Railworkers Memorial Museum

Page 1

RailwoRkeRs MeMoRial MuseuM wesTeRN oF alaBaMa Rail sHoPs / MoNTgoMeRy, alaBaMa

zac cordova 2012-2013 bachelor of architecture / auburn university professor behzad nakhjavan


1

history of labor

preface PAGE V note PAGE VII

2

W of A

3

project aspirations + analysis


4

process

5

final design

6

thesis essay

bibliography acknowledgements



preface/ The land encompassed by Montgomery, Alabama was territory of the Creek Indian Nation until 1814 when 23 million acres, most of Alabama and the southern half of Georgia, were ceded to the United States in the treaty of Fort Jackson. Shortly after, settlers began to build the city along the banks of the Alabama River. Montgomery remained heavily reliant on the slow rolling Alabama River system for regional connection until the advent of the locomotive in the mid nineteenth century. Once connected to the Southern Railway system, the city flourished. The city’s history coincides with the rise and fall of passenger train travel. Declining for many years, Montgomery’s fabric is now a pattern of void. In part due to the construction of I-85 and I-65 in the 1960s which established sprawl in addition to cutting off the city’s largest demographic (African American) from city center access. Downtown Montgomery is littered with an excess of open parking space and once very active streets are now less than; it has become an empty environment. I was searching for a project site that would allow the opportunity for development of my thesis ideas which at the time included the reintroduction of a natural ecology within the city. Being open minded about project type,examining old maps and current satellite imagery of Montgomery, I discovered the Western of Alabama Rail Shops. After my first visit to the site, my imagination was captured and my curiosity provoked.



note: /some of the imagery in this book I have borrowed from online resources and a book- Railroads In The African American Experience, A Photographic Journey by Theodore Kornweibel, Jr.- although the site photos belong to myself.



1

history of labor





“THERE WASN’T NO EQUIPMENT IT WAS MANUAL LABOR” 3



The entire southern railroad network that was built during the slavery era was built almost exclusively by slaves. Some of the railroads owned slaves, other railroads hired or rented slaves from slave owners. 2



DURING THE ANTEBELLUM ERA, ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICAN RAILROADERS, INCLUDING SKILLED CRAFTSMEN LIKE BLACKSMITHS, WORKED IN SOUTHERN RAILROAD SHOPS. AFTER SLAVERY ENDED, BLACKS WERE MORE AND MORE CONCENTRATED AT THE BOTTOM RUNGS OF THE OCCUPATIONAL LADDER, LOSING SKILLED SHOP POSITIONS TO WHITE WORKERS WHO, AS THEY UNIONIZED, DREW RIGID COLOR LINES. 3



RAILROAD EMPLOYMENT, EVEN AT THE LOWEST RANKS, WAS, SIMPLY, A STEP ABOVE THE WORST EXPLOITATION SUFFERED BY BLACKS IN THE POST-SLAVERY ERA.

3



“IF YOU DIDN’T WORK [AS HARD AS THE REST], YOU’D GET CRIPPLED UP.” 3



FOR ITS FIRST 110 YEARS, FROM 1830 INTO THE 1940s, THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY WAS HIGHLY LABOR INTENSIVE. SO LONG AS STEAM LOCOMOTIVES RULED THE RAILS, SERVICING AND MAINTAINING THEM REQUIRED MANY MORE WORKERS THAN THE NUMBER SUBSEQUENTLY NEEDED FOR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES. MOST TRACK MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED BY HAND, IN A RATIO OF NEARLY ONE LABORER PER MILE OF MAIN LINE TRACK. SWITCHING TOOK PLACE IN FLAT YARDS, WHERE CAR RIDERS MANUALLY APPLYING BRAKES BROUGHT EACH FREIGHT CAR OR CUT OF CARS TO A HALT. UP TO THE 1960s, THE RAILROADS OPERATED LARGE FLEETS OF PASSENGER CARS, EMPLOYING MANY WORKERS TO MAINTAIN, CLEAN, AND STAFF THEM. AND UNTIL THE ADVENT OF CONTAINERIZATION AND THE TRANSPORT OF HIGHWAY TRAILERS ON FLAT CARS, MUCH FREIGHT WAS LOADED AND UNLOADED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF TRUCKERS AT FREIGHT STATIONS ACROSS THE LAND.3



GIVEN THE OFTEN ERRATIC NATURE OF LOW-LEVEL RAILROAD JOBS, IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT NUMEROUS BLACK SHOP WORKERS TOILED INTO THEIR 70s, AND A FEW BEYOND THAT, EVEN AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL RAILROAD RETIREMENT PLAN IN THE 1920s.3 “MY FATHER, WHO KNEW AS MUCH ABOUT FIXING LOCOMOTIVES AS ANYONE IN TOWN, ALWAYS REMAINED A MACHINIST’S HELPER WHILE YOUNGER WHITES, WHO LEARNED THEIR WORK FROM HIM, BECAME MACHINISTS.”4



“I HADN’T HAD A VACATION BUT ONCE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY DUTIES WERE OF SUCH NATURE AS TO CAUSE INCONVENIENCE BY MY GETTING OFF, HENCE I DID NOT ASK IT.”

5



SEE THAT TRUE AND TREMBLING BRAKEMAN, AS HE SIGNALS TO THE CAB, THERE IS BUT ONE THING FOR HIM, AND THE TRAIN IT IS TO GRAB. SEE THAT TRUE AND TREMBLING BRAKEMAN AS THE CARS GO RUSHING BY, IF HE MISS THAT YELLOW FREIGHT CAR, HE IS ALMOST SURE TO DIE. SEE THAT TRUE AND TREMBLING BRAKEMAN AS HE FALLS BENEATH THE TRAIN, HE HAD NOT A MOMENT’S WARNING BEFORE HE FELL BENEATH THAT TRAIN. SEE THE CARS WHEELS ROLLING O’ER HIM, O’ER HIS MANGLED BODY’N HEAD, SEE HIS SISTER BENDING O’ER HIM, CRYING, “BROTHER, ARE YOU DEAD?”1



2

W of A


western of alabama time sheets to the left - september 1906 below - December 1869


introduction_western railway of alabama rail shops location

montgomery, alabama

1 mile north of downtown. industrial district/

The wofa, founded in 1832 was one of the earliest railroads in the american south. By the end of the nineteenth century, Montgomery had grown into the heart of a vast transportation network. The wofa built its primary rail shops there in the 1850s, where workers produced everything from passenger depot furniture and signs to freight cars and locomotives. The wofa rails shops began as a loose collection of buildings straddling N. Court st., approximately one mile north of downtown Montgomery. Following consolidation east of N. Court st. and dramatic growth between 1890 and 1910, the shops were considered the largest and most complete in alabama.

observations on existing conditions; after peaking in the 1920s, the road declined as a result of the combined effects of the depression, improved highway systems, and increasing air traffic. Today only 5 structures remain standing of the original 20, the enormous car shed, red brick planing mill, supply house/locker room building, oil house, and the coaling tower. although extensive recording of the remaining buildings has been done by the Historic american engineering Record, little has been done in way of preservation. The degree of degradation in these structures varies but overall is severe. The site itself is 45+ acres in area and bounded by existing and pre-existing rail infrastructure. The interior is scared by the footprints of old buildings and rail lines that connected the activities of rail car production and maintenance. large, modern electrical service towers and lines stretch across the southern portion of the site, dominating in height and providing a verticality not existing in the elongated original program. The monumental coaling tower, the northern most structure, suffers the least amount of decay in comparison to its counterparts thanks to a solid construction of reinforced concrete. But with its pitched roof and mechanical assemblies missing, the tower is almost undefinable as it rises from the landscape, a timeless presence that can call upon feelings spiritual in nature. Being inactive for many years, the site has found new life as natural species have begun to aggressively inhabit. Many native species of plants and trees (and some invasive) now claim residence in what is a heavily industrialized region of Montgomery, providing a powerful contrast that resonates a historic and cultural significance.


The wofa, founded in 1832 was one of the earliest railroads in the american south. By the end of the nineteenth century, Montgomery had grown into the heart of a vast transportation network. The wofa built its primary rail shops there in the 1850s, where workers produced everything from passenger depot furniture and signs to freight cars and locomotives.

southern Railway system 1895 to the left - western of alabama


downtown montgomery1899


The wofa rails shops began as a loose collection of buildings straddling N. Court st., approximately one mile north of downtown Montgomery. Following consolidation east of N. Court st. and dramatic growth between 1890 and 1910, the shops were considered the largest and most complete in alabama.


present day montgomery

after peaking in the 1920s, the road declined as a result of the combined effects of the depression, improved highway systems, and increasing air traffic. Today only 5 structures remain standing of the original 20, the enormous car shed, red brick planing mill, supply house/locker room building, oil house, and the coaling tower. although extensive recording of the remaining buildings has been done by the Historic american engineering Record, little has been done in way of preservation. The degree of degradation in these structures varies but overall is severe.

current condition of site




relative context


alabama state capitol dexter ave.

perry st. court square - court st.

riverside park alabama river

site today


WofA rail shops/ coaling tower. one of the largest in the south.


paint shop floor with rails intact/ bricks stamped-Coaldale Block Co.


little remains of the wooden lunch counter as walls are crumbling/ view of RSA tower downtown Montgomery


the proximity to downtown landmarks creates a dynamic relationship between decay and growth/ building on right was the locker room


interior of 420’ car shed/ floors are brick, rails remain intact


car shed steel trusses/ concrete roof tiles are penetrated by hundreds of skylights/ clerestory ventilation for smoke and heat



the brick planing mill is the most prominent structure on site/essentially a large woodshop, furniture was built on second floor


remnants of large coal pile/area of coaling tower


roof of electrical shop pulling away from car shed allows for a moment of sun in a dark, burnt space


interior of planing mill/ steel framework supports second floor and roof trusses above/ roof has deteriorated


planing mill/ lift/ mill would have been filled with huge machinery for wood working and ventilation


car shed/ wheel drop pit/ used for repairing or changing train car wheels


car shed column/ steel


site - active and vibrant/ regeneration of nature brings new life to a decaying memory of place


steel and concrete/ remnants of turntable


a reminder of past activity/ fumes within paintshop would have been explosive


paint shop wall/ last one standing


planing mill/ built by Cooke and Lourie, Montgomery contractors 1908-1910


a gem of industrial architecture/ brick and steel with great attention to facade detail


cars were rolled from the shed into the paint shop/


once the paintshop interior/ open space is bounded by a single wall/ a canvas for the sun to paint daily



3

project aspirations + analysis


project aspirations thesis

nature, memory, and perception in architecture

The relationship between man and nature has changed. Once nature presented a conflict that threatened the survival of human beings. over time we have developed tools and strategies to control the natural world so that it no longer poses this threat. Now that we have succeeded in doing this with technology and spacial arrangement, we are longing for a sense of a more natural world. what we are actually seeking isn’t that world where we fought the elements to stay alive, but rather one of the picturesque, the image of unspoiled wilderness. This is how we perceive nature. Nature is a memory. There is no landscape untouched by man, only those which we have chosen not to inhabit remain virgin. This site signifies the dynamic relationship that exists between man and nature today. It is a place once occupied by an industrial process which allowed for us to transplant the farthest regions for growth. The role here has reversed. Nature has new life where another has died. We can find nature in architecture. By creating works of architecture that activate our sensory system we are able to feel more alive within our buildings. attention to detail and materiality excites theses senses. Natural materials have an embodied memory of nature and our imaginations can create a new perception of nature in everyday moments.

goals

preserve the “nature� of the site - a program that is respectful of the quiet and maintains a sense of timelessness. - limit new construction to specific zones as to allow a new ecosystem to (re)develop - utilize a familiar material and formal palette local to the site


problem statement

function- Railworkers Memorial Museum. a memorial designed as a tribute to the men and women who have toiled to build the railroads of america.

form- New construction will be respectful of the barren site and situate proximate to downtown connector routes

where public access is easily achieved. The new facilities should inform visitors of the presence of laborous activity that once existed on the site.

economy- The new facility will incorporate new construction and also utilize existing structures in the design. New construction will be to the highest standards of modern museum design while making use of regional materials that respond to an existing material palette. time- allowing the site to regenerate promotes a constantly changing dynamic between the user and the site itself. Time becomes relative to experience.

key design initiatives silent systems and limited mechanics to maintain a controlled noise level limited artificial lighting. open-airy moments between and within structures familiar material palette that enriches the texture present

documentation


2 1

A

existing built conditions


coaling tower supply house

1

2

planing mill

3

extant structures footprints in landscape

3

car shop

4

4


1

2 3

B

existing landscape


1

2

4 3 extant structures footprints in landscape

4


saBel sTeel

CsX yard


perry st.

court st.

approach from downtown montgomery

perry st.

court st.


mapping the industrial process 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

planing mill paint shop car shed car lighting shop coaling tower locker room + supply house locker room oil house round house turntable machine shop tender shop supply shed car shed extension wheel + axle shop boiler building machine shop/diesel shop tie shop blacksmith’s shop office + storage area

11 16

9 10

12

18

17 19

6 5

7

8

13 14

3 4

1

15 2

20


2

3 5

9-10 11

15 16

17 19

example environments

1



OBSERVATIONS OF SITE An active industrial landscape can contain a wealth of sensory information. Labor, by nature, is a tactile activity. The worker uses his body and mind simultaneously, relying on the entire sensorium to complete his daily tasks. This environment is also a very

dangerous place to work, making the collection of this information very important to the safety of the individual and the community at large. This information is also very specific to an industrial place, allowing it to posses a spacial identity clearly separable from the rest of its urban ecosystem. This information is presented with varying media. The visual landscape is the most familiar to an untrained observer, a universal identifier. We first notice the recognizable industrial forms and activity. As we further observe the landscape, we begin to notice

the atmosphere. We see smoke from manufacturing, we smell its airborne byproduct, and hear its process. Each manufacturing site will have its own character, identified by the atmosphere

associated with the production of a specific product. A worker accustomed to working in a potato chip factory may have a hard time adjusting to a ship building dry dock. The tactile requirements differ greatly. This could be why we have the “tradesman�. Not only is the laborer skilled in his craft, he is familiar with his environment. He is an integral

part of this production, navigating through this atmosphere with complete control of his body and supreme awareness of his surrounding. Moving to the dock from the assembly line would be a total sensory overload. The project site I have chosen for my thesis is an interesting one. It is located at the heart of an active industrial landscape, but has no productive value. Having formerly been a functioning rail yard, the site is now barren. What remains of its program is ruin, a few buildings stand but most have been razed over a period. Many plant and animal species have began to make this site home, establishing a very unique ecosystem where sensory information presents industrial activity, historic ruin, and natural environment together in a multi-layered package.


sound mapping

number of planes train noise bird activity truck noise machinery industrial roar

avg. dB level of site - 62dB


EXPERIMENT A collected imagery-sound loop EXPERIMENT A collected imagery-sound loop In Experiment A, I attempted to produce a memory of the site. In hopes that it could In Experiment I attempted to of produce memory of the site. Inimage hopesfilm that it couldwith provide a quickA,understanding place, Iaconstructed a frozen coupled

provide a quick understanding of place, I constructed a frozenand image film randomly. coupled with three, one minute sound recordings, which then were layered looped three, one minuteand sound recordings, which were layered and looped randomly. The 250 images three sound clips werethen recorded in the four-hour period of my first

The visit. 250 images and three sound clips were recorded in the four-hour period of my first site site visit. The idea was to convey to the viewer the nature of the site and express the confusion of The idea was to convey thelandscape. viewer the nature of the sitethe andsite express the confusion place upon emersion intotothe As I mentioned, is surrounded by of place upon emersion into the landscape. I mentioned, theI am site blind is surrounded by industrial activity. Once I enter the interiorAs of the landscape, to this activity, industrial activity. I enter interior of the landscape, am blindThe to this but its sounds areOnce evident. Thisthe makes identifying place veryI difficult. filmactivity, attempts butexpress its sounds evident. Thisby makes very difficult. The on filmthe attempts to this are strange quality fixingidentifying the eye onplace specific objects found site to express this strange by that fixing on specific on the site and introducing the earquality to sound is the noneye specific relativeobjects to time,found thus allowing the and introducing the ear to sound that ishis non to memory. time, thus allowing the imagination of each viewer to develop or specific her own relative personal imagination of each viewer to develop his or her own personal memory.

EXPERIMENT B sound mapping+audio visual recording EXPERIMENT B sound mapping+audio visual recording In Experiment B, I began to study the existing soundscape of my project site. I In Experiment B, I began to study existingspecific soundscape of my project site. Iperimeter recorded the sound pressure levelthe at twelve locations along the site’s recorded theofsound pressure level at twelve specific locations along the site’s perimeter for a period 5 minutes at each location. I then averaged the highest and lowest for a period of 5 minutes at each location. I then the property. highest and lowest pressure reading at location, allowing me to mapaveraged the acoustic pressure reading at location, allowing me to map the acoustic property.

To demonstrate this activity to the class, I also recorded with video to establish a more To demonstrate this activity to the class, recorded with video establish a left more precise audio/visual understanding of theI also place. The previous videotointentionally precise understanding of the The previous video intentionally left gaps in audio/visual the viewers’ memory. The video forplace. Experiment B was designed to eliminate gaps in thespots. viewers’ memory. The video for Experiment B was designed to eliminate these dark these dark spots.

I found that a tremendous amount of sound penetrated the site from all directions and I I found that tremendous of sound penetrated the site For frominstance, all directions and I was able to a locate directionamount of specific sounds and intensities. the western


sound mapping

60.5 59

64.5

57.5

62.5

54

69

54

64.5

72 61 63


To demonstrate this activity to the class, I also recorded with video to establish a more precise audio/visual understanding of the place. The previous video intentionally left gaps in the viewers’ memory. The video for Experiment B was designed to eliminate these dark spots.

I found that a tremendous amount of sound penetrated the site from all directions and I was able to locate direction of specific sounds and intensities. For instance, western roar of manufacturing facilities. The acoustic overlap allowed for the sound ofthe birds to edge is a heavily traveled route for heavy trucks, commuter traffic, and cargo trains. only be heard within the interior strip of site. Although it was very loud, the most intense sound came from a street bordering the -

southeast corner. Here, large used their engine breaks to decelerate R. Murray Schafer explains in trucks his book, The Tuning of the World, that we canaround identify a three sharp turns. Another definable region, the northeast corner, possessed constant place by understanding the acoustic qualities of it. In an acoustic community aspecific roar of manufacturing facilities. The of acoustic overlap allowed for the sound birds to sounds can make us aware of time day, month, and even time of year justofby relating only betoheard within thesound interiormapping strip of site. sound activity. In my activity, I realize that the activities producing

the recorded sound are daytime only. At night, the site becomes a silent place. This R. Murray Schaferwith explains book, The Tuning of World, wesound can identify a makes designing soundininhis mind very dynamic. A the design thatthat uses to identify place acoustic qualities such of it. In acoustic community specific place by andunderstanding time does not the need other mediums asan light. Architecture conceived in sounds make usideas awareofof time ofform, day,and month, and even time of the yearvisual just by relating this waycan challenges space, material. Eliminating stimuli sound to delivering activity. In sound my sound activity, I realize that the activities and only can mapping enclose an experience unique to place andproducing time. the recorded sound are daytime only. At night, the site becomes a silent place. This

makes designing with sound in mind very dynamic. A design that uses sound to identify place and time does not need other mediums such as light. Architecture conceived in this way challenges ideas of space, form, and material. Eliminating the visual stimuli CLOSING THOUGHTS and only delivering sound can enclose an experience unique to place and time. Considering the sensorium as a locus for design will inform this project greatly. A

museum dedicated to the remembrance of labor must enable the visitor to experience CLOSING THOUGHTS this realm in a way that the visual description alone cannot achieve. The instincts that manual labor requires are of this extra sensory realm. To communicate the historic activity of the site, the architecture must envelop the sensory information that is native to Considering sensorium as asound locus for designiswill inform this project this greatly. the industrialthe landscape. Using mapping one way of realizing goal;Aand museum with dedicated the remembrance of labor must enable thebe visitor to experience coupled historictoinformation, a narrative of environment can written and this realm in a way that the visual description alone cannot achieve. The instincts that expressed through design that will inform visitors in the most accurate way. manual labor requires are of this extra sensory realm. To communicate the historic

activity of the site, the architecture must envelop the sensory information that is native to the industrial landscape. Using sound mapping is one way of realizing this goal; and coupled with historic information, a narrative of environment can be written and


climate analysis

annual sun path

june21

mar/sep 21

dec 21 prevailing winds

regional climate The region has cool but short winters. Summers are hot, very humid, and long. The flat damp ground and frequent rains create a very humid climate. Besides creating thermal discomfort, the high humidity causes mildew problems. Much of the region has reliable breezes, which are strongest during the day, weaker at night, and nonexistent during the morning and evening when the wind reverses direction. annual precipitation is high at 60 in.


1 Allow natural ventilation to both cool and remove excess moisture in the summer 2 Protect from summer sun 3 Avoid creating additional humidity during the summer 4 Let winter sun in 5 Protect from cold winter winds On hot days ceiling fans or indoor air motion can make it seem cooler by at least 5 degrees f (2.8c) thus less air conditioning is needed. Window overhangs (designed for this latitude) or operable sunshades (extend in summer, retract in winter) can reduce or eliminate air conditioning. A whole-house fan or natural ventilation can store nighttime ‘coolth’ in high mass interior surfaces, thus reducing or eliminating air conditioning . good natural ventilation can reduce or eliminate air conditioning in warm weather, if windows are well shaded and oriented to prevailing breezes. Heat gain from equipment, lights, and occupants will greatly reduce heating needs so keep building tight, well insulated (use ventilation in summer). Keep the building small (right-sized) because excessive floor area wastes heating and cooling energy. Raising the indoor comfort temperature limit will reduce air conditioning energy consumption (raise thermostat cooling setpoint) (see criteria). In this climate air conditioning will always be required, but can be greatly reduced if building design minimizes overheating. Lower the indoor comfort temperature at night to reduce heating energy consumption (lower thermostat heating setback) (see comfort low criteria). Minimize or eliminate west facing glazing to reduce summer and fall afternoon heat gain. Locate door and window openings on opposite sides of building to facilitate cross ventilation, with larger areas facing up-wind if possible. Use light colored building materials and cool roofs (with high emissivity) to minimize conducted heat gain. Locate garages or storage areas on the side of the building facing the coldest wind to help insulate. Extra insulation (super insulation) might prove cost effective, and will increase occupant comfort by keeping indoor temperatures more uniform. Tiles or slate (even on low mass wood floors) or a stone-faced fireplace can help store winter daytime solar gain and summer nighttime ‘coolth’. Sunny wind-protected outdoor spaces can extend living areas in cool weather. for passive solar heating face most of the glass area south to maximize winter sun exposure, but design overhangs to fully shade in summer. Use plant materials (ivy, bushes, trees) especially on the west to shade the structure (if summer rains support native plant growth). Trees (neither conifer nor deciduous) should not be planted in front of passive solar windows, but rather beyond 45 degrees from each corner.



vertical circulation

gallery

atrium

gallery

gallery

vertical circulation

informal gallery

vertical circulation

informal gallery

garden

restaurant children’s room

vertical circulation

informal gallery

roof offices floor 2-3 library

vertical circulation

atrium

gallery

gallery

lobby central circulation

vertical circulation

offices education area

offices offices

atrium rest rooms

vertical circulation

reception entrance

atrium vertical circulation

ground floor

art storage

lower level

1 gallery (18) 2 promenade/informal gallery (6) 3 education area 4 library 5 internal street/atrium 6 reception 7 entrance 8 restaurant 9 kitchen 10 offices (4) 11 art storage 12 children’s room misc(circ, etc.) gRoss

8472 sq ft 3396 1100 250 720 335 230 935 200 1186 1100 670 8500 27000 sq ft

(31.40%) (12.60%) (04.10%) (00.90%) (02.70%) (01.20%) (00.90%) (03.50%) (00.70%) (04.10%) (04.10%) (02.50%) (31.50%)

Museum of Contemporary Art Denver Denver, Colorado David adjaye - adjaye associates

cs1



vertical circulation

vertical circulation

gallery

storage

floor 2-3

tech. area

vertical circulation

information booth

lobby/reception

entrance courtyard

1 information booth 2 lowered courtyard 3 entrance 4 shop 5 reception 6 coat room 7 workshop (2) 8 offices (2) 9 technical area (3) 10 floor 2 gallery 11 floor 3 gallery 12 storage gRoss

coat room

shop

tech. area

tech. area

800 sq ft 5000 40 1050 1800 300 1750 1080 1280 5000 5600 1400 24800 sq ft

(03.20%) (20.20%) (00.20%) (04.20%) (07.30%) (01.20%) (07.10%) (04.40%) (05.20%) (20.20%) (22.60%) (06.00%)

workshop vertical circulation workshop

Museum of Cultures Basel, switzerland Herzog & de Meuron

offices

offices

cs2


support services production services

locker room supply house

machine shop

office/ storage supply shed locker room oil house

tender shop

boiler shop

roundhouse diesel/machine shop

turntable

coal pile coaling tower

boiler shop

wheel + axle

tie shop

blacksmith shop

planing mill

car shed extension car shed car lighting shop

wofa rail shops

paint shop


vertical circulation vertical circulation

rest rooms

vertical circulation

rest rooms

gallery

workshop permanent gallery

gallery gallery

art storage

vertical circulation

floor 1

floor 2

vertical circulation

vertical circulation garden

offices tech. area

informal gallery

garden

storage

shop entrance

courtyard

lobby/reception central circulation cafe vertical circulation

kitchen

rest rooms

car shed

intervention


outdoor spaces

outdoor public space

24000

entry piazza outdoor event courtyards (2-5) gardens (3) labor memorial

5000 5000 5000 3000 25000

total

43000

lobby/reception entrance reception hall/informal gallery shop cafĂŠ information/tickets coat check restrooms offices vertical circulation

150 2000 800 1000 300 300 1000 800

1% 8% 3% 4% 1% 1% 4% 3%

total

6350

26%

3000 5000 1000 2000 500 50

13% 21% 4% 8% 2% 0%

11550

48%

300

1%

gallery spaces permanent gallery (1) temporary gallery (1) temporary gallery (2) art storage/workshops restrooms storage(custodial) vertical circulation total

support spaces kitchen


total

6350

26%

3000 5000 1000 2000 500 50

13% 21% 4% 8% 2% 0%

11550

48%

300 600 1000 1500 150

1% 3% 4% 6% 1%

total

3550

15%

circulation (10%)

2145

10%

gallery spaces permanent gallery (1) temporary gallery (1) temporary gallery (2) art storage/workshops restrooms storage(custodial) vertical circulation total

support spaces kitchen media/tech storage (2) mechanical room (2 per floor) shop storage

GROSS

23595

spacial requirements

outdoor maint. barn



4

process


gallery/open shed

lobby/hinge

site

ent

ry/e

xit


gallery spaces

diagraming space In order to preserve the existing architecture of the site it needed to be utilized in the programing of space. The 200’ planing mill would become a large open gallery, fully conditioned with a new roof. The car shed is partially conditioned with a galley on its southernmost end. Adding a new building for lobby space creates a hinge and frames off a courtyard. By keeping new construction tight within the boundaries of the existing group, the site remains open and regenerative. Pedestrian traffic to and from is very linear, taking ques from the nature of movement once present.

entr

y/lo

ggia



massing/fall semester By the end of fall semester, the built area had grown substantially. Although the diagram would remain relatively the same, the form would begin to shrink in the spring semester by way of subtraction.


conceptual design/fall semester




loggia connection of existing space I tried to find the best way for connecting the two existing structures while engaging the deteriorating paint shop wall. A simple corridor/loggia would do the job of moving visitors from gallery to gallery while providing a defined entry porch.


lobby the vernacular jewel box I wanted the lobby to be transparent for clarity and security but yet shaded and dappled with light, much like the interior of existing structures in their state of decay. I used the tobacco barn as my inspiration for construction. A steel and glass construction would be clad with a rough cut pine rainscreen, in hopes of achieving the same feeling of the existing interior environments.



castel vecchio. carlo scarpa.


planing mill

open space

In the fall semester, I placed a large amount of program within the existing planing mill. I felt this lost the presence of the place by partitioning off so much space. In the spring I focused on the detail of a partial second floor, a catwalk that would allow installations to be viewed from above.


car shed

Conceptualized as partially conditioned at its southern end. A gallery will be here with a glass end wall looking out though the shed into the landscape beyond. Skylights to be restored.




5

final design




site plan



plan/ground


a

B

C


car shed galle

plan/ground


planing mill gallery

entry porch

loggia

ery courtyard

lobby


materiality = identity The material palette is to be of the site. /wood. steel. concrete. While utilizing modern construction techniques for application. Glass will be used to close conditioned spaces while visually connecting interior space to the site.

plan/floor 2


mezzanine

gallery


section A



section A



section B


section C

























6

thesis essay



Nature, Memory, and Perception in Architecture



“He is invited to look at himself without indulgence, to rediscover within himself the whole host of fantasies, dreams, patterns of magical behavior and obscure phenomena which remain allpowerful in shaping both his private and public life and his relationships with other people. These leave his knowledge of the natural world riddled with gaps…reason must acknowledge that its (man’s) world is also unfinished and should not pretend to have overcome that which it has managed simply to conceal. It should not view as beyond challenge the one form of civilization and knowledge which it is its highest duty to contest.” Maurice Merleau-Ponty_The World of Perception



THE WOODS

As a child, I spent a considerable amount of time at my grandparents. My mother was a single parent at the time so my grandmother helped out tremendously with the care of my two younger brothers and myself. They lived in a very rural community. One Baptist church, a volunteer fire department (which my grandfather was a member of for 40 years), a small elementary school, and the infamous Town Pump (a gas station which once was home to bear fights then a beauty salon) were the only form of social infrastructure/architecture in the community of Elsanor, Alabama.

My grandfather Jerry was the son of a Czechoslovakian immigrant. After a brief time in Chicago and the death of his mother, the family relocated to Baldwin County (a place kind to European immigrants in the early 1900s) in the 1930s. Changing pace, the family sold the general store in Chicago. A small plot of 25 acres was purchased and a life of farming was attempted. But without sufficient land, this was short lived. My grandfather returned from World War II with a fascination in machinery, combustion engines in particular. He began a career in the aviation shops of Mobile, a 30-mile drive, where he worked until retirement. The economic opportunity for farming never was realized by my grandfather, but the benefits of a subsistence lifestyle were heavily per suited out of necessity and desire. In addition to working long days in industrial operations, he kept a small farm with



livestock and gardens to support his family of six. Over time, he acquired an additional 40 acres adjacent to the original property. He continued this lifestyle until his retirement in the 1980s.

This is where my memory begins. My grandparents continued to work the land. Life was a dance to the melody of the seasons. The warmer months were reserved for production- vegetables, firewood, hay (for cattle, horses never inhabited the farm for obvious economic reasons) wild fruits, and fish. Winter was time for house keeping, (repairing machinery, sewing) along with harvesting pecans, and feeding/haying cattle. (My grandfather was never a hunter; he produced all the meat needed for his family and eventually his extended family.)

About one third of the 65 acres in my grandfather’s domain were pasture for grazing and the pecan and dogwood covered yard around the house. The remaining portion was heavily wooded forest. Three distinct ecosystems were represented on the small property- mixed deciduous/evergreen forest, mixed deciduous/evergreen swamp, and coastal longleaf forest. Some deciduous trees were found in “the woods� but these were far outnumbered by the pines that populated the property. The pines were towering. Some were used to make lumber, but this was rare. Most reached maturity and were allowed to thrive. The longleaf forest floor is one that is very unique in that it relies on wildfires for stability. Pine trees have properties that make them resistant to fire, allowing the forest floor to be cleared of trees and other sunlight-stealing flora that make



were allowed to thrive. The longleaf forest floor is one that is very unique in that it relies on wildfires for stability. Pine trees have properties that make them resistant to fire, allowing the forest floor to be cleared of trees and other sunlight-stealing flora that make the growth of young pines difficult and nearly impossible. Most of the Longleaf Pine forests that once covered the southern coastal regions of the United States have all but disappeared due to increased human population and wildfire management.

I first became aware of my grandfather’s relationship with “the woods” when I

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was in Kindergarten. One day returning from school on the bus I noticed something strange in “the woods”. I panicked as we approached the drive. From the highway I could see the smoke. There was a fire. I ran down the drive to the house where my grandmother was in the kitchen. I screamed upon entering and seeing her there. “Granny, the woods are on fire.” She knew. She told me to find my grandfather. I ran out. I ran though the yard, past the barns, and towards the woods. There, at the threshold of wilderness and farm, I found my grandfather and a few friends, all outfitted in firefighting regalia. I knew something was strange about this situation, but too young and naive to comprehend, I shouted anyway “There’s a fire in the woods!” They laughed. “Nothing to worry about son, we were “burning” the woods.” It took a few years for me to understand exactly why one would intentionally set a forest ablaze, the concept of a controlled burn took time.

Throughout childhood, “the woods” was the chosen place of refuge for my two younger brothers, my cousin Robbie, and I. We spent our summers wandering the cattle



Throughout childhood, “the woods” was the chosen place of refuge for my two younger brothers, my cousin Robbie, and I. We spent our summers wandering the cattle paths, investigating the natural spring, and inhabiting the forest. To a child it was an isolated world, untouched by man. Of course this was not true. Much evidence of my grandfather’s presence could be seen. The bi-annual controlled fires are a great example. He shaped the landscape. Even so, there was a natural order in balance along with his own conception of one. A harmonious play of man and nature based on need and guided by appreciation.

The question remains for me- Why did my grandfather feel the need to maintain

so much property? Why did he burn the forests? Why did he limit the architecture to the confines of the yard? Instead of asking him directly, (which I could) I answer with my own belief- that he was responding to an innate desire for the picturesque landscape of pre-industrialized Czechoslovakia, a place he never visited in a time he never lived.

His father, (my great grandfather) was an artist. A painter. Though not a professional, he produced 40-50 paintings. Each painting was a landscape. Pristine wilderness untouched by the hand of man. Most interesting is he produced all of these works in the United States, years after emigrating from Czechoslovakia. Yet the scenes he painted were what we believe to be places in Europe. He constructed mountainous valleys, frozen rivers, and snowdrift banks all from memory. (Many Dutch painters

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he painted were what we believe to be places in Europe. He constructed mountainous he painted were what we believe to be places in Europe. He constructed mountainous valleys, frozen rivers, and snowdrift banks all from memory. (Many Dutch painters valleys, frozen rivers, and snowdrift banks all from memory. (Many Dutch painters worked this way, painting indoors. Proof is in the way weather is portrayed in their skies, worked this way, painting indoors. Proof is in the way weather is portrayed in their skies, it is of mixed pattern and color that does not occur naturally) There is at least one it is of mixed pattern and color that does not occur naturally) There is at least one painting in every single room of my grandparents’ house. This memory of the homeland, painting in every single room of my grandparents’ house. This memory of the homeland, translated physically onto canvas, was passed down to my grandfather. He transformed translated physically onto canvas, was passed down to my grandfather. He transformed his own property as his memory saw appropriate. It became his canvas. his own property as his memory saw appropriate. It became his canvas. In the 1990s, word of a new highway began to surface. A new connector route In the 1990s, word of a new highway began to surface. A new connector route was required to meet the evacuation needs of a growing tourist population on the was required to meet the evacuation needs of a growing tourist population on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The proposed route would run through my grandfather’s property, Alabama Gulf Coast. The proposed route would run through my grandfather’s property, dividing it in two. The idea seemed ludacris. How could they destroy such a place? A dividing it in two. The idea seemed ludacris. How could they destroy such a place? A place so important to our family! Was this legal? Yes. (See- Native Americans) In 2009, place so important to our family! Was this legal? Yes. (See- Native Americans) In 2009, upon returning for break from university, it was real. In my headlights I could see a void 5 5 upon returning for break from university, it was real. In my headlights I could see a void on the horizon, trees had been removed, and the world crashed down. Over the past few on the horizon, trees had been removed, and the world crashed down. Over the past few years I have watched the construction progress. It stings a little less now, but stings yet. years I have watched the construction progress. It stings a little less now, but stings yet. The reality is that this place of mine was never picturesque. The clearest The reality is that this place of mine was never picturesque. The clearest boundary was U.S. Highway 90. A noisy road travelled at 55 miles per hour. The density boundary was U.S. Highway 90. A noisy road travelled at 55 miles per hour. The density of the trees kept most of the noise out, but even so, much of it invaded the property. The of the trees kept most of the noise out, but even so, much of it invaded the property. The acoustic space of the highway nearly covers it now. The new highway was inevitable. acoustic space of the highway nearly covers it now. The new highway was inevitable. With progress comes growth and space is needed. In the city, space is found in the sky. With progress comes growth and space is needed. In the city, space is found in the sky. In the countryside it is found on the ground. In the countryside it is found on the ground.


Hans Danuser. LANDSCHAFTEN IV (1993-1996)


them…for when does not understand he…becomes them by transforming himself into them.” “As rational metaphysics teaches that man becomes all things by understanding them, Vico_New Science imaginative metaphysics shows that man becomes all things by not understanding them…for when does not understand he…becomes them by transforming himself into them.” Vico_New Science

PERCEPTION OF NATURE

Across the globe we find the same scenario, we use more space. In fact we have PERCEPTION OF NATURE used so much space that we now are examining this activity. We have reduced the coverage of true wilderness to the most remote regions. We travel across the globe at Across the globe we find the same scenario, we use more space. In fact we have our leisure. Thanks to technology and urban formations people of a developed nation no used so much space that we now are examining this activity. We have reduced the longer experience nature the way we did just a century ago. It is something that can be coverage of true wilderness to the most remote regions. We travel across the globe at avoided and controlled to the point that it is often not a factor in our decision making. We our leisure. Thanks to technology and urban formations people of a developed nation no experience the natural world less with each generation and we are out of touch. Nature longer experience nature the way we did just a century ago. It is something that can be is perceived differently. avoided and controlled to the point that it is often not a factor in our decision making. We experience the natural world less with each generation and we are out of touch. Nature The separation of the human mind from the natural world is visible in our great is perceived differently. cities where the distinction between built and natural environments draws a boundary that must be consciously crossed in order to experience the other. This black and white The separation of the human mind from the natural world is visible in our great world requires humans to seek nature or escape the city, but because of an extreme cities where the distinction between built and natural environments draws a boundary disconnect it can be something in line with going to Disney or seeing the Grand Canyon. that must be consciously crossed in order to experience the other. This black and white Most do not rely on the natural landscape for their livelihood and in popular culture it has world requires humans to seek nature or escape the city, but because of an extreme


Planing Mill, Rail yard. Montgomery.


become an option or a luxury to experience as if it is something expendable. I believe this is not healthy. As sentient beings we need to feel its presence daily.

Architecture can provide this primordial need although not in the traditional sense. There is not enough space for each building to have a pristine, pastoral view all its own. If we perceive nature as something present beyond the normal idea that wilderness is something looked upon, we can excite our memory of it in more ways and experience a more balanced relationship with the natural environment that is necessary to the continuation of existence for man on earth. If humans were composed of simply a thinking brain without a body then the current trend of experience would suffice. We move through the world with our mind and body working together as a simultaneous system. In order to re-establish a dynamic relationship with nature, architecture must find ways to excite the bodily as well as the visual memory of the natural world. In this manner, we can find nature in places it previously did not exist and allow present wilderness to remain.


Giant Sequoia, California early 1900s.


ar·ti·fice/ˈärtəfis/ noun: clever or cunning devices or expedients, esp. as used to trick or deceive others: “artifice and outright fakery”. ar·ti·fice/ˈärtəfis/ noun: clever or cunning devices or expedients, esp. as used to trick or deceive others: “Suddenly nature, that human societies had to tame, protect and fear, or at least put at “artifice and outright fakery”. bay, because it contained all the obscure forces that man could not easily dominate, becomes a fine memory, for which we have nostalgia.” 1 “Suddenly nature, that human societies had to tame, protect and fear, or at least put at bay, because it contained all the obscure forces that man could not easily dominate, “Nature, when we had it, just was. Now that we don’t have it, nature is very good. All of becomes a fine memory, for which we have nostalgia.” 1 this production – artworks, buildings, consumer goods, advertisements – has about it an odd sense, as if we were visiting grandpa on his deathbed, trying to wring out some last “Nature, when we had it, just was. Now that we don’t have it, nature is very good. All of few truths (or dollars) before he passes on.”2 this production – artworks, buildings, consumer goods, advertisements – has about it an odd sense, as if we were visiting grandpa on his deathbed, trying to wring out some last few truths (or dollars) before he passes on.”2

NATURE AS ARTIFICE NATURE ARTIFICE In AS recent years, we have become aware of the dire consequences of globalization on our natural environment. A hole in the ozone layer, melting ice caps, and In recent years, we have become aware of the dire consequences of disappearing landscapes ask us to look upon the world we as collective man have globalization on our natural environment. A hole in the ozone layer, melting ice caps, and designed. A general agreeance about this issue has developed into the disappearing landscapes ask us to look upon the world we as collective man have “green/sustainable” movement in popular culture. Artists, architects, and manufacturers designed. A general agreeance about this issue has developed into the of the most generic products are using this momentum for financial gain at the expense “green/sustainable” movement in popular culture. Artists, architects, and manufacturers of the human psyche. Although these ideas about environmental preservation are of the most generic products are using this momentum for financial gain at the expense positive and very powerful, it communicates an idea about nature that is constructed and of the human psyche. Although these ideas about environmental preservation are false. positive and very powerful, it communicates an idea about nature that is constructed and false.


Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore. Venice, Italy. Adrea Palladio.


Many current architectural projects have attempted to address the human relationship with nature. By incorporating “sustainable” materials and systems, these projects intend to counterbalance the environmental impact of modern construction. Also by adding “natural elements” such as plant material to re-introduce nature. These devices simply conceal the reality. The reality is these devices cannot take the place of nature, nor are they natural in any way. They create a false idea of what is natural, feeding off the wildly popular idea that we need more nature. , the same nature that we have battled throughout our existence.

When we begin to understand that we are of nature, that naturally humans and their societies are going to build and continue to grow, we can properly address the issue. Instead of chasing an image of a “Paradise Lost”, embracing our disconnect could lead to works that enhance our natural stimuli, creating an experience of environment beyond a universal visual understanding.


Great Mosque of Cordoba


DIE KUNST DER FUGE #1 Thoughts wander thus, they wander recurring as streams through mountain fields, always slightly different, always slightly the same, all longing for something, a somewhere, elsewhere, going there in search of memories. And their longing is nothing more than the force of water, their memory nothing more than shores; somewhere, elsewhere they are the sea. RUTGER KOPLAND

MEMORY AND IMAGINATION

Our memory and imagination hold the key to unlocking an understanding of our environment. Juhani Pallasmaa writes about perception and engagement in a multisensory world,

“We have an innate capacity for remembering and imagining places. Perception, memory, and imagination are in constant interaction; the domain of presence fuses into images of memory and fantasy. We keep constructing an immense city of evocation and remembrance, and all the cities we have visited are precincts in this metropolis of the mind. “3


Bruder Klaus Field Chapel. Peter Zumthor.


When confronted with an image (or sense) of nature, this same remembrance allows us to transcend our physical body and imagine a natural world created by our imagination and guided by our personal memories of experience.

An embodied image of nature exists in our memory. As Louis Kahn points out, “ Built into us is a reverence for the elements, for water, light, air, the animal world and the green world.�4 When architecture is able to cross the threshold of the unconscious it can excite our imagination and create an experience of the natural world. Our ability to remember depends greatly on our sense of touch. When the materiality of the details forming an architectural space become evident, the haptic realm is opened up. Sensory experience is intensified; psychological dimensions are engaged. 5


Barcelona Pavilion. Mies Van Der Rohe.


MEMORY AND MATERIAL

Natural materials possess much identity. Wood can be identified by its grain, direction and smoothness or roughness of cut, its dimension, etc. These distinctions allow us to identify its source and treatment upon harvest, giving us a visualization of place of origin. The touch of a bronze detail may remind us of its formation. Beginning in the earth as pure mineral, then a hot liquid pour, and eventual hammering by a skilled metallurgist. One can even imagine the rhythm of his trained hammer as it strikes raw material and anvil. Stone has limitless possibilities. In the Barcelona Pavilion, Mies Van Der Rohe is so specific in the bookmatching of marble wall; a mirrored perfection that can only be duplicated by a mountain lake is achieved.

Natural materials age naturally. Communicating the power of natural forces. In order to perceive nature less artificially, we must accept the weathering of materials as a natural process. Wood in our buildings breaks down and rots the same as it does on the forest floor. Stone will erode from rain and wear. In order to understand our natural environment we cannot mask the effects of natural forces. These qualities allow us to see nature. There is limitless opportunity for the imagination to connect when examining a natural weathering process. The image or touch could allow an embodied memory of the landscape to surface, provoking the imagination.


Exeter Library. Louis Khan.


ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE

In order to remain a part of the natural environment, we must remain aware of our tactile relationship with it. Architecture has a role in this awareness. Tado Ando confronts this idea:

“Man articulates the world through his body. The articulation of the world by architecture is in reality the articulation of the world by the workings of mankind…The world that appears to man’s senses and the state of man’s body become in this way interdependent. The world articulated by the body is a vivid, lived-in space.” 6

Our tactile senses and mental capacity simultaneously allow us to identify the real. Being aware of environment requires engagement. Buildings should make us aware of our presence, engaging us, stimulating us, in a more natural way. As we articulate through architecture, we can excite memories of our ancestors and their battles with an unforgiving environment. We do not need more nature to experience the real. We simply must remind ourselves of how it feels to be alive. Architecture must make us feel alive.


BIBLIOGRAPHY Danchin, Antoine. “Nature and Artifice.” Translated from French. http://www.normalesup.org/~adanchin/causeries/Nature.html Heymann, David. “Nature-ization Takes Command.” Places. Posted December 6, 2010.http://places.designobserver.com/entryprint.html?entry=21149 Pallasmaa, Juliani.. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture of the Senses. Chichester: Wiley-Academy, 2005. Khan, Louis. Seminar at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Bloomfield Hills Michigan. In the Journal of Architectural Education 16. 95-97. Autumn 1961. Holl, Steven. Detail:The Haptic Realm. Qestions of Perception:Phenomenology of Architecture. Edited by Sabine Rothman. San Francisco: William Stout Publishers, 2007. Frampton, Kenneth. “Ten Points on an Architecture of Regionalism: A Provisional Polemic.” In Architectrual Regionalism: Collected Writings On Place, Identity, Modernity and Tradition, edited by Vincent B. Canizaro, 374-385. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2007.

CHAPTER 6


CHAPTER 1

1 “The True and Trembling Brakeman”. John Cohen and Mike Seeger, eds., Old-Time String Band Songbook (New York, 1964), p. 92. 2 Theodore Kornweibel, Jr. 3/23/10. kpbs interview. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/mar/23/africanamerican-railroad-experience/. 3 Railroads in the African American experience : a photographic journey / Theodore Kornweibel, Jr., Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010, p. 307 4 Rules, rev. May 1, 1925, Chicago & Alton Railroad, folder B5-4-1-27.1, Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Collection, St. Louis Mercantile Library; William H. Harris, The Harder We Run: Black Workers Since the Civil War (New York, 1982), p. vii. 5 Louisville & Nashville Employees’ Magazine, Dec. 1928, p. 67.



acknowledgements Thank you everyone for everything, special thanks my parents prof. behzad nakhjavan randal vaughan kevin moore justin miller dedicated to my grandfather Jerry/ in memory of my grandmother Dorothy.



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