SPRING 2010
Northeastern University School of Architecture
ARCH 5110 Housing and Aggregation Studio
SPRING 2010
ROWHOUSES
Northeastern University School of Architecture
ARCH 5110 Housing and Aggregation Studio
EDITOR
SAM CHOI
STUDENT EDITORS
JACKIE MOSSMAN
SHAWN BOLANOS
SPRING 2010 ROWHOUSES
ARCH 5110 HOUSING AND AGGREGATION STUDIO
Northeastern University School of Architecture 360 Huntington Avenue 151 Ryder Hall Boston, MA 02115 617.373.8959 www.architecture.neu.edu
Copyright © 2011 School of Architecture Northeastern University
Designed by Paste in Place Printed by Lulu
The work contained within this publication is drawn from the Spring 2010 Northeastern University School of Architecture ARCH 5110 Housing and Aggrega tion Studio. All work was produced by fifth year architecture students, for whom the focus of the semester was infill courtyard housing in metropolitan Boston. STUDIO COORDINATORS
Tim Love and Sam Choi FACULTY
Sam Choi, Michael Grogan, David Hacin, Alyson Tanguay STUDENTS
Alexander Davis, Allison Browne, Ashley Hartshorn, Ashley Hopwood, Assia Belguedj, Benjamin Hochberg, Bryan Allen, Chris Freda, Dan Adams, Dan Artiges, Dan Belknap, Darien Fortier, Dennis Greenwood, Diana Lattari, Erica LeLievre, Julien Jalbert, Lindsey Deschenes, Lucas Carriere, Nicole Fichera, Pamela Andrade, Samuel Clement, Sara Laporte, Tim Loranger, Whitney Chicoine
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Nicole Fichera
SPLIT ROWHOUSE
Dan Belknap, Julien Jalbert, Pamela Andrade
SKINNY ROWHOUSE
Assia Belguedj, Dan Adams, Darien Fortier, Lucas Carriere, Bryan Allen
PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
Chris Freda, Dan Artiges, Whitney Chicoine, Tim Loranger
STACKED DUPLEXES
Alexander Davis, Benjamin Hochberg, Sara Laporte
2 DUPLEXES OVER FLAT
Ashley Hopwood, Dennis Greenwood, Erica LeLievre, Nicole Fichera,
Samuel Clement
INTERLOCKING ROWHOUSE
Allison Browne, Diana Lattari
1
7
33
83
115
145
199
INTERLOCKING
SPLIT
PUSH-PULL
TWO DUPLEXES OVER FLAT
STACKED DUPLEXES
THREE SKINNY
1
INTRODUCTION
NICOLE FICHERA
Northeastern University School of Architecture housing studio
focuses on a different type of housing every year, from courtyard
housing to highrise multifamily buildings. When our instructors
told us that we’d be designing rowhouses, I was excited. As
students in Boston, we know rowhouses: we have all lived in
them, walked by them, partied in them, chatted on their stoops
and relaxed on their rooftops. Architecture studios so often deal
with big buildings and largescale urban plans—this presented
a chance to think on a smaller scale, something tangible and
intimate. Design of housing focuses on something we all do every
day: live. We all live, and we all want to live well.
As students, this was our charge: to reinterpret the rowhouse for
modern urban life.
At the onset of the semester, our instructors presented six basic
diagrams for our rowhouse prototypes. Based on a parcel size of
20’ x 60’, the diagrams established a basic framework for interior
spatial organization and the adjacent parcels in relation to one
another.
‘Push/Pull’ required the deformation of the party wall between
two parcels, allowing units to expand and contract laterally to
create wider spaces. ‘Interlocking’ rowhouses broke down the
2
initial parcel division almost completely, allowing interior spaces to
wrap around each other and create complex spatial sequences.
The ‘Split’ condition mandated a solution with spaces around
a central courtyard for light and air. The aptly named ‘Skinny’
rowhouse was formed from three narrowhouses sandwiched
into the width of two parcels.
The two following propositions seemed the most viable in the
context of today’s market in that they pack three or four slightly
smaller residences into the designated parcels. ‘Two Duplexes
over Flat’ proposed two vertical units sitting on top of one flat
unit at street level, and ‘Stacked Duplex’ rowhouses were created
by two duplex units stacked on top of each other, for a total of
four units.
Each of these organizing concepts presented challenges and
opportunities. Some prototypes were ingrained with spatial
richness; others adapted easily to retail and accessibility issues;
and many had strict space constraints that required rigorous
planning and innovative thinking.
We began the studio with an indepth analysis of rowhouse
precedents, with examples ranging from the highly conceptual
work of MVRDV in Amsterdam’s Borneo Sporenburg to highend
rowhouse residences both new and renovated. We looked at
critical issues of core and stair placement, scale of living spaces,
development of the entry sequence, and relationships with
parking and the street.
To begin design we first developed a prototype of adjacent
parcels forming a single component. We then aggregated
components across an alley as four parcels, developing a section
that cut across a block from street front to street front, with a
service alley in between. Subsequently we repeated the long
sections to form an entire block, and invented corner conditions
for the idealized block created. At one point during the process
we exchanged units between peers, and aggregated both
sectional types together, first at the scale of a single block, then
as a nineblock grid. After designing these permutations in a
vacuum, we were ultimately asked to deploy our block strategy
on an actual site.
The site assigned was a large swath of underused, fragmented
blocks along Melnea Cass Boulevard. As a fringe condition—
surrounded by gentrified South End rowhouse neighborhoods,
industrial megablocks, a fast moving multilane road, hospital
campus buildings, and lowincome housing—the site was highly
variable and required adaptive responses. Our urban strategies
had to negotiate this varied context, while maintaining the spatial
logic of our original twoparcel prototype. Our idealized block
plans deformed, and spacious units were condensed to integrate
ground level retail zones.
Thus the work produced at the precinct scale, block scale, and
unit scale was endlessly varied.
Although the process was trying and unusual, this was an
important project as students learning about housing and
3
the ways in which cities struggle to move forward within the
constraints of the past. In cities such as Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, and Baltimore, rowhouses are commonplace.
Multiple generations of people love them. They make
neighborhoods feel unified and urban, create a comfortable sense
of human scale, and express the individuality of a single home.
Historically rowhouses signified progress and momentum
forward. In Boston’s Back Bay and South End neighborhoods,
rowhouse builders were pioneers on land filled sea. Now
antique facades seem solid, placid, full of untold stories from a
genteel past. Rowhouses have been so often subdivided and
readapted to modern living that their rhythmic, uniform facades
hardly reflect their diverse and heterogeneous innards. But these
neighborhood relics are not always perfectly preserved and have
adapted to accommodate change over time.
It is essential to acknowledge that diversity exists within
rowhouses. Recognizing the natural evolution of living spaces
could—and should—have major implications in the creation of
new housing today.
As an individual expression in a cohesive urban framework,
the rowhouse gives us both a sense of collective and a place
to call our own. In a city such as Boston, the reinterpretation
of this multigenerational precedent results in the creation of
new housing types, ones that are undeniably modern, but also
intrinsically rooted in Boston.
5
SPLIT
ROWHOUSE
DAN BELKNAP
JULIEN JALBERT
PAMELA ANDRADE
7 7
SPLIT LIGHT HOUSE SPLIT ROWHOUSE
SPLIT LIGHT HOUSE
The split rowhouse typology is a single family unit on a
single parcel, in which the indroduction of a courtyard defines
the type. The principle organizational strategy involved a
tectonically solid base to house service program and garage,
a heavily glazed public zone, and volume of private program
suspended above. A strict agenda of light was maintained
throughout the massing strategy.
DAN BELKNAP
INSTRUCTOR
DAVID HACIN
8
Fourth Floor Plan
Unit Section Unit Section
Third Floor Plan
DAN BELKNAP
INSTRUCTOR HACIN
Second Floor Plan First Floor Plan
9
Front Elevation Side Elevation Side Elevation
Street Elevation
10 Master Plan
DAN BELKNAP
11 The precinct exists on a crucial point of connection
between the transit hubs of Ruggles Station, Dudley Square, and Boston Medical Center. The amount of bus traffic on each road was heavily considered in the positioning of retail and scale of streets scapes.
Figure/Ground Diagram Urban Scale Response Urban Transit Lines
12
Interior View
Natural Light Diagram Corner Porch View
DAN BELKNAP
INSTRUCTOR HACIN
13 Perspective
Typical Block Plan SPLIT LIGHT HOUSE SPLIT ROWHOUSE
Solid block apartment type presents problems regarding natural light, ventilation and urban scale in a row house neighborhood.
Split row house type is introduced. Natural light and ventilation is improved for upper stories but courtyard is dark and cold. Facade also remains massive in scale.
Masses are staggered in section and rear mass is compressed. Light and ventilation is brought further into building and courtyard. Facade is broken and entry porch is articulated.
Vertical circulation is placed around courtyard and slab cuts bring light further into building and basement. Visual and acoustic connections are created sectionally.
14
Perspective
Site Section
DAN BELKNAP
15 Aerial Perspective
Site Section
17
ADAPT
ABLE LIVING
SPLIT ROWHOUSE
ADAPTABLE LIVING
Upon first designing a siteless rowhouse, this scheme placed
the public program towards the more active street, and the
private program towards the alley. An outdoor space was
placed in between the program, and the circulation was
situated around the void created. Once a site was given, the
overall parti of the design was modified to accommodate solar
orientation, where northfacing units would reorient public
program toward the rear. Public alley gardens were also placed
adjacent to the northfacing units on the block, which also
facilitated the reorientation of public vs. private program.
JULIEN JALBERT
INSTRUCTOR
ALYSON TANGUAY
18
The design looks to create open (green) spaces at three different scales that work in unison in order to create an engaging urban residential site. First, at the small scale of the unit, courtyards are either shared between units or individualized for the row house, allowing for more privatized exterior space for inhabitants. Second, at the intermediate public scale, contained gardens for each individual block, allows for a sense of community within the block. Lastly the large scale open space for the general public create liveliness within a urban setting.
Figure/Ground Diagram Existing Green Space
Existing Urban Conditions and Zones
JULIEN JALBER
T
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
19 Aerial Perspective ADAPT ABLE LIVING SPLIT ROWHOUSE Block Section
20
Unit Section 2 Unit Section 1
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
JULIEN JALBER
T
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
21 Third Floor Plan
Interior Perspective Interior Perspective
ADAPT
ABLE LIVING
23 CORES AS OBJECTS SPLIT ROWHOUSE
CORES AS OBJECTS
The primary idea behind this design centered around
perceiving the cores as objects that one moves around once
inside. The cores attach themselves to a circulation bar
and float within three types of spaces: public, private, and
courtyard. Material is used to call out the cores so they can
be understood as a system within the rowhouse. The rooms
therefore read as transparent layers with sufficient glass to
emphasize this idea. The facade expresses the circulation bar
in wood that then catches the projected bay, meant to read as
the volume of the courtyard being pushed out to the street.
PAMELA ANDRADE
INSTRUCTOR
SAM CHOI
24
P
AMELA ANDRADE
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
Block Section Elevation Block Perspective
25 Block Perspective
Block Elevation
26 Site Analysis Figure/Ground Diagram
At the urban scale, the blocks are designed as exten-sions of the existing fabric. The periphery green spaces function as buffers to heavy vehicular traffic. A central greenspace with plaza extends out to the other two block precincts in the form of green medi-ans and landscaping to unify the entire site.
P
AMELA ANDRADE
27 Aerial Perspective
Street Section
28
Interior Perspective - Kitchen Interior Perspective - Bedroom
Building Section Building Section
P
AMELA ANDRADE
29 Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan Third Floor Plan Fourth Floor Plan
CORES AS OBJECTS SPLIT ROWHOUSE
31
SKINNY
ROWHOUSE
ASSIA BELGUEDJ
DAN ADAMS
DARIEN FORTIER
LUCAS CARRIERE
BRYAN ALLEN
33 COUR TY ARD V ARIETY SKINNY ROWHOUSE
COURTYARD VARIETY
The skinny row house type accommodates a single family in
a typical urban condition of the South End neighborhood in
Boston, Massachusetts. Although a single unit is to function
as a singlefamily home, the typical unit type was designed
around a central courtyard privatizing the discovery and
experience of the living spaces towards the interior. Only at
two specific living spaces, does the house connect directly
with the public: on the roof courtyard and in the main living
room space. The organization of the unit around a central
courtyard allows for flexibility of unit types, where two units
can easily be paired to create a large center courtyard while still
maintaining an identity for a single unit type.
ASSIA BELGUEDJ
INSTRUCTOR
DAVID HACIN
34
ASSIA BELGUEDJ
INSTRUCTOR HACIN
Unit Type A Unit Type B Unit Type C Unit Type D
35 Fourth Floor Plan
Roof Plan Third Floor Plan Second Floor Plan First Floor Plan
Sectional Perspective COUR TY ARD V ARIETY SKINNY ROWHOUSE
36
Site Diagrams
Site analysis of the existing urban conditions of the neighborhood in regards to transportation (public and private), land use and distribution of green spaces gave for a particular aggregation strategy across the entire site. The site is divided into three larger blocks containing smaller and more intimate blocks within them. The aggregation within the three blocks is to encourage a sense of community amongst the residents, with placement of public spaces for leisure and recreation across the many smaller blocks.
Figure/Ground Diagram
ASSIA BELGUEDJ
37 Aerial Perspective
Block Sectional Perspective
COUR
TY
ARD V
ARIETY
39 URBAN SUBURB SKINNY ROWHOUSE
URBAN SUBURB
The inspiration for this design came from the phenomena of
the suburban lifestyle. Freedom of the outdoors and access
to exterior living space lead to the question of how to make
this possible in an urban setting. The most logical answer
was to utilize space on the roof which typically goes unused.
Combining the “Skinny Rowhouse” typology with a centralized
stair core and access to the roof resulted in a balanced
programmatic distribution of space. The stair simultaneously
maintains privacy along the vertical axis for the bedrooms on
either side and brings guests to the public space on the top
floors.
DAN ADAMS
INSTRUCTOR
MICHAEL GROGAN
40
DAN ADAMS
INSTRUCTOR GORGAN
Site Diagram - Green Space
The urban aggregation strategy is based upon two main goals—creating density and encouraging urban neighbors. By providing rooftop yards, residents will have the same opportunity to develop relationships with neighbors just as residents do in a suburban context. This is made possible by providing a high level of dense aggregation.
The existing bike path remains to be used as a termination point for pedestrian walkways. Two formal green spaces were also added in order to balance density with open green spaces.
41 Aerial Perspective
Street Elevation
42
Street View Perspective
Figure/Ground Diagram
DAN ADAMS
43 Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan Third Floor Plan Fourth Floor Plan
URBAN SUBURB SKINNY ROWHOUSE Master Bedroom Perspective
44
Zones Bedrooms/Private Space Core Space Public Space
Building Section Building Section
DAN ADAMS
45 Interior Perspective
Interior Perspective - Living Space
47 BLURRING BOUNDARIES SKINNY ROWHOUSE
BLURRING BOUNDARIES
The organization of the skinny rowhouse unit aims to address
the challenges of lighting the center of the unit and creating an
appropriate connection between exterior and interior. Therefore,
private bedrooms were placed into two boxes, both opening
outward to enjoy light and views from either end of the unit.
The negative space between the two boxes became the
public space.
Two unit variations resulted from flipping the orientation of
the unit from back to front. One unit type had a 2 story street
front while the other had a 3 story street front allowing for a
distinction in composition between major and minor streets
and streets bordering green spaces. The major streets were
composed of the taller units repeated rhythmically with the
facade designed in a way to excentuate the skinny quality and
height of the unit. Minor streets and those bordering southern
green spaces were arranged with an AB pattern that allows
light to penetrate deeper into the site.
DARIEN FORTIER
INSTRUCTOR
MICHAEL GROGAN
48
DARIEN FOR
TIER
INSTRUCTOR GROGAN
49 Street Perspective
Street Section
50 Unit A Section Unit B Section Concept Diagram DARIEN FOR TIER INSTRUCTOR GROGAN
51 Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan Unit B
BLURRING BOUNDARIES SKINNY ROWHOUSE
Third Floor Plan Unit A Third Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Unit A Axonometric Unit B Axonometric
52 Figure/Ground Diagram
The overall site strategy was meant to extend the South End quality into Roxbury and provide a buffer between the residents and the noise from Melnea Cass Ave. Therefore the block strategy of the south was repeated throughout the site, a green belt was enhanced bordering Melnea Cass, and the block oretation of the eastern end of the site was flipped to divert attention away from the large obtrusive existing buildings to the east, and instead create an axis that makes the hospital tower and new park focal points of
DARIEN FOR
TIER
INSTRUCTOR GROGAN
53 Site Plan
Street Elevation
55 MIXED INCOME SKINNY ROWHOUSE
MIXED INCOME
The Roxbury site, unique in both its typology and
socioeconomic class became an area of architectural and
cultural resolution in this proposed site planning strategy. The
presence of lower income/authority housing was addressed
both at the level of the site plan and at the scale of the single
unit. A varying number of units across the site, a mixture
of “moderate” and “luxury”, as well as retail all conjoin in
an appropriately buffered and scaled resolution, one that is
architecturally conscience through a common facade and
massing strategy. A landscape element (both greenery and
hardscaping features) intersects the blocks at their highest
density as an urban relief. At their smaller scale, these spaces
become shared, uniting, private, and public elements.
LUCAS CARRIERE
INSTRUCTOR
ALYSON TANGUAY
56 LUCAS CARRIERE INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y Site Plan
57 Aerial View
Block Section
58 Site Concept Diagram Figure/Ground Diagram
In the adjacent comparison between existing conditions and proposed conditions; both levels of the site strategy are illustrated. The site plan, coding the differing unit types, reinforces this strategy at the scale of the block and the individual housing unit.
LUCAS CARRIERE
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
59 Aerial Perspective
Existing Low Income
Proposed Green Space Existing Row Houses Proposed Housing
60
Elevations (Moderate 1) Elevations (Luxury 1) Elevations (Luxury 3)
Building Section (Luxury 3) Building Section (Moderate 1)
LUCAS CARRIERE
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
61 Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
(Luxury 3)
(Luxury 3) (Moderate 1) (Moderate 1)
63
LIVING IN DIFFERENT W
A
YS
SKINNY ROWHOUSE
LIVING IN DIFFERENT WAYS
No two apartments are lived in the same way, but in a row
house development an architect/urban planner must rely on
some amount of repetition. This scheme attempted to adapt
three identical "skinny" parcels for two types of residents
singles and families. The "skinny" parcel were combined with
a duplex to create a variety of unit types including flats, family
duplex, family "skinny" and "bachlor/bachelorette. This project
aims to develop units for different modes of living — “Flat”,
“Family” and “Bachelor/Bachelorette.
BRYAN ALLEN
INSTRUCTOR
SAM CHOI
64 Unit Section
First Floor Plans
BR
YAN ALLEN
65 Street Elevation Alley Elevation LIVING IN DIFFERENT W A YS SKINNY ROWHOUSE
66 Master Plan Sectional Elevation BR YAN ALLEN INSTRUCTOR CHOI
67 When we began to aggregate the units across the site,
it was helpful to analyze the local area to determine important patterns and thoroughfares.
After the first version of the masterplan (top right), the second version begins to address the rift in the urban fabric created by Melnea Cass Blvd (see bottom left).
Figure Ground/Site Specific Analysis Urban Site Analysis
LIVING IN DIFFERENT W
A
YS
68 Unit Interior View - From Bedroom to Living Unit Interior View - in Stair-wall Unit Interior View - Living Room
BR
YAN ALLEN
69 Block Study - Ground Plan
LIVING IN DIFFERENT W
A
YS
SKINNY ROWHOUSE
70
Block Study Long Elevation Block Study Perspective
BR
YAN ALLEN
71 Master Plan Aerial Perspective
LIVING IN DIFFERENT W
A
YS
73
PUSH-PULL
ROWHOUSE
CHRIS FREDA
DAN ARTIGES
WHITNEY CHICOINE
TIM LORANGER
75 MAXIMUM EXPOSURE PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
MAXIMUM EXPOSURE
The interlocking rowhouse strategy provided me with an
opportunity to explore a different type of living experience.
The nature of the interlocking typology allows units distinct
advantages over the typical rowhouse typology. First,
rowhouses are not bound to the typical fronttoback layout
which minimizes facade exposure and limits floor plan layout.
Interlocking units can push and pull in various ways to allow for
a more comfortable living arrangment while maximizing facade
exposure. Second, the interlocking strategy allows for units
and their occupants to interact in ways otherwise not possible.
The interlocking of units creates overlapping of volumes and
opportunity for visual and physical access to shared spaces.
CHRIS FREDA
INSTRUCTOR
DAVID HACIN
76
CHRIS FREDA
INSTRUCTOR HACIN
77 Block Plan
Street Elevation
78 Concept Diagram Mixed Use Units
The logic of shared space and interactivity from the interlocking townhouse unit was amplified and applied throughout the site. This presented many op-portunities for different qualities and sizes of spaces utilized by residents of the units, blocks, develop-ment and city as a whole.
CHRIS FREDA
INSTRUCTOR HACIN
79 Block Perspective
Street Elevation
80 Section
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
CHRIS FREDA
81 Third Floor Plan
Unit Section Courtyard Elevation Front Elevation
83 PUSHED P AR TY W ALL PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
PUSHED PARTY WALL
The PushPull Unit is based on the lateral movement of the
party wall separating two parcels. The strategy for this design
began with two extended service cores. The party wall wraps
around these cores creating large living spaces at the center
of the parcels. The push of this volume is accentuated within
the adjacent unit by negative space produced from the floor
pulling away from the extending volume. Each unit in a pair of
parcels is given a larger extended living space.
DAN ARTIGES
INSTRUCTOR
SAM CHOI
84
DAN AR
TIGES
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
85 Site Plan
Sectional Model
The strategy for the site was to create a green envelope for the aggregated units that connects the two large park spaces while surrounding and separating the neighborhood of aggregated units from the major streets surrounding the site.
PUSHED P
AR
TY W
ALL
86
Parti-walls and cores First Floor Second Floor Facade
Building Section
DAN AR
TIGES
87 Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan Third Floor Plan
PUSHED P
AR
TY W
ALL
89 FLEXIBLE P AR TI-W ALL PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
FLEXIBLE PARTYWALL
The nature of the pushpull rowhouse type allows for the
designer to take advantage of a flexible party wall. In my
design, there is a shared zone between two row houses
where the party wall undulates back and forth. This provides
the opportunity for certain rooms to get larger where they
need to, and for the circulation space to take up less space in
the individual units, by sharing one zone. It also provides an
opportunity for a shared light well to bring natural daylight into
the center of the units. The party wall is thus semitransparent
at points to allow for natural light to penetrate into both
units, from above and from the front and rear facades, while
maintaining proper privacy between the units.
WHITNEY CHICOINE
INSTRUCTOR
ALYSON TANGUAY
90 WHITNEY CHICOINE INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y Concept Diagram
First Floor Plan Basement Floor Plan
91 Building Section
Second Floor Plan Third Floor Plan
FLEXIBLE P
AR
TI-W
ALL
92
Site Plan Site Diagram
The site design is centered around the two main streets, Washington Street and Harrison Avenue. These streets are treated separately, Washington representing the commercial center of the area, and Harrison as a green-way-type boulevard. The bike path is spread through the site, and various parks widen the path.
Block Elevation
WHITNEY CHICOINE
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
93 Typical Block Plan
Street Section FLEXIBLE P AR TI-W ALL PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
95 DOUBLE FRONT BLOCK PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
DOUBLE FRONT BLOCK
The push/pull typology allows the designer to create unusually
large rooms for a rowhouse by having the ability to shift and
abstract the normally straight parti wall. In doing so this unit
became volumetrically symmetrical. The living room was on
the front for one unit, while on the back for the other and so
forth for each room in the unit. The only aspect which was
not symetrical was the entry sequence. Each unit had a main
entry in the front with a car port in the rear. Because of this
double front situation the ally was widened and turned into a
pedestrian pathway with a large island running the length of
each block in the middle of the parking lanes. This creates a
figure ground contrary to that of the existing street condition on
the opposite side of the proposed line of the rowhouse.
TIM LORANGER
INSTRUCTOR
SAM CHOI
96
TIM LORANGER
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
First Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
97 Push/Pull Front Elevation Skinny Elevation
Block A Street Section
DOUBLE FRONT BLOCK PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE Push/Pull Back Elevation
98 Master Plan
TIM LORANGER
99 Washington Street is the primary retail center on the
site and this was continued with the placement of most retail units along Washington. Harrison is a less traveled resedential street which becomes a spine for the residential streets to branch off of. The park was moved from one end of the site to the other so that it was closer to the exisiting school and the bulk of the resedential units on site.
Site Analysis Site Analysis Site Analysis
100 Model Perspective TIM LORANGER INSTRUCTOR CHOI Model Perspective Model Perspective Model Perspective
101 Perspective
Block B Elevation
102
Terrace (Roof) Perspective
Block A Section
TIM LORANGER
103 Block B Section
DOUBLE FRONT BLOCK PUSH-PULL ROWHOUSE
105
STACKED
DUPLEXES
ALEXANDER DAVIS
BENJAMIN HOCHBERG
SARA LAPORTE
107 DEVIANT ROWHOUSE STACKED DUPLEXES
DEVIANT ROWHOUSE
What is a Rowhouse?
Does it repeat over and over again?
Does it share a constant parti wall?
Does it keep a constant street edge?
Throughout the development of this project, at both unit and
site scales, there was a constant idea to test the boundaries
of what a neighborhood of rowhouses should and can be.
Although the design scale varies throughout, the concept
remains the same. At both unit and site scales, the pedestrian
travels along a threading circulation path that stitches spaces
together (apartments or blocks). This resulting corridor ends
in either an exterior terrace or large recreational area. The
resulting design, although deviant from normal Rowhouse
design, explores the possibilities of the rowhouse archetype.
ALEXANDER DAVIS
INSTRUCTOR
MICHAEL GROGAN
108
At the site scale, the varying blocks are treated very similar to the various apartment units at the unit scale. A pedestrian corridor threads its way through the site much like the main staircase threads through each rowhouse. This pedestrian corridor meanders through the site connecting each block with impor-tant existing buildings, proposed commercial space and large recreational areas. As this corridor passes through blocks, open spaces are created that allow for various social and recreational activities to take place.
ALEXANDER DA
VIS
109 Site Plan
Street Perspective Street Perspective
110
Section Model with Pedestrian Corridor
Street Section
ALEXANDER DA
VIS
111 Block Plan
Stitched Open Space Threaded Pedestrian Corridor Automobile Traffic Hierarchy
112
Unit Section 2 Unit Section 1
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
ALEXANDER DA
VIS
113 Fourth Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
Unit Section 4 Unit Section 3
115 PENETRA TING MASS ST ACKED DUPLEXES
PENETRATING MASS
The row house is designed for the mass to interact with
exterior space. The mass is penetrated by exterior spaces to
allow both the ground floor and upper floor apartments their
own “front door” and access from both the alley and the
street.
Portions of the building volume protrude to allow for private
exterior spaces. When these spaces interact with their
environment on the building’s facade, it results in shadow.
Futhermore, when they interact with street level, they create
a mediating zone between the sidewalk and the semiprivate
entry.
BENJAMIN HOCHBERG
INSTRUCTOR
ALYSON TANGUAY
116
BENJAMIN HOCHBERG
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
Y
Building Types Diagram Urban Concept Diagram - Two sides joined with a pin The site has three conditions of street: a long busy street that acts as a barrier, main South End streets, and smaller interior streets. The three types of buildings respond to each of these conditions. Tying them together and uniting the new development with the urban fabric is a border park.
Public Space
Live/work Duplex Over Retail Duplex Over Retail Flat Stacked Duplexes
117 Detail Block Plan
Street Elevation
PENETRA
TING MASS
ST
118
Street Section
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
BENJAMIN HOCHBERG
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
119 Fourth Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan Street Elevation
PENETRA
TING MASS
ST
121 "L" SECTION STACKED DUPLEXES
"L" SECTION
The stacked duplex unit type incorporates four distinct units
over a 40’ x 60’ parcel. While typically the units are stacked
above one another, this design takes advantage of an
“Lshaped” section to accommodate circulation requirements
and organize program spaces within the unit. To reach the top
units one enters through a thick central core. This zone houses
both the circulation for each unit as well as the service spaces,
and modulates the living spaces for each unit. Upon entering
each unit one arrives in an “informal” living area, and passes
through the kitchen and dining areas to reach the “formal”
living area on an upper level. The bedrooms are located on the
upper floors.
SARA LAPORTE
INSTRUCTOR
SAM CHOI
122 SARA LAPOR TE INSTRUCTOR CHOI Sectional Perspective Site Plan
123 Typical Block Plan
Block Perspective Elevation
124 Figure/Ground Diagram
As the site lies at the intersection of several programmatic zones— including a residential zone to the north, institutional to the east, and primarily industrial to the south and southwest— the question of edges was important. A landscaped buffer was placed along Melnea Cass, while the typical block plan was altered to avoid creating additional intersections along Melnea Cass. Because of its location, the site is also surrounded by irregular geometries. Where these geometries are reconciled, “pocket parks” are placed that relate to the neighborhood on a smaller scale, while the existing park to the north relates to the larger community. Stacked duplexes are placed along the main thoroughfares, while interlocking units are placed along the north to south connecting one way streets. To help keep traffic off of these streets, a two way north-south connector is located on the eastern end of the site.
Commercial program fills the southern most blocks to relate to their industrial and commercial context. Existing Vehicular Circulation Proposed Vehicular Circulation
SARA LAPOR
TE
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
125 Unit Aggregation Diagram
Sectional Perspective
STACKED DUPLEX:
ONE PARCEL: 2 UNITS
INTERLOCKING:
TYPICAL UNIT: 2 UNITS
STACKED DUPLEX:
RETAIL UNIT: 3 UNITS / RETAIL
STACKED DUPLEX:
TYPICAL UNIT: 4 UNITS
AGGREGATION UNIT TYPES
EXISTING BUILDINGS
126 Third Floor Plan Programmatic Diagram
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan Unit Concept Diagram
SARA LAPOR
TE
127 Fourth Floor Plan
Unit Circulation and Spatial Separation
Fifth Floor Plan Unit Perspectives
"L" SECTION STACKED DUPLEXES Unit Perspectives
129
2 DUPLEXES
OVER FLAT
ASHLEY HOPWOOD
DENNIS GREENWOOD
ERICA LELIEVRE
NICOLE FICHERA
SAMUEL CLEMENT
131 BLENDING TYPES 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
BLENDING TYPES
The idea for my unit and master plan is to blend families
and working singles. The unit plan, while balanced in square
footage, has more bedrooms with less living space for the
working singles, and fewer bedrooms and more living space
for the families.
The blocks on the North edge of the site feature the family
units, blocks on the South edge of the site feature multitenant
units, and the blocks in between feature combination units.
Live work units line the blocks along Melnea Cass.
The green space on the site is a combination of two large
parks, one for families and one for working singles, and a buffer
zone between housing and the busy Melnea Cass Boulevard.
ASHLEY HOPWOOD
INSTRUCTOR
ALYSON TANGUAY
132 ASHLEY HOPWOOD INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y Aerial Perspective
133 Perspective - Family Park
View From Second Floor Balcony
BLENDING TYPES 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
134
Concept Diagram - Housing Types
The master plan is arranged according to major thoroughfares and existing neighborhoods. Family housing is close to the housing developments in the Northwest edge of the site while multi-tenant housing is close to the major businesses and commercial areas lining the site. Major pedestrian roads respond to the parks and retail areas of the site.
Family Units Multi-tenant Units Live Work Units
ASHLEY HOPWOOD
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
135 Perspective of Multi-Tenant Park
Site Analysis - Vehicular Traffic Site Analysis - Pedestrian Traffic
BLENDING TYPES 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
136 Section through Alley
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
ASHLEY HOPWOOD
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
137 Third Floor Plan
Street Perspective from Melnea Cass Boulevard.
BLENDING TYPES 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
139 VOID + WEDGE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
VOID + WEDGE
The project explores the typology of the rowhouse (specifically
duplexes over a flat) by removing party walls, a typically
defining characteristic. A void replaces the party wall and
becomes an exterior zone of pushing and pulling private
spaces. This creates a reciprocal relationship between the units
while allowing light and ventilation to reach the flat below.
This “void” space then becomes a flexible zone in the
rowhouse as it can be manipulated to adjust to site
geometries. A wedge shaped variation of the design allows
a strip of rowhouses to curve along the block. In a similar
approach, wedge shaped greenspaces are used on the larger
urban scale to regulate city block geometries.
DENNIS GREENWOOD
INSTRUCTOR
ALLYSON TANGUAY
140 DENNIS GREENWOOD INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y Aerial Perspective
141 Street Perspective
Block Section
VOID + WEDGE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
142
Site Diagram
The site seeks to bridge the divide created by Washington Street while providing a buffer from the Melnea Cass thoroughfare. First floor retail units line pedestrian friendly Washington Street and a bike path and row of streetside trees skirt Melnea Cass. Rowhouse variations were created to satisfy the needs of the site and the principles of the design. The greenspaces are designed to regulate the city blocks, while creating a focal point within the site.
Residential (3 Units per Parcel) Retail Residential 53 Mixed Units Commercial Approx. 200,000 SF DENNIS GREENWOOD INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y
143 Concept Diagram
Street Perspective Street Perspective
Wedge Shaped Unit Variation
VOID + WEDGE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
144 Street Perspective Block Section DENNIS GREENWOOD INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y
145 Street Perspective
Block Elevation
VOID + WEDGE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
146
Unit Section 1
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
DENNIS GREENWOOD
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
147 Third Floor Plan
Unit Section 2 Sectional Diagram Unit Elevation
VOID + WEDGE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
149 DOUBLE WIDE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
DOUBLE WIDE
The ground floor unit is a flat that takes up two parcels, and
so becomes 40 foot wide. Above it are two duplexes, each
20’ wide. These three units share a 14’ wide central core that
holds all of the bathrooms, kitchens, and closet spaces. The
residual spaces on either side hold the living spaces, such as
the bedrooms and living rooms.
ERICA LELIEVRE
INSTRUCTOR
MICHAEL GROGAN
150
ERICA LELIEVRE
151 Section Model
Block Elevation
DOUBLE WIDE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
152
Zoning Diagram
ERICA LELIEVRE
INSTRUCTOR GROGAN
The site is split into three different zones, each of which has its own interior community open space.
Retail space is spread throughout the site in two different ways. The first, which can be seen along Washington street, is the “exterior facing” retail meant for the general public. Here the retail would be located on the first floor with duplexes above. The second type of retail is the “interior facing” retail which is located inside each of the zones. This would be community space for the people who live in the area. This interior facing retail has two different unit types. In the first type the retail is on the ground floor with the duplex units above. In the second type, seen on the corners, community space happens on all three floors.
153 Street Section
Street Perspective Street Perspective
DOUBLE WIDE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
The interior-facing retail space has a large buffer zone between the street and the open space that becomes a walking arcade. This connects all of the retail space and also becomes a part of the pathways that connect the corner community spaces.
154
Perspective
Section Type 2
The open spaces inside the zones also become program. In this example the playground is sunken into the ground, eliminating the need for fencing.
Section Type 1
ERICA LELIEVRE
155 Perspective
Block Diagram or Unit Diagram
DOUBLE WIDE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
Section Type 2 Section Type 1
156
Longitudinal Section Lateral Section
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
ERICA LELIEVRE
157 Third Floor Plan
DOUBLE WIDE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
Interior Perspective
159 THICK ZONE CORE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
THICK ZONE CORE
This project is based on a basic unit type of two duplexes
over a flat. The main concept is the expansion of the party
wall between the two vertical duplex units into a thick zone,
which contains all of the closed poche functions for the entire
building: primarily circulation, bathrooms, kitchens, closets,
laundry, et cetera.
Attached to the thick zone on each side are closed bedroom
‘boxes,’ offset at split levels. Thus, all of the private functions of
the units (service and sleeping) occur in the closed volumes
of the bedrooms and the thick central core. The public living
spaces (kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms) are then
formed by the open interstitial spaces between these closed
elements.
NICOLE FICHERA
INSTRUCTOR
SAM CHOI
160
NICOLE FICHERA
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
Edge Block Elevation Axonometric
Thick Zone Applied to Block Facade
The diagram at right depicts the unit concept as applied to the block. The central thick zone within the unit is conceived as something which is experiential—you are required at all times to interact with it and pass through it to get from space to space. By applying that concept to the front of the aggregated block, a thick facade zone is formed which mediates between the private world of the unit interior and the public life of the street.
The elevation is conceived in terms of the block as a series of carved layers and frames with a projecting living room volume. The layers make the thick zone inhabitable in the same way as the core.
On a larger scale, the concept of a thick zone is used to form a plan based on superblocks. The size of the blocks responds to the character of the site. It is a part of the South End, which has a fine-grained rowhouse texture, but it is additionaly a fringe condition, surrounded by strips of industrial and medical buildings. Thus, a modified version of the block elevation incorporates a block-size unifying frame element, and has less projections (which serve to break down scale). Thus, the edge walls of the super-block are unified and read as larger scale, and the interiors of the blocks respond to the residential, individual rowhouses.
161 Site Plan
Block Elevation Street Perspective
THICK ZONE CORE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
162
NICOLE FICHERA
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
Section Option 2: PACKED CENTRAL CORE thickened party wall containing poche spaces [wet + dry], leaving side spaces as public rooms
Section Option 1: SPLIT LEVEL
increased spatial complexity and depth, diagonal relationship of public and private
HYBRID RESULT
thickened party wall containing poche spaces; private and public spaces offset
LIVING
SP
ACE
BEDROOM
CORE
163 Axonometric Diagram
THICK ZONE CORE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
164
Unit Section
First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan
NICOLE FICHERA
INSTRUCTOR CHOI
The inhabitable core is modified by a series of additive and subtractive operations. Spaces are carved out of the thick zone for spaces such as bathrooms, kitchens, and circulation. In other cases, the core expands, sticking out into the room with balconies and fireplaces. The nature of a rowhouse is to have long, narrow spaces; by making the core inhabitable and letting it divide spaces by pushing out, the rooms can be divided into more appropriate proportional dimensions. In the flat unit, the core breaks off into smaller pieces, allowing a kitchen space in the center. In all three units, the user constantly moves in and out of the core, using it as circulation and inhabitable space. Gaps in the third floor allow the core to read as an uninterrupted wall rising through the space. The separation of the bedroom volumes on each end creates a dramatic open vertical space above the dining room, bringing light into the middle of the unit with a skylight
.
165 Fourth Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
THICK ZONE CORE 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
167 THE MISSING LINK 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
T
THE MISSING LINK
The goal of the housing project was to create an ultra
pedestrian friendly master plan that would draw pedestrians
from the Boston Medical Center west of the site as well as
pedestrians from the apartment complexes to the north.
In order to do this a hierarchy of open spaces is arranged
to tempt public use. To draw users from the apartments a
baseball/recreational field was placed at the Northern most
edge of the site. Likewise a vast stretch of landscape tempts
the Mass Ave travelers to enter the south west portion of
the site. These open spaces are attached to a single road
going through the site about which smaller open spaces are
arranged to encourage travel to the commercial center along
Harrison Ave.
SAMUEL CLEMENT
INSTRUCTOR
ALYSON TANGUAY
168 SAMUEL CLEMENT INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y Aerial Perspective
169 Block Plan
Block Elevation
THE MISSING LINK 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
170 Building Section Building Section SAMUEL CLEMENT INSTRUCTOR T ANGUA Y
171 Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan Third Floor Plan
THE MISSING LINK 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
172
Concept Diagram Building Types Diagram
The pedestrians paths of movement along the center road and the bike path along Melnea Cass draw trav-elers to rows of commercial development (grey) along Washington St. and Harrison Ave. Staggered blocks are generated to widen the alley as a second row house type (Gate Unit, in black) negotiates this shift.
SAMUEL CLEMENT
INSTRUCTOR T
ANGUA
173 Street Perspective
Street Section
THE MISSING LINK 2 DUPLEXES OVER FLA
175
INTERLOCKING
ROWHOUSE
ALLISON BROWNE
DIANA LATTARI
177 GREEN CORRIDORS INTERLOCKING ROWHOUSE
