Oculus - Transformation of the Red Hook Grain Terminal, New York City

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AUTHOR:

GRADUATION STUDIO:

TUTORS: PROF. IR. D. GIANOTTEN IR. M.H.P.M. WILLEMS IR. B.C.I.M. KUIT

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ABOUT ME I'm Dutch native, born near Den Bosch, within traveling distance of the Eindhoven University of Technology. My interest in drawing and designing, together with the combination of creativity and architecture as a form of expression, connected to the reality of building technology, have lead me to start my bachelor education Building Engineering in Eindhoven in 2009. A logical next step for me was continuing my studies with a master program in Architecture in Eindhoven. During my master education I have participated in a project that was focused specifically on heritage in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands, where I got the chance to speak with local municipalities and organisations about the project sites. This made me more aware of what comes into play when dealing with existing buildings and their limitations and opportunities. Also the importance and relevance of adaptive re-use in the architecture practice became more clear to me. This shaped my decision to be part of this graduation studio which is all about transforming abandoned existing structures and giving

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them a new life. To me this definitely embodies an obligation and concern for architects of the 21st century.


PREFACE In today’s building practice there seems to be a growing trend of repurposing old buildings when they lose their initial use. This phenomenon has manifested itself for a great deal within areas of cities with former (heavy-) industrial activities, which were dismantled over the course of the 20th century. My choice to be part of this graduation studio was mainly the result of previous experiences I’ve had in a project that had a topic that was also related to adaptive re-use of existing buildings during my master education. I got the chance to speak with local municipalities and organizations about the project sites. This made me more aware of what comes into play when dealing with existing buildings and their limitations and opportunities. Also the importance and relevance of adaptive re-use in the architecture practice became more clear to me. What intrigues me personally is the relation between the old and the new. How the old can be understood in a new context as readable history while something is added to it, rather than replaced by something else. It is important to look critically at what values and qualities are important to retain and can be improved or added, when thinking about changing an existing structure. The process that a building undergoes can in most cases be called a true transformation since a new function demands a different appearance and spatial quality than before. Also the notion that for industrial buildings in particular, the former function was mainly private, while it is common for these buildings to transform them into a building with a public functionality. Transforming old buildings rather than demolishing and rebuilding from scratch proves useful in the light of sustainability, a theme that is becoming ever more relevant. I am convinced that in the coming years architects will be dealing more and more with transformation, renovation and adaptive re-use rather than tabula rasa projects. Taking advantage of the current building stock that already exists gives us a major lead when tackling issues with population growth and making spaces more flexible, suited to different kinds of activities. To me this definitely embodies an obligation and concern for architects of the 21st century.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My thanks need to go to the people who helped me over the course of the past year with this project. First and foremost thank you to my parents, who provided me with all the advice and care that i could wish for. And beyond that even. I cannot begin to describe how thankful I am of them. Also thank you to my loving partner who has always supported me and was always there for me when I needed him. The last weeks before the final deadline he really put as much effort in as he could. I really must thank him for involving my father-inlaw with the making of my scale model. This has helped me out a great deal. Thank you to my other family members and friends who helped me with their advice and best wishes. I have really appreciated the support I got from people that were interested to hear about my project and give their opinions. But above all I couldn't have gotten as far without the help of my amazing group of peer students. We really bonded over the course of the year that we worked together. Only love is what best describes the feeling I get when I think of all the good and bad moments we shared as a group. The meetings, the disagreements, the lunches, the diners, the excursion trips, the parties. We have lived it all and really grew as a group and as individuals at the same time.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT ME

__________________________________________________________________ 4

PREFACE

__________________________________________________________________ 5

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS_______________________________________________________________ 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS_______________________________________________________________ 9 INTRODUCTION __________________________________________________________________11 DEFINITIONS_________________________________________________________________ 12

GROUP RESEARCH____________________________________________________________ 13 CHOOSING A PROJECT__________________________________________________________14

NEW YORK CITY _________________________________________________________________ 19 BROOKLYN

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RED HOOK

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GRAIN TERMINAL _________________________________________________________________ 41 ANATOMY _________________________________________________________________ 42 TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY______________________________________________________ 49 FINDING THE STORY_______________________________________________________________ 57 METHODS OF STORYTELLING__________________________________________________ 62 PRECEDENTS_________________________________________________________________ 65 FROM STORY TO DESIGN_______________________________________________________ 67 DESIGN

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CONTEXT

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CONCEPT

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STRUCTURE _________________________________________________________________ 93 MATERIALS _________________________________________________________________ 94 REFERENCES

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INTRODUCTION The graduation studio is focused on the topic of transformation of industrial sites into a cultural identity. With a group of 15 students research into different industrial sites around the world is conducted; both sites that are already transformed and sites which are not transformed yet. In addition, the context of these sites is mapped extensively. This is done in different scales: country level, city level, city fragment/neighbourhood level and the building site itself. Before dealing with the research about the sites themselves, a proper definition of the common used terms transformation and cultural identity are formulated. The research itself mainly consists of gathering data in numbers about the context of the industrial project sites on one side and mapping on the other side. Different aspects of one site are then laid out in various maps which makes it easier to analyze them. While thinking about presenting the results of this analysis, graphic representation is very important. Especially because all the results are presented on printed paper. Eventually the results are combined into a booklet report. After the research phase, the focus will shift to the design of a transformation of one existing industrial building site, which is made individually. When a site is chosen, a design will be made to repurpose the building for a new use with a character that is no longer private but public. The process behind the design, as well as a description of the design itself will be elaborated on in this report.

Fig. 1 - Promotion poster New York City 11


DEFINITIONS Below I have listed my personal interpretations of the terms transformation and cultural identity in relation to architecture and in general. This provides a field of reference and perspective that helps when thinking about what a transformation design encompasses.

TRANSFORMATION

CULTURAL IDENTITY

Transformation consists of a process of change; a change from one state of

Cultural identity is the thing that separates a group of people from the

being into another under the influence of time. This can be either physical

large crowd and what gives this group their raison d’être. Identity is

transformation or non-physical. In an architectural sense transformation

what a person values in him/herself and to what extent certain values

can be reduced to a number of types with a different relation between the

of one individual belong to groups of people with similar values and

prior state of being and the new transformed state. For example to which

shared history. Cultural identity is not fixed, but is subject to time and is

degree are there still traces of the old state sensible in the new situation.

dependent on history.

Of course this only holds true for physical buildings and structures

Architecture is a means of expression of this identity and culture through

while architecture as a practice is constantly subject to change and

technology and craftsmanship, while it also has a serving role in relation

transformation, since the ways we build reflects to a large extent what are

to culture as it sustains processes and progression of society.

values are as a society.

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GROUP RESEARCH As stated before, research is conducted on various industrial sites that have been transformed and not transformed around the globe. For the sake of splitting the workload the world was divided into three parts corresponding with three different groups of students: Europe, Asia and Americas respectively. My personal contribution to the research was being part of the Americas group, covering the continents of North and South America. Working with data and projects from a different continent seemed interesting to me since it provided a different perspective on things than what I’m used to in Europe. The conducted group research has broadened my sense of awareness of differences in what we define as culture and identity. Also how architects deal with cultural context and how they represent this. Acknowledging that it is impossible to completely understand a culture that is different from your own point of reference, but by educating yourself as much as possible through literature, visiting the place, but also talking with locals and parties involved, it can be possible to at least grasp characteristics that lie at the base of the cultural identity of a place. The research also provided a strong base of graphic representation of data which can be used to help make decisions about how to visualise ideas and concepts in the design stage. This will become clear by the use of colour in images, textures, layering of data, composition, order, etc. One of the main learning objectives for me is to work on a project which is in a different cultural context than what I am used to. This is challenging because it poses questions like: How do you get a feeling of how users behave? What political and economic systems are at play when intervening with existing buildings in different countries? How to go about building physics in a different climate? At the same time transcending cultural boundaries and finding common factors which can be shared and understood by all. So in a sense it is the balance between global and local and how you deal with identity in general.

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CHOOSING A PROJECT Since the personal design is focused on an industrial site that is abandoned and not transformed yet, a closer look at possible locations is in order. The advantage of choosing a site that is already researched is obvious since it saves time during the design process. That is why I opted to choose one of 10 “not-transformed” sites that were present in the research part of the Americas. The criteria for selecting 10 abandoned industrial sites were based on geographical location, industrial sector (which corresponds with building type) and impact that the site had on the local city or environment. Scale is important when measuring this impact since for example

McLouth Steel Plant Trenton, USA

Packard Power Plant, Detroit, USA Red Hook Grain Terminal, New York City, USA

Paranapiacaba Station in Brazil and Estación talleres del Ferrocarril in Bello, Colombia, are part of a grander system

PECO Powerstation, Philadelpia, USA

of railway stations and depots. At the same time they have an impact on a smaller scale in their own town. The Grain Terminal in Red Hook, New York, and Ore

Central Hershey Sugar Mill, Hershey, Cuba

Docks in Marquette share a similarity in architectural language referring to the way it is constructed with a heavy industrial atmosphere. The Detroit plants of Packard and McLouth represent two of the biggest industrial sectors in the US of the 20th century (steel and automotive)

Estación talleres del Ferrocarril, Bello, Colombia

which explains their relevance in this research. PECO powerstation and Antiga Fábrica de Tecidos Labor both hold a special position because they are close to city centres and in the case of São Paulo, the site is part of a dense urban fabric.

Paranapiacaba Station, Paranapiacaba, Brazil Antiga Fábrica de Tecidos Labor, São Paulo, Brazil

Special and unique typologies are also included like the project site of Sewell, which is a former mining town in the Andes mountain chain that was deserted and turned into a ghost town. Concerning Latin America, which at this point is not yet well represented in the listing, sugar mills are the most common typology. The town of Hershey in Cuba is specifically built as a workers village with a sugar mill for Hershey’s chocolate production.

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Fig. 2 - World map with project locations

Sewell, Chile


SOK Viipuri Bread Mill, Vyborg, Russia Bass Maltings, Sleaford, UK

Eisfabrik, Berlin, Germany

Power Plant Langerbrugge, Ghent, Belgium

RĂźdersdorf, Germany

Snia Viscosa, Varedo, Italy Central Termica do Freixo, Porto, Portugal

Budapest, Hungary Shime Coal Mine, Fukuoka, Japan

AliaÄ&#x;a, Turkey

Cement Factory, Kathmandu, Nepal Shakti Mill, Mumbai, India

Yangshupu Power Plant, Shanghai, China

Makkasan Train Depot Bangkok, Thailand

South Fremantle Power Station, Perth, Australia

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Eventually, out of the 10 project sites, my personal preference went out to the Grain Terminal in Red Hook, New York. In principle this choice was mainly based on my perception of the potential of both the surrounding environment and the building as a structure that could be expanded on. The context is interesting since the building is located in a part of the city with a heavy industrial past of harbour activity, while it is relatively close to one of the core areas of the city of New York, Manhattan. Since research was done both on New York as a city, Brooklyn as a borough and Red Hook as a neighbourhood, I already had extensive knowledge about the surroundings of the Grain Terminal before starting on the design. Not only the environment but the building itself also has a lot to offer because of its geometrical concrete silo structure. With little adjustments rich spatial qualities can be discovered while retaining as much of the original structure. Elaboration on both the context and the Grain Terminal itself will follow in the next chapters.

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Fig. 3 - Collage Red Hook Grain Terminal


Red Hook grain elevator New York, USA

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NEW YORK CITY In 1524 an Italian explorer called Giovanni da Verrazano first discovered the harbour area of what we now call New York city. The area was first mapped in 1609 by the Englishman Henry Hudson, in the name of the United East Indian Company (the Dutch VOC). From this moment trading between the native American population and European traders was established. In 1624 the first Dutch families settled on the island of Manhattan. This settlement was named Nieuw Amsterdam. In 1664 Nieuw Amsterdam was conquered by the English, who renamed the settlement after the Duke of York, resulting in the name of New York. The settlement was briefly recaptured by the Dutch in 1673 but eventually lost again to the English in 1674, this time permanently. Under the English rule the settlement prospered as an important trading post in the early 1700s. While excelling at trade, industry and craft, also the banks became more and

Fig. 5 - Map of Nieuw Amsterdam, 1660

more important, as well as the slave trade. In 1776 a devastating fire broke out in New York, which destroyed a large portion of the town. Meanwhile feelings of independence from the British rule were already growing for quite some time but the New York population was sharply divided between patriotists and loyalists to the British king. In the early American Revolutionary War, that resulted out of this division, New York was the scene of a series of major battles. When the British gained some success, they made New York into their political and military centre of operations in North America during the rest of the war. Eventually the war led to the United States of America being formed, initially 13 free states that were former British colonies, New York being one of the states. New York City became the capital of the new formed United States of America in 1788 until 1790. The first half of the 19th century was a time of prosperity as the city was becoming an important economic centre. New York was a stable Protestant middle class society that worked in the early republican environment of various civil organisations. Over time the city was overrun by several waves of immigrants which totally changed cultural and racial relations within the New York society. A large wave of mostly illiterate, unskilled Catholic Irish labourers caused a first major schism in the fairly homogeneous society. Also the abolition of slavery around 1800 had a large effect on the African-American population. This was the start of the diminishing of the New York middle class.

Fig. 4 - Overview of Manhattan today 19


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Not only cultural but also in physical appearance the city underwent some major changes in the early 19th century. A visionary city planning proposal, the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, provided a street grid of Manhattan Island, which would later become one of the typical features of the city. With the opening of the Erie Canal, that connected the Atlantic port with the agricultural markets in the Midwest of the United States and Canada, New York had surpassed Philadelphia in 1835 as the largest city in the United States. During the American Civil War further unrest and discontent among workers about commercial ties with the South of the US, the ever growing migrant population, and the Northern Union and Southern Confederation conscription, eventually led to the Draft Riots of 1863 in New York City, one of the worst incidents of civil unrest in American history. After the Civil War the city again received a large group of foreign immigrants, this time also of Asian origin together with a considerately large group of Italians. They formed their own neighbourhoods like China Town and Little Italy, while they were also involved in organised criminal gangs. A symbol for the many immigrants who travelled across the Atlantic in search of a better life was the Statue of Liberty,

Fig. 7 - The 5 boroughs of New York after the consolidation

which was the first thing they saw upon arriving in New York. The huge statue was dedicated in 1886 and to this day is a symbol of freedom and independence of the United States. In 1898 the modern city of New York was formed with the consolidation of Brooklyn, which at that point still was an autonomous city, the County of New York, which included parts of the Bronx, the County of Richmond, and the western portion of the County of Queens. The opening of the subway in 1904 connected all the parts to further bind the city together.

Fig. 6 - View over Manhattan island, 1873 21


In the 1920s during the Great Migration from the South, a very large group of African-Americans came to New York, again changing the cultural and racial composition of society. With the population growing very rapidly and the economic boom in the 20s, the need for housing also increased very fast, resulting in the construction of skyscrapers. A vertical city slowly began to emerge, mainly on Manhattan Island, which gave New York its typical image skyline. New York became the most populous city in the world in the 1920s, surpassing London. The metropolitan area surpassed the 10 million mark in the early 1930s, becoming the first megacity in human history. The rapid changes and rising crime and poverty rates were reduced after World War I disrupted trade routes. The Immigration Restriction Acts limited additional immigration after the war, and the Great Depression reduced the need for new labor. As the city’s demographics temporarily stabilized, labor unionization helped the working class gain new protections and middleclass affluence. In the years after World War II the city moved more and more away from its industrial base and more towards a service based economy. Large shipbuilding and garment industries declined and made way for jobs in finance, education, medicine, tourism, communications and law. New York maintained its status as the largest city in the United States. Minority activism was also present in New York with examples as the Stonewall riots in the 1950s and 60s, one of the first LGBT liberation movements. Also race riots were common in the 1960s. While suffering an economic crisis and rising crime rates in the 1970s and 80s due to industrial restructuring, by the mid-1990s, crime rates started to drop due to revised police strategies, improving economic opportunities, gentrification, and new influx of residents including American transplants and immigrants from Asia and Latin America. The largest political, cultural and economic devastation for the city of New York happened in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, that cost the lives of 2,606 people. Another disaster in the form of hurricane Sandy that brought a destructive storm surge in Octobre 2012, flooding streets tunnels and lower areas of the city. Electrical power was lost in great parts of the city.

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Fig. 8 - Overview over Brooklyn, 1898


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Despite a turbulent past, to this day New York City remains to a lot of people the embodiment of the American dream and a symbol for freedom. Which is why the image of the Statue of Liberty is so closely connected to the city. An attempt at characterising the city seems useful, to grasp and apply the idea of cultural identity of the city. First there is the image of the city as seen through the outsiders and which contains a lot of shared information but also stereotypes and preconceptions. The most well-known features of New York include the Statue of Liberty, as mentioned before, the skyscraper skyline of the south tip of Manhattan, the strict grid structure of Manhattan, Central Park as one of the most well-known city parks in the world, the Brooklyn Bridge, the typical yellow taxi’s, the neon advertisement signs at Times Square, the stock exchange at Wall Street, the musical theatres at Broadway, the Empire State Building and Ground Zero, the memorial site of the former Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre that were destroyed during the 9/11 attacks. Over the course of the 20th century New York has become well-known as

“the city that doesn’t sleep” as phrased in Frank Sinatra’s tribute song to the city. This relates to the 24 hour culture that emerged since a lot of public services such as the subway, as well as shops and venues operate the whole day non-stop. This provides a lot more freedom in the ways people use the city and its features. If a closer look is taken at how the city works socially one can notice a

Fig. 9 - Construction of the Statue of Liberty, 1884

wide diversity of different people and cultures though they are not equally spread out through the city. They are clustered in specific areas because foreign cultures in the past did not mix well with the dominant American population at that time. There still is a division in cultural and racial backgrounds of people present today. For example Manhattan has a fairly homogeneous American population while Brooklyn is a melting pot of people with different nationalities from all over the world.

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Fig. 10 - Collage of stereotypical New York City features


New York Culture

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BROOKLYN Breuckelen (later renamed Brooklyn by the English) was founded in 1646 by Dutch settlers who arrived there in the name of the Dutch West India Company (WIC). It remained a separate city until 1898 when it was fused with the city of New York, the East Bronx, Queens County and Staten Island, to form the city of New York as we know it today. From then on the former 5 counties became boroughs within the city of New York: Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Before the consolidation that brought the counties together, most of the counties were not only institutionally separated but also physically because of the various rivers and canals crossing the area. In 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge was completed which greatly helped improving connectivity between Brooklyn and Manhattan. It is one of the oldest bridges of its type, since it is a cable suspended bridge. The remarkable piece of engineering that it is still resonates with it, making it a proper landmark and well-visited tourist attraction. The bridge has become strongly associated with Brooklyn. While the consolidation united the city of New York, the population was still divided and in the decades to come it would prove that because of the nature of the different boroughs, groups of people with different cultures and nationalities would not mix well. The borough of Brooklyn differentiates itself from the other boroughs, especially from Manhattan, because of the difference in social and cultural relations, as well as the physical appearance. Brooklyn has welcomed the most number of immigrants over time to the city. For example in the 19th century Brooklyn’s population mainly consisted of a large Jewish community, while at the start of the 20th century, free African Americans came to Brooklyn. Another distinguishing feature is the relatively low building height, compared to the skyscrapers you find in Manhattan, giving Brooklyn a more down-to-earth image. A lot of people would agree that while Manhattan is the economic engine of the city, Brooklyn is still a place of the common people. A melting pot of different cultures and ways of thinking. Even today it houses over 90 different nationalities and ethnical groups. This is also why it has attracted artists from various origins to the area since it allows for an open and free kind of thinking you don’t find as much in other parts of New York.

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Fig. 11 - View of the Brooklyn Bridge seen from Brooklyn


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RED HOOK Red Hook was first founded as a settlement at the time of the Dutch colonists of New Amsterdam in 1636. The name comes from the Dutch name “Roode Hoek”, meaning red corner literally, named after the red clay soil and a point on the island that stuck out into the bay. Until the start of the 19th century the area consisted for a large part of marshlands. In 1839 the first plans were made to reclaim low-lying pieces of land such as Red Hook in favour of developing industrial activities related to shipping. Red Hook developed into the busiest freight port in the world in 1920s. As industry grew, residential areas and commercial corridors grew when immigrant workers settled nearby. Though having a peak in population in the 1950s, Red Hook was heading towards a period of decline when in the 1960s and

Fig. 13 - Aerial view of Red Hook, early 1950s

70s when most of the cargo terminals and traffic across the harbour moved to New Jersey. This resulted in a lack of jobs and population dropped drastically. This is also the time that the Gowanus Expressway and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, iconic projects that represent an era of major investments in public works, were completed. While successful in connecting inner Brooklyn with Manhattan, these works effectively isolated Red Hook from the rest of the borough. Further, a shift from manual labour, once necessary to load and unload cargo from ships in the harbour to a reliance on mechanical systems and shipping containers drew the shipping industry away from Red Hook to larger sites located in New Jersey. Crime and neglect followed in the 1980s with a historic low in 1988 when Life magazine labelled Red Hook as the

“...crack capital of America.” With private initiatives such as the efforts of Greg O’Connell, who bought more than 28 harbour front acres worth of $500,000 USD - the neighbourhood slowly began to bustle again during the 1990s. The investments attracted people with particular ways of thinking, mainly artists and entrepreneurs.

Fig. 12 - Topographical map of New York, Red Hook marked in red

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To this day, Red Hook still struggles to shrug off its industrial past. There are some issues that slow down progression of the neighbourhood. Richard Nalley of the professional blog website Observer concludes that public transport leaves something to be desired, since Red Hook is only accessible by water transport and a single bus line. Otherwise people are dependent on car or bike traffic. The nearest subway station is outside the boundaries of Red Hook. There is also a problem with zoning which seems difficult to tackle since most of the properties of Red Hook are still zoned as industrial business, which prevents residential development for example. What separates Red Hook from the rest of Brooklyn, or even stereotypical New York characteristics, is that it has a very distinct and unique character. Stefano Marciano of real estate developer Est4teFour described

Fig. 15 - Aerial view of Red Hook looking towards Manhattan

it as:

“Red Hook is not for everyone. It is a very peculiar place.� The unique character and development of the neighbourhood are not only cultural but also physical. Red Hook has been the victim of poor city planning since the Gowanus Expressway was constructed in the 1950s which crossed the existing urban fabric diagonally. This formed a huge boundary between the Red Hook neighbourhood and the rest of Brooklyn. It certainly had its influence on the development of the neighbourhood since adjacent neighbourhoods on the other side of the Expressway - Caroll Gardens and Cobble Hill relatively - were thriving while Red Hook was still lacking behind.

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Fig. 16 - Plan of Red Hook with Gowanus Expressway crossing it


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The neighbourhood of Red Hook today can be described as having mostly industrial activity at the waterfront and residential areas in the centre. Remnants of the industrial era are still present all along the waterfront such as warehouses and freight cranes. Red Hook has one of the largest public housing complexes in New York, the “Red Hook houses�. In addition there are a few shopping streets with restaurants, shops, art galleries and other public facilities. It also houses a few small museums. Sports facilities are well represented in Red Hook since it provides for a public park with a community swimming pool, fields for baseball, American football, tennis, football and even an athletics course. Community farming can also be practiced at the Red Hook community farm. The neighbourhood is well known for its art and food festivals which are held often. Food trucks with street food are a common sight in Red Hook. Culinary specialties mostly contain sea food, such as lobster. Recently an affiliate of IKEA has established itself in the neighbourhood, marking the start of an era of new interest in Red Hook since its turbulent past. There even is a water taxi connection that brings people straight from Manhattan to the IKEA location in Red Hook, making it a proper tourist attraction. It may open up possibilities for future developments.

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Fig. 17 - Atmospheres of the neighbourhood of Red Hook


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The people of Red Hook are described to have a strong resilience and strong will to persist. This became clear after hurricane Sandy caused the neighbourhood to be almost entirely flooded with water in 2012. Though the storm left a lot of physical and psychological damage, inhabitants of Red Hook did a lot to help their fellow citizens out by providing food, shelter, heat for those who were deprived of it. In the current state, there are still some subtle signs that show the aftermath of the storm but a lot of initiatives have started to prevent possible future damage. Red Hook is also part of the Resilience Program of New York City to be protected against storm surge. There are plans to improve the coastal areas though the execution of the plans hasn’t started yet, which is worrying. Other initiatives to revive the neighbourhood come from private investors such as Sanba Partners and Est4te Four who made masterplans for parts of the neighbourhood to redevelop existing buildings and erect new mixed-use residential and commercial functionalities. Especially Est4te Four has the ambition to redevelop Red Hook as a thriving centre of cultural arts and technology, catered towards the fashion, food, music and art industry. Though again, most of these plans have not left the drawing table and are still in a planning phase though Est4te Four has purchased most of the plots they want to redevelop.

Fig. 18 - Storm surge water levels of Hurricane Sandy, courtesy NOAA

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HURRICANE SANDY STRIKES RED HOOK, OCTOBRE 2012

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Fig. 19 - Hurricane Sandy strikes Red Hook, Octobre 2012

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Top: Fig. 20 - The Grain Terminal in full use, date unknown Bottom: Fig. 21 - The Grain Terminal as it stands today

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GRAIN TERMINAL The grain terminal never really belonged in Brooklyn. When it was constructed in 1922, the barge canal of which it was a part, was already deemed an

“expensive luxury”

(Engineering News-Record magazine, 1925) and the terminal was later called a

“Magnificent Mistake”

(New York Times, 1990)

since the boom of the grain industry in New York had its peak seven years prior to the start of construction. It was also taller (twelve stories tall) than the average grain silo, which was four stories tall, making it an odd structure in the sense of scale. It operated profitless for 43 years, until it was closed and abandoned in 1965. In 1987 the loading pier and conveyor structure were demolished. Since adjacent industrial structures of the Todd shipyard were also demolished in 1986 and the Revere sugar refinery which was demolished in 2007, the structure of the grain terminal stands by itself as an eerie reminder of its industrial past.

Fig. 22 - Structural build-up of the concrete silo building

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ANATOMY The Grain Terminal building offers a lot of characteristics which can be exploited in the current state. The stature of the building with its concrete mass looms at the edge of the neighbourhood, almost beckoning you towards it, filling you with curiosity. The site contains multiple structures: the main building where the silos are located, a transformer house and another outbuilding. The main building consists of three main parts with separate added volumes on the top layer and additional supporting structures on the side. The supporting structures used to house machinery as well as conveyors to transport the grain. There even is a large chimney portruding into the

Main building

sky. The ground floor of the main building was used for unloading the silos. The space is made up of multiple rows of mushroom-shaped columns which support the silos. Underneath is a network of rails on which conveyor carts could ride back and forth to transport the grain out onto the docks. Almost all the equipment is still present in the current state. The silos are not accessible since they are closed. Only the ground floor, the top floor and the roof are directly accessible. Though in the current state staircases that lead up to the roof are difficult to access since parts of the floors are collapsed.

Fig. 23 - Diagram Grain Terminal overview 42

Supporting structure


Supporting elevator structure

Machinery building

Conveyor structure

Outbuilding

Transformer building

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Fig. 24-25 - Photos of the Grain Terminal

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Fig. 26-28 - Illustrations Grain Terminal design

Fig. 29-30 - Photos of the Grain Terminal

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TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY The Grain Terminal holds a great potential in terms of spatial quality and possible uses. In order to get a clear picture about the different components of the building and other structures they will be looked at analytically to determine their value for future use. There are a few supporting structures such as the transformer house and the outbuilding that are completely separated from the main building. They are relatively small compared to the huge silo structure but even the adjacent structure with the chimney dwarves the other two buildings. They are built with brick and the transformer house even has a traditional gable roof, while the other buildings are made out of reinforced concrete. This makes them stand out quite a lot and estranges them from their parent building. Which makes them less valuable to retain. The conveyor structure is directly connected to the main structure but only on the second and third floor. One concrete tower houses a staircase while a protruding volume made out of steel houses the conveyor belt mechanism. The three volumes make for a pleasant composition though the quality of the used materials is very poor. Though the steel plate material on the conveyor structure conveys a strong sense of industrial activity, which can be considered valuable. The building with the chimney is built next to the silo structure and is accessible from the ground floor of the main building. It is built out of concrete and brick. It even has windows, Most of the machinery here is removed which makes the floor height and the voids in the floors very present in the interior space.

Fig. 32-37 Structures of the Grain Terminal in pictures and diagrams

Fig. 38 - Photo of the dryer house

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Fig. 39-44 Structures of the Grain Terminal in pictures and diagrams

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Fig. 45-48 Structures of the Grain Terminal in pictures and diagrams

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The main building consists of different structures and layers. The ground floor is the first layer and mainly consists of rows of concrete columns which support the silos. There are windows in the facade with rectangular frames though the windows are broken in the current state. A lot of machinery and conveyor carts and rails are still present here. The space between the columns is completely open which gives a good overview of the whole space and huge size of the building. The industrial atmosphere of this space is really strong, while the long rows of columns almost feel like a place of religious passage, a cathedral almost. The silos themselves are the second layer and completely closed with holes on the top and bottom so they were able to be filled and unloaded. It is hard to examine the quality of the silos because it is hard to access. The third layer is the enclosed space above the silos which was used to process and fill the silos. It is mainly made out of a steel structure with a steel plate facade as well as windows. Machinery is still present here. What becomes apparent is the view from the windows and open corners (which also used to have glass inside them). One can oversee the entire neighbourhood of Red Hook and even further to the rest of Brooklyn and Manhattan across the New York harbour bay. This makes this space interesting for its location, but not so much for its spatial quality or the quality of the used materials. The roof of the top floor can also be accessed through a staircase inside a portruding volume that extends into the sky. There are in fact two of these volumes. One volume is mainly used as staircase to access the roof while the other structure is far bigger and houses pipes, tanks and other machinery to process the grain. Due to the presence of all these machines the space breathes of industrial activity. The corroded steel plate facade helps to strengthen this atmosphere. Adjacent to the main silo building are three additions which hold staircases and used to house a machine structure to process and lift the grain. The machinery is removed though most of the staircases are still intact. Only some of the floors are collapsed which makes them difficult to access at this moment.

Fig. 49 The Grain Terminal in three parts

Another adjacent steel structure which wasn't part of the staircases is completely collapsed into the water. The ruins are still present but cannot be used since it has lost its structural security.

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Opposite: Fig. 50-57 Photos of the Grain Terminal


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From a structural point of view, the parts which are partly or completely collapsed need to be teared down. This includes the added volumes on the southeast side of the building that house the staircases to the roof. Therefore another way to access higher levels is needed in a future design. Since both the transformer house and the outbuilding possess little spatial quality in their appearance as well as their functionality (since they seem to be built for a very specific use only), they can no longer be retained either. The quality of the steel plate materials used for various parts of the building complex might be visually very rich because of the tangible

Top volume on top of silos demolished and replaced with new volume

history and level of decay. The spaces they enfold around however seem to be very seperate from the main volume, which basically is the part with the concrete silos. At the moment it is not easy to access these spaces either. To improve spatial relations between different volumes it could be an asset to remove them and replace it with a more clear routing that better connects the spaces. The goal here is to really focus on the main silo volume which should get the most attention. The geometry of this volume is strict and formal, abiding by a set of unwritten laws which should be respected. This also poses questions of how other adjacent spaces which don't follow the logic should be treated. The exceptions to the rules, as it were, should also be considered to be demolished to help purify the main building. Though it must be noted that simply removing the top volumes for example isn't without dire consequences. For it totally changes the image of the building. The iconic shape of the vertical steel volume on top of the silos has been very dominant and always directly associated with the silo building. So this brought forward the need to reproduce such a vertical shape in a future design. In doing so, the silhouette of the building can be retained while adding a more modern interpretation to it.

Taking into concern all these negotiations the following volumes that are going to be removed (marked in red) can be seen in this diagram.

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Fig. 58 Diagram of structures that are to be demolished/altered (in red)

Supporting structure demolished


Supporting elevator structure demolished and replaced

Machinery building demolished

Conveyor structure demolished

Outbuilding demolished

Transformer building demolished

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FINDING THE STORY Communication is key in understanding each other. Not only humans communicate in that sense but a lot of things around us tell us things that we might find interesting or useful. Maybe not in a literal sense but opinions, feelings and emotions can be induced through sensory experiences that are transmitted through all kinds of objects and entities around us. This also applies to buildings of course. Architecture has proved a very valuable part of communication between space and its user. While it is often a cycle since initially there is a certain need of the user, which in return causes for a space to be created that accomodates to this need. But it doesn't always have to be that straightforward because a space can also provide other things that are not necessarily needed but add to the value and spatial quality of the space. This can give the user much more rich information in return to process. What humans seem particularly good at is organising pieces of information into a story. Storytelling can be perceived as a way for people to preserve history, but also keeping memories alive. It can help us to connect with a certain place or person in a way that can be entirely personal but also has an element of universality. For centuries people have tried to make sense of the world by telling other people stories about it. This can vary in ambition from for example an answer to "how was your day?" to entertaining someone with an exciting story read from a novel. The common factor is probably that humans simply enjoy engaging themselves in stories, being it for amusement or simple to try and understand the world and themselves better. To me the relation between telling stories and architecture is very obvious. Though it might need some theoretical framework to really understand what this means. To define the relation of narrative and architecture, the work of Sophia Psarra, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan, USA, will be used. She published her research focused on spatiality and movement in "Architecture & Narrative: The Formation of Space and Cultural Meaning" (Psarra, 2009).

Fig. 59 Map illustration of colonial times

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The early definitions of narrative featured in Psarra’s text as a “story, a sequence of successive actions and events” (Psarra, 2009:2) and “a form of representation bound with sequence, space and time” (Cobley, 2001:3, as referenced by Psarra, 2009:2) relate the use of story, time and spatiality to architecture. Since users are able to negotiate spaces (usually on foot), movement over time provides users with a better understanding of the spaces and how the spaces are ordered since they can experience the spaces as a sequence. Since it seems like such a vital part of experiencing architectural spaces I think it can be very interesting to incorporate the notion of narrative in a design. Specifically the design for the Grain Terminal since the Grain Terminal also tells a story to me. And I feel that I need to understand it before I can make any kind of decision about how the building should be treated. The first impression in this case is really important since visual clues provide the strongest initial emotional responses, followed by the other senses. The experience is entirely personal but I'll try to explain what the building reveals to me. The Grain Terminal stands at the edge of the neigbourhood by itself. It has become a ghost of Red Hook's industrial past that is still ever present and dominates the surroundings with its massive concrete volume. It almost beckons you towards it, since it has a certain air of mystery surrounding it. Abandoned places often have that sense of forbidden-ness since they are not directly or lawfully accessible to outsiders. Through the level of decay of the facade materials you can clearly see that the building must have been here for a long period of time. Every crack and color stain shows a piece of history which is almost tangible. Because of the size of the building and the way it is built out of reinforced concrete, it feels robust and sturdy. You might think that it could withstand a lot of forces. And it has also proven that when hurricane Sandy struck the place. It could even have the potential to act as a beacon or safe haven for the area in case of an emergency.

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Fig. 60 Photo of the Grain Terminal looking over the water


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At the same time curiosity rises about the interior of the building. With such an unconventional form on the outside with the curved silo shapes, it must be even more unconventional on the inside. The interior is completely isolated from the outside world and there might be potential to show more of the interior on the outside. At the moment it is not very inviting to go inside. Though the fact that the interior is so isolated and even devoid of daylight provides other oppurtunities. The space can be completely controlled to convey a particular story or experience. Such spaces are studied and described by Richard Toon in "Reshaping Museum Space: Architecture, Design, Exhibitions" (MacLeod ed.,2005) as "black box" buildings. The term is used to describe the conditions under which lighting, sound and other sensory inputs are controlled in order to form “completely controlled spaces abstracted from place and time� (Toon, 2005:29) But what story needs to be told here? And how? Well as previously mentioned the Grain Terminal can be viewed as a constant in time, since it has survived for so long, even though it can be considered an outcast among its environment. It must have been built to withstand something really strong. Which basically is true of course. The robustness of the way it is constructed adds to this feeling of resilience and endurance. This ties back to the people of the neighbourhood who showed resilience and willpower the build the neighbourhood back up again after hurricane Sandy. So in this sense the story of the building connects to the story of the neighbourhood. The connection comes from the fact that they both possess properties to overcome a disaster, being it in the form of Hurricane Sandy, or in the case of the building, the decline of the New York Port. Actually the Grain Terminal survived both. That's why the building has the potential to become a safe haven for the neighbourhood in times of emergency. It is not only structurally safe enough but also provides heigher ground in the case of another flooding. Since the silos are being carried into the air by rows of columns on the ground floor, the first floor becomes the first safe floor. The building could be suited to this situation by making the most important entry points on the first floor instead of the ground floor.

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Fig. 61-62 - New York City during a power outage caused by the flooding of Hurricane Sandy


Since water is such a recurring theme in the history of the neighbourhood as well as for the Grain Terminal, it needs a place in the narrative. The building can help protect people from the water while at the same time it embraces the water with open arms as it allows for its ground floor to be entirely flooded without any major problems. It is supposed to be designed for that. The building could not only act as a protector of people but also prevent future disaster like this by educating people about the subject. Flood prevention is a relevant issue in today's society with sea levels rising every year, especially in inner cities with large waterfronts such as New York. Again water proves the binding element that flows through the story of the Grain Terminal like a thread.

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METHODS OF STORYTELLING There are a lot of different ways to convey stories. The oldest being verbally from person to person. Later gestures and images were used to help clarify or strengthen certain plot features. In todays society there are a multitude of ways in which stories can be experienced. Each medium comes with its own characteristics which are specific and unique. That's why a theatre play demands a different approach to the same story as a book or a movie for example. But it is interesting to look at where architecture fits in when it comes to these methods of storytelling. Since spaces can also be a medium through which a story can be experienced. As was mentioned before, architectural narratives are formed in spaces navigated over time and through the meanings that they convey (Psarra, 2009). Examples of spaces that are adapted to suit a fictional narrative can be found in themeparks and museums. That is where the physical space contributes to the sense of being immersed in a certain story, completely isolated from the outside world. This fictional "other space" that is created doesn't necessarily need to be physical but can also be virtual like in a video game. Or in the light of a more recent development, in virtual reality. Since each type of media affects the senses in a different way it would be interesting to see if multiple types of storytelling could be combined in the design.

Fig. 63-71 - Different methods of storytelling 62


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PRECEDENTS 75

A selection of venues has been researched to see and compare different means that are used to tell stories in an architectural sense. A few examples of this inquirty include: 1. Omnimax theatre 2. Peterborough planetarium 3. Sensing Spaces exhibit by Kéré Architecture 4. Sweet/salt-water pavillion Neeltje Jans 5. Wu Kingdom Helv Relics Museum 6. Horno3 museum Monterrey Mexico 7. Corpus museum, Oegstgeest, Netherlands

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Opposite: Fig. 72-73 - OmnIMAX theatre and Peterborough Planetarium 78

Fig. 74-78 - Photos experience based venues: Sensing Spaces exhibit by Kéré Architecture Sweet/salt-water pavillion Neeltje Jans Wu Kingdom Helv Relics Museum Horno3 museum Monterrey Mexico Corpus museum, Oegstgeest, Netherlands

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FROM STORY TO DESIGN Incorporating ideas about storytelling into a design can be challenging but there are already a wide range of features that can be translated to design solutions. The most obvious, though at the same time the most drastic measure that needs to be taken is to open up the facade at the ground floor to make way for the water to come into the building territory. By literally flooding the ground floor of the building, the Grain Terminal will really be a building on columns standing in the waters of the New York harbor. Distancing itself from the land, but retaining its autonomous character. The theme of flood prevention and water management, that comes forth out of the building synopsis, will be used to connect different types of storytelling to the building. All the senses must be stimulated to make the total experience even more rich. Visually the design needs to be appealing. It gives the viewer a first impression of the building and its spaces. The sense of touch will be activated through the tactility of the materials that are used, beckoning you to try and touch them. Taste will be present in terms of activities that take place at the building site. A place to consume food is therefore necessary. In particular the use of sea food (which is already well-known in the area of Red Hook) can be served to people. The sense of smell will also be triggered by the food. But different smells could also be used in certain spaces to add to the feeling of being in a seperate space that distinguishes itself from a space without the smell for example. Sound also needs to be there and it can be applied in a multitude of ways. The most important is to play music, and in order to do this there must be a place for people to enjoy music. To translate these ideas into a program for the building I want to combine the analysis of the building, which states that particular buildings have unique features that can be exploited. The silos for example are completely closed and devoid of daylight which makes them perfectly suitable for a "black box" type experience. This will be made into an attraction that can be both a museum and an entertainment centre, all centered around the theme of water, water management and flood prevention. This centre will also be extended to the ground floor where there is actual water to play with. Visitors will be able to walk along pathways through a landscape of columns surrounded by water and interact with various objects that connect to the main theme. This can either be a demonstration of how water flows and strikes a dike, or a puzzle for people to figure out how to transfer a body of water from one side to the other. The interaction adds to the total experience in this case and therefore is most valuable.

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The senses are not to be missed as mentioned before and ask different functionalities for them to be most effectively targeted. For example taste is quite obvious since that demands for a place to consume food, like a restaurant for example. What the added value could be for such a restaurant is that it has a spectacular view while eating in a unique atmosphere that is nowhere else to be found in New York. And the Grain Terminal does provide these views from the rooftop, which solidifies the choice for an ambitious high end restaurant, stretching out horizontally at the top of the silo volume. Multiple senses can also be combined with a method of storytelling that was still lacking: moving images or movies. Sight and sound are key to convey a story through a movie. Since a movie is also ordered in a sequence of events it can be related to the sequence of spaces which form a narrative according to the definition. This marks the relevance of a movie even further. One of the most immersive ways of watching a movie is in a theatre and in an ideal case you would want the movie screen to be all around you so you truly feel that you are actually transported to the place on screen. Since the 1970s this is possible with IMAX's Omnimax technology where a movie is projected onto a spherical dome-shaped movie screen. Various types of IMAX dome theatres exist around the world but not as part of a total sensorial experience. And that could be the added value that is still lacking in the area of New York. And since people are always searching new ways to stay entertained this could well fit in a nich market. The dome of course literally needs to be built like a circular volume or really like a sphere. The spherical design is more imaginative of course. Since the building currently doesn't have enough space to accomodate the dome theater it needs to be added as a volume to silo structure. In particular the silos because that is where it can connect to the rest of the sensorial experiences inside the building. While sound in movies do have a serving role most of the time, a venue which truly celebrates music fully could be added to the building. Also a means for the building to stay attractive during nighttime in combination with the restaurant for example is to make it a destination for New York active nightlife. So the idea for a night club emerges. Potentially the club could be housed in the "black box", but it would also be interesting to combine it directly with the restaurant, having the extra feature of the amazing view over New York. So the nightclub volume was to be added

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at the roof as well. Since it needs a bigger volume than the restaurant for example it is extended in the silhouette of the old elevator structure.


Fig. 84 - Layout of an OmnIMAX dome theater

Fig. 80-83 - Different tpes of use of water as an art exhibit or interactive installation

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DESIGN CONTEXT The surroundings of the building will go through a lot of changes since parts of the land will be flooded so that the building becomes a seperate entity built onto the water. Like a Corbusian machine-Ă -habiter on pillars. This poses a challenge in terms of how to connect the building again to the mainland. Well the main entrance of the building is not on ground level but the first floor of the silo volume. To get to this elevation, which is approximately 6 meters above ground level a pathway needs to be created for people to walk towards the entrance. A simple staircase doesn't cut it since also people in wheelchairs for example need to be able to use it. That is why a ramp is built all the way from ground level towards the entrance. Because of the low incline the slope stretches for over 100 meters. But the building site is sizable enough to accomodate that space. The shoreline along the waterfront can also be a nice place to stroll and that is why the elevated bridge is extended in the other direction towards the south. To mark the area as being truly recreational a landscape will be constructed that is elevated from the ground level but which slowly decends towards the shore. At ground level the building is still accessable but one has to cross the water first. This is done by making smaller pathways over the water which connect at the entry point below the spherical shaped volume that will accomodate the IMAX theatre. The dome is an important focal point as it directly grabs your attention and directs you towards it. All of the directions of the pathways originate from the dome, making it the center of all axis like a baroque way of dividing spaces. The silo building is only connected to the mainland at the south facade, where it is accessible by car and other traffic flows for loading/unloading goods for example, as well as staff parking spaces adjacent to the building. To reach this area a road needs to be constructed crossing the building site completely, connecting it to the existing infrastructure.

Fig. 84 - Photo of the Grain Terminal

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NEW YORK

RED HOOK

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OCULUS PROJECT SITE

Fig. 85 - Map of New York and Red Hook with project location

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Previous spread: Fig. 86 - Oculus project site plan

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Fig. 87 - Section through the site at the waterfront

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CONCEPT In the diagram on the right the added volumes to the remaining silo structure can be observed. The spherical shape is not perfectly spherical since it is cut by a cilinder on the bottom to hollow out a volume to accomodate for a welcoming entrance which hugs the visitor as soon as they enter it. It almost literally holds the curtain up a tiny bit to make people interested in what is going on inside. Also the pathway structure moving towards the sphere as a focal point is visible. The project name "Oculus" is derived from the spherical shaped volume as it is not just a round hole in the massive silo volume but also an eye for the building to look towards the outside world. It also resonates with video games since the name is strongly associated with a type of virtual reality goggles. The main entrane of the building consists of another circular shape, which is no coincidence since the circular form is derived from the circle shaped silos. Only a different interpretation is used. In this case it is a cilinder which hollows out a part of the silo volume, leaving an arch shaped hole in the facade through which visitors can enter. The restaurant and the nightclub are housed in 2 volumes that are connected. They both have a rectangular form, following the contour of the roof shape of the main building, though the volume of the nightclub is rotated in relation to the main building. This is done to direct the facade directly towards the view on lower Manhattan, which is the most spectacular view. Note that each time a volume is added, also a volume is extracted from the main volume. This is done three times: the spherical volume is added while a small inner dome is cut out. The main entrance archway is cut out, while the circular outside space in front of it is created. For the top volume a cut is made on the top part of the silo volume

Fig. 88 - Spatial concept diagram 78


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Fig. 89 - Overview diagram 80


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Previous spread: Fig. 90 - Section through IMAX theatre

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Fig. 91 - Long section through the atrium

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Fig. 92 - First floor

Fig. 93 - Ground floor 86


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Fig. 94 - Third floor

Fig. 95 - Second floor 88


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Fig. 96 - Fifth floor

Fig. 97 - Fourth floor 90


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STRUCTURE The structure of the dome consists of a steel frame with outer radial rings which make up the dome shape. Large steel I-beams and custom profiled beams are used to span big distances. A detailed scheme can be found on the left. The smaller inner dome is an integral part of the whole structure and is constructed in the same way as the large dome. In detail a vertical section is shown where the steel structure is the dominant first layer of build up, while facade panels along with thermal insulation are added later as a shell. Also the interior IMAX dome screen can be seen. Its structure is completely seperate from the steel dome structure to make it adjustable, flexible and easier to maintain.

Fig. 100 - Vertical detail sphere structure

Fig. 98-99 - Diagrams sphere structure

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MATERIALS Only materials are used which have a robust character that can also be found in the original Grain Terminal like the rusted steel-plate. But also materials that refer to the harbor and shipping industry as they were used to be build ships with. Showing them in a decayed or rusted look gives these materials a richness and history that adds to the whole tactile experience. Examples of the used materials are patinated copper, polished aluminum, concrete, corten steel, glass and steel. Also the color blue in very present throughout the building as it stands for the relation with the water but also the cosmos in general. A reflective material is used for the dome, in this case aluminum. The dome needs to be reflective because it acts as an eye for the building to behold the world. It is a connection between the interior of the building and the exterior. By mirroring the exterior it becomes part of the building itself allowing it to connect the building to its surroundings.

Fig. 101 - Material samples: aluminium patinated copper colour blue (re-used) concrete granite corten steel 94


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Fig. 102 - West elevation

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Fig. 103 - East elevation

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REFERNENCES PRINTED WORKS Psarra, S. (2009). Architecture and Narrative: The formation of space and cultural meaning. Routledge. Psarra, S. (2005). Spatial culture, way-finding and the educational message: The impact of layout on the spatial, social and educational experiences of visitors to museums and galleries in McLeod, S., ed., Reshaping Museum Space: Architecture, Design, Exhibitions, Routledge Toon, R. (2005). Black Box science in black box science centres in McLeod, S., ed., Reshaping Museum Space: Architecture, Design, Exhibitions, Routledge, Chicago Venturi, R., Scott-Brown, D., Izenour, S. (1977). Learning from Las Vegas, Revised edition MIT Press Watts, A. (2014). Stories & Spaces: What can we learn about architectural narrative from theme parks? (Unpublished master's thesis). Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester, United Kingdom.

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14

Brezina, V. (2013) Gowanus Bay with the Loujaine. Retrieved from:

https://windagainstcurrent.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/dsc_0537-cropped-small.jpg 15

Compton, C. (2015) Aerial photo looking north from Red Hook, Brooklyn towards Manhattan. Retrieved from:

http://compton-photo.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Urban-Vistas/G0000sS90Nn3rPTY/I0000LyJMQUfM9DI

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16

Graphic by Niels Nagtzaam

17

From top left to bottom right:

N.D. (2016) The Famous Red Hook Yacht Club. Retrieved from:

http://nyc.urbansketchers.org/2016/08/saturday-sketch-red-hook-and-waterfronts.html

N.D. (2015) Brooklyn crab Red Hook waterfront tenant restaurant. Retrieved from:

http://redhookwaterfront.com/2015/05/tenant-profile-brooklyn-crab/

N.D. (2013) Red Hook Lobster Pound Voted Best Food Truck in the U.S. Retrieved from:

http://brooklynflea.com/2013/06/20/red-hook-lobster-pound-voted-best-food-truck-in-the-u-s/

Kerlow, V. (2013) Food map of Red Hook. Retrieved from:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/dining/eating-and-drinking-red-hook-brooklyn.html

N.D. (2012) Lloyd Burgos Moses Israel martial artists Brooklyn. Retrieved from:

https://hit.pics/category/photography/graffiti-culture/industrial-graffiti/

Voagen Nelson, C. (2016) Steamed blue crabs at Brooklyn Crab. Retrieved from:

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/brooklyn-crab?icid=np--feature

O'Connell Organization (2014) Red Hook Homepage. Retrieved from: http://redhookwaterfront.com/

Kuban, A. (2014) Red Hook Food Vendors. Retrieved from: http://www.nycgo.com/articles/must-see-red-hook-slideshow

N.D. (2011) Take a ferry to Ikea. Retrieved from: https://sallanscorner.wordpress.com/tag/ikea/

Richter, S. (2014) Red Hook. Retrieved from: http://www.hello-newyork.com/blog/2014/2/2/hello-red-hook-lobsters-pies-and-poetry-readings

N.D. (2016) Red Hook Fest. Retrieved from: http://kid101.com/things-new-york-kids-weekend-3/6/

Owen, M. (2010) Red Hook Community farm. Retrieved from: http://urbanfoodguy.blogspot.nl/2010/06/red-hook-community-farm.html

Ansbro Leone, K.(2012) Working the Urban Garden at the Red Hook Community Farm. Retrieved from: http://gongroove.blogspot.nl/

18

Graphic by Steven Geertzen, with data used from the database of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce. Map retrieved from:

http://ss2.climatecentral.org/#12/40.7298/-74.0070?show=satellite&projections=0-RCP85-SLR&level=5&unit=feet&pois=hide

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19

From top left to bottom right:

Red Hook Recovery (2012) Red Hook on Monday / Fairway throwing out food. Retrieved from:

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/red-hook-wallop/

N.D. (2012) Firefighters search for people trapped in cars near 14th Street and Avenue C in Manhattan. Retrieved from:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/heroic-photos-of-hurricane-sandy-first-responders?utm_term=.nd8MBYGwB#.re0J6ROW6

AP Photo/Wenig, S. (2012) Men dispose of shopping carts full of food damaged by Hurricane Sandy at the Fairway supermarket in the Red Hook

section of Brooklyn in New York, on October 31, 2012. Retrieved from:

https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2012/11/hurricane-sandy-the-aftermath/100397/

Wall Street Journal/Melago, C. (2012) Flooding around Valentino Pier in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood. Retrieved from:

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/10/30/on-red-hooks-waterfront-picking-up-sandys-pieces/

New York Observer GalleristNY/Doskow, J. (2012) Devastating flooding at the Red Hook Houses during Superstorm Sandy. Retrieved from:

http://www.nyenvironmentreport.com/feds-allocate-3-billion-for-33-sandy-damaged-nycha-developments/

Seelie, T. (2012) Filling the void. Retrieved from: http://www.fecalface.com/SF/index.php/nyc/142-todseelie/4975-filling-the-void

Getty Images (2012) A bicyclist in Red Hook. Retrieved from: http://gothamist.com/2016/08/28/hurricane_irene_flashback.php#photo-1

New York Times/Stolarik, R. (2012) The Red Hook section of Brooklyn was flooded on Monday. Retrieved from:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/images/100000001873811/2012/10/30/us/hurricane-sandy-churns-up-east-coast.html

N.D. (2012) After the storm... Sunday morning in Red Hook. Retrieved from: http://rhicenter.org/tag/hurricane-sandy/page/16/

20

N.D. (1944) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from:

https://billywoerner.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/red-hook-grain-terminal-september-18-2010/ 21

Image still taken from video by Marton, J. [Youtube video] Falcon Hunts Drone - Red Hook Grain Terminal - DJI Phantom 2. Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YE_KlHFXlo 22

Graphics by Steven Geertzen

23

Graphics by Steven Geertzen

24

Alberts, H.R. (2013) Red Hook Grain Terminal - Port Authority. Retrieved from:

http://ny.curbed.com/2013/8/19/10207174/red-hook-grain-terminal-port-authority#4

116

25

N.D. (2011) Festgemauert in der Erden. Retrieved from: http://der-schwarze-planet.de/42-stunden-hinter-gittern/

26

Taken from: Scientific American (1922) Volume 127, Issue 1. p. 36


27

Taken from: Scientific American (1922) Volume 127, Issue 1. p. 36-37

28

Taken from: Scientific American (1922) Volume 127, Issue 1. p. 37

29

N.D. (2016) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: www.flickr.com

30

Ellis, W. (2013) ...and a larger structure to the south. Retrieved from: https://abandonednyc.com/2013/08/12/the-red-hook-grain-terminal/

31

Brooklyn Daily Eagle (2016) A drone takes an aerial photo of the abandoned Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from:

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2016/1/20/nyc%E2%80%99s-first-drone-retailer-opening-gowanus-prompts-forum-ethics-drone-use 32

Brooklyn Magazine (2013) Red Hook's Off-Limits Waterfront Ruins. Retrieved from:

http://www.bkmag.com/2013/05/06/photos-red-hooks-off-limits-waterfront-ruins/ 33

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

34

N.D. (2009) The Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: http://citynoise.org.uk/article/9272/in/brooklyn@ny

35

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

36

Alberts, H.R. (2013) Red Hook Grain Terminal - Port Authority. Retrieved from:

http://ny.curbed.com/2013/8/19/10207174/red-hook-grain-terminal-port-authority#4 37

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

38

Levine, R. (2013) Red Hook Brooklyn waterfront. Retrieved from:

http://levineroberts.photoshelter.com/gallery/Red-Hook-Brooklyn-waterfront/G0000DNbWC1gJihg/ 39

Levine, R. (2013) Red Hook Brooklyn waterfront. Retrieved from:

http://levineroberts.photoshelter.com/gallery/Red-Hook-Brooklyn-waterfront/G0000DNbWC1gJihg/ 40

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

41

Rabinowitz, S. (2013) Visit to the Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: https://redhookfuture.wordpress.com/

42

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

43

Abramov, I. (2014) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unearthnyc/

44

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

45

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

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46

Frogma, B. (2013) On the grounds of the Gowanus Bay Terminal. Retrieved from:

http://frogma.blogspot.nl/2013/07/more-pictures-from-red-hook.html 47

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

48

Reiss, M. (2016) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: http://wwww.mikereiss.com/mikereiss-images.html

49

Henderson, J. (2009) A view of the grain terminal from the Red Hook Recreation Area at Columbia St. Retrieved from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hook_Grain_Terminal#/media/File:PA_Grains_Red_Hook_jeh.JPG 50

N.D. (2015) Views from the top of the Red Hook grain elevator. Retrieved from: https://fleshandstoneblog.wordpress.com/tag/red-hook/

51

N.D. (2010) MISSION #2 – RED HOOK GRAIN TERMINAL Retrieved from: https://urbansetting.wordpress.com/tag/grain-terminal/

52

N.D. (2016) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: www.flickr.com

53

N.D. (2010) MISSION #2 – RED HOOK GRAIN TERMINAL Retrieved from: https://urbansetting.wordpress.com/tag/grain-terminal/

54

N.D. (2016) Silo Cleaning. Retrieved from: http://www.dgrpafrica.com/services-we-offer/industrial-services-4/silo-cleaning-services.html

55

N.D. (2016) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: www.flickr.com

56

Ellis, W. (2013) Packed with rows of white columns, the ground floor resembles an ancient house of worship. Retrieved from:

https://abandonednyc.com/2013/08/12/the-red-hook-grain-terminal/ 57

Ellis, W. (2013) A shallow puddle makes an effective reflecting pool after a downpour, in keeping with the monumental atmosphere of the place.

Retrieved from: https://abandonednyc.com/2013/08/12/the-red-hook-grain-terminal/

58

Graphic by Steven Geertzen

59

De Bry, T. (1588) The Arrival of the Englishmen in Virginia. Retrieved from: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/6219

60

Lee, K. (2008) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/klnyc/2506693777/sizes/l/

61

Associated Press/Matthews, B. (2012) The Night Hurricane Sandy Hit New York City. Retrieved from:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/28/sandy-anniversary_n_4170982.html 62

Baan, I. (2012) New York Magazine's Hurricane Sandy Cover: The Perfect Shot. Retrieved from:

http://www.12ozprophet.com/news/new_york_magazines-hurricane_sandy-cover-the-perfect-shot/ 63

Doré, G. (1867) Gustave Doré's engraving of the scene: "She was astonished to see how her grandmother looked" Retrieved from:

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Little_Red_Riding_Hood

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64

N.D. (2012) Use Vivid Language That Kids Can Understand. Retrieved from: h

ttp://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/30-storytelling-tips-for-educators/ 65

N.D. (2007) Hamlet. Retrieved from: http://cverbelun.com/rubicon_hamlet.htm

66

N.D. (2012) Nightwish Imaginaerum. Retrieved from:

http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/discography/details/824083.70948.imaginaerum-tour-edition.html 67

N.D. (2008) Lord of the Rings. Retrieved from: http://chiefdundee.blogspot.nl/2008/06/lord-of-rings-return-of-king-complete.html

68

Trace Architecture Office (2010) XIAOQUAN ETHNIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Retrieved from:

https://www.architonic.com/en/project/tao-trace-architecture-office-xiaoquan-ethnic-elementary-school/5101220 69

The Noun Project (2016) Icons. Retrieved from: https://thenounproject.com/

70

N.D. (2015) The Bounce Around Theory. Retrieved from: http://www.crisantaknight.com/for-katie-a-k-a-advice-for-an-aspiring-writer/

71

N.D. (2015) Zero Latency. Retrieved from: http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2015/08/this-is-zero-latency-the-future-of-immersive-gaming/

72

N.D. (2016) Ontario Science Centre. Retrieved from: https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/Private/OMNIMAX/

73

N.D. (2016) Peterborough Planetarium. Retrieved from: http://peterboroughplanetarium.com/faqs/

74

N.D. (2014) Sensing Spaces. Retrieved from: http://www.notanottinghillmum.co.uk/2014/02/interactive-architecture-exhibition/

75

N.D. (1998) Fresh Water Pavilion Interior. Retrieved from: http://miesarch.com/work/1189

76

Tamschik Media+Space (2013) Wu Kingdom Time Machine. Retrieved from: http://www.icaria-atelier.com/projects/helv-city-museum-wuxi/

77

Aldrich Pears Associates (2012) Horno3. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/aldrichpears/sets/72157631884826827/show/

78

N.D. (2016) CORPUS - journey through the human body. Retrieved from:

http://www.lagotronics.com/nl/projecten/item/corpus-reis-door-de-mens-copy 79

Image still taken from video by Marton, J. [Youtube video] Falcon Hunts Drone - Red Hook Grain Terminal - DJI Phantom 2. Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YE_KlHFXlo 80

DGT Architects (2015) When Droplets Create Space: A Look at Liquid Architecture. Retrieved from:

http://www.archdaily.com/795388/when-droplets-create-space-a-look-at-liquid-architecture/57daa3a8e58ece9bdd000035-when-droplets-create- space-a-look-at-liquid-architecture-photo 81

Schippers, E. (2009) EXHIBITION VIEW AT WIELS - CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER, BRUSSELS, 2009. Retrieved from:

http://www.estherschipper.com/Ann-Veronica-Janssens

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82

DGT Architects (2015) When Droplets Create Space: A Look at Liquid Architecture. Retrieved from:

http://www.archdaily.com/795388/when-droplets-create-space-a-look-at-liquid-architecture/57daa3a8e58ece9bdd000035-when-droplets-create- space-a-look-at-liquid-architecture-photo 83

Eslamoda (2015) LÁMPARAS QUE CONVERTIRÍAN TU HABITACIÓN EN EL RINCONCITO MÁS ACOGEDOR DEL MUNDO

Retrieved from: http://eslamoda.com/lamparas-que-convertirian-tu-habitacion-en-el-rinconcito-mas-acogedor-del-mundo

84

Rabb, A. (2011) Red Hook Grain Terminal. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/39096598@N06/6785768993

85-100

Graphics by Steven Geertzen

101

N.D. (2013) Louvre Lens. Retrieved from: http://www.detail-online.com/inspiration/louvre-lens-106603.html

N.D. (2016) 8 rusted copper textures. Retrieved from: https://texturefabrik.com/2016/01/19/8-rusted-copper-textures-vol-2/

N.D. (2016) Granite work tops steel grey. Retrieved from: http://www.heartofstone.co.uk/HOS/html/product_search_type.php?type=GT

N.D. (2016) Solanum Steel. Retrieved from: http://www.azahner.co.kr/page/51.php

102-110 Graphics by Steven Geertzen

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