Assembly Square:
Remembering the Past + Creating a New Identity Somerville, MA | 1960’s Urbanism
By Katherine Ginn Ubben
Historical Evidence 1700s
70
Former Wetlands of the Mystic River Percentage of Assembly Square that was orginally wetland
Long before the lowlands of Assembly Square were developed, it was orginally home to wetlands, running along the Mystic River. Today, You can still find evidence of this, where wild grasses grow in the damp areas of the site.
1890s
24
Brick Manufacture Boom Million bricks were produced in Somerville at the height of the brick-making industry.
“The largest non-agricultural employer in town, and the industry which characterized the landscape for 70 years following the Revolution, was the brick-making business. The proximity of a major metropolitan area, coupled with the extensive glacial clay deposits of the Boston Basin, provided the impetus for early brick manufacture in the inland towns of Medford, Cambridge, and Somerville.”
1920s
400 N
Ford Motor Assembly Plant Number of cars made at the Ford Assembly Plant within every 8 hours.
“The Ford Motor Company opened its first Boston-area assembly plant in Cambridge in 1914. In 1926, the company moved to Somerville, constructing a model assembly plant on filled land near the Mystic River (near the reputed location of the 1636 lauching of Governor Winthrop’s ship “Blessing of the Bay”).
Boston’s Landfill History 1634 Boston Settled
1830 Mill Pond Filled
Known as the Shawmut Peninsula Defined by three hills: Copps Hill, Trimount, and Fort Hill
Beacon Hill cut to fill Mill Pond State House erected atop reduced Beacon Hill
Copps Hill
1845 Great + South Cove Filled
Great Cove added, now Financial District South Cove added, now Chinatown/Tufts Medical
Land added along Charles Street/West End Created ropeworks on west end of the Commons
1890 Back Bay Filled
Added more land than the entire Shawmut Peninsula Fill was transported from Needham Heights
West Cove
Mill Pond
Trimount
1865 West Cove Filled
Great Cove Back Bay
Fort Hill South Cove
487
Acr
es
+5
0A
cres
+2
98 A
cres
+2
03 A
cres
+5
07 A
cres
Regional Analysis:
Adaptive Re-Use of Industrial Sites
1 3
2
USS Constitution Museum
1
Piers Park Sailing Center
2
4
Big Dig + Columbus Waterfront Park
25% Residential
45% Industrial
31% Infrastructure
3
Fort Point - South Boston
4
Park Not Shown as Park
Assembly Square
Industrial
Google 2012
Taxonomy of Assembly Square Historical Fill
Path
Historical Site
Originally Wetland
Major Minor
Major Minor Minor
Area Lacking Character Area of Isolation
Major
Major Minor
Node Major Minor
Thesis + Concept
With the objective of providing more open-space for the residents of Somerville, I highlighted the history of the site by recreating the wetlands and reconstructing the Assembly Square water tower. By lifting the land, I introduced a hill that provides better views of the riverfront, the site, and the Boston skyline. The infrastructure that supports the hill submerges the ground level of the program while allowing for a system to filter greywater through the wetlands.
Wellington
Ch el
sea
McGrath Highway rk Pa ss Fo
I-
Broa
dway
Framework for Assembly Square
93
Aven u
e
Sullivan
Winter - Snow
Ten Hills
Mystic River
Draw Seven Park Foss Park
N
Program
High Density Residential = 459,900 SF Mixed Use = 165,000 SF Retail = 150,000 SF Office = 208,600 SF Hotel = 263,500 SF Community = 55,000 SF Parking = 312,000 SF Open Space = 338,000 SF
I - 93
Home Depot
Node: Community Center
Public Atrium
Constructed Wetland First Stage of Water Filtration
MBTA Orange Line to Oak Grove
Natural Wetland Second Stage of Filtration
MBTA Commuter Rail to Newburyport/Rockport
Mystic River Final Stage of Water Filtration
Node: Community Center
Sports & Leisure Center St. Cloud, France KOZ Architectes
Food Trucks + Open-Air Market
Hotel Lobby
Moss Grafitti
Public Atrium
Nykredit Headquarters Copenhagen, Denmark Schmidt, Hammer, Lassen
Residential Passageway
Gallery
Classroom Running Track
Fitness
Office
Node: Community Center
Game Dance Gym
Phase I: Infrastructure + Node
Phase II: Hotel + Office
Phase III: Retail + Office + Residential
Concept Model
Final Model
Final Model inserted into Site Model