Urban Design Portfolio- Tamara, 2018

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H O

T E L C I T Y

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TAMARA CARTWRIGHT URBAN DESIGN ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO 2018


TAMARA CARTWRIGHT 5400 Ellsworth Ave Apt 7 Pittsburgh, PA 15232 t.maraariel@gmail.com

BORN

Nassau, Bahamas

MISSION

As an urban designer and architect, I am seeking to merge my skills to assist with the urban revitalization and infrastructure development of neighborhoods and cities. My passion is social development; I use thorough research and strong presentation skills to actively engage stakeholders in a participatory design process that leads to greater resiliency and overall investment.

INTERESTS

Community Development and Participation, Sustainability, Social Impacts of Spatial Design, Resilient Design, Politics and Urbanism, the Study of the Commons, Real Estate

RELEVANT COURSEWORK

Real Estate Design and Development, Urban Regional and Economic Development, PD: Campuses, Waterfronts, Districts and Cities, Spatial Analytic Infrastructure Planning, Data Analytics, Designing with Communities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Computer Programming Proficiency Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), AutoCAD, ArcGIS/ ArcGIS Pro, Carto, Microsoft (Excel, Powerpoint, Word), Revit, Rhinoceros 3d, Sketchup. - Strong 3D Modeling, Rendering and Diagramming skills - Real Estate Proforma Analysis Strong Research and Organizational Skills - Able to conduct data analysis with ArcGIS, Carto, and Excel. - Thorough reading and analysis skills. - Compile research analysis in clear graphics with an organized and informative manner.


EDUCATION

Master of Urban Design, 2018

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Master of Architecture, 2015

Minor of Fine Arts, Design Arts & Global Studies Drury University, Springfield Missouri WORK EXPERIENCE

Case Study Analyst and Designer Carnegie Mellon University & Studio Gruber | August 2017 - Present

One of six students working on a publication and traveling exhibition that sheds light onto citizens’ initiatives that collectively reclaim urban spaces and redefine the city as commons beyond the dichotomy of private versus public. Co-curated and produced with ARCH+, Germany’s leading journal for architecture and urbanism, and the IFA, a German cultural agency producing programs and exhibitions for across the world. After opening in Berlin in June 2018,the exhibition will travel to Pittsburgh and beyond for 5+ years. Community Programs Manager Design Center Pittsburgh | July 2015 - July 2016

The Design Center is dedicated to design, urban planning and public policy resulting in more livable, equitable and sustainable communities in the Pittsburgh region. - Manage several data research projects within communities to inform future design opportunities. - Organize design charrettes and community workshops to educate and provide technical assistance for community development. -Organize and participate in large stakeholder meetings. - Develop white paper for the proposal of a new program Provost Campus Experience Infrastructure Committee | January 2017 - Present - Analyze current indoor and outdoor social spaces on Carnegie Mellon University’s main campus. - Identify catalytic design proposals to improve campus life and facilitate an overall healthier campus experience. - Prepare schematic design sketches and present it to the Provost Campus Experience Infrastructure Committee to request additional funding for the development of the designs on campus. Teacher’s Assistant and On Campus Positions | August 2016 - Present - Carnegie Mellon Campus Infrastructure Urban Design Intern - First years Architectural Survey - Carnegie Mellon Student Leadership Involvement and Engagement Graphic Designer - Geographic Information Systems and Computer Aided Facilities Management


An Atlas of Commoning

CITY IN THE MAKING Rotterdam, Netherlands City in the Making Association

renovates the building in exchange for 2-year free rent

manages the woodshop

Traveling exhibition in conjunction with Arch+ a leading journal for architecture and urbanism, and the IFA, a cultural agency curating programs and exhibitions for Goethe Institutes, the German cultural centers across the world.

Movie theatre

Flex space (Seminars/ community meetings)

Apartments for short-term renters

Laundry machine

Bath

UPPER FLOORS

Common kitchen

GROUND FLOOR/ COMMON SPACE

Circular Econimies in Pieter de Raadtstraat 35&37

My roof and rear have been refurbished and street parties can be hold at my front gate. Studio C.A.R.E. is moving into my upper floors. – Zwaanshals 288B

I was a professionally equipped woodshop and now is being re-opened as cooperative carpenters’ workshop. – Noordplein 197

I was a soap factory and water stokery but now I function as workshop, common space, apartment etc. – Pieter de raadtstraat 35&37, 10-year ownership

I was a tryout housing for homeless people.I’m recently converted to apartment, a common workspace & a shop. – Bloklandstraat 190, 3-year ownership

I only need to pay a small fee to use the laundry machine. This is so convenient for the neighborhood! I help renovate the building in exchange for 2 years free rent to live in the apartment upstairs. I’m also in change of the wood shop on the ground floor.

The atlas is defined by three axises of tensions, Access/ Collective Ownership, P2P Production/ Reproduction Labor, and Right to the World, which are colored in different colors. They underline the context nature of practice of commonings. The following case studies are colored correspondingly to the tension which they belong to.

The micro brewery is in blossom this year!

PRINZESSINENGARTEN Berlin, Germany

CULTIVATING KNOWLEDGE AND ACTIVISM THROUGH URBAN GARDENING. art exhibits

honey production school visits

bike repair

micro economies experiences

food production international connections

food stands

yoga

film night

The structure of the garden produce a rhizomatic learning platform where the three elements (garden, academy, and the laube) performance intrinsically together and support each other in different initiatives.

P2P Production / Reproduction Labor P2P Production is a form of an economy that is viewed as an alternative to traditional capitalism, whereby business owners own the means of production and also the finished product, hiring labor to carry out the production process. Reproduction Labor is often associated with care giving and domestic roles including cleaning, cooking, child care, and the paid domestic labor force. Solidarity / Right to the World How much regulation do we need? How much can we rely on solidarity? Especially when we appose issues of global commons, economy, migration, etc.

Neighborhood Community

can use shared facilities /spaces

pay rent for maintenance/ overhead costs

Apartments for long-term occupants

The exhibition will accompany a magazine on Urban Commons that will open in June 2018 in Berlin, before traveling to Pittsburgh followed by other international destinations.

Access / Collective Ownership On one hand, the so-called sharing economy is currently redefining our relation to ownership away from possession to access to things according to our need and demand. On the other hand, more and more collective alternative forms of ownership are emerging, such as cooperative housing, Community Land Trust, etc.

University Students

curate the selection of the movies

Office

Library

Woodshop

Artists

The carpenter

RESTORING VACANT PROPERTIES THROUGH TEMPORARY LEASES, CIRCULAR MICRO-ECONOMIES AND URBAN MANUFACTURING.

There is an unintentional political role in this garden because it was not thought as an architectural, urban planning, or city development project. But as a place where the community put hands-on to transform a brownfield site owned by the city to a self-organized open platform.

Non-academic training is a foundational idea for the garden. That is why craftsmanship and related activities bring unique value to the community.

Teaching one another is possible through different areas of the garden. Growing vegetables, producing honey or repairing bikes are part of this educational principle.

Because the garden shows that our ordinary relation with public urban spaces could look differently, it brings to light the notion of access to knowledge and of commoning to a broader audience.


CITY PLAZA HOTEL Athens, Greece

CLAIMING REFUGEES’ RIGHTS TO THE CITY BY SELF-MANAGING AND MAINTAINING A SQUATTED HOTEL

MAP OF SYRIAN REFUGEE MIGRATION

Italy 152,700 Greece 844,176 refugees by December 2015

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P L A Z A

We live together, we struggle together, we resist together to defend the dignity of each individual, to defend our principles of solidarity, and to keep our squats open.

Living in solidarity requires sharing chores. We take turns cleaning our rooms and common areas, cooking, and hosting each other for tea. We have unique skills; there are doctors, engineers, teachers and cooks.


Start of Greece’s Financial Crisis resulted in austerity measures that ultimately lead to high unemployment, greek citizens leaving and thus high vacancy.

2008 2010

Original city plaza hotel closes due to economic crisis

2011

Start of Syrian War lead to huge migrations of Syrian Refugees passing through Greece to northern countries in the EU

2015

The start of the refugee crisis

2016 MAR APR

Greek anarchists, leftists and international volunteers calling themselves the Solidarity Initiative for Political and Economic Refugees occupy the hotel as a way to provide better living conditions than refugee camps.

Turkey signs a deal with the EU, agreeing to stop the traffic of refugees in exchange for financial incentives. Meanwhile Macedonia shuts its border with Greece, preventing refugees traveling through Greece to their final destination, to be trapped.

2017 MAR APR

MAY

JUN

AUG

Police raid two other squats One year “struggling together for the freedom of movement and the right to stay” The Athens prosecutor’s office ordered three refugee squats evicted – City Plaza among them Cordination of Refugee Squats: call for protest and gathering in front of the Ministry of Migration (Stadiou 27) at 7 pm. International Action of solidarity towards all squats and against evictions. Protest at german embassy against delays in reunifications of refugee families from Greece to Germany


SOCIAL CONTRACT With no government or NGO funding, and fully developed as a squatters hotel, each residents role is crucial for the maintenance, organization and upkeep of the hotel. Alongside 30-40 volunteers a day, the hotel has been able to maintain an organized front to support its residents and gain acceptance by the majority of the surrounding community. This only works because everyone takes on a role and shares a common interest for the upkeep of the hotel.

1 Daily assemblies are held in the Plaza’s dining room. Solidarity Democracy: decisions are made through general discussions sculpted on ideals of self-organizing.

2 Consensus must be reached between residents and activists Guiding principles of self-organized democracy help to determine decisions about the hotel’s operations and activities. During the initial phases of this research, we were denied additional information upon our request. The communications coordinator informed us that the group has a collective rule to refuse publications and interviews unless a proper visit to the hotel occurs.

3 Weekly Rotas: guests share responsibilities for cleaning, cooking and serving food, and security patrols. “The reception desk at City Plaza is manned by a rotating staff of international volunteers who help refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and African countries with everything from lost keys to bus routes, school applications and medical appointments with volunteer doctors.”

City Plaza Hotel


Mietshäuser Syndikat. Berlin, Germany. 1999-Present The WilMa19 is a former office building turned collective housing complex in the district of Litchenburg, Germany. It houses a diverse group of individuals who have the desire to live together and share common areas in exchange for cheaper rental rates. It is one of many houses under the Mietshauser Syndikat; an organization that focuses on solidarity housing strategies in order to preserve living spaces throughout Germany, as a response to the rising cost of living. Unfortunately, an initiative’s strong desire for a self-organized house project is almost always accompanied by the very weak financial resources of its members. The Syndikat works with collected individuals to find and permanently remove properties off the real estate market, increasing the amount of affordable units within the city. As a movement they have been able to purchase and remove 127 complexes from the market. Each project within the Syndikat is committed to help support the growth of new projects once their debts have been paid; resulting in a decentralized network of affordable units withdrawn from the capital market across Germany. With the real estate market’s shift, and the overall growth and demand for housing within the city limits, we need to rethink the way housing is looked at in Berlin in order to maximize land value and use. Single family living and scattered rented apartments make it difficult to shape a living space with common areas and weakens the public sphere. Individuals take on a huge financial burden and have to deal with the major and minor tasks of everyday life on their own. In a real estate market such as Berlin, where prices are rising exponentially and has been the cause of many residents being displaced outside the

city center, a model like the Mietshauser Syndikat can act as a tool to ensuring permanent affordable housing within the city limits. In the WilMa19, and other collective living complexes common areas and daily chores are shared among residents; at the WilMa this also includes an outdoor plaza and event space that is shared with the public sphere. Unlike a regular cooperative model such as seen in Kalkbreite, the Syndikat is based on the legal form of an LLC that is controlled by two subordinate bodies with different interests: the tenants of the housing association, and the tenement syndicate. This helps to ensure that reprivatization of the dwellings are nearly impossible since both of these bodies would have to agree to the sale of the house. This model also gives each complex within the Syndikat the power to make individual decisions about their respective projects because each project has an independent legal status that does not affect or alter other groups in the Syndikat. Every new project represents the growing desire of tenants to self-organize and fight against the cost of living as property values spiral out of control. The diversity of location and people in these projects demonstrates the strength of the Syndikat to support and propel self-organized groups into formally accepted and rightfully owned projects. The Syndikat assists groups that occupy empty homes and seek autonomous living spaces, renters that wish to intersect the sale of their complex, and tenants that live in buildings slated for demolition. Bit by bit the Syndikat has been able to permanently make affordable housing available to a larger public; a true exemplar of the benefits of solidarity.



1987 1989

The Mietshauser Syndikat organization forms, focusing on solidarity housing within the Freiburg’s Grether project.

2012

Collectives of the ‘Wilma 19’ join forces with the Syndikat to purchase the former office building of the Ministry of State Security of the Real Estate Fund for just under two million euros.

2013

Building application with a draft rehabilitation plan is submitted to the District Office to approve the building for residential renovations.

Squatters in occupied buildings begin fighting for the preservations of their homes throughout Amsterdam as they become at risk for demolition during the industrialisation redevelopment period of the city. It is undetermined whether small-scale, cosy, rural settings or metropolitan ones are most suitable for human habitation. People are moving out to the suburbs to live in single family dwellings, while Berlin architect Josef Paul Kleihues is demanding the reconstruction of the city.

The plan is released to the public.

2014

In March the building application is approved by the building inspectorate. Future tenants and members of the MfS host a ground breaking opening with the public to celebrate. Tenants move in during the winter and begin the planting process to transform the concrete desert in front of the house.

2015

2017

Linz Austria adapts the syndikat model

As of 2017 the Syndikat has 124 projects in Germany and is continuing to adapt its model throughout other European countries.


SOCIAL CONTRACT

1 Interest in Commoning fuels growth of the “common” • Either a group of enterprising people who localize empty houses: Wanting to live together in the long term, they seek sufficient and, above all, autonomous living space – quite often in combination with rooms for public events, group meetings, projects, and enterprises. • Or the long-time residents of a house who do not merely resign themselves to the owner’s plans to sell the house, but instead develop a vision: the acquisition of ‘their house’ as a self-organized project. • Or the occupants of an object slated for demolition who search for a perspective in spite of the emotional roller-coaster ride of eviction threats and negotiations. 2 The commoners plan and reach out to the Syndikat Association for consultation and assistance of acquiring property. The tenants of a house want to take away the burden of their property from their homeowner and contact the syndicate. In joint meetings with the tenants, feasibility and financing possibilities are clarified, project concept and construction plans are discussed, subtleties of the organizational model are explained, questions regarding the current house and financial management are answered and the cooperation and the purchase contract. An intensive consultation, the transfer of know-how and the presentation and discussion of the project idea at a general meeting should prevent a project from failing in advance. But: the work is not taken away from the initiative, not the responsibility and the decisions. The syndicate does not help with group-finding processes or with the housing and real estate service. 3 The Syndikat homes are based on the legal form of an LLC rather than a cooperative or a foundation. Two subordinate bodies with different interests that mutually monitor each other: the tenants of the housing association, and the tenement syndicate. This helps to ensure that re-privatization of the dwellings are nearly impossible since both of these bodies would have to agree to the sale of the house. 4 In order to join the Syndikat one must have: • membership in the Syndikat association • a prospective property • a financing plan and detailed counseling by the Syndikat • a brief chronology of what has taken place so far and a tentative time schedule of what is to happen in the future 5 New projects are self-administered. The tenants must do everything that was formerly the responsibility of the landlord: financing plans and loan applications in the start-up phase, construction, and renovation work, and later also bookkeeping and house management. For the establishment of the house LLC, the new house association has to raise 12,600 Euros for its 51% share of capital stock. The Syndikat provides the remaining 12,400 Euros, making a total of 25,000 Euros that are then available to the house LLC for the purchase of the house. • The new house association becomes a member of the Syndikat upon depositing a capital contribution of at least 250 Euros. • The tenants of the new house LLC pay a solidarity contribution that should not be less than 10 cents/ square meter of floor space per month, and that increases annually by an amount equal to 0.5% of the rent, excluding utilities. • The 12,400 Euros provided by the Syndikat are to be ‘paid back’ in the long term by increasing the capital contribution.” 6 Assist in further growth of the Syndikat: • Already established projects should advise new project initiatives, placing know-how at their disposal: in other words, it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. They can also provide public support in political disputes over contested real estate. • Most importantly: established projects should transfer financial surpluses to new project initiatives instead of using their economic latitude to regularly pep up their own living standard and/or reduce the rent. After all, through gradual amortization of their loans, older projects have a considerably lighter interest burden that is reduced year by year. • Finally, the contact with project initiatives and their dynamism, and the indirect participation in current political debates involving new housing projects, can bring new flow into the stagnant water of many an older project.

WilMa19


“architecture What is the potential in redefining beyond market logics, focusing on use value instead of exchange value?

– Urban Design Studio: Commoning the City


“architect We need to challenge the role of the as singular author and engage in more collective decision making and distributed power.

– Tamara Cartwright & Urban Design Studio


Cooperative Housing. Zürich, Switzerland. 1999-Present In response to Zurich’s rising rents, and accelerating cycles of gentrification and displacement, the Kalkbreite cooperative provides rent-controlled housing to 250 inhabitants of mixed socio-economic backgrounds. “Claiming the right to live in the city center, where luxury development on prime real estate is favored, is a means to resist free market capitalism that depends on scarcity to function.”At Kalkbreite, income generated from ground floor retail and high-end apartments cross-subsidize shared amenities as well as affordable dwelling units. With a sensitivity toward the pitfalls of contemporary cohousing turning into privileged enclaves or common interest developments, the cooperative strives for economic, ethnic and cultural diversity that at least reflects the demographics of Zurich or Switzerland at large. Concretely this means that proportionally to the population living in poverty in Switzerland, 10% of flats at Kalkbreiteare made affordable through subsidies. Thus, implicitly the project proposes a model of hyper localization in which solidarity and civic co-responsibility are distributed and evenly shared at the grain of city blocks. In order to promote exchange and diversity among tenants, the architects decided to maximize shared public and semi-public spaces by minimizing the private units as much as possible. Temporarily used spaces are moved out of the units- now tenants share kitchens, livings rooms and office spaces. Lots of thought and input from the original co-op members were given to the architects. The social spaces became a direct reflection of the needs of the diverse backgrounds of residents. So much so, that a large family suite of roughly 16 dwelling units was formed to house an extended family, and the idea

of the “joker” units were formed to cater to single tenants who either couldn’t afford a larger unit or simply preferred the ability to live minimally and maximize their commoning experience with the rest of the cooperative. Cooperatives are incredibly secure ways to promote diversity and increase affordable housing throughout cities. The Zurich co-op model relies on communal ownership and the pooling of finances for a common interest. The city leases the land to the co-op and the co-op then rents the units to its members. The rents are based on construction costs, maintenance and operations, making the cost of living significantly lower than those privately owned and developed. Technically, rents could even decrease once the bank loan for construction is repaid. Today non-profit cooperatives represent 22% of the housing stock of the city of Zurich. Of all the new dwellings built after the year 2000, one third of them have been cooperatively organized in a response to the protect the city from the housing shortage of the 1970s and take an active role in making the city more equitable. Kalkbreite cooperative achieves socio-economic equity that benefits the city at large by actively ensuring their tenants are diverse in ethnic backgrounds, incomes, gender, and age. An annual report is created comparing Kalkbreite’s makeup to that of Zurich and Switzerland at a whole in order to further demonstrate how diverse and inclusive the coop is.


REDISTRIBUTING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AT THE GRAIN OF THE CITY BLOCK BY CREATING A CITY WITHIN A CITY IN A HOUSING Switzerland CO-OP Zürich

KALKBREITE Zürich, Switzerland

DIVERSITY OF INCOME Kalkbreite

No Information

9,5%

Above 100,000 CHF

6%

14%

14%

80,000 - 100,000 CHF

7%

8%

9%

60,000 - 80,000 CHF

14,5%

15%

18%

40,000 - 60,000 CHF

29%

22%

31%

20,000 - 40,000 CHF

19%

20,5%

26%

0 - 20,000 CHF

15%

20,5%

2%

Rooftop Terrace

Shared Community Kitchen

Art Gallery/ Event Space

Doctor’s Office

Transit Station Public Plaza Co-work Office

Retail Units

Living in a large unit with a shared kitchen gives me the privacy of my own room but also allows me to be part of a larger social structure. We distribute daily chores by taking turns cooking and cleaning.

I am a “Joker” unit. Designed to fit the minimal needs of a tenant or visitor willing to share all amenities. I provide a space of privacy and ensure that people from all backgrounds can afford to stay at Kalkbreite.

My wife and kids are lucky to live in a complex with diverse shared programming. She can join the co-working group at the library while I volunteer at the daycare.


Outdoor restaurant seating and staircase to commercial plaza.


SOCIAL CONTRACT 1

Members of the co-op participate in design A significant role was given to the first the functions of various spaces. One example: make their units into a family commune with lightweight partition walls that can be moved

decisions occupants, who helped determine three tenants’ groups decided to shared kitchen, a plan that relied on from place to place.’

2

Council meets monthly The council is a monthly decision-making and planning forum. It enables all tenants and housewives to inform themselves about social, cultural and political initiatives, budget, construction and maintenance questions, etc., and to make decisions or to launch their own projects. The Council decides on questions concerning the coexistence and the internal and external area of the limestone, as well as on initiatives of the community. The board of directors discusses strategic business such as the annual planning and the budget strategically and has the right to submit its own proposals to management board meetings. The Board, the Management Board and the Hub for their coexistence and the inner and outer area of the calcareous latitude also contribute important topics to the community council. Within the limits of the annual budget, the council has free access to the funds allocated to the council and the community. The meetings are moderated by the annual co-ordination. Anyone who introduces a topic will contact the coordinator. The meeting units are published by e-mail and on the notice board / lift no later than one week after the meeting. Decisions are made by the consensus principle. From a minimum of 7 participants, the Council is a quorum. Decisions taken may be challenged within 10 days of the publication of the minutes. They will be automatically updated for the next session. If no consensus is found after two discussions of the same agenda item, the general council decides on the majority principle. Two meetings of the council each year are reserved for the community: one meeting is aimed at cost-intensive project ideas with appropriate space requirements. A further meeting is devoted to the annual Community Exchange and provides a stage for cost neutral project ideas.

3

Careful consideration towards Intermixing of age, lifestyles and income Facilitate disadvantaged households: Disadvantaged groups should complement social intermixing.

4

Promotion of internal housing changes In particular, if the number of residents changes in an apartment due to a new life phase, internal housing changes are promoted. This is intended to ensure the longterm tenancy of the tenants.

5

Collective spaces are shared Kalkbreite was designed to help maximize interaction between the diverse community. Dwelling units were designed with the bare minimum but the building itself has been designed with multiple collective spaces: a foyer, canteen, laundry, office-spaces, training, meeting rooms, nursery, conference and class rooms. Flexible spaces can be appropriated by any tenant who needs it. The central common areas such as Halle and CafĂŠteria are freely accessible at all times; other rooms, such as the multi-functional Flex on the second floor, are rented by the hour or by the day. Inner courtyard and terraces act as community living room.

6

Residents are prohibited to own cars. Though majority of residents at Kalkbreite choose to bike or take the public transit from the depot below their units, there are a few cars that are shared among the residents, while the rest of the parking is reserved for 300+ bikes.

Kalkbreite


“at Theorhetically you can spend an entire life Kalkbreite and never leave it without lacking

anything. Michèle Roten tried this for 24 hours and she finds that you can even get to know the world.” – Kalkbreite Annual Report 2016

“used We took rooms and functions normally for temporary occasions out of people’s homes and put them in rent-able units elsewhere in the building.

– Paul Muller, Architect

“structures The specific work groups that set the for cohabitation are functioning well and continuously evolving.

– Res Keller, Co-op Director


1970

Severe housing crisis leads to the establishment of a civil initiative.

1975

Community push for non-profit housing.

1978

In response to the housing crisis, the community plans a non-profit live-work space to help inform future development. housing crisis.

1999

Zürich department for urban development commisions a feasibility study for the shared use of VBZ’s Tram Depot as well as housing real estate development.

2002

The group revisits the original 1978 plan to create non-profit live-work space.

2005

Develops a plan to merge the railway depot with residential units.

2006

New visions for Kalkbreite are thought of at the public workship titled “A Segment of the City” The formation of the Kalkbreite Association.

2007

The Kalkbreite Cooperative is forms and establishes the building lease

2009

Release of the architectural competition for the design of the development.

2010 2012

Planning begins between architects and first occupants of the coop. Shared spaces are crafted to the needs of tenants. Construction begins

2014

Opening ceremony is held with roughly 10,000 visitors.

2017

Kalkbreite cooperative now has more than 1,500 members.


Selected presenter on behalf of the MUD program at the annual end of year Exchange for the School of Architecture. Guest Speakers: Aaron Betsky president of the School of Architecture at Taliesin and a critic and author of more than a dozen books on art, architecture, and design. Trey Trahan founder of Trey Trahan Architect’s, New York.


“rooted There are beautiful ways of creating truly buildings that bring together programs that are more responsive to how we live today, how we think, what we yearn for.”

– Trey Trahan


Cooperative Housing. Berlin, Germany. 2007-Present Spreefeld is a co-housing development designed as a response to the loss of public assets as the privatization of land spikes in Berlin, Germany due to global investment. Urban planners, architects, and members of the cooperative negotiated with the city for the reciprocity of land. Striking a balance between private and public development, the mission of the cooperative is to form a “socially equitable, economically stable, and environmentally friendly urban block development� that preserves public assets. Varying degrees of creative compromises were embedded in the design of the co-house from its onset. Three designers negotiated their style to form one coherent design, they further managed and negotiated the use of spaces and design of residential units with members of the co-op to meet their customized needs. Designing the ground floor as a set of public amenities and opening the inner garden and play area to the public, the cohousing development gains much more by sharing amenities with the public. It is an example for future development of a city that is self-made and controlled by residents, not overshadowed or lost through foreign investment. At Spreefeld, social diversity is written into the program; there is a focus of participation in the design and implementation of the cooperative housing. A team of architects from three firms: Carpaneto Architekten + Fatkoehl Architekten + BARarchitekten, worked closely with future tenants to determine the best uses, spaces, and organization of the site. Unlike the newer private developments popping up in Berlin that completely disrupts and ignores the right of public access, Spreefeld is designed with a central plaza and direct axis to

the riverfront, inviting the public to their common spaces and allowing the identity of the riverfront and boathouse to be maintained as a popular hangout spot. Further supporting the right to access, Spreefeld was designed so that the bottom two floors of all three buildings had communal spaces. On the ground floor there is a daycare center that supports the tenant’s children as well as those from other cooperatives nearby. Additionally there is a commercial kitchen with a cafe bar and meeting area, co-working offices, workshops and galleries, fitness room, and a music room. A degree of flexibility is provided to the co-op members through unfinished spaces; these spaces could be used, or rented to the public, as the tenants wish. Communal spaces make up 15% of the development. Within these shared spaces varying degrees of negotiation exists among residents and the larger public who are more than welcome to use them. In total the optional spaces make up 5% of the overall size, the communal spaces such as storage, laundry, kids space and guests rooms make up 4%, and the communal terraces provide additional outdoor space that makes up 6% of the shared space. Overall, the design strategies and outcome of Spreefeld provides a balance between private and public development. It demonstrates the need for negotiation between all players: property owners, tenants, the public, and the city.


COMMONING THE WATERFRONT BY NEGOTIATING THE RIGHT OF ACCESS THROUGH A HOUSING COOP

SPREEFELD Berlin, Germany

MAP OF COHOUSING PROJECTS IN BERLIN

Wi

lhe

mi

ne

-G

em

be

rg-

We g

House 1 BARarchitekten

Art Gallery

House 2 fatkoehl architekten

House 3 Carpaneto architekten

Child’s Daycare Urban Garden

Woodshop

Shared Community Kitchen The Boathouse use to be a popular hangout spot before development and rising rents displaced the owners. Now Spreefeld has given it back to the community. We rent the boathouse for parties, weddings and other celebrations

3

2

Catalogue of Floorplans, Spaces and Windows

The possibility to take charge of determining our own living environment is a valuable resource. I like being able to customize the arrangement of my space, choose the window style I like and give ideas for the use of flexible spaces!

1

In order to enhance the collaborative process between the three firms we created a catalogue of modular styes that fit the structural frame of the buildings. This ensured that all three buildings fit cohesively.


“grown The great thing about Berlin’s Selfmade culture is its diversity. Locally projects are tailored specifically to the people that make them, and

to the neighborhoods which they are built. There is no consistent style, and no typical solution. However, locally grown projects produce a broader range of solutions than investor projects. This is an advantage for both the project’s users, for the neighborhood and for the city. One of our mottos is: ‘develope the city, develop yourself’. I believe that the act of making the city changes your relationship to it. The more people that actively take part in creating our city, the better it will be. The city is the ultimate crowd-sourced project. – Matthew Griffen, Architect and member of the initiative, Stadt Neu Denken

“construction By entrusting the three offices with the task, different experiences flowed

into the work process. This was really a discursive process! Solutions came into being that one would not have thought of like that alone. – Christian Schöningh, architect at Die Zusammenarbeiter

“flexible, Such an understanding of architecture as a transformative urban design geared toward a strategy rather than a result could actually be tremendously helpful in the coming years…

– Florian Heilmeyer, architecture journalist and curator

“alsoWethehaveusers committed the architects, but to certain things by the rules.

Both had to implement these rules together. It turned out that the interpretation was not always very selective, for example, in one house, the positioning of the balconies was more rigid than in the other - a common learning effect, the perception of the users has widened. – Angelika Drescher, architect at Die Zusammenarbeiter


The Boathouse is built as a bunker for patrol boats of the GDR border police.

1960s

2000s 2005 2007

A group of Berliners join together to form the “Media-Spree Versenken� (Stop the Media City Complex) Initiative. This group further develops into the Spreefeld Cooperative.

2009

The land is sold to the cooperative at market ratejust under 340 euros per sq m.

2010

The cooperative secures full planning permission by negotiating with both the local stakeholders and city authorities.

2011

Die Zusammenarbeiter, Christian Schoningh, and several private builders initiates a cooperative project to form Project SFB Spreefeld in Berlin.

Boom of international investment discovering the city and buying up its assets. As a result rents are rising significantly and there is a decline of vacant lots and buildings within the city. Keen on coming up with an alternative to the traditional office buildings being proposed for the site. They wanted to ensure the riverside remained open for public use and not just just sold to the highest investor who would remove the right for public access.

Restoration of the boathouse is complete. The boathouse is used as a meeting place and leased for cultural and community events.

APR

The team expands to include two more offices, BARarchitects and FATKOEHL Architects, so that each house had a planning team that they directly worked with to design the spaces to suit their needs.

2012

Construction begins

2014 2017

Project is complete and residents move in. Once the co-op members rents have paid off the loan they took out to cover the construction costs this income will be used to help similar developments get off the ground.

The beach bar Kiki Blofeld is a popular public party venue.


Narrow access street from the main road helps maintain public access to the River Spree

One of the rules was that no trees would be cut unless absolutely necessary. This, along with the minimal budget for maintenance allows the outdoor play area to remain natural

One of the three communal ground floor spaces is a cafĂŠ that adjoins a commercial kitchen. One of the residents also runs an outside catering business from here


SOCIAL CONTRACT Co-op members must pay 50% of the total cost of their home as their initial equity stake. All of them must then pay rent on the other 50% This ensures that rental prices remain affordable and stabilized throughout the rising real estate market. All the apartments are barrier-free There is communal use of laundry rooms, fitness rooms, guest rooms, rooftop terraces, and a music and youth room. The residents are diverse Both multi-generational and multi-cultural, and range from some reasonably well off people to those on low incomes. The right to the city belongs to the public The ground floor and riverfront should remain a space for the public. Flexible communal spaces and shared amenities on the ground floor should include the daycare center, offices, commercial kitchen and cafe, woodshop, and boathouse. Spreefeld will never become a gated community The public should feel welcome to walk through the common plaza and utilize the play area Members must choose from the catalogue of design Architects developed a catalogue of floor plans and window design that would fit the overall building structure. This provided a level of flexibility when designing the 3 buildings. Modular units allowed customization during development phase which provided an affordable option for all members of the co-op no matter their financial situation. Residents were able to out fit these basic modules to suit their needs and minimize wasted space. This made the development an affordable option for all members of the co-op no matter their financial situation and ensured that the land was used to its full capacity without having to produce the traditional urban residential development that was popping up densely throughout the city.

Spreefeld


Berlin, Germany Fall Semester Study Abroad

PRESENTATION AND WORKSHOP WITH ARCH+



Wilkinsburg Urban Design Strategies The Urban Systems studio of Spring 2017, builds on the knowledge and skill-sets developed in the fall semester of 2016. It expands on the understanding of basic urban form, and place-making processes. It introduces the role of urban systems as elements of sustainability in the city; reflecting on the 3P’s of sustainability: people, planet, profit. • People focuses on social sustainability: community programs, settlement and use patterns, equity and inclusion, place-making etc. • Planet considers environmental impacts: infrastructure, open space, ecological practices, transportation etc. • Profit reflects on current socio-economic policies: public and private investment, infrastructure spending, incentives, tax base, etc. The studio addressed visioning for a Main Street Corridor that rethinks its potential as a catalyst for neighborhood regeneration. Serving in collaboration with the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation, the studio set-out to develop a proposal that goes beyond the Main Street/ Central Business District of the neighborhood. Instead we focused our efforts on regeneration from within, using strategic interventions to address the complexity of multiple systems and scales within the Borough in order to spur reinvestment and redevelopment.





TOD STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT Reprogrammed Existing Buildings

New Develo


opment

COMMUNITY COMMONS DEVELOPMENT Religious Institutions

Bus Routes


TOD Strategic Development

The new mixed-income residential section within the Strategic Development area is a place where new residents, families, and existing community members can engage with the borough. Taking advantage of the location of the transit station, its services and amenities, residents in the new areas of the TOD can benefit from living within walking distance of multiple options for commuting to work. The new iconic station with it’s accentuated canopy, will heighten the highly used station and signify a new plaza surrounding it. The plaza will help facilitate the capacity for increased ridership as the neighborhood grows. Within the plaza will be support services like a daycare, and breakout space for food trucks and cafes to service the scores of people crossing paths from business to home. Working with developers, the acquisition and re-purposing of the 401 Penn Avenue building, adjacent to the busway, into a mixed industries building with a new market as its anchor tenant will create a destination point along the busway to travel to. Within the Plaza space for the TOD station, the opening up of the viaduct of the busway and rail line allows for more visual and physical spatial connections of the Borough to the City of Pittsburgh. It will inspire an atmosphere that invites commuters and locals to linger and interact.



Community Commons Development The Way forward for Wilkinsburg is through it’s Community. Using the community as a Catalyst for change to occur will always be pivotal for any future development. In recognizing, respecting, and rejuvenating the community, a change in the dynamics of what Wilkinsburg is will come.

Creating a stronger community from within will help to change the negative perception of the borough. It will take the current state highlight its assets and form a community that values itself. With this, the community can be ahead of future development, strengthening its position as a whole. Wilkinsburg has the potential to be… • A community of urban farms which will feed 10% of the population. • The next community to house tech startups and maker spaces. • The community with strong community centers capable of reeducating the population at every stage of their lives. • A community that takes care of seniors and provides a welcoming atmosphere for them to thrive. • The Borough known for the a Great Marketplace. • The Borough known for an active civic life. • The Borough where you’d want to live, work, and play.



Civic Commons

1/3 of households are Single-parent led #28 of single-parent households in the U.S

With the transition of Wilkinsburg High School students being bussed to Pittsburgh, there is an opportunity to create a civic center connection between Hosanna House and the new social services being offered in the high school. Additionally, elementary schools throughout the borough will adapt an “open school� model, providing spaces for further education, social networking, and job training opportunities after hours to young adults and single parents. Currently, Hosanna House and the churches offer many services for seniors and younger kids, the civic commons will service the middle gap.


90.8% of population has only a high school education

Green Lots, Vacant Parcels With many “missing teeth� throughout the Borough there is the potential to convert a chain of vacant lots into a pedestrian and bike corridor, linking the neighborhood to the TOD station, 9 mile run, and Frick Park. Vacant lots provide areas for communal spaces, team building exercises, and sustainable improvements. They are a low cost, but big impact asset to the community that will help to improve the overall look of the borough. The Borough should adapt a Community Land Trust (CLT) to assist with the maintenance of side lots.

19% Vacant Land <1.5 grocery stores per 10,000 residents


Resilient Porosity The client, East Liberty Development, Inc, focuses on finding a good balance between residential and business development, neighborhood- serving and regional attractions, and development of a diverse range of housing opportunities. Resilient Porosity: Rethinks the way public participation can occur within city planning and the social benefits of designing a walkable city through micro-clustering diverse building uses and scales.

The ideal urban city is one that allows us to gain experiences in many different places, and with many different people. It is one that blurs the edges, rethinks the boundaries and easily allows us to go in and out of spaces. Resilient Porosity enhances the existing structure of East Liberty by providing a network of public spaces where people of different class, race and interests can regularly mix within smaller scaled neighborhoods. It provides the pattern for transitioning and dispersing the large scale commercial identity of East Liberty to its existing neighborly community with decentralized functions. Rethinking the “Big Box� typology and huge vacant parking lots. The new typology of whole foods is not just a grocery store but an urban plaza in itself which gradually merges with the rest of the neighborhood. The various sections of Whole Foods are now individual stores connected by the street pattern and open spaces of the micro-cluster city design, thus reducing the overall footprint of the whole foods. The roof now is used for parking and a vegetable garden, hence providing more usable open space and removing the large on street parking that disrupts the porous city.



Urban gardens within clusters provides community building experience and sense of ownership.

Urban Garden:

Smaller outdoor areas foster community and sense of ownership. Some units should front the space to increase safety, awareness, and upkeep, while other units may back up to it to give a sense of intimacy and privacy. This typology works best with smaller building scales.

Informal Gathering: Cities and neighborhoods need flexibility to thrive. The medium scale green spaces allow community members to define the program within the space: tailgating, BBQ picnic, outdoor study room. This typology works best with smaller buildings fronting it.

Ball Courts & Plazas:

A porous city can not support heavy masses without varying scales of open spaces. Larger open spaces must be programmed to support the culture and lifestyles of the neighborhood while also being programmed to attract regional visitors for economic vitality.


Ball court and community gathering space within microcluster.

Micro Unit:

Affordable, Adaptable, Community Structured, Compact. Multi-functional options for lower income residents, college students, artists, and maker spaces. Typical unit size: 593 sqft Total building floor area: 1,010 sqft Scheme infill: 6%

Row Houses:

Affordable. Compact. Brings a cohesive design to the neighborhood that relates to Pittsburgh’s architectural identity. Typical unit size: 2,400 sqft Total building floor area: 7,200 sqft Scheme infill: 6%

Corner Apartment:

Anchor to super blocks and larger micro clusters, Bottom floor can be used as commercial or spacial spaces. Naturally forms an open plaza under pilotis. Typical unit size: 5,207 sqft Total building floor area: 20,828 sqft Scheme infill: 29%


Nolli Map Exercise Top: Reverse Figure Ground Bottom: Street versus Block


Foam model, transition exercise. Barcelona, Paris, Tokyo, New York, Mumbai.


Superblocks:

Superblocks are urban design strategies that were implemented to minimize the presence of cars in city centres. Barcelona is taking this strategy even further by combining multiple superblocks and closing off the inside roads to through traffic. Inside the superblock traffic is slowed down to 10mph and a pleasant streetscape is designed that prioritizes the pedestrian.

Porosity:

Sprinkle mixed scales, affordable housing throughout large blocks, leaving open public space to allow porosity. This strategy turns the vacancy of a neighborhood such as East Liberty into an asset rather than a negative aspect to the neighborhood.

Diversity:

As a central neighborhood that is experiencing a development boom, East Liberty is shifting in scale and size. Large scale transit oriented development and big box corporations abuts the original fabric of the neigborhood. Diversity of building scales and uses provides options that attract different socioeconomic classes and a variety of commercial opportunities.


1. Zig zag minor roads within the clusters.

2. Shared parking along streets minimizes pockets within the urban block.

3. Big box is broken down into small cluster of buildings.

4.Public plaza at the corner of small blocks.

5. Buildings vary in scale and use within the cluster.

6. Green spaces vary in sizes to form the porosity and support diverse building scale.


Hotel and Convent

THE CULTURAL COMMONS

Agricultural Research and Interactive Center

Coope

ULI Hines Student Competition Entry 2018 Collaborative team of urban design, architecture, and policy students.

Cultural Commons is a sustainable, convenient and affordable district that promotes inclusivity, diversity, and multicultural exchange. Each design decision was made to ensure all groups were represented and that the existing urban fabric of the neighborhood was respected. Wedged between the proposed Relief Line and Transit Hub at East Harbour, The Commons is a major crossing point for diverse groups of people within the city.

• Tourists visit to see the rotating gallery at the Heritage Co-op Museum, leased in the old BMW building, and visit one of the many spaces for engaged learning at the Multicultural Center. Here you can visit the Library to learn more about another culture, take a tour of the vertical farming system and attend international cooking classes that are sourced by the herbs and vegetables grown in the center. During the evenings guests can attend a show at the Performing Arts Center.

Circulation

Bicycl

• Neighboring office dwellers step out on their lunch break to find site-grown international dishes from Kenya, Lebanese, Jamaica and more along the Cultural Boulevard that links our Plaza with the new East Harbour development. •

Residents enjoy the exchange of experiences throughout the site where they can take turns cooking meals in shared kitchens, or join a workshop discussion at the MakerSpace. Living at The Commons provides ease of access to the region via a multimodal transit system.

Bicycle path


Office Buildings

tion Apartment Building

erative Mixed-use Building

le network

hs and dedicated lanes

East Harbour Transit Hub

Museum Collective

Open space

Green infrastructure and Landscaping

Plaza Open space

Multimodal Transit

Bicycle paths Proposed subway Relief Line

Street car Regional Rail line

Transit Hub


5

1 1

Multicultural & Performing Arts Center

2

Green Bridge over highway

3

Hotel with Convention space and Refugee Accommodation

4

Relief Line Stop

5

Pedestrian Bridge to Corktown

6

Heritage Trail

7

Cooperative Heritage Museum

8

Plaza & Outdoor Event Space

9

Mixed Use retail and condo units

10

Mixed Use retail, Parking, and Office Units

11

Mixed-Use Retail and Office Units

12

Mixed-Use Retail, Bike Share and Residential

13

Kids Play Area

14

Cultural Boulevard

2

6

7


4 3

10

9 8

7 11

12

14

13

N 0 ft

50 ft 100 ft

200 ft



Building strong communities for the future while celebrating the past & present.


The Cultural Commons seeks to protect the future of cities by implementing Eco-District protocols to reduce the impact of urban development on the environment. In order to do this, an integration of building and infrastructure projects are proposed including a Smart-grid system, District Heating incorporated with East Harbor, Integrated Solar Panel and Green Roof systems, Bike sharing, Flood Management not only at building level via Rainwater Harvesting & Green Roofs but also at district level via Green Streets and Flood Control at the waterfront. The Commons will also look at integrating Demand Management strategies within leasing contracts that support the control of energy use through Dynamic Tariffing. The site will produce a significant amount of energy via 12 Wind Trees that will be installed at the waterfront to capture the wind energy; Building Integrated Solar PV Panels will also take advantage of solar energy, including stand alone panels on the roof and semi-transparent PV glazing systems along the South, West and East facades.

Sem

Appli east

LT= 3 28 W

Savin dolla

Smart Grid System Smart Meter App allows consumer to control spaces remotely and become more knowledgeable on their energy usage compared to other units in the building. Building Automative System Smart Battery kicks in during peak hour useage. Can be paired with a Dynamic Tariff that charge higher prices for energy use during peak hours, encouraging active distribution of the building’s energy useage throughout the day.

Heritage Trail Bike, Skate or walk along the Heritage Trail while learning more about different cultures through pockets of resting points and reflection. Wind Tree 12 Wind Trees are installed along Heritage Trail. Each tree produces 5400 W giving a total savings of: 946 kWh annually

Green roof with herb garden

Solar-Wind- Street Lights 600 W- Vertical axis tube 150 W- Solar Panel

Smart Grid System


mi-transparant Glazing

ied to the south, west and facades of every building.

30% Wp/m2

ngs = 52 Canadian ars/ m2 Solar Green Roof Used on top of all new development to help reduce rain water runoff and provide. 50% solar panels installed. 50%-70% water retention, helps slow water down runoff and increase evaporation for 24 hours on site.

50-70% water retention.

44° slope

84W/m2 Solar energy created

Supports Toronto’s Latitude for optimal results

10

00

mm

10

15-30% used for indoor flushing

00

mm

300mm


Cultural Commons will be financed 80% through a RBC loan totally over 310 million dollars (Canadian) starting in 2020 with a 3.5% interest rate. Cultural Commons will transition in 2025 to utilizing its over 77-million-dollar equity investment through a joint venture called 416 Opportunity Fund. This fund is a collaboration of various community members of the Riverdale community which in total comprises 9.5% of total investment. Through three phases of the development for the Cultural Commons the total cost will be C$381 million dollars. The value of Cultural Commons, including the land contributed, escalates from C$29M in Year 0 to C$448M in year 10. The development yields a levered IRR of 13.7% and valuable investments into human capital.

Unleveraged IRR

Leveraged IRR

Before Taxes

Before Taxes

Cultural commons will not only continue to provide an area for multicultural celebration but also provide homes, jobs, and entertainment to the people of Toronto and Ontario.

Projected site value (2030)

23.8%

13.7%

Current site value (2020)

C$ 29,948,910

C$ 448,120,389

1. Summary Pro Forma All in Canadian Dollar Net Operating Income

Totals

Year 0

Rental Housing Upscale Condominimus Rental Housing Midscale Rental Housing Affordable Office, Incubators, and Education Office -> Musuem Retail Agr Research Hotel Structured Parking Total Net Operating Income Development Costs

$27,985,883.71 $106,232,493.22 $3,212,058.01 $2,665,123.56 $122,311,970.59 $5,516,461.20 $3,309,687.01 $547,160.86 $152,212,862.25 $222,780,841.34 $646,774,542

Rental Housing Upscale Condominimus Rental Housing Midscale Rental Housing Affordable Office, Incubators, and Education Office -> Musuem Retail Agr Research Hotel Structured Parking Infrascture Land Acquisition/Land Lease Demolition Remediation Total Acquisition Costs Total Hard Construction Costs Total Soft Costs Total Development Costs Annual Cash Flow Net Operating Income Total Asset Value Total Costs of Sale Total Development Costs Unleveraged Net Cash Flow Investor Equity Acquisition Loan Construction Loan Debt Service Other Loans and Grants Cash Flow Leveraged Net Cash Flow Net Present Value

-34,498,003 -35,078,400 -3,819,967 -5,141,174 -130,648,132 0 -9,276,458 -19,685,751 -84,029,682 -34,857,000 -14,812,110 -8,023,655 -2,335,905 -6,354,615 -8,023,655 -294,318,174 -71,406,913 -388,560,852

Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) Unleveraged IRR Before Taxes Leveraged IRR Before Taxes

646,774,542 448,120,389 -13,443,612 -388,560,852 692,890,467 77,712,170 8,023,655 310,848,682 386,556,846 14,812,110 640,018,067 58,454,451 23.8% 13.7%

56.86%

2019

Phase I 2020

2021

2022

25,506,603

858690.00

$858,690

917,699

$917,699

0 0 $860,139

-17,280,000

0 -17,798,400

-8,023,655 858,690 0 -8,023,655 -7,164,965 8,023,655 0 0 $858,690.00

690,753 710,657 -122,811 0 0 -154,127 $26,631,076

0 -16,830,000 0

-974,380 -64,476,621 0 -2,065,849 0 0 -16,830,000 -4,361,793

0 0 0 -1,003,611 -66,171,511 0 -2,065,849 0 0 0 0

-6,354,615 -8,023,655 -27,288,000 -6,822,000 -40,464,615

0 -81,716,200 -20,429,050 -106,507,044

0 -55,392,777 -13,848,194 -69,240,972

917,699 0

860,139 11,468,523

26,631,076 355,081,012

-40,464,615 -39,546,917 0

-106,507,044 -105,646,904 0

-69,240,972 -42,609,896 0

40,464,615 -1,416,262 0 -$40,963,178.03

106,507,044 -5,144,008 4,361,793 -$106,429,119.20

69,240,972 -7,567,442 0 -$50,177,337.83

0

-8,023,655

860,139 0

42% Current Site Value (start of Year 0) Projected Site Value (end of Year 10)


Uses

Sources Equity Land Acquisition Commercial Facade Program Agri-Innovation Program IMIT Grant

9%

Remediation Costs

SR&ED Research New Economy Stream Grant Eco-Roof Incentive Program

Demolition Costs Land Acquisition Costs

9%

2% 2%

Construction Costs

1%

Equity Contribution

96%

Team 189113 Phase II

2023

2024

Phase III 2026

2025

2027

2028

2029

215,608 13,015,775 753,936 -224,072 0 0 19,388,725 $54,797,936

4,952,070 22,297,403 524,510 423,964 16,051,434 585,015 429,673 0 25,868,309 31,895,955 $103,028,333

5343256.60 0.00 570667.04 455397.81 17498767.33 0.00 700830.20 0.00 27976508.87 32724450.68 $85,269,879

5745196.02 0.00 654840.43 488336.18 19055014.89 0.00 757593.66 0.00 30256524.97 36592074.26 $93,549,580

5764203.70 0.00 705044.86 522840.98 20728032.72 39339.00 818236.51 256030.59 32722360.31 40909225.08 $102,465,314

6181157.51 0.00 756995.53 558976.57 22526237.05 59008.50 883007.67 291130.28 35389159.08 45384425.11 $112,030,097

-17,503,913 0 -1,928,894 -2,129,463

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 -2,065,849 0 -17,206,873 -598,500 0

0 -1,013,061 0

0 0 -9,697,415

0

0

0

-9,988,337

0

0

0 0

0 -3,026,383

0 0

0 0

0 0

0

3

36,780,522

21,647,964

3 7 1 0 0 7 6

12,745,956 731,977 67,229 0 0 16,040,114 $66,365,799

0 0 0 1 1 0 9 0 0 0 0

-16,994,090 0 -1,891,073 -1,033,720 0 0 -2,065,849 0 -66,822,809 -598,500 -7,423,933 -375,000

-1,960,905

0 7 4 2

0 -71,524,833 -17,881,208 -97,204,974

0 -33,146,794 -8,286,698 -41,433,492

0 -810,449 -202,612 -1,013,061

0 -7,757,932 -1,939,483 -14,684,703

0 -7,990,670 -1,997,667 -9,988,337

0 0 0 0

6 2

66,365,799 884,877,321

54,797,936 730,639,153

103,028,333 1,373,711,102

85,269,879 1,136,931,714

93,549,580 1,247,327,739

102,465,314 1,366,204,183

2 6 0

-97,204,974 -30,839,175 2,568,923

-41,433,492 13,364,444 41,433,492

-1,013,061 102,015,272 1,013,061

-14,684,703 70,585,176 14,684,703

-9,988,337 83,561,243 9,988,337

0 102,465,314 0

112,030,097 448,120,389 -13,443,612 0 546,706,875 0

2 2 0 3

94,636,052 -10,879,704 7,423,933 -34,294,945

0 -37,376,871 0 -24,012,427

0 -37,376,871 0 64,638,401

0 -37,376,871 3,026,383 36,234,688

0 -37,376,871 0 46,184,373

0 -37,376,871

0 -174,665,077

65,088,443

372,041,797

%

25% 29,948,910 448,120,389

0


Hop Town BREWING A NEW COMMUNITY THAT EDUCATES, HEALS AND ACTIVATES THE RIVERFRONT Managed a collaborative team of graduate students with diverse backgrounds in Urban Design, Sustainable Design, and Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management for the 2 week ULI Student Competition Entry 2017 “Wabi-Sabi” is best defined as the beauty of everything imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. The scheme, therefore, embraces the current scenario of decay. Many cities throughout the United States have redeveloped and capitalized on their waterfront manufacturing districts, however, it is difficult to preserve the architectural and cultural identity of the area. By exploring the aesthetic value of the structures and materials surrounding the site and paying homage to the industrial site’s manufacturing identity, new programs were retrofitted into the existing Fleet Management complex while the new construction reflects the low, campus style warehouses that currently exist. The plan incorporates a variety of financial sources which cater to the different land use and its associated development costs. It is funded by a construction loan of $200 million with another $100 million flowing into the project in the following 4 years. The objective of spreading out the loan is to reduce high interest costs and allow for the income revenues to take charge. In addition to WCI’s equity of $46 million in land shares, a $40 million EB5 equity satisfies additional costs of land acquisition. Over the course of its first 10 years, the development will capture an increment in value of $220 million. With 118 affordable residential units, a TIF funding of 2% of the incremental value for $4.4 million will support their construction. Also, $300,000 in funds would be available through the Riverfront Development Fund.

Diverse Housing Riverside Amphitheater

Green Trail

Floating Bicycle Trail Streambed re-naturalization


Hotel

Nature’s Brewery Commercial

Great Lake Observatory

Co-housing Community

Boost Startup Incubator & Maker Space Urban Garden Recreational Park


Culturally Vibrant Racial, Social, and Economic Diversity Mixed Use Neighborhood Green Infrastructure Access to Nature Access to Education General Comfort Walkability + Good Public Transit Community Engagement/ Awareness People

Re-purpose

Renewabl

Lower Heal

Pet Fri

Rich in Nativ Pla


e Materials

le Energy

Economic Stimulation

lth Hazards

Small & Large Scale Commercial

iendly

ve Landscape net

Affordable Property Rates Social Collaboration & Integration Profit




Phase 1:

Acquire all land to begin Bioremediation, convert Fleet Management warehouse to Nature’s Brew in site A.

Phase 2:

Develop residential, commercial & mixed use units to add economic value

Phase 3:

Complete Hop Town by developing high end residential units & Great Lake Bird Observatory.

Construction of the trails, Great Lake Bird Observatory, and the greenhouse facility would attract $6.5 million in grants from World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF). This funding however is subjective. Once the construction picks up, the project is expected to garner $237 million in rent revenues and $526 million in sale proceeds over its first 10 years. However, these are conservative estimates and are expected to increase. Overall, the financial plan envisages a steadily increasing unleveraged annual income of over $38 million.

27%

OF TOTAL UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE

1,400+ NEW RESIDENTS


Increased connectivity that support alternative modes of transportation: walking, biking, and public transit to the greater Chicago region. Ties in with existing bike infrastructure of the city.

Complete Streets

Shared Streets Bus Route Biking and Pedestrian Trail Existing Commuter Rail Bioswale

The Loop

Goose Island

Hop Town proposal responds to its surrounding context and integrates with and across the river. It has become an interactive active space in the city.

IAL

606 TRAIL

RE S

ENT TAINM R E T EN

TIO OVA NN HI EV E ND NT ME LOP

NEW JOB OPPORTUNITIES

TEC

1,500+

I DE

AL NTI

O

&C

ERC MM


Blurring Prison Boundaries

Architecture Thesis Exploration- Spring 2015

Blurring Prison Boundaries is a thesis exploration formed to challenge our views of contemporary prison designs and their purpose. Using Scandinavian prisons as a precedent and the research conducted by Jane Jacobs on boundaries, this thesis explores the impacts of an urban prison that integrates itself within a community in The Bahamas rather than simply carving at its landscape. The more opportunities of physical or visual connections a prisoner is given, the lower his chances of recidivism. Is it possible to have a prison complex that also acts as a community space- allowing both to benefit? Can prisoners and community members interact daily and begin to form the necessary connections to gain acceptance and set them up for success upon being released? Programs that promote such interaction and success rates exist, but the isolated, designs of prisons do little to facilitate them.


9th most populated in the world 379 inmates/ capita

Ranked worst in the caribbean


HIGH INCOME LEVEL HOUSEH

MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL HOUSEH

LOWER INCOME LEVEL HOUSEH


HOLDS

Higher income level homes are often found in gated communities or in prime real estate areas along the waterfront. They often have swimming pools, large yards and spaces between homes for added privacy.

HOLDS

Often a one story home or apartment with either a front or back yard- these homes are similar to middle class homes in America. For security measures, they often have either a wall, gate or fence, as well as bars on windows. These areas lack the sense of community found in lower income neighborhoods.

HOLDS

Although low income levels does not always correlate with crime rates, in The Bahamas the majority of serious crimes occur in poverty ridden areas where gang violence is prevalent. These homes are often overcrowded, extended family homes with a strong sense of community within their neighborhood.

The urban fabric of New Providence is a patchwork of juxtaposing income levels. The forms a tension between the varying social groups. The new community prison will provide a space for all; allowing a diverse mix of groups of social development to occur.


What are alternative ways to forming barriers?

Currently, there is a strong disconnect between the prison and the surrounding community. Although, The Bahamas has an urban prison, it does not respond to any social or cultural needs. Little is known about the daily routine of the prisoners and existing architectural characteristics.

How can architectural design impact societal views on the prison system?

Architectural design reflects the identity of the user. If the project is to change societal views and attitudes towards prisoners then it must be open to changing the traditional typology of the prison.


Existing in The Bahamas

Future


Patterns of Movement Preliminary design proposal for the Global Schindler Award Competition in collaboration with ETH Zurich. Shenzhen, China The city of Shenzhen is one of the world’s fastest growing cities. Over a 40 year span it has transformed from a small fishing village of 300,000 into a mega city of 10-15 million. As a result, it has experienced extreme levels of gentrification. The purpose of the competition was to form an urban design proposal for one of the few remaining sites for development within the city. Project entries were to focus on the creation of interactive urban ensembles in which the central theme is the interface between different modes of horizontal and vertical mobility and their interplay with the built environment. Our response to the competition goals was to form a prototype that could be adapted throughout the city to solve the needs of the surrounding area. Currently, Sungang Quingshuihe (the site) is made up of dense urban villages that reflect the characteristics of the migrant workers of Shenzhen. In order to prevent an urban design that would result in further gentrification, we decided to rethink the city block and develop the users as well as the site. The prototype to be implemented reflects on the surrounding city blocks, twisting them and stacking them to create a mixed use building with interlocking programs. The migrant workers are able to enter the building, engage in spaces for learning and leisure, all while continuing their journey to work. This reflects the Chinese shops and game rooms that line the base of urban villages. Each prototype will be a reflection of the surrounding area, merging and diversifying the city block.



Urban planners today, focus on creating mixed used buildings that are stacked;

what if we look at the design of city blocks and twist them up to form a layered city that is mixed both horizontally and vertically?



Rings of Springfield 2014 Symbiotic Cities International Design Ideas Competition Entry. An urban design prototype that seeks to transform cities into more resilient, climate adaptive, regenerative, symbiotic cities.

The Rings of Springfield aim to regenerate abandoned industrial areas by introducing a modular structure that can be easily adapted to create occupiable spaces. Strategic placement of these sustainable cells will revive post-industrial areas throughout Springfield, while providing a green route for easy access of suburban areas into the city center. The cells: collect water from rain and humidity, harvest wind, solar, and kinetic energy, grow plants and crops, house and provide for several species of animals, provide human scale spaces, and provide technology for the site to be smart and self-operating. Unique percentages of these cells generate distinct characteristics of each site while optimizing adaptation throughout the rings. The cells, inspired by beehives, are modular hexagons that can multiply and build upon each other to create different scales of spaces. The cells have various functions which create a mutualistic, symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem, such as harvesting clean energy. Like a beehive, these cells can attach to structures and begin to grow from them, providing life to desolate areas of the city. The cells will spread throughout the urban fabric to form the rings of Springfield.







Southside Commercial Property Assessment

Design Center Pittsburgh, Summer 2017

18th St

13th St

10th St

REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT, Urban Branding, & Placemaking

Current Conditions Map

Legend 1. Clean and Maintained 2. Normal Wear & Tear 3. Some Deterioration 4. Visible Cracks 5. Significantly Damaged

LNC Zoning Boundary Residential Property Can’t Tell Parcel Use

MONONGAHELA RIVERFRONT WALK-ABILITY PROJECT

FREDERICKTOWN GATEWAY PROJECT

The City of Monongahela has an active riverfront area with an invaluable asset: the Monongahela Aquatorium, a super-sized outdoor amphitheatre seating 3,700 that hosts dozens of events along the riverfront. However, the connection between downtown and the riverfront remains difficult. Current connections do not encourage event attendees to walk into downtown and explore other places in the community. This project proposes innovate design solutions to improve the community’s connection to their riverfront.

Fredericktown’s focus on riverfront recreation attracts hundreds of visitors. Yet, the remnants of the coal industry are still visibly displayed throughout the community as it is the case with the former gas station which was demolished and turned into a vacant lot at the heart of Fredericktown between Front and Grant Streets. For this project, the site is being considered as the perfect opportunity for a gateway into the community that can reflect the town’s waterfront developments.


BAPTIST TEMPLE CHURCH GARDEN DESIGN

Bedford Dwellings Community Design Charrette

The City of Monongahela has an active riverfront area with an invaluable asset: the Monongahela Aquatorium, a super-sized outdoor amphitheatre seating 3,700 that hosts dozens of events along the riverfront. However, the connection between downtown and the riverfront remains difficult. Current connections do not encourage event attendees to walk into downtown and explore other places in the community. This project proposes innovate design solutions to improve the community’s connection to their riverfront.

The City of Monongahela has an active riverfront area with an invaluable asset: the Monongahela Aquatorium, a super-sized outdoor amphitheatre seating 3,700 that hosts dozens of events along the riverfront. However, the connection between downtown and the riverfront remains difficult. Current connections do not encourage event attendees to walk into downtown and explore other places in the community. This project proposes innovate design solutions to improve the community’s connection to their riverfront.


Homewood Cluster 9 An analysis of Community Assets

Design Center Pittsburgh, 2016 In collaboration with René Cuenca & Anushree Nallapaneni Homewood’s cluster planning is a community-driven initiative of Operation Better Block (OBB) that works with residents block-by-block to highlight what should be done with the neighborhood’s vacant lots, how to build on neighborhood assets, and understand zoning opportunities for new development. As part of the Design Center Pittsburgh team, we partnered with OBB to rethink underutilized neighborhood spaces and use the community’s feedback to develop meaningful design interventions. As a key part of process, Design Center staff heard the priorities for community development directly from Cluster 9 community groups. The Cluster 9 community asked Design Center to assess the current condition of their neighborhood assets and suggest design-related solutions that specifically address concerns about the safety and connectivity of their community. As Community Programs Manager, I led a team of three through site analysis, property assessment and schematic design. We identified design opportunities, challenges, and place-making strategies that would improve the Cluster 9 area of Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood. Read the full report here.



E.Ohio Facade Program Design Center Pittsburgh, 2016 In collaboration with RenĂŠ Cuenca & Anushree Nallapaneni

The Buhl Foundation and the One Northside Initiative worked with the community to develop a pilot Facade Enhancement and Activation Program for business and property owners in Deutschtown along East Ohio Street. Though challenges exist, East Ohio St still is an important business corridor filled with rich architectural and historic assets in the Northside of Pittsburgh. The main goal of this grant as outlined in this document is to make the public realm in E Ohio Street more inviting and accommodating to pedestrians, enhance building facades to complement the historical character of the neighborhood, establish indoor/outdoor spaces, and create a more vibrant commercial district. As part of this program, my main role was to lead a team of designers through site analysis and conditions review using Loveland- a national parcel and property data assessment tool. Under the guidance of Chris Koch, CEO of DCP, I developed the framework for the questionaire that determines the overall condition and funding need of a property to build stronger, safer, and enjoyable street fronts. The assessment and developed guidelines led to the Facade Enhancement Program which allocated $42,000 worth of funding to 5 business and property owners in the East Ohio neighborhood to help them do facade enhancement projects. To see more materials about this program, including the design guidelines document, and the application form, click here.



Clairton Main Street Design Center Pittsburgh, 2016 In collaboration with René Cuenca, Christian Umbach & Economic Development South The City of Clairton recently emerged from the state’s Act 47 designation of financial distress, and is working with state and local partners to explore new reinvestment opportunities in the community. In the past, Clairton’s strategy to address blighted property and attract investment was to demolish many of its abandoned buildings, leaving large voids in the city’s urban fabric. Instead of alleviating its challenges, this vacant land and the loss of the city’s architectural history only exacerbated a sense of abandonment and disinvestment. As a result, there is a lack of local business and service activity along Clairton’s main street. As part of the Design Center Pittsburgh Team, I helped develop a data, design and implementation plan for their commercial corridor. The initial design process began with a community walk-through and conditions assessment. It was then followed by a participatory design charrette that engaged the community in the revitalization effort. Community members were able to visualize the future of their commercial district in a round table robin with three local firms. Each table focused on a particular intersection of the main street. A fourth table, led and facilitated by myself and Rene, focused on defining the community’s narrative. They described the past and present strengths, weaknesses and visions of the City of Clairton that we later weaved into the overall visionary plan for the main street development. Access the full report here.



Bizbloom Design Center Pittsburgh, 2017 In collaboration with René Cuenca, Chen (Pure) Zheng & Leigh Carroll

BIZBLOOM Get to know the people behind Bloomfield’s businesses

wife and I opened this business “ My in 1986. It used to be Isaly’s Dairy.

The community has changed since then and that’s wonderful Today there’s American, there’s Thai, there’s Chinese, there’s Japanese, and that’s what you want, it’s America!

-Ben Forman, Co-Owner

BizBloom was a pilot program to gather data, prototype design interventions, and develop recommendations that can support and strengthen a diverse main street in the context of Bloomfield’s changing identity. In order to create a narrative of who works and lives in Bloomfield, a report was formed that includes recommendations and business district posters formed from an engagement activity at the Saturday Market, BizBloom interviews to highlight the unique stories of business owners in Bloomfield.

Joan’s Hallmark Shop 4748 Liberty Ave

Born and raised in Oakland, Ben Forman and his family have been on the retail business for over 60 years! He has been an integral part of the Bloomfield mainstreet, experiencing first hand the tranformation it has gone through over the last several years.


BIZBLOOM Get to know the people behind Bloomfield’s businesses

In many ways, I’m more Pittsburgher than Venezuelan or Italian Friends I grew up with could not wait to leave Pittsburgh. But I love it here. I think it’s the best city in the world

-Angel Vaccarello

Adolfo’s Restaurant 4770 Liberty Ave

Half-Italian & half-Venezuelan, Angel’s family left their hometown in Guanare,Venezuela when he was just 11 years old. Coming to Pittsburgh was a “big culture shock,” especially because he was no longer surrounded by extended family and had to learn a new language. Now his family feels a strong connection to Pittsburgh. At Adolfo’s, Angel has been able to honor all sides of his family in a menu culled from both culinary traditions.


Data Collection Design Center Pittsburgh, Summer 2017

BROWNSVILLE ROAD MAIN ​STREET DATA

CHARTIERS AVENUE MAIN ​STREET DATA

This commercial Property Assessment from Arlington Ave to Ormsby Ave along Brownsville Road was used to inform the strategies for main street activation and a sign and light program.

A​ n assessment of the existing conditions of commercial assets along Chartiers Ave to be used by community groups to identify opportunities for positive improvements to all neighborhoods in the West End.

MIDDLE HILL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SURVEY

One Northside Creative Industry Clusters

A​ ssessment of all the residential housing in the Middle Hill neighborhood. The data collected allow us to provide to the community and partners such as the URA more refined property-level detail to inform community-driven assessment strategies to support the revitalization of current property owners in the Middle Hill.

The purpose of this assessment is to help the Northside communities better understand their commercial assets and resources, identify the available stock of commercial activity and its value, and visualize future opportunities for the creative industry regeneration through economic clusters and redevelopment.



Carnegie Mellon University ‘18 Master of Urban Design Drury University ‘15 Master of Architecture e: t.maraariel@gmail.com https://issuu.com/t.maraariel

THANK YOU!



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