Michael J. Abate Selected Works
“
...landscape, in the form of parks, greenways, street trees, esplanades, and gardens, is generally seen to provide both
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salve and respite from the deleterious effects of urbanization.
-James Corner, Terra Fluxus
Contents About Me: Interests & Skills
Public Space: Market Place Pynchon Plaza
Residential Design: Back Acres Community Cavanagh Residence
Furniture Design: The Reels
Site Engineering: Grading
Growing up I was fascinated with Architecture design and the built environment. As I grew, my interest in design combined with my love for the outdoors. Initially my studies in high-school focused around the built environment. Landscape Design was presented as another route to travel and I decided to pursue it because I saw it as a vehicle to directly impact people on a day to day basis. I am currently a Senior at The University of Massachusetts where I serve as Vice President for the UMass Chapter of the BSLA. Some of my long-term career goals include becoming a licensed Landscape Architect, obtaining Professional Accreditation for AutoCad, obtaining my LEED GA, and one day becoming a Fellow of The American Society of Landscape Architects. In addition to Landscape Architecture I love football, baseball, fishing, kayaking, fitness, and music.
Contact Information: Michael J . Abate Phone: 973.356.2665 Email: mjabate@umass.edu
About Me:
linkedin.com/in/michael-abate-508278b9
@M_Abate_LARP
mikeabate31.wix.com/mjalarp
pinterest.com/mikeabate/
Computer Proficiency: AutoCad Adobe Creative Suite SketchUp/V-Ray Lumion Rhino/Grasshopper Microsoft Office Suite Adobe Premiere Adobe After Effects
Other Skil s: Hand Graphics Drawing Leadership Presentations Public Speaking Writing Team Work
Public Space: Market Place Pynchon Plaza
Market Place:
Springfield, MA
Submitted for 2016 BSLA Student Awards
Designs for Market Place were done largely in two parts. Within our design team we were tasked to create both short and long term solutions for Market Place. Our short term installations were centered around the concepts of tactical urbanism and way-finding. In coordination with the Springfield Holiday Market, we developed a stencil system to direct people around the downtown area towards the Holiday Market inside Market Place. The stencils were spray chalked onto the ground in strategic locations around the downtown area of Springfield. Our mindset was that our installation would be a quick, inexpensive, and effective method to attract people to the Holiday Market and Market Place in general. The feedback from the citizens of Downtown Springfield was phenomenal, with high praise for our way-finding installation.
These images show the installation process of the stencils. On the left is the cardboard stencil placed on the ground ready for chalk. The right side shows the finished product.
This map shows the locations of the spray-chalk throughout the downtown area. We focused on the most highly trafficked areas around our site, that meant placing heavy emphasis on Main Street.
Phase I Design Through the exploration of our short term intervention, we were inspired by the use of inexpensive materials and their capability to make an immediate impact. We developed a plan to quickly instill life into Market Place by painting vibrant circles over the existing conditions in all three dimensions. In addition to using Market place as a canvas for our circular designs, it was decided to include movable seating opportunities that matched our color scheme.
P A I N T
$33,154
1 370 Gallons 82,000 sq.ft
Programming An important facet to Phase I of our design was the detailed programming of the buildings within, and around Market Place. As a team we looked carefully at providing uses for all times of the day, week, and year. In addition to the programming of buildings, it was determined to take advantage of the existing parking lot and program new activities for it. This includes: basketball in the summer, farmer’s markets in the fall, ice skating in the winter, movie nights, concerts, and much more. Diverse events and uses will be a large reason why Market Place will thrive as a public space in downtown Springfield. With the addition of diverse programming, Market Place will foster sociability on new levels. Diverse uses provide the opportunity for diverse levels of interaction among users. The diagram to the right shows the many levels that make up our intended character for the site. We believe it to be the recipe for success within Market Place.
Market Place:
Springfield, MA
Phase II Plan The right page displays the plan for the design. It includes the corresponding uses throughout the site. In addition to programming, we used planting to reinforce the edges of the plaza. The allee along the parking garage and Falcon’s way work together with the existing trees within Market Place to shape the space. The image to the right displays just one of the many uses for the old parking lot. The newly established plaza increases the value of the buildings surrounding it. The image shows an outdoor skating rink which we believe would be a popular winter destination. In addition to the rink, is a Christmas tree with plenty of room for gathering. Currently, the Holiday festivities are held in nearby Court Square which is not conducive for gathering. This plaza is better suited for these types of Holiday events and gatherings in general.
23’
5’ 3’ 7’
11’
11’
7’ 3’ 5’
25’
Streetscapes Springfield invested in a study to improve the streetscapes around the city. The UTILE Report made suggestions for certain road typographies in Downtown Springfield. With these reports at our disposal, we took a detailed look at the streetscapes around Market Place. Using the recommendations from the report, we were able to design safer complete streets throughout downtown Springfield. These methods not only improve access to our site but improve safety and traffic flow around the area. These implementations can serve as a precedent for the remainder of the downtown area.
1
2 3 4 5 6
Civic Center Parking Garage Delivery Lot O’Connell & Plumb, P.C. Berkshire Bank The Falcon’s Nest TD Bank Building
Market Bike Repair Drydock Seafood Miller’s Bakery 10 Tony’s Tailoring 11 White Ash Cigar Lounge 12 Medium Rare Take Out 7 8 9
Medium Rare Steakhouse Mass Mutual Center 15 Market Bike Exchange 16 FedEx 17 Civic Center Convenience 18 Cafe Du Jour 13
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Northwestern Life United Personnel 21 City Jewelry 22 Young’s Beauty Supply 23 Monarch Place 24 One Financial 25 Court Square 26 Tower Square 19
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Market Place:
Springfield, MA
S E AT I N G
Phase II Design The main component in Phase II of the design is to begin to make some of our temporary solutions more permanent. This includes the addition of more permanent benches to compliment the movable pieces. These benches are displayed in the section across the bottom of this page. They are designed to provide an opportunity for both sitting and lying in addition to providing a light source. The plexiglass box beneath the wooden seat sits in a metal frame and lights up at night. It is also designed to change colors based on Falcon’s games and certain holidays. In addition to benches, planting beds are added to help manage stormwater runoff within the site.
164
movable s e a t s
52 tables 10 benches
T R E E S
The image to the left shows a view looking towards the Mass Mutual Center with the existing trees lit for the holidays. In another cost effective method, adding some Holiday Lighting can go a long way in creating a cheerful and lively atmosphere within Market Place. The relocation of Holiday activities from Court Square to the new plaza within Market Place will also work wonders to stimulate growth of local businesses. The section across the bottom displays how the design reads as one cohesive system from Harrison Avenue towards Falcon’s Way. Elements on each side of Market Place are eye catching and lively. These elements instill excitement and foster curiosity for pedestrians passing by. The lively nature is shown on many levels. The street lamps with our color scheme ensure that the design will read from multiple places around the city allowing the site to serve as a marketing system. Custom signage also works to illustrate the building uses in a fun and exciting way.
73 Total 18 existing 55 proposed
Pynchon Plaza: Springfield, MA
The design of Pynchon Plaza presented challenging obstacles that proved difficult to overcome. The site sits between Chestnut Street and Dwight Street, 40 ft below Chestnut. In addition to the massive change in grade, Pynchon sits sandwiched between residential apartment buildings and a proposed building to the East. The close proximity to the Mass Mutual Center means Pynchon has potential to be a highly trafficked area in addition to, a crucial stepping stone in an effort to connect green spaces throughout Springfield. Included in this plaza design was a building proposal for the structure to the East. The facades and programing were also taken into consideration and applied to the project.
The image above demonstrates the concept behind the proposed design of Pynchon. The river serves as circulation from Chestnut to Dwight. In conjunction, the spaces are organized perpendicular to the river allowing circulation and spaces to interact with the building’s uses. The image to the left shows the existing conditions of Pynchon Plaza. The brutalist architecture and out of service amenities such as the outdoor elevator and water wall made the plaza a bit of an eye sore.
Chestnut Street
Access to the plaza was improved by creating safer, complete, streets. Bike lanes, elevated cross walks, and street side parking were included. In addition to these amenities, retention basins are designed to filter runoff before it enters the sewers. Runoff from the building and green roof is captured through a system of weirs, that eventually spills out over a water wall and into a trench drain within the plaza. A direct route from Chestnut to Dwight is provided by a grand stair case to the West of the site. An alee of Elms provide a canopy above the stairs.
Pynchon Plaza: Springfield, MA
Chestnut Street Level Five Level Four Level Three Level Two Dwight Street The diagram above explains the different levels within the plaza. The Dwight Street level is the largest space and allows for movie screenings, art displays, portable games, and restaurant access. Level Two provides ADA access to Level Three via a ramp and is accessible by elevator for those who require it. Level Three is designated as a quiet reading room. Level Four allows for performances of all kinds and access to the cafe. The Chestnut Street level serves as an overlook point in addition to providing access to the first tier of the roof gardens.
Above: The Reading Room on Level Three is designed to be a quiet and contemplative space, surrounded by lush grasses protruding through the deck. Below: The Dwight Street Level shows its capabilities for gathering.
Level Two is ADA accessible through an elevator inside the building. The circulation here is meant to meander through the beautiful Feather Reed Grass like a river would. The water wall adds both a calming background noise and a gorgeous addition to the facade of the building.
Inside the performance space atop the Fourth Level is a wonderful garden including White Birch, Tulips, and Rhododendron. The space is large enough to accommodate small performances such as plays, poetry readings, or small musical performances. The seating wall here wraps around the garden and provides opportunities to relax for those who wish to have a more quiet experience. This area also connects to the cafe where patrons can enjoy their lunch break in the sun.
Here a closer view is shown of the water wall. It’s illumination at night is a pleasant quality that can be enjoyed by everyone in the plaza. The water feature can be seen from the top floor of the restaurant which is directly adjacent to the wall. The doorway here can be used for those in need of an elevator. The elevator takes pedestrians from Dwight street to this level, where a ramp is available to take them to the next (fourth) level.
Residential Design: Back Acres Community Cavanagh Residence
This project was a group project. In our three member team we were assigned a housing type to develop on this site located across Route 116 from Hampshire College in Amherst. Our group was given Senior Housing as our focus. The site consists of 52 acres of diverse terrain including several wetlands and a stream corridor. These natural features challenged our team to make intelligent design decisions while preserving the natural features on the site. As a team we made it a chief priority to maintain as much of the existing vegetation as we could. This meant that vegetation not included in wetland buffers or riparian corridors were going to remain untouched to preserve their health and add a wonderful backdrop throughout the community. The Back Acres Community was designed for Seniors to age in place in the comfort of a home they have potentially owned for years, rather than moving to a new strange facility in the event they become ill. We understood that there are a large number of independent seniors however, we developed a program to help them with any excess chores like snow removal in the winter months. There are a few student units mixed into the clusters of senior houses. These units are rent-free to Hampshire College students with the catch being that these students must help the seniors within the cluster with any day-to-day tasks. The program also included a multipurpose Recreation Center to the west of the site. The facility would include a gym, theatre, pool, and many other facilities that would be open to the public in an effort to generate revenue for the community.
Circulation
Amherst, MA
Footpath
Sidewalk
Vehicular
Unit Layout
Back Acres Community:
Senior Housing Unit Student Housing Unit
Back Acres Community: Amherst, MA
The perspective above shows the landform footpath that connects the two sides of the community. Below shows the relationship between the units, including the shared courtyard area.
Residential Design: Cavanagh Residence
This residential project was located on a .83 acre lot in South Amherst, Massachusetts with a stunning view to the East. Some of the obstacles on the site included lack of vegetation to reduce the morning sun glare and harsh grade changes to the North and South of the home. The design uses a grid based off the architecture and a dominant axis to choreograph the spatial organization and circulation.
Existing Conditions
Concept
South-East View
Entry and Arrival
The influence from the grid is apparent in these images through the use of plantings, paving patterns, and the spatial organization.
Planting Grid
Field to the East drawn up around a more intimate space.
Furniture Design: The Reels
Furniture Design: The Reels
Submitted for 2015 BSLA Student Awards Featured in Springfield Tactical Urbanism Installation Upcycling is the “reuse” of “discarded objects or materials in such a way as to create an object of a higher quality or value than the original.”1 Upcycling is about changing one’s perspective on how a material or object can be used even if its use differs from what was originally intended. For this project we were given the task of designing and constructing a chair using only recycled materials found at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Transfer Station. The goal was to create a piece of furniture that was elegant, comfortable, and easy to construct. Using just film reels from 1927 and a wooden futon frame, a chair was designed and constructed that accomplished this goal. The process relied on observation of other successful chairs, and effective mechanisms such as the one found on a backpack strap, used to secure the film to the frame of The Reels. 1. Oxford University. (2010). New Oxford American Dictionary, 3rd edition. NY: Oxford U. Press.
The frame building process. Dismantling the futon frame and re-purposing it to benefit our uses.
The Reels was featured in an installation in Downtown Springfield, Massachusetts. MLA students at The University of Massachusetts requested use of The Reels for use in their Pop Up Park design within the realm of Tactical Urbanism.
Site Engineering: Grading
Site Engineering: Grading
Every design begins with the site topography. Analysis and manipulation of landform plays a large role spatial organization, storm water management, and aesthetics.
Limit of Work
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