SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGN | SAM FOX SCHOOL OF DESIGN & VISUAL ARTS RACHEL SARVIS | GRADUATE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS | FALL 2014 JESSE VOGLER | MALIA KALAHELE
PREMISE
open architecture
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PROJECT
incompleteness
permanence
dependence
park
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program
site
OPEN ARCHITECTURE incompleteness
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permanence
dependence
Open architecture requires a design that is incomplete, a design that has a degree of impermanence yet it still remains permanent and stable within the urban fabric. It is about the adaptability of a building over a span of time, whether that be within a day or five years. Adaptability no longer relies on the ever so popular idea of physical flexibility within a space, but rather through carefully thought out permanent elements that can serve a range of programs. It is within these permanent elements that then places a great deal of emphasis on the user claiming and activating a space. In this case the users are the final piece to the puzzle eventually completing the project.
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“
just like words and sentences, forms depend on how they are “read” and which images they are able to conjure up for the reader.
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Herman Hertzberger
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INCOMPLETENESS Incompleteness within architecture places a large amount of ownership on the user. A project will remain incomplete until the user activates the space either through their sheer presence or by physical means of claiming territory. The user can be prompted through certain architectural cues that then suggest a specific interaction with the built environment. It is through these basic architectural elements that boundaries are formed whether they are physical or mental and people begin to further define and redefine those boundaries.
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ARCHITECTURAL CUES Because incompleteness within architecture relies so heavily on the user the project must provide a set of cues which will prompt the user to activate the space. These elements act as a framework which then allows the user to claim territory within. In a generic sense these cues come down to the fundamental elements of architecture; wall, roof, floor, structure. When used alone they have a certain sense of interaction compared to when they are combined with one another. The amount of adaptability within this framework is almost endless.
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wall
roof
floor
structure
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MAGNETIC VIEWS Tate Modern London, UK STAIRS AS SEATING IMPROMPTU SEATING Time-Life Building Plaza New York City, NY
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Central Park New York City, NY
SECTIONAL SEATING High Line New York City, NY
HUMAN INTERACTION There are many typical everyday cues that prompt the user into a certain kind of interaction within a space. These cues can be either built or suggested, leaving it up to the user to read each space and define their own boundaries. CREATIVE USE Forsyth Park Savannah, GA
VEGETATION EDGES Central Park New York City, NY
When providing cues it is important to think about their how they can serve multiple functions thus creating an adaptive space. The most basic and popular cue is seating. Any surface becomes fair game if it is the proper height and width for someone to sit on. Varying types and heights of seat-able elements allows the user to claim a territory that best suits their immediate needs. Our interaction within the built environment hardly ever remains consistent but is constantly adapting to the spaces provided.
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SCALE The act of completing a project happens on a range of scales. On a personal or intimate scale one can physically complete a project by adding elements to a space. Because the scale is smaller the project becomes more manageable for a single person. Once you hit the social or public realm it becomes more difficult for one person to complete a project through physical means. The sheer act of presence can complete a project depending on the amount of people at a larger scale. It is at this larger scale that it would then be up to groups of people to change a space through physical means.
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intimate space social space public space personal space
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we are all players; agents who inhabit the environment, transforming it to our liking and making sure things stay as we choose; within the territory we claim. N.J. Habraken
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PERMANENCE Within the built environment there are certain elements which remain permanent. Over time buildings may change and adapt to popular trends but there will always be certain elements that remain constant whether that be from the urban fabric or down to the building scale. In an open architecture the permanence of specific elements, whether they are on the city or building scale beings to provide a clear framework to work within and build upon. This framework favors change and allows architecture to adapt over time.
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new street
widening streets
street occupancy
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URBAN SCALE Permanence within the urban fabric often relates to infrastructure. These elements which make up the urban fabric are rarely demolished and remain visible over time. While they may change drastically over time they never truly disappear; streets are widened, added or changed whether that is through their primary function or completely abandoned due to changes within our society.
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BUILDING SCALE Permanence within a building can relate to those elements within a building that can be kept year after year even if the function of the building changes. These elements are often structural or service related. It is through these permanent elements that a base framework is formed.
circulation core
structure
envelope
systems
ADAPTABILITY While elements remain permanent they can still be altered to fit certain needs. These elements can be changed in four different ways; by adding to it, building around it, building on top of it or subtracting from it.
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it is difficult to design a space that will not attract people. what is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished.
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William H. Whyte
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DEPENDENCE Between these two elements that make up open architecture lies dependence from one to the other. The incompleteness of a project relies on permanence heavily. The elements which remain permanent tend to depend on one another as there is a change in scale. Throughout the built environment the city blocks and grid restrict the area to build upon. The built environment heavily depends on the rules and regulations set up by law.
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city to building
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building to partition
partition to furniture
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CITY TO BUILDING Buildings depend on the boundaries set up by the urban fabric; streets constrain buildings within their outlines allowing only a few possibilities for change. Streets on the other hand directly affect the surrounding buildings and any changes made to the streets or urban fabric has a direct impact on buildings.
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BUILDING TO PARTITION Just as buildings rely on the boundaries of the urban fabric so does the organization of the interior spaces depend on the framework set up by the building form. Exterior walls and the building lot allow interior partitions to be placed as efficiently and effectively as laid out by the program.
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“
although a flexible set-up admittedly adapts itself to each change as it presents itself, it can never be the best and most suitable solution to any one problem; it can at any given moment provide any solution but the most appropriate one
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Herman Hertzberger
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PROGRAM Open architecture must have a balance between over determining and overgeneralizing its program. As the programs relates back to incompleteness, permanence and dependence there becomes an overlap between the required functions and built elements which create areas that are well defined as well as areas that are less defined and open. These programs must draw people in and accommodate a range of uses and change over time, whether that be over the course of a day or years.
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HOW DOES OPEN ARCHITECTURE RELATE TO PROGRAM? INCOMPLETENESS must allow an influx of people to essentially redefine the space as needed. These incomplete spaces may not always have one clear program but it can be a place where multiple programs overlap blurring the edges of a clear defined space. These edges are then completed when people occupy the space according to their needs, hardening those boundaries.
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PERMANENCE sets up specific permanent elements that service multiple programs creating an overlap in space and program. The need for multiple programs within an open architecture provides both similarities and differences which requires that similar functions or elements that occur within multiple programs must remain permanent because they service multiple functions. Other elements that only service one program should remain impermanent so that it can become adaptable.
DEPENDENCE must consider both visible and invisible restrictions put in place by the chosen programs. Certain programs may depend on a number of spaces that require specific functions, whereas others may depend on the restrictions defined by law.
INCOMPLETENESS PERMANENCE DEPENDENCE
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PARKING GARAGE
BUSINESS INCUBATOR
FOOD TRUCK PARK
A PARK.
BUT NOT YOUR AVERAGE ORDINARY PARK.
a park that houses food trucks, a park that contains a business incubator as well as a parking garage.
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FOOD TRUCK PARK
BUSINESS PARK
CAR PARK
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FOOD TRUCK PARK Food trucks are becoming a very popular trend throughout cities the United States due to their attractive, clever and relatively cheap food options. Food trucks often sell food in a range of locations on a day to day basis changing locations.
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WEEKLY
INCOMPLETENESS
PERMANENCE
DEPENDENCE
The completeness food trucks bring to any location is an interesting phenomenon. The amount of people they attract to any location either by their own or paired with another event completely transforms spaces. The mobility of the food truck allows for it to adapt to any location whether that be for a lunch crowd or for a large event.
The impermanence of food trucks is part of their business model; they are constantly on the move to find new locations and attract new customers. While they may have a brief sense of permanence in a specific location and time that is not their home base. When service is finished all items must be removed from the location and cleaned up as if it were never there, and the process starts all over again.
The dependence and importance of location is one of the most vital characteristics of food trucks. Laws set up by the municipal they sell in greatly impacts the potential locations they can vendor in without breaking some law and facing tickets.
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REGULATIONS While food trucks are essentially a restaurant on wheels they must follow not only the transportation and parking laws but also abide by the regulations set up by the department of health and sanitation. It is because of these laws and regulations that many food trucks end up not surviving. Parking tickets and violations are often handed out on a daily basis. Sometimes these tickets total more than their daily revenue, making it hard to survive. Many cities have started creating food truck parks or pods, where vendors can park together in a given area off the street without the worry of receiving a parking violation. This not only benefits the business but the customer as well. By providing a place off the street the vendors no longer have to worry about receiving a parking violation and more room will be given to the customer to buy and eat food nearby.
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P P Hours of operation are restricted to 6am and 11pm
All parking regulations must be obeyed at all times.
P At least 4 feet of sidewalk must be left unobstructed for pedestrian traffic.
No outside furniture or cooking equipment can be set up around the food truck
Food trucks are not permitted to sell any beer or alcohol
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typical
IMPLEMENTATION Many cities have started creating food truck parks or pods, where vendors can park together in a given area off the street without the worry of receiving a parking violation. This not only benefits the business but the customer as well. By providing a place off the street the vendors no longer have to worry about receiving a parking violation and more room will be given to the customer to buy and eat food nearby. By inverting the typical organization of food trucks in cities and bringing the trucks into a building lot the risk of receiving parking violations no longer exists, thus creating a food truck park.
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proposed
40%
40%
20%
INDOOR SEATING
OUTDOOR SEATING
PARKING
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SoMa StrEAT FOOD PARK San Francisco, California This food truck park provides guests with 10 different rotating trucks on a daily basis. The large open lot contains plenty of tables to sit and enjoy your meal. The park is open daily from 11am until 10pm.
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seating
food trucks
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seating food trucks
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FORT WORTH FOOD PARK Fort Worth, Texas The Fort Worth Food Park is situated within Fort Worth’s cultural and entertainment district. Inserted on an empty lot the park is quite small, allowing up to 5 food trucks at a time on its lot. Bounded on each side by a rotation of food trucks daily the picnic tables lining the middle allow customers to sit and enjoy their meal. Hours are restricted to weekends mainly from 11am till 10pm.
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BUSINESS PARK A Business Park is an organization that is designed to accelerate the growth of startup companies through a variety of business support services and resources, also known as a business incubator. Not all entrepreneurs are allowed into a business park, only those who have viable business plans or ideas are admitted. Because of the constant fluctuation of businesses occupying the business park an open, adaptable, collaborative space is needed aside from the typical office areas.
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MONTHLY MONTHLY
business A
PERMANENCE
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The permanent factor of a business park are the services offered. Businesses in incubators programs often have anywhere between a 2-6 month stay to a 1-2 year lease before they leave the program. This type of impermanence requires that the building adapt to constant occupancy change.
business B
business D
1-2 years
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2-6 months
ieess nttiitti n e e t t meenn errnnm e v v o o gg
business C
business E
business A
business B
INCOMPLETENESS
DEPENDENCE
The incompleteness provided by a business park allows for maximum adaptability. The framework provided allows for multiple types and sizes or businesses to occupy any given space as needed.
The dependence on both the facilities and surrounding community allows for growth and expansion within each company. Constant feedback from the public expedites the success of each company.
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business E
ot
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me
lop
eve
ic d
business D
nom
eco
business C
ic
em
ad
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ion
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ern gov
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titie
en ent
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typical
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proposed
small business
IMPLEMENTATION
medium business
While the resources offered within a Business Park are a crucial part of their service, the physical space provided serves as equally as important. Providing a collaborative work environment can help young companies grow and obtain feedback. Because of the ever changing businesses rotating in and out of the building and the importance of collaboration the spaces need to be modules in order to adapt.
large business 51
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS A business incubator must have space that is adaptable. It must be able to adjust to frequent change. While serving businesses is its main priority over half of the building should be devoted to offices, while the remaining half acts as a collaborative space for companies to gain knowledge and feedback from clients.
50% OFFICES
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35%
10%
5%
COLLABORATIVE SPACE
AUDITORIUM
CONFERENCE ROOMS
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INCUBOXX Andreescu & Gaivoronschi Timisoara, Romania
This business incubator has over 50,000 square feet and is dedicated to young start up companies. The building contains exhibition spaces, conference rooms, and a cafeteria. The majority of the first floor contain shared collaborative spaces while the upper floors contain the private offices which can adapt to different size companies.
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office space
collaborative space
auditorium
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CAR PARK A parking garage serves as a framework to connect these spaces, serving as infill. Currently parking garages are typically used solely for parking and take up prime real estate in cities.
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DAILY
INCOMPLETENESS
PERMANENCE
DEPENDENCE
The basis of the parking garage is an incomplete structure, which is often the bare minimum of what is needed. The structure essentially acts as a shell for which the cars occupy.
The permanence of a parking garage lies within its structure. The overall shell remains permanent, while the cars rotate in and out.
Parking garages are dependent on the strict rules and regulations of construction. The structure and circulation relies on the dimensions of cars and their mobility.
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A two way traffic ramp must be at least 24 feet wide for circulation
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The floor to ceiling heights of parking structures must be at least 7 feet high
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Circulation ramps within parking structures should no exceed a slope of 1:15
REGULATIONS There are many restrictions when it comes to building a parking garage. Certain codes must allow cars to circulate throughout the building freely through a series of ramps which connect all floors. These transitions from floor to floor must be labeled clearly and must accommodate the appropriate amount of space according to its function. The minimum turning radius for traffic must be at least 12’
Floors must be labeled with appropriate signage for both program and exits
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program
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circulation
typical
proposed
IMPLEMENTATION Circulation in a parking garage can be one of many variations. The ramps that connect each floor create a clear continuous path throughout the building. Where the ramps level off are the areas where the majority of parking occurs. It is on these leveled areas that other programs besides parking can occur. By integrating more than just parking on each level parking structures can make better use of that real estate.
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1111 LINCOLN Herzog de Mueron Miami, Florida This not so typical parking garage contains more than just parking. Other services it provides are retail spaces, apartments, restaurants and event spaces.
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parking
retail
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what attracts people most, it would appear, is other people. William H. Whyte
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SITE The site requires an urban context, a place where people are constantly passing and interacting with, a parking lot or garage. The amount of parking in St. Louis compared to the population is high, theses lots are used but mainly during day. These lots need to be designated to serve a better function than solely a parking lot. Looking at areas that are dense in parking and areas that suit the programmatic needs. The urban fabric is designed in such a way that there are many architectural cues which can adapt to our constantly changing society.
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A PARKING LOT. BUT WHAT PARKING LOT IN ST LOUIS? there are plenty.
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By using an existing parking lot the site will no longer sit vacant and empty for part of the day but will have multi-functional spaces activating each level all day, year round. A parking lot fits in with open architecture, a constant rotation of vehicles either activates a space or leaves it empty and barren. The rotation of cars can now be replaced with the rotation of food trucks, businesses and cars.
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PARKING IN ST. LOUIS In St. Louis there are more parking garages and lots than needed. By transforming an existing parking lot into something other than parking we can then use valuable land to benefit the surrounding community through new businesses. By starting to take away some of the abundant amount of parking in St. Louis which will begin to encourage people to limit their trips by car which will also reduce CO2 emissions.
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Barnes Jewish Complex
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VENDING DISTRICTS Currently there are regulations in place that restrict where food trucks are able to vend. This creates two major Food truck “hubs� in the city of St. Louis. One of them being downtown near the City Garden and the other in central west end by Barnes Jewish hospital. These two locations are ideal for Food trucks due to their population density especially around lunchtime.
City Garden
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CENTRAL WEST END The city block near Lindell Boulevard and Kingshighway presents itself as a an important node in the Central West End. This block marks the transition between the park and the city, the residential and the businesses. This node is currently being underutilized, filled mainly with three large parking lots which are not alway used. Each site presents a string of possibilities within open architecture and each would benefit and bring something different to the project.
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SITE 01 Site 01 is located on the corner of Kingshighway and Lindell, its proximity to Forest Park gives potential to provide a better linkage between Central West End and the park. Because both Kingshighway and Lindell are high vehicular traffic streets the project has potential to provide a more pedestrian friendly linkage.
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42,500 ft 100 parking spaces
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SITE 02
50,000 ft
Site 02 is located on the corner of Lindell and Euclid, it is situated between moderate vehicular and pedestrian traffic streets. The site provides a connection between residential areas of the neighborhood and the nearby university and business districts.
120 parking spaces
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2
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SITE 03
60,000 ft
Site 03 is located on the corner of Kingshighway and West Pine, it is the largest of the three sites which sits adjacent to Forest Park and Barnes Jewish Hospital. Bounded by a high vehicular traffic street and a moderate pedestrian traffic street the site allows for possibilities for a new connection to Forest Park and the surrounding businesses. 125 parking spaces
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2
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business park
IMPLEMENTATION By using the framework of a parking garage these adaptable programs are able to fit within a clear structure. By dispersing the program throughout all levels of the building the new “park� not only services cars, but people as well. Adaptable spaces are created by allowing overlap between defined programs, it is within this overlap that open architecture is created.
car park
food truck park 83
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REFERENCES Cowen, Tyler. “Free Parking Comes at a Price.” Davidson, Adam. “The Food Truck Business Stinks.” Habraken, John. Conversation with Form. Habraken, John. The Structure of the Ordinary Hill, Jonathan. Actions of Architecture: Architects and Creative Users. http://www.nbia.org/resource_library/faq/ Ben-Joseph, Eran. “Rethinking a lot.” Whyte, William. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces Winter, Caroline “American Cities are Haunted by Too many parking spaces.”
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