Relink Houston: Restoring Mobility in a Broken City

relink houston restoring mobility in a broken city Graduate Architecture Thesis by Taylor Mackie Professor Huy Ngo | May 2014

[ Relink Houston: Restoring Mobility in a Broken City ]

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Architecture Department in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Architecture Savannah College of Art and Design Taylor O’Neill Mackie Savannah, Georgia ŠMay 2014

Professor Huy Ngo Professor LaRaine Montgomery Professor Dr. Robin Williams

To my mother and father, for your unconditional love, believing in me, and for always supporting my dreams.

To my brother, for inspiration and for always trusting in me to push further and beyond.

To my friends, my second family, for helping me realize the important qualities in life.

To my professors, you have influenced me in ways that no one ever could.

You gave me wisdom, ambition, and the will to love whatever I do.

I have learned. I have grown. I have blossomed.

I am forever grateful.

Thank you for everything.

table of contents List of Figures

pg. 1

Thesis Abstract

pg. 6

Chapter 1: The Essence of Desirability and Urban Living

pg. 7

Chapter 2: The City Inverted

pg. 19

Chapter 3: The City of Placelessness - Houston

pg. 29

Chapter 4: Transit Spaces as a Sense of Place

pg. 47

Chapter 5: Buffalo Bayou Station - An Urban Junction

pg. 65

Chapter 6: The Conclusion

pg. 101

Appendix

pg. 104

Bibliography

pg. 106

Figure References chapter one 1.1

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chapter three

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3.10 http://assets.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/The_Woodlands-view*500.jpg?v=1

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3.11 http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/23/04/26/4998568/6/rawImage.jpg

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3.12 http://www.usapics.net/wallpapers/2011/12/houston-ship-channel-1920x2560.jpg

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure References 3.15 Author

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3.17 http://www.peachridgeglass.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Allens_Landing1900.jpg

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3.18 http://fortbendlifestylesandhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/f1971015003h.jpg

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3.21 http://urbanleasing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/bigkidsmallcity.jpg

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3.22 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2394/2462765569_23fdf34a64_m.jpg

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chapter four

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Figure References 4.8

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4.10 Prominski, Martin. “RIver. Space. Design.” Birkhauser. Basel, Switzerland. 2012. (pg. 40).

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chapter five

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure References chapter six 6.1

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

thesis abstract [ Relink Houston: Restoring Mobility in a Broken City ]

Taylor Mackie May 2014

Architecture is and always has been a never ending process of adapting and accomodating

the needs and societal behavior of humans. History, technology, and social trends have shaped the build environment we live in today. We as designers hold a responsibility to improve the conditions and anticipated development of urban life. For the first time ever in history, more people reside in cities than in rural communities, which has demonstrated a complex dynamic of growth patterns and issues to address.

Cities in the United States reflect the societal values in which they have grown upon. A country

grounded on the ideals of “the American Dream� valued home ownership and life outside of the city, inverting the urban fabric. Urban development during an era based on automobile reliance has left merely remnants of the great American city centers. Inner city neighborhoods were left to dilapidate, suburban and exurban communities sprawled outward, extracting prosperity. What defines the makeup of a proper city in the United States is questioned. Lacking population and infrastructure density, American cities can be more accurately classified as expansive conglomerations of isolated pass-through neighborhoods, disconnected.

Inevitably, urban society in North America have taken a shift. Younger generations have taken

interest in the restoration, revitalization, and urbanization of their inner city sectors. Adaptability has proven to be difficult in American cities in comparison to city life in Europe due to the fact that mobility has become scarce and increasingly limited due to the fragmentation of the urban fabric. Design efforts for current conditions have taken the course to invest in the improvements of transit and circulation. There is a mobility crisis in America. To strategize adaptability in the existing built environment, requires innovation.

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ONE

Figure 1-1

the essence of desirability and urban living

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“As we proceed, we are following our conviction that individual and collective desirable. And that the responsibility for both always rests in the private as

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure 1-2

happiness should constitute, in the case of the well as the public realm.” [1]

Architecture proceeds itself as the mechanism in which to respond and ultimately improve the quality of life, addressing a handful of issues all at once. The idea of “life” itself is an ambiguous and fluid term. Whatever the context of this word, whether it be referring to the conditions of one’s self or society as a whole, a strong correlation exists with the idea of desirability.

The human tendency to wish for improvements in life is constant, a never-ending search for something better, something more.

In the modern world of today, urbanization and globalization go hand in hand. Major urban conglomerations are flourishing and expanding, while the ways of life in the rural context begin to fade. Development and population rates are spiking at such a rate that cities worldwide struggle to provide the necessary components for healthy urban growth, and thus compromise the quality of life.

Architects and designers all over are noticing the actual wants and needs to the modern society. Where do people in today’s world want to live and what do they consider desirable?

Obtaining such information is easier than one might find. It must begin with a simple investigation.

In a recently conducted survey, twenty-five participants of various age groups were asked to rank the ten top major metropolitan cities in the United States based on which they felt had the highest qualities of life and livability scores. The results revealed that the larger and more densely populated cities such as Chicago or New York City ranked the highest while the “new cities” of the Southeast region ranked toward the bottom end.

Provided if it were true that society is as mobile as it appears to be, then it would be assumed that there would be a direct relationship between desire and actuality. The most recent census report of the fastest growing cities in the United States reveals something on the contrary.

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Figure 1-3

It all began with a simple question...

where do you want to live?

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In a recently conducted survey, 25 participants ranked 10 major cities in the United States based on which they felt had the highest levels of desirability and livability.

Cities that ranked the highest in quality of life include New York, Chicago, and San Francisco

WHY?

Houston, Texas ranked last.

survey results

Figure 1-4

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New York, New York San Francisco, California Chicago, Illinois Los Angeles, California Washington D.C. Miami, Florida Boston, Massachusetts Dallas, Texas Atlanta, Georgia Houston, Texas

desires of the “city dweller�

Figure 1-5

community prosperity variety of connections lifestyle convenience future investments mackie

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Figure 1-6

Another simple question...

where are people actually moving?

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Provided if it were true that society is as mobile as it appears to be, then it would be assumed that there would be a direct relationship between desire and actuality. The most recent census report of the fastest growing cities in the United States reveals something different.

Eight of the fastest growing cities are in the Sun Belt region.

WHY?

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Figure 1-7 5

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Austin, TX

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Dallas, TX

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Seattle, WA

San Jose, CA

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San Francisco, CA

Houston, TX

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San Antonio, TX

Salt Lake City, UT

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Atlanta, GA

Raleigh, NC

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incentives for city transplants

Figure 1-8

economic prosperity affordability career flexibility convenience housing options mackie

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Figure 1-9

Both considered major urban areas within North America, New York and Houston contain immense populations, vibrant economic centers, and extensive infrastructure.

The primary difference is that there are nearly twice as many people living in a given square mile than that of Houston and other Sun Belt cities. A main cause for these existing conditions has to do with the manner in which each city developed. Houston experienced its largest population and urbanization boom following World War II where an automobile centered society dictated the types of communities to build.

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Situated in a prospering region with inexpensive land and no geographical restrictions, the city has no incentive to build up, but rather outward. What stands today is a colossal network of freeways spanning miles across the low lands of coastal Texas and a milieu of distinct communities existing in isolation. [2]

HOUSTON

CHICAGO

NEW YORK

SAN FRANCISCO

COMPARISON BETWEEN DENSE AND DISPERSED U.S. CITIES

Figure 1-10

HOUSTON - 2,978 people per sq. mile

NEW YORK - 5,318 people per sq. mile

=

Figure 1-11

DENSE CITIES

DISPERSED CITIES

walkable communities low vacancy rates efficient transit systems active urban centers lower carbon footprint

isolated communities larger, private homes long commutes segregation & fragmentation disconnect

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

[end notes] [1] Werle, Bertram. “The Life Team,” “Conceptions of the Desirable: What Cities Ought to Know about the Future.” SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Sachsenplatz, Austria. 2007. (p. 17).

[2] Kaplan, David. “Suburbia Deserta.” “Emphemeral City: Cite Looks at Houston.” University of Texas Press, Austin. Austin, Texas. 2003. (p. 67).

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TWO

Figure 2-1

the city inverted

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disconnect It was during the mid-twentieth century that North America birthed a new type of city. An era of affluence and affordability led to a society that thinks in terms of individual benefactors rather than communal.

The desire for larger detached homes in private communities outside the urban center is the main cause for the fragmentation and sprawling roadways seen today. In the words of Bertram Werle, “Individual mobility leads to collective immobility. These sorts of paradoxial systems are typical of our society, of a last walling up before the collapse. Like a spruce tree that, at the end of its life cycle, once more disgorges more cones than ever before.” [1]

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

“To comprehend the essence of a city also means to grasp its soul in other words precisely that which is going on between the buildings: hopes and anxieties, joy and sorrow, past and future. Thus, all those things that lend a city its personal sense, mood and atmosphere. The reciprocal effect between the city as a living being and people as urban beings. How human actions affect the city’s development and how urban development affects human behavior.” [2]

Figure 2-2

houston: a city victimized Within the last century, the city of Houston, Texas has demonstrated itself as a symbol of economic prosperity and industrial opportunity for the United States.

What began as a small port city in the western frontier has evolved into the fourth largest city in the entire nation. Today the infrastructure of its city limits sprawls over six hundred square miles and a metropolitan population of just over six million inhabitants, making it also one of the most spread out cities in the world.

Additional factors must be taken into consideration in determining what makes a city a world-class city. Mere size and importance is not enough. The relevance of other world-class cities to one such as Houston is to be questioned.

Can the same applications and solutions address the issues and conditions of Sun Belt cities?

Houston has long been referred to as America’s “city of placelessness.”

One might be surprised to find that it is certainly a city of placefullness in fact, roughly 22 distinct subcenters within the city limits to be exact. The issue is how the subcenters interface. This urban area lacks connection, therefore lacks identity.

Houstonians fall victim to the conditions of their fragmented society. Due to the culture’s dependence on automobile ownership, the city over time has developed inevitable boundaries of division between neighborhoods, a wide gap in the socioeconomic spectrum, and inefficient means of circulating the residents throughout. Deprivation of access for the public is what has formed a society of people that have not fully experienced the various amenities that greater Houston has to offer.

What needs to be addressed is the importance of the overall interaction between the privatized and public realms of the urban fabric.

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Figure 2-3

“Nothing is experienced by itself, but always in re

PARKING ZONES AND STRUCTURES

Figure 2-4

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HISTORIC DISTRICT

GENTRIFICATION

Figure 2-5

Figure 2-6

1980

VS

2014

Figure 2-7

elation to its surroundings, the sequences of events leading up to it, the memory of past experiences.”[3] Change is inevitable in a city’s history. Some prosper and others dilapidate and lose spiritual connection with the history and purpose that was once present.

Common threads to link the past and the present exist, but have yet to be discovered in many cities.

As mentioned by Robert Cervero, “What these areas have in common-adaptability-is first and fundamentally a calculated process of making change by investing, reinvesting, organizing, reorganizing, inventing, and reinventing. Adaptability is about self-survival in a world of limited resources, tightly stretched budgets, and ever-changing cultural norms, lifestyles, technologies, and personal values.” [4]

urban constriction

Figure 2-8

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Figure 2-9

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

DISCONNECT suburban sprawl low population density few public areas automobile oriented transit environmental neglect

NEED efficient mass transit urban center housing infrastructure for future growth pedestrian friendliness redevelopment of downtown

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[end notes] [1] Werle, Bertram. “The Life Team,” “Conceptions of the Desirable: What Cities Ought to Know about the Future.” SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Sachsenplatz, Austria. 2007. (p. 21).

[2] Staub-Bernasconi, Silvia. “The Life Team,” “Conceptions of the Desirable: What Cities Ought to Know about the Future.” SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Sachsenplatz, Austria. 2007. (p. 45).

[3] Happ, Franz. “The Urbanity Team,” “Conceptions of the Desirable: What Cities Ought to Know about the Future.” SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Sachsenplatz, Austria. 2007. (p. 121).

[4] Cervero, Robert. “Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry.” Chapter 1: Transit and the Metropolis: Finding Harmony. Island Press. Washington, D.C. 1998. (p. 3).

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THREE

Figure 3-1

houston: the city of placelessness

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Is it actually a city of placelessness...

Harris County, Texas

Figure 3-2

Figure 3-3

Population Density

Key City Sectors

Figure 3-4

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Major Roadways

Figure 3-5

Figure 3-6

...or a broken city of placefulness?

“People are moving farther out and farther apart until our sense of community, our very soul, is irretrievably lost.” [1] The progression and evolution of such a unique city type relies heavily on what is, in theory, a simple concept: accessibility through connections. The network of raised interstates congested wth traffic, were once viewed as an access opportunity out of the city. The consequences are now apparent and the current scope of desire is to provide access back into the city and its many offerings of potential. A city founded on individually driven endeavors has morphed a confused city, which resembles more a conglomeration of pass-through towns unlinked.

Houston draws more residents for primarily industry related affairs rather than its quality of life.

“Happiness is self-generating: Its sources are the bonds of family, the circle of friends and functioning working conditions. Not money.

But society has developed from family and societal cohesion into an egotistical one-man show.” [2] The idea of disconnection and urban fragmentation is reflected in Houston’s lack of public areas, environmental neglect, and absence of mass transit systems.

The needs are dire and the goals to ensure the city’s growth yields minimal consequences include the redevelopment of downtown, pedestrian friendly communities, housing options within the city center, and most importantly efficient mass transit infrastructure.

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key city sectors

Figure 3-7

Figure 3-8

sugar land

A true representation of the “American Dream,� the suburbs of the outer ring hold the most dense populations in the Houston area. Residents take advantage of affordable detached home options in proximity to the city. Automobiles are relied on for getting around.

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Figure 3-9

uptown / montrose

Uptown contains the largest concentration of shopping and dining in the city. The area is plagued with heavy traffic congestion and continues to be the fastest developing sector of town.

a network Figure 3-10

the woodlands

Originally an agricultural area, this exurban community is extracting life and revenue from the inner city, for many stores and companies are relocating to this isolated, yet booming town with shopping malls, highly rated school districts, and affluent bedroom communities.

Figure 3-11

midtown / downtown

Best known for the Houston Medical Complex, many high paying jobs and universities are in midtown. Most of the city’s transplant residents of the young urban professional demographic inhabit the many apartment complexes lining the streets.

Figure 3-12

bay town

Houston being the energy and fuel city as its primary industry holds the majority of its industrial facilities east toward the Gulf Coast. Enormous amounts of suburban residents commute back and forth between the port.

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Figure 3-13

The city’s response to the hot and humid climate has created a stark division between the realms of the interior and the exterior microclimates. The availability of climate control during its main development left no incentive to design with passive heating and cooling techniques for the designated climate. People are not forced to confront the realities of coastal Texas’ climate, nor want to, as much of life relies on the comfort of indoor environments.

almost entirely commuters from suburban zones for work related means, making it a difficult environment for commerce, retail, and restaurants to survive in the downtown area.

Houston is a hot and damp environment. Its temperatures are consistently well above the national

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

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Average Temperatures - HIGH

The site and its existing conditions challenge the development process.

Extensive suburban sprawl explains why the majority of Houston residents do not reside within the limits of Houston proper.

The city center is comprised of

average year-round and its low lands consist of swam-like terrain with slow moving bayous and humid air. The architecture of the area is likely to prioritize enclosure due to these conditions. It is also subject to abundant rainfall, which is primarily problematic when factoring the river’s flooding tendencies. [4]

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( inches)

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A well noted factor that has contributed to the city’s bizare morphosis process, appearance, and reputation is that it is the only major city in the U.S. that has virtually no zoning ordinances for new construction. This has left an aesthetic and identity architecturally confused, yet openminded to new solutions.

Waves of international and domestic immigrants and moving to the area and the inevitable changes in the demographic and socioeconomic climate are occurring. Gentrification is gripping many inner city districts and streets are now lined with new construction sites for urban housing. The change in Houston’s architectural legacy is a correlation with the steady rise in income.

Figure 3-14

Figure 3-15

Figure 3-16

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“Water - flowing, drenching, rising, as well as year - has always been a big part of the buffalo bayou river The Buffalo Bayou River has historically served as the connecting thread tying the city to the Gulf of Mexico. The original port of the historic city center lies along its banks at Allen’s landing before meandering west through the neighborhoods of Midtown and Uptown. What was once a lively waterfront and marketplace exists today as a desolate and underutilized sector of the city, overshadowed by towering highway overpasses and an alarming sense of insecurity.

The slow-moving body of water provides a number of issues regarding the water quality and the soil. The make-up of the Houston watershed is incredibly problematic when it comes to the excessive rainfall received in this region. It is very much shaped by the river, and the natural identity of the area and its bayous are distinctly configured by the water features.

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Figure 3-17

Figure 3-18

invisibly suspended in the sultry air most of the city’s sensorial genius loci.� [3]

Figure 3-19

Figure 3-20

Figure 3-21

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Figure 3-23

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Figure 3-24

RIVER FLOOD ZONES

VEGETATION

Figure 3-25

BRIDGE CONNECTORS

GRID CONTINUITY

Figure 3-27

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Figure 3-26

Figure 3-28

Figure 3-29

site conditions ORIENTATION

Figure 3-30

PEDESTRIAN UNFRIENDLINESS

Figure 3-31

ISOLATION FROM DOWNTOWN

Figure 3-32

Houston’s potential has been underutilized in the past, or been neglected. A necessary step in the analysis of place and the site is taking inventory of the components that once were and ones that design would aspire to celebrate. Public spaces, a welcoming environment, and pathways are all features of the Buffalo Bayou waterfront downtown that have disappeared over time that require reinvention, but more so to accomodate the change in function for the particular site.

LACK OF IDENTITY

Figure 3-33

POLLUTION

Figure 3-34

VACANCY

Figure 3-35

MINIMAL TRAFFIC

Figure 3-36

LOW VISIBILITY

PEDESTRIAN VS MOTOR BRIDGES

FORCES OF DISCONNECT

Figure 3-37

Figure 3-38

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user groups VICTORIA Student

DEVON

Urban Professional

Figure 3-39

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

DORA Family

JACKIE

Transplant

ROBERT Business Worker

The nexus that is the intersection of three distinct urban factors provides an array of potential for the community as a whole. Long neglected, the Warehouse District on the northern fringe of the city is undergoing a cultural transition and beginning to establish itself as a community where art and progressive thought can flourish. It is in need of a symbol representative of it upcoming development.

Figure 3-41

Figure 3-38

Houston’s potential has been underutilized in the past, or been neglected. A necessary step in the analysis of place and the site is taking inventory of the components that once were and ones that design would aspire to celebrate. Public spaces, a welcoming environment, and pathways are all features of the Buffalo Bayou waterfront downtown that have disappeared over time that require reinvention, but more so to accomodate the change in function for the particular site.

Figure 3-42

Figure 3-43

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appropriateness BUILDING HEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS NEW FACADE FOR WAREHOUSE DISTRICT HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF BRIDGE

limitations EXISTING PATHWAYS AND TRAFFIC FLOW PROXIMITY TO HISTORIC DISTRICT RIVER AND TERRAIN RESTRICTIONS

potential AVAILABILITY OF LAND FOR EXPANSION INCORPORATION OF FUTURE PLANS PROXIMITY TO KEY NEIGHBORHOODS

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Figure 3-44

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[end notes] [1] Benfield, F. Kaid. “Solving Sprawl: Models of Smart Growth Across America.”Island Press.

Washington, D.C. 2003. (p. xi).

[2] Mayer-Heinisch, Clarissa. “The Life Team,” “Conceptions of the Desirable: What Cities Ought to Know about the Future.” SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Sachsenplatz, Austria. 2007. (p. 21).

[3] Scardino, Barrie. “Ephemeral City: Cite Look at Houston.” “H2Ouston.” University of Texas Press, Austin. Austin, Texas. 2003. (p. 24).

[4] Fox, Stephen. “Planning in Houston: A Historic Overview.” “Emphemeral City: Cite Looks at Houston.” University of Texas Press, Austin. Austin, Texas. 2003. (p. 34).

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FOUR

Figure 4-1

transit spaces as a sense of place

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Figure 4-2

“An overarching design philosophy of most transit

how can we restore mobility?

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metropolises is that cities are for people, not cars...� [1] The transportation types in the Gulf Coast area, with the exception of underground high-speed rail, match the inventories of just about all other major operating cities in the world. The only difference is the lack of connection or integration between them. Through recently completed projects and current ongoing endeavors, the city is advancing toward a healthy quality of life for its inhabitants and is beginning to invest in new ideas for transportation.

A widespread expansion of the light rail transit system, the METROrail, is currently under construction.

Today it exists in one linear path that travels from north of downtown southbound through midtown, the hospital area, and to major sporting arenas. Subject to alteration, the project shall be implemented in the hypothetical strategy to design a feasible sense of identity back to this area.

In recent years during the early twenty-first century, cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Charlotte devised a light rail solution that would be the most practical given the restraints of their existing predispositions. Houston systematically designed the master plan for the system layout for the LRT line, which in theory, combined all the necessary components of the city. Educational, medical, office, and industrial areas would then connect to residential, entertainment, and shopping districts. So then why did it become a failure and ultimately come to a halt?

The economic crisis in 2008 brought the overall plan to a stop, leaving only the Red Line to serve downtown. It could be accessed by many important sectors except for one crucial ingredient: residential zones. Without it being accessible by residential areas, it will never have the ridership of other cities by comparison. Urban density within close proximity to transit stations is as essential as the mode itself. mackie

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“I think urbanity is also always a process. That me of urbanity. The notion that everything is in flux c

transit interface

public accessibility

Figure 4-3

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Figure 4-4

ans that there is, basically, not such thing as a state could only have been formulated in an urban setting.” [2] The solution, or at least one of many, comes in the form of a missing design mechanism: a transportation hub. Houston lacks centralization and interaction between its various modes of transit.

Design methodology requires for once, consolidation of the city’s efforts, to work with the current infrastructure and conditions to determine the optimal location for a transit interface such as this. Serving as a main connection and transfer location for maximum efficiency, Downtown Houston is an ideal location for the new site of a multifunctional transit hub. As such comes with the issue of public transit, the structure itself will be integral with the larger context: a master plan revitalization of the adjacent areas and components.

As seen in cities such as Zürich and Melbourne, public transit in particular, trams - has been instrumental in rejuvenating central city neighborhoods. Viable downtowns are not only important as transit hubs and major transfer points; as destinations, they generate the highest share of transit riders. How viable is Downtown Houston though? Is it considered a destination? The daytime is its peak of operation and occupation, for it serves as a major central business district.

But with alarmingly low numbers of permanent residents and an absence of amenities open past standard business hours, there is no sense of livable community in the city’s urban center. Despite its many high rise buildings and entertainment facilities, Downtown Houston lacks the qualities of a real downtown, a sense of home. The solutions must begin at the beating heart of this major area, for in the words of Kurt Salamun, “Urbanity is the quality of life in a city that admits change from within and innovation from without.” [3]

An integral component of the design is its interface with both environmental and constructed adjacencies. The selected site is superimposed over an existing structure, the Main Street Bridge.

Beneath the bridge lies an existing waterfront with green space that has river edges requiring additional reinforcement and alteration to control the temperamental forces of the river. These are called flood device process spaces and are included to address the flooding factor of the Buffalo Bayou River. Embankment walls and promenades can keep the path raised high enough to allow the water to run flush with the edge surface, which all pools together at the splitting of the river direction. Flood zones shall be graded appropriately for the areas intended not for interaction, as well as designated river landscaping.

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Figure 4-5

273,000

AM

PM

127,000

Figure 4-7

79,000

37,400

15,800 11,700

=

x 1000

AVERAGE WEEKDAY

AVERAGE SATURDAY

AVERAGE SUNDAY Figure 4-6

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program

MASTER PLAN COVERAGE

6,534,000 sq. ft.

FOCUS SITE AREA LAND COVERAGE

283,000 sq. ft.

BUILDING total (gross) total (net)

226,000 sq. ft.

CIRCULATION PRIMARY SPACES TRANSIT STATION - PUBLIC entry halls (check-in, ticketing, & info) lightrail platforms regional rail platforms bus platforms taxi/car drop-off & pick-up area informal dining & seating RETAIL SECONDARY SPACES

188,000 sq. ft.

38,000 sq. ft.

148,000 sq. ft.

78,000 sq. ft.

70,000 sq. ft.

40,000 sq. ft.

ANCILLARY SPACE PROGRAM station electrical services traction power signals station operations station exhaust station ventilation tunnel ventilation plumbing & fire protection maintenance communications & administration security & control SITE DESIGN & EXTERIOR SPACES

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SERVICE OFFERINGS

ACTIVITIES INVENTORY

OPEN TO PUBLIC LIGHTRAIL STREETCAR (TWO LINE PLATFORMS) REGIONAL TRAIN (AMTRAK PLATFORM) CITY BUS (METRO) CHARTER BUS (GREYHOUND & MEGABUS) PARK & RIDE BOAT TAXI (TOURISM) CITY BICYCLE RENTAL KAYAK RENTAL INFORMAL FOOD SERVICE KIOSKS & FOODTRUCKS RETAIL (CLOTHING, ELECTRONICS, OUTDOOR) BIKE STORAGE SECURITY

Figure 4-8

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TRAVEL INTERFACE CONNECTOR TOURISM (HISTORY TOURS ETC.) RIVER ACTIVITIES FITNESS (JOGGING & CYCLING) LIGHTSHOWS SHOPPING LEISURE BUSINESS MEETING

Figure 4-9

FLOOD DEVICE PROCESS SPACES 1

Embankment Walls and Promenades

2

Dikes and Flood Walls

3

Flood Zones

4

Riverbeds and Currents

5

Dynamic River Landscapes

Figure 4-10

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Figure 4-11

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Figure 4-12

Figure 4-13

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Figure 4-14

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure 4-15

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Figure 4-16

Figure 4-17

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure 4-18

Inspiration took form in the true soul of the place. Long before the settlement of Houston and the infill of urbanization stood the Buffalo Bayou itself, a network of winding waterways in a constant state of transformation. The extremities found in the natural forces that affect the Gulf Coast region always propose new obstacles for the fluid pathways and streams, causing them to morph with time and change course and shape.

The organic formations and geometries are untamable, never finite. This same uncertainty of behavior and form is exactly what has discouraged development within close proximity of the river.

Rather than picking one side of the river to develop the structure, the form will suspend over the water. An elevated experience to appreciate the urban river to orient one’s self is a public realm in great need.

A retrofit overlay of the morphing topography beneath and the linearity of the existing bridge is precisely the hybrid form necessary to capture the essence of the site within the structure. Beginning with the re-purposing of the Main Street bridge to solely pedestrian accessible for crossing is already speaking to the public with a feeling of welcome and relatable language.

The architectural language itself is sensitive to the cultural adjacencies. All adjacencies dictate the conditions and appearance of nearly every interface and how they intertwine is an even more crucial factor in the success of a working building for the people.

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[end notes] [1] Cervero, Robert. “The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry.” Island Press. Washington, D.C. 1998.

“Urban Design: Cities for People and Places.” (p. 408).

[2] Rosenmayr, Leopold. “Conceptions of the Desirable.” SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Austria.

2007. (p. 109).

[3] Salamun, Kurt. “The Urbanity Team.” “Conceptions of the Desirable.” SpringerWienNewYork.

Vienna, Austria. 2007. (p. 107).

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FIVE

buffalo bayou station: an urban junction

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concept CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

Houston fails to fairly distribute equal access to its residents, therefore its communities remain fragmented in the makeup of a broken city. The idea is healing through bridging. Just as stitches heal wounds and pull both sides closer and tighter, bridges connect both sides and the conjunction must respect the connections of all circulation modes, especially pedestrian. The site of the Main Street Bridge lies within close proximity to many attractions of entertainment and integral places of Houston. A safe and simple form to transport people across the river is the ultimate objective. Visibility is a primary factor that people

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urban mobility

+

network connectivity

currently don’t visit the waterfront, nor are even aware of its existence.

For this reason, height and form must be alluring and ensnaring at its primary entrances. Luring forces through primary circulation spaces include sub-spaces such as seating with views and an abundance of retail options. The forces causing pedestrians to travel to the other end allow them to discover the other river bank, even eventually explore Houston’s next up-andcoming neighborhood.

+

program integration

The parti is in fact very simple.

A linear, function driven hall is juxtaposed with three cross-axis spaces that signify both vertical circulation placements as well as outdoor access to the exterior pathways. The multi-level and multi-volume configuration of the transit hub creates very important relationships between the types of spaces that lie above and below the main circulation space.

Significant occurrences on the interior naturally want to be read as apparent from the exterior as well.

+

community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

A transit center is more than just structure.

It is an urban junction, a node which captivates all directions of movement and people.

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urban mobility CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

The METRO Transit Authority of Houston has invested in providing efficient mass transportation lines to service the city and its outerlying communities in an effort to enhance walkability and urban life. The driving force behind the design is connecting an intersecting network of circulatory systems. Pedestrian friendly routes lead to a number of economic opportunities for the development of an area due to its increasingly desired expectation amongst residents. An efficient layout helps distinguish the designated pathways that lead them together for nodes of gathering, and separated for efficient flow of circulation. Buffalo Bayou Station is an excellent link between various modes of movement which make life less stressful and more fluid.

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+

program integration

+

community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Figure 5-1

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network connectivity CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

A vast network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways wind their way through and beneath the urban fabric of the city’s core. The transit hub combines all circulation paths into one junction and respectfully keeps separate paths from crossing for safety and efficiency. The hub is now linked in to other transit hubs within the network such as the bus terminal, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and all transit stations at the terminus of each LRT line.

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+

program integration

+

community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Figure 5-2

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program integration CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

The Main Street Bridge at Allen’s Landing shares an interface with the University of Houston-Downtown campus. A majority of users in which the transit hub services are students, which dictates tenants and activities to take place on site. Luckily many pre-existing servie points and spaces could be incorporated into the programming of the site design and retrofit the needs of both

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+

program integration

+

community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Figure 5-3

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CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

+

program integration

Figure 5-4 75

relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

+

community benefits community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Providing pedestrian preference for a safe covered path to the opposite bank of the Buffalo Bayou River introduces the public to the vibrant arts community of the Warehouse District. Certainly on the upward swing, continued development will restore vibrance to this district with increased accessibility and convenience.

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CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

+

program integration

Figure 5-5 77

relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

+

safety enhancements community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Site and hardscape enhancements such as vibrant illumination on overpasses and increased lighting fixtures along pathways promote safety. In order to deter loitering, spaces beneath the overheads are landscaped with rough and large rocks, while designated pedestrian ways are smooth and well-kept.

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CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

+

program integration

Figure 5-6 79

relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

+

vibrant experiences community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Interaction with water is addressed in terms of approachable thresholds.

Gentle water features are located in the open plaza, while interactions with the river are provided increased accessibility. Boardwalks extending over the river offer an alternative experiential quality for tactile leisure and water transit.

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CONCEPT

Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

=

urban mobility

+

network connectivity

+

program integration

Figure 5-7 81

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+

transit hub community benefits

+

safety enhancements

+

vibrant experiences

=

TRANSIT HUB A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

A city and site in perpetual transformation calls for a simple and timeless gesture.

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site plan

Figure 5-8

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level one The base level consists of the newly proposed Amtrak regional train platform, which extends underneath the patio level of the University of Houston building. Escalator and elevators provide access from the main retail level above. Before entering the platform, ticketing counters stand as a barrier threshold for security purposes. A food court area is also located at the northern end with small food kiosks that contains both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. The interface with the academic structure provides both maintainence access for the transit station as well as building access for security and office space.

A ground level opening with sliding glass doors lead occupants to an outdoor plaza with informal seating arrangements as well as a redesigned hardscape zone. Existing bicycle pathways are now incorporated into proposed ones that meander up and down the topography of the riverside.

A fine blend of strategically planted trees with barriers of wild flora provide a balance of refined landscaping intended to offer shading where necessary and increase visibility for security purposes.

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The spaces created beneath the bridges above could potentially welcome soliciting and squatter settlements so hardscape techniques such as rough boulder arrangements mixed with shade planting are used to deter idle gathering.

At the river level, an egress staircase reaches grade to serve as an access point at the southern end of the river, which is accompanied by bicycle storage space, due to its location along the bike trails.

Three different threshold experiences with water are implemented with the site design. At the plaza level, a gentle stepped water feature is meant to be a place of rest and recharge that is user friendly for all age groups. The existing stepped path along the river edge is a path dealing with people in a state of movement. A third threshold is proposed: boardwalk elements that extend over the water edge and suspend a winding, meandering path experience for people to share an intimate, tactile interaction with the water. The boardwalks serve different functions, one as a small theater scenario and the other can operate as a loading dock for kayakers.

Figure 5-9

10 9 7 8

6 3 11 2

5

4

1

1. amtrak regional train platform 2. waiting area 3. storage 4. restrooms 5. ticketing 6. administration offices 7. food kiosks 8. dining area 9. maintenance access 10. freight loading zone 11. mechanical storage

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level two What can best be referred to as the main level, the two primary entrances at both the north and south end welcome visitors with extensive plaza spaces consisting of bicycle racks, gentle fountains, gardens, and a captivating overhang from the form of the roof structural supports.

Drop-off areas are found at both ends for taxi and cars to pull aside from the main road traffic. The main plaza adjacent to Downtown fuses the primary entrance to the retail level with two alternative bypassing boardwalks that scale the building’s exterior for travelers passing through.

The new Buffalo Bayou Station is unique in that the majority of its program space is dedicated to retail over transport facilities. The lack of hassle and path-driven configuration of retail spaces is what sets this type of place from a traditional shopping mall, but rather within a very urban context. The mass presence of people in the station for means of academic use of the university building or leisurely shopping will promote higher amounters of ridership for the metro lines.

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Three cross-axis corridors equidistantly line the linearity of the retail hall and project outward to offer an alternative spatial relief with seating and sweeping views of the city skyline as well as the river.

Projections and the recessions in the building facade, clad with glazing walls, offer the outdoor experience of celebrating the river within the comfort of the climate controlled level. These axes also indicate reminders and access points to the upper and lower platforms in addition to doorways to outside terraces to relax. The tenant spaces will take form and occupancy that is derived from the wants and needs of the user groups, primarily students, residents of the Warehouse District, and daytime business workers.

The celebrated interpass to the university building is just one of many scenarios where all visitor types can be drawn by the conveniences and amenities of the retail level yet continue on toward their next destination with the help of such circulation variety.

Figure 5-10

1 10

9

8

10

5 3

5

5 7

4 3

7 3

2

4

6

1

1. entry plaza 2. retail space 3. resting areas 4. restrooms 5. outdoor lounge space 6. information kiosks 7. exterior bicycle and pedestrian boardwalk 8. university of houston - downtown 9. raised parking garage 10. outdoor patio

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level three The third level primarily serves as the corridor for access to one of the three lightrail tram platforms. A monumental volumetric experience takes place due to the height of the roof structure suspended above.

While still covered from the elements, this level is open air, while the two floors below are kept as climate controlled enclosures. To ensure the enclosures are not breached, the escalators leading up are boxed in by a glazed cube with a roof to minimize the loss of cooler air below.

Traditionally, train lines are situated on the lowest levels of a transit station, forcing people to walk up and around. The intent of this building is to celebrate the preferential treatement of pedestrians, therefore the main ground level is dedicated to people walking and shopping, pushing the train platforms above and below it.

Heat levels tend to rise significantly in the presence of mechanical machinery such as train platforms, so the hottest level would be on the roof level for natural ventilation of industrial fumes, maximizing the Lightrail trams slow down in speed efficiency of the air conditioned upon entry, therefore crosswalks levels. ensure the safety for people to walk over lines if heading to another To reintroduce the tram lines platform. Two primary areas are from a higher level to the ground located where one can find ticketing plane further down the line, raised kiosks and turn-styles as well as a bridgeways run over the plaza and security presence to monitor the the roads. This doubles as a covered behavior of riders boarding. walkway beneath it for pedestrians wishing to escape the hot rays of Glazed lightwells are another feature the sun or the torrential downpours to create enclosure, yet allow natural typical to Houston. The duality of light to cascade to the retail hall functionality is just one method of beneath it. ensnaring the public from blocks away from the station itself with the provision of safe passage.

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Figure 5-11

2

4 5

1

4 3

1

5

7

7

1. light rail platform - red line 2. light rail platform - blue line 3. escalator with glazed enclosure 4. kiosk & ticketing area 5. security desk and information 6. glazed light well 7. vegetation gardens

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Figure 5-12

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Section Detail UH-Downtown Building Connection

Figure 5-13

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east elevation

east section

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Figure 5-14

Figure 5-15

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Figure 5-16

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure 5-17

program types

structure

Figure 5-18

cross-axis corridors

Figure 5-19

primary and secondary circulation

Figure 5-21

Figure 5-20

train line circulation

Figure 5-22

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Figure 5-23

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Figure 5-24

Figure 5-25

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Figure 5-26

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

Figure 5-27

BUFFALO BAYOU STATION A gestural form that follows path, function, and purpose.

LURE THE PUBLIC

VARIETY AS AMMENITY

EXPLORE HOUSTON

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SIX

What is it necessarily that Buffalo Bayou Station stands for in the context of the sprawling

metropolis of Houston, Texas? It represents a gesture, both linear in form and socially encompassing of the city’s development. The city with the reputation of car reliance not only wants, but needs the cultural renaissance in the way we view future urban growth and the transportation of people. American cities victimized by the consequences of sporatic development certainly contain the components of a transit network, however lack the threading to relink the segregated micro-cities that make up the metropolitan city. The strategies and design decisions involved in the composite scheme of this transit hub are so site specific, however demonstrates a model nonetheless.

The model is that the ability to identify, conjoin, and design an interface involving vast networks of

paths and transit modes is something missing from Houston: a solution. The model reinforces the notion that the ability to find a solution, is the solution for fragmented cities of this nature. This thesis was an exploration of a site within a city that needed a flexible and adaptable solution to a multitude of necessary issues to address, which ultimately dictated not only the program but the form of the transit hub.

Non-traditional by nature, this type of transit hub births a new archetype. Difficult, perhaps

impossible to classify, it surely enough relinks the network of connections needed to restore mobility. This exploration and approach transcend into a way of thinking, one in which uses transit as a driving force in conjunction with additional needs specific to the site to propel a contemporary gesture to successfully reconnect other broken cities in North America.

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conclusion

Figure 6-1

“Does freewheeling and dealing Houston, the city that even shuns zoning, even want to be recognized as an aspiring transit metropolis?� [1]

Figure 6-2

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2

DISCONNECT suburban sprawl low population density few public areas automobile oriented transit environmental neglect

3

NEED

PEDESTRIAN VS MOTOR BRIDGES

CULTURAL ADJACENCIES

FORCES OF DISCONNECT

REGIONS OF ECONOMIC BENEFIT & GROWTH

TRAFFIC R

efficient mass transit urban center housing infrastructure for future growth pedestrian friendliness redevelopment of downtown

relink houston restoring mobility in a broken city

site plan

Graduate Architecture Thesis by Taylor Mackie Professor Huy Ngo | Spring 2014 Committee: Dr. Robin Williams , LaRaine Montgomery

transit interface

1 Once the driving force behind the urbanism and development of North American cities, principles of the “American Dream” such as private homes detached from the city center are increasingly less in favor. The inevitable shift of the economic powers are leading to the decline for some while other cities are experiencing a boom of prosperity and urban growth. The idea of desire is quite possibly one of the most debated and varying concepts, for it takes no defined form. New generations are continuing to grow and inherit the developed cities left to them to judge, adapt, and alter. The wishes for a superior quality of living certainly vary between the current generation and the one preceding them. Sprawl and isolation have left cities to struggle with extraneous commutes, a difficult state for businesses, and environmental degradation. The idea of moving out to the suburbs as a metaphor of moving up in life is no longer the common thought.

People require simplicity and efficiency within their lifestyle, and the infrastructure of a city’s urban fabric can certainly promote it.

The irony of desire versus the observed conditions of actuality is quite apparent. A noticeable trend of cities often ranked as the least desirable communities to live in, fall under a region known as the Sun Belt. The major cities of this category share many traits regarding their developmental conditions. Most experienced most of their urbanization post World War II during an era of an automobile-oriented society. Sun Belt cities are plagued with suburban sprawl, expansive roadways, privatized communities, and a state of decay at their urban centers.

Buf falo Bayou River | Downtown Houston, Texas

The city of Houston has one of the lowest population densities of all the major cities in the United States. The vast majority of residents commute to work solely by automobile or carpool. Without any geographical or financial constraints, the city had no incentive to grow upwards, but rather outwards. The sprawling network of interstate roadways leaves the Houston metropolitan area with very heavy traffic congestion and a network of unprotected roads that are virtually unwalkable and unlivable.

In a recently conducted survey, 25 participants ranked 10 major cities in the United States based on which they felt had the highest levels of desirability and livability.

Cities that ranked the highest in quality of life include New York, Chicago, and San Francisco Houston, Texas ranked last.

public accessibility

Harris County, Texas

Population Density

sugar land

uptown

the woodlands

Key City Sectors

Major Roadways

midtown/downtown

bay town

PARKING ZONES AND STRUCTURES

HISTORIC DISTRICT

GENTRIFICATION

EXISTING TRANSIT LINES

RIVER FLOOD ZONES

VEGETATION

BRIDGE CONNECTORS

GRID CONTINUITY

WHY?

In a recently conducted survey, 25 participants ranked 10 major cities in the United States based on which they felt had the highest levels of desirability and livability.

“People are moving farther out and farther apart until our sense of community, our very soul, is irretrievably lost. ”

HOUSTON

NEW YORK

SAN FRANCISCO

CHICAGO

COMPARISON BETWEEN DENSE AND DISPERSED U.S. CITIES

Cities that ranked the highest in quality of life include New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Houston, Texas ranked last.

le

1 mi

HOUSTON - 2,978 people per sq. mile

DENSE CITIES

DISPERSED CITIES

walkable communities low vacancy rates efficient transit systems active urban centers lower carbon footprint

isolated communities larger, private homes long commutes segregation & fragmentation disconnect

le

1 mi

ORIENTATION

POLLUTION

ISOLATION FROM DOWNTOWN

MINIMAL TRAFFIC

PEDESTRIAN UNFRIENDLINESS

VACANCY

LACK OF IDENTITY

LOW VISIBILITY

0’

90’

180’

270’

NEW YORK - 5,318 people per sq. mile

=

CONCEPT Bridging the banks of a livable river. Threading the existing inventory of networks and services with the new, restoring new life to a fragmented city.

urban mobility The METRO Transit Authority of Houston has invested in providing efficient mass transportation lines to service the city and its outerlying communities in an effort to enhance walkability and urban life. The driving force behind the design is connecting an intersecting network of circulatory systems.

East Elevation 0’

103

40’

80’

120’

relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

+

network connectivity

+

A vast network of pedestrian and bicycle pathways wind their way through and beneath the urban fabric of the city’s core. The transit hub combines all circulation paths into one junction and respectfully keeps separate paths from crossing for safety and efficiency.

program integration The Main Street Bridge at Allen’s Landing shares an interface with the University of Houston-Downtown campus. A majority of users in which the transit hub services are students, which dictates tenants and activities to take place on site.

+

[appendix]

5

4

ROUTE RECONFIGURATION

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“The best prescription for filling trains and buses, and winning over motorists to transit, is to CIRCULATION

TRAIN ROUTES

CROSS-AXIS CORRIDORS

PROGRAM TYPES

find a harmonious fit between transit systems and the cities and suburbs they serve.”

STRUCTURE

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Section Detail

UH-Downtown Building Connection

A safe and attractive connection across the river will draw attention to this community. This is the point where many surfacing cultures are interfacing one another, so what archetype is appropriate? As a symbol for modernity, a style unlike all of which will glue the fragmented components together as one.

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The nexus that is the intersection of three distinct urban factors provides an array of potential for the community as a whole. Long neglected, the Warehouse District on the northern fringe of the city is undergoing a cultural transition and beginning to establish itself as a community where art and progressive thought can flourish. It is in need of a symbol.

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The transit hub takes the inventory of the city’s circulation methods and consolidates them into one multifunctional structure that serves the people on various levels. While respectfully taking the form of the historic bridge, the station performs the action of movement from one side to the other and morphs it into a webbing network of paths of all axes. With its service to the public, the public will come. With the presence of the public, the riverfront of the Buffalo Bayou shall revitalize again as place of gathering and communtiy.

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The Buffalo Bayou Station, in both form and appropriate location, is significant for its service to the city of Houston in more ways than just the architecture itself. It is a symbol of moving forward and a step towards preferential treatment of its citizens’ well-being. The linear yet organic form winding its way across the river represents a welcoming path that is just for the people rather than automobiles.

It provides convenience, accessibility, and an exciting experience for not only the students and residents of the adjacent communities, but for all Houstonians passing through.

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BUFFALO BAYOU STATION

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A gestural form that follows path, function, and purpose.

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LURE THE PUBLIC

VARIETY AS AMMENITY

EXPLORE HOUSTON

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“Does freewheeling and dealing Houston, the city that even shuns zoning, even want to be recognized as an aspiring transit metropolis? ”

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1. amtrak regional train platform 2. waiting area 3. storage 4. restrooms 5. ticketing 6. administration offices 7. food kiosks 8. dining area 9. maintenance access 10. freight loading zone 11. mechanical storage

community benefits Providing pedestrian preference for a safe covered path to the opposite bank of the Buffalo Bayou River introduces the public to the vibrant arts community of the Warehouse District.

Certainly on the upward swing, continued development will restore vibrance to this district with increased accessibility and convenience.

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safety enhancements Site and hardscape enhancements such as vibrant illumination on overpasses and increased lighting fixtures along pathways promote safety. In order to deter loitering, spaces beneath the overheads are landscaped with rough and large rocks, while designated pedestrian ways are smooth and well-kept.

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vibrant experiences

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TRANSIT HUB

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1. entry plaza 2. retail space 3. resting areas 4. restrooms 5. outdoor lounge space 6. information kiosks 7. exterior bicycle and pedestrian boardwalk 8. university of houston - downtown 9. raised parking garage 10. outdoor patio

1. light rail platform - red line 2. light rail platform - blue line 3. escalator with glazed enclosure 4. kiosk & ticketing area 5. security desk and information 6. glazed light well 7. vegetation gardens

For the first time ever in U.S. history since the early twentieth century, American citizens are opting to travel by public transportation at its highest rate. Thinking of innovative methods to combine existing systems and infrastructure with the missing ingredients of healthy mobility, are what cities such as Houston and other North American cities must yield in order to achieve sustainability and efficiency. Providing preferential attention to alternative modes of transportation is a notion in the direction of cities making future decisions in regards to urban planning and successful urban life.

Houston is looking forward and is preparing accordingly.

Endeavors such as the Buffalo Bayou Park redevelopment, in addition to city plans for downtown expansion are all integral components that can be enhanced by the benefits of a central transit hub. Buffalo Bayou Station brings life back to the waterfront and serves as a Texas icon of modernity.

A model of adaptability, innovation, and world-class mass transit for cities of the Sun Belt region.

Interaction with water is addressed in terms of approachable thresholds. Gentle water features are located in the open plaza, while interactions with the river are provided increased accessibility. Boardwalks extending over the river offer an alternative experiential quality for tactile leisure and water transit.

dining & services

East Section

transit platforms retail space

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relink houston: restoring mobility in a broken city

[works cited] [1] “Conceptions of the Desirable: What Cities Ought to Know about the Future.”

SpringerWienNewYork. Vienna, Sachsenplatz, Austria. 2007.

[2] Cervero, Robert. “The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry.” Island Press. Washington, D.C. 1998.

[3] Hooper, Rachel. “On the Banks of Bayou City: The Center for Land Use Interpretation in Houston.”

University of Houston, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. Distributed Art Publishers, Inc. New York, New York. 2009.

[4] Jost, Daniel. “Under the interstate: Buffalo Bayou Promenade runs along a flood prone river beneath a tangle of highway bridges - what sorts of challenges did its designers face? And how has the public embraced this unusual place?” Landscape Architecture. Volu. 99, Issue No. 10.

(October 2009) 78.

[5] Kibel, Paul Stanton. “Rivertown: Rethinking Urban Rivers.” The MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts. 2007.

[6] Prominski, Martin. “River. Space. Design. Planning Strategies, Methods and Projects for Urban Rivers.” Birkhauser. Basel, Switzerland. 2012.

[7] Scardino, Barrie. “Ephemeral City: Cite Looks at Houston.” University of Texas Press, Austin.

Austin, Texas. 2003.

[8] Shields, Mitchell. “Rules on the Bayou (Houston, Texas).” Cite: the architecture and design review at Houston. Issue. 47, (April 2000) 9.

[9] Unwin, Simon. “Analysing Architecture.”Third edition, revised, and enlarged. Routledge. New York, New York. 2009.

[10] Vojnovic, Igor. “Laissez-Faire Governance and the Archetype Laissez-Faire City in the USA: Exploring Houston.” Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography. Vol. 85, No. 1. (2003): 19-38.

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