Student Center in Gowanus Canal

[unclefarkus]

Studio/Institution: Clemson University
Genre: Other
Software: Rhino/Vray/Photoshop
Description:

I have added some images from my final presentation. I got generally good reviews. I plan to keep working on it for the sake of portfolio, so i guess technically it's still a 'work in progess'. Comments are still welcome Also, just a side note, I don't really want to be an architect. I love the major, but I am really interested in the digital rendering side of it most and hope to make a career from that. So perhaps critiques on that are best appreciated, although this could all change in the long run so all critiques are amazing!

 

Some notes:

 

 

Project Information:

 

Gowanus Canal Environmental Science Park (GC ESP): This will be a state of the art Environmental Science and Education Park to host hands on intensive education sessions for variety of public schools throughout Brooklyn and the boroughs. The park is intended for a unique, 2500 sf corner site situated at the foot of the smith and 9th subway trestle in Gowanus and possibly including an abutting 1/2 acre (approx) site owned by the Metropolitan Transit Authority. The GC ESP was conceived in the wake of the collapse of a similar project called the BQ center in Brooklyn, which was to fill a significant need for this kind of specialty environmental science programming throughout Brooklyn. The GC ESP should not only be an accommodating shell where innovative youth education and training activities can take place but a showcase of sustainability, adaptive reuse and innovative design. Ideally a structure that pays homage to both the past and futurist vision so many hold for the canal.

 

Requirements:

 

Project Components:

- 2,500 sf corner one story building with FAR to build up 2-3 times

- Abutting ½ acre MTA land parcel running beneath subway trestle and up to the banks of the canal.

- Potential Retail outlet alongside the entrance to the smith and 9th subway with potential outlet onto the park.

Use Program:

- Up to 6,000 sf of total programmed space.

- 800 - 1000 sf GCCDC permanent office

- 1000 sf of coworking space

- Three GC ESP laboratory classrooms to hold 24-36 people each

- Sustainability seminar room

- Gowanus Canal Museum with interactive wall space for information displays

- Educational Greenroof

- Open exterior park space with canal access

- Meeting all applicable codes for education and accessibility

 

Concept:

 

• bring canal to the street.
  
• embrace existing infrastructure.
  
• underground canal as inspired by the palais royale.
  
• perforated metal floors inside and out.
  
• large glass walls on the street to promote interest and draw people in for a more intimate experience.
  
• facades allow exploration and emphasis on ‘roots’ and history of gowanus metaphorically and literally through details and implementation into the infrastructure
  

 

Circulation:

 

• building divided into public museum, semi-private offices, and private school for safety concerns.
  
• each area has its own entry.
  
• canal flows through public space to allow view off water below.
  
• roof greenspace to be used by any/all programs.
  

 

materials:

 

• treated concrete to give an aged appearance. juts out 1′ from main building skeleton.
  
• greenery in between juts out to 6″ to give a sense of depth between the two materials.
  

 

Site Planning:

 

• elimination of the quadrosi site.
  
• urban/green parks.
  
• determined by the mta bridge overhead by following it’s shape and form.
  
• green park features trees, flowers, and space for concerts, plays, and movies to allow for a canal-front public area for community events.
  
• playground for school children.
  

 

Benefits:

 

• socialize- community events, public learning, crossroads of cultures and backgrounds
  
• synchronize- shared ofice co-op space, similar to google offices, relaxed and unique environment to fuel ideas that flow naturally.
  
• maximize- reusing site of old masonry building, cleaning up a run-down site/area
  
• naturalize- green roof (sound barrier for mta overhead), water flows from roof down juts in the sides of building to water greenery as well as drain to the man-made canal below and direct rain runoff properly and safely.
  
• reuse energy created by overhead mta and people traffic to power portions of building through the infrastructure literally inside and embracing the building.
  

 

Edited July 30, 2010 by unclefarkus
added more

[unclefarkus]

i have updated my post with more pics + info

[Chris MacDonald]

I like the sections, but hate the photoshop images. Sorry, I just don't "get" the style.

[JamesL]

Great post - nice to read all the background info on the project too rather than just posting the final shots.

 

Also I have to disagree with Macker - its good to see someone doing something different to everyone else in style (even if its not to everyone's taste).

[Chris MacDonald]

I have nothing against individuality, and I'm sorry if you read it that way. I realise this is entirely subjective but I just don't find the style aesthetically pleasing. I don't find myself wanting to linger over the image and examine small details like I do with other works, nor do I find that they communicate the scheme to me. Just an opinion, nothing objective about it.

[JamesL]

@ Macker - Hadn't meant it personally (re-read my post and it comes across like that - soz!)...I think I was just struck by the word 'hate'...

 

I guess as well I'm used to seeing the same/similar images posted in the gallery and so seeing something different was refreshing!

[unclefarkus]

Thanks for the comments guys! In regards to them, I don't really know if I have an official "style", at least not a conscious one, yet. This is only my second project in Rhino and Vray which we were introduced to the end of last semester. As for the images, my professor required us to all use the same photographs of the street corners to create a uniform display as my entire studio's work is displayed at the storefront of the current site of our "client". We were only given ~3.5 weeks to work on this project (super fast summer studio in NYC), so I intend to dig deeper and make it all the things that I wanted it to be but was literally restricted to by time + software knowledge.