Urban Identity and Sustainability by William Callahan

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Spring 2013 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Bachelor of Architecture ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Auburn University ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// by William James Callahan \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

let us begin

an essay on

URBAN IDENTITY AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THE CONTINUED USE OF ICONIC ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURE by William James Callahan It has been a long journey thus far. The love, friendship, support, and inspiration from family, friends, and mentors has been immeasurably valuable. I am forever grateful. Thank you & God bless. Special thanks to my family: David, Wei, Kim, Eric, Yan, Tiffany, Kevin, Jim, Umida, Zara, Courtney, Brian, Kate, Wai-gong & Wai-po professors & mentors: Carla Keyvanian, Justin Miller, Sheri Schumacher, Christian Dagg, Kevin Moore, Randal Vaughan, Behzad Nakhjavan, Lee Dow, David Hill, Doug Burleson, Tim Sliger, & Mark Kill

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

Contents Thesis Essay

I. Urban Identity and Sustainability . . . 005

Project Work

II. Project Overview . . . 047 Project Aspirations . . . 048 Problem Statement . . . 049

Research

III. Inspirational Imagery . . . 050 Prototype Analysis . . . 052

Program Analysis

IV. Area Requirements . . . 056 Spatial Considerations . . . 058

Site Documentation

V. Site Analysis . . . 060 Zoning . . . 066 Code Summary . . . 068 LEED Worksheet . . . 070

Process

VI. Site/Organizational Strategy . . . 072 Midterm Project . . . 076

Final Drawings

VII. Presentation materials . . . 080

INTRODUCTION

When considering sustainability, the basic tenet is to use better resources and furthermore to simply use less. As energy is converted into buildings through construction, sustainability demands that the quantity of energy consumed should be equal-to or less-than the derived value of the architecture created. It is up to architects to create built environments that serve people, do no harm, and justify the enormous amount of energy they cost. The public should say to the clients, “thank you.” The clients should say to the public, “worth it.” — then to the architects, “good job.”

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

THE YEAR IS 2013.

ccording to the UNFPA, as of 2008 over half of the world’s population lived in cities and towns. Furthermore, it is estimated that by year 2030 almost five billion people will live in cities1. This increase in demand stemming from the growing population puts significantly more pressure on the performance of cities, and thus, we have certainly reached a pivotal moment in the critique of civilization and its most densified urban form. Since the welfare of so many people have been concentrated into urban conditions and are increasingly dependent on the supportive qualities of the their environment, the functions of cities and the formulative processes essential to their development are more important than they have ever been. The role of architecture will always shift across a complex polemic field of immense diversity, but the transformative nature of built environments along with the circumstantial values associated with cultural require a more flexible and comprehensive approach to design. Thus, the role of architecture is dependent on an understanding and identification of what is appropriate for each unique combination of people, place, and time, and the success of urban environments will require collective analysis for each course of action.

urvival of the sustainable city is dependent on memorable experience and identity. There is substantial value in a city’s ability to sustain itself; independent from trends such as economic production and commercial activity. Instead, we search for something more basic and inherently special in cities. Because the world has been saturated with imagery, often void of meaning or exploration, everyday life is desperately searching for relevance and iconic substance. The adherence or association of everyday life to the built form and architecture of the city is often an example of this anthropological phenomena. From this observation, the character of a city is thus deﬁned by the shared perceptions of individuals, who inhabit and occupy the urban environment, combined with an association to unique spatial conditions and sensorial stimuli. Due to the fact that each city

http://www.unfpa.org/pds/urbanization.htm

The survival of the sustainable city depends on meaningful experience and identity.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

has its own unique culture, economy, geography, density, and so on, the decisions and methods addressing the needs of their inhabitants should originate within the specific circumstances of those very qualities that define the place. Consequentially, actions taken should be articulate and well researched reactions to the observations documented within the scope of investigation. The objective of this process is to thus create and/or strengthen the intent of our actions and effectively form a clear method for communicating these intentions to others. The combination of these circumstances form the informative criteria of design referred to as context. “Context is more than an intellectual consideration of the history or physical appearance of a neighborhood, city, or state, and it’s more than the way new will live with old. Context also draws on the senses, the sights, the smells, and the memories that define a place and make it unique. Context grows from community, and people respond to it.” 1

he immersive nature of context suggests that an incredible amount of information exists within space. The perception of this information provides indicators and ques that begin to describe the way in which humanity evaluates objects and space. In response to the immense amount of contextual information surrounding us, “Our entire bodily consitution and senses ‘think’ in the fundamental sense of identifying and processing information about our situation in the world, and mediating sensible behavioral responses” 2. Thus, our environment informs our senses, and we respond to these spacial perceptions. The implications of constucting the built environments then implicitly suggest that we as designers are largely responsible for the well-being of the people who live within the urban frameworks of society. “Nevertheless, we recognize that certain localities have an attraction which gives us a certain indeﬁnable sense of well being and which we want to return to, time and again... It is not a temporary response, for it persists and brings us back, reminding us of previous visits.” 3

1 2 3

Fentress 2010, p. 2.00 Pallasmaa 2009, p. 116 Jackson 1996, p. 158

ST LOUIS

Inhabitants need to be able to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;linkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; their memories back to the city.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

he inherent qualities to cities that make them feel special: the clamor of people, automobiles, construction, and mechanical systems, all moving in their own particular ways; social interaction and activities that pour out of high rises into intimate streets flush with greenery and culture; all of which is juxtaposed against a skyline indicative of human achievement. These characteristics have long been romanticized in film, novels, and other fine arts, but the unfortunate truth is that a majority of American cities are not like this. Our perception of the urban fabric, the experiences and activities within the space of the city, and our recollection of these memories are combined to create these ephemeral and emotional responses to urban environments. Additionally, “sense of place is a much used expression, chiefly used by architects but taken over by urban planners, interior decorators, and the promoters of condominiums, so that it now means very little”1. As with many other words in the English language, meaning has been lost and replaced by cliche connotations often lacking intent, but it would benefit society to collaboratively define these terms as they are now used in a wide variety of discussions and industries.

n the United States, American cities have distinct qualities that prompt a signiﬁcantly different approach to design in urban conditions. The overbearing grid of blocked streets creates an orthogonal normality or standard that greatly inﬂuences our perception and understanding of life in America. Once associated with a fair system for land distribution and then later the industrialization of American production, these grids perceptually effect every way in which we occupy or inhabit the city. The inherent problem with many American cities today is that “industry no longer functions at the heart of the city”2. Since the industrial revolution, the value of many American cities have declined, but progress has not been unseen. When the urban environment was once the center for production and metropolitan business, the value of living in the city was much higher than it is today. Since industry has vacated the inner regions of cities, places previously known for industrial production have been left without identity. Those with the means to revitalize the city also had the means to leave and chose to do so, because the value of the urban environment resided in capitalistic opportunities instead of the urban fabric. If people again begin to value living in the city along with its inherent qualities over business opportunities elsewhere, they will stay; the city will grow; and both will adapt collectively. Solutions for addressing an urban

1 2

Jackson 1996, p. 157 Gastil 2002, p. 90

Iconic objects play a vital role in this.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

agenda in the United States are thus required to differ from what is evidently only appropriate in cities elsewhere.

he concept of sustainability has developed over several centuries, but as a topic of discussion, sustainability has only in the last few decades made its way into a wider range of discussions such as: design, planning, environmentalism, political debate, economics, energy, industrial production, and even agriculture. These professions all have interpreted their own particular notions of sustainability, which proves to be problematic when so many of these fields overlap and require collaboration. The wide array of ways in which the word is used by people of all different backgrounds to advocate different meanings includes, but is not limited to, the following: energy reduction, responsible consumption, re-usage, independence from fossil fuels, off-grid living, free-range cattle, and cage-free livestock. The list is endless. If we are truly concerned with ‘sustainability’, then perhaps we must first ensure our actions and constructed artifacts can be sustained indefinitely. A point to this discussion is then that time becomes a crucial tool for measuring, as well as gauging, ‘sustainability’ and our ability to support the endeavors of our civilizations. By definition, the most sustainable approach to anything is often whatever has the means to last and support itself. The architectural response to this is to ensure that space will continue to be used and benefit society indefinitely, but “too often, we are subjected to, or settle for, private and public spaces that don’t enliven and, instead, actually weigh us down”1. While these spaces detract from the wholistic meaning and character of place as well as lack intent derived from context, more importantly they cease to be used and are then wasted.

any cities are increasingly becoming unoccupied at their center after business hours. Unfortunately, those who commute to the city are unlikely to change this behavior. When identifying the source of this problem, one can use simple economic reasoning to explain the phenomena of living outside the city. Simply put, people respond to incentives, and there are too few incentives attracting people to inhabit the city. The value of foregone opportunities associated with living in suburban neighborhoods outside the city is much lower than living at its center, so we must ﬁnd solutions that offset this discrepancy and encourage the re-inhabitation of the city’s downtown. Without the articulation of identity for urban space, the city accumulates “inadequate common spaces, lethal for the dignity of people and 1

Cary 2010, p. 16

LONDON

We associate images of place to memory, but the image needs iconography to be recognizable.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

buildings”1. They remain vacant and are often used for parking. As such, endeavors of urban collaboration operating outside of this constraint; meaning they do not provide an incentive to reside within the city, are inefﬁcient and will result in unsustainable outcomes. “One can say that the city itself is the collective memory of its people, and like memory it is associated with objects and places. The city is the locus of the collective memory. This relationship between the locus and the citizenry then becomes the city’s predominant image, both of architecture and of landscape, and as certain artifacts become part of its memory, new ones emerge”2.

ow we have come to observe the city lacks objectivity and opportunities meant to allow the critique of civilization. This is of course largely due to human nature, and our inescapably subjective perception of the world; however, the value of seeing at a larger scale beyond that of the indivual is essential to the progress of humanity. Typically, the inhabitants are bound by gravity to observe the city from the ground plane and street level. Sometimes though, the city provides an opportunity to ascend and gain a larger perspecive and thus more objective point of view. “The city... is to be understood here as architecture. By architecture I mean not only the visible image of the city and the sum of its different architectures, but architecture as construction, the construction of the city over time”3. The process of time bestows the objects of the city with belonging and meaning. This is comprised of the memories related to their spaces and their potential for the reoccurance of memorable experience. Forming lasting impressions is necessary when considering the city’s ability to support itself; thus, combinations of cultural experience and iconic architecture become catalysts for urban sustainability. While the experience is the most direct form of influence on the inhabitant, perception is synthesized for recollection and sharing as well as being available to influence the perception of future experiences. Thus, “through memory, we can recapture, by means of meditation, the resonances of this contemplation of grandeur”4. The act of self-reflection is necessary to conceptualize the city in all of its magnitude, but urban 1 2 3 4

Per 2011, p. 12 Rossi 1984, p. 130

Rossi 1984, p. 21 Bachelard 1994, p. 183

Iconic objects can also be landmarks and points by which we may navigate.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

environments often lack architectural space where inhabitants can utilize their own methods of meditation and self-reﬂection. As a result, the decisions which guide the development of the city are limited to a relatively narrow frame of thought, and so the lack of objective thinking attributes to urban decay of the city and suburban growth. “It is our landscape that bewilders them and that they ﬁnd hard to understand. They are repelled by its monotony... in our country it is often hard to distinguish one city from another. With the possible exception of Boston and New Orleans and San Fransisco, they not only are lacking in architectural variety, they are lacking in landmarks and in unique neighborhoods. We are often asked how we who live in the midst of such monotony can have any sense of place”1.

t is from the monotonous character of the American landscape that the need for iconic objects arises. Society has poorly preserved the importance of meaningful architecture, and “design that establishes legible and necessary relationships between functions and places in the city is as important as the placement of thousands of miles of cable for information technologies” (Gastil 2002, p. 26). This inbalance within the values of our society is clearly evident in the United States by the overwhelming sprawl of powerlines, roads, and monotonous landscapes, contrasted the lack of iconic forms meant to give character and dignified meaning to places. The course of American development has purposefully lead us here out of necessity, but we are well-situated for meaningful improvements. The logical place to start are the urban conditions of cities and the responsive behaviors of the inhabitants. Concentrating development to the interior of the city offers beneficial opportunities, and “recycling land, close to the downtown areas, gives many cities the possibility to grow on the inside. This land often involves fascinating urban landscapes full of history and stories”2. Thus, the planners and designers of urban landscapes have an infinite resource available to ensure meaningful developments, and it is the realization of humanity as the basis for context and spacial relationships that will drive this success. “This coexistance of things in a space to which we add consciousness of our own existance, is

1 2

Jackson 1996, p. 151 Per 2011, p. 321

S E AT T L E

They effectively help us to gauge the space around us, and thus inform our decisions to experience the city.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

a very concrete thing... In this coexistentialism every object invested with intimate space becomes the center of all space. For each object, distance is the present, the horizon exists as much as the center”1

eaningful space is simultaneously comprised and broken down by objects bestowed with the values of people. It is a quality of the urban fabric that arises from people who have invested a part of their being into their surroundings. Consequentially, they become part of their environment, and their environment becomes part of them. This phenomena is the basis for identity and place.

he instance in which people guage space begins with the premise that “All distance is naturally reckoned from the sense-equipped ego in the center”2. It is this distance between the ego and surrounding objects that is measured against the conscious impressions of our own abilities and desires. Our instinctual tendency is to avoid the uncertain, where darkness and empty horizons are certainly among some of the best examples for the unknown, the average person will not choose to walk somewhere without first having an understanding of how far they will be walking. The awareness of our body’s capacity for effort factored with the incentives for each outcome determine these distances and ultimately our decisions. The cumulation of these distances can be understood in their most basic form as circles, which are centered on the individual to represent how far that person is willing to travel specific to a particular mode of transportation. Without the ability to effectively juxtapose the circle for walking into the surrounding space, human tendency suggests that the circle for walking is drastically reduced compared to the circle for other modes of transportation such as driving. This distortion, which could lead to a decision to forgo pedestrian travel, has significant detrimental effects to the perception of space. The ephemeral qualities of the city originate from the preception of the urban environment, however, this perception is comprised entirely of bodily experience. “We believe that the most essential and memorable sense of three-dimensionality originates in the body experience and this sense may consitute a basis for understanding spatial feeling”3. 1 2 3

Bachelard 1994, p. 203 Neutra 1954, p. 168 Bloomer & Moore 1979, p. x

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

s a result, understanding the ephemeral qualities of the city requires an understanding of sensoral perception. The range of sensoral abilities is limited by the shell of an automobile, and while driving, our bodily experience of the city is then second to the bodily experience of the car. Cities that are unable to facilitate pedestrian travel and bodily experience of the city, will witness detrimental effects to the ephemeral qualities of the city and the overall welfare of the inhabitants. While examining the welfare of American cities, a trend between those of positive welfare and cities of poor welfare develops. This trend relates to the presence of iconic objects that seem to strengthen the identity of place. New York City, Seattle, St. Louis, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago are all examples of cities that have relatively high levels of welfare and attractive value. Compared to cities like Detroit, which have been devastated by the effects of de-industrialization, these iconic cities have beneﬁted from sustained growth and maintained healthy downtown centers. Furthermore, experimentation illustrates that graphically removing even just one iconic object from the image of the city, or skyline, results in a signiﬁcant reduction in our ability to identify the place.

conic architecture has over the recent few decades acquired negative connotations. Particularly, the way in which architecture is published encourages a type of design that focuses on the aesthetic dimension of architecture as well as being constructed to look good in photographs. Those works guilty of being dismissive to the surrounding context certainly deserve harsh criticism; however; “Our current susceptability to spectacular imagery is such that today the worldwide reputation of an architect is as much due to his or her iconographic ﬂair as it is to their organizational and/or techinical ability”1. When an object becomes symbolic of a place, the inhabitants of it are connected in ways similar to our individual attachments at home. The house is no more than a vessel in which we live, and the objects of the home have functional as well as sentimental qualities. The home thus becomes an iconic object symbolizing the family to which we belong and love. From an urbanistic perspective, the iconic objects of the city embody the culture and memories of the inhabitants of the place; thus, “The mind sees and continues to see objects, while the spirit ﬁnds the nest of immensity in an object”2. Emerging from this concept, the value of iconic objects is exponentially increased over time, and they become rooted 1 2

Frampton 2007, p. 344 Bachelard 1994, p. 190

CHICAGO

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

even further into the context of place.

s iconic architecture has become an increasingly contentious topic as social issues become more relevant in a wider range of subjects. The list of criticisms against iconic architecture often argues: it is vacuous and without meaning; it is out of touch with the cultures or traditions of place; it is superﬁcial and only capable of ‘star-chitecture’ practice; and/or it has no pedagogical value. As previously mentioned, while there are built examples of architecture that are guilty of these shortcomings, it would be wrong to discredit iconic objects that successfully address the circumstances of site and context as well as ﬁnd importance within the city. In addition, the long-term effects of these objects are often discounted by opponents of iconic architecture, because iconic objects are often initially disliked but loved in the long run. “iconic simply means that the building stands for something of value to the people for who it was built”1. This suggests that iconic structures are then meant to become symbolic of not just place but also the people who live, work, and play in and around the environment. As such, the function and activites of such iconic buildings should describe the people for who the structure is built. Cultural programs do well to embody the spirit of humanity and place.

onstraining big picture investigations over short-term periods explains the reason for arguments against iconic architecture and suggests the notion that “We append an abridged list of stimulants, a-temporal and necessarily transcultural, as possible objets trouvés in the urbanistic collage”2 . This means that ﬁrst impressions of objects are often void of relativity to time and place, and that they are largely based on the immediacy of aesthetic pleasure. In order to properly understand the success of architecture, the window of observation must be appropriate to the scope of the work. For iconic works, the scope of their iconic nature demands a much longer window of time. Examples of some iconic structures, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Gherkin, and the Louvre Pyramid, demonstrate the tendency for society to label the iconic architecture with disdain, but further investigation shows their opinions improve with time. In addition to this transformation, projects such as these alter the way in which neighborhoods can be described, for an iconic object that has become a landmark provides the city with a point of reference. When combined, the ways in which a building responds to context and the ways in which it engages with its surroundings 1 2

Fentress 2010, p. 3.12 Rowe 1984, p. 151

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

unite to describe the ephemeral component of making special nodes within the city. “The locus is a relationship between a certain speciﬁc location and the buildings that are in it”1. These localities can effectively be deﬁned by the boundaries of individual perception, understood as the different ranges of our senses. Identifying the perceptual stimuli of these localities are an important addition to the understanding of context.

conic buildings are architectural responses to the contextual circumstances of place. Their function and relationship with the rest of the city determines the monumental nature of their construction. Once achieved, “The architectural form of the city is exemplified in its various monuments, each of which has its own individuality”2. The components derived from this systemic concept of the city form a uniquely symbolic way for the inhabitants as well as others around the world to understand the character of a particular place. The influence of this iconographic understanding initiates a narrative and dialogue between the city and people that was previously nonexistant. Iconic architecture creates value for a place by providing something that other places simply do not offer. It often serves as a destination and provides a sense of arrival to its particular place. Iconic objects serving as landmarks influence the way visitors and inhabitants navigate through the city as well as provide the descriptive locations of other objects. The form of iconic architecture suggests its meaning, and the object is meant to become an emblem or symbol for the city. When this occurs, the program gains value and becomes invested into the character of the city, for it is a gesture which states the importance of the activities and program of the architecture. When designed properly, “icons emerge from context... the pragmatic is just waiting to become dramatic”3. Iconic architecture and structures suggest meaning with varied concentrations of cultural reference and expression similar to fine arts, but the interactive and functional components of architecture demand additional pragmatic characteristics.

ite selection for iconic objects depends on a multitude of criteria ranging from historical and cultural signiﬁcance, economic value, zoning considerations, and strategies of urban form; however, upon examining the iconography of contemporarily prosperous cities such as Seattle, St. Louis, Boston, New York City, and San Franscisco, a locational pattern of iconic objects sited at the city waterfronts became quickly apparent. The

1 2 3

Rossi 1984, p. 103 Rossi 1984, p. 127 Fentress 2010, p. 2.03

BEIJING

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

visual relationship between the architecture and the city varies with each path along which the architecture can be seen, but the edge-like nature of the waterfront instills a desire to face the city and read its beauty from a new vantage. “Still ﬂowing with the give-and-take of goods, people, and cultures, today’s most successful waterfronts offer the experiences and articulate the values of an open society, in which ideas are exchanged freely, transparent transactions are valued, and people are free to come and go”1.

he placement of icons within the composition of the city suggests meaning independent from the form of the object. The layout of many American cities offers an opportunity to signify importance through acts of defying the rules of the grid, and sometimes the most powerful uban gestures can be created by simply offsetting from the definition of the streets. “Monuments marking places of more than private importance will be found most often at either the borders or the heart”2 of the city. It is at these locations that the directional sequences of the city best express the feeling of arrival and destination. Rivers and bodies of water were once harsh boundaries and edges of urban fabric, but today, “the waterfront can be both foreground and background, a place to travel through, across, and along, as well as a place to go”3. The provision of flexible space such as this results in the opportunity for an infinite number of activities and uses. Over time, the program of these spaces will grow as cultures develop new ways to live in the built environment.

threshold exists through which architecture can be overly expressive and inadequately pragmattic. Such that these “works of art are the by-products of this existentialism of the imagining being... the real product is consiousness of enlargement”4. Expression is not merely applied to artistic objects; rather, social intent is invested into them with aims to inﬂuence others. As such, there will be circumstances of scale and context to determine the appropriateness of expressive content, for it can best be appreciated when used meaningfully. Architecture derived from the context in which it exists, will inherently grow in value as well as inform and inﬂuence the space around it. As the value of these objects increase and become more iconic, the decisions to preserve the integrity of places 1 2 3 4

Gastil 2002, p. 19 Bloomer & Moore 1979, p. 78 Gastil 2002, p. 92 Bachelard 1994, p. 184

MONTGOMERY

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

become more informed. There will be more incentives to repair and improve the space around us. Much like certain natural objects, icons exhibit qualities distinguishable by time, and so the natural environment also becomes a source for context; “Thus a tree is always destined for grandeur, and, in fact, it propogates this destiny by magnifying everything that surrounds it” 1. The intent of iconic architecture, which is to embody the spirit of those for who it is built, is certainly a grand gesture, but a neccessary aspiration of architecture as a whole is the improvement of space and the perceptual environemnt.

reating excitement for the city is an active and crucial function of iconic buildings. While there are inherently points of interest and focal points within the city, buildings are initially created to facilitate pragmatic needs, but those buildings which do not engage the public perceptually and formatively, will fail to create excitement. There are several fronts where in which iconic structures engage people. It most likely seems apparent that the ﬁrst occurs at a far distance when the iconic building emerges from the skyline of the city, but this is actually the second level of engagement. The ﬁrst method by which iconic buildings engage people is through the graphic sensibility of multimedia and culture. The images of cities and their iconic buildings create a narrative between the city and the individual. This dialogue often starts long before the physical journey begins, but it is immediately re-continued upon establishing a direct visual connection with the city. “A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature” – Thoreau, Walden

hile considering an approach to observing a city similar to the way Thoreau has taken to observing a lake, the city can be re-deﬁned as humanity’s most beautiful and expressive feature; from it we can measure our own nature. Recognizing the iconic objects of the city as reﬂections of the familiar forms found in culture as well as expressions of our own nature that provide ways in which society can evaluate itself. Witnessing the awe inspiring qualities of a city juxtaposed by either the seemingly untouched landscape of wilderness or the low-lying sprawl of suburbia, offers a unique impression to the individual that can ease the wandering human intelect into a critique of the urban

Bachelard 1994, p. 201

M I LW A U K E E - G R O U N D

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

fabric. The creation of these opportunities are inherently simple, but the ﬁnal resolution of architecture will always come down to creating poetic and meaningful spaces at different scales. “Spaces can enliven. They can excite the soul, ﬁll us with a sense of wonder, and bring us comfort and reprieve. When planned with their ultimate users in mind, spaces become more than bricks and mortar and glass and steel; they become incubators for serving, working, learning, and loving. This is what architecture is all about - providing spaces that empower people to live their best lives”1.

he interpretation of space is subjective to the past experience as preconceived notions that individuals have. For example, imagining a room without intent will certainly lack spatial qualities that encourage use, but once purpose is expressed the room will transform to imitate the spatial qualities of spaces we have previously experienced or seen. The challenge of purposing space and archtiecture is to ensure a level of clarity through suggested meaning in the built form of the environment. Icons are inherently defined through expressive forms, but the relevancy of form and context largely influence the immediacy of public favor, for “there exists a plastic affinity that has been consequence for architecture ever since the Baroque period”2. These plastic architectural forms have most recently become more common due to developments in computer modeling software as well as the methods of constructing complicated forms from a wide variety of materials, and while there are many criticisms to this process, it is necessary to recognize the development of mathematical proofs describing natural scientific phenomena. “As far as architecture is concerned, certain unavoidable problems arise out of this kind of analogical reasoning no only the dubious statagem of positing the metabolic processes of nature as the basis of a new architecture, but also the implicit repudiation of building culture as it has emerged over time as a pragmatic response to the constraints of climate, topography, and available material, not to mention those implicable forces of nature such as gravity and climate that always undermine the durability of the man-made environment”3.

1 2 3

Cary 2010, p. 16 Frampton 2007, p. 356 Frampton 2007, p. 359

S E AT T L E - G R O U N D

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

o use nature as a sole basis for architecture is to operate in the same misguided fashion as transplanting forms from outside the immediate context and circumstances of place. Technology designed to function like a tree, will never work exactly like a tree. It will only emulate to the best of its ability, and will thus be inefﬁcient. In the same respect, meaningful architecture belonging to a speciﬁc place cannot be transplanted, for it will not work the same if it is somewhere else. The value of studying performative qualities of biological forms is certainly substantial; however, the cultural relevance of these biological forms is additionally an opportunity to improve the iconic function of objects.

hile the design of architecture is a complex and necessarily collaborative endeavour, the pursuit of problem solving identifies “the full range of human needs - the need for safety, comfort, a sense of belonging, identity, and the uplifting of the spirit through art”1. Art can be interpreted as a physical manifestation of humanity’s values and beliefs. Just as our graves and the lives of our children will give evidence to our individual existence, art gives evidence to the life and spirit of our personal being. The emotional components that are invested into artwork provide the opportunities for collective experiences that encourage communal development. “The real art of iconic public architecture is getting people to see their own greatness in a building”2. The scale of architecture relative to art suggests that the scale of the influence from collective experience resulting from architecture is dramatically more powerful; however communication is a significant factor when considering this potential. This fullfillment offers to reinforce the identity of the city and create a symbiotic relationship with its inhabitants through which the people support the buildings with active use, and in turn the buildings support the people through the provision of accessible space and social interaction. “At the beginning of the 1990’s, following a long economic decline, Bilbao was focused on rejuvenating itself and determined that new design could not only reconnect its own citizens to their civic identity but also generate foreign and national investiments and tourist dollars”3.

1 2 3

Fentress 2010, p. 4.07 Fentress 2010, p. 7.03 Gastil 2002, p. 90

PA R I S - G R O U N D

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

he scope of the project in Bilbao was derived from the identification of a specific need. This need, while common to many de-industrialized cities, addressed the situational circumstances that were unique to the city. One aspect of the contextual response was in regards to the still-functioning port. The designation of publicly accessible cultural buildings in highly utilitarian areas faces an important challenge: “When symbolic forms and activities dedicated to that ideal have to be insulated from the public, their meaning implodes”1. The success of the iconic object develops as the icon becomes increasingly symbolic of the city for which it was built, but if the architecture is just outside the reach of public enjoyment and without space for people to inhabit, meaning is lost and it will fail to make way for more accessible things. International appeal creates the opportunity for architecture to “function as both an icon of the city and a physical link”2 to the world outside of the city. People from all over the world are able to identify the city of Bilbao with its iconic museum, and whether or not they physically travel to the site, a narrative between the city and that individual has been created.The value of an iconic museum adds cultural and social value to the city, because the combination of iconic architecture and cultural program is meant to “identify the city as a cultural capital”3. As the scope of investigation will directly influence the scope of work that needs to be done, the study of dying urban cities is certainly a large-scaled endevour that will show the need for equally large gestures and projects. While small scale can certainly influence big change under particular circumstances, “today’s redevelopment requires vision and action at the same scale”4.

he ability to actively use forethought in combination to architecture and planning is indicative of a city’s progress. In reference to the collaborators responsible for the Guggenheim Museum in Bibao, Spain, “the city beneﬁted from their engagement, visualizing how design could be a generator, not a decorator, of urban life”5. The combination of iconic architecture and cultural program formed a catalyst for growth and prevented the city from decay. Cultural program combined with iconic architecture not only suggests the importance of culture but also uplifts the spirit of place. “On a large scale, urban planning that offers not 1 2 3 4 5

Gastil 2002, p. 23 Gastil 2002, p. 72 Gastil 2002, p. 91 Gastil 2002, p. 27 Gastil 2002, p. 71

MONTGOMERY - GROUND

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

only the basic requirements of housing, transportation, and commerce but also parks, public squares, and cultural facilities can increase the quality of life for all inhabitants, bolster civic pride, and have positive impact on the citiy’s economy”1.

public understanding of these civic necessaties largely determines what gets built and what does not. The public’s ability to read the urban fabric improves their ability to guage what is needed or overdeveloped from a more objective point of view, and the better informed the public is a whole, the better communities can inform the decisions of planners and designers. The opportunity to ascend to a great height and observe the city will help to facilitate the critique of the urban fabric, but there is also a sociological component to such an opportunity that can be used to attract and encourage use of the building. As Richard Neutra states, “To gain height against the eternal pull of gravity is the supreme triumph of the living”2. Adding such a function to a builidng can increase the project’s sustainability, because the tnhabitants of the city will not only have access to this opportunity but will also want to experience it. The city’s desire to experience space is the most important quality to strive for when designing public architecture. “The city prides itself on being the place where culture is produced, not consumed. Yet even the most adamant believer in the city’s unique conditions has to admit that part of the genius of the place is its ability to interpret and synthesize the experiences of other cultures and other places”3.

his ability to synthesize the experiences of other cultures and other places derives from the social interactions of the inhabitants who compose the diverse population of the city. Facilitating these social interactions strengthens the cities ability to attract new inhabitants and ensure progress. “Architecture provides our most important existential icons by which we can understand both our culture and ourselves”4. The ruins, memories, and descriptions of buildings will continue to inform the work of centuries yet to come, but the dialogue simultaneously rooted in the past and the present is accessible and most informative now. 1 2 3 4

Lepik 2010, p. 12 Neutra 1954, p. 167

Gastil 2002, p. 63 Pallasmaa 2009, p. 147

I C O N I C O B J E C T S T U DY 1500’ Empire State 1,454’

1400’

1300’

1200’

1100’

1000’

Eiffel Tower 1,063’

Flock of geese 1,000’

900’

800’

700’ Gateway Arch 630’

600’ Gherkin 591’ 500’

400’

300’

200’

Sydney Opera House 213’ Louvre 70’

100’

Tower of Pisa 183’

Guggenheim 65’

Space Needle 604’

Montgomery Tower 180’

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

challenging problem in every urban decision is one of scale. To address the individual at a humanistic level requires a drastic magnification from the urban scale of the city; however, it is possible for objects on the horizon to effectively break down the oversized feel of the city due to the fact that “it is generally true of our field of vision that the apparent size of objects on the horizontal plane is remarkably constant”1. Since we are able to consistently guage the size of objects at great distances, the decisions we make regarding the navigation and movement through space are significantly more informed with the presence of iconic objects than without them. These decisions increase the range that people are willing to walk, and thus, improve pedestrian movement throughout the city. The iconic qualities of architecture describe the building as object, but upon finer observation the object again becomes a system of points which in turn describe the spaces composing the overall architecture. The relationships of buildings that construct the urban fabric of the city directly influence the experience of moving through space between them. “Thus space is composed of a variety of different regions and dimensions, which can no longer be thought of as interchangeable and which effect certain changes in the bodies which move around within them”2.

he study of these relationships between objects in the city pertains to qualities such as the width, slope, and path of streets, the heights and setbacks of buildings, as well as the conditions at points of terminus. Terminus locations should be considered as points of destination within the urban fabric; as such, they additionally have the potential to mark boundaries and effect the perception of enclosure within the city. The spatial field occupied by the city and its inhabitants can be described as a system comprised of an infinite number of points; each with quantitative and qualitative definition. These points influence how people move through the urban field, and each is actively engaging the public through attraction or repulsion. As such, the field can be read by guaging patterns and directional currents. Iconic architecture strengthens the field by attracting people and pulling them through the city. These iconic objects are “signs of the collective will as expressed through the principles of architecture, [and] offer themselves as primary elements, fixed points 1 2

Merleau-Ponty 2008, p. 42 Merleau-Ponty 2008, p. 38

BELOW: MONTGOMERY, AL ALABAMA RIVER SKETCH

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

in the urban dynamic” 1. Monuments are the most influential points within the spatial field of the city, and their relationships to the rest of the city have far reaching influences with both magnitude and direction. Areas that need development would most effectively benefit from the paths between iconic objects. The journey from one to the other is a well defined by the perception of the terminus; as a result, pedestrians are encouraged to walk this path rather than drive. In addition the procession of moving from one point in the city to another is given significance, because “derived from the original organic fact of facing, there are within space forward sequences of honor ritual, of dignity, of progress, of interest in climax”2. The orientation and effect of each point within a spatial field can be thus be derived from these forward sequences of space, and people can be encouraged to re-develop the city. The directionality of the city, which can be represented as a multi-layered array of vectors each with their own orientation and strength, has a profound effect on the people within. Our senses gather an incredible amount of information, through which we perceive the city based on specific values established to help filter and evaluate our environment and inform our decisions. This phenomena offers an interpretation of culture as the resultant of specific values embeded within our senses that have filtered the stimuli of an environment to produce sets of behaviors and customs unique to place. In addition, when investigating the context and behaviors of people within the city, “we must also take into account how people orient themselves within the city, the evolution and formation of their sense of space”3. As previously stated, examining the city and urban issues requires multiple perspectives at a wide range of different scales. “By architecture of the city we mean two different things: first, the city seen as a gigantic man-made object, a work of engineering and architecture that is large and complex and growing over time; second, certain more limited but still crucial aspects of the city, namely urban artifacts, which like the city itself are characterized by their own history and thus by their own form”4.

t perhaps the largest scale appropriate to urban design, the city is a point among many other points which, to a degree, collaborate to comprise a much larger system. The next scale 1 2 3 4

Rossi 1984, p. 22 Neutra 1954, p. 169 Rossi 1984, p. 34 Rossi 1984, p. 29

BELOW: MONTGOMERY, AL DEXTER AVE SKETCH

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

suggests, the city is itself an object with iconic qualities and suggested meaning in its form and character. Further magnification reveals that the city is too a system comprised of many points which have the potential to work effectively together towards a desired functions. These points within the city are too objects themselves, and the alternation of object followed by system continues infinitely in both directions. The scales at which the city is studied rely on the methods derived to be most appropriate to the circumstances, issues, and intentions of addressing each particular place. The iconic qualities of architecture describe the building as object, but upon finer observation the object again becomes a system of points which in turn describe the spaces composing the overall architecture. “Systems are interacting and interdependent objects and their attachments - that is, the corpeal and incorpeal agencies that presuppose them - that when organized form an intergrated coherency for a specific duration. Systems are in turn enmeshed with other sytems and networks. Building systems, for example are thus subject to a multiplicity of influences, from the social to the technical, that are but manifest in physical artifacts. Consequentially, when architects design and build systemic relations among networks of cultural, economic, ecological, and even political systems”1.

dvocating the importance of systemic thinking is increasingly neccessary, “We can no longer view building components as artifacts (a brick or a boiler) or as autonomous systems (airconditioning or prefabrication). Rather, these components and systems are but part of much larger systems of which architects are one agent”2. This notion defines a method of investigating architecture in between the scales of ‘building as object’ and ‘programmed space as object’. “A paradigm shift is welcome. Instead of describing technologies as effects on society and vice versa from a casual deterministic perspective, architects must be critically aware of the social and technical binary of building, integrating a confluence and convergence of these seemingly disparate subjects - an approach that reflects fundamentally more sytemic thinking”3.

1 2 3

Moe & Smith 2010, p. 1 Moe & Smith 2010, p. 4 Moe & Smith 2010, p. 9

BELOW: MONTGOMERY, AL HISTORIC DISCRICTS SKETCH

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

s humanity continues to progress, it is necessary to remain critical of the past and present whilst addressing the future with clear intent. Much like we critique the past, we can evaluate the conditions of our environments as well as ourselves. “In this drive to rediscover the world as we apprehend it in the lived experience, all the precautions of classical art fall by the wayside”1. The potential for architecture to create the framework necessary for rediscovering the city is clearly evident; both through socially driven programmatic spaces, which encourage freely open discussions, as well as through the provision of choice opportunities to directly view and observe the city as a whole. The cities can certainly beneﬁt from “the extraordinary amount of information afforded by an open view from a great height... a great deal of directly legible visual information, not only about buildings and parks but also about the natural systems and infrastructures that integrate them”2. When made accessible to the public, the city gains another vista through with it can be experienced. The evidence presented by iconic cities shows that the success of urban environments is dependent on not only iconic objects but also collaborative efforts, where architecture and design, in these cities, is seen as a valid cultural expression, integral to a city’s experience and growth.

clearly developed investigation seeking progressive architecutre appropriate to context suggests that “openminded societies design waterfronts that accept change, recognizing, in a deeply pragmatic way, that all cities and societies can be improved and thrive on continuous reinvention in their physical and cultural expression”3. The collective effort of designers and clients has long been the way in which architecture is created, but “when government values design and planning, as it so evidently does in London, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam among other cities, the special opportunity of the waterfront - freed from freight cargo, ready to be working as the icon of the urban life - rises exponentially”4. Once the people on the outskirts of dying cities are re-convinced of the incentives for living in the city, they will respond. “We are returning to the historic city, to the modern city, to the post-industrial city, we are re-densifying the expansive city”5. This is a transition that will need careful planning and purposeful collaborative design. The perpetual neglect of common space within the city will spur the already evident migration of people to the suburbs as well as the 1 2 3 4 5

Merleau-Ponty 2008, p. 52 Gastil 2002, p. 20 Gastil 2002, p. 19 Gastil 2002, p. 87 Per 2011, p. 11

BELOW: MONTGOMERY, AL COMMERCE TERMINUS SKETCH

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

continued decay of the urban fabric. As architects it is part of our job to collaboratively prevent the failures of a transitioning urban landscape. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The great blank horrors of our public environment are the spaces that belong to no one, that are neither private nor public, neither comfortable nor inspiring nor even safe, the noplaces that erode the public realmâ&#x20AC;?1. When there is not an icon to preserve the identity of the city, these blank spaces within the urban fabric appear futile for development rather than prime, because the empty lot will be all that calls attention to itself.

Bloomer & Moore 1979, p. 84

Works Cited Curtis Fentress, 2010. Touchstones of Design. Edition. Images Publishing Dist Ac. Maurice Merleau-Ponty, 2008. The World of Perception. 1 Edition. Routledge. Gaston Bachelard, 1994. The Poetics of Space. First Edition Edition. Beacon Press. Kenneth Frampton, 2007. Modern Architecture: A Critical History (Fourth Edition) (World of Art). Fourth Edition Edition. Thames & Hudson. John Brinckerhoff Jackson, 1996. A Sense of Place, a Sense of Time. Edition. Yale University Press. Juhani Pallasmaa, 2009. The Thinking Hand (Architectural Design Primer). 1 Edition. Wiley. Aldo Rossi, 1984. The Architecture of the City (Oppositions Books). Edition. The MIT Press. Colin Rowe, 1984. Collage City. Edition. The MIT Press. John Cary, Majora Carter, & Public Architecture, 2010. The Power of Pro Bono. Edition. Metropolis Books. Andres Lepik, 2010. Small Scale, Big Change. Edition. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Kiel Moe & Ryan Smith, 2012. Building Systems: Design Technology and Society. 1 Edition. Routledge. Aurora FernĂĄndez Per, 2011. Density is Home: Housing By a+t Research Group (English and Spanish Edition). Edition. a+t architecture publishers. Raymond W. Gastil, 2002. Beyond the Edge: New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Waterfront. 1 Edition. Princeton Architectural Press. Neutra, Richard, 1954. Survival through design.. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Kent C. Bloomer and Charles W. Moore, 1979. Body, Memory and Architecture. Edition. Yale University.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PROJECT WORK

â&#x20AC;&#x153;survival of the sustainable city is dependent on memorarable experience and identity.â&#x20AC;?

PROJECT OVERVIEW _introduction Montgomery is the second largest city in Alabama and the state’s capital. During the 1960s, the city was not only the center of civil rights movements in the United States, but arguably the world. Over the last few decades, development has occurred outside the center of the city but not within. The city has made an effort to revitalize the core of its downtown along Commerce Street and Dexter Avenue and the riverfront located on the southern bank of the Alabama River. _observations There is no clear destination. Two grids that deﬁne the layout of Montgomery’s downtown make trying to navigate through the city problematic. The streets and block sizes are also largely oversized making pedestrian travel relatively non-existent. There is nothing worth walking to as well as nothing to encourage alternative methods of transportation. The riverfront has been the site for several new developments within the last decade, but it lacks a signiﬁcant presence within the everyday life of the city. The perception of the urban fabric falls short of creating any sense of place.

PROJECT ASPIRATIONS 1. 2. 3. 4.

deﬁne the riverfront and downtown core with an iconic object present montgomery’s history on regional, national, and international scales encourage intermodal transportation strengthen the perception of urban frabric

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PROBLEM STATEMENT _function because the city wants sustainability, the project should address its context beyond an environmental approach to insure the most efficient occupation of space. therefore an intent to sustain should influence every decision. because the city wants excitement, the project will provide a place of strong interest that can be used at all hours of everyday. a spatial field should allow for a more flexible program and the number of different activities to grow. because the city wants interconnectivity, the project will connect with multiple sites while creating a network and strengthening the space between objects._ _form because the city wants identity, the project should evoke a sense of community and strengthen the perception of urban fabric on a grand scale._ _economy because the city wants progress, the project must insure healthy development as well as attract people to re-inhabit the downtown._ _time because the city wants discovery, the project will enhance the passage of time as spectacular experience within itself and the city._

Louvre Pyramid by I.M. Pei

Seattle Space Needle by John Graham & Company

Aberdeen Gardens by Diller Scoﬁdio + Renfro

Iconic object Strong opposite of context

Iconic object Improved wayﬁnding

Multifunctional public space in a historic neighborhood.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

INSPIRATIONAL IMAGERY

Milwaukee Art Museum by Santiago Calatrava

Copenhagen bicycle lanes by Municipality

The Great Pyramids of Giza

Iconic object + Similar Program

Alternative transportation Contributes to urban density

Iconic object

PROJECT: jule collins smith museum of fine art LOCATION: auburn, alabama YEAR OPENED: 2003 ARCHITECTS: gresham, smith and partners BUILDING: 40,000 sq. ft. MAIN LEVEL PROGRAM: lobby office suite exhibition galleries (7) museum shop cafe auditorium terrace LOWER LEVEL: vault system carpentry shop staff & security offices GARDENS: 15 acres of botanical gardens large scale sculpture 3 acre lake walking paths w/ benches water features KEY COMPONENTS: PROS - the building is modern with travertine exterior - spaces are distinguishable but separate - most interior and exterior spaces are flexible - formal entrance CONS - utilizes surface parking - no clear sequence

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PROTOTYPE ANALYSIS (BUILT EXAMPLE)

PROTOTYPE ANALYSIS (PUBLISHED/ONLINE)

PROJECT: milwaukee art museum’s quadracci pavilion LOCATION: milwaukee, wisconsin YEAR OPENED: 2001 ARCHITECTS: santiago calatrava BUILDING: 142,050 sq. ft. BRIDGE/MEZZANINE LEVEL PROGRAM: lobby bridge board room MAIN LEVEL PROGRAM: terrace reception hall lobby exhibition space LOWER LEVEL: terrace restaurant rotunda meeting galleria PARKING LEVEL KEY COMPONENTS: PROS - the building’s form was concieved to be formal, functional, symbolic, and iconic. - a bridge is used to physically connect the museum to the city’s downtown. - the interior has a strong relationship with views to the lake. - parking is underground but manages to use daylighting - the pavilion is an addition connecting to pre-existing structures - emphasis on local craft CONS - building was extremely expensive - brie solei is often broken

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

International Civil Rights Art Center Program space

quantity

sq.ft.

occ. factor

total sq.ft.

occ. load

entrance lobby museum shop coat check

1 1 1

2000 1000 200

5 100 300

3200 2000 1000 200

400 10 1

galleries local regional national international multimedia

1 1 1 1 1

5000 5000 5000 5000 5000

50 50 50 50 50

25000 5000 5000 5000 5000 5000

100 100 100 100 100

exhibition/auditorium auditorium auditorium b.o.h. waiting exhibition

1 1 1 1

4500 500 2000 600

200 200 5 50

7600 4500 500 2000 600

23 3 400 12

offices director assist. director financial admin executive secretary curator IT specialist development coordinator registrar media producer graphic designer

1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1

400 200 120 120 150 120 150 120 150 120

100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

1950 400 200 120 120 450 120 150 120 150 120

4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

intermodal bicycle area electric car area

1 1

2000 1200

200 200

3200 2000 1200

10 6

subtotal

81400

circulation (20%)

16280

grossing factor (10%)

parking (1.5) total

8140 # 159

200

38160 31800 143980

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PROGRAM + AREA REQUIREMENTS. staff areas conference employee lounge lockers

1 1 2

350 800 500

15 15 50

2150 350 800 1000

24 54 10

event space outdoor stage plaza/ terrace discovery lounge

1 1 1

1800 3000 2000

7 5 5

6800 1800 3000 2000

258 600 400

production artist loft studio shop

1 1 1

1600 2000 2400

200 100 200

6000 1600 2000 2400

8 20 12

bathrooms mens toilets womens toilets unisex toilets

5 5 2

300 400 80

50 50 50

3660 1500 2000 160

6 8 2

food cafeteria kitchen dining cafĂŠ

1 1 1

4400 3000 800

200 15 15

8200 4400 3000 800

22 200 54

storage janitorial exhibition material office supply

8 6 2

30 1000 200

300 300 300

6640 240 6000 400

1 4 1

mechanical /electrical building mech room electrical closet mech closet

1 5 5

5000 100 300

300 300 300

7000 5000 500 1500

17 1 1

SPATIAL CONSIDERATIONS Notes: PUBLIC WAITING & ENTRANCE needs seating and places to organize large groups. size of space must be large enough to create a grand effect. the layout of the building should be expressed through views into other spaces. GALLERIES flow of visitors should be slowed down and the scale should become more intimate. light must be controlled in a manner appropriate to the art of the gallery. seating and partitions should be flexible and have spaces for storage. mechanical systems should also be low-flow to reduce noise. LECTURE HALL/AUDITORIUM acoustic treatment is key. seating arrangments must be optimized to accomodate views and access for 200 people as well as facilitate discourse. views to the river will create a backdrop. MUSEUM SHOP + COAT CHECK spaces must avoid clutter while remaining light and transparent. these spaces must be located to receive high levels of traffic, and should be open enough to avoid cluster. PERFORMANCE STAGE needs a strong connection with the outdoors. views to the stage are critical. acoustics should project out into the lawn DISCOVERY LOUNGE located at the top of the building to maximize views over the river and back to the city. this should be a place to reflect as well as socialize. visitor flow will be high volume but should be slowed to maintain tranquility. PLAZA/TERRACE views to the river combined with close proximity to access to the riverfront. open and flexible for events. BICYCLE PARKING exterior while having a close relationship with the entrance lobby. should reward those who choose to bike instead of drive. must be protected from rain. shaded but not overly dark. ELECTRIC CAR RENTAL meant to be available and informative to those who are curious or desire alternative modes of transportation. close proximity to entrance and high visibilty not desirable, but easily accessible. use solar tech to charge.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PARKING necessary. must have adequate daylight to avoid high energy costs. will serve as substructure for lawn. LOADING DOCK must avoid appearing overly utilitarian while maintaining functionality. will facilitate the inflow and outflow of art and exhibition materials. OFFICES + ADMINISTRATION employees will require access to high levels of daylighting. visitor flow should be minimized. optimize cooperation and efficiency of effort. not just space. ARTIST STUDIO + SHOP livable studio space for visiting artists to create unique exhibitions. should provide comfortable spaces to rest and functional spaces to create. the shop will also serve the construction of new exhibition structures. BATHROOMS critical that they meet ada requirements and be easily accessible on all largely public floors. wayfinding should be logical and clear while minimizing their overall presence. CAFETERIA/DINING ROOM open with views to the river. flexible for events. acoustical treatments should be utilized to control the noise level from large groups. CIRCULATION distinct elements for public, egress, and transportation of art/personel. STORAGE accessible only by employees. little need for daylighting. special considerations necessary to ensure function specific storage. close proximity to supported spaces and circulation. MECHANICAL SYSTEMS focus on energy efficient high tech systems to support passive energy saving design. unlikely to be solely centralized. therefore locations should be function specific.

ICONIC SKYLINES EXPERIMENT

ICONIC OBJECTS STRENGTHEN THE IDENTITY OF CITIES AND THE ‘LINK’ BETWEEN MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AND PLACE.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT SITE ANALYSIS

ofﬁces/ admin

lecture hall/ auditorium

multimedia gallery

artist studio + shop

plaza/ terrace

shop/ coat check

galleries

discovery lounge

entrance lobby

loading dock

cafeteria/ dining room

performance stage

bicycle parking/ rental

major adjacency winter winds prevail from NE minor adjacency

electric car rental

parking +125ft -140ft

river ﬂood stages: Major Flood Stage: 53 Moderate Flood Stage: 45 Flood Stage: 35 Action Stage: 26 historic crests: (1) 59.70 ft on 04/01/1886 (2) 58.10 ft on 02/26/1961 (3) 57.10 ft on 12/11/1919 (4) 56.90 ft on 03/17/1929 (5) 56.00 ft on 11/30/1948

approx elevation of montgomery 200ft above sea level

summer winds prevail from SW p optimum orientation for vertical vertic surface: due south sou

+165ft -100ft

capital to river .89 miles

+265ft -0

+180ft 0ft -85ft ft

geo-coordinates 32o 22’ N - 86o 18’ W

t sst aa s s ooo ppo lllaa l a tta ccee eerr m m m m ccoo

tal capital capi ing building build

sstt

e ar qu t s za ur la co p

dexter ave

I C O N I C O B J E C T S T U DY

1500’ Empire State 1,454’

1400’

1300’

1200’

1100’

1000’

Eiffel Tower 1,063’

Flock of geese 1,000’

900’

800’

700’ Gateway Arch 630’

600’ Gherkin 591’ 500’

400’

300’

200’

Sydney Opera House 213’ Louvre 70’

100’

Tower of Pisa 183’

Guggenheim 65’

Space Needle 604’

Montgomery Tower 180’

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

P R E VA I L I N G W I N D S

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

TERMINUS the perception of space is critical to the experience of a city. pedestrian trafﬁc is dependent on our decision to walk. therefore, if we are not convinced into walking, we will most likely deprive ourselves and just drive. an identiﬁable terminus plays a key role in our decision to travel. additionally, this is a good opportunity to create an iconic image for the city that can be remembered and shared.

GOOD. the capital building is identiﬁable. the space between object and person is effectively gauged.

POOR. road to court square plaza.

POOR. the riverfront is unidentiﬁable and void of any landmark object.

ZONING ANALYSIS + LEGAL CONSTRAINTS.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

Montgomery Alabama Building Codes Code Type Building/Dwelling Code (334) 241-2072 online

Code Model IBC 2003, IRC 2003

Amendment

Contact Permit Center,

Structural Code IBC 2003 Center, (334) 241-2072 online

Permit

Plumbing Code IPC 2003 Center, (334) 241-3156 online

Permit

Mechanical Code IMC 2003 Permit Center, (334) 241-3156 online Electrical Code NEC 2008 Center, (334) 241-2081 online

Permit

Fire/Life Safety Code Center, (334) 241-2916

Permit

IFGC 2003

for additional spatial considerations: http://www.wbdg.org/design

CODE SUMMARY

Notes: TRANSECT ZONING the proposed site is located adjacent to the riverfront at the terminus of commerce street after tallapoosa street. according to the smartcode, the site is a within the designated T5 transect zone; however, the project will seek to additionally operate within the criterion of a T6 zone or specialized district as necessary. CIVIC FUNCTION as classified by table 10e of the smartcode, a museum is function-specific to a T5 transect zone by exception and a T6 or SD by right. PARKING due to the civic function of the project, parking requirements are to be determined by warrant. as such the project will seek to provide 1.5/1000 sq.ft. parking spots to visitors. as part of an effort to encourage pedestrian activity. SETBACKS sidewalks shall be between 12-30ft wide with raised curbs of a 5-20ft radius. LANDSCAPING planters shall be opportunistic, single species, tree wells of 4-6 feet wide. open landscape shall be defined as a green, square, plaza, or playground.

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

LEED WORKSHEET

SITE ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES

visiting artists will be able to produce unique exhibitions to both inform and interpret the circumstance of the city.

unique views to the river are provided to foster a rediscovery of the surroundings.

APPROACH DOWN COMMERCE STREET

VIEW FROM THE RIVERFRONT

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

AERIAL VIEW EAST

SKETCHES

AERIAL VIEW NORTH

I N T E R N AT I O N A L C I V I L R I G H T S CENTER FOR ART / / M O N T G O M E R Y, A L / / / / FA L L 2 0 1 2 — S P R I N G 2 0 1 3 / / P R O F E S S O R S R A N D A L VA U G H N & B E H Z H A D N A H K J AVA N This project strives to create a piece of iconic architecture that would strengthen the identity of the city and become a landmark object reconnecting the river to the city and providing much needed terminus for the urban corridor.

ABOVE: MONTGOMERY, AL COMMERCE STREET PHOTO

THESIS SUMMARY Survival of the sustainable city is dependent on memorarable experience and identity. Montgomery is the second largest city in Alabama as well as the state’s capital, but most of the working population commutes, leaving much of the downtown vacant outside of business hours. During the 1960’s, the city was not only the center of civil rights movements in the United States, but arguably the world. Today, there is little to suggest the importance of such events and little that gives meaning back to the city. By gaining an iconic object dedicated to sharing an international perspective of civil rights, the identity of the city is strengthened and memorable experiences are given new life.

ABOVE: MONTGOMERY, AL COURT SQUARE PLAZA PHOTO

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

LEFT: MONTGOMERY, AL RIVERFRONT TUNNEL PHOTO

LEFT: MONTGOMERY, AL TRAIN SHED PHOTO

BELOW: MONTGOMERY, AL ALABAMA RIVER SKETCH

MIDTERM SKETCHES

SECTION LOOKING EAST

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

STUDY MODEL

TERMINUS SKETCH

SECTION LOOKING SOUTH

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

AXON LOOKING NORTHWEST

FINAL DRAWINGS “ I D O N O T C A R E W H AT I T L O O K S L I K E , B U T I K N O W I T W I L L B E TA L L , I N H A B I TA B L E , A N D I N D I C AT I V E O F T H E R I V E R . . .”

AERIAL PERSPECTIVE - SOUTH

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

SITE PLAN

AXON

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

FLOOR PLAN GROUND

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 1

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 1ii

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 2

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 3

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 4

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 5

FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 6

E L E VAT I O N N O R T H E A S T

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

E L E VAT I O N N O R T H E A S T

E L E VAT I O N S O U T H W E S T

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

E L E VAT I O N S O U T H E A S T

S E C T I O N O B S E R VAT I O N

SECTION BRIDGE

SECTION AUDITORIUM

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PERSPECTIVE - LOWER BRIDGE

PERSPECTIVE - MIDDLE BRIDGE

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PERSPECTIVE - MIDDLE BRIDGE

PERSPECTIVE - RIVERFRONT

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PERSPECTIVE - AUDITORIUM

PERSPECTIVE - UPPER BRIDGE

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PERSPECTIVE - LOOKING ACROSS THE RIVER

P E R S P E C T I V E - S TA I R P L A C E F O R R E S T

William J. Callahan // Thesis Booklet

PERSPECTIVE - LOOKING DOWN COMMERCE

100

THE END

“A R C H I T E C T U R E I S N O T A B O U T B U I L D I N G S B U T I T G E T S B U I LT ” - BEHZAD