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O B S E R V A T O R Y
Project Docu men t Nich olas Coat es
U R B A N Lo c ati o n :
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O B S E R V A T O R Y
7th St. & M ain St. | Cincinnati, Co n text: 3 9 d egrees N or th
OH
Book I_Preexisting Conditions 1.1 Physical Site: Location and Orientation The site is located on the corner of 7th and Main, right in the heart of Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati is approximately 39 degrees north, lending itself to cold winters. The design strategies for this region are to protect from harsh winter winds, let in winter sunlight, and keep the winter heat in the building envelope.
Above: Wind rose shows the wind direction over the course of a year. The prevalent winds come from the southwest. Below: Site in the context of the city.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Above: Sun path diagram overlaid on site. Below: Site on the corner of 7th & Main.
Nicholas Coates
1.1 Physical Site: Structures and Spaces The site remains fairly open, other than The Dennison Hotel that forms the northwest boundary. Along Main Street, businesses line the street, varying in services offered. When on the site, the northern view is open for the remainder of the block, where it is then fragmented by buildings layering upon one another. Looking to the east, the hills beyond are in view, where any intervention on the site will form the new boundary of downtown.
Elevations of the Site
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
The site is currently a large parking lot, adjacent to other parking lots. The site itself remains open, with The Dennison Hotel forming the most apparent boundary. For the first third of the site, the hotel soars into the sky creating a large wall that guides you down the alley to the corner where the site opens up again.
Nicholas Coates
1.1 Physical Site: Spaces and Views Throughout the city, things start to frame and accent particular views, sights, or objects. The perception is constantly changing, but is highly altered by this frame. What role does a frame play in the experience of architecture?
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Nicholas Coates
1.1 Physical Site: Contours and Movement of Water The downtown area of Cincinnati is elevated from the river, which forms the southern boundary. Once in the central downtown district, the city is predominantly flat. To the eastern side, the hills that surround the city can be seen. The flow of the water is to the Ohio River, whether naturally from the slope or through the series of storm drains.
The elevation of the city changes drastically when out of downtown. The water drains to the nearby river, aided by the natural contours and the drainage system.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
1.1 Physical Site: Seeing in Time Cincinnati has changed over the course of time. The downtown area started as a grid as early as 1815, and has continued to expand. Neighboring buildings like The Dennison Hotel continue to give glimpses of the past, and the layers associated with history apparent in its weathered state. The Ohio Bookstore just down the street, contains floors and floors of books, ranging in topics, that show the past, present, and, future.
Above: Nation Geographic Magazines from 1920 at the Ohio Bookstore Below: The Dennison Hotel continuously gives glimpses of the past
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Above: Mapping from 1815 and 1880 show the vast changes to the city Left, Below: Mapping from 1838, 1846, and 1914.
Nicholas Coates
1.1 Physical Site: City Space Fieldwork
Shift
Suggest
Transform
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Construct
Weather
Nicholas Coates
1.2 Infrastructure: Hardscape The overall geometries of the city, when viewed from a distance, are much different than the zoomed in image. The site is situated in downtown, with a traditional city grid. The urban environment contains very little vegetation and is filled with concrete and brick at every glance. The patterns of movement on the site add emphasis to the southwest corner, as that is the predominant point of entry, either by car or walking.
Greater Cincinnati Area, screen print on acrylic
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Street Grid
Patterns of Movement
Nicholas Coates
1.2 Infrastructure: Hardscape The majority of the hardscape is filled with countless parking lots and decks for commuters into the city. It feels as if the majority of the city has migrated to the suburbs and at night the feeling is empty when the cars are gone.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Parking lots fill the streets of Cincinnati. Additional parking is found in the basements of many downtown buildings.
Nicholas Coates
1.2 Infrastructure: Networks of Distribution The Ohio River is one of the first things seen when arriving in Cincinnati. It forms the state and city boundary to the south and was home to much transportation before the modern era. Currently, the river is frequented by bridges spanning its width connecting to nearby cities.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
The Ohio River has a dominating presence in the city. Bridges frequently span the river connecting the neighboring city of Covington, KY.
Nicholas Coates
1.2 Infrastructure: Networks of Distribution Public transportation is available in Cincinnati, but is more limited than larger metropolitan areas. A bus system supports the city, however the predominant method of travel is by car. The city started a subway system in 1884 when it was a thriving area due to trade along the river. Unfortunately, the subway system was never completed.
Current bus system in Cincinnati
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The idea for the subway started in 1884, and was planned to loop around the city with branches serving the downtown area. The cost was originally estimated at $12 million, but funding was the major downfall. When The Great Depression hit, the dream of a subway system for Cincinnati ended.
Nicholas Coates
1.3 Zoning and Code Type I-B Construction: Structural Steel/Reinforced Concrete Steel coated with intumescent paint Occupancy Class: Residences: R-2 Maximum Height: 11 stories Maximum Floor Area: Unlimited Studios: A-3 Maximum Height: 11 stories Maximum Floor Area: Unlimited Galleries/Archive/Staging Warehouse/ Exhibition Hall: A-3 Maximum Height: 11 stories Maximum Floor Area: Unlimited
Located in the downtown development district, the main regulations come in the form of parking areas to be designated. According to the code, new buildings must include parking. For every 1200 square feet of office space, a parking space must be created.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Theater: A-2 Maximum Height: 11 Maximum Floor Area: Unlimited
Type I-B Construction: constructed with non-combustible material. Materials have a two hour non-combustible rating.
Nicholas Coates
Book II_Precedent 2.1 Ideational Precedent National Park Centre - Valerio Olgiati Olgiati starts to question the role of the wall in the National Park Centre. In this building, the wall unfolds to house a large staircase that leads to the floor above. The dramatic staircase shows how the simple move of adding thickness to the wall and opening it up to be occupied transforms the space and creates a release upon arriving to the floor above.
Plan showing how wall expands to be inhabitable
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Le Pont du Gard, Middleton Inn - W.G. Clark Infrastructure that is serving a purpose while also becoming a space is one thing gained from studying Le Pont du Gard. This raises the question of the relationship of the wall to the overall composition. How can a wall become more than a wall? In the Middleton Inn, W.G. Clark starts to study the interaction of a wall and a volume. The wall, with the cutout absent of the volume deepens the understanding of the role of the wall in the project as well as how the wall and volume come together to construct the whole.
Above: Le Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge. Below: Diagrams showing how simple moves allow for a wall to become a space.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
The interplay between a wall and a volume
Nicholas Coates
Archaeology Museum of Vitoria - Francisco JosĂŠ Mangado Beloqui Lincoln Center Metropolitan Opera House - Wallace Harrison Viewing angles start to allow for a facade system that has multiple reads, as demonstrated in both of these projects. The depth in section allows a nearly opaque read when viewing obliquely, and a much different read when viewing perpendicular. At night, the glowing qualities allow another transformation to take place.
When illuminated at night, the building has a much different read. The heavy facade comes to life giving peaks at what is behind.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
The depth in section of the vertical elements allows for varying sights into the building depending on the angle. The system allows for a uniform, yet dynamic facade that allows much light to penetrate the space.
Nicholas Coates
2.2 Material Precedent Brion Cemetery - Carlo Scarpa, Seagram Building - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Middleton Inn - W.G. Clark, St. Gerold Community Center - Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architeckten Time + Weathering Time plays a large role in the understanding of architecture. Following completion, the building will weather and age due to the forces of nature. How can the architecture prepare itself for what is to come and develop deeper understandings of the materials due to weathering?
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Nicholas Coates
Formwork + Internal Structure Concrete is seen virtually everywhere, but very few examples show anything other than a solid gray wall. Occasionally the concrete might be weathered and have a large rust stain giving some insight as to what is inside the wall. How can the formwork and beautiful rebar structure be shown in the final result? How can this deepen the understanding of the material?
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Nicholas Coates
Formwork + Internal Structure
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Vitra Conference Pavilion - Tadao Ando, Water Temple - Tadao Ando, The Israel Museum - James Carpenter, Archaeology Museum of Álava - Francisco Mangado Light as a Building Material Light and shadows play a large role in the understanding of architecture. As demonstrated in much of Ando’s work, light and darkness create movement through buildings. Additonally, they play a key role in showing and concealing parts of the architecture. The interplay between the two can start to define spaces. This is shown in James Carpenter’s Israel Museum. The large gallery space starts to become a series of smaller spaces by the simple use of light and shadows to define boundaries. In the Vitra Conference Pavilion, light over the chair increases the boundary of the room, making it appear to extend infinitely. Light shafts in the archaeology museum bring light deep into the space. The placement of the shafts not only physically defines space, but the glowing quality reflecting off of the deep wood tones further defines spaces within one large room.
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Nicholas Coates
2.3 Methodological Precedent Excerpt from Andrea Bruno’s sketchbook Layering of information results in an image that is graphically evocative, while allowing deeper readings to continuously take place. A drawing can convey many things; the atmosphere, ordering system, spatial qualities, and context, just to name a few. Having a single drawing show all of these things together is remarkable.
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Nicholas Coates
Brion Cemetery - Carlo Scarpa Scarpa’s drawings convey layers upon layers of information when studied. The precise nature juxtaposed with a sketch of an idea allows a look inside of the thought process and a deeper level of understanding of the project. This mode of representation is not about creating a final artifact, but instead creating the final throughout the process. Detail is inherent in his work. The ability to communicate the architectural idea at multiple scales allows for a deeper understanding of the work, which is demonstrated in both the physical manifestation and the drawing.
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Attention to detail allows for the idea to be communicated across multiple scales.
Nicholas Coates
Book III_Project
Situated in downtown Cincinnati, the Urban Lab and Observatory has the potential to be the spark necessary for redevelopment of the city. Situated on a site that is currently used as a parking lot, the observatory aims to bring artists and researchers, as well as the general public, back into downtown to work and live. Formally, the project attempts to explore the relationship between a wall and a volume, allowing degrees of visibility in and out to further connections with the downtown area.
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Nicholas Coates
3.1 Order The project is ordered by a series of walls that vary in thickness repeated across the site. These walls are intersected by a volume. The width of the walls coupled with the changes in spacing between, allow for differing spaces as needed by the program.
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Linear walls and the subtraction of the ground create a geometric framework at multiple scales.
Nicholas Coates
3.1 Process The repetition of elements coming together to compose the whole was one of the main drivers of the project. Studying what happens when a series of walls are repeated across the site and then intersected by volumes was one of the main questions during the design process. The project started as a study of what happens when a wall is pulled apart. This derived the repetition of walls across the site and lent itself to spacing that changed based on need.
Preliminary drawing of the observatory. The lifting of the building off the ground gives it a much different feel than the surrounding context. One important thing is how The Dennison Hotel creates a wall on the northwest corner of the site, allowing the open footprint to have areas of open and closed spaces.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Understanding that the change in width and spacing of the walls created the lighting and threshold conditions desired. One of the biggest advancements of the project was making the heights of the walls uniform. This led to an increased understanding of the tower soaring into the sky and the front portion being a way to lead to the tower. Additionally, the regularity that was discovered on the first study model was reintroduced, but explored in a way that allowed the spaces inside to grow into something much more rich.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
3.1 Rockite Casting To study the role concrete played in the project, scale models were undertaken using rockite as a medium. Creating molds helped raise questions that would be present in the built work. Rockite wasn’t a representational medium, rather one to study the use of a fluid material and how to manipulate it.
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Nicholas Coates
3.2 Material Palette The material use in the project is intended to strengthen the understanding of the architectural idea. This is mainly achieved through the lighting conditions. Additionally, the wood flooring and the formwork remnants left on the concrete start to have a conversation. The use of a dark metal allows the volumes to have a presence, demonstrating the relationship between the wall and the volume. As time progresses, the metal will start to weather onto the concrete adding an additional layer to connect the two. In instances of weathering, as well as portions below grade, the concrete starts to unravel and allow for a deeper read into its composition.
1. Volume Wood Flooring
3. Black Metal Mullions + Glazing
2. Black Sheet Metal - Top + Bottom of Volume
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Exposed Rebar Wall
4. Concrete - Vertical Wood Formwork
Wall Section 2
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Nicholas Coates
Concrete cast showing the forces acting as the fluid fills a smaller volume. It gives a hint at what is beyond.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Study of how a series of metal poles can define space. It allows for a deeper read into the concrete while creating much different spatial qualities than if it were a solid wall.
Forces acting on the facade due to the pulling apart or contraction of the walls demonstrate how varied spacing can change the lighting qualities. This allows for the material use to influence the program.
Large glazed end conditions allow users to be projected onto the streets of Cincinnati as well as the city to have a view into the observatory.
Nicholas Coates
Light starts to become a material in that it defines spaces in the observatory. The basement spaces let light pierce through in key places allowing occupants to sense what is above. Light and shadows start to mark spaces. In the spaces above grade, light becomes a way to entice movement throughout the spaces and define programmatic regions based on lighting qualities and views out to the city.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
3.3 Coordinated Technical Documentation
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Nicholas Coates
3.3 Storefront Study Main Street, as well as much of downtown Cincinnati, is filled with storefronts. On the block where the site is situated, the displays include caskets, books, views of the past, and restaurants. The large glazed end of the observatory creates a portal to view into the observatory. The display is one of the things that is first seen when approaching, and can allow for the works in the observatory to be showcased. The end condition denies views completely through the archive and gallery space. Instead, it carefully shows that there are layers in the distance.
The Stor
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
refront
Nicholas Coates
Facade Study In studying the facade, the important considerations were the amount of light allowed into the space, the uniformity of the system, the ability to frame the end conditions, and how to have different reads depending on movement throughout the site. The final result is one of a series of vertical fins that filter light and fragment the view, allowing spaces inside to be more about the light, than the large picture. As one moves throughout the site, the read changes depending on viewing angle. The variability in the system comes between wall segments, where the spacing can be altered to allow more or less light, show the forces of the walls, or give a hint at the program beyond.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Inhabitable Wall Study Studying the role of the wall was one of the main drivers of the project. When a wall can become a space in itself, movement, lighting, and threshold conditions can really be developed. Inside the wall, a much different atmosphere is created than when in the volume, allowing light to guide movement and allow periods of release and tension.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Preliminary sketch of an inhabitable wall.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
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Vertical Circulation Horizontal Circulation Private Screening Room Archive Gallery Observation Room Staging Warehouse Exhibiton Hall
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Nicholas Coates
Program 1. Housing + Studios 2. Archives 3. Galleries 4. Library + Studio Support 5. Exhibition Hall + Support 6. Staging Warehouse 7. Theater + Support 8. Mechanical
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Program - Site Path A path that cuts the entire site is one element of movement. It allows for the viewer to experience the threshold conditions created by the spacing and thickness of the walls. Light pierces through in areas where a volume is not overhead, creating periods of relief. Along the path, access to the building can be achieved. Large doors that can slide as well as swing away when desired, mark the walls that are provided for circulation as well as provide a way to close the observatory when not in use.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Level 0
Program - Exhibition Hall + Staging Warehouse The staging warehouse and exhibition hall are two areas that allow occupants to observe how the wall meets the ground. The large walls continue one level below where they rest on two perpendicular walls. A reveal around the walls allows light in and creates a visual connection to understand that they continue. In key areas, a few walls go down to meet the second underground level in order to programmatically separate spaces. When below grade, the thinner walls start to unravel showing their rebar structure. The walls seem to hang just over the occupant’s head, creating a feeling of having the tremendous mass floating in space.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
In the staging warehouse, the spaces between walls, as well as the walls themselves, are inhabitable in order to store works needed by the observatory. A catwalk, located on level -1, allows viewers to see into the exhibition hall as well as the staging warehouse on the way up to the galleries and archives above.
Staging Warehouse
Exhibition Hall
Level -2
Program - Galleries The galleries, as well as the archives, are areas where one can experience the wall and volume simultaneously. The soaring ceilings allow relief from the more confined walls as well as the basement condition. Light filters through the facade creating a gallery space abundant with natural light. The light is carefully controlled by the setback of the volume as well as the spacing of the vertical fins. In the galleries, the volume starts to be read more as a singular unit and creates similar conditions of threshold as the path that cuts through the site.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Level 1
Program - Housing + Studios The tower is composed of the housing, studios, and support spaces for the observatory. The volumes change in height to allow for different studios. In a three story portion, a large sculpture studio would reside. The housing units are located on the perimeter of the tower. They have large glazed end conditions that allow for views out into the city. The views into the spaces allow the people of Cincinnati to start to see how artists and researchers not only work, but live.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Housing
Studio
Housing
Level 5
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Works Cited “About Metro.” Cincinnati Metro. Web. 16 Feb. 2013. Borson, Bob. “Rebar Tunnel.” Life of an Architect. 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. “Cincinnati Historic Maps.” Lib. of Cong. U.S. Govt. Web. 10 Mar. 2013. “Cincinnati Wind Rose.” WRCC Station Wind Rose. Web. 4 Feb. 2013. Conley, Ken. “Water Temple - Shingonshu Honpukuji.” Tadao Ando Archives. Web. 06 Sept. 2012. Dzikowski, Francis. “Lincoln Center Theatre LCT3.” Architect Magazine. 09 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Freuler, K. “Rusted Rebar.” Flickr. 25 Nov. 2007. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Gagliardi, Mario. “Carlo Scarpa: Tomba Brion.” Penccil. Web. 07 Oct. 2012. “Gravel.” O.N.E. Web. 8 Apr. 2013. Henderson, Andy. “The Cincinnati Subway System.” Forgotten OH. 2000. Web. 16 Mar. 2013. Hursley, Tim. “Israel Museum.” JCDA. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Kaufmann, Hermann. “St. Gerold Community Centre.” Flickr. 1 June 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. Kries, Mateo, Julia Taylor Thorson, Barbara Hauss, and Anna Stuler. The Vitra Campus: Architecture, Design, Industry. 2013. Print. “KY-IN-MI-OH Trip Day 5.” The AARoads Blog. 17 Nov. 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Los, Sergio, Carlo Scarpa, and Klaus Frahm. Carlo Scarpa. Köln: B. Taschen, 1993. Print. Mangado, Francisco. “Archaeology Museum of Vitoria.” ArchDaily. 04 Nov. 2009. Web. 3 Apr. 2013. Mond’Rel, E. “Carte postale de la Pont du Gard.” Scan de carte postale. 1891. Print. 28 Mar. 2013. Serrazanetti, Francesca, and Matteo Schubert. “Andrea Bruno.” La Mano Dell’architetto. Milan: Fondo Ambiente Italiano, 2009. Print. Veloza, K. “Middleton Inn.” Architect’s Eye: Laying the First Brick. 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Verme, Javier M. “National Park Centre / Valerio Olgiati.” ArchDaily. 16 May 2010. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.
Urban Lab & Observatory 2013
Nicholas Coates
Consider the momentous event in architecture when the wall parted and the column became. - Louis Kahn
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