A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Bahia Blanca + Chicago
UTK IARCH475 + UNS COPILOT STUDIO FALL 2021
Foreword...
The following material results from collaborative teamwork from the University of Tennessee School of Architecture - 4th-year Interior Architecture Design Studio, and the Explorative Design Studio in Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The co-pilot program, developed between both universities, proposes students elaborate projects in two specific sites: Fulton District, Chicago (USA) and Mercado Victoria, Bahía Blanca (Argentina). There were three main objectives to reach through the research phase of the studio: The first goal was to recognize the collaborative efforts from two different universities from different countries. Teamwork strategies encouraged students to work together despite their differences in language, cultural and educational background. The challenge was to communicate and form an idea through constructive discussions and execute the statements in architectural language. Solely relying on online platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams became the primary communication tool to understand and create an open dialogue between the team members. It was through these frictions of difference to come up with the site. The second objective for the studio is to approach the distinctive site holistically as an urban intervention. The work relied on research and analysis of the site's physical, environmental, social, economic, and cultural aspects to frame program proposals. Existing urban conditions from warehouses to examining the industrial artifacts helped to discover series of issues to enrich the discovery as part of the process. The third goal for the studio is to understand and come up with a design proposal that initiates from the macro-level of urban conditions to the micro-scale of the interiority of space. The challenge is to recognize the set of issues and use those issues as part of the design tool to develop creative alternatives. Through the initial phase of the research, we will continue to develop architectural suggestions to come up with environmental and social development.
01
wellbeing
02
community
03
involvement
04
equity
05
connectivity
06
passive
07
inclusivity
04
Brooklyn Poff Camryn Weekly Julieta Allende Lucia Bugatti
Statement This chapter places a major emphasis on realizing the inequities that Chicago has dealt with historically, and how these issues are still prevalent today. Affordable housing, segregation, green inequity, and the displacement of marginalized groups are a few examples of where the research led. Fueled by this research, a conclusion was drawn that the studio project must encompass the exploration of mitigating these issues and hopefully drawing conclusions through an architectural media.
Affordable Housing
Locations of affordable housing in the Near West Side of Chicago
Affordable Housing Unit(s)
Fulton Market District Boundary
Not all the affordable housing units shown
lucrative, white collar industries, many families
above are considered to be within the Fulton
can no longer pay the skyrocketing rents and
Market District, but these are the closest units.
therefore were displaced. The COVID-19
The area shown is a snapshot of the Near West
pandemic has only exacerbated the need for
Side, which houses a few neighborhoods such
affordable housing.
as the Fulton Market District and Greek Town. The lack of affordable housing in the area speaks to the past two decades of gentrification. Due to rapid growth in more
Supply/Demand Gap for Affordable Rental Housing 600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
2012
2013
Supply
2014
2015
Gap
2016
Demand
This bar graph shows the dire need for
affordable, and this requirement locks the price
affordable housing across Chicago by
in for the next 30 years. This will help alleviate
highlighting the growing gap between the
the housing crisis that Chicago is facing, and
supply and demand. The data trend shows that
especially addresses the housing inequity in the
the supply is growing at a much slower rate
Fulton Market area.
than the demand, which is increasing over the observed four year period. Recently, Fulton Market has mandated that all new residential buildings must have 30% of its units be
Affordability For a rental property, affordability is defined as a household earning up to 60% of the area median income (AMI).
Household Size
Area Median Income (AMI) Limits in Chicago (2021) 30%
40%
50%
60%
80%
100%
120%
140%
1
$19,600
$26,120
$32,600
$39,180
$52,200
$65,300
$78,360
$91,420
2
$22,400
$29,840
$37,300
$44,760
$59,650
$74,600
$89,520
$104,440
3
$25,200
$33,560
$41,950
$50,340
$67,100
$83,900
$100,680
$117,460
4
$27,950
$37,280
$46,600
$55,920
$74,550
$93,200
$111,840
$130,480
5
$30,200
$40,280
$50,350
$60,420
$80,550
$100,700
$120,840
$140,980
6
$32,450
$43,280
$54,100
$64,920
$86,500
$108,200
$129,840
$151,480
7
$34,700
$46,240
$57,800
$69,360
$92,450
$115,600
$138,720
$161,840
8
$36,900
$49,240
$61,550
$73,860
$98,450
$123,100
$147,720
$172,340
Affordable units MUST remain affordable for 30 years
AMI Fluctuations Through the Years
Inclusionary housing must be accessible and affordable Recognizing different market conditions is vital to equity
$120000
$100000
The leasing process should be efficient and equitable
$80000
The goal is to achieve 30% affordability to create a thriving mixed income community
$60000
Until 2021, there had been a hold on building any new residential buildings in the fulton market area Now, the ordinance was lifted, and residential buildings can be built as long as the building meets the threshold of 30% of all units being considered “affordable”
$40000
$20000
$0 2000
2010
2017
Household Income
Historical Districts
Fulton Market Innovation District Boundary
Character Buildings
Landmark District
Kinzie Corridor Overlay
Open Space (1.5%) Single Family Residential (4.1%)
Mixed Use (1.3%)
Vacant (5.2%) Industrial (8.1%)
Multi Family Residential (10%)
Land Use in Fulton Market
Commercial (10.9%)
Transportation and Other (43.3%) institutional (15.7%)
The Fulton Market has designated certain zones to aid in the planning effort to grow the district more. It breaks the zones from a macro to micro scale, going from the entirety of the Fulton Market area, to the landmark district, the historical Kinzie Corridor, and even down to “character” buildings. These are buildings that hold a lot of historical value to the area, and have been around for decades. In the landmark district, buildings must have a facade that is historically appropriate. Historic preservation is very active in this area, and there are many building codes and ordinances that architects and builders must follow. The Kinzie Corridor has been an area of the neighborhood that has stood the test of time during the life span of the Fulton Market. Originally, ordinances blocked the development of residential buildings in the Kinzie Corridor, but this was lifted in 2021 due to the commitment to affordable housing (which the Fulton Market is seriously lacking).
Employment
The tan bars (manufacturing, wholesalers, and
collar jobs are higher paying than its blue collar
utilities) showcase historically popular industries
counterparts, the Fulton Market is experiencing
that once caused the Fulton Market area to thrive.
an identity crisis as it distances itself from the
Today, the Fulton Market area has transitioned to
formerly established working class persona.
a work force that is largely white collar jobs as opposed to its blue collar roots. While the white
Professional Finance/Insurance Healthcare Education Retail Information Manufacturing Hospitality Real Estate Administrative Entertainment Construction Government Whole Salers Other Services Transportation Utilities Agriculture 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Demographics
Non-Citizen 14.47% Male 50.23% Citizen (not US born) 7.44%
Citizen (US born) 78.09%
Female 49.77%
Fulton Market District 0%
10%
20%
30%
Chicago 40%
50%
60%
70% 77.8%
White1 5.3%
Hispanic2
4.2%
Black
10.5%
Asian 2.2%
Mixed
1
non-Hispanic
2
not including Black and Asian Hispanics
A Garden City When Chicago first became a city, it adopted the nickname of “Garden City” because of the how many green areas there were within the city. There are over 600 parks all around the city. Today however, there is a green inequity issue that Chicago is facing. In the more affluent areas, such as the Loop, there are a lot more parks and the density of green space is higher than in areas such as Cabrini-Green (which is not as affluent). The amount and density of parks decreases drastically as you move westward from the waterfront area.
Parks Timeline
1868
1875
1895
Lincoln Park Zoo established, oldest free zoo in US
Sheep flock lawn mowing service instated in all Chicago area parks
First public outdoor pool in Chicago
1943 Victory gardens in the Chicago parks to support WWII
1935 Free concerts in Grant Park
1905 Neighborhood park typology created
1966 Freedom rally at Soldier Field for civil rights
1968
2005
2013
First Special Olympics held at Soldier Field
ADA compliance committee for parks is formed
Chicago Plays program brought 300 playgrounds in Chicago up to date (completed 2016)
N. Ada St.
Surrounding Building Analysis
N. Elizabeth St.
W. Fulton St.
Commercial
Healthcare
Grocery
Green Space
Proposed Site
Mixed Use
Potential Program Park/Green Space
Urban Trails
Amphitheater
Chicago History
Public Space Welcome Center
Cafe Typology
Public
Library
Urban Farm
Private
Community Garden
Educational Space
Multi-Family Housing
Typical Units (20%)
Controlled Rent Units (50%)
Affordable Units (30%)
Food Desert
Community
A strong sense of community throughout the city
ROGER’S PARK
EDISON PARK
WEST RIDGE
ED
FOREST GLEN O’HARE
NORWOOD PARK
JEFFERSON PARK
G
NORTH PARK
ER
LINCOLN SQUARE
ALBANY PARK PORTAGE PARK
IRVING PARK
DUNNING
UPTOWN NORTH CENTER
LAKEVIEW
AVONDALE
A OS
RM
RE
A CL NT
BELMONT CRAGIN
HE
MO
far north side
EW AT
northwest side
LINCOLN PARK
LOGAN SQUARE
HUMBOLDT PARK
NEAR NORTH SIDE
WEST TOWN
AUSTIN
north side
WEST EAST GARFIELD GARFIELD PARK PARK
west side central chicago
LOOP
NEAR WEST SIDE
southwest side
B
RI
SOUTH LAWNDALE
D
G
EP
O
D
D
SOUTH SHORE
GREATER GRAND CROSSING
AUBURN GRESHAM
CHATHAM
SID
CALUMET HEIGHTS
E
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
SOUTH CHICAGO
AVALON PARK
RN BU
Our site, the Fulton Market District, is located in the Near West Side, extremely close to the Loop. The district is more reflective of the patterns of wealth and hardship present in the Loop than the Near West Side.
HYDE PARK
WOODLAWN
OO EW
Most of the area’s wealth is concentrated in the center of the city, primarily the Loop. This area remains primarily white.
T D ES O W WO E GL
The 77 communities are grouped into 9 regions depending on their geographic location compared to the center of Chicago. Because the city grew out from this point, it serves as the central hub for the surrounding communities.
ASHBURN
N
CHICAGO LAWN
H PA ING RK TO N
GL
WEST LAWN
GRAND BOULEVARD KENWOOD
W AS
EN
GAGE PARK
EN
WEST ELSDON
CLEARING
There are 77 officially recognized communities in the Chicago area. Each one is comprised of multiple neighborhoods, each with rich and complex histories.
NEW CITY
LA
GARFIELD RIDGE
BRIGHTON PARK
DOUGLAS
FULLER PARK
ARCHER HEIGHTS
far southwest side
RT
AK O
MCKINLEY PARK
south side
ARMOR SQUARE
LOWER WEST SIDE
far southeast side
NEAR SOUTH SIDE
NORTH LAWNDALE
PULLMAN
BEVERLY
EAST SIDE
ROSELAND MOUNT GREENMAN
SOUTH DEERING
MORGAN PARK
WEST PULLMAN
RIVERDALE
HEGEWISCH
Community
Areas below the poverty line
ROGER’S PARK
EDISON PARK
WEST RIDGE
ED
FOREST GLEN O’HARE
NORWOOD PARK
JEFFERSON PARK
G
NORTH PARK
ER
LINCOLN SQUARE
ALBANY PARK PORTAGE PARK
IRVING PARK
DUNNING
UPTOWN NORTH CENTER
LAKEVIEW
AVONDALE
A OS
RM
RE
A CL NT
BELMONT CRAGIN
HE
MO
Neighborhood with 40%- 60% of population below the poverty line
EW AT
LINCOLN PARK
LOGAN SQUARE
HUMBOLDT PARK
NEAR NORTH SIDE
WEST TOWN
AUSTIN
Neighborhood with 20% - 40% of population below the poverty line
WEST EAST GARFIELD GARFIELD PARK PARK
LOOP
NEAR WEST SIDE
NEAR SOUTH SIDE
NORTH LAWNDALE
B
RI
SOUTH LAWNDALE
D
G
EP
O
MCKINLEY PARK
D
D
SOUTH SHORE
GREATER GRAND CROSSING
AUBURN GRESHAM
CHATHAM
SID
CALUMET HEIGHTS
E
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
SOUTH CHICAGO
AVALON PARK
RN BU
In West and East Garfield Park, North Lawndale, Armor Square, Fuller Park, Washington Park, Englewood, and Riverdale, between 40% and 60% of the population lives below the poverty line.
HYDE PARK
WOODLAWN
OO EW
Out of the 77 officially recognized communities on this map, the Loop has the lowest hardship index (3) while Riverdale has the highest (98).
T D ES O W WO E GL
The outer edges of Chicago, particularly the south, struggle the most with poverty; they face more discrimination than those at the center of the city. Residents of communities in the Far Southeast Side have fewer resources and opportunities to improve their lives
ASHBURN
N
CHICAGO LAWN
H PA ING RK TO N
GL
WEST LAWN
GRAND BOULEVARD KENWOOD
W AS
EN
GAGE PARK
EN
WEST ELSDON
CLEARING
Chicago’s communities remain strictly segregated despite decades of post-segregation policy on both a federal and city level.
NEW CITY
LA
GARFIELD RIDGE
BRIGHTON PARK
DOUGLAS
FULLER PARK
ARCHER HEIGHTS
RT
AK O
Neighborhood with 0% - 20% of population below poverty line
ARMOR SQUARE
LOWER WEST SIDE
PULLMAN
BEVERLY
EAST SIDE
ROSELAND MOUNT GREENMAN
SOUTH DEERING
MORGAN PARK
WEST PULLMAN
RIVERDALE
HEGEWISCH
Transportation
Neighborhoods + L routes
Transfer Spot Red Line Orange Line Yellow Line Green Line Brown Line Blue Line Purple Line (Rush Hour Only) Pink Line
Chicago has a well-developed transit system that includes an extensive train routes, deemed “the L” by residents. The L is extremely reliable. Its routes provide easy access to the Loop and adjacent communities, but neighborhoods in the Far Southwest Side and Far Southeast Side are excluded. The L routes do not extend far into the southern region of Chicago. Because these residents have minimal train access, they are unable to rely on the Chicago Transit Authority for their transportation needs. Chicago has an active bike culture supported by 303 miles of bike lanes and 13,000+ bike racks. In 2016, Chicago was named “Best Bike City in America.
Transportation
L routes + waterways + expressways
Expressway L Route Major River
Chicago is interwoven by various streams, canals, river branches, highways and train tracks. Beginning at the edge of Lake Michigan, the city grew outward from the Loop. As a result, most of the city’s major transportation routes lead back towards the city center. Chicago’s waterway system consists of more than 156 mi of man made rivers and canals. The river and canals have been highly affected by industrial and residential development. The river is home to many species of aquatic life that is threatened by continual pollution. Most of the current expressways were built after World War II as a part of the Chicago Planning Commission’s Comprehensive City Plan. This project cost about $2 billion when adjusted for inflation. Construction took place from the mid 40’s into the early 60’s
Transportation
Income + cars per person
Income per Capita (USD)
$125,000 $100,000 $75,000 $50,000 $25,000 $0 1.00
1.50
2.00
Number of People per Vehicle
2.50
3.00
Segregation
L routes + waterways + food deserts
L Routes > 200% of median income 150% - 200% 125% - 150% 75% - 125% of median income 60% - 75% 45% - 60% 0% - 45% of median income
It is clear to see that although the L is an indispensable tool for inner-city commuters, those who live on the outer edges of town lack access to this life-saving service. Community members in more poverty-stricken areas tend to have less access to personal vehicles, making taking one’s one car to work unfeasible for most. As a result, wealth that was originally concentrated in the city center, the most urban area in Chicago, has not spread far outside of that inner ring.
Segregation
Expressways + waterways + food scarcity
Expressway River Area of Food Scarcity
Originally conceived as part of Burnham’s plan for Chicago in 1909, city leaders knew that the further development of Chicago depended on reliable transportation in and out of the city. Unfortunately, when the Chicago Planning Commission began planning expressways through the city, they intentionally used the project as an excuse to deepen the racial divide in the city. In 1943, the mayor expressed the city’s intent to “clear slum areas” and “rehabilitate blighted areas” to create “a truly adequate transportation system.” This “clearing” and “rehabilitation” consisted of destroying an estimated 8,100 primarily black housing units. “Between 1948 and 1956, more than 6,000 Chicago families lost their homes to ‘highway takes.”
Segregation
Impoverished neighborhoods + food scarcity + transportation
Experiencing Food Scarcity Regional Boundaries Neighborhood Boundaries Expressways L Tracks River Residents Below Poverty Line
The division of communities resulting from the construction of Chicago’s expressways in the mid 20th century had a direct impact on food accessibility in poverty-stricken areas. Chicago’s food deserts have significant overlap with communities that live below the poverty line. A food desert is defined as an area without a traditional grocery store within a 15 mile radius. Residents in the highlighted areas are forced to depend on bodegas, convenience stores and fast food, as they are unable to afford other restaurants. Under-served communities with minimal food access also have little to no access to expressways or L routes. “African Americans make up approximately one third of Chicago’s population, but almost 80 percent of the population of persistently low or volatile food access areas.”
Segregation
Impoverished neighborhoods + food scarcity + abandoned buildings
Impoverished Neighborhoods Areas with Abandoned Buildings Areas Experiencing Food Scarcity
In addition to the overlap between impoverished neighborhoods and food scarcity, Chicago also struggles with a surplus of abandoned buildings. As the diagram to the right shows, abandoned buildings are concentrated in the same impoverished communities. The city routinely underfunds and underinvests into these communities, leaving abandoned buildings to rot. Most of the empty structures are warehouses or manufacturing spaces no longer utilized by industrial groups. Big employers in black neighborhoods began to move out/away in the 60s; most of factories have moved overseas or to the suburbs, leaving fewer employment opportunities for people without much education.
Segregation
Education + museums + green space + impoverished neighborhoods
Private Schools Elementary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Parks + Green Space Universities Underserved Neighborhood
Chicago is home to 600 parks, 500 playgrounds, 70 nature/bird sanctuaries, 26 miles of open lakefront, 29 beaches, 307 sports fields and 8,300 acres of green space. Although the city’s official seal includes the phrase “Urbs in Horto” (a Latin phrase meaning city in a garden), most of Chicago’s public green space is concentrated in the center of the city. Residents living further from Central Chicago have restricted access to these spaces. The communities without an abundance of parks or green space coincide with impoverished neighborhoods in Chicago.
Historical Buildings in an effort to attract commission merchants displaced by the closure of the south water market, Randolph Street was widened again from Sangamon west to Union Park in 1922. investors began building commission houses during this time to further attract merchants, such as the Howard Building and the Central Market Building.
Central Market Building
Latam Machinery Company
Howard Building
In addition to produce, meat, and poultry, the Fulton Market District includes warehouse and manufacturing buildings that were built during the rapid industrialization of the Near West Side during the turn of the twentieth century.
Davis and Rankin Building
Foote Brothers
Edward Katzinger & Company
Morgan & Wright Company
Arthur Harris & Company
Urban Grid
Fulton Market District,
Fulton Market District,
1850 - 1908
2021
Even through the rapid development of the Fulton Market District over the many years, the orthogonal street grid remained in tact. Although, it was altered to be more equipped for a modern city. the only interruption to the grid is the I-90 highway, as it curvilinearly bisects Fulton Market from the downtown Loop.
From 1850 to 1908, the widened street contained the West Market Hall and later a farmer’s market
Congress Parkway In 1908, the widened section was extended from N. Halsted to Sangamon to expand the farmer’s market
In 1923, the street was widened yet again to Ogden Avenue to attract the merchants that were displaed from South Water Market
Burnham’s Vision for Chicago Arterial Street Widening 120 miles of streets were widened during the 1920s due to increased use of the car
New Diagonal Avenues Ogden Ave extended N.E. from Ashland by the 1930s, Chicago Ave to Lincoln Park was removed by 1993
Congress Parkway The super highway began construction in the 1930s and opened in 1958
Railroad Stations A new Union Station was built in 1925 near the new North Western Station, but all the railroad stations were never combined
Civic Center Began construction downtown as the Plan of Chicago was being written
Chicago River Straightening Finished in 1929, but the through streets were never opened due to railroad facilities never being removed Roosevelt Road Widened in 1914 as part of the “Outer Circuit” plan for roadways to route traffic around the central business district
Two Level Riverfront Drives Wacker Drive replaced the city’s produce market in 1926 Michigan Avenue Bridge Double level boulevard bridge opened in 1920, expanded business district across the river
Link Bridge Lakeshore Drive Bridge opened in 1937 east of anticipated location for extension of South Park Avenue
Grant Park Cultural center of museums and libraries, blocked by Montgomery Ward court decisions
Municipal Piers Pier Np. 2 was completed in 1916, but was instead built at Grand Ave instead of Chicago Ave
Northerly Island Landfill constructed by South Park Commission in 1920s. Former airport, site for Century of Progress Exposition
Regional Highways Highways were constructed started in the 1920s to connect the region
Tourism
Tourist sector grows New jobs created
Growth Flow Chart Goods and services sold More tourists come
Money improves tourism activities and zones
Income generated for government, companies, and citizens
Tourism and COVID-19
Consequences after the pandemic
Tourism Sector Percentage of Total Economy
Spain (14.3%)
Italy (13%)
China (11.3%)
Germany (9.1%) Great Britain (9%)
United States (8.6%)
France (8.5%)
Iran (6.8%) Chicago
Lost 55% of income Lack of manpower In 2019, 22,000 job positions had been generated thanks to tourism. After COVID-19, most of them were lost.
The Hidden Face of Tourism Segregation
Two sides of the same coin
Less Diverse
rists tou to
Gentri fy t he
ke it more at tra ma o ct t iv ti y
e
c
More Diverse
Displace marginalized communitites to create a “utopian” Chicago, without providing any resources to the recently displaced groups