United Durham

United Durham An investigation into the infrastrucural integration of local food, open space, and transit systems.

Will Serge Fall 2014 Virginia Tech Landscape Architecture

Intro..................................................4 Concept ............................................8 Design.............................................17

Serge 4

A glance at the character and aesthetic of

Durham North Carolina

A city with agricultural roots in tobacco, Durham is the quintessential southern American rail town. Durham experienced a boom in urban growth post-civil war due to the combination of high quality tobacco product and a regional rail connection that allowed for access. The city retains many of its original structures from the 1890’s, which feature ornate brickwork in the American Revival sytle. Recently, Durham has been experiencing an era of economic prosperity, which has led to a Downtown Revitalization.

Serge 5

The local food scene in Durham is blossoming into a cultural and community hub for the city. A bi-weekly farmers market supplies city residents with fresh produce and hand made crafts. A battalion of food trucks eagerly disperse throughout the city to feed urbanites during lunch time. An analysis of food store locale and service area reveals that many of the stores are located along the highway, and few of them are within a ten minute walk of downtown. By integrating a series of community gardens, urban farms, and opening another community market, more reliance can be placed on local food production to feed residents.

Serge 6

The majority of city commuters rely on the highway to move throughout the city of Durham. The city fabric typically follows the traditional N.S.E.W grid, though a large part of the downtown core is aligned with a slanted rail-oriented grid. Downtown Durham is surrounded by a 5 lane automobile moat refered to as The Loop. Though the loop was developed as a means to solve traffic issues of the time, it has aided in isolating the core of downtown from the rest of the city. Highway overpasses add to the perception of a disconnected city and limit the ability for pedestrians to safely traverse the city.

Serge 7

Concept: A reconsideration of urban form and fabric with specific focus on infrastructural integration of transit, open space, and local food systems.

Multimodal Transit

Strategic Open Space

Serge 8

Goals and Objectives

Localized Food System

TO ESTABLISH A UNIFIED CITY OF DURHAM By redefining/clarifying downtown’s sense of place By connecting existing open space andimportant cultural nodes into a network of greenway trails and parks.

By reconsidering zoning and planning for suitable future land use By creating community spaces that encourage interaction between cultures TO FOSTER A MORE SUSTAINABLE DURHAM By increasing livability in Downtown Increase density by repurposing existing structures and infilling on empty sites Providing opportunities for basic services to thrive

Repurposed Open Space

Investing in urban agriculture, a food network and more efficient farming practices Improving public transit and walkability through the implementation of GreenStreets and Green ways.

Strategies Redirect The Loop Reduce impervious surfaces.

Harvest rainwater Improvie air quality Decrease reliance on vehicles Shade impervious surfaces Educate the Public Residential food production Precious open space

Serge 9

Triangle Transit Masterplan Regional Rail service will create new anchors for the Triangle area, connecting the region’s principle centers of activity with the heart of existing communities.

The improved Transit Plan is centered on the proposed light rail from Chapel Hill to Durham. An additional line will be developed from Durham to Raleigh, with a third rail line completeing the Triangle from Raleigh to Chapel Hill.

Bus Routes have been re-adapted from their original routes to access more residential areas. The routes circulate through downtown in a radial fashion, and stops are concentrated near Light Rail stations. By redrawing the bus lines, a higher volume of commuters can utilize the Light Rail.

Serge 10

Raleigh

REGIONAL RAIL SERVICE WILL DURHAM CREATE NEW ANCHORS FOR THE TRIANGLE AREA, CONNECTING THE REGION’S PRINCIPAL CENTERS OF ACTIVITY WITH THE HEART OF EXISTING COMMUNITIES

CHAPEL HILL

KEY LIGHT RAIL STATION (PLANNED) LIGHT RAIL STATION (PROPOSED) BUS ROUTE - REGULAR SERVICE BUS ROUTE - EXPEDITED SERVICE LIGHT RAIL (PLANNED) LIGHT RAIL - RALEIGH CONNECTOR LIGHT RAIL - CHAPEL HILL CONNECTOR

RALEIGH

HIGHWAY

SCALE 1” = 800’0”

0’0”

800’0”

1600’0”

24000’0”

Serge 11

DURHAM MASTERPLAN

Durham Masterplan DURHAM MASTERPLAN

GOALS, OB STRATEGIE

TO ESTABLISH DURHAM By redefining of place TO ESTABLISH A UNIFIED CITY OF By connectin DURHAM important cu By redefining/clarifying downtown's sense of place greenway tra By connecting existing open space and By reconside important cultural nodes into a network of suitable futur greenway trails and parks.

By creating c By reconsidering zoning and planning for encourage in suitable future land use

GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

By creating community spaces that encourage interaction between cultures

TO FOSTER A DURHAM TO FOSTER A MORE SUSTAINABLE By increasing DURHAM Increase d By increasing livability in Downtown structures Increase density by repurposing existing Providing o structures and infilling on empty sites services to Providing opportunities for basic services to thrive Investing in Investing in urban agriculture, a food network an network and more efficient farming practices practices Improving Improving public transit and walkability through th through the implementation of Green Streets an Streets and Green ways.

By establishin By establishing sound storm water management practices managemen Reduce impervious surfaces.

Reduce im Harvest Rainwater Harvest Ra Education Education By improving air quality By improving Decreased reliance on vehicles Decreased Shade impervious surfaces Plant more trees Shade imp Educate the Public Plant more Educate th KEY

KEY

URBAN FARM

URB FARMER’S MARKET

FARM

COMMUNITY GARDEN

COM

DUKE UNIVERSITY

DOWNTOWN

DUK

PROPOSED PARK

DO

EXISTING PARK

PRO

EX

PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

LIGHT RAIL STATION

PRO

PRIMARY ROUTES SECONDARY ROUTES

LIG

TERTIARY ROUTES GREEN STREETS AMERICAN TOBACCO TRAIL PROPOSED GREEN WAY LIGHT RAIL TRACK

SCALE 1” = 800’0”

0’0”

Serge 12

800’0”

1600’0”

24000’0”

UNITED D

A RECONSIDERATION SPECIFIC FOCUS ON KEY TRANSIT, OPEN SPAC

Downtown Masterplan DUKE EAST CAMPUS

MOREHEAD HILL

TRINITY PARK

BRIGHTLEAF

MEDIU RESIDE

CITY BOUNDARY

AMERICAN STRATEGIC OPEN SPACE TOBACCO NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES (PROPOSED) CAMPUS

CENTERAL PARK

LOW D RESIDE

DUKE EAST CAMPUS

FOOD D

HISTORICAL DISTRICTS

PROPO

MIXED USED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

EXISTIN

HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

CITY GA

KEY

BURCH AVE

CITY BOUNDARY

MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES (PROPOSED)

LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

PROPOSED

LIGHT RAIL S DUKE EAST CAMPUS

AMERICAN TOBACCO CAMPUS

MOREHEAD HILL

CITY CENTER

HISTORICAL DISTRICTS

FRANKLIN VILLAGE GOLDENBELT

MIXED USED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

FOOD DISTRICT

MULTIMODAL TRANSIT PROPOSED PARK

EXISTING PARK

CITY GATEWAY

KEY CITY BOUNDARY

MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES (PROPOSED)

LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

LIGHT RAIL STATION DUKE EAST CAMPUS

EDGEMONT

FOOD DISTRICT PRIMARY ROUTES

HISTORICAL DISTRICTS

PROPOSED PARK

MIXED USED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

EXISTING PARK

GREEN STREETS

LOCALIZED FOOD SYSTEMS AMERICAN TOBACCO TRAIL PROPOSED GREEN WAY

FAYETTVILLE PARK

HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL

CITY GATEWAY

LIGHT RAIL TRACK

Alston Avenue

Serge 13

KEY CITY BOUNDARY

MEDIUM DENSITY

PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

REPURPOSED OPEN SPACE

The site on Church Street was chosen for numerous reasons. As it exists now, the majority of the site is covered in impervious surfaces: the Loop meanders aimlessly through this corner of downtown while two surface parking lots lay vacant a majority of the time. This site is surrounded by several important civic structures, including the Court House, Cityhall, Parks & Rec, the Library, and the Fire Department. The lack of density and site orientation in this area lends itself to food production, so introducing apartments to increase downtown livability is a desired possibility.

Serge 14

Initial Sketch

Refinement

Considering the Traffic Circle

Serge 15

Site Design #1 Edits and Corrections

Serge 16

The design compliments Church Street and adds to the vibrance of the block. A traffic circle mitigates the traffic issues brought upon by the Loop while also adding motion and order to the site. High density apartment buildings align with the existing governmental building to formalize the structural order of the site. A bosque of trees creates a shaded civic plaza that contrasts with the remainder of the open space. Kitchen gardens spread from the apartments into the community garden, blurring the line between garden and plaza. The roundabout remains highly visible to both driver and pedestrian, and a central monument solidifies this area as the civic center of downtown.

Site Masterplan

Serge 17

Housing and Kitchen Garden

Civic Plaza

Garden and Bus Stop

Inside the Roundabout

Integrated Livability Serge 18

The Garden Edge

Fluid Circulation