THE PHILADELPHIA URBAN DESIGN STUDIO PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE Design IX FALL 2015 Master plan and urban proposals for Mantua/Belmont, Philadelphia. The studio wishes to thank the following presenters and guest jurors that attended the studio’s reviews at Philadelphia University: David Breiner Bill Rogers Ivano D’Angella Brian Johnston Spence Kass
Amy Miller Darpen Patel Rebecca Rose Melissa Styer
URBAN DESIGN STUDIO : FALL 2015 Professor: Pablo Meninato Studio Introduction Design IX for Architecture Philadelphia University College of Architecture & The Built Environment
The aim of this course was to introduce architecture students to the discipline of urban design while concurrently discussing planning theories and practice. Urban design is often viewed as a bridge situated between the disciplines of architecture and landscape architecture. It is a hybridized field, influenced as much by politics as by transportation planning, law, economics, and environmental and social justice. Therefore, urban designers must confront a wide range of issues at a wide range of scales that influence their work. Our studio participated in the “Better Philadelphia Challenge” competition, which focused on the Mantua/Belmont neighborhoods, during the first half of the course. The Mantua/Belmont area was chosen by President Obama as the first of five “Promise Zones” for economic development. The class’s first task was to understand the site through inventory and analysis. The class went on multiple site visits and performed several surveys of the area designated by the competition. We divided into five groups and divided the site amongst the group to create a collective 3D model in Sketchup. Each group also also analyzed the site in terms of five topics; urban space, urban morphology, transportation, sustainable practices, and history. The final deliverables for the competition involved a master plan for the Mantua/Belmont area. For the second half of the semester—after the competition, each group focused in on a specific location. Although located next to Center City, the area displays a total lack of urban strategy, a fact exemplified by the extent of empty lots and the number of vacant buildings. A crucial aspect will to be to consider these factors from a theoretical and practical point of view. Throughout the semester, the class also engaged in a series of urban design exercises, case study analyses, and discussions of current trends in urban design. Some of the topics discussed dealt with urban design history, urban fabric, the city block, building typologies, urban space, density, landmarks, and sustainable cities.
STUDIO INTRO
URBAN DESIGN STUDIO : FALL 2015 Professor: Pablo Meninato Competition Brief 2016 Better Philadelphia Challenge “Designing Healthy Neighborhoods: Mantua/Belmont”
The Better Philadelphia Competition is an annual event hosted by the Philadelphia Center for Architecture which honors Philadelphia’s iconic 20th century urban planner, Edmund Bacon. The competition asks participants to tackle real-world urban design issues in Philadelphia and address the design of the full competition site. In addition, this year’s participants were asked to focus was on healthy living. The greater Mantua/Belmont neighborhood of Philadelphia was chosen as one of President Obama’s first “Promise Zones” for economic development – one of only five in the country. This neighborhood is bordered by some of Philadelphia’s largest institutions (the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, the Philadelphia Zoo, and Fairmount Park), as well as by large industrial sites (most notably the AMTRAK rail yards). The prompt for the competition posed the question: “As part of this neighborhood’s development, what physical design interventions could encourage healthy and active lifestyles, thereby improving public health among residents?”
STUDIO INTRO
MANTUA / BELMONT, PHILADELPHIA In recent years, a trend of disinvestment has been reversed for many of the neighborhoods adjacent to Philadelphia’s Center City. Population increase and new investment have transformed these formerly depressed communities into small oases of residential life. Mantua, with a significant amount of vacant land, easy access to public transit, and close proximity to some of the City’s most important destinations, is prime for renewed growth. Current demographic and market trends, along with citywide planning initiatives make planning for Mantua’s future a critical task for today.
SITE INTRO
The Mantua community, with a strong history of civic engagement -- personified by the Mantua City Planners motto “Plan Or Be Planned For�, has embraced the opportunity to envision a new future. Community leaders and residents, in partnership with local stakeholders and city agencies, have informed a comprehensive planning process that looks to guide the neighborhood’s future development and ensure a better quality of life for current and future residents alike. - Mantua Transformation Plan (2013)
MANTUA/BELMONT HISTORY WEST PHILADELPHIA STARTED TO DEVELOP IN THE LATE 1900S BUT THE POPULATION BEGAN DECLINING IN THE 50S WITH THE RISE OF THE CAR AND THE SUBURB. THE DECREASE IN DENSITY CORRESONDED WITH A RISE IN CRIME AND VIOLENCE. MANY OF THE CURRENT ROWHOMES ARE FROM THE 30S, 40S and 50s
1858: Trolley lines are extended to West Philly 1870: UPenn moves to West Philly 1891: Drexel moves to West Philly
Early 20th century: Mantua is a well established community of Irish working class families 1920’s: Mantua experiences an influx of African Americans migrating from the South who find employment in manufacturing
1978: Mount Vernon 1950: Mantua hits peak 1960: 18 -story Mantua population of 19,394 Hall is constructed, Manor apartments are residents reflecting the trend of completed public housing “projects”
PHILADELPHIA ZOO 1903
Mantua Belmont: Then and Now
SITE ANALYSIS
PHILADELPHIA ASSYLUM OF THE INSANE 1900
1980: Mantua population drops to 9,112. A decrease of 53% from peak 1980’s: Mantua sees a rise in drug-related crime 1988: Herman Wrice establishes Mantua against drugs
Mantua Move Bombings
1994: Plan for West Philadelphia attempts to address areas of Mantua that were overlooked in previous redevelopment efforts 1997: Establishment of the University City District 1997: Spencer place townhomes constructed
2000’s: PHS’s vacant land stabilization and Mayor John Street’s NTI programs work to improve the condition of the neighborhood by demolishing abandoned structures, removing debris from vacant land and creating park-like settings on vacant land
TRANSIT & SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES “Population decline, safety issues and a changing economic environment left Mantua with empty storefronts, deteriorating buildings and a community largely underserved with essential goods and services. Mantua residents rely primarily on retail and services found outside of the neighborhood. Over 50% of Mantua residents do not own a vehicle. Multiple transfers, travel time and convenience constitute an obstacle to using public transit, especially when it comes to food shopping.” - “We Are Mantua! Transformation Plan (2013)
BUS
PERSONAL AUTOMOTIVE
TRAIN
CYCLING
SITE ANALYSIS
HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS ASSETS & DRAWBACKS
SCHOOL CATCHMENT
SUSTAINABILITY AND CASE STUDY The lack of attention and inability to adapt has caused Mantua Belmont to fall behind in terms of sustainable practices. There are certain areas of vegetation and water retention however the site overall lacks current technologies. A promising aspect however is the walkability of the site. Although pedestrian means have fallen by the wayside there is still an ability to navigate the site by walking, trams, and buses. Through this aspect there is less of a need for cars and an ability to eliminate a percentage of pollution.
SITE ANALYSIS
Copenhagen makes biking easy and accessible for all with an extensive biking system that extends throughout the entire city. It’s a major part of the Danish community. Bike bridges extend over large water ways to create a connective atmosphere for the biker. Biking also connects with the public transit systems. Knowing many use bikes, they are allowed on many public transit systems in Copenhagen to go to even further places with your bike. Copenhagen is striving to be carbon neutral by 2025.
Avenue Perspective Avenue Section Avenue Plan Alley Perspective Alley Section Alley Plan Bridge Perspective Bridge Section Bridge Plan
URBAN SPACE TYPOLOGIES In land use planning, urban open space can range from playing fields to highly maintained environments to relatively natural landscapes. They are commonly open to public access, however, urban open spaces may be privately owned.
(1 (2 (3 (4 (5 (6 (7 (8 (9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
SITE ANALYSIS
10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18)
City Park Plan City Park Section City Park Perspective Community Garden Plan Community Garden Section Community Garden Perspective Empty Lot Plan Empty Lot Section Empty Lot Perspective
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Monument Perspective Monument Section Monument Plan Neighborhood Park Perspective Neighborhood Park Section Neighborhood Park Plan Pocket Park Perspective Pocket Park Section Pocket Park Plan
(1 (2 (3 (4 (5 (6 (7 (8 (9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
SITE ANALYSIS
10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15)
Street Plan Street Section Street Perspective Seating Area Plan Seating Area Section Seating Area Perspective
10
11
12
13
14
15
BUILDING TYPOLOGIES Mantua is a very diverse neighborhood of housing typologies. Generically, like the rest of the city of Philadelphia, Mantua begins with the standard rowhome. From that the neighborhood has attempted to create its own identity with variations of the Philadelphia Rowhome. Below are six variations of the buildings that the neighborhood is made up of beginning with the flat front two and three-story rowhome. From there porches began to be added to both types to create an extra space for the residents to occupy and create a better street pressence to the neighborhood. The next two types were found in specific locations within the neighborhood which tells a story of that areas time of development in comparison to the rest. On the bottom left is a rowhome that developed during the 1930’s in Philadelphia. On the bottom right is an example
SITE ANALYSIS
of a Duplex house. The Duplex is very prominent in the South-East section of the Mantua/ Belmont neighborhoods, closer to University City, they can also be found scattered throughout the neighborhood.
NOLLI PLAN EXERCISE In 1736 Pope Benedict XIV asked Giambattista Nolli to survey and draw the map of Rome. Nolli uses a figure-ground representation of built space with blocks and building shaded in a dark pochÊ, representing enclosed public spaces such as the colonnades in St. Peter’s Square and the Pantheon as open civic spaces. One of the main features of this form of representation is that simultaneously exposes both the shape of the urban fabric (in dark) and the urban/civic space (in white). The task is to complete the town, understanding that defining the urban fabric simultaneously creates the urban space (or vice-versa).
Original Plan Rome Nolli Plan Abeer Turkey Colleen Korp Nicki Segura
3
U.D. CHARETTE
1
4
2
5
(1 (2 (3 (4 (5
6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17)
Addison Kleinbrahm Allison Klinger Cameron Swengel Chris Piasecki Dominika Dziegiel Jacob Noon Meghan Ford Max Yousey Ryan Thompspn Ryan Tyrrell Veronica Magner Zach Wilmarth
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
CONNECTING MANTUA Dominique Segura :: Max Youesy :: Meghan Ford
PROJECT TEAM 1
COLLAGES Our assesment of the site, overall design strategies, and conclusions
OUR ASSESMENT OF EXISTING CONDITION The Mantua and Belmont neighborhoods have had a tumultuous past and as a result are currently coping with serious issues such as high crime rates, poverty, and low health. The problems can be attributed to minimal of access to basic amenities such as health facilities, recreation areas, and healthy food options. The high rate of vacancy and abandoned deteriorating buildings is both a causes and is affected by these problems. Lots of open underutilized space is another symptom of the issues in the neighborhood. Despite the issues, there is still a strong sense of community and hope for a better future amongst the residents of Mantua and Belmont. Community organizations such as the MCA and PEC host several community events, including the Jazz festival, and are working hard to improve the area.
OVERALL DESIGN STRATEGIES After assessing the Mantua and Belmont neighborhoods’ programmatic needs, we concluded that access to healthy food options, recreation, and public gathering spaces were the most pressing needs. To resolve these issues, we selected three sites for redevelopment with the idea that each site will become a node for its surrounding area. There are dedicated community, recreational, and market spaces included in our proposed program each of the three locations. However, in responding to their unique contexts, each location will focus on a different kind of program; one will focus on civic services, one on gathering space and, one on recreation.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS
NODE 1: The SEPTA and AMTRAK rail lines that run through Mantua and Belmont create a chasm that separates and divides the neighborhoods. The prposal for this area creates a meeting spot for the community with ammenities and helps connect the areas below and above the train tracks. NODE 2: Extending the grid over the railyard towards the river, turning the rail line into a linear park. Foster and Partners publicized proposal to NODE 3: An existing parking lot adjacent to the intersection of Lancaster ave and 41st street will be converted into a public plaza for the community.
PROJECT TEAM 1
1.
2. at The intersection Lancaster and 40th provides an opportunity to create a central community space. While also continuing the commercial corridor that Lancaster has historically been.
and The intersection at 40th Westminster ave. The proposal for this area would include amenities that the community is currently lacking and improve access to food.
VACANCY
3.
2
Located along the Schuylkill river, the rail yard provides an opportunity to provide the community with a large field space. This space would help to create opportunities for children and teens of the Belmont/Mantua community to play a team sport.
1
3
DESIGN STRATEGIES Locating key nodes within the site, which were chosen based upon the following; lack of access to fresh food, vacant lots, and improving connections to the bordering neighborhoods. focusing on pockets of improvements will help to implement the changes in phases. creating smaller realistic and manageable changes in the area.
Mantua is currently an isolated portion of West Philadelphia. Connections to the site will be improved by breaking down the outer edge of the site. Improvements will be made in providing the neighborhood with services which it currently lacks. This will include amenities such as grocery stores, parks, and community space.
Proposed Program
Improving Connections
Main Nodes
Main Streets
PROJECT TEAM 1
EXISTING vs PROPOSED Vacancy
Housing Infill Proposal HOUSING INFILL PROPOSAL
VACANCY
Improving Connections
Proposed Food Retail
PROPOSED FOOD RETAIL
FOOD ACCESS
0
GROCERY STORES WITHIN SITE MINI MARKETS 25 MINI MARKETS WITH FRESH PRODUCE
3
LOW HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS
Supermarket
Farmers Market
Existing Public Space
PROPOSED PUBLIC SPACE
Proposed Public Space PROPOSED PUBLIC SPACE
EXISTING PUBLIC SPACE
5
PLAYGROUNDS SECURED PLAYGROUND 2 BASEBALL FIELD 1 ATHLETIC FIELD
FAIRMOUNT PARK
0
LOW ACCESS TO OUTDOOR RECREATION ATION
PENN PARK
MASTERPLAN
PROJECT TEAM 1
NODE 1:
NODE 2:
NODE 3:
3.
NODE 1 The SEPTA and AMTRAK rail lines that run through Mantua and Belmont create a chasm that separates and divides the urban fabric. The proposal for this area creates a meeting spot for the community with amenities and helps connect the areas below and above the train tracks.
KEY SEPTA substations: Abandoned buildings: School:
1 2 3
Planned Mantua Greenway by city:
3
1 2
WALLACE
2
CSX rail line: Other rail lines:
1
Photos
PROJECT TEAM 1
NODE 2 The proposal for this location involved extending the grid over the rail yard towards the river and turning the rail line into a linear park.
2
KEY Penn Park: Art Museum: 30th st Station: CSX Rail Line:
1 2 3 -------
1
3
Photos
NODE 3: MANTUA FORUM An existing parking lot adjacent to the intersection of Lancaster ave and 41st street will be converted into a public plaza for the community.
LA
NC
AS
TE
R
N 41st WALLACE
LUDWIG
Mantua/Belmont map
Existing Site
PROJECT TEAM 1
Aerial of existing lot
Street condition on Lancaster
Lancaster Businesses
Vacant Buildings
EXISTING & PROPOSED
Half Vacant Reta il bu il ding s
Av
e
Pa r tially Vacant Va cant
Decaying/vacant housing
nS tre
AS
TE
irm
NC
ou
nt
rre
RA V
et
Fa
LA
Wa
EN
U n d e r - u t i l i ze d Par k i n g l o t
UE
N Pr
et
St re et es to n
e st S tr N 41
E XISTING CONDITIONS
Existing Conditions
Existing Zones
I mproved co m m ercial space
O pen s pace M ixed Use Civic Res id ential
Greater mixe use
Av
e
Consolidate building facade
TE
RA V
et
EN
New Public Plaza
UE
st N 41 S tr e et
W a ll
ace
S tr e
et
et n St re
Housing infi l l
to N Pr es
nS tre
ou
nt rre
AS
irm
Wa
NC
Fa
LA
PROPOSAL
Retail Public Facilities Residential Landscape Buffer Screen Water Feature
Proposed Zones
Proposal
PROJECT TEAM 1
Site Map
NODE 3: LANCASTER FORUM We chose this location to focus on because it seemed to be the most feasible, yet also has lots of potential. It is located on a part of Lancaster that already has a collection of several businesses and some pedestrian activity. The parking lot is hardly used currently. A special attention will be paid to the outdoor areas that interact with Lancaster Ave and the proposed plaza.
Aerial View looking North
0’
5’
10’
Existing Residences
25’
50’
Planted Screen
Basketball Court
Weekend Market Stalls
Play Fountains
PROJECT TEAM 1
Cafe on first floor, new housing unit on upper floors
$+,- &))+ ! ** + &))+, 0 ).,$("
Outdoor patio for retail and restaurants
Outdoor patio for retail and restaurants
ROOFTOP: Parking FLOORS 2, 3: New Residential Unit
LANCASTER AVE FLOOR 1: Retail and Restaurants
FLOOR 1: Retail and Restaurants
NODE 3: LANCASTER FORUM
Plan of Lancaster with entrances, sidewalk activity, and rooftop parking
Rendering of Entrance off Lancaster
PROJECT TEAM 1
( #
Furniture Details
+
( - $&
Collage and Details of Screen
Jazz Festival
NODE 3: LANCASTER FORUM
Rendering looking towards fountain and grocery store
PROJECT TEAM 1
Rendering of market set up in multipurpose area
ED BACON BETTER PHILADELPHIA CHALLENGE Addison Kleinbrahm :: Abeer Turkey :: Chris Piasecki
As a part of the Ed Bacon Better Philadelphia Challenge our master plan for Mantua/Belmont fuscous on introducing a network of public squares that focus on improving the health of all within the area. To us, a healthy neighborhood is comprised of areas for recreation, and areas that offer healthy food options.
PROJECT TEAM 2
COLLAGES Based on early site research, we found a few aspects from Mantua/Belmont that need to be addressed. The things in Mantua/Belmont that need a face lift include: access to healthy food options and the transportation system. Another issue that is prevalent from talking to people of Mantua/Belmont, is that there is a great divide between the age groups of the neighborhood, current residents are trying to fight the high level of student housing within Mantua/Belmont
PROJECT TEAM 2
PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SQUARES The original plan for Philadelphia by William Penn was designed around the public square, he included five open public spaces in the heart of what is now center city. Those five squares have lasted and are an escape from the dense urban fabric found in center city today. Just across the Schuylkill River from the Philadelphia Art Museum are the neighborhoods of Belmont and Mantua, two neighborhoods planned without any large public gathering space
Philadelphia
Mantua / Belmont Delaware River
MANTUA / BELMONT GRAND VISION Our vision of a healthy Neighborhood is comprised of two main components: access to recreation and access to healthy food; two aspects Mantua/Belmont lack currently. Alongside food and recreation, we realize that no large scale urban project can be successful without people in the neighborhood, which is why we focused on completing our idea of the public square in Mantua/ Belmont with improving the housing and celebrating the culture of Mantua/Belmont
PROJECT TEAM 2
Public Square Parti
EXISTING ACCESS TO RECREATION Within the limits of Mantua/Belmont there are only nine areas that offer recreational activities, most are on an elementary school playground. There also is a start of a bike lane network, but it is greatly lacking. Our focus for recreation would be offering more outdoor recreation areas while also expanding the bike lane network to promote alternative means of exercise and transportation.
Goals for 2045
io
n
as
of recr e a t
of
a
re
5.3 Miles ad
es
25 New
d e d bik e l a n
EXISTING ACCESS TO FOOD There are currently no food stores that offer healthy options within Belmont or Mantua; you can only find cheap corner stores and Chinese takeout. We believe that offering healthy food options along with classes on cooking and agriculture will help to educate the citizens of Mantua/ Belmont about healthy vs. unhealthy food options.
fo o
ti o n s op
wa
hy
e
PROJECT TEAM 2
g h e a lt h y f o o
d
o ff
rin
100% of people
ns 5 mi
are a s
27 New
d
Goals for 2045
l k fr o m h e a l
t
EXISTING CIVIC CENTERS Mantua/Belmont has a wealth of houses of worship a building that brings a large group of people together; however, Mantua/Belmont lacks other forms of civic centers such as community centers or cultural centers. Civic centers are important because they allow for larger groups of like minded people to gather and discuss their ideas.
Goals for 2045
670 New Homes
2200 New Residents
EXISTING VACANT PROPERTIES There are over 2400 Vacant properties within Mantua/ Belmont, that includes the vacant homes, as well as the abandoned lots. In fill housing is a main focus of the project because you need density of people for any urban design project to be successful. We want to help diversify the neighborhood to provide other housing typologies for different age groups.
Goals for 2045
670 New Homes
PROJECT TEAM 2
2200 New Residents
MAN/MONT SQUARE Our earliest iteration of the public square in Mantua/ Belmont allowed for artists to add their input into the design of the public square. Walls and the ground become the canvas for different types of media: street arts, fine arts, and sculpture. On the Northern half of the site are community garden plots/ leisure gardens.
Man/Mont Square
PROJECT TEAM 2
MAN/MONT SQUARE TRANSFORMATION Our main square is located at the corner of 40th Street and Parrish Street. The transformation of the area involves condensing an existing power station on site to a another existing power station next door. After clearing the land of the power station, the buildings and public gardens of the square would start construction. The development of this square will help to bring in developers to repair the urban fabric surrounding the site.
PROJECT TEAM 2
PROPOSED BIKE LANE NETWORK The existing bike lanes do not cover enough of Mantua/ Belmont to make the bike a viable and safe means of transportation. An extension of the bike lanes can help contribute to the paradigm shift in Mantua/Belmont that we are proposing, focusing on getting people more active. The proposal for bike lanes includes protected lanes, as well as shared lanes.
Proposed Bike Lanes
PROJECT TEAM 2
POST COMPETITION MASTER PLAN Seen in our master plan are the five proposed main squares in Mantua/Belmont connected by pedestrian and bike friendly greenways. Our hope for the neighborhoods is that we can restore the urban fabric with housing that complements existing housing types. Also celebrating the local artist culture.
PROJECT TEAM 2
MAN/MONT MASTER PLAN The existing site seen in the photographs is mostly under utilized land, either empty, used for trash, or it hosts a run down row home. The South-East corner of the site features reclaimed electrical poles used for dividing the space into separate sectors, as well as a decorative element that marks the paths for circulation.
Man/Mont Square
PROJECT TEAM 2
WHY WE CHOSE MAN/MONT SQUARE Man/Mont is the perfect location for a public square because of six different reasons. The first is our site comes in contact with bus routs 38 and 40, as well as a regional rail line. The next is the proximity to the Mantua Greenway, a proposed pedestrian project. Another is the proximity to the Philly Zoo. The next reason is that our site is on 40th Street, a major road that connects to all other arterial roads. And finally, our site is more then 75% undeveloped land, with a price tag of only 2.5 million
PROJECT TEAM 2
MAN/MONT SQUARE AXON The Northern Half of the site is designed with healthy food in mind, featuring a healthy food market, green house, fields for crops, and community run gardens. The Southern half features various civic centers, shops, restaurants, and artist studios, all framing the open public square.
PROJECT TEAM 2
MAN/MONT SQUARE TRANSFORMATION The first step for Man/Mont Square involves purchasing the land, a total of $2.5 million. The next step develops the most important buildings on site: the train station, food market, and outdoor recreation areas. In the following steps, the: Library, parking garage, art studio, shops, community center, day care, and gym are built. The last piece of the puzzle is a municipal building. In orange are the infill housing developed along with the square.
Public Square Parti
Residential Commercial Civic Municipal Parking Entertainment Green Space
PROJECT TEAM 2
URBAN FARMING This is a view from the third floor of the healthy food market, showing the urban farm run by the food market. The urban farm half of the site includes community run gardens, a leisure garden, and playgrounds. This would be the only location to purchase healthy food within Mantua/Belmont.
PROJECT TEAM 2
COLLAGES Collage examples for our groups initial approach to the neighborhood. Below the intention of the collage is to graphically represent two main focuses our group foun as needs for the neighborhood of Mantua and Belmont. The first being the infusion of green spaces to the neighborhood through green streets as well as community spaces placed strategically throughout the neighborhood. The second approach demonstrated in the collage below implies the in-fill needed within Mantua and Belmont’s city blocks. They are neighborhoods that have decreased population while increasing in vacancy of lots over the last few decades and are in need of an influx of new housing to occupy the large amounts of vacant space.
The Mantua and Belmont neighborhoods are also in need of more nodes for interaction. The social structure is already existing within the neighborhood, but there is a lack of infrastructure to support these social aspects that the communitues enjoy. The collage below is portraying the implementation of these nodes within the neighborhoods existing fabric. Also, the inference of letting the street space extend into these social interactions. Interactions between neighbors should not start or end at the sidewalk.
PROJECT TEAM 3
HEADING FONT Our approach to anaylize the site began with a generative process called a Voronoi. The voronoi is formed by placed points, and then lines are added to connect each point. The next step identifies the midpoints of each line and finally each midpoint is connected to form a shape. We utilized this generative process to form a “network� as a guiding principle on what areas needed focus and would benefit Mantua. When placing each point, we considered localized density within the neighborhood, thus the areas being highlighted by the voronoi are the areas designated for improvement.
PROJECT TEAM 3
MASTERPLAN Our Mantua/Belmont Masterplan took the approach previously mentioned to create focal points within the neighborhood that would benefit from the introduction of one or more of the seven programmatic needs. These seven programs were determined based on lack of density or the non-existence of them within the neighborhood i nits current state. Our masterplan began with assessing the need of an increase of bike lanes throughout the neighborhood, especially on the main thoroughfares that allow for the main concentrations of travel to, from, and through Mantua and Belmont. Secondly, Mantua and Belmont have a large population of artist with a lack of space to display or produce their work. Next we chose Retail, Commercial, Food Access, and Entertainment; all of these programs have a presence within the neighborhood, but
have yet to take hold and bring large amounts of people into the neighborhood. The goal is to create main corridors that take hold within the neighborhood to help support the future growth of the neighborhood. To coincide with the economic growth proposed within the neighborhood, we are also proposing an increase in residential population through replicating current residential typologies as well as introducing new multifamily typologies to take the place of the large amounts of vacant land.
PROJECT TEAM 3
LANCASTER AVENUE DEVELOPMENT Within the development of the Mantua / Belmont Masterplan, there was a focus of three areas within the communities. The first being Lancaster Avenue. Lancaster Avenue is one of the major thoroughfares within the City of Philadelphia, and it passes right through the Mantua / Belmont neighborhoods. There is one problem that exists with its presence though, it is very under-utilized as a commercial corridor. Through observation we determined it being because of a lack of pedestrian utilization of the area. On Lancaster Avenue, we proposed a relocation of on-street parking to other areas near by thus increasing the width of the side walks. We incorporated the existing trolley line and began to re-divide the street. By removing the on-street parking there was now space for wider sidewalks that utilized the extra space for restaurants,
cafe’s and stores to have a better street presence. There is also the addition of a buffered/protected twoway bike lane to allow for increased travel along the thoroughfare. Within the new spaces created are water infiltration systems to lessen the load of rainwater in the city’s sewer system.
PROJECT TEAM 3
MANTUA GREENWAY ORIGIN The second area of focus is located along the beginning of the already proposed Mantua Greenway, which better connects University City with Mantua, Belmont, as well as West Fairmount Park. The trail is already in the works and this area is a prime location to add many new programs into the neighborhoods.
The proposed plan along the Greenway involves the closure of a small section of Wallace Street in order to create a small node for social interaction as well as help support the introduction of the Greenway in this area. Introducing small commercial spaces and cafe’s in multi-use buildings surrounding the new node will help establish the social interaction as a permanent area for throughout the day not just during peak times of use of the Mantua Greenway.
PROJECT TEAM 3
COMMUNITY PARK The development of a community park came from the lack of destinations within Mantua. There are a multitude of vacant lots turned into green spaces within the neighborhood, but in most cases that is all the space was, a green patch of grass that is taking the place of what used to be a rowhome. The proposal includes relocating a power changing station controlled by SEPTA, which is being condensed with another just across the train tracks. In doing so there is a great opportunity for a large park space along the Mantua Greenway. By combining both of these opportunities there is a greater opportunity for success.
The plan for the park space utilizing the same organization as the Masterplan and creates pockets for unique programming within the park. Being that it is such a large space, the pockets help break down the scale of the site into more manageable spaces. What was once an uninviting space, is now a major destination for the neighborhood of Mantua, Philadelphia
PROJECT TEAM 3
THE SOCIAL NETWORK After the competition, we focused in on one of the three nodes that we felt would be beneficial to detail further. The node chosen is the one seen below at the corner of 40th and Parrish Streets. The initial idea for this area within the master plan was to be a large park with increased program development surrounding it. As ideas for the space materialized more and more, the park became slightly smaller and the development of the area increased. The park was still a major focus throughout the development of the project and became a central piece to the lot of land to be developed.
Another main focus that we carried through from the competition to the final development was the idea of Transit Oriented Development or T.O.D. The neighborhood has some access to public transit but is lacking a regional rail station between 30th street station and Overbrook station. We had previously determined the chosen site to have a train station incorporated into its overall plan.
PROJECT TEAM 3
CONNECTING SPACE Building off of existing programs within the city we wanted to utilize this site as a opportunity for things such as the Mantua Greenway and programs developed by the Philadelphia Water Department. The Mantua Greenway is a plan that has been developed and beginning to be used. Intended to be a bike and pedestrian trail that connects the neighborhood of University City through Mantua, and up to Fairmount Park. The current plan is cut off by the sites existing conditions and is planned to be routed around it. Within the site specific plan for this site, we allow the continuous path to run along the train tracks and provide a direct connection to the remainder of the trail.
Water is always an issue in an old city like Philadelphia and it became a goal of ours with such a large site to capitalize on its integration into the project. The site water is collected through a series of systems which collects the water and distributes it through the site. Using a pond within the main courtyard of commercial space, the water then travels towards a linear pool which becomes a water wall. From there the water is captured again below and directed to a larger pool within the park. Beyond the large pool and beyond the elevated section of the Greenway is a marshed area to allow for excess runoff and filtration into the ground preventing it from reaching the sewer system.
PROJECT TEAM 3
URBAN SPACES Programmatically the site utilizes the same seven programs used in the Masterplan. There is a residential focus to the eastern section of the site with its own sectioned off courtyard. Centrally is the park space with an amphitheater to allow for art and entertainment. The northern most development is devoted to the transit center, a parking garage, and another residential building with an art gallery on the first floor looking out into the park space. Finally in the southwestern most corner of the site is a commercial core with a large courtyard opening up to the park. The commercial core has food access, retail and commercial space on the first floor, as well as office spaces above to increase the industry percentage within the neighborhood being that it is a mainly residential neighborhood.
PROJECT TEAM 3
RENDERINGS In presenting this project as a potential solution for the neighborhood of Mantua we wanted to present it as a space that can truly be utilized during all parts of the day as well as all seasons of the year. Creating a destination within Mantua to attract people from all over the city similar to many other large public spaces throughout the city.
Starting with the revitalization of Lancaster Avenue as a commercial corridor within the neighborhood. Our plan eliminates on street parking to increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic along the street. The extra space also creates opportunities for local businesses to extend their stores out into the public realm of the sidewalks. And the second area is much smaller but utilizes the Mantua Greenway as well. Right at the beginning of the Greenway, our proposal closes off a small section of Wallace Street that dead ends at Mantua Avenue creating a small public space that can also be utilized during the entire day and also has an increase of small commercial businesses to capitalize on the beginning of the Mantua Greenway.
PROJECT TEAM 3
MANTUA IN BLOOM Colleen Korp :: Allison Klingler :: Veronica Magner
Project Description / Initial Studies Masterplan Preliminary Analysis Primary Design Strategies Better Philadelphia Challenge Competition Submission Final Vision
PROJECT TEAM 4
30 32
PROJECT DESCRIPTION / INITIAL STUDIES Perpetually detached, to the west of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, lies Mantua. Mantua is a neighborhood of thriving community spirit and talented artists who lend their skills to various kinds of street art. Many of Mantua’s residents are eager to improve their neighborhood, cut off from the rest of the city by train tracks, and left to deteriorate after gang violence in the 1980s. For years, vacant lots have appeared, more long-time residents are leaving since they cannot find what they need to survive in Mantua. There are no grocery stores and few stores with fresh food, there are few direct lines of transportation in Center City, and most of the residents have less than a high school education. Mantua has the potential to become a self-sustainable, yet simultaneously well connected neighborhood.
PROJECT TEAM 4
MASTERPLAN
NODE
NODE 1
2
NODE 1 - IDENTIFY
NODE 3
NODE 2 - ACTIVATE
N NODE 3 - CONNECT
PROJECT TEAM 4
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS We saw Mantua as neighborhood ripe with possibility, stemming from its strong arts culture and community spirit. Our proposal aims to lift Mantua from within, forging a self-sufficient community connected to the rest of the city. Wayfinding strategies serve a literal as well as figurative purpose, helping residents connect to facilities and civic services they may not have been able to otherwise use.
POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS & ASSETS
The Railway & Highway Chokehold Forms a threshold that both psychologically and physically distances it from nearby amenities and the City Center.
Strong History of Civic Engagement Transformation through collaboration between the area’s many community organizations is essential for positive growth.
Unclear Dialogue with City Hall Makes access to funding sources and collaborative civic engagement difficult.
History & Community Values Presented through Murals The Mural Arts Program is widely active in this neighborhood alongside the many resident artists.
Severe Socioeconomic Issues Lack of adequate civic services including as education, healthcare & job training.
Street Art as Placemaking & Wayfinding Street art in general is used as a means of establishing and preserving a collective identity.
MACRO MASTERPLAN
PROJECT TEAM 4
PRIMARY DESIGN STRATEGIES While originally derived out of structural considerations, our “tulip� structures serve as urban placemakers in the neighborhood. Consideration of wayfinding and transportation networks led us to develop three separate nodes, together connecting the far points of the neighborhood to each other, as well as to Center City. Our chosen nodes IDENTIFY the Mantua neighborhood, ACTIVATE previously underutilized land, and CONNECT the residents of Mantua with the rest of the city.
WAYFINDING STRATEGIES
Street Art as Placemaking
Urban Design as Wayfinding
A. Resident interested in vacant lot but unsure of how to access & utilize it.
Civic Engagement Center as Non-physical Wayfinding
SCHEMATIC RENDERING: RE-ESTABLISHING CENTER CITY CONNECTION
B. Physical Wayfinding leads resident to C.E.C. Nonphysical wayfinding provides entrepeneurial training and funds for incubation.
C. Pop-up incubator allows testing and crowdfunding of the idea before substantial investment is made.
D. Incremental fundraising and training allows low income residents entrepeneurial opporunities. New businesses fuel Mantua’s economy.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT C E N T E R ADVISING, TRAINING, F U N D I N G
WAYFINDING AS ECONOMIC GENERATOR
PROJECT TEAM 4
PRIMARY DESIGN STRATEGIES
WAYFINDING STRATEGIES
Sidewalk Indicator These markers will point the way to nearby civic services and places of recreation.
Sidewalk Indicator Painted compasses direct towards specific landmarks within the neighborhood.
Transit Stop Modes of mass transit will be highlighted vividly and renovated to include estimated wait time, maps, and other amentities.
Wayfinding “Tulips� Painted elements indicate public spaces where transit or other civic services can be found.
Colored icon indicates mode(s) of transit available at this stop.
Last stop on line/route. Civic services within five minute walk of stop on line/route. Timed countdown to arrival of next bus/trolley.
PROJECT TEAM 4
BETTER PHILADELPHIA CHALLENGE 2016 COMPETITION SUBMISSION
PROJECT TEAM 4
FINAL VISION : PHASE 1 The focus of our first node, to be completed as part of phase 1, is to create a placemaker for the community. This node will be the catalyst for further development in the area, creating a focal point of wayfinding and commercial activity. A variety of programmatic functions lend diversity to the space, and attract users of all ages. Enhanced transportation networks improve resident access, and a focus on pedestrian/bike-friendly infrastructure encourages healthy lifestyles.
STREET LEVEL PLAN
FOOD MARKET RENOVATION
LANCASTER AVENUE STREETSCAPE
PLAYSCAPE PLAZA
PROJECT TEAM 4
FINAL VISION : PHASE 2 In response to the overwhelming lack of civic services available to residents of Belmont & Mantua, Node Two seeks to repurpose an underutilized parcel of land adjacent to the 40th St Bridge into a vibrant public campus. Wayfinding axes allow maintenance of sight lines to prominent elements, aiding navigation at such a large scale. A permeable barrier housing civic services provides density and enclosure for the adjacent streets, while framing an inner complex of flexible cultural pavilions. Transit access frames the site and merges with the bridge as a means of facilitating overlapping circulation paths.
STREET LEVEL PLAN
AERIAL VIEW
MANTUA’S TULIPS
PLAYSCAPE TULIPS
1
TULIP WITH SEATING
TULIP AS STRUCTURE
SPLASH PARK
ICE SKATING RINK
SHADED TULIPS
STRUCTURAL TULIPS
2
2
FOUNTAIN TULIPS
HABITABLE TULIPS
2
3
Greatest surface area with the smallest structural support
TULIP FUNCTIONS
PROJECT TEAM 4
FINAL VISION : PHASE 2 Organizational axes on the site preserved sightlines, as well as refer back to existing streets. Union Street becomes the food truck and pedestrian promenade, forming the backbone of the site circulation. Ogden Street forms the border of the park at the site’s northwest corner. Continuing as a pedestrian path and vehicular drop-off loop, 39th street divides the public functions of the site from the private new residential development.
ENTRY PROMENADE AT UNION + PARRISH STREET
THICKEN THE EDGE & CREATE GATEWAYS CREATE A PERMEABLE BARRIER
PARK ENTRY AT 40TH + PARRISH STREET
SITE SECTION THROUGH TRAIN STATION
PROJECT TEAM 4
FINAL VISION : PHASE 3 The focus of our third node, to be completed as part of phase 3, is to create a way for the community to connect back to the river and the city. This node will promote activity in the neighborhood, by locals and visitors alike. The new park will bring people down to the unused water front and will offer views of the art museum, the waterworks, boat house row, and the city skyline. Tulips are large enough for various activities, including popup commercial structures. This node connects with the pre-existing Mantua Greenway and furthers the greenway along the Spring Garden Bridge.
STREET LEVEL PLAN
SPRING BRIDGE S G GARDEN G G ADDITION O
CSX INTERACTION CS HIGHLINE G C O
STEPPINGSTONE PARK SITE SECTION
STEPPINGSTONE PARK RIVER OVERLOOK
PROJECT TEAM 4
THE GREEN CONNECT The Green Connect, a three phase project in the Mantua/Belmont area of West Philadelphia, focuses on the development of a neighborhood center that spreads over a period of 70 years that reconnects, rejuvenates, and sustains the neighborhood with educational, residential, and recreational programs and spaces. The end goal is to revitalize the area of Mantua and Belmont back to its thriving period of the 1950’s.
PROJECT TEAM 5
PHASE 1 + 2 There are three phases of the project that split up the project into stages of building. In the first phase is the Central space, in this area will be a concentration of mixed use and residential buildings, as well as green an area of green spaces and a train station. The array of mixed uses and accessibility will bring popularity to the site.
The increase in pedestrian space and greening of the streets not only provides a safer and more appealing space for the residents, but also provides a lane dedicated to cyclists and the plants and trees creating boundaries help with storm water management, a problem the city of Philadelphia is currently facing.
PROJECT TEAM 5
PHASE 3 The piers, the third phase of the project, are an element that extends streets running East-West over the train tracks, providing a visual connection to Center City. The piers are also a public gathering space where neighborhood festivals can be held throughout the year to engage the community and display the history and culture of the area.
PROJECT TEAM 5
POWER UP MANTUA
PROJECT TEAM 5
EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS
Relationship of Site to Philadelphia
Existing Site
PROJECT TEAM 5
CONNECTING THROUGH URBAN FABRIC
Initial Concept Sketch
Site Axis Connections
Site Plan
PROJECT TEAM 5
PROGRAM ACCESS
Site Transportation
Site Program
PROJECT TEAM 5
SITE SECTIONS
North/South Section
East/West Section
PROJECT TEAM 5
SEASONAL RENDERINGS
Parrish Street
Interior Courtyard
PROJECT TEAM 5
SEASONAL RENDERING
Train Station
PROJECT TEAM 5
AFTERWORD
Presently, around half of the world’s population lives in urban areas and according to UN estimates, by 2050 the world’s urban population will have grown more in the next three to four decades than it has in the last two millennia. The significance and impact of urban planning continues to grow, especially in the United States as a renewed focus on urbanism emerges to face a growing global population. Simultaneously, the thought and discussion that goes into planning cities is becoming increasingly complex. In this urban design studio we began to understand the complexity of city planning and the multitude of involved parties who seek to collaborate for the betterment of their cities. Although we have learned about urban issues in prior architecture courses, this course challenged us to think about the city in a new light. As fifth year architecture students, we have gotten used to thinking about buildings in terms of what they look like, how they function, and how they relate to their context. Considering the design of neighborhoods, transit systems, and wider economic systems has challenged us to apply these concepts to an even broader scale.
AFTERWORD