TABLE OF CONTENTS
2020-2022 01 02 04 06
03
REGENT PARK SHAHRAK SENNOTT THE GUILD
PITT_ARC BUILDING
YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER RUN ILLUMINATE DARK MATTER
01-12 13-22 23-30 31-36 37-42 43-48
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2020-2022 01 02 04 06
03
REGENT PARK SHAHRAK SENNOTT THE GUILD
YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER RUN ILLUMINATE DARK MATTER
01-12 13-22 23-30 31-36 37-42 43-48
Regent Park is a community meeting center and public park nestled within the Regent Square neighborhood in Allegheney County, PA. As the geographic threshold between the largest public park in Pittsburgh, (Frick park) to the West, and the neighborhood to the East, Regent Park earns its name by functioning as an extension of the forest and trail system itself- establishing a unique and powerful relationship between people and place, and serving as a destination for the area. At the foundation of this projects program strategy is to cultivate civic inclusivity and equity by redefining a new standard of accessibility, creating an exciting spatial experience by blending the threshold between nature and neighborhood. And most importantly: making it available for everyone to enjoy.
The site can be observed as the bridge between the Regent Square nieghborhood and Frick park. We observe the juxtaposition between the uniform, orthagonal streets and topography to the east, and the curving, organic trail system and topography to the west. Additionally, we observe the trail system goes directly through the site from the west and north edges.
Form is generated by the desire to return the site back to its natural form and connect the fractured hiking paths running through the site. This has been accomplished by the implementation of an occupiable greenroof that encompasses the entire footprint of the structure. The greenroof is accessed by two ADA compliant circulation ramps built into the buildings facade- transforming the existing trailhead into a loop for pedestrians to explore and enjoy as an outdoor destination.
1. CIRCULATION RAMP MOVEMENT PATH: FROM TRAILHEAD
2. CIRCULATION RAMP MOVEMENT PATH: FROM STREET
In addition to providing equitable access to the greenspace above the structure, the circulation ramps also respond to the unique edge conditions of the site with dynamic functionality. Facing north, the long, sweeping ramp (above) climbs around the organizational spaces within the program. This serves as a noise buffer to the bustling traffic of Braddock Avenue, with its angle representing the sharp contrast between nature and neighborhood in a singular powerful gesture. To the south, (right) the ramp twists its way around the center’s creative spaces, optimizing passive solar gain and allowing for panoramic views out into the forest to those occupying the rooms. The positioning of these ramps also creates a protected central courtyard-which serves as a secondary flexible gathering space.
NORTH ELEVATION ENTRY / PREFUNCTION SPACE CIRCULATION CORRIDORThe greenery on the roof is comprised of a proprietary planter tray system designed specifically for ease of movement and making wheelchair access possible. The structure is clad with a high performance composite rainscreen system, with a texture that nods to the native tree species within Frick park.
Both circulation ramps have unique methods of assembly location relative to the lows the circulation ramps uniqely impact the visual while remaining as physically cost as possible. The portions contact the ground (left) geofoam, providing structural ically reduced weight. The that are elevated above window (right) are framed and supported by a cast wall. The ramps are also turf paneling that allows
have been designed with assembly depending on their building facade. This alramps to dramatically and weight of of each facade, physically light in weight and portions of the ramps that are infilled with a dense structural support at dramatThe portions of the ramp the ground or pass by a framed with structural steel in place concrete shear laden with a proprietary allows for wheelchair access.
Shahrak Sennott is a low rise, high density apartment complex located at the edge of the University of Pittsburgh’s campus. Designed specifically for Afghan refugee families and Pitt graduate students, Shahrak Sennott blends concepts of empathetic design and sustainability to cultivate an inclusive and supportive environment for its residents and the surrounding Oakland community. Shahrak, meaning ‘small community’ in Arabic, was chosen as a name for this project by Hasina Jalal, Afghan activist and University of Pittsburgh Public and International Affairs PhD candidate.
Major design decisions have been distilled into 9 simple moves that progressively sculpt and carve form through the process of volumetric addition and subtraction. From the genesis of the design process, Afghan refugee graduate students studying at Pitt were consulted for their personal input- the overarching goal was to respectfully incorporte elements of Afghan culture into the program in order to allow for a comfortable and supportive transition to living in the US.
During the research process, our interviewees explained that adjusting to a Western style unit layout proved to be challenging. As such, this projects unit typology has been generated from firsthand personal experience based on providing an equitable and familiar living experience for both refugee families and graduate students.
This collaborative exploration has yeilded unit typologies feauturing both one and two story units to allow for varying family size, interior compartmentalization for maximum privacy, and a flexible community space for salat.
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In addition to the focus on maximizing passive ventilation and solar gain through form sculpting, Shahrak Sennott is also equipped with numerous bioswales and french drains, and lightshelves, as well as a rain catchement system for water reuse. Taking full advantage of Pittsburgh’s heavy annual rains.
One unique condition from this semesters program was the option to close down Sennott Street and incorporate it into the projects design as a step toward a more walkable urban community. This resulting Sennott promenade generates its angles from observed paths of travel through the existing lot, empowering pedestrians to take back the street on foot.
The café became popular in the 17th century, and would gain importance as centers of free discourse and debate. The maker’s guild arose in the middle ages as craftsmen united to protect their common interests. Modern interperetation: the makerspace. With respect to their historic purposes, we can observe the café as a refuge of free thought, and the guild as a refuge of craftsmanship. The café is centered around intellectual enlightenment and free discourse for all, while the guild is synonymous with the concept of protection, support and exclusivity for its members.
Initial site research began by collecting information on zoning code discrepencies between braddock, lawrenceville, and southside pittsburgh. Representative points were tehn chosen based on existing building edges, two-way streets, and surrounding topography. These points were then triangulated and tessallated to create a complex condition of lines through the braddock avenue corridor. Following the creation of this map, specifc forms were highlighted within the site, and folded upwards to create a dynamic and non-orthoganal architectural language that reflects the surrounding context of the site.
To pay homege to the concept of protection and support historically offered by guilds, and the concept of free thought and equality historically offered by cafes. This is accomplished by creating a relationship between these two spaces through the use of 5 architectural elements, (light, scale, openness, proximity and movement) as a design framework to signify these aformentioned concepts.
The university of Pittsburgh is surrounded by local destinations for students and prospective touring families alike, and many of the public spaces and open spaces near this site are considered beacons of not only the campus, but popular destinations for the city of pittsburgh itself. However, most of these destinations are only available to students and prospective students/ parents. This proposed school of architecture for the university of pittsburgh embodies a design strategy that encourages the exploration of free and open space within the public realm of the site, whilst simultaneously oering a dynamic and secure operating space for students and faculty within the school of architecture.
This design process began with the selection of an action verb: “compress”. Following this selection, lines, planes and volumes were defined and connected to eachother with the purpose of metaphorically representing this verb(I). These volumes were then deconstructed(II) and reassembled to create a three-dimensional sculptural matrix, representative of the concept of compression around a centralized core(IV).
These components were then implemented as a framework for creating a consistent and sculputral design language for a proposed school of architecture for the university of pittsburgh. This design strategy can be observed as mutually benecial for the school of architecture, the university, and city of pittsburgh, as it will allow for the location to become a destination of the city, in addition to providing a productive space for the constituents of the school of architecture.
This design process began with 2 simple volumes, both of which were systematically deconstructed to create one unique public space, and one unique private space. The deconstruction of these volumes was accomplished in 5 specific “moves” meant to metaphorically represent five architectural elements: light, scale, openness, proximity, and movement. This design strategy led to the creation of complex sculptural entities that reflected the concept of phenomenal transparency using method based deconstruction.
These public and private sculptural forms were placed within a site located on the bank of the youghiogheny river, with the intent to serve as a vacation/campsite dwelling for a single family. The landscape design of the site encourages its patrons to experience and appreciate the natural features of the riverbank, providing an experience that embraces the pre-existing curvature of the landscape.
The physics and astronomy department at the university of Pittsburgh has an artist in residence program. This is an independent study research program that allows artists who have been accepted into the program to shadow a physicist or astronomer, and create a permanent art installation that represents their scientific research. Dr Andrew Zentner is a theorist that specializes in the study of the universe and its origins. From our research with him we have learned that dark matter is an unknown particle that makes up most of the material in galaxies. As our universe has expanded and increased in density over the course of billions of years we observe a “cosmic web” of clustered galaxies and gas in areas of dark matter. This implies a degree of interconnectivity between galaxies within our universe.
During the research process we became inspired by three dimensional simulations that illustrated the formation of the cosmic web over time. Using samples of dr zentner’s numerical dataover two hundred thousand individual inputswe created a point cloud using parametric software. The resulting point cloud serves to directly visualize dr zentner’s mathematical observations, establishing a comprehensive, data driven visualization of the cosmic web. Sections were then taken and scaled from this point cloud, then reassembled to establish a cube that represents both dr zentner’s data, and his three-dimensional simulations that inspired us early on. Dark matter is still a very mysterious and unknown component. But what we do know is that it does not absorb, reflect, or emit light.
TOP DOWN VIEW SECTION VIEWThe final installation explores artistic juxtaposition with the use of a light source placed within the sculpture. By taking our data visualization representative of dark matter, and allowing the function of light to play an integral role, our section components become shading devices, reflecting light in dynamic and unconventional patterns. Our cosmic web repeats across every façade, creating shadows that represent its possibility for infinite expansion.