Bamboo Plaza Research and Programming

BAMBOO PLAZA a supportive housing development for the skid row housing trust

by laura van der spek

ucla master’s of interior architecture

THESIS.......................................................3 PROGRAM.................................................4 CASE STUDIES............................................5

table of contents

THE BUILDING............................................9 SITE ANALYSIS..........................................12 CONCEPT.................................................16 INSPIRATION IMAGES...............................17 CONCEPT DIAGRAMS................................18 BUBBLE DIAGRAMS...................................21 BOX DIAGRAMS.......................................23 ADJACENCY MATRIX.................................24 BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................26

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PART 1 PROGRAMMING

The goal of this project is to transform the selected property into a supportive housing development to serve the homeless community in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles, using the concept of bamboo, as a symbol of strength and flexibility, to inform the spatial and structural qualities of the building.

As one of the largest properties in the area, the building should symbolize the history of the neighborhood, while at the same time representing the cultures of current and future residents.

THESIS

With an emphasis on community, the project aims to uplift the homeless while at the same time inviting the public to interact with the development by incorporating retail and public open spaces.

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THE PROJECT:

A supportive housing development for the homeless

Program: 50x600 sq. ft. units (30,000 sq. ft.)

THE BUILDING: THE BUSINESS:

988 North Hill Street, Chinatown, Los Angeles

A courtyard style shopping mall with 2 levels of retail and 3 levels of parking, approx.

62,000 sq. ft..

Multi-unit residential development with auxiliary services like a medical clinic, social services center, outpatient treatment facility, gym, community lounge, community kitchen, garden, etc.

THE CLIENT:

Skid Row Housing Trust, a company whose mission is to provide permanent supportive housing for people who have experienced homelessness. They have been around for 25 years, at first converting run-down hotels into quality apartments for the homeless, and later growing into a housing developer who employs top architects and designers- because they believe that innovative and high quality design increase healing and expands community. They require their buildings to be designed economically, but thoughtfully, with an emphasis on community.

THE SERVICES:

THE IMAGE:

Independent housing units with reception area, community kitchen, garden, lounge, and laundry. Public social services center, healthcare center, classrooms and urban rest stop.

The design should be clean and modern, but not sterile. Residents should feel like they are in a high-end apartment building, not a slum or inpatient facility. Because it is an urban setting, modern and/or industrial elements are appropriate, and tasteful use of color can help distinguish the building from itʼs urban setting and give a more residential feel.

Lobby and Reception Area (1,000 sq. ft.)

Community Lounge (1,000 sq. ft.)

Community Kitchen (600 sq. ft.)

Laundry Room (500 sq. ft.)

Managerʼs Office (150 sq. ft.)

Community Garden ( Social Services Area (1,000 sq. ft.)

Classroom areas (1,000 sq. ft.)

Medical Clinic (1,000 sq. ft.)

Urban Rest Stop (2,000 sq. ft.)

-10 shower rooms -12-16 Menʼs & Womenʼs toilets -Laundry room -Waiting area -Reception/registration Employee Restrooms (200 sq. ft.)

Trash/Recycling (100 sq. ft.)

THE SPACE: 4

Residents should not feel like they are being “shut off” or “hidden”- aside from the residences, spaces should be open to each other, and to the outside as much as possible.

Employee Break Room (250 sq. ft.)

PROGRAM

THE LOCATION:

CASE STUDY #1 STAR APARTMENTS (2013) MICHAEL MALTZAN ARCHITECTURE

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CaseStudies

SKID ROW, LA, CA

Adaptive re-use Prefab.

Elevated outdoor space Incorporated services

Star Apartments is the latest project of the Skid Row Housing Trust, and the third to be designed by architect Michael Maltzan. Skid Row Housingʼs mission is to provide housing to the most at-risk members of the Los Angeles homeless community, based on a need-based selection and tracking process. They believe that it takes more than just giving someone an apartment for them to succeedmost people transitioning from living on the streets suffer from mental and physical health problems, on top of being alienated from society. SRHT aims to create support systems within their housing complexes with services like health and wellness clinics, community gardens and kitchens, exercise areas and classrooms. Star is unique in that all 102 efficiency units were prefabbed in Idaho and dropped into the four-level terraced support system, which rests atop an existing single story retail structure. This retail facade is important to the nature of the project, because it gives a face to the community living inside, rather than hiding them away on the outskirts of town. The unique design has also generated interest among the architecture community, further increasing the publicʼs interaction with the project.

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The Skid Row Housing Trust provides permanent supportive housing so that people who have experienced homelessness, prolonged extreme poverty, poor health, disabilities, mental illness and/or addiction can lead

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safe, stable lives in wellness. (We believe that) innovative and high-quality design, construction and maintenance of homes increase healing and expand community.

SKID ROW HOUSING TRUST MISSION

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CASE STUDY #2 THE BARBICAN ESTATES (1965-1976) CHAIMBERLAIN, POWELL AND BON Brutalist architecture Incorporated retail Traffic free zone Water/landcaping

The Barbican Estate is a 40 acre development in North London consisting of three residential towers, thirteen residential terrace blocks, two mews, a public library, a girlsʼ school, a performing arts school, and the Barbican Centre, a performing arts venue, all situated around a lake and pedestrian-only green squares. It houses around 4,000 people in 2,014 flats, and is a prized example of Brutalist architecture.

The Barbican Complex exemplifies the use of concrete as both a structural and decorative building material that was common in London in the 60ʼs and 70ʼs. The Brutalist architecture is softened by the landscaping and waterways, and over time it has grown to resemble an almost post-apocolyptic industial park.

The interiors are contrastingly elegant, elevated with the use of wood floors and trims, and softened with curved windows and railings.

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“The intention underlying our design is to create a coherent residential precinct in which people can live both conveniently and with pleasure. Despite its high density the layout is spacious: the buildings and the space between them are composed in such a way as to create a clear sense of order without monotony. Uninterrupted by road traffic (which is kept separate from pedestrian circulation through and about the neighbourhood) a quiet precinct will be created in which people will be able to move about freely enjoying constantly changing perspectives or terraces, lawns, trees and flowers seen against the background or the new buildings or reflected in the ornamental lake.”

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CHAMBERLIN, POWELL & BON, ARCHITECTS “BARBICAN REDEVELOPMENT” APRIL 1959 6

Case Studies

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LONDON, UK

CASE STUDY #3 ALISO VILLAGE (1942) RALPH FLEWELLING/LLOYD WRIGHT - “Garden City” feel - Space for children - Incorporated services

Case Studies

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LA, CA

In the wake of the Great Depression and Worl War I, and in the spirit of Rooseveltʼs New Deal, the push for affordable, well designed housing led to the development of some of the first low income housing projects which were to replace slums where living conditions had dipped below what was considered humane. Modernist architects, inspired by the “Garden City” movement, sought to create self-sufficient communities with green space away from the streets for children to play. Aliso Village was one of the first racially integrated housing projects in the nation. It included a school, nursery, and playgrounds for kids.

Unfortunately, the development became increasingly isolated over time with the development of surrounding railways and highway interchanges, and overcrowding led to gang violence and deterioration. Aliso Village was demolished in 2000 and replaced with the Pueblo del Sol housing project.

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It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States to promote the general welfare of the Nation by employing its funds and credit, as provided in this Act, to assist the several States and their political subdivisions to alleviate present and recurring unemployment and to remedy the unsafe and insanitary housing conditions and the acute shortage of decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings for families of low income, in rural or urban communities, that are injurious to the health, safety, and morals of the citizens of the Nation.

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AMERICAN HOUSING ACT OF 1937

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PART 2 ANALYSIS

BAMBOO PLAZA 988 N. Hill St. Chinatown, Los Angeles CA, USA

Former home of Empress Pavillion restaurant

Originally built in 1989, Bamboo Plaza includes 63,859 sqft of existing building area consisting of two stories of retail unit spaces, a driveway and a three story parking structure on top. Bamboo Plaza is currently zoned C2-Commercial by the City of Los Angeles. This zoning code allows for a variety of office and retail uses, and a maximum height of 75 feet (or 6-stories high).

THE BUILDING

The building was designed by George Puljac of Associated Architects and Planners, who commissioned artist Dora De Larios to design the decorative brass gateway over the main Hill Street entrance. This gateway, titled “The Elemants,” features a fifth century Chinese bamboo motif, and is incorporated into the marble facade.

The courtyard-style shopping center has been home to the Empress Pavillion restaurant, Shoppers Lane market, and many others.

Bamboo Plaza peeks out from behind Central Plaza

Hill St. shops

View into courtyard

Hill St. gateway

Elevators 9

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THE BUILDING

SITE ANALYSIS

Aerial View

Area Map

Crime Map

View from Roof

Solar Study- Summer

Solar Study- Winter 11

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Site Analysis

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PART 3 DIAGRAMMING

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CONCEPT: BAMBOO Plaza. Bamboo is a common motif in Chinese art and culture, making it an appropriate concept for a development in the heart of Chinatown.

SYMBOLISM In Chinese culture, Bamboo symbolizes uprightness, tenacity, elegance and integrity.

In Japan, bamboo forests surround Shinto shrines to gaurd against evil.

TRAITS Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, reaching rates of up to an inch every forty minutes. It can also regenerate without seeding (it is a grass). This fast growth and hearty root system is the perfect analogy for the traits needed to end homelessness in Los Angeles.

Bamboo is also extremely strong- it has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete, and has a tensile strength that rivals steel. These qualities make it a popular building material- in China, it is used as scaffolding for high-rise construction.

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USES Bamboo is commonly used as a building material, but is also an important source of food for people and animals. Giant pandas in China feed on bamboo, as do red pandas of Nepal, and gorillas in Africa.

Bamboo shoots are a large part of the cuisine in India, Nepal and Indonesia, and although they are naturally toxic, they can be prepared in a way that neutralizes the toxicity.

Other uses include medicine, paper making, textiles, weapons and musical instruments.

Because of this, other traits often associated with bamboo are versatility and flexibility.

FORM The hollow, cylindrical shape, segmented poles, long tapered leaves, and bushy forests are all great shapes to inspire architectural form.

CONCEPT

The name of the existing building inspired the concept- Bamboo

INSPIRATION IMAGES

Growth

Versatility

Heartiness

Strength

Flexibility

Elegance

Uprightness

Tenacity

Integrity 17

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CONCEPT SKETCHES

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CONCEPT DIAGRAMS

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concept collage

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bubble diagrams

OUTDOOR AREAS

PARK

RESIDENTIAL AREAS

COMMUNITY GARDEN

RETAIL AREAS

GYM

LAUNDRY

LOUNGE

TRASH

KITCHEN

RESIDENCES

RESTROOM COURTYARD

EMP. BREAK LOBBY/RECEP.

MGR.

SOCIAL SERVICES

CLASSROOMS

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CLINIC

LEASED RETAIL

bubble diagrams

SERVICE AREAS

LEVEL 1

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 4

VERTICAL CIRCULATION LEASED RETAIL SERVICES RESIDENCES

box diagrams

ROOFTOP PARK

LEVEL 5

VERTICAL BOX DIAGRAM

BOX DIAGRAMS

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RESIDENCES LOBBY RECEPTION

REQUIRED ADJACENCY

DESIRABLE ADJACENCY

COMMUNITY LOUNGE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

NEUTRAL ADJACENCY

GYM LOCKER ROOMS

UNDESIRABLE ADJACENCY

CLASSROOMS SOCIAL SERVICES CENTER CLINIC COMMUNITY GARDEN LAUNDRY ROOM MANAGERʼS OFFICE EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOM TRASH AND RECYCLING STORAGE

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ADJACENCY MATRIX

RESTROOMS

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE LAWS OF SIMPLICITY

By John Maeda PLOBLEM SEEKING

By William M. Pena and Steven A. Parshall WIKIPEDIA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo

SUN CALC suncalc.net CRIME MAP http://www.lapdonline.org/crime_mapping_and_compstat THE HERITAGE GROUP Provided as-built plans and elevations

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

PUBLIC ART IN L.A. http://www.publicartinla.com/Downtown/Chinatown/