Integrated Design 5
This project started with the class studying different internal and external ecologies of Croswell, Michigan. We were then broken up into groups that were focused on similar concepts, the group I was a part of was focused on community outreach. There is a website dedicated to all of the classes work(if you click the image below it will take you to it),it displays all 4 parts of the project, but this particular section will only focus on my groups final outcomes/presentation.
We are interested in finding how we can design this building in order to give back as much of itself as possible to the community to support social interaction in Croswell. To explore this question, we started with three different design tactics, then based on pros and cons of each tactic we merged our ideas into one solid proposal for the town of Croswell. As a team we are focused on the convergence of different communities. Due to the fact that the site has a handful of different programs, we understand that this also means there will be various communities interacting throughout the site. Through our research we discovered that Croswell as a community is interested in having locally sourced fruits and vegetables, to accommodate this we gave away our rooftops to be occupied as gardens which are fully accessible to the community. When we explored our question, we recognized that in the existing context, these eight attributes were of core importance; edges, urban grain, setbacks, nodes, isovists, sun orientation, circulation, and the degree of publicity.
Howard Avenue, Croswell's main street, rests at a 5 degree angle perpendicular to the proposed site. To this effect, the buildings throughout the site will match this angle, further reinforcing the edge.
All of the existing structures along Howard Ave have a narrow footprint. To continue that strategy, we divided up our building into strips of similar size, which run perpendicular to Howard.
As you move from north to south on Howard, these buildings create a small stepped pattern, to continue this pattern we pushed each of our proposed spaces further inward as you approach the intersection of Howard & Ward. The east side of the site lies adjacent to Croswell's residential community. By locating the proposed residential units towards the east end of the site, the opportunity for these two communities to interact emerges.
A very popular diner, Rae’s, which is located just south of the site brings in a lot of traffic from the community of Croswell and its neighboring towns. The building itself creates a node at the intersection of Ward & Howard. To respond to this the cafe of the proposed site is located at the same intersection. The intent of this move is to create a larger, more significant node.
Riverside Family Dining is another popular diner, it is located directly across from Rae’s. The diner has expanded itself out onto the sidewalk, creating a seating area for which the people gather.
Frostick Freeze, a historic ice cream shop, has begun to create gathering spaces by putting benches and flowers outside of the building, further reinforcing the downtown streetscape of Croswell.
Thumbs Up, a popular bar and grill overlooking the Black River has become the local spot for live music, karaoke nights, or line dancing.
The Black River is this small communities, local attraction. People come from far and wide to see its historic swinging bridge, go kayaking, or compete in the local fishing competitions.
By studying the isovists, or views one can see when standing at a certain point in space and time, we broke up the building mass to create views out toward Howard Ave. and the nodes that align it.
Based on our study of solar orientation, we sank the built form below grade. Doing this provides natural ventilation and protection from the sun throughout the plaza space. Angling the roofs of the commercial buildings toward Howard Ave, allows these uninhabitable spaces to be fully given over to the community. We then staggered the pitched roofs of the residential to respect the adjacent residential community, while allowing optimal solar exposure to a solar array.
Giving back to the community, means the site must become accessible to everyone. To achieve this we have opened strategic voids in the streetwall, a series of ramps and stairs allow the circulation from Howard to be pulled down into and on top of the site. Gathering spaces now become available on top of all of the buildings except for the residential, to continue this idea of giving back as much as we can to the community.
Creating a degree of publicity became an important factor of the design. Our aim was to create a range of spaces of differing publicity for which different communities can feel welcome, and inhabit comfortably.
Standing on a residential terrace overlooking the plaza. A resident is able to visually interact with the communities that inhabit the site below.
Descending into the site from Howard Avenue, the landscape and built form aims to smoothly transition people down into the plaza, while visually converging the communities of inside and out as they descend down into the plaza space.
This sectional perspective cuts through the plaza and residential areas. The residential units sit on top of the wintergarden and support the existing neighborhood edge. The form of these units is a direct response to the houses that exist throughout Croswell. The wintergarden sits below the residential common areas and hosts the meeting and exhibition space. This ensures that the community is provided with a space to host events regardless of the weather or time of year.
Pedestrians, regardless of their disabilities can descend into the site, either by the main ramp or the cafe stair. Upon entering the lower plaza, the community has access to the wintergarden, makerspace, business incubator, and cafe areas. The plaza becomes the place of convergence between these communities by restricting all the programs to circulate throughout it.
The cafe and makerspace sit on the north and south ends of the site and are anchored by the residential communal space, which overlooks the meeting and exhibition areas below. The residential entrance is located on the east side which hosts the parking for the residents.
The layout for the residential units, which are located on the 2nd and 3rd floor, are identical. On these floors there is a variation of interior and exterior terraces that every resident can share. Within these terraces, the subtraction of wood cladding helps frame specific views that are used to interact with the site and rooftop gardens below. Each individual unit also hosts their own private balcony that overlooks the existing residential community of Croswell.
While the rest of the project aims to give back to the community, It is here where we break that rule, giving back to the private community which resides within the site. The shared residential patio, aims to create a private oasis for the residents. Giving them an opportunity to garden, have a fire, or host a smaller event.
This axon highlights the areas that are being given back to the community, these are 100% public areas which are welcome to everyone and anyone. The spaces that are not given back to the community, and are restricted to the residents of the site, are the residential units, the residential common area, and the shared residential patio.
Through the implementation of extensive green roofs, garden plotters and a pv array, we aim to bring green space and cheaper renewable energy to downtown Croswell. Thus, supporting the community through sustainable means.
The goal of the proposal was to ensure that any member of any community is guaranteed an equal experience throughout the site, creating a network of ramps to allow the community to circulate up or down without the use of stairs. There are two means of egress on each side of the residential units. This will take the residents down and out into the nearest public way in case of an emergency. As well as bringing people up and out of the activity spaces below. There is an elevator that is located next to the egress stair towards the north side of the site for anyone that isn’t able to use the stairs.
The HVAC systems would consist of furnaces located within each apartment. This allows residents to have more control over their individual thermal comfort. The commercial spaces below would use a horizontal unit ventilator system, independent of the units up stairs. This system was chosen to eliminate the need for bulky air ducts at the lower levels which allow for higher ceiling heights.
The primary structure is a concrete flat plate slab and column system. This method was chosen because it helps achieve the below grade conditions of the site. The secondary structural system is a timber framed roof construction which caps the residential area and sits on top of and in between the concrete system.
This is a closer look at the glazing detail of the plaza space, as well as the roof construction method. At the top and bottom of the curtain wall, the horizontal mullions are buried within their adjacent surfaces to create a flush connection. This condition helps blur the line between interior and exterior and allows for a clear visual connection between the programs.
The pavers which sit at the base of the curtain wall also help contribute to this design intention. To avoid problems with snow and salt at the base of the glazing, we have included a trench drain system that is covered with a grate and sits level with the pavers. This is to avoid obstructing the seamless transition between interior and exterior.
Vertical timber cladding wraps the entire residential portion of the development and flows seamlessly into the ceiling of the wintergarden space below. This condition visually guides your eyes and helps pull you into the wintergarden.
The roof detail shows the construction method being used. By selecting a timber framed roof, it provides for less weight and also caps the timber enclosure. The roof sits snug inside of and on top of the existing concrete structural system and the enclosure hugs the entire residential portion of the building. Creating a visual distinction between public and residential spaces.
The wintergarden provides a seamless transition into the building. Providing the community with an indoor space, with the flexibility to adapt to the needs of the community, regardless of the season or weather conditions.
Here is a look at a detailed wall section which is cut through the business incubator space located in the center of the site. As mentioned earlier, the proposal takes the programmatic spaces and submerges them 10’ feet below grade. To accommodate this condition, reinforced brick masonry walls are used as the envelope of these spaces. To act as a retaining wall, and to support the concrete slab above. Located on top of these areas are extensive green roofs that are slightly angled towards Howard Avenue. This decision does not only help provide some vegetation on the main strip of downtown, but it also starts to intrigue the public eye about what is happening on top of those spaces.
The final selected materials were based on the surrounding buildings. Choosing the brick masonry wall to reflect the brick structures found on Howard Avenue, but also all throughout Croswell. Timber cladding wraps most of the residential structure to bring a sense of warmth and familiarity to the development.
This development will focus on creating community outreach. Through site design and dividing the adjacent programs, the opportunity to create public plaza spaces and rooftop gardens will begin to emerge and in return help create the convergence of different communities while giving the majority of the site back to the community of Croswell.
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If you click the image it will take you to the 2 minute video walk through that we put together.
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