Selected Works by Lynette Salas

selected works lynette lynette salas heyaime Lynette Salassalas Heyaime

During the final review for my degree project, I was repeatedly asked about my design process. Said one critique, ‘So you did this, then that, then you came up with this? Can you tell me the order of your design process? There seems to be some steps missing in between.’ I was confused and feeling flustered by the question. I am naturally very succinct in my explanations and presentations, feeling that if I have to do more talking than my diagrams, drawings, photos, and renderings can explain, then I must’ve failed in communicating my idea. It was at the point in my review where my critics were on the precipice of believing in my premise or thinking it was complete bullshit. I responded, ‘Well, It is difficult for me to answer that in the linear manner to which you posed the question. My design process is not linear, rather exhaustive and circuitous.’ I began to recall the process that I took, including cultural, historical, social, and environmental research, many tests, intermittently disrupted by study models, and then further research, precedence, interrupted with more site visits, climate analysis and the list goes on and on. The critic that asked the question replied, ‘That’s good...a great design is never linear and I hope you never design in a linear manner.’ He, in addition to the other critics, lauded my process, my premise, and ultimately my design in addition to providing very constructive critique in how to make my intervention better Architecture. It is always a rewarding experience when you have a great constructive review, but this was an especially rewarding review. Throughout my undergraduate studios and even some graduate studios I was discouraged from having a research-based process that was not linear. My studiomates would discourage me from looking up native plants or researching the history of the site, while my professors would claim, ‘do this next, don’t waste your time researching cultural issues.’ This continually frustrated me. How is this Architecture? I believe it to be a difficult task to create good Architecture if it is not at least supremely comprehensive and can form a relationship with its context and the people and purpose to which it serves. No site is a tabula rasa. This is part of the reason I call my buildings “interventions” instead of “buildings.” The structures are intervening into a social, political, historical, environmental, etc network, not merely placed. As a result, my reviews were either full of rich concepts and research but lacking representation when it came to the final product, or the concept was weak and indefensible, as I struggled to make vapid aesthetic architecture. This final degree project meant so much to me because I was able to accomplish both. I was able to gather my ideas and opinions of the site and translate into a form that would serve the community, and finally represent it. I finally selected a professor that was known for being research and designed focused, and he taught me how to delve even deeper into issues and relationships. Not only did he teach me to be more comprehensive, but he taught me to be fast, very fast. If I was ever going to make Architecture, not architecture, I had to be thoughtful, comprehensive and a fast producer. While I have many good projects to show, these four have been the most exhaustive for me, the most comprehensive. I am still extremely critical of these projects because I wish I could have researched more or represented more, but they remain large snapshots of what I have become as a designer.

process

table of contents BRIDGING THE BOUNDARIES gutter to gulf, phase iv

NICKELODEON IN THE CITY reinventing the hudson rail yards

STRANGE ATTRACTORS (an)other addition the kimball art museum

PERIPHERAL EXCHANGES connectivity through vacancy (final degree project)

bridging the boundaries gutter to gulf studio, phase iv

critic: derek hoeferlin washington university in st. louis with university of toronto landscape architecture school graduate - spring 2012 29.9221째 N, 89.8903째 W st. bernard parish, louisiana program: wellness retreat center

perspective// approach from 40 Arpent Canal

premise

Landscape and its respective ecologies adapt over time. It is vital to create Architecture that similarly adapts. Situated on the 40 Arpent Canal, between Bayou Dupree and the Mississippi River, this critical landscape is characterized by four main conditions: a Hardwood Forest, a Drainage Canal, an Earthen Levee, and decayed wetlands. The possible opening of the Mississippi River Diversion will divert fresh water to the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet and has huge potential to rebuild the vital wetlands while temporarily flooding the landscape of St. Bernard Parish. Whether or not this happens, the Wellness Retreat Center bridges over all landscapes and is elevated to withstand flooding and soil regrowth while dually hindering the growth of an invasive plant species by restricting sunlight. Program: Reception Massage Rooms Acupuncture Rooms Changing Rooms Yoga Platform Lounge Meditation

Map provided by the University of Toronto Landscape Architecture School

View of 40 Arpent Canal, showing the water hyacinth covering the water and the hardwood forest on the left.

research

Water Hyacinth are invasive plants not indigenous to Louisiana that cover the freshwater canals, blocking sunlight to species living in the water and clogging the motors of boats travelling on the canal. Because Saint Bernard Parish provides optimal sunlight for the Water Hyacinth, if the temperature were lowered through shade, their growth patterns would be hindered. This would allow the underwater species to thrive, and be less of a nuisance to boaters. Wetland loss is another huge issue concerning Southern Louisiana due to salt water intrusion into the freshwater. In order to rebuild the wetlands, a soil gathering system can be implemented which will promote the growth of Cypress trees.

WATER HYACINTH GROWTH

photo credit: derek hoeferlin

process The concept model served as a method to explore how tensile structures can bridge over a range of conditions including the: Hardwood Forest, 40 Arpent Canal, Earthen Levee, and the decaying wetlands. The structures were designed as a multi-layered filtering system for sunlight and soil. The tensile structures formed enclosures, protection, and walkable surfaces.

FOREST

40 ARPENT

EARTHEN LEVEE

WETLANDS

surface

storage

barrier

storage

6 feet sea level -2 feet -6 feet -12 feet

HARAHAN CLAY

model construction: handmade hemp weavings over graphite on vellum and crescent board

BARBARY CLAY

photo credit: derek hoeferlin

perspective// left, changing rooms; center, massage corridor; right, entry

Circ Circulation After

C C

Circ

G E

Circulation Before D F

E A B

Circulation Before

D A

Circulation After

Circulation Before B

Circulation After A B

Circ B

Circulation After

A B

Circ

perspective// entrance to massage rooms

impact

photo// lounge space above and intersecting walkways below.

nickelodeon in the city reinventing the hudson rail yards critic: mark mcglothlin undergraduate - fall 2008 in collaboration with suzanne davis 40.7546째 N, 74.0038째 W new york, new york program: mixed-use residential corporate retail cultural public institutional

perspective// from the High Line- Left, Residential Towers; Center Back, Corporate Towers; Right, Media Arts Campus

The Nickelodeon

(concept of new district connecting to New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history)

zipper + drawer = interlocking moving parts

(concept of form and relationships to allow for interactive projections)

Purpose: To re-develop the 6 city blocks that make up the Hudson Rail Yards. Approach: A new neighborhood based off of a lost fragment of New York Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past: the nickelodeon. The public core serves as an urban carpet and the facades of the buildings serve as interactive screens for projection of media events.

East-West Section through Media Core: from left, Visitor Center + Gallery + Film Deck, Indoor/Outdoor Theatre, Media Arts Student Center with Outdoor Projection.

NOW SHOWING: ‘The Tramp’ starring Charlie Chaplin perspective// from west-end of Media Park with Retail/Residential Tower on Right and Corporate Towers on Left showing Projection Facades.

perspective// from Corporate Tower down into Welcome Center and Media-Park

perspective// Entry from Northeast Corner into Corporate Corridor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Commercial Public

Cultural

Residential

Media Arts

BB AA

DD CC

Gym Retail Commercial Information Center/Gallery Indoor Theater Outdoor Theater Student Dining Library Restaurant/Cafe Residential Dorm Classrooms/Labs

3 2

3 3

4 6 5 2 10

2 9

10 9

7 8

strange attractors (an)other addition to the kimbell art museum critic: robert mccarter graduate - spring 2011

32.7485째 N, 97.3651째 W fort worth, texas program: museum addition for contemporary art

perpsective// entry to Fifth Floor Special Exhibition

30 Purpose: to confront Renzo Pianoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s controversial change in his addition site, from the publicized East site to the West, demolishing the grove of Yaopon holly trees, compromising the approach to the museum and the west-gaining light into the portico entry Approach: A tower with a small footprint that creates a campus with several smaller structures. Why a tower? A tower accomplishes an understated tension that respects the landmark museum while maintaining a bold approach to design. Sited to maximize sequence and circulation

actual site

published site

Program: 1. Lobby Gallery with a. cafe b. museum shop c. coat check 2. Main Gallery 3. Special Exhibit 4. Sculpture Park 5. Education Center 6. Auditorium 4 7. Library Service Parking

level: five

3 7

level: four

2 6 c

level: three

2 level: ground

level: two

Drainage Layer Roofing Membrane Thermal Insulation Vapor Retarder Flashing

2” Plaster 12” Concrete 4” Rigid Insulation

Aerial View of Addition

Vapor Barrier 2” Channelled Glass Aluminum Mullion

2” Glass

4” Cross-Cut Wood Flooring Setting Bed

perspective// fifth floor special exhibit

perspective// fourth floor special exhibit with outdoor terrace

perspective// fifth floor special exhibit

peripheral exchanges connectivity through vacancy

design thinking (research) critic: derek hoeferlin graduate - fall 2012 degree project critic: adrian luchini graduate - spring 2013 38.6447째 N, 90.2615째 W st. louis, missouri program: nutrition research + resource center

eco

isp

ros

ari

rity

premise

While the discussion of St. Louis’s vacancies is an international and controversial one, “peripheral exchanges” captures the current condition of vacancies in anticipation of future economic growth and its implied increased density. The vacancies in Central West End facilitate interaction and connectivity between people and the Architecture captures those peripheral exchanges. The overlapping and undulating roofs are derived from the overlapped distorted perspectives of the context’s gable roofs. This Nutrition Research and Resource Center dually serve Central West End’s science community and the health needs of its immediate community.

what actually exists

what we consciously focus on

what we subconsciously ignore

Approaching a City, 19461 I see scrub lands and some pine groves that escort me for a long stretch (with signs of human presence nearby) in the midst of anticyclonic weather. It increases at the rate we advance the number of industrial buildings that rise like huge masses of demoralizing and contagious ugliness, and in the distance looms the overpopulated city, with infulae of framework for an empiricist spectacle, bereft of common sense, kaleidoscopic. I see irrigated lands, billboards and bridges spanning ditches and twisting highways. I see retaining walls with spray-painted scrawls dividing routes in the overlapping continuum of streets, warehouses and homes dotted with narrow windows. As if rigged for a tracking shot, the camera approaches the mouth of the tunnel and just at the moment of entry, seeing the present denatured world and suddenly overwhelmed by unfamiliar darkness, I feel like someone sticking his nose where it donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t belong. I let myself get carried away with jitters and think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all right.

image credit, above: Hopper, Edward. Approaching a City. 1946. Painting 1 Farres, Ernest.

periphery core

core periphery

XXX

divide new, illegal path path of desire blockage

the great blockade of central west end

xxxxxxxxx

O EC

C MI NO RI PA ITY

R PE

S DI

O ON

These blockages take the form of giant bollards, locked gates, dead-end roads separated by a sidewalk (as seen above), or a combination of the three.

There are certain neighborhoods within St. Louis City--particularly Central West End and University City--where the streets do not connect. Not because of rivers or harsh topography, but because of economic differences and the actual and/or perceived crime of the peripheral neighborhoods. While University City attempts to block out the Skinker-Debaliviere, Wellston and Pagedale neighborhoods, Central West End attempts to block out Lewis Place and other northern-lying neighborhoods.

WAS H

ING

TON

AVE

DEL

WES

TMI

NST

PLA CE

NEW

STE

AVE

OLI

TAY LO

RA VE

MAR

MCP

HER

TAY LO

LAC

SON

AVE

OLI

AVE

HOD

IAM

ENR

ONT

STR

EET CAR

ROW

IGH

NP END

ELT ON

END

ELT ON

$65,000

typology of exclusion

cost of average home

median

$600,000

gate

bollards

vision analysis 60째

core vision

120째

peripheral vision walking

88째

peripheral vision driving

as speed increases, peripheral vision narrows, diminishing the range of connectivity.

vacancies facilitate connections to surrounding context

speed + connectivity as a design catalyst

Program

55 Private Employee

Research

23% 6670 nsf

Resource

44% 12877 nsf

Food Lab Nutrition Lab

2182 nsf

Reserved Library Stacks

3576 nsf

Library Main Stacks

2432 nsf

11723 nsf

Reading Room

400 nsf

Workshop Room

754 nsf

Administrative Administration/Mail Room

912 nsf

347 nsf

Offices (2)

804 nsf

Conference Room

295 nsf

Waiting Room

986 nsf

Utility

Storage + Mech Room

4557 nsf

Vestibule

159 nsf

Restrooms

206 nsf

Circulation

3053 nsf

15%

Circulation

10% 3053 nsf

4192 nsf

Public Student

All

overhead condition frames existing context

1 2 1a

4 5

3 2a

6 7 7a

3 3

3a 9 5 6 4

10 7 11 8

5a 5

7a 10

9a 10 11 11a 12

13 11

north

Plan // Level One

Nutrition Research + Resource Center 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Mechanical Room + Storage Administration Office Reading Room Conference Room a. Storage Workshop Assembly Waiting Room Food Lab Nutrition Lab General Stacks Computer Station Circulation Desk Main Entry Library Reserves

perspective// threshold between research wing and resource wing from left, Library, Workshop Room, Reading Room, Outdoor Enclave

perspective// Main Library, with Special Collection Mezzanine

Roof undulates to let in natural bounced light from above and Northeastern Ambient Light through the glass facade. Shape of roof is extruded from existing context.

perspective// threshold between research wing and resource wing

from left, aperture letting in Northern Light through Copper Screen, Staircase to Mezzanine, Main Library.

destroy the great blockade of central west end! (see p. 44)

thank you

to my family, immediate and extended for all of their support and wisdom to drink a glass of wine when feeling stressed. to my business school friends for understanding that studio takes precedence over â&#x20AC;&#x153;networkingâ&#x20AC;? (aka drinking), but not always. to my architecture friends for support, blunt critique, unity, and much needed escapes. to my professors for challenging me and opening my eyes, especially: Robert McCarter for your thorough critiques, encouragement, and challenging predicted typologies. Derek Hoeferlin for teaching me the value of research, Architecture (not architecture), focus and speed; and for arguing with me on a daily, if not hourly, basis. Adrian Luchini for giving me the room to explore, test and discover, and teaching me when to allow my concept to dominate or fade the continuing design process.

lynette lynettesalas salasheyaime heyaime lynette salas heyaime spanish: :arabic room foreign german: bldg