PROJECT PROGRAM

motives | program | acknowledgements

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(From the initial project brief...)

1. URBANISM

First you are asked to outline a very general scheme for the full three city blocks we have chosen, with two blacks in housing and one as the civic center. This outline should assume one of the five typological alternatives identified in the previous stage of the studio. You will need to make more specific assumptions about the general size and configurations of the housing, enough that you can quickly begin to draw credible figure/ground plans. Obviously you can benefit from the group’s compilation of case studies for this. Then begin to diagram the semi-public areas and the hard and soft ground surfaces as the previous stage of the studio began to do. The result will be fairly diagrammatic at this stage, much like the drawings you did to interpret the case studies. Then if you wish to continue a focus on housing, that will become the subject matter for the third and final “resolution” stage of this studio project.

2. BUILDING FORM

The studio now introduces a foreground building to complement housing. This is of course the Civic Center, an actual project, whose predecessor we just visited. Surely the most important aspect of your work in this present stage of the studio is to develop a clear scheme for the idea and general form of this civic center, especially in relationship to the urbanism from which we began. Although we know enough to assume a fairly detailed program brief for this center (see below), right now your work should emphasize getting the urbanism right before settling into the building’s internal organization.

3. SITE ARCHITECTURE

Site must be integral to this design. What you emphasize about site should support your story for the civic center. Here you can take the diagram a little bit farther than you did for the three city blocks to start. Possible concerns include connection to the farmers’ market; variety of vehicular access, especially for events in the halls; living systems and natural resource management; civic identity, even with things Dutch.

4. BUILDING PROGRAM (SHARED BY ALL)

You will need to think enough about the building’s internal organization to make a credible proposal for its overall form. This is likely to be just diagrammatic at this stage. Then in the resolution stage of the studio, (unless you opt to explore housing units), you can work this out in more detail, especially with respect to building technology. We have agreed to 25000 and 50000 square feet as the lower and upper limits to the size. Every civic center scheme should (eventually) include, preferably in a single building:
A public facility for recreation, assembly, and casual performance / Two main halls, each of distinct character / One of these halls with two basketball courts / One of these halls with seasonal open-air connection to the site / Lobby with drive-up access / Ticket office and entry gate / A simple stage, with backstage areas, and frontage onto one of the halls / Event furniture and storage / Public restrooms / Locker rooms suitable for public or team use / A suite of offices, with a meeting space /

4. BUILDING PROGRAM (UNIQUE TO YOUR PROJECT)

Your own project premise should introduce a secondary programmatic focus, aimed at building community. Although a civic center might attempt include several of these, as might an alternative housing scheme, you are asked to focus on just one to give clarity and identify to your project as a whole. This focus might be one from the following list, or another that you create…
Physical recreation: exercise equipment and workout areas / Social organizations: with a range of smaller meeting spaces, for everyday use besides events / Alternative transportation: downtown bicycle hub with parking, rentals, and repairs / Neighborhood garden support / Farmers’ market amenities: food preparation and service, and/or indoor market infrastructure /

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