Master's Research Project

Salvage for a Place of Inspiration; A study on the salvaging of materials to develop an opportunity for the arts to thrive within an urban community.

Jessie Hare

Master’s Research Project The University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Design The College of the Arts

Concept Sketch

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Salvage for a Place of Inspiration;

A study on the salvaging of materials to develop an opportunity for the arts to thrive within an urban community.

A master’s research project presented to the Graduate School of Architecture and Community Design at the University of South Florida in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master’s of Architecture.

Research, design, and documentation by

Jessie Hare

Fall 2014- Spring 2015

Thesis Chair: Nancy Sanders Professor of Architecture USF Tampa, FL

Thesis Committee: Tucker Kruse Electrical Designer at Jolmar Corporation Tampa, FL Matt Herget Artist Miami, FL/Los Angeles, CA

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Hale County Animal Shelter

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To Tom and Kathy Hare, I could have never achieved all that I have without your constant love and support.

You have been the greatest parents anyone could ever ask for. You both have worked so hard and have sacrificed so much in order to help me do anything I set out to accomplish.

Thank you so much for everything you have ever done for me.

I love you.

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Subrosa. Mockbee Memorial

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Acknowledgements I would like to thank all of my family and friends for the support throughout my time in the architecture program at the University of South Florida. Over the past five or six years, I have grown as a design student, and have learned an incredible amount myself. With the help of everyone who has been supporting me while I’ve been in school, I have been able to achieve things I could have never imagined, I have traveled to places I only dreamt of seeing, and I have met some of the greatest people I have ever come to know. Thank you to all of my peers for sharing this amazing journey with me. It has been a blessing to learn, to struggle, and to succeed with everyone. The friendships and memories I have made with this group of students will last a life time. Thank you also to friends and family from back at home who have been watching my progress over the years from afar. Even though I have not been able to see many of you, I am thankful you have al been cheering me on, no matter how far away you might be.

Thank you to Rob Brangan for always encouraging me throughout my academic career. You have been so supportive over the past few years. You have always understood and accepted the amount of time I have needed to put into this degree, and I will never take for granted the love you have given me along the way. Thank you for being there for every moment of this adventure. I would not have wanted anyone else by my side.

I also want to sincerely give thanks to my professor, Nancy Sanders. I started my journey through the architecture program with you in Introduction to Architecture Design One, and have grown as a design student because of you. Having you as a professor in Core Design and for this Master’s Research Project has been incredible. I always will appreciate the time you spent listening to me and guiding me through some of my design projects.

You have definitely had a positive influence on how I have been shaped as a student of architecture, and I cannot thank you enough.

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Fig: 1. Samuel Mockbee

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“Architecture has to be greater than just architecture. It has to address social values, as well as technical and aesthetic values. On top of that, the one true gift that an architect has is his or her imagination. We take something ordinary and elevate it to something extraordinary.�

-Sambo Mockbee

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The Butterfly House

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Table of Contents List of Figures 12-13 Abstract 14-15 Identity- Crealde 16-17 Precedence- Case Studies 18-35

Rural Studio

Alabama Trip

Additional Research Containerization Context- Downey Park 36-39 Programming- Art Community 40-41 Process 42-47 Final Designs 48-75 Final Review Notes 76-77 Conclusion 78-79 Works Cited 80-81

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List of Figures Fig: 1. Samuel Mockbee. 8 citizenarchitectfilm.com/rural-studio.php Fig: 2. Alice & William Jenkins Gallery 16 http://doctrow.com/news-events/articles/exhibit-presents-floridas-environments/ Fig: 3. Children of CrealdĂŠ 16 www.crealde.org/pics/ Fig: 4. Community of CrealdĂŠ 16 www.crealde.org/pic/ Fig: 5 Dave Cumbie Sculpture 16 http://www.davidleecumbie.com/ Fig: 6. Sambo & the Rural Studio 19 http://www.ruralstudio.org/page-images/about/purpose-history/TH_61466.jpg Fig: 7. Antioch Baptist Congregation 19 http://www.ruralstudio.org/project-images/antioch-baptist-church/ 2002_Antioch-Baptist-Church_AC1.jpg Fig: 8.

The Harris Family in the Butterfly House 19 http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1470 Fig: 9 Student Pods 19 http://www.ruralstudio.org/projects/pods Fig: 10. Pallet House Framework 28 http://www.recyclart.org/2011/01/i-beamdesign-pallet-house/ Fig: 11.

Pallet House 28 http://www.recyclart.org/2011/01/i-beamdesign-pallet-house/ Fig: 12.

Dan Philips 29 http://inhabitat.com/dan-phillips-builds-enchanting-and-affordable houses-from-recycled-materials/

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Fig: 13. The Phoenix Commotion Tree House 29 http://www.phoenixcommotion.com/index.php? option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=33&Itemid=20&lang=en Fig: 14.

Big Dig House Infrastucture 30 http://www.archdaily.com/24396/big-dig-house-single-speed-design/ Fig: 15. Big Dig House 30 http://www.archdaily.com/24396/big-dig-house-single-speed-design/ Fig: 16.

WikiHouse Model 31 http://www.globalsiteplans.com/environmental-design/ chateau-de-millemont-france-becomes-an-open-sourced-eco-village/ Fig: 17 WikiHouse 31 http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2012/02/start/ the-home-you-download/viewgallery/273211 Fig: 18.

Containers in Shipping Yard 32 http://gcaptain.com/port-of-singapore-the-worlds-busiest-container-port/ Fig: 19. LOCI Design Examples 35 http://www.locidesigngallery.com/containers-for-a-cause.html Fig: 20. Painting Class 40 http://artacademy.alle.bg/ Fig: 21.

Senior Art Class 40 http://www.choosetallahassee.com/2012/05/lifelong-leisure-learning/ Fig: 22.

Childrens Dance Class 40 http://www.dancetoevolve.com/blog/bid/352984/Local-Kids-Dance-Classes Fig: 23. Music Lessons 40 http://mcmusicschool.org/openhouse_suzuki/

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Abstract A place for artistic expression is an essential part of every thriving community. Between performing and visual, art provides an opportunity for children and adults alike to embrace their passions and allows them to explore new creative ideas through personal means of expression. Providing opportunities for art education broadens perspectives on traditional subject matter and cultures, and gives its pupils the chance to express themselves creatively. The arts are the key to the development of a person in their own individual entirety, and are significant not only in teaching about art itself, but in informing everyone about the beautiful, expressive world we live in.

Across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers, art is the one universal language that can be expressed and understood. It develops both the chance for individualism and unification, and moments for self exploration. It fosters personal development, develops aesthetic knowledge and skills, and enhances an individual’s quality of life.

In order for the teaching of the arts to become more prevalent in communities, places of learning need to be accessible for children and adults. Designing and building learning facilities for the arts that are easily accessible to the community is vital for the arts to maintain a presence in our neighborhoods. It is important to be able to place these centers in a dynamic and approachable site.

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Every child should have the chance to express themselves creatively in any form of art, whether it be by painting, sculpting, dancing, or even playing an instrument. While some classes are available within public schools, not all communities have access to art programs. Unfortunately, these places of creativity that are easily accessible to the community are a rarerity. Not only do children benefit from these programs, but adults can learn and thrive in a creative environment as well if provided for at low or no cost.

No matter what social class an individual is from, everyone is entitled to benefit from inspirational places of design. Unfortunately, not every individual is able to obtain that due to financial obstacles. So many times we see cheaply made facilities that have no life or inspiration because of a lack of funding. However, there are ways to build from reusable materials to create inspiring places. By reusing materials, it prevents the disposing of unwanted materials into our surrounding environments. Through researching various methods of recycling and reusing materials, a set of design principles will be established in order to create an art-centered complex for a community. Designing an art school using repurposed materials will benefit neighborhoods by providing a place that individuals can create and express through the arts. Through the repurposing of materials, the complex will raise awareness of the importance of reusing to create new and inspiring places and things, while also proving a place that unites people together by means of the arts.

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Fig: 2. The Alice & William Jenkins Gallery

Fig: 4. Community of Crealdé

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Fig: 3. Children of Crealdé

Fig: 5. Dave Cumbie Sculpture

Crealdé School of Art Crealdé School of Art is a community based nonprofit arts organization that is located in Winter Park, Florida. It is supported partially by over 1,200 individuals, families and businesses. It is also funded by United Arts of Central Florida, the city of Winter Park, the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program, the Division of Cultural Affairs from the State of Florida Department of State, The Florida Arts Council, and various private foundations. Over the last decade, Crealdé has successfully made over 50 community partner ships with the local government and multiple nonprofit organizations affiliated with the arts, humanities, and social services. A year-round curriculum is available with more than 100 visual arts classes for students varying of age. Classes are instructed by over 40 working artists within the area. A Summer ArtCamp is run every summer for children and teens, and also has a Visiting Artist Workshop series along with award-winning outreach programs.

Crealdé connects communities, and promotes cultural awareness and understand through the teachings of visual arts. The outreach and scholarship programs focus on working with underprivileged and at-risk children and teens, as well as low-income senior citizens. Classes introduce students to various art mediums with opportunities of sharing work in public exhibitions with the surrounding community. Classes are run by a few full time employees, and administrative volunteers and interns.

Crealdé’s philosophy is to welcome students of all ages and backgrounds to all classes throughout the year.

The diversity creates a more genuine experience for everyone, and removes the need to separate classes into age groups. More advanced classes have voluntary prerequisites to allow for a certain level of comfort with the particular level of learning within the advanced classes. About half of the studio classes offered are at a beginning level with no past experience needed.

Like Crealdé’s focus on bringing art into surrounding communities, the art complex for this master’s research project will focus not only on the visual arts, but also the performing. Integrating both into a hybrid school will provide maximum opportunities for neighborhoods and allow for a wider variety of classes to be held. Gallery spaces will offer spaces for school and local exhibitions, while a performance space will provide a place for the performing arts. The goal is to create a school at a slightly larger scale that not only will provide classes and places to present work, but will also invite other members of the community to come and enjoy what the complex will offer.

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The Rural Studio Samuel Mockbee cofounded the Rural Studio with D.K. Ruth in 1993. The Rural Studio is a design-build program affiliated with Auburn University that focuses on teaching its students about social responsibilities of architecture.

Students design and construct safe, well-constructed homes to those in need within communities in rural west Alabama, known as the “Black Belt.” Each year students design roughly five projects, and build them for the communities. The Rural Studio has built more than 80 houses and civic projects within Hale, Perry, and Marengo counties. The studio where students live and work is located in a small town in Hale County known as Newbern, Alabama, and is located approximately a half hour to an hour away from it’s existing projects. “The main purpose of the Rural Studio is to enable each student to step across the threshold of misconceived opinions and to design/build with a ‘moral sense’ of service to a community. It is my hope that the experience will help the student of architecture to be more sensitive to the power and promise of what they do, to be more concerned with the good effects of architecture than with ‘good intentions.” The program uses donated, recycled, or reused items to create it’s projects, with materials ranging from hale bales, carpet tiles, worn-out tires, and car windshields to design homes and buildings for communities in need. Mockbee knew the importance of making a difference in the lives of people, and centered the school’s design focus on the “spiritual comfort” of a designed space.

“An architect can help us discover what is noble and help create the opportunity for people to realize their innate nobility.”

Mockbee also stated that, “Everybody wants the same thing, rich or poor... not only a warm, dry room, but a shelter for the soul.” Students enrolled are introduced to a concept known as “context based learning” where they live and work within the community they are designing for. This allows the students to learn not only designing skills, but also planning and building skills. The lessons learned also instill a sense of professionalism, individual responsibility, volunteerism, and a dedication to community service.

After Mockbee’s death, the Rural Studio has kept its original vision while expanding the scope of its work. Students still interact and collaborate with their clients. By using salvaged or recycled building materials, building costs are kept to a minimum from small-scale homes, to larger projects like a firehouse and a church.

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Fig: 6. Sambo & The Rural Studio

Fig: 7. Antioch Baptist Congregation

Fig: 8. Harris Family in the Butterfly House

Fig: 9. Student Pods

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Antioch Baptist Church The Antioch Baptist Church is located in northwest Perry County. It’s congregation is small, with only four families that make it up. The original church building began to create problems because of foundation issues and a lack of restrooms and a baptismal front.

The new 800 square foot building stands on a new foundation with a sloping roof and trusses hand-built from composite metal and wood. The roof forms a retaining wall and water diverter that runs along the old cemetery.

The church is composed of two interlocking forms; one that runs north-south that contains the south wall, ceiling, and glass wall that looks out to the graveyard.

The other piece that wraps the space runs east-west and forms the baptistery at the west and minister’s room and restroom at the east entrance. Seventy-five percent of the materials used by the students to construct the new church were salvaged from the old church, including roof and floor joists, tongue and groove paneling, and corrugated metal.

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Newbern Fire Department The Volunteer Fire Department was the first new public facility to be constructed in Newbern in 110 years. The house provides room for three fire trucks, and for fire fighting supplies. The building was built with a wood and metal truss structure and is enclosed with translucent polycarbonate panels that run along the facade. The panels are protected by cedar slats to shade from the sun. The roof is constructed with galvanized aluminum.

Inside a mezzanine level was constructed for storage and fire fighting classes. On the ground level a bathroom and kitchen are available for volunteer fire fighters. The fire house department was designed and built within only two years, and the student team raised $100,000 in material donations for the construction.

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Lions Club Scout Hut In Greensboro, Alabama, the Lions Club Scout Hut was built for the local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. The hut contains a large multi-purpose space, kitchen, restroom, and storage space for two scout gear trailers. Two public restrooms and some water fountains were also designed and added in the park for guests.

The facility was built using a series of bents, or wooden frames made out of rough cut pine. These were assembled on the ground by hand, then raised up over a concrete slab by the team of students and volunteers.

Thin logs, known as thinnings, were harvested from overcrowded forests throughout Alabama, then cladded along the exterior of the hut. The thinnings are treated with copper naphthenate solution, that prevents rotting and insect infestation.

Thinnings are raised a foot and a half above the ground level to protect facades against insect and water damage.

This also allows for the light to flow into the building through the windows at the floor level. The “clere-floor� windows are built with polycarbonate panels and steel studs.

During the summer, operable windows allow for crossventilation help cool the building with the help of two industrial ceiling fans and two exhaust fans. A woodburning stove heats the large space during the winter season. The hut does not house any conventional forcedair systems to make the building more economical to operate.

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Hale County Animal Shelter The animal shelter is located in Greensboro, Hale County Alabama, and was completed in 2006. It embodies the Rural Studio’s down home, sustainable appeal, and reminds students and architects that design does not need to be exclusively for the rich. $100,000 was donated in the form of cash and building materials. Students designed the shelter with the aid of 3-D modeling design tools, however the team of students and volunteers built the facility by hand.

The wrapping structure protecting the small building was built using a form of construction called lamella. The diamond-like structure was created with wooden joists that were precut and curved by a jig, with a simple pin connection binding all of the individual pieces together.

Material costs were lowered by creating each piece through a prefab “repeat process.� The entire exterior structure is held above ground with steel legs that are anchored to concrete strip footings.

The concrete houses a radiant heating system, which helps keeps animals warm during the winter. The openended layout allows for a constant airflow during the summer months, while providing natural light within the interior space. Plexiglas openings throughout the shell allow for light to flow into the interior rooms of the shelter.

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Glass Chapel Built in 2000, the Glass Chapel sits on a central site in Mason’s Bend. After researching the needs of the small community, an outdoor chapel was designed and constructed. It provides for a transportation stop, a community gathering space, a distribution center for children’s summer school meals, and a chapel for the local choral group. The multifunctional, open-are space sits on a small privately owned site. The design that was created addressed not only the privately owned aspects of the site, but the public accessibility it needed to offer.

Rammed earth walls grow from the ground from each entry point and lead to the interior space. The roof breaks into two separate pieces; one of aluminum sheets, and the other out of car windows salvaged from a scrap yard.

Although this chapel has been standing for fifteen years, it still holds a strong presence within the community. Some of the windshields have fallen off or have broken, but the character of the building continues to inspire those who come to visit it every day. The vegetation around the chapel has overgrown and romantically wrapped itself over some of the rammed earth walls. Even though it is small and has aged tremendously, it still provides an excellent place for community members to gather.

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Perry Lakes Park Restrooms Three individual toilets were designed in Perry Lakes Park, on the outskirts of Marion, Alabama. After being closed in 1974, the park was reopened in 2001 to the public and the Rural Studio designed a pavilion. After a year the students designed three separate bathrooms. Each one provides a different experience within its space. The “mound toilet” is surrounded by an earthen septic system that supports all three bathrooms. The second toilet, known as the “tall toilet” has an interior made from cedar boards that stretch up 50 feet towards the sky and create a view to the canopy directly above the toilet. The “long toilet” is surrounded by two cantilevering walls that frame a view of one singular tree. All of the bathrooms are connected by a raised wooden walkway that was also designed by the same student team. It begins in the parking area and extends through the woods to the pavilion.

In 2004, in order to expand pedestrian accessibility to the park, a covered bridge was designed by the Rural Studio to span over a creek. The bridge has three main steel and wood triangular sections. The two outer sections support a middle third to create one long floating truss.

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Fig: 10. Pallet House Framework

Fig: 11. Pallet House

Pallet House Pallets have become a new recycled material that can be used to construct small scale projects. Almost twentyone million pallets enter landfills across the United States every year. It is estimated that over 40,000 refugees can be housed with the amount of pallets that are thrown away annually. I-Beam Design designed the prototype for the Pallet House Project with this in mind. It is assumed that roughly eighty-four percent of the world’s refugees could be housed with a year’s supply of recycle pallets from the United States. The house created by I-Beam is 250 square feet, and can be built with the help of about 5 individuals with hand tools. Tarps or corrugated roofing prevents water penetration temporarily while local materials such as earth, wood, and thatch can be accumulated to provide insulation and extra weather protection. Each house can adapt to most climates, and be used for the average seven years that refugees spend in camps.

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The Phoenix Commotion The Phoenix Commotion, founded in 1998 by Dan Philips and his wife Marsha, is a construction company that builds affordable housing with reclaimed and recycled materials. Their goal is to minimize landfill waste while simultaneously creating sustainable housing for people in need. An apprentice program run by the Phoenix Commotion teaches sustainable building skills to volunteers or interns, which in turn keeps labor costs low.

Each house is energy-efficient, cheap, and enjoyable to build. Any material used enough in multiples has the potential to create beautiful patterns and stripes, which makes it easy to find various scraps of material and create inspiring spaces within these homes. Each project is built specifically to the owner, who also helps design and build to give their own personal touch.

Fig: 12. Dan Philips

Fig: 13. The Phoenix Commotion Tree House

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Big Dig House The Big Dig House recycles and repurposes materials from the most expensive highway reconstruction in the United States known as, the Big Dig. Designed by Single Speed Design, the project was salvaged from steel and concrete discarded from the dismantled I-93 highway in Boston. Over 600,000 pounds of material were assembled to make the 3,400 square foot home. A pre-fabricated system was designed in order to create subtle spatial nodes with the large-scale highway pieces. Because their original purpose was to support highway loads, the materials are able to hold large-scale planted roof gardens and span over larger distances. The significance of this home shows that with front-end planning, buildings of multiple functions such as homes, and even public facilities such as schools and libraries can be designed with deconstructed infrastructure, saving resources such as embodied energy and tax payer dollars.

Fig: 14. The Big Dig House Infrastructure

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Fig: 15. The Big Dig House

Fig: 16. WikiHouse Model

Fig: 17. WikiHouse

WikiHouse WikiHouse strives to allow any individual to design, download, and print milled houses on CNC routers. These open source construction sets can be assembled with novice skill or training. All houses can be designed as kit of parts through a WikiHouse plugin for SketchUp. These files can be generated and cut into standards materials such as plywood. Parts are set up like a double-layered jigsaw and can be put together with as little as two individuals. These kits do not require outside bolts or tools. All of the joints are connected with wedges and pegs, and any sort of tool such as a mallet, is also included in the files. Structural frames for these homes can be raised by hand and are easily connectable. Small groups of individuals can put together a single home in almost one day. Cladding, insulation, and other parts such as windows and doors can be inserted into the structures. Space is also accommodated for services such as electric and plumbing systems.

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Fig: 18. Containers in a Shipyard

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Containerization Shipping containers have become significant in terms of design over the past several years. Each year, millions of shipping containers arrive in the United States from shipments overseas. Because the cost of shipping back empty containers is extremely high, many end up being thrown out to yards to let rust. Using these to build at a small and medium scale creates the potential to relieve the numbers of containers that are left to waste.

Shipping containers are designed to have the ability to withstand some of the most extreme weather conditions, and are capable of carrying large loads. The nature of the materials and assembly of containers makes them weather tight and immune to bugs, rodents, and mold. They are manufactured to international standards and modular sizes, which make them easy to stack with each other, and are easy to transport by water, highways, and railways. The common International Organization of Standardization shipping container is twenty feet or forty feet long, with a width of eight feet. A taller version, known has a “High-Cube” is available with a height of nine and a half feet. These are available in other lengths such as forty five, forty eight, and fifty three feet, however the original standard sizes of twenty and forty feet are financially cheaper. Each one is made with steel tube frames, and corten steel. Floors are made of a durable 1 1/8” thick plywood. These wooden floors are sometimes finished to a standard that can be kept for a final design if desired. Containers are stored brand new or used, and can be modified to fit design needs. Various warehouses have capabilities to make customized cuts, and alter metalwork for doors, windows, and other architectural details before containers are even shipped to the building site. Basic modifications can take up to roughly two weeks to complete, depending on the complexity of the alterations.

Cleaning and prep work are done before any cuts are made which include sandblasting to remove any toxic substances from the interior. Openings are cut in walls, then reinforced with 3x3x1/8” steel tubing. Other larger members may be added when combining multiple containers together. Windows and doors can be installed similarly to any standard door and window installation, and container doors can be maintained as-is or welded shut. The door handles are able to be moved in order to handle at grade and meet building codes.

Once on site and grounded to a foundation it is normal for interior sides to be framed out with either wood or steel components at 16” on center. Insulation is added typically with closed cell spray foam, or a choice of eco-friendly alternative. A layer of drywall or material of the designers choice can be layered over the insulation to complete a finished wall. Normally the exterior is left as-is for an industrial feel, however it too can be framed, insulated, and sheathed for additional costs, energy and material. Depending on the level of finish desired by the designer, the interior will be reduced to between seven to six feet wide, to seven to eight feet in height.

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Containers for a Cause LOCI Design and Flagler College have collaborated on a housing project that uses the recycling of containers to ease released inmates back into society with work and homes. Flagler College Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) created Containers for a Cause with the assistance of LOCI Design to use these containers to change the lives of inmates and the community they are introduce back into. In St. John’s County, more than two-thirds of inmates that are released end up returning to prison within three years due to lack of opportunities and support. With these individuals leaving and going back to jail, the effects on families, the community, and the county budget are devastating. Prisoners are released with fifty dollars and a change of clothes. Employment and housing are the biggest challenge for individuals to overcome when being introduced back into society. With the program that LOCI Design and Flagler College have been developed, Containers for a Cause can offer inmates housing and work opportunities that allow for them to integrate themselves back into society successfully.

The purpose of the program is to recycle used shipping containers into housing facilities, and will support former prisoners. Through the repurposing of the containers, a vocational training program will employ these inmates to convert these containers for others. Plumbing, electrical work, insulation, and construction would be taught in order to train individuals to transform these containers into houses. Participants will receive a steady employment, and tools to become independent.

The use of the container for these homes is practical because of their portability and flexibility. They are durable and modular, while also being cost-effective. By repurposing these containers in order to house former prisoners, thousands of tons of what would be scrap metal could be saved from rusting away, while also providing these individual a chance to start over.

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Fig: 19. LOCI Design Containers for a Cause Examples

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fields, picnic pavillions, playgrounds, a fitness area, sand volleyball court, dog park, and skate park. The ideal site within the p school rests on the south east region of the park. Available site measures to about 400,000 square feet with 550 feet of lakefron feet of street front property along Flowers Avenue would provide access to the art school and also allow for potential structure community to the site. Union Park Elementary and Union Park Middle are located directly west and north west of Downey Park would benefit from being so close to the center in order to encourage students and familes of students to become involved within

Downey Park Downey Park, located at the intersection of State Road 50 and Dean Road in Union Park near East Orlando, includes forty seven acres of lake front property and has access points along Flowers Ave. The park includes a splash playground and sand beach, baseball and softball fields, picnic pavilions with playgrounds, a fitness area, sand volleyball court, dog park, and skate park. Both Union Park Elementary and Middle Schools are located directly west and northwest of Downey Park, and would benefit from the close proximity to the art center by encouraging involvement from students and their families.

The ideal site rests on the southeast region of the park, and spans approximately 400,000 square feet with 550 feet of lake front property. Additionally, the site offers 800 feet of street front property along Flowers Avenue, which would provide access to the art school and create a visual relationship between the complex and the surrounding community.

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park for an art nt property. 800 es to invite the k. Both schools the art school.

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k with 47 acres of lakefront property and is located at the intersection of SR k currently includes a splash playground, a sand beach, baseball and softball court, dog park, and skate park. The ideal site within the park for an art easures to about 400,000 square feet with 550 feet of lakefront property. 800 access to the art school and also allow for potential structures to invite the ddle are located directly west and north west of Downey Park. Both schools age students and familes of students to become involved within the art school.

Existing Downey Park Site Model

Buildable Land within Downey Park

Downey Park, Orlando, Florida

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View to Downey Lake

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Site at Ground Level

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Fig: 20. Painting Class

Fig: 21. Senior Art Class

Fig: 22. Childrens Dance Class

Fig: 23. Music Lessons

Downey Lake School of Art Program The goal of designing the Downey Park School of Art was to mirror CrealdÊ’s community programs while adding extra classes and buildings for various functions. In addition to providing visual art classes such as painting and drawing, the school needs to offer performing art classes like music or dance. With that in mind, it was important to have two main places for the arts; one with enough space for physical movement for dancing lessons and small band classes, and another that provided spaces for groups of people to paint and draw comfortably. These two buildings that house the different classes rest near a multipurpose room in order to keep the circulation of groups of children to a minimum for security purposes. A performance center needed to be placed at the front of the campus next to the main parking lot, along with a main art gallery. Each of these spaces would not only showcase work from the students, but also from outside artists and performers. The idea is to create a place within the community to promote the arts and push people to create and enjoy the benefits of artistic expression. A small housing block will house local artists, teachers, and potential students. In this block space on the ground level will be used for a small art store and a shop to sell local art work. A small cafÊ will provide a place for members of the community to gather for events, with views that will look out to the main open space. An administration building and public restrooms are also conveniently located near the entrance of the complex.

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Site Process Sketches

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Process Having so many different segments to the complex, makes it important to locate each building in such a way that the school could run efficiently and safely for both students and guests. The administration office, along with the main art gallery and performance space, needs to sit next to the main parking lot for the school. Community members will have easy access to these buildings, with short walking distances to main outdoor space. This open space will have a courtyard-like feel from being bordered by the small housing block and art school. It will provide a space that allows for outdoor events, while also drawing focus to Downey Lake. The housing will be used to create a buffer between the activity that occurs within the school and the existing residential community on the east side of the site. The visual and performing arts studios will be located closer to the lake and away from Flowers Avenue, the main road that leads into the school and Downey Park located northwest of the site. Each scheme sketched to the left focuses on how to fit all of these different functional buildings into the site to create a complex which the art school and community could thrive in.

Site Concept Graphic

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Process Sketches

Site Plan Parti

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It was important to keep the directionality of the school focused towards Downey Park and the lake in order to connect everything visually. The campus needed to embrace the natural characteristics of the land while also celebrating the community that dwells in it. The site of the school is small, but allows for the campus to be placed close together in order to keep spaces safe and close in proximity for circulation purposes.

After sketching out multiple possibilities for potential site layouts, the first rendition of the complex was created. The art school rests on the west side of the site and borders a larger courtyard with the assistance of a small housing block. The outdoor space channels a view to the lake, with a small outdoor performance space near the water’s edge. In this parti, the indoor performance space and main gallery are located closer to the lake, rather than by Flower Avenue near the front of the school. This particular design did not include a multipurpose room to connect the school, as this concept came later in the process. Opportunities for outdoor sculpture gardens are included. A space for artwork to be displayed outside winds through the administration space and across the front of the cafe.

The goal of this design scheme was to provide spaces for members of the school and housing block to have a place to gather. It also was laid out in a way to allow for guests to come to the school of art, walk through the sculpture gardens, see indoor and outdoor performances, and visit the gallery to see artwork on display. The cafe provides anyone who visits a place to come and enjoy the atmosphere of the school. With the view of the lake that stretches behind the outdoor performance space, the courtyard provides a public space where interactions of artists and others can exist and thrive in an inspiring setting.

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Parti Graphic

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Downey Lake School of Art Site Plan

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Downey Lake School of Art While designing the individual buildings for the complex, the site changed to become its own separate entity from Downey Lake. A pathway led through the sculpture garden of the administration building, across the main outdoor space, and through the school art studios directly to the lake. The courtyard space focused to the side of the indoor performance space, which could be used to project images and videos onto the side of the indoor performance building. An outdoor performance space was placed in front of the wall that looked out into the courtyard. The housing blocks continue to act as a buffer between the school’s events and the existing neighborhood on the east side of the site. The parking lot on the west side of the school is public for guests and school members, while the lot on the east is exclusively for the housing block residents.

Downey Lake School of Art. Courtyard Perspective

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Container Process

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Designing with Containers When designing the buildings within the complex around the module of the container, it was important to keep in mind the space requirements for each building’s function. Combining containers together and cutting out walls to create open interior spaces became a necessity because one single container has a width of only eight feet. When cutting and combining containers additional support is required, and using steel or lumber makes this a plausible endeavor. However, the designs for the majority of buildings removed a minimal portion of each container, and therefore only a select few needed additional support.

Shipping Container Prototype Model

Container Bug Models

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Process Sketches for Various Container Buildings

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Café The café was designed using only three forty-foot long shipping containers. The goal was to create a small, simple café that had places to sit inside and outside.

Within the café is space for some tables and chairs, a full bar, a small kitchen, and a storage room on the second level. Both the ground level and second level have outdoor decks where guests can sit and enjoy drinks and the community surrounding the café. Structural glass curtain walls open to the direction of the courtyard to keep the focus on the art complex activities. In most cases, the café would only be open during events held by the community, however the decks would be accessible to the public at any time during the day.

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CafĂŠ Final Model

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On the ground level of the café, a small interior space (1) would give space for some tables and chairs. The main ground level deck (2) looks out onto the main outdoor space where events would be held. The majority of tables are on the deck, which includes enough space to have umbrellas for shade. The counter would start near the entrance door of the café and close off a small portion of the space that leads to the kitchen (3). The original container doors remain functional as to allow for shipments to be delivered to the kitchen. On the second floor, a rooftop deck (4) would provide opportunity for guests to climb to the roof and look out into the public space. The top container that houses the second level stretches across to the public restrooms beside the café for additional support. An space for storage (5) is also on the second floor.

Café Floor Plans

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Perspective of CafĂŠ Design

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CafĂŠ Final Model

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Approaching CafĂŠ from the East

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Administration Building with Pathway Through Sculpture Garden Patio

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Administration The administration building, located at the front of the campus, holds offices and a meeting room for members of the art community. As the building is approached from the parking lot, a sculpture garden (1) starts the pathway that leads through the complex to the lake.

When walking up to the building, a storefont gallery (2) showcases samples of work held in the main gallery.

Offices of administrative personnel are located on the east side of the building (3) with a conference room (4) on the second level that looks out to the courtyard with the help of structural curtain walls.

Administration Floor Plans

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Visual Art Studios. Section Diagram Model

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Visual Arts Studios The main design goal of the visual art studios was to provide multiple spaces where various classes could be held, while having a main central point that could be visualized from both studios. Two studio spaces (1&2) are connected together and wrap around an outdoor courtyard (3). The first studio (1) is slightly smaller and meant for advanced classes. The second (2) is laid out to house larger classes. The courtyard creates an intimate space where objects and scenes can be set up in order to support the painting and drawing classes.

Extra spaces on the sides of the studios are designed for storage space and cleaning stations.

Visual Art Studios Floor Plan

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Performance Center A small performance space was designed to provide a place for dancers and musicians of the school to have a place to showcase talents and abilities. Due to the scale of the school, the indoor space did not need to fit more than one hundred and fifty people in the auditorium at the same time since classes would remain fairly small. A lobby (1) invites guests inside with a ticket booth (2) to the right and restrooms (3) to the left. The auditorium (4) is created by containers stacked three height on each side with a ceiling spanning across the space that allows in some natural light. Emergency exits are available on both sides of the auditorium. The stage (5) is forty feet long and 18 feet deep to allow for enough space for small groups to perform. This center provides a space for school events to be held, but also gives a place for outside performers within the community to host and perform events as well. The exterior side of the east wall faces the outside courtyard, which can be used to project images and films for events.

Performance Center Plan

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Performance Center. Section Diagram Model

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Entrance to Main Art Gallery

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Art Gallery The main art gallery at the Downey Lake School of Art has one main space that showcases artwork done by students and faculty of the program. Classes have enough space to present works done through a season of classes. Faculty can also use this facility to present their own work in between class exhibitions.

Opportunities for local artists to show artwork would also be available. Because most of the containers used to construct this building are cut an extensive amount, an additional structural system would be required to support the span of the interior space. Use of the containers is still important in terms of keeping the same design palette as the rest of the complex, but also to show that containers do not need to only be used structurally, but also aesthetically as a facade.

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Gallery Final Model

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As the gallery is approached, a small patio deck (1) invites guests into it’s exterior space. The entrance of the gallery is to the right with a small lobby (2) and a ticket office (3) is located directly inside. A majority of a container on the right side of the plan is used to store artwork and gallery supplies (4). After guests check into the gallery, spaces flow up and through the main space (5) where artwork is showcased. The main circulation focuses on a main “U” shaped movement through the building. Stand alone walls provide more wall space and divide the interior into smaller segments. Guests of the gallery exit out to the patio on the left side of the gallery to complete a full circle.

Gallery Plan

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Approaching Art Gallery

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Top View of Art Gallery

Art Gallery

West Facade of Gallery

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The Housing at Downey Lake The housing block designed with the Downey Lake School of Art provides a place to live and work for faculty, students, and local artists. Its main purpose is to directly serve people involved with the school, however outside members of the community would be welcomed to reside in these units. It provides both public and private spaces for residents and guests. Some ground level spaces of the housing block are used for public functions such as an art supply store, and a shop to buy artwork created by the school’s members. The complex provides an office, gym, and a community room available for events hosted by residents. A separate parking lot is accessible to only residents on the east side of the site.

These apartments give members of the community a place to live for short or long terms depending on the family or individual. Because the residential block is tucked away from Flowers Avenue it provides a secluded place for residents to live. Only one smaller block of housing falls adjacent to the public courtyard however if members want a more private unit others are available and still provide easy accessibility to the art community’s public spaces.

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Two Bedroom Unit on Second Level

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The housing block offers various units for rent.

Four regular studio apartments are available and are located in the center units of each mini block.

On the edges of every building on the first level are single-story one bedrooms. There are eight of these units total. The apartments for rent on the second level are all double-heighted. They range from studios to two bedrooms. The block contains Four studios, eight one bedrooms, and four two bedrooms all are designed with a doubleheighted space, and have a loft that makes up the third level of each unit. Every apartment includes an outdoor porch, and view to either the school, the lake, or forest.

Housing Block Model

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Pathways between the buildings that connect the units are outdoor, but would be sheltered from the weather. Using the cut out walls from the art school, roofs can be constructed and placed over the walkways in order to protect residents from the sun and rain when walking to their units.

Second Floor Housing Plan

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Final Master’s Research Project Presentation

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Final Review During the final presentation of the master’s research project, many different opinions were brought up about the design of the school. It was noted that there were multiple theses within this single master’s project. From researching different precedents with various design backgrounds, the decision to solely use cargo containers became slightly obscured. The goal of selecting a material palette for this project was to find something that needed to be recycled and repurposed. To create a set of modular rules, the container became ideal to use. Some of the buildings that were designed, such as the art gallery, were noted to be impossible to stand alone without extra support. Using a simple steel-frame structure, or lumber skeleton, container shells can be secured over the frames as a facade. Although these containers are only used as a shell, it still prevents them from rusting away in a scrap yard. Parts of containers that are cut away can be used for extra walls and support. Covered pedestrian spaces can be constructed out of leftover pieces of cut containers as well.

The Downey Lake Art School final site plan lost it’s connection to the lake throughout the design process, and changing it to reflect back onto the root concepts was a necessity.

How to bring the feel of inspiration was also a big topic of discussion. With the use of shipping containers, jurors were curious to see how the spaces might be able to influence students and community members to express themselves artistically. By using these containers, the idea of using an object for something other than its original purpose to create something new can be taught to students and the community surrounding the art school. The school would teach people to not only see what is physically there, but instead to look at something for what it could be, and how something creative can come from it.

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Final Art School Plan

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Conclusion After the final review, the site plan was changed in order to reflect back to the Downey Lake. Instead of using buildings, natural vegetation would border the main outdoor space to give it a sense of enclosure. The north block of the housing units aligns with the performance space, and still provides an anchor for the campus. The gallery has shifted to sit beside the performance center at the front of the campus. Both the visual and performing arts studios are pushed closer to the lake, but still remain close to the multipurpose room in order to keep children in a centralized point of the campus.

In conclusion, the project was a wonderful, and eye-opening experience in terms of design. After visiting the Rural Studio projects, and seeing what drives designers to create what they do, it made the importance of designing the Downey Lake School of Art much more of an important study. It is crucial that time is spent to observe and realize what is needed within local communities, and be able to provide places that house spaces where inspiration can thrive. This proposal for a community art school not only affects children in the area, but adults and entire families alike. It gives a place for members to come together and realize their artistic potential, express through means of creating, and share it with others.

There are many other aspects of this master’s research project that would really benefit from being developed another step further. The next ideal step would be to research what specific details can be added in terms of structurally to each building, and figure out the most plausible way to make these proposals more practical and realistic. Other details to design would include how to design interior spaces within these shipping container buildings. All in all, this master’s research project was a wonderful journey that will be continued.

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Freear, Andrew, Elena Barthel, Andrea Oppenheimer Dean, and Timothy Hursley. Rural Studio at Twenty: Designing and Building in Hale County, Alabama. New York, NY: Princeton Architectural, 2014. Print.

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