Chloe Bendistis 2017

building momentum \\ enhancing connectivity of urban public space Chloe Bendistis Thesis Advisor: Jason Austin

BOSTON

NEW YORK HIGH SPEED RAIL 188 MINUTES | 188 MILES PER HOUR PHILADELPHIA

BALTIMORE WASHINGTON, D.C.

ACELA EXPRESS 374 MINUTES | 150 MILES PER HOUR proposal Amtrak has an ambitious proposal to introduce high speed rail to the northeast corridor, the oldest and most popular transit system in the United States. The goal is to ride from Boston to Washington, D.C. in 3 hours.

My thesis shall be the design of a new high speed train station. The most important factor in successful cities today is the flow of people and ideas. The high speed station shall be a hub of activity to slow down the speed at which people travel, thereby activating the cityscape.

The station is public space and shall serve a population greater than its passengers. It shall foster interactions to connect communities. According to Olmsted, public space is a democratic resource that brings together people of different backgrounds.

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

PENN STATION UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE

Baltimore

WASHINGTON MONUMENT

I chose to expand the Baltimore Penn Station in Maryland. I chose to focus on Baltimore because it is the weakest link within the northeast corridor. Baltimore is suffering from population decline with over 16,000 vacant homes. But Baltimore‘s affordability and prime location along the northeast corridor makes it ripe for revitalization. The city is home to world renowned science, research, and education institutions.

INNER HARBOR

Key Plan

0'

600'

1200'

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MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART

NORTH

Jones Falls Expressway Interstate 83

Jones Falls Expressway Interstate 83 Penn Station

Penn Station Maryland Institute College of Art

Maryland Institute College of Art

1/2 mile radius 10 minute walk

Station North Arts + Entertainment District

University of Baltimore

1/2 mile radius 10 minute walk

Commercial

Recreation

Education

Entertainment

Commercial Land Use

Public School

Visible Green Space

Bike Lanes

Theaters + Galleries

Major Roadways

Private School

Public Green Space

Recreation Centers

Fine Arts College

Light Rail

Higher Education

Private Green Space

WORK

PLAY COMMECIAL ZONES

SURROUNDING K-12 NODES HIGHER EDUCATION EDGE

site analysis

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT ZONES

BICYCLE AND GREEN NETWORKS ALIGN

To the north is the Station North Arts + Entertainment District. There is a network of green spaces and bike lanes that intersect the site. There is a periphery of K-12 schools and a strong higher education edge to the southeast with two universities. The site is located on the major commercial corridor of Charles Street.

Transit Education Commercial Office

+ Population -

Entertainment In Motion

- Duration +

Static

Interior

Exterior

Recreation 00:00

04:00

08:00

12:00

16:00

20:00

24:00

program I organized the existing programmatic resources into categories of: transit, education, commercial office, entertainment, and recreation, and mapped them according to speed and time. The intent is to find areas where these programs overlap to foster interaction and sharing of ideas.

NORTH

SOUTH

demographics The site is located between two distinct neighborhoods, stitched together by the commercial corridor of Charles Street. The northern neighborhood is an underserved black neighborhood. The southern neighborhood is a white, affluent community.

Rotterdam Central Station Rotterdam, Netherlands

Road routed below to maintain porosity of open air plaza

Overhang faces south, for dramatic shadows on the extruded form south

Benthem Crouwel Architects + MVSA Architects + West 8

Superkilen Copenhagen, Denmark

495,000 square feet Completed in 2014 Photo Credit: Jannes Linders, Luke Harley, Rijksoverheid, Team CS, Gemeenten Rotterdam

BIG Architects, Topotek 1, Superflex Outdoor Plaza 323,000 square feet Completed in 2012 Photo Credit: Iwan Baan Street Edge

100,000 passengers per day

Ceiling slopes up to light-filled concourse

Compression

Passage

Expansion

Expansion

Compression

Exterior View of Plaza and Main Entrance The short entry plaza and overhang heighten compression

King’s Cross Station London, United Kingdom Superkilen Copenhagen, John McAslanDenmark + Partners

Compression

Street Edge Exterior View of Main Entrance Recreational Red Zone

Impervious Black Market

Recreational Red Zone Aerobic Fitness Horizontal Open Space Large Spaces Big Movements As seen in: Thai Boxing Ring

Compression

Aerobic Fitness Horizontal Open Space Large Spaces Expansion Big Movements

Passageway

As seen in: Thai Boxing Ring

Passage

Sections

contemporary precedents Indoor

Relaxation Seating Areas Shade Small Games

Skylight emphasizes large volume of main hall Outdoor

Indoor Outdoor Spaces Reflect Indoor Programs

Expansion

Lush Green Park Lush Green Park

Impervious Black Market Outdoor

west

Recreational Red Zone

Program, Speed, and Time

BIG Architects, Topotek 1, Superflex Completed in 2012 Photo Credit: Hufton and Crow, Phil 323,000John square feet Adams, Sturrock Completed in 2012 Photo Credit: Iwan Baan 128,000 passengers per day

Program, Speed, and Time

Mezzanine levelRed maintains Recreational Zone compression and length of entry

Open Public Space in Urban Void

Organized Games Playing Fields Turf Team Sports

I examined the historic City Beautiful stationsAsasseen historic precedents. I also studied contemporary examples.

As seen in: in: Outdoor Spaces Basketball Court Chesscontraction Boards RotterdamReflect Central Station uses expansion and to create an arrival sequence.

Superkilen has Indoor programmed outdoor areas; from loud zones for Thai kick boxingHousing to more quiet areas to play chess.

Programs Massing Create Semi-Private Public Space in Courtyards

Impervious

cover Interstate 83 is a divisive force that travels below and above grade level, bisecting these neighborhoods. The station is surrounded by subterranean highway and railroad. As a pedestrian, you feel vulnerable walking these large blocks with an opaque fence beside you. My proposal is to cover the subterranean highways and railroads to create walkable city streets.

INTERMEDIATE REVIEW

north

600 feet

strategies I created two strategies for developing the area around the station. I struggled with overlapping the orthogonal grid of Baltimore city and the off-axis of the historic station.

The jurors questioned how this master plan would inform my building. They said I needed to emphasize differences in time and speed when understanding the building users and the architectural experience.

Penn Station

Site Plan

3D View

MAINTAIN AXIS OF OLD STATION BREAK CITY GRID Penn Station

Plan Parti

Section Parti

north

600 feet

Penn Station

Site Plan

3D View NEIGHBORHOOD EDGE

GREEN

TRANSIT

Penn Station WORK

GREEN

PLAY

URBAN CAMPUS EDGE

INTERMEDIATE REVIEW

Plan Parti

Section Parti

PROCESS MASTER PLAN MODEL

models The horizontal version of the concept model demonstrates how expansive public space can stitch together two separate components. The model is partially submerged to display the sectional qualifies of the program below and above grade.

The vertical version of the concept model illustrates how ascending and descending are important experiences for the train station. This model also demonstrates how the first level shall be open and porous to promote access across the site.

CONCEPT MODELS

The process master plan model is meant to show a gradient mediating the highdensity urban development along the commercial corridor with the lower density neighborhood of rowhomes. It also shows how voids can reveal the highways and railroads below.

01.CONNECT COMMUNITIES Create democratic resource through public park.

02.JOIN EAST-WEST NEIGHBORHOODS Cover highway and break supergrids into walkable streets.

03.PRESERVE OBJECT OF STATION Contrast orthagonal grid by following off-axis of historic station.

04.EXPAND HIGHER EDUCATION EDGE Build high-density, transit-oriented development.

05.STRENGTHEN COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR Fill in gaps of commercial development along Charles Street.

master plan As part of my project I came up with a master plan for the buildings to be located on the new city blocks.

Baltimore recently rewrote their zoning code and assigned this area as high-density transit oriented development.

TECHNICAL REVIEW

RETAIL

EDUCATION

TRANSIT

LOWER LEVEL PLAN DIAGRAM

CONNECT NORTHEAST CORRIDOR Add high speed rail adjacent to existing rail lines to reuse existing resources.

STRENGTHEN URBAN EDGE Concentrate development along established commercial corridor of Charles Street.

GROUND LEVEL PLAN DIAGRAM

UPPER LEVEL PLAN DIAGRAM

ROOF LEVEL PLAN DIAGRAM

CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS Walking paths connect communities and create meeting spaces.

CONNECT TWO STATIONS An upper level bridge shall provide passengers with access from the historic to the new station.

OVERHANG CREATES MEETING SPACE The roof overhang encapsulates pulic space in and around the building.

massing

TECHNICAL REVIEW

During the technical review, I received feedback that I needed to define the term “democratic” architecturally.

Also, the jurors questioned how I imagined this project 10 years from now. Lastly, they recommended that I imagine the building not as a large object, but an expression of form and space.

MASSING: PLAN PARTI

FAST | LOUD PRIVATE QUIET | SLOW POROUS MASSING: SECTION PARTI

massing The form aligns with the city and neighborhood grid, but includes public space along the off-axis. The ground level is meant to be active and porous. The building becomes more private and enclosed as you travel upward.

Loud program areas are organized along Charles Street and quiet areas towards the neighborhood.

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PROGRAM: PLAN PARTI TRAVEL

WORK

PLAY

SECTION A PROGRAM DIAGRAM

SECTION B PROGRAM DIAGRAM

program The transit component carves into the form and demonstrates the off-axis of the tracks below. To provide democratic resources, the retail includes short term and long term spaces. The buildings includes co-working office space and classrooms. Shared spaces promote interaction between users.

SIDE LIGHTING DAYLIGHTING

TOP LIGHTING

RAIN GARDENS GREEN ROOF STORMWATER

systems

STRUCTURE

There are several daylighting strategies incorporated to blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor. Also, to break up the large form. Light wells along this corridor promotes wayfinding.

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sections To celebrate the educational component, classrooms on the upper levels are illuminated with roof monitors to provide diffuse natural light for quiet concentration.

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the concourse In terms of experiential sequence, the concourse is made up of large forms and textured walls to illustrate the heaviness of the subterranean level. A large void is cut in the ground level to provide soft northern light to the concourse level and illuminate the vertical circulation to assist in wayfinding. The thick slab edge serves as a threshold as you transition from the quiet, enclosed journey of the train ride to the loud, multifaceted activity of the city. The glazed wall across the stairs provides view to the outdoors. waiting hall The waiting hall on the ground level is very porous and active. The seats are set within channels in the floor, so they slide as needed to suit large groups or individuals. Linear patterns of glass block are carved into the slab, providing fractured, soft daylight to the concourse below. Also, the glass block pattern illuminates when the train is arriving.

RENDERINGS

office space As you move to the office space higher in the building, the envelope becomes less porous and the finishes are more serene, thereby creating an environment for focused work. In the busy open plan office area, punched window openings provide a pattern of shadow and light, and views of the city skyline. In the classrooms, roof monitors provide diffuse, soft lighting, indicating quiet concentration.

open event space The open event space utilizes the sloped roof opposite the large plaza to create a sense of expansion.

Oversized sliding door panels blur the boundary between interior and exterior. The space can be opened and configured to the outdoors, or the sliding panels can divide the large volume into smaller meeting areas. The structural frame breaks down the large volume into more intimate spaces. The frame can host shade structures in the summer or stalls for a market.

RENDERINGS

RUSH HOUR MON - FRI 8:00 AM TO 10:00 AM 4:00 PM TO 6:00 PM EARLY MORNING EXERCISE PASSENGERS WALKING THROUGH REMOTE WORK SESSIONS

DAYTIME MON - FRI 10:00 AM TO 4:00 AM CLASSROOMS REMOTE WORK SESSOINS

FINAL MODEL DAYTIME SAT-SUN 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM OUTDOOR MARKET AFTERNOON WALKS

public space

EVENING SAT-SUN 7:00 PM TO 10:00 PM CONCERT

The open event space is meant to be used all day every day. In the mornings it serves commuters for remote work sessions. The outdoor classrooms can be used for yoga classes. During the day the large space is broken into smaller classrooms and meeting spaces. On weekends people can set up stalls for a flea market or a farmers market. Lastly, it can open up into a large open venue for a concert.

The high speed train is an expensive investment. In order to promote sustainable growth, Baltimore shall invest in people and experiences. My project demonstrates ways in which people can experience the city and connect with others. Ultimately the goal is to improve quality of life for residents and visitors.