Project 1

Horizontal Public Connector

Throughout history bridges have been a focus of legends of every civilization. Esthetes, philosophers and poets have used the bridge as a transcendent form.

Author unknown

OBJECTIVE

 Exploration of natural and formal ordering systems and their capacity -to inform in two and three-dimensional design (SPC A.5)
 Articulation and Development of a design language based on investigations of line, plane and volume
 Documentation and Analysis of site/context
 Development of Architectural ideas/concepts relating to the activation of space through notions of inhabitation and circulation; horizontal vs vertical movement, enclosure, bridging, transition, and experiential events.
 Development and generation of Models and Graphic representation to reflect design intentions
 Understanding and exploring concepts of scale, proportion and order

DESIGN PARAMETERS

1. The new link will replace the existing two-story walkway at the designated site.
2. The overall dimension of the new bridge design may not exceed:
   20’ width x 20’ height x 55’ length
3. The floors at the existing 5th and 6th floors of the buildings adjacent to the bridge will be combined to be double-height, public spaces.
4. The degree of enclosure and operability of envelope will be determined by each student.
5. Additional program may be proposed by each student.

SITE

The site for this project at Prospect Street, between Pearl Street and Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn. Reflecting the dramatic changes in the DUMBO neighborhood, the existing buildings in this area have changed owners and are presently being redesigned to accommodate DUMBO Tech Triangle offices. Formerly owned by the Watchtower society, the buildings are linked by several existing walkways. In the near future, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle will take ownership of the buildings and open them to local artists and their studios as well as their offices. Your task is to design a new link to replace the existing two-level connection, enhancing the vibrant connectivity among the new and diverse tenants and programs, between the buildings and this unique urban context, creating a gateway into DUMBO.

PROCESS + SCHEDULE

STEP 1: Site Observation, Documentation + Interpretation

DELIVERABLES DUE Wednesday February 1st

Together we will physically visit the site, and we will access the bridge by touring the Etsy offices. You may also virtually visit the site via Google Earth, and Google maps. Through photoshop and sketching, you will document spatial conditions, materials, site conditions and general scale of the area.

Each student will construct a façade model with foam core, incorporating the two facades being bridged, along with the ground plane.

DISCUSSION

 What is a “site?” What are basic site characteristics / forces that can shape your design idea?
 Site Observations – what can you learn about the site?

EXERCISE

 Visit the site physically and virtually to observe and document a variety of conditions. How might the site conditions vary among visits?
 Document the site – capture your observations through sketches, photographs, sound recordings etc. Make sure to take several photos, comprehensively documenting the entire site, including any site features of particular interest which could become your “springing off point” for conceptual thinking…
 Interpret the site – choose a series of photographs that you will work with to develop a conceptual idea

A) Collages (Photoshop)

Three (3) different collages, 11X17, black&white, comprised of ~5 photos each, posted on MIRO:

• From your initial documentation of the site, select five photographs (from Google Earth, or similar) that best convey strong spatial relationship of elements based on the list above. You may also use the following JPGS’s:

• Each photograph should fit within a 5” x 7” boundary in color, clearly labeled with the associated preposition. The orientation of the sheets will be determined by each student but should be consistent.
• Arrange the selected images in a sequence, creating a collage – 11×17″- that establishes connections between each image (the images may be manipulated digitally or by hand to explore scale, transparency, etc.).
• The photos may overlap at the edges or establish other articulated relationship between the images. Experiment with different transparencies of paper.
• Repeat this process for two additional collages based on different sets of five spatial conditions to produce a total of three collages. You may re-use images used in other collages.

B) Diagrams (Photoshop, Illustrator)

Select one of the three collages that conveys the strongest composition and spatial potential. Using one selected collage as a base drawing, overlay and extract a line composition, black&white, from your collage underlay:

• Outlines: Trace shapes and boundaries. Use line weight (min. 3 thicknesses)
• Geometric Abstraction: Look at abstract rhythms of lines or geometries rather than the actual known “objects.” Use line weight.
• Solid/void (Nolli) diagram: Create a separate figure-ground drawing from your overlay drawing, establishing solid/void relationships (no lines).

Make sure to save all work as high quality *.JPG files, and post on MIRO.
Keep in mind that you are Not literally “designing” your Horizontal Connector through these collages, but that the process will reveal vocabulary spatial conditions that are to be interpreted and developed into your final design.

STEP 2

• Critique of WORK DUE
  • site observations
  • three (3 sets of photo collages and corresponding prepositions for each image
  • overlay geometry and solid/void diagrams
  • digital files of scanned work and line work

• DISCUSSION
  • CONCEPT Introduction –
    • What is a “concept?”  
    • How can an abstract idea develop into a proposed reality?
    • Expressing your site interpretations in the language of lines, planes and volumes

• DELIVERABLES
  • Revise diagrams per in-class critique
  • Referencing your diagrams, generate three distinct physical model studies which translate 2D diagrammatic ideas into a 3D construct. (you are NOT “building a bridge”. Focus on exploring abstract spaces through this exercise)
    • *** 3 STUDY MODELS: linear vocabulary
    • *** 3 STUDY MODELS: planar vocabulary

• RESOURCES:
  • Read: Chapter 1 in Architecture: Form, Space, & Order

STEP 3

• Critique of WORK DUE

• DISCUSSION
  • SITE MODEL
    • Why? (From this point forward, ALL work is required to be built within the context of your site model. No work will be accepted otherwise)
    • Construction: Materials and Scale
  • SITE + CONCEPT + PROGRAM => ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROPOSAL
    • Using the vocabularies studied in the previous exercise, combine line, plane and volume into one coherently developed model, to create spatial conditions described in your narrative.
    • Examine, in your concept models, how lines, planes and volumes shape space differently. EG: Quality of light? Scale of space? Flow of space? Connection to the site? Providing views? Expression of a particular action? Expression of a particular feeling?
    • How can you use varying combinations of lines, planes and volumes to shape different experiences along your path?
    • How can these lines, planes and volumes work together as one language, rather than 3 separate ones?
    • Review Architectural Scale

• DELIVERALES
  • Revision collages/overlays
  • Revision of study models
  • Site model built at ¼” = 1’- 0” scale
  • Bring all drawing tools to next class