AIAS Parklet Design

AIAS NJIT | FREEDOM BY DESIGN

PARKLET

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PARTICIPANTS BOARD

MENTORS

Dhruvi Rajpopat - Director

Gabrielle Esperdy - AIAS Faculty Advisor

Jessie Bernardo - Project Manager

Kevin Hofmann - Design Mentor

Pramit Khatri - Development Manager

Erin Pellegrino - Construction Mentor

Dhwani Shah - Historian

Charlie Firestone - Construction Mentor

VOLUNTEERS Akash Mishra Blayne Keenan Elizabeth Stoganenko Grady Henderson Jacob Swanson James Diaz Julia Okon Karla Vasquez Loc Nguyen Matthew DiMaggio Mikaila Ullal Priscilla Gavilanes Raymond Huth Renato Irigoyen Sean Jaeger Shubhan Kannepalli Tiffany Bekdas

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CONCEPT A prototype and a catalyst for a new way of occupying the parking spot, this project hopes to turn a new leaf and face the city, and reintroduce ourselves to the rest of Newark as one of many links, sources of knowledge and information. The proposed Parklet sits on the edge of Dr. MLK Boulevard, turning the street into a connector instead of the perceived edge, bridging two campuses together, and compelling Newark residents and passerbys to cross the street.

The platform would serve as the static blank slate for every new use that gets introduced to the Parklet annually. The Parklet will be assembled and diassembled every year, put up in March and taken down in October to avoid wear and tear from weather. This was taken as an opportunity to revisit and instill habits of design iteration in students. Using a kit of parts, with temporary modules of small, medium, and large vertical movement, we can re-accommodate the Parklet to the that specific time’s need.

Starting with the base model in the first year, we would observe the use of the Parklet as well as study the sociological climate, and readjust the Parklet to best fit the needs of the students and residents: an ongoing experiment. The result would consist of possibilities to host a myriad of communities and instill a sense of agency in the student designers involved in the project to take action when we need to adapt.

Newark is currently in the midst of a revitalization, in the midst of recovery from the past few years of trauma and incoherence. By demonstrating NJIT’s involvement in the community, we can make a meaningful, visible contribution to the public space of Newark, and in the process, blur borders and create connections with members of our community. The Parklet shifts the focus of the parking space as a space for a car, to a space for human linking and congregation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1

PRECEDENTS

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SITE ANALYSIS

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SITE SECTIONS SITE STUDIES

CHAPTER 2

SCHEMATIC DESIGN

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SKETCHES + IDEAS COMPONENTARY AXONOMETRIC MATERIALITY ELEVATIONS

CHAPTER 3

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

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FINAL DESIGN

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AXONOMETRICS PLANS ELEVATIONS RENDERINGS 5

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PRECEDENTS

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PRECEDENTS

PRECEDENTS AIAS NJIT’ s Freedom

by Design has designed and built a Parklet in the summer of 2016 by reusing wooden storage pallets. To revisit and bring back a past project, our committee wanted to bring our own approach and betterments to the ideas. Alongside Newark Downtown District, we wanted to design a Parklet specifically for NJIT and as a way to re-introduce ourselves to the rest of Newark.

Taking into account measures of safety in construction, in quality of material, of Parklets, our committee began to work with mentors, professors, and members of NDD.

We completed a series of case studies of Parklets found in Newark as well as New York City, as the phenomenon of outdoor living had become vibrant because of the ongoing pandemic. Adaptation was a key component in the Parklets we observed as well as ease of construction and longevity.

After some discussion of strategy, our Parklet was to be an addition for the NDD Parklet project as well as to serve as the beta-test for the upcoming Parklet design-build architecture studio that is currently running in the spring semster.

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CHAPTER 01

SITE ANALYSIS

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CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS

CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS Our chosen site brings members from three different communities together in one space. The site engages RutgersNewark, located right across from the Robeson Campus Center, as well as NJIT, being located between, our Campus Center, Central King Building, and Fenster Hall. Many students access restaurants and cafes located on the RutgersNewark Campus via New Street, as well as Dr. MLK Boulevard, making this a potential active checkpoint between the major nodes of population . By positioning it adjacent to such a heavily-used street, the Parklet begins to embraces the greater Newark community, visibly activates the edge of campus, and is becomes a way to re-introduce our own community.

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Plan = 1’-0”

A B

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CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS

CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS

Sect 1/20” North Section 1/20” = 1’

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South Section 1/20” = 1’

S 1/

CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS New Jersey's Science & Technology University

East Section 1/10” = 1’

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CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS

Manholes Grates No-Go Zones Fire Hydrants

NN

Parklet Parklet21 21

Wind WindSpeed Speed

Solar Solarand andWind WindStudies Studies New NewSt. St.Site Site

5-7mph 5-7mph 7-10mph 7-10mph

FREEDOM FREEDOM

BY BY DESIGN DESIGN AIAS AIAS NJITNJIT

10-15mph 10-15mph

Parklet 21 sunlightaround Solar Solarstudies studiesshow showthe theamound amoundofofsunlight aroundthe the

and Wind Studies site. site.The Thedarker darkerSolar the thearea, area, the themore moresunlight sunlight ititreceives. receives.

Summer Summerreceives receivesthe themost mostsunlight sunlighton onsite, site,while whilewinter winter New St. Site has hasthe theleast, least,due duetotothe theCentral CentralKing KingBuilding.

Building.The The FREEDOM BY DESIGN morning morning isiswhen whenthe themost mostsunlight sunlightisisreceived. received.

AIAS NJIT

E

2-5mph 2-5mph

15-20mph 15-20mph

3% 4% 2% 1% 0%

N

W

SS

City Clearances 1/40” EE = 1’ 4% 3%4% 2%3% 1%2% 0% 0%1%

Wind Speed 20+ 20+ mph mph 2-5mph 5-7mph 7-10mph 10-15mph 15-20mph

Solar studies show the amound of sunlight around the site. The darker the area, the more sunlight it receives.

Summer receives the most sunlight on site, while winter has the least, due to the Central King Building. The morning is when the most sunlight is received.

WW

3% 4% 0% 1% 2%

E

20+ mph

S

N

N

S

nd Speed

Manholes Grates

2-5mph 5-7mph

No-Go Zones

7-10mph

Fire Hydrants

15-20mph

3% 4% 0% 1% 2%

W

20+ mph

Poles

E

W

10-15mph

Winter WinterSolstice: Solstice:21_12.21 21_12.21

9am 9am| 12pm | 12pm| 3pm | 3pm

7-10 mph

20+ mph

7-10mph

5-7 mph

15-20mph

5-7mph

2-5 mph

10-15mph

2-5mph

Wind Speed

Winter Solstice 9am|12pm|3pm

10-15 mph

15-20 mph

20+ mph

S

Winter Solstice: 21_12.21

9am | 12pm | 3pm

ht around the ht it receives. te, while winter ilding. The ived.

Summer Solstice 9am | 12pm | 3pm

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dies

Summer SummerSolstice: Solstice:22_06.22 22_06.22

Summer Solstice: 22_06.22

7am 7am| 12pm | 12pm| 5pm | 5pm

Spring SpringEquinox: Equinox:22_03.20 22_03.20

8am 8am| 12pm | 12pm| 4pm | 4pm

Spring Equinox 9am|12pm|3pm Spring Equinox: 22_03.20

8am | 12pm | 4pm

Fall Equinox 9am|12pm|3pm Fall FallEquinox Equinox22_09.22 22_09.22

8am 8am| 12pm | 12pm| 4pm | 4pm

Sun and Wind Studies

7am | 12pm | 5pm

Fall Equinox 22_09.22

8am | 12pm | 4pm

CHAPTER 01 | SITE ANALYSIS

43% 12% 6% 39%

Foot Vehicles

Traffic Patterns 1/40” = 1’

Car Traffic Foot Traffic

43% 12% 43% 12%

6% 39%

6% 39%

Newark Residents NJIT Students Rutgers Students Newark Visitors

Transient Populations 1/40” = 1’

17 43% 12%

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CHAPTER 02

SCHEMATIC DESIGN

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CHAPTER 02 | SCHEMATIC DESIGN

When beginning the iteration process for this Parklet, the clear distinction between formal and informal spaces became an integral part of the design. These general themes shaped the form of the Parklet with each refinement bringing a more accurate representation of our combined ideas. The team began by breaking up into pairs and proposing simple massings strategies that reflected important elements of a successful parklet design.

After discussing these individual ideas, two of the massings were chosen to move forward for further refinement.

These two models were revised in smaller groups to propose a Parklet design that would be welcoming both students, and Newark residents. A final vote was taken to choose the design that ultimately became our final proposal.

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Elements such as the circulation within the Parklet, the materials used, and the modularity of the space were explored in the next period of progress.

These earlier forms were then transformed with an emphasis on simplicity and modularity, allowing the structure to be more fluid and blurring this distinction between formal and informal. There was also an initial desire to deviate from the standard rectilinear design, which is shown through the triangular model. This iteration forces circulation upwards and creates different points of views for the users.

Although this was an interesting take on the past iterations, there was still a level of complexity to the design and it was later criticized for it’s overall use. Triangles create sharp edges and corners that may become void spaces, making the parklet seem smaller than it is.

CHAPTER 02 | SCHEMATIC DESIGN Our final schematic design was shared with administrators, mentors, and critics involved in the project to explain the team’s goals moving forward, and a great deal of constructive feedback and notes were given to continue working on.

Incorporating horizontal and vertical movement within the Parklet, and simplified base modules were translated into our next iterations.

These models were derived from a basic grid and then arranged in a purposeful manner. This orientation of base modules creates a unique pattern of circulation and varied spaces of program.

It will allow those inhabiting the space to shape their own relationship to and experiences with this parklet, as they interact with it’s many elements.

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Materiality Axonometric 1/2” = 1’-0”

CHAPTER 02 | SCHEMATIC DESIGN

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Componentary Exploded Axonometric 1/8” = 1’-0”

base

netting

roof framing

bookshelf

concrete planters

wire mesh

4 6D nails 4 cables

shelf connection

projector screen

plywood triangles

shade sail

section

base

1/2” bolt connection

2x8 blocking

2x6 blocking

1” baltic marine plywood triangle #2

1” baltic marine plywood triangle #1

triangular platform connection detail

4 - 6 hinges

hinge tectonic

CHAPTER 02 | SCHEMATIC DESIGN

plan

1/2” bolt connection

2x8 blocking

2x6 blocking

1” baltic marine plywood triangle #2

1” baltic marine plywood triangle #1

netting connection

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South Elevation 1/2” = 1’

CHAPTER 02 | SCHEMATIC DESIGN

NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

CHAPTER 02 | SCHEMATIC DESIGN East Elevation 1/4” = 1’

ROBESON

West Elevation 1/4” = 1’

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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

After displaying our intentions with the design at our design review in December, as a committee, we split into three groups: Design Development, Construction Details, Materials Logistics, and Documentation.

Over the winter break, our team leaders Design and Construction teams collaborated over a digital documentation platform called Miro. This allowed us to collaborate in real-time, and share ideas, sketches, notes, and sources of inspiration all in one space.

We looked at all of our past work, reflected, and refined our project down to the very basics and also kept in mind the reality of constructing this project.

By adjusting our expectations and embracing the simplicity of a modular system, we laid out a 16’x8’ grid made of 4’x4’ squares. From there, designed 2’x’2’ modules.

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This was derived from a series of exercises done with the most accessible material we had in our homes: Lego blocks. This was an efficient way of quickly iterating, while limiting ourselves to simple shapes in order to maintain construction simplicity.

We spent the winter break going back and forth with each other, taking input from our teams and communicating through email with our Construction Mentors. After going back and forth several times, and after narrowing down the material and the use for our Parklet, we began to put the physcal model into Rhinoceros, a 3D modeling software.

Physical modeling was an imperative part of the designing process that we did not consider as much in the schematic design part of our process.

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MIRO WORKSPACE

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

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DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

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CHAPTER 03

FINAL DESIGN

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CHAPTER 03 | FINAL DESIGN

CNC’d Plywood for Drainage

Mod. 03

Mod. 02 18” Mod. 01

Temporary Modules... implemented in one year.

2x6 Substructure Adjustable Deck Support

Base Platform (x4)

Permanent Modules... implemented now.

Kit of Parts

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Today...

Base Module

CHAPTER 03 | FINAL DESIGN ...In One Year Possibility 01: Lunch Spot

...In Two Years Possibility 02: Outdoor Classroom

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SOUTH ELEVATION 1/2” = 1’

NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ROBESON

CAMPUS CENTER

Dhwani and Sean

WEST ELEVATION 1/4” = 1’

EAST ELEVATION 1/4” = 1’

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TODAY... BASE MODEL RENDERING

CHAPTER 03 | FINAL DESIGN

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IN ONE YEAR... LUNCH SPOT

CHAPTER 03 | FINAL DESIGN