Aspen
School for the Blind
Education
26th & Roslyn Denver, Colorado
Professor: Nilou Vakil
Partner: Trina Mills Spring 2022
In 2015, the CDC claims that approximately 3.22 million people in the United States have vision impairment Through 2050, the number of people with visual impairments are projected to steadily increase. Universal Design is important to implement in any built environment to accommodate people with different abilities. But how do you prepare and design navigation tools to a visually impaired demographic, that does not always have an environment that supports their autonomy?
Located on 26th and Roslyn in Denver, Colorado, Anchor Center for the Visually impaired, is a school that provides early intervention from birth to five years of age, to enhance the child’s quality of life and prepare them for a world that doesn’t always accommodate their disabilities. My partner,
Trina Mills, and I were tasked with designing a K-5 School for the Blind that compliments the Anchor Center Curriculum and provides an environment for students to meet their full potential in all aspects of their lives. The site is across the street from the Anchor Center and has direct connection for students transitioning from Pre-K to kindergarten with ease. Wayfinding from their previous school to the new one was an important aspect to give the student as much autonomy and confidence when navigating to a new space. A question we hoped to answer by the end of this project was, how can we design with sensitivity for a young demographic with visual impairment, while instilling confidence for them to navigate a world that does not facilitate universal design strategies?
Site Context
In a region that has 3,100 hours of sunshine per year, utilizing and adding to the existing pocket parks and maintaining a reduction in the contexts urban heat island was important to build on the towns resilient community. South of the site opened up to a massive park, called the Fred Thomas Park. When considering site layout and design strategies, in other case studies we reviewed initially, many visually impaired schools appreciated a park nearby or on site for students to have shade when walking outdoors during the hot seasons. This was due to students needing to avoid the sun glare with the help of shaded trees, in addition to teaching them how to walk freely on the park paths.
When considering program in relation to the site, we wanted to have the classrooms on the north side, farthest away from E 26th ave and Roslyn Street, due to the street being a major
transportation road and having strong potential for noise disruption. Adding a garden and vegetation in the courtyard spaces on the site would add to the pocket parks to the surrounding context nearby. It would also help reduce heat vulnerability, which is a big issue in Colorado due to the constant heat. An overall increase in foliage would help with added shading and provide a cool outdoor experience for students when they are at recess or an outdoor event. Surrounding Anchor Center and the proposed site is a residential hub with homes not surpassing two stories. On the north side of the site, we planned to have program respond to the roof line conditions. To blend in with the urban fabric, it was important for us to take note of the residential influence and follow similar roof typology and volumes in our building design to provide the users with a sense of home.
N
N Roslyn Street
Proposed Development
Anchor Center
One-Way Transportation Heading North
Pocket Parks
N Roslyn Street
Primrose School
E 26th Ave
Round-About Drop-off | Pick-Up
Playground RoslynSt E26thAve Circulation Service Space Service Private Space Semi-Public Public Space
Staff Parking Lot
1. CENTRALIZE SPINE
The form runs along a central circulation spine that creates a intuitive way-finding system. The Central spine was extruded from the other programs to allow controlled natural light navigation. The other programs facing the residential street, E 26th Ave, respond to existing roof line conditions.
2. SNAKE THROUGH THE TREES
The centralized spine and the building was then curved to respond to the existing park datum lines and to allow the form to snake through some of the older existing foliage.
3. CELEBRATING RELIEF
To allow celebration of larger programs, the form push’s out more at key points from the spine. The pockets of relief naturally create important outdoor pockets filled with opportunity for student and staff.
Back of House: Classrooms
Drawing completed by: Trina Mills
Design Strategies
We started researching forests in Colorado and took note of the beautiful tree formations against the rocky mountain scenery. The month of September is an deal time to witness gilded aspen on a scenic drive in Colorado. We noticed the Aspen trees bloomed beautiful yellow, red, and orange leaves in the fall period. Envisioning a walk under the aspen trees, as the sun transmits the colors to the ground must be breathtaking. When considering this beautiful staple of Colorado into our project. We wanted our building to take our students and staff on a trail through the Colorado forest in the fall period. This style will be a new branch of universal design to accommodate and fit all user needs.
In regards to people with visual impairments, bright colors are generally the easiest to see due to their ability to reflect
light. Lighting can influence the perception of color. Dim light can wash out some colors, while bright light can intensify others. Solid, bright colors, such as red, orange, and yellow are usually more visible than pastels. The connection of the fall aspen trees to the important color cues that support wayfinding for the students was a design strategy that we wanted to implement throughout the building. Stainglass has a similar effect of fall leaves and tree branches when the sun reflects the design to the ground. We implemented clerestories with stain-glass throughout the corridor to utilize bright colors as a navigation tool while also providing the illusion of being under the fall aspen trees.
Drawing completed by: Trina Mills
Navigating in Corridor Drawing completed by: Trina Mills
North Elevation
1/4” = 1’-0”
South Elevation
1/4” = 1’-0”
1 A01 1 A01
Footing Callout
Callout completed by: Trina Mills
1 A01
East Section 1/4” = 1’-0” 1.1
Footing Callout
Callout completed by: Trina Mills
1.2 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.3
1/4”
1 A01
1.1 West Section
= 1’-0”
Footing Callout 1.1
Callout completed by: Trina Mills
Site Plan 1/16” = 1’-0” 1 A01 01 01 13 14 01 01 10 11 12 01. Classrooms 02. Kitchen 03. Cafeteria 04. Gymnasium 05. Flex Space 06. Teachers Lounge & Development 07. Music Room 08. Art Room 09. MEP 10. Admin Office 11. Primary Entrance 12. Library 13. Greenhouse 14. Playground
N Roslyn Stree t E 26th Ave 01 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
Classroom Perspective
Berkley Terraces
Mixed Use
River Front Rd, Kansas City, Missouri 64120
Professor: Eddy Tavio Partner: Bridgett Espino Spring 2021
Studio 508 was tasked with creating a world class destination at the front door of Kansas City. The over arching question we needed to answer in the conceptual phase was, “What does it take to actually build places that have lasting cultural value?” The 60acre plot of land stretched along the Missouri River and consisted of mixed use, promotion of active lifestyles, sustainable design, entertainment, and planning for the next economy. My group specifically was tasked with designing a mixed use building in the center of the 60-acres. The objective is to have the medium rise building draw both residential and commercial density to the area and provide amenities in-line with top-tier cities across the United States.
Design Intent: Berkley Terraces fuses greenery and social interaction to create long lasting entertainment value. It consist of offices, retail, commercial, food, and a variety of housing types in a compact site footprint. This mixed use
development optimizes views to the river, facing north and south, along with preserving views for the surrounding buildings and residences. Starting at the second level and leading up to the top floor, the balconies hug the form and maximize views and daylight all around the parcel. Vegetation is integrated throughout the resident floors to both create privacy and maintain the picturesque feel of the traditional town. In addition to privacy, wooden louvers were built into the residence floors and office levels to implement sun-shading.
Cred: IG:65_andsunny
Photo
railway
interstate -35
BerkleyParkway
Heart ofamerica Bridge interstate29
guinotteavenue railway railway railway indePendenceavenue
existing roads
ProPosed rd modification ProPosed rlwy modification
existing railway
interstate -29
Diagram completed by: Dakoda Ash
This diagram illustrates the modified and added vehicle and pedestrian transportation routes, along with the new commercial and residential spaces to the Berkley Riverfront.
Diagram completed by: Liz Putnam
SITE PHOTOGRAPH OVERLAYED GREEN SPACE ROADS RAILWAYS CYCLING PATHS EXISTING COMPONENTS Bar K River Market Columbus
Residential Residential Volleyball Courts
Park
Existing entertainment, commercial, and residential spaces in the Kansas City, Missouri area. Relative to our site, there is a lot of new development but not a second downtown KC feel currently. How can you bring a second powerhouse that contains lasting cultural value?
Diagram completed by: Donovan Brook
Out of the 12 floors that made up the Berkley Terraces, the first four levels were the sections within the building that changed the public and private access between residential and commercial circulation before it became consistent residential to the top.
Level One Commercial
Level Three Amenities Floor Level Four-Twelve Residential Level Two Office Residential Commercial
The conceptual idea is centered around vertical, terra-formed courtyard that maximizes green-space, contains a central water element, outdoor seating and public space, and a variety of modular commercial spaces that intertwine with one another.
IG:65_andsunny
Photo
Cred:
04. Create connections and open the courtyard to the park.
03. Create terraces to optimize views towards the park
02. Orient buildings North-South to preserve views to surrounding buildings
01. Site
North Perspective
Carpe Social Senior Housing: Independent | Dependant Long-term Care
Mixed Use
E 18TH ST, KCMO 64108
Professor: Eddy Tavio Fall 2021
Studio 608 was tasked with envisioning 18th Street corridor as a car-less, pedestrian focused and multi-modal transit that will connect two arts centered destinations into a single, urban scale experience. Currently, the west end of 18th street corridor is the font lawn of the Kauffman Performing Arts Center and the hub of the First Fridays, Kansas City’s premier arts festival. Anchoring the east end of our master plan is the historic Kansas City Jazz District located at 18th and Vine. We plan on connecting the two anchor destinations into a single east-west pedestrian-only corridor that will still allow vehicular traffic to cross north-south at existing street intersections. This new pedestrian corridor is a community-focused, arts driven, urban-scale experience. We each identified a site along this newly published corridor that is suitable for mixed-use urban living.
Design Intent: Re-imaging a long term care senior living environment was important to add to the 18th Street Corridor because by 2030 more than a 5th of the US population is expected to be over 65. After 64, more than 2/3 of people start
frequenting the doctor 3 or more times a year. Present day, boomers are facing a caregiver crunch in their golden years. A growing need for medical care is clear, but what form ill it take and what spaces will it occupy? Considering LTC facilities there is a need to reevaluate how elderly are treated within society. You can naturally assume within the context of architecture is to think about medical hospitals designing accessible cities. But these all overlook an emerging and serious problem: loneliness and social isolation. Living in modern LTC communities provides an opportunity for engagement and interaction while beginning to shed this stigma, and allow residents to regain their independence. I chose the name Carpe, because in French to English it translates, “to enjoy, seize, and make us of,” and applying that to Senior LTC communities its important for residents to reactivate their independence and get the most out of their day through the max social activities housed on the site. The Carpe Senior Housing Project allows Seniors to seize any activity they get involved in and enhance their quality of life with all their needs at their grasp.
Senior Living Site
Dependant Units: 90 Units
1 Bed 1 Bath_650 SQFT^2 Independent Units: 48 Units
1 Bed 1 Bath_550 SQFT^2
Early in the research process, I examined the existing health facilities and longterm care facilities in the KCMO area relative to my site. I went back 1000 meters and took note of just how far apart the clinics are to LTC. A solution I propose is to have a senior clinic on my site to resolve this current issue. This would uplift the need for vehicle access for dependent residents and give seniors their independence back.
01 SELECT
Prime gateway location in need of senior healthcare
02 CARVE
From building envelope 03 ACTIVATE
The street and courtyard with and entertainment
DEPENDANT LTC SENIOR LIVING
INDEPENDENT SENIOR CO-HOUSING
SOCIAL HUB | COMMUNITY
with retail, food, entertainment
04 CREATE Residential design for LTC facility | non-institutional
05 INVITE Passageway and social interaction AXONOMETRIC SECTION
Bowling Alley 2900 Square Feet Senior Health Clinic 6000 Square Feet Grocery Store 9660 Square Feet
Before the design phase of Studio 608, we conducted an extensive program diagrammatic studies to understand all the program we proposed at our given site. I conducted 15 diagrams that primarily promoted an increase in socialization and senior independence.
PRIVATE
North Elevation E 18TH ST
SEMI-PUBLIC
PUBLIC
East Elevation Troost Ave
01 Ground Level TROOST AVE FOREST 01 02 03 04 06 05 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 16 16 17 17 11 11 11 N E 18TH STREET E 17TH STREET TROOST AVE 02 Second Level 18 19 19 19 19 20 21 19 19 19 19 01 Health Clinic 02 Grocery Store 03 Cafe 04 Restaurant 05 LTC Facility Main Lobby 06 Hair Salon 07 Zen Garden 08 Pottery Studio 09 Paint Studio 10 Aviary 11 Senior
Main Entry E 18TH STREET E 17TH STREET 12 Flex Space 13 Social Hub 14 Courtyard 15 Parking Garage Entrance 16 Senior
Parking 17 LTC Lobby 18 First
19 First
Units 20 Bowling
21 Second
22 Third
Floor Plan Key:
Co-housing
Co-housing
Floor of LTC Residential
Floor of Senior Co-housing
Alley
Floor of Social Hub
Floor of Senior Co-housing
FOREST N E 18TH STREET E 17TH STREET TROOST AVE FOREST 03 Third Level 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 23 24 N 00 LVL 01 LVL 02 LVL 03 LVL 04 LVL 05 LVL 06 LVL 07 LVL
