trees, medians, thinner roadways, and sidewalk buffers, the safety of the pedestrian is again a focal point.21 2.Incorporate Bike Paths and Roads: Bicycling allows for another method of transpor tation in a community. Bicycling is something that not only healthy for you but healthy for the environment as well. Every bicyclist on the road takes someone away from a vehicle, leading to a lower carbon footprint. The safety of the bicyclist is also paramount in the success of a walkable street.22 3.Enhance The Streetscape: The creation of a dense street edge is impor tant in the success of a walkable community. Lively street edges can easily be tarnished by the presence of a surface parking lot. A layered faรงade that begins to bring the building and its function out onto the street is one element that can be utilized to enhance the sidewalk.

4.Create Green Corridors: Planting trees are very simple tasks. The time it takes to allow for the maturation of the tree into a full-grown being is what takes time. The inclusion of trees in the pedestrian realm is very impor tant because it performs several different functions. First, the tree can act as a buffer to the street enhancing the safety of the pedestrian. Second, the tree can begin to shade the sidewalks you inhabit this creating a pleasant shaded area on a walk. Third, the tree can begin to intake pollutants that are exhausted from cars by soaking up the CO2 emissions.

1. Create Safe Places to Walk 2. Incorporate Bike Paths and Roads 3. Enhance the Streetscape 4. Create Green Corridors

20. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.

Creating an area that has a connection to its surroundings is crucial. The Greenway spans a long area in Boston and is connected to many smaller hubs.

Figure 11

Design Guidelines Sustainable Environments: 1.Focus On the Cleaning of Buildings in a Carbon Neutral Setting: The physical built environments in which cities are made up of include buildings, which contribute significantly to carbon emissions. The use of renewable energy in design can begin to reduce the Greenhouse Gas Emissions that stem from the building. A focus on how buildings can become cleaner, both in terms of the systems that are used in design as well as the materials used in the making, can allow for a cleaner environment in a neighborhood.23 2.Promote Recreation in Building Layout: Buildings that provide a staircase a focal piece begin to encourage the use of stairs throughout. Mainly seen in the design of office space, layouts that encourage movement throughout the day can increase physical health. Movement is key for any neighborhood and this is something that can take place within a building.24 3.Encourage The Growth of Gardens: Food safety will increasingly become an issue as our dependence on fossil fuels worsens. A city’s inability to sustain its food environment is a pressing issue for the future. On a neighborhood scale this thought can be introduced through the creation of community gardens or rooftop gardens. This encourages a healthier form of eating As well as an implied social connection to those who utilize the space in the same manner.

All of the guidelines listed to the right are elements that can potentially increase the quality of life for an area. Each aspect has a relation to health comfor t and happiness in one way or another and if all of these guidelines could be applied to an area, it would have the potential to thrive as a healthy, walkable community.

1. Focus on Clean Buildings 2. Promote Recreation in Building Layout 3. Encourage the Growth of Gardens

23. Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2010. 1-75. 24. “Community Design for Physical Activity.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkinand Richard Jackson, by James Sallis, Rachel Millstein, and Jordan Carlson, 33-49. Washington,D.C.: Island Press, 2011.

Site Nashua & Nor th Point Parks Having already established the parameters for a necessary infrastructure, the search for a potential site should begin to be narrowed. One potential area that is of interest is located next to the Zakim Bridge to the southern side. With plenty of land on both sides of the Charles, the area could be developed into a diverse neighborhood that could begin to bring more action across the river. It is an area that is in close proximity to the Downtown area as well as numerous transpor tation hubs. Given the established area located around the location, the redevelopment of this land would be a viable option and thus has great potential. Much like the design of Assembly Row, the area front water and has an existing connection back to major transpor tation. As the site sits now, it is a major void that could be established into a relevant area along the Charles River. This site offered me an oppor tunity to connect four major communities with Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown and Somerville all coming to a intersection on the Nor th Point site in Cambridge. The site has an established master plan that has been approved by the city so it is an area that will also be seeing a big influx in activity in the coming years.

A view from the Avalon Apartments located on the site. The construction overlooks the North Point Park and the Charles River leading into Boston.

A look at the Avalon Apartments, one of the few prominent buildings on the site.

Figure 12

Figure 13

Two of the first proposed buildings from the original North Point Master Plan, One and Two Earhart both offer residential units that overlook an existing park on the site. This remains one of the only built pieces from the original master plan. Figure 14

North Point, Cambridge MA An overhead look at the North Point neighborhood and its neighbor in East Cambridge. The site sits as a largly undeveloped area with vacant space and large amounts of surface parking. The few prominent buildings remain on the periphery of the site, abutting the main road.

Figure 15

Figure 16

The site sits in close proximity to four major communities. This photo shows its connection to Cambridge and Boston, two opposing scales, and offers a view into the context that the redevelopment can relate to.

Figure 17

This image shows the vast scale of the site. At nearly 80 acres, the site is one of the very few undeveloped areas in the Boston area and its shear size has drawn the attention of developers and designers alike.

Design Project This thesis takes a look at the implementation of a new, diverse and walkable community in the Nor th Point neighborhood in Cambridge, MA. The site is at an interesting crossroad between four historic communities: Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Charlestown. The plan is focused on two axes dedicated to pedestrian through-ways, one connecting the two major T stops on the site, and the other that cuts an ar tery through the entire site. As the design fur thers, the connections back to the adjacent communities becomes more and more impor tant. The site offers a unique edge condition that differs on all four sides and these connections will be of fur ther focus moving forward in the design process. The main program for the space revolves around a pedestrian Boulevard that is scattered with interventions to enrich the layout of the throughway. The focus of the community revolves around alternate means of transpor tation like walking, biking, and public transit while limiting the need for vehicular circulation.

North Point, Cambridge MA The overall site layout forms two axes on the site. The pedestrian boulevard runs through the length of the site creating a spine for both residents and incomers alike. The residential and office spaces alike have pockets of green space to promote outdoor activity.

North Point, Cambridge MA Throughout the semester, section has been a key to the design of this project. The images to the left were crucial in the development of the project and allowed me to attain some of the site qualities that came up. The main concept through all of them was the idea of connection. The ability to walk around and connect from place to place is key in the layout of the site. The sections drawn and rendered began to show the atmosphere of each space that is along the cut lines. The design of the Boulevard was furthered in section as much as it was in plan. The design of the boulevard was broken into sections relating to its function. The entrance to the boulevard includes a covered gateway for inhabitants to stop and relax. The next tier of the strip is an open market space that allows for commerce and flexible market spaces. The third tier holds a central square and a place for more program to implement itself. The addition of an amphitheater along with the central square allows for large gatherings to occur.

The top image shows a look at cross section between the main Boulevard. The lower image shows the mixing uses on a floor to floor level, rather than by building footprint. This image shows the diversity that the site design has.

North Point, Cambridge MA The 3d Axon of the site offers a view of the boulevard in relation to the other streets on the site. There are three conditions present in this image: the pedestrian boulevard, the active streetfront, and the Lechmere train park.

North Point, Cambridge MA The plan of the boulevard became a main focus throughout the design. The plan below shows some of the specific spaces that were programmed. Along the boulevard there were three conditions: a covered gateway, an open market space, and communal gathering spaces. The open market spaces offer flexible vending spaces. The gathering spaces offer an amphitheater and a central square along with park space to allow inhabitants the location to gather and relax or see a performance. There is also dedicated space for cafes and outdoor seating to enhance the street life.

North Point, Cambridge MA

North Point, Cambridge MA As the design of the Nor th Point fur thered, it became more and more crucial that the new neighborhood had vital connections to fur ther its status in the communities surroudning it. One method in which to do this was by the implementation of a footbridge that could connect to both Cambridge and Charlestown on opposing sides. The footbridge allows for a connection to Charlestown through heavy infrastructure over both train tracks and highways. The design of the footbridge incorporates a sculpture park and garden that gives pedestrians cause to cross.

North Point Neighborhood Proposal Building # Footprint S.F. Residential Corridor

Total

Boulevard

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Building Use 18,200 8,200 11,100 15,000 13,300 12,500 25,600 25,600 22,400 22,400 12,500 12,500 12,500 10,500 7,000 6,750 15,000 26,000 17,800 20,800 17,500 10,500 9,250 15,250

368,150

Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential/Retail Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential Residential

6,000 4,300 4,000 8,750 13,500 4,000 6,700 6,500 9,500 16,500 9,750 6,950 5,500 11,000 16,000 17,800

Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use

14,250 41,000 27,000 39,500 14,500 37,000 14,500 28,500 27,400 28,000 35,000 30,000 23,500

Mixed-‐Use SuperMarket Residential Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Mixed-‐Use Office Mixed-‐Use Office Office Office Office

Transportation & Parking (Excluding Offices) 51 21,000 52 N/A 53 24,000 54 35,000 55 31,000

Train Station Bus Station Garage Garage Garage

Total Train Connection & Office Park

Total

41 42 42.2 43 43.2 44 44.2 45 46 47 48 49 50

146,750

360,150

# of Stories

Total S.F. 6 6 5 6 6 5 7 7 6 7 7 7 5 6 4 5 7+1 7 4 6 5 5 5 3+2

127

# of Units (if residential) 109,200.00 49,200.00 55,500.00 90,000.00 79,800.00 62,500.00 179,200.00 179,200.00 134,400.00 156,800.00 87,500.00 87,500.00 62,500.00 63,000.00 28,000.00 33,750.00 105,000.00 182,000.00 71,200.00 124,800.00 87,500.00 52,500.00 46,250.00 45,750.00

Total Retail S.F 99 45 50 82 73 57 163 163 122 143 80 80 57 57 25 31 95 165 65 113 80 48 42 42

Michael Duffy

Thesis-‐Final

Total Office S.F

Parking Spaces

15,000

30,500

2,173,050

1,976

45,500

4 2 2 5 6 2 2 4 5 5 6 8 7 8 4 6

24,000.00 8,600.00 8,000.00 43,750.00 81,000.00 8,000.00 13,400.00 26,000.00 47,500.00 82,500.00 58,500.00 55,600.00 38,500.00 88,000.00 64,000.00 106,800.00

754,150

108

12,000 8,600 8,000 8,750 13,500 8,000 13,400 6,500 9,500 16,500 19,500 6,950 5,500 11,000 16,000 35,600

199,300

6 2 5 4 7 4 7 10 11 8 10 9 6

85,500.00 82,000.00 135,000.00 158,000.00 101,500.00 148,000.00 101,500.00 285,000.00 301,400.00 224,000.00 350,000.00 270,000.00 141,000.00

28,500 82,000

28,500.00

79,000

79,000.00 43,500.00 74,000.00 43,500.00 285,000.00 219,200.00 224,000.00 350,000.00 270,000.00 141,000.00

2 0 4 4 4

42,000.00

2,382,900

96,000.00 140,000.00 124,000.00

16 37

12 17 15

123 53 53 75

329

74,000

54,800

318,300

Residential S.F. 12,000

17,500.00 27,000.00

17,500 40,500

6,500.00 19,000.00 49,500.00 39,000.00 48,650.00 33,000.00 77,000.00 48,000.00 71,200.00

13,000 19,000 16,500

436,350

Residential S.F.

28,500

135,000 58,000 58,000 82,200

480,200 2,173,050

1,757,700

320 467 413

Design Project The final design of the Nor th Point neighborhood took a focus inward on a pedestrian boulevard that serves as the spine of the site. The boulevard creates a place to be on the site and offers a destination for incoming pedestrians to travel to and inhabit. With this focus on the boulevard, the design began to lean away from the connections that remain key to the neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s viability to exist. To take the design fur ther, I would have began to focus closer on the edge conditions and how my site interacts with the surrounding communities. I began to address this witht the implementation of the boardwalk connecting to Charlestown but after my critique I came to realize that the design is quite applicable over the entire site, especially crossing over the Bryant Highway to the south side of the site and into East Cambridge. To take a look back at the design of the site, I would focus more on the existing edge conditions and try to relate my master plan more heavily to them. The project began to become more inwardly focused, and while the viability of the design seems believable, the project would have been more successful had I focused toward the edges of the site and work from the outside in.

Notes 1. 2. d 3. 4. d d d 5. 7. d 8. 9.

“Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, d 2010. 1-75. “Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. “Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for d Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, d and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.: d Island Press, 2011. “Google.” Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. “Back Bay History.” Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Growth, Us Epa: Smart. “2005 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.” US EPA: Smart Growth: Smart Growth Awards 2005 (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10. IBID 11. “Ward 1 Online.” : A Tour of Assembly Row. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. 15. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 16. IBID 17. Burney, David, Thomas Farley, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Amanda Burden. “Environmental d Design and Health, Urban Design: Creating an Active City.” In Active Design Guidelines: d d Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design, 12-43. New York City: City of New York, d d 2010. 18. “Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for d d Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, d d and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.: d Island Press, 2011. 19. IBID d 20. Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. 23. Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, d d 2010. 1-75.

24. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Community Design for Physical Activity.â&#x20AC;? In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building d d for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkinand Richard Jackson, by James Sallis, Rachel Millstein, and Jordan Carlson, 33-49. Washington,D.C.: Island Press, 2011. Figure Notes Figure 1: http://alivecampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Alive-Campus-17-summertime-headline.jpg Figure 2: http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html Figure 3: http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1335&page=43 Figure 10: Base Image: http://chrrambow.deviantart.com/art/Urban-Street-01-152141208 Figure 11: Base Image: http://gonzalocamacho.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Map_of_greenway.jpg Figure 12:http://www.condominiumsatnorthpoint.com/images/new2012/home-middle.jpg Figure 13 http://www.avaloncommunities.com/~/media/Images/Community%20Photos/Massachusetts-%20Rhode%20Island/Massachusetts/Avalon%20North%20Point/Heros_Thumbs/ArchstoneNorthPoint_Thumbnail.jpg?h=200&la=en&w=320

Figure 14: http://www.bostonluxe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/northpoint2.jpg Figure 15: http://northpointblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Fall-2010-Aerial.jpg Figure 16: http://cambridgecanine.com/2012/04/north-point-ho/northpoint_aerial/ Figure 17: Google Earth

Overall Works Cited 1. d d d

Burney, David, Thomas Farley, Janette Sadik-Khan, and Amanda Burden. “Environmental Design and Health, Urban Design: Creating an Active City.” In Active Design Guidelines: d Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design, 12-43. New York City: City of New York, d 2010.

2. d

Calthorpe, Peter. Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. Washington, DC: Island Press, d 2010. 1-75.

3. d d d

Dannenberg, A. L., R. J. Jackson, H. Frumkin, R. A. Schieber, M. Pratt, C. Kochtitzky, and H. H. d Tilson. “The Impact Of Community Design And Land-Use Choices On Public Health: A d Scientific Research Agenda.” American Journal of Public Health Vol. 93, no. No. 9 (2003): 1500-508.

4. d d d

“Community Design for Physical Activity.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building d for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard Jackson, by James Sallis, Rachel Millstein, and Jordan Carlson, 33-49. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2011.

5. d d d

“Built Environments of the Future.” In Making Healthy Places Designing and Building for d Health, Well-being, and Sustainability, edited by Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, d and Richard Jackson, by Anthony Capon and Susan Thompson, 366-378. Washington, D.C.: d Island Press, 2011.

Duany, Andres, and Jeff Speck. The Smart Growth Manual. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

7. d d d

Frank, Lawrence D., James F. Sallis, Terry L. Conway, James E. Chapman, Brian E. Saelens, and William Bachma. “Many Pathways from Land Use to Health: Associations between Neighd borhood Walkability and Active Transportation, Body Mass Index, and Air Quality.” Journal of the American Planning Association, 2006, 75-87.

8. d

Jackson, Richard, and Stacy Sinclair. Designing Healthy Communities. San Francisco: Josseyd Bass, 2012.

9. d

Speck, Jeff. Walkable City: How Downtown Can save America, One Step at a Time. New d York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.

10. b

Cooper, Rachel, Christopher Boyko, and Ricardo Codinhoto. “The Effect of the Physical Envi ronment on Mental Wellbeing.” Mental Capital and Wellbeing (n.d.): n. pag. Web

11.

Growth, Us Epa: Smart. “2005 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.” US EPA: Smart Growth: Smart Growth Awards 2005 (n.d.): n. pag. Web.

Images References

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lo-urRpzT-E/ThdJJn2k9ZI/AAAAAAAABEI/Px1-GtT_MPs/s1600 MJI_1569.jpg

http://alivecampus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Alive-Campus-17-summertime-headline.jpg

http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html

http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1335&page=43

http://wardoneonline.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tour-of-assembly-row.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomchance/1008213420/

http://www.zedfactory.com/zed/?q=node/102

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/smartgrowthusa/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/riverfront-crossings-2.jpg

http://chrrambow.deviantart.com/art/Urban-Street-01-152141208

10.

http://gonzalocamacho.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Map_of_greenway.jpg

11.

http://www.archdaily.com/213793/space-group-completes-lexington-master-plan/