Alternate Endings: A Users Manual for Unbuilding by Northeastern School of Architecture

ALTERNATE ENDINGS A Userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manual for Unbuilding

185

APPENDIX: PROJECT REFERENCES

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE This publication has been prepared as part of the 2017 Master's Research Studio at the Northeastern University School of Architecture. All photographs are used in this publication under fair use for the purposes of education, consistent with 17 USC §107. Manipulated photos are considered derivative work and are copyright © 2017 Northeastern University School of Architecture. Published by Northeastern University School of Architecture 360 Huntington Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Copyright © 2017 Northeastern University School of Architecture. All rights reserved.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Limited Shelf Life Chapter 2: Demolition Stories

Chapter 3: Taking Things Apart

Chapter 4: Material Networks

Chapter 5: People Networks

116

Chapter 6: A Pretty Classy Dump

140

Appendix:

162 Alternate Endings Glossary Project References

Isolated Building Studies David Schalliol. Chicago, 2006-present.

1.1 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

1. LIMITED SHELF LIFE What does it mean for a building to die? Why do some structures last thousands of years, across civilizations and cultures, while others are replaced within a decade? What are some of the arguments and counterarguments that ultimately inform decisions to demolish buildings, blocks, and entire neighborhoods? In order to pin-point areas of opportunity within the demolition process, one must begin by unpacking why buildings are demolished in the first place. This chapter is centered around an analysis of some of the factors, both internal and external to the building envelope, that influence decisions to demolish. Read together, they represent a complex web of subjective and often conflicting agendas that highlight the many different voices and stakeholders behind demolition debates. The first half of the chapter breaks down the broader cultural and socio-economic catalysts that leads to a building's loss of value, from changing real-estate trends to obsolete programmatic typologies. The second half of the chapter focuses on a subjective catalogue of building materials and assembly systems centered around embodied energy, projected life spans and reuse value. 7

ARCHITECTURAL VALUE VS. LAND VALUE In many demolition debates the physical integrity of the building

Each new iteration signaled significant typological changes, from a

is often not the problem. Instead the value of the architecture is

farm to a private residence, to a luxury hotel and ultimately office

conditioned by the land around it, the neighborhood context in which

spaces within what was at the time the world's tallest skyscraper.1 This

the land sits, and the changing socio-economic forces acting on it.

unique plot of land saw many owners over the course of its life time,

The following pages begin with an analysis of some of the prevalent

as well as dramatic changes to the physical and financial landscape of

site-based factors behind architectural obsolescence, through reading

Manhattan around it. Within the context of this study, the site provides

historic patterns and emerging trends. The Empire State Building

an example of a typical use case for reading the role of evolving real-

provides an interesting case study. The site underwent numerous

estate demands on architectural obsolescence.

rounds of demolition and reconstruction throughout the nineteenth century.

Sold to Charles Lawton Farmhouse renovated

Sold to John Jacob Astor Astor residence constructed

Sold to John Thompson Farmhouse constructed

$20,500 $10,500

$2,500 1799 8

1826 1825

1. Information from: Moe, Kiel. Empire, State & Building. New York: Actar, 2017.

$20,000,000

1.1 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

Sold to Empire State Inc. Empire State Building construted

Inherited by grandson of John Jacob Astor Waldorf Hotel constructed

1893

1923 9

UPSIZING

DEVALUATION

OBSOLESCENCE BY SITE

low

EXPENDABLE

re p

vo id

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DEVALUATION City-wide processes of urban disinvestment that affects many American rust-belt cities is often made visible in the gradual devaluation and demolition of building stock, where deteriorating streetscapes. Foreclosed properties turned over to banks and lenders are often demolished to make way for new development that never take shape, leaving a series of empty voids in the urban landscape.

1.1 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

long-term disuse and lack of maintenance results in crumbling physical envelopes and

UPSIZING The common practice of demolishing an existing structure with the intention of replacing it with a higher-density development. Typically tied to an increase in the real estate value of the site leading to a financial incentive for the developer to provide more rentable units. According to a survey conducted by Jennifer O'Connor for Forintek Canada Corp. on the documented life spans of 227 demolished buildings in North America in 2004, only 22% were demolished because they were "no longer suitable for intended use". The majority of these cases were replaced with larger versions of themselves.

EXPENDABLE A disposable attitude towards architecture that favors buildings with relatively short lifespans designed to be superseded. Typically prevalent in cultural contexts centered around notions of impermanence, or volatile building climates marked by frequent changes to codes and standards. For example, the average life span of a single family home in Japan is 25 years. This is due to a number of factors including frequently updated seismic codes, a tendency to use lighter building materials that are easily deconstructed, and high taxes on land. 11

OBSOLESCENCE BY PROGRAM One of the strongest predictors of a building's longevity is its program. A building's ability to perform its intended function over time can give rise to a host of radically different arguments for why it might lose its value, from the politicallymotivated to the brutally utilitarian.

COMMUNAL Tacoma Building

1.1 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

ECONOMIC

Techwood Homes

ICONIC

Malden Government Center

PERSONAL

FUNCTIONAL

Lieb House

Prentice Women's Hospital

PERSONAL SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE

CHANGES IN REAL ESTATE VALUE Fluctuations in land value as the result of largerscale changes to the surrounding neighborhood context. Pressure for redevelopment.

VACANCY Deterioration of physical fabric resulting from prolonged periods of vacancy and/or neglect. At some point it becomes cheaper to rebuild than to repair, even if it is in a good neighborhood and the land it sits on is still valuable.

Lieb House Typology:

Single-Family House

Architect:

Venturi Scott Brown

Locations:

Long Beach Island, New Jersey/

Glen Cove, New York

Constructed:

1969

Relocated:

2009

Life Span:

40 years (in original location)

CHANGES IN REAL ESTATE VALUE The house sat on a large lot of prime real estate right on the water. As the price of the land increased, the new owner/ developer looked into redeveloping the land to accommodate a higher density of real estate.

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE The house was an early work by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, two of the most important architects of the 20th Century. The owner recognized the importance of the house to the history of architecture and decided it was worth saving. As a way to develop the land while preserving the existing structure, the house was transported via barge to its new home on Long Island Sound.

COMMUNAL

LACK OF MAINTENANCE

APARTMENT TOWER

Lack of funding for systemic maintenance, in

PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT

particular of the building's shared facilities: corridors, elevators, mechanical systems, etc.

GOVERNMENT POLICY The building's fate is dictated by top-down political agendas and real-estate pressures far beyond the control of the residents, who often have little to no voice within demolition debates.

Techwood Homes Typology:

Public Housing Project

Architect:

Flippen David Burge

Location:

Atlanta, Georgia

Constructed:

1936

Demolished:

1996

Life Span:

60 years

GOVERNMENT POLICY The city saw the coming 1996 Summer Olympics as an opportunity to deal with its urban housing problems wholesale by demolishing them entirely. By 2011, Atlanta had taken down every single one of its public housing towers, totaling 14,000 units. Despite community organizing, the weight of the interests behind the project were too much to overcome. The city has faced criticism for its implementation of its revitalization programs and for its failure to adequately rehouse displaced residents.

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE The Techwood Homes were the first public housing project built in the United States and subsequently became the first victim of Atlanta's massive demolition initiative.

ECONOMIC OFFICE RETAIL

OUTDATED BUILDING SYSTEMS Under-performing architectural or mechanical systems that cannot keep up with current code requirements, or the building's evolving functions. Building elements such as elevators, HVAC systems, asbestos insulation, etc. can be difficult and costly to replace or remove, making it more economical to demolish the entire building.

INFLEXIBLE LAYOUT Inflexible architectural layouts difficult to adapt to keep up with the fleeting trends and demands of commercial office and retail interiors. Factors such as lack of rentable square footage or insufficient window displays were some of the main factors behind the demolition of many late 19th Century department stores in New York and Chicago.

CHANGES IN REAL ESTATE VALUE Fluctuations in land value as the result of largerscale changes to the surrounding neighborhood context. Pressure for redevelopment.

Tacoma Building Typology:

Office Tower

Architect:

Holabird & Roche

Location:

Chicago, Illinois

Constructed:

1889

Demolished:

1929

Life Span:

40 years

INFLEXIBLE LAYOUT The building's floor plans, as were the case with many early skyscrapers and department store buildings, proved difficult to adapt to new tenants.

OUTDATED BUILDING SYSTEMS Its elevator quickly became obsolete and dripped oil on its passengers. The process of replacing the core circulation system and the associated costs were unreasonable.

CHANGES IN REAL ESTATE VALUE These two factors contributed to the notion that the building underutilized the prime real estate it sat on, an inescapable reality in the demolition-happy and economically-booming 1920s. The building was replaced with a larger, more flexible office tower.

ICONIC GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS CIVIC STRUCTURES

CHANGES IN POLITICS/CULTURE Icons serve as the public face of the

CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

institutions they house, from private

ENTERTAINMENT VENUES

companies to political or religious organizations. As such, architectural value is constantly reassigned throughout the building's life time with shifts in

HISTORIC VALUE Preservation practices often foreground the historic value of a building: tied to its relationship to important events, places and people. As historical records are updated, and re-written, new building typologies are added to the list, while others are removed.

AESTHETIC VALUE Architectural value is often derived in part from the building's association with a famous architect or architectural movement, and in part from its reception by the general public. The fleeting nature of cultural and aesthetic trends leads to a constant reassessment of what we as a society choose to preserve and demolish.

ownership, political climates, and public perception.

Malden Government Center Typology: City Hall Architect: Doxiades Associates Location: Malden, Massachusetts Constructed:

1976

Demolished:

2017

Life Span: 41 years

CHANGES IN URBAN CONTEXT Malden Government Center unintentionally reconfigured an entire section of the middle of downtown when it was constructed, bisecting Pleasant Street and rendering it a dead end.

AESTHETIC VALUE The building's austere design won it few fans among the public, even as it was praised by the architectural establishment upon its completion. The building quickly became known as a nuisance rather than a symbol of the city, an image Malden was eager to shake off.

FUNCTIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL

OUTDATED BUILDING SYSTEMS Under-performing architectural or mechanical systems that cannot keep up with current code requirements, or the building's evolving

BUILDING LAYOUT Institutional buildings like schools and hospitals often have highly specific floor plans that relate to their daily operations. This can lead to inflexible layouts that are difficult to adapt as the practices and spatial requirements of these institutions evolve over time.

functions. Building elements such as elevators, HVAC systems, asbestos insulation, etc. can be difficult and costly to replace or remove, making it more economical to demolish the entire building.

Prentice Women's Hospital Typology: Hospital Architect: Bertrand Goldberg Location: Chicago, Illinois Constructed: 1975 Demolished: 2014 Life Span: 39 years

BUILDING LAYOUT Prentice Women's was purchased by Northwestern University after the hospital moved down the street to a new facility. Northwestern proposed demolishing the building and replacing it with a research center, arguing that those programmatic needs could not be met by the Brutalist building's four-leaf-clover floor plans.

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE It was torn down despite massive pushback from the architectural community and criticism that the university had not done enough to consider ways to save the building.

BRICK Embodied Energy 3 MJ/kg Typical Lifespan +100yrs

EXTRACTION OF RAW MATERIALS

BUILDING DEMOLISHED

MANUFACTURING

TRANSPORTATION TO JOBSITE

MAINTENANCE DURING BUILDING LIFESPAN

ADAPTIVE REUSE REUSED

CRUSHED BRICKS REUSED AS AGGREGATE

LANDFILL

INSTALLATION

BUILDING COMPLETED

All building materials are associated with an environmental and labor cost derived from the way it was manufactured and introduced into the construction industry. This accumulative value is often captured in the embodied energy of a material, a figure that sums up the total amount of energy that went into the material throughout its life span from

1.2 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

MATERIAL SHELF LIFE

the moment of extraction, to processing, transportation, assembly, disassembly, and finally demolition.

When a building is demolished, the embodied energy of its constituent parts presents an untapped opportunity for reuse that could be both sustainable and cost-effective. However, current tools within the construction industry for identifying materials focus on their immediately perceptible costs and lack longer term thinking about their projected life spans and reuse value. A careful analysis of building materials and assembly systems from the point of view of re-usability could serve as a productive tool for designers that encourages a durational approach to design that favors replaceable parts over demolition, or the re-integration of used building materials back into circulation in new construction.

MATERIAL CATALOG

[BR] STANDARD BRICK

The following pages present a Material Catalog that identifies ten different building materials found within a variety of building systems. Each material is assessed according to a series of criteria such as durability or ease of installation to produce an overall score that signals its composite reuse value.

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

5 TYPICAL LIFESPAN of a material has been determined by comparing the average life expectancy of all the materials which was provided by an independent company.

LOW

HIGH TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

DURABILITY of a material is estimated by comparing the materials ability to withstand wear, pressure and damage over time. EASE OF INSTALLATION signals the ease at which a material component can be removed and replaced using minimal tools and machinery.

RECYCLABILITY signals the ability of the material to be salvaged and reused after demolition either in its current state or reprocessed into something else.

DURABILITY

SCORE

4 HIGH

LOW EASE OF INSTALLATION

SCORE

4 HIGH

LOW RECYCLABILITY

SCORE

3 HIGH

LOW

MATERIAL SCORE:

/25

[CO] CONCRETE

(FRAMING LUMBER)

[AL] ALUMINUM

1.2 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

[WD] WOOD

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

5 LOW

HIGH TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

DURABILITY

EASE OF INSTALLATION

RECYCLABILITY

HIGH

4 HIGH

EASE OF INSTALLATION

SCORE

3 HIGH

LOW SCORE

4 LOW

SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW SCORE

DURABILITY

LOW SCORE

2 HIGH

LOW

5 HIGH

3 HIGH

LOW SCORE

SCORE

LOW SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

2 HIGH

LOW SCORE

1 LOW

HIGH SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

SCORE

5 LOW

HIGH SCORE

EMBODIED ENERGY

RECYCLABILITY

SCORE

2 HIGH

LOW

5 HIGH

LOW

MATERIAL SCORE:

/25

[SL] STEEL

[AS] ASPHALT SHINGLES

[GL] GLASS

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

LOW

HIGH SCORE

TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

DURABILITY

EASE OF INSTALLATION

RECYCLABILITY

LOW

4 HIGH

EASE OF INSTALLATION

SCORE

4 HIGH

LOW SCORE

5 HIGH

SCORE

3 HIGH

LOW SCORE

DURABILITY

LOW SCORE

2 HIGH

LOW

2 HIGH

3 HIGH

LOW SCORE

SCORE

LOW SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

2 HIGH

LOW SCORE

2 LOW

HIGH SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

SCORE

1 LOW

HIGH

EMBODIED ENERGY

RECYCLABILITY

SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

HIGH

LOW

MATERIAL SCORE:

/25

[RI] RIGID INSULATION

CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT

[ES] ENGINEERED SHEATHING

1.2 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

[CMU]

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

EMBODIED ENERGY

SCORE

1 LOW

HIGH TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

TYPICAL LIFE SPAN

DURABILITY

EASE OF INSTALLATION

RECYCLABILITY

HIGH

4 HIGH

EASE OF INSTALLATION

SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW SCORE

1 LOW

SCORE

4 HIGH

LOW SCORE

DURABILITY

LOW SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

5 HIGH

LOW SCORE

SCORE

LOW SCORE

4 HIGH

LOW

TYPICAL LIFESPAN

5 HIGH

LOW SCORE

2 LOW

HIGH SCORE

5 HIGH

LOW

SCORE

4 LOW

HIGH SCORE

EMBODIED ENERGY

RECYCLABILITY

SCORE

3 HIGH

LOW

2 HIGH

LOW

MATERIAL SCORE:

/25

WOOD FRAME CONSTRUCTION THE NEW ENGLANDER

51.6

SYSTEM FAILURE: LEAKY ROOF

EXPECTED LIFE SPAN

[AS] ASPHALT SHINGLES Lifespan: 30 years

[ES] EXERIOR SHEATHING Lifespan: 60-100 years SYSTEM FAILURE: BROWN ROT FUNGI [WD] WOOD STUD FRAMING Lifespan: 100+ years

[ES] EXTERIOR SHEATING Lifespan: 60-100 years

[WD] WOOD CLAP BOARD SIDING Lifespan: 20 years

[AL] ALUMINUM EXTRUDED WINDOW FRAME Lifespan: 15-20 years

1. Life span of each building system was derived from this article, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Jennifer. "Survey on actual service lives for North American buildings." In Woodframe Housing durability and disaster issues conference, Las Vegas, pp. 1-9. 2004.

Light wood frame construction is the most versatile of all building systems. This building system is easily and swiftly constructed with a minimal investment in tools compared to other building systems. Predominately constructed in North America, light wood framing is common currency in residential and commercial applications. Wood light frame construction has its deficiencies: If ignited, it burns rapidly and if exposed to dampness, it decays.

COMMON SYSTEM FAILURES: BROWN ROT FUNGI Brown rot fungi is the most common form of decay in wood structures. Caused by water intrusion through the windows, doors, corners, and transitions within the building enclosure.

LEAKING ROOF The typical life span of a asphalt shingled roof is 30 years which means annual inspection of loose or damage shingles can help to prevent the occurrence of water penetrating into the home or wall cavities.

STEEL & GLASS CONSTRUCTION THE CORPORATE

77.3

[CO] PRE-CAST CONCRETE SLAB Lifespan: +100

EXPECTED LIFE SPAN

[ST] STEEL FRAME Lifespan: +100

SYSTEM FAILURE: STEEL CORROSION

[WD] CURTIAN WALL MULLIONS Lifespan: 15-20 years [GL] DOUBLE GLAZED CURTAIN WALL Lifespan: 8-20 years

SYSTEM FAILURE: CAUCKING DETERIORATION

Steel is one of the strongest and stiffest of building materials. It is a highly repetitive building frame that is light in proportion to its strength. Steel offers the designer the opportunity to go to heights that no other building material is capable of doing.

COMMON SYSTEM FAILURES: STEEL CORROSION Steel corrosion could occur if the steel hasn't been properly treated or protected from exterior elements.

CAUCKING DETERIORATION If not replaced or maintained every 5-10 years, caulking will break down and allow water to penetrate into the exterior wall cavity.

STRUCTURAL FAILURES Structural steel beams and columns are designed to withstand a wide variety of forces. But if the steel is undersized or has a poor connection it can fail in a couple different ways: shear failure, flexural failure, compression and tension failure.

MASONRY CONSTRUCTION THE PUBLIC MARKET HOUSE

77.5

EXPECTED LIFE SPAN

SYSTEM FAILURE: EFFLORESCENCE

SYSTEM FAILURE: MORTAR DETERIORATION

[BR] BRICK VENEER Lifespan: +100 [RI] RIGID INSULATION Lifespan: +100 WATER RETARDENT [CMU] CMU BLOCK Lifespan: +100

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Jennifer. "Survey on actual service lives for North American buildings." In Woodframe Housing durability and disaster issues conference, Las Vegas, pp. 1-9. 2004. 3D Sketchup Model created by Mike Brestel

Masonry is the simplest of the building systems because the mason stacks pieces of material (stone, brick, or concrete blocks) atop one another to make a wall. However, masonry is the richest and most varied of all the building systems with multiple options for pattern, color and textures.

COMMON SYSTEM FAILURES: MORTAR DETERIORATION Primarily caused by moisture penetration which then expands and contracts breaking down the grout.

EFFLORESCENCE Efflorescence are salt crystals deposits on the surface of bricks which is caused by moisture behind the brick forcing the salt crystals through to the surface.

CRACKING Brick is a durable material for masonry walls but if not properly installed or maintained the brick can lead to cracking. Proper assessment and maintenance each year can help reduce cracking in brick walls.

SITE CAST CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION THE BETON BRUT (RAW CONCRETE)

87.2

EXPECTED LIFE SPAN

[AL] ALUMINUM EXTRUDED WINDOW FRAME Lifespan: 15-20 years [CO] CONCRETE Lifespan: 100+ years

SYSTEM FAILURE: EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION

Concrete is the most universal material of construction. The raw materials for its manufacturing are readily available in almost every part of the globe. Concrete does not rot or burn; it is relatively low in cost; and it can be used for every building purpose, from paving to sturdy structural frames to exterior cladding and interior finishes.

COMMON SYSTEM FAILURES: EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION Leading cause of concrete failure is due to expansion and contraction during winter and summer months. Water will seep in through the cracks of the concrete and begin to corrode the steel reinforcements.

CONCRETE SPALLING Concrete spalling is the result of water getting behind the surface which causes the surface to peel, pop out or flack off.

SURFACE

EFFLORESENCE

CRACKED FOUNDATION

MORTAR DETERIORATION

LEAKING

INSECT

DETERIORATION

DRYWALL CRACKING

VANDALISM

COMMON BUILDING FAILURES

STRUCTURE

CORROSION

BUCKLING

COLLAPSE

ROTTING ROOF

SINKING

FIRE

1.2 LIMITED SHELF LIFE

WALL SPLITTING

SPALLING

Pennsylvania Station Demolition Protest New York City, NY. 1962.

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

2. DEMOLITION STORIES The decision to demolish a building is rarely straightforward. There are many actors involved in a demolition debate, each with its own interests and conflicting agendas. The familiar dichotomy between preservation and demolition as two clear courts of "for" vs. "against" is an over-simplification of the nuanced processes around demolition and redevelopment. To be able to fully understand all of the forces at play in the stories presented in this chapter, a much larger set of questions need to be addressed. How do developers make their case to demolish a structure? And how can average citizens and community organizations affect the outcome of a demolition battle? How do legislative bodies manage this delicate balance? And finally, what is the role of the architect in this process? The following pages provide an in depth analysis of a series of case studies through which to tackle some of these questions. Presented against a general framework of the legislative framework around preservation and demolition in the Cambridge and Boston area, their aim is to help us identify the political context and multiple stakeholders behind conversations around the fate of the city's architectural inheritance. 41

BOSTON LANDMARKS

BAY STATE ROAD/BACK BAY WEST ARCH CONSERVATION DISTRICT BEACON HILL DISTRICT BACK BAY ARCH DISTRICT BAY VILLAGE HISTORIC DISTRICT ST. BOTOLPH ARCH CONSERVATION DISTRICT FORT POINT CHANNEL LANDMARK DISTRICT SOUTH END LANDMARK DISTRICT MISSION HILL TRIANGLE ARCH CONSERVATION DISTRICT ABERDEEN ARCH CONSERVATION DISTRICT

ESTABLISHED LANDMARKS PENDING LANDMARKS LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT In each of the nine districts, there is a local Historic District Commission that reviews proposed facade changes, to protect the local history and character of this designated important area.

LHD PROTECTION AREA These areas have established standards to protect views from the adjacent Landmark District, and to ensure cohesion between new developments and the current fabric.

Established landmarks / Pending landmarks

DOWNTOWN

Office/ Retail

Government/ Institution

DOWNTOWN

Religious

Public

Hotel

Residential

EAST BOSTON

THEATRE DISTRICT

12 / 2

BACK BAY 7/7

JAMAICA PLAIN THEATRE DISTRICT

DORCHESTER

BEACON HILL

6 /7

FENWAY/KENMORE 6/7

BACK BAY

ALLSTON/BRIGHTON

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

28 / 22

SOUTH BOSTON

5/5

ROXBURY 5/4

DORCHESTER

CHARLESTOWN

NORTH END

4/1

EAST BOSTON 4/1

JAMAICA PLAIN

FENWAY/KENMORE

3/2

WEST ROXBURY MISSION HILL

BEACON HILL 2/1

SOUTH BOSTON 2/1

ALLSTON/BRIGHTON MATTAPAN

NORTH END 2

WEST ROXBURY 2

MISSION HILL

ROXBURY

1/1

WATERFRONT HYDE PARK

MATTAPAN 1

WATERFRONT 1

HYDE PARK

CHARLESTOWN

SOUTH COVE

SOUTH COVE 1

SOUTH END

SOUTH END 43

SCALES OF PROTECTION

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Each country must approve UNESCO nominations located within its national borders. Once approved, any act of vandalism directed against the site is deemed illegal. Individual countries can request to have the site removed entirely from the list, or to make any changes to its boundaries.

National Park

The National Park Service has full jurisdiction over the supervision and management of the country's national parks. The Secretary of the Interior can override the agency with any new regulations when he or she deems fit.

National Landmark

National Landmark status only protects the site against alteration by federal projects. Since most national landmarks are privately owned, local preservation laws have more influence over their protection.

Aside from providing grants and tax credits, the state has no jurisdiction in protecting important sites. The register of historic places only keeps a record of all national and local landmark sites.

Historic District

Any property within a local historic district cannot be altered without approval from the BLC and the specific district's commission.

Landmark

Any alterations to a Boston Landmark must be reviewed by the BLC before any work can proceed on the site.

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

STATE

CITY

Level of Protection 44

High

Low

BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION (BLC)

Landmark Designation Petition

Petition to protect historically and culturally significant buildings by designating them Landmark status.

Submit petition

BLC vote at hearing

BLC Study Report completed

BLC vote at hearing

Landmark Design Review

Review to analyze and discuss proposed alterations to existing or pending landmarks.

Apply for design review

BLC evaluates application

Petition to postpone the demolition of aging buildings in Boston to provide a designated period for researching alternatives.

BLC evaluates application

6+ months

Mayor and City Council approval

1-3 months

BLC vote at hearing

Article 85 Demolition Delay

File demolition delay

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

Established in 1975, the BLC is Boston's main historic preservation agency. The commission is staffed with volunteers nominated by professional organizations or neighborhood groups, and appointed by the Mayor. Its main mechanisms for protection are:

Applicant investigates alternatives

Public Meeting

2-4.5 months BLC vote at hearing

Delay enacted 45

The West End Project West End, Boston, Massachusetts Boston Redevelopment Authority Architect: Victor Gruen 1770 - 1962 Age: 192 years

After John B. Hynes was elected mayor of Boston in 1949, the proposal to demolish the existing tenement blocks of the West End in a large-scale urban renewal project developed by the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) became inevitable. The neighborhood was considered a slum by wealthy Bostonians who did not live there, while the working class residents of the West End felt strong ties to the community and existing architectural fabric. Behind the guise of wealthgeneration, the government displaced over 2,500 working class families to make way for a series of highrise residential developments.

Obsolescence as a process is wealthproducing, not wasteful. It leads to constant renewal of the industrial establishment at higher and higher levels, and provides a way of getting the maximum amount of goods to a maximum number of people.

The project promotes traditional wealth building for elite business interests, which I believe would benefit all Bostonians and reverse the city’s longterm economic decline.

Slum? Says who? I have lived in this neighborhood all my life and there is a sense of community here that you just can't recreate overnight.

John B. Heynes

Frederick J. Adams

George Nelson

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

I was perfectly happy in my home before my building was "condemned" by the BRA. Now I am forced to move. I don't know where we will get relocated, but it certainly won't feel like home.

Victor Gruen

DEMOLISH

PRESERVE

New Plan for West End

EFFECTS OF EVENTS

Demolition completed

Boston Housing Authority applied to the federal government for money to support the formulation of preliminary plan to redevelop the West End

Frederick Adams (the ﬁrst head of City Planning) was hired by the Boston City Planning Board to advise on General Plan for Boston, which announced the West End’s obsolescence.

The BRA held a hearing on the new project. At least 200 West End residents attended and the consensus was overwhelmingly opposed to the plan. The Save the West End committee was formed with the support of Joseph Lee to organize protests against the new development.

Mayor Hynes formally announced a West End Project that would include low rent housing for 1175 families, 200 middle income apartments, and 640 high rent apartments.

1950

1951

1953

Demolition started Tenants received their

1957

1958

1959

1962

1965

The West End Neighborhood TENEMENT HOUSES SMALL-SCALE RETAIL

1807 - 1959 48

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

Charles River Park Complex

HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL "SUPERBLOCKS'

1960S - PRESENT 49

Filene's Department Store 497 Boylston St, Boston, MA Architect: Daniel Burnham 1905 - 2006 Age: 101 years

The Filene's complex, one of city's oldest department stores that once occupied a number of individual buildings within an entire city block in downtown Boston, was put up for sale in 2005. While the corner building along Summer and Washington St. by Daniel Burnham was preserved as the result of efforts by the Boston Preservation Alliance, many of the other buildings on site were demolished throughout a lengthy process to make way for Millennium Tower - a 63-story luxury residential and retail development.

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

“It’s right outside my window. I call it Beirut”

“Boston is well known for its tuna”

“I hate to walk by it every day”

DEMOLISH

LIP SEY

EL L

PRESERVE

“My mother called me and said ‘It’s dirty. There are bums sleeping in the sidewalks of this now closed, decrepit building. They’re urinating in the corners. It’s terrible. You have to ﬁx it.’ And what did I do? Nothing.””

“We understand the signiﬁcance of this project and we are conﬁdent residents will thrive in a home that allows them to effortlessly connect with what they love as a part of a vital community.”

KEN

RT OM

E NINO

STEVE N

TO M

U BA

R OTH

I N AGA

M ER

RICHARD

DEMOLISH

MIN A

MAY O

MICHAEL CHEF

“I’ve always wanted to build a restaurant in Boston...I’ve actually been looking for years”

“They [the developers] could care less about Boston, and that bothers me to no end.”

“One of the best examples of early 20th century Beaux Arts commerical architecture in Boston”

CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

Federated Department Stores (who bought May’s Department stores) annouces all May’s owned property to be sold or converted to Macy’s. Entire site put up for sale.

Millennium Tower complex opens

William Filene’s and Sons Co. open a building (architect: Sumner Schein) at the corner of Washington and Franklin streets

William Filene’s and Sons Co. open a building (architect: unknown) along Hawley street.

Vornado Realty Trust buys entire site for development of an Elkus Manfredi Design

Burnham’ buidling listed in National Register of Historic Places. Federated Department Stores buys William Filene’s and Son’s Co.

William Filene’s and Sons Co. open a building (architect: Daniel Burnham) along Summer street.

1905

Construction on Millennium Tower begins.

Millennium Partners buys entire site for redevelopment of a Handel Architects design.

Peter and Rice’s and Burham’s Building undergo facade restoration.

Jones, McDuffee, & Stratton Co. building (architect: Peter and Rice) opens at the corner of Hawley and Franklin street.

1872

Great Recession hits, halting construction.

1912

Boston Landmark Commission designates entire site a landmark.

Jones, McDuffee, & Stratton Co. vacate the building at the corner of Hawley and Franklin; May’s Deparment Stores (owners of William Filene’s and Sons Co.) takes ownership.

1929

1951

1973 1986-88

1997

2005

2006

2007

2008

2012

2013

2016

Filene's Building FACADE RESTORED

Construction Pit STALLED FOR 5 YEARS

Preserved Facade EVENTUALLY DEMOLISHED

2008-2013 52

Millennium Tower LUXURY CONDOS WITH RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

Filene's Building NEW RETAIL AND OFFICE SPACE

Remodeled Station NEW PUBLIC PLAZA

2016-2017 53

Martin Luther King, Jr. School 101 Kinnaird St, Cambridge, MA Architect: Josep Lluis Sert 1971 - 2014 Age: 43 years

Cambridge Public Schools made the decision to replace this concrete icon with a new building by Perkins and Eastman, citing poor environmental performance (disrepair, asbestos, PCBs) and an inflexible layout as some of the key arguments behind the decision to demolish. The building's distinct Brutalist aesthetic pitted architects against the general public in the battle to save the structure.

Nobody appreciates béton brut anymore.

This is going to be a huge improvement for our students and our community.

Preserve Modernist architecture!

RID GE CITY OF CAMB

It never got the chance it deserved! It's a shame they can't renovate it.

We do not believe that the option to renovate the building has been thoroughly evaluated.

It's scary-ugly. I

CAM

D AV RS BO

NGE

IGH

Y E DA

IDG

CHE

FIT

ALEX

DEMOLISH

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

ARCHITECTS

It's an eyesore.

PRESERVE

Cambridge Public Schools announces their Innovation Agenda and hires Perkins Eastman to conduct a study on the school’s condition and future viability. The new school building opens.

LEVEL OF SITE OCCUPATION

A ﬁre breaks out on the roof while the building is under construction and does $5 million worth of damage.

e tcom ble ou Possi

with

ation renov

Josep Lluis Sert’s Martin Luther King Jr. School opens. Asbestos and PCBs are found onsite; the building is slated for demolition.

The old Houghton School is demolished after ~50 years of use. Abatement and dismantling begins.

1968

1972

2011

2013

2014

2015

JAN 2016

POOR INSULATION IN WINDOWS

OUTDATED HVAC SYSTEM

LEAD PAINT IN MULLIONS

DAMAGED ENVELOPE

2008-2013 56

ASBESTOS IN WALLS

SOLAR PANELS

LOW-ENERGY HIGH-CAPACITY HVAC 2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

SOLAR CONTROL

DOUBLE PANE/ LOW-E GLASS

2016-2017

EFFICIENT ENVELOPE

2.2 DEMOLITION STORIES

LEGISLATION In the battle over the preservation of a historically significant site, the general public alone can do very little to stand up to the developer. That's where legislative bodies come in. To support the will of the public, legislative procedures and non-profit advocacy groups help to protect significant sites against the destructive forces of capitalism. Yet, choosing which sites to protect, and how exactly to protect them is a complex and subjective process. The following section will be framed with these four actors in mind:

PRESERVE

RENOVATE

DEMOLISH

DISPOSE 59

PRESERVE

The best way to protect a historically significant location is to apply for its landmark status through the Boston Landmarks Commission. Once a location is a local landmark, all proposed alterations need to go through a public design review with the city.

PRESERVATION NON-PROFITS Docomomo National Trust for Historic Preservation Preservation of Affordable Housing

LANDMARK PETITION: CHECKLIST CONSULTING

Signatures, 10 Boston voters Location map of area Color photographs of area

Preservation Massachusetts Historic New England ADVOCACY

Explanation of merit

Boston Preservation Alliance Historic Boston Inc ACQUISITION

What is a NON-DESIGN HEARING? 2 Tuesday of each month, Boston City Hall, Room 900 Full commission hearing 6:00 PM nd

The BLC holds public hearings on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. The meetings on the second Tuesday are reserved for discussing non-design agenda, such as Landmark petitions, landmark decisions, and Article 85 hearings.

What is a STUDY REPORT?

The study report researches the significance of a location and proposes criteria for future design reviews if the location were to become a landmark. Both interior and exterior elements can be recommended for landmarking through this process.

LANDMARKING CRITERIA Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Place where events occurred that illustrate an important aspect of cultural, political, economic, military, or social history. Place associated with the lives of outstanding historic personages. Place valuable for the study of a period, style or method of construction, or a notable work of an influential architect.

DO YOU WANT TO PROTECT A BUILDING FROM DEMOLITION BY MAKING IT A LANDMARK?

Can you get 10 registered Boston voters to sign a petition that supports it?

YES

Does a majority of the BLC vote to consider it for landmarking?

YES

Does a 2/3 majority of the BLC, the Mayor, and the City Council vote for it to become a landmark?

YES

The location is added to the pending landmarks list as the BLC conducts a Study Report.

The Study Report is approved by the executive director and chairman of the BLC.

Another Non-design Hearing is scheduled to review the report. ` Congratulations! The building is now a landmark in the city of Boston.

3+ months (varies w/ scope)

Contact a non-profit organization to build support for the project.

Contact the Boston Landmarks Commission to begin a Landmark Petition. The BLC will place the project on the agenda for the next NonDesign Hearing, which takes place the second Tuesday of every month.

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

YES

21-48 Days

21-48 days

Landmarking is not for you.

RENOVATE

Landmarks function practically as buildings and symbolically as cultural objects. The BLC manages this delicate balance, weighing the full range of possible effects of each proposed renovation.

What is a DESIGN HEARING? 4 th Tuesday of each month, Boston City Hall, Room 900 Design Review 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM Full commission hearing 6:00 PM The BLC holds public hearings on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. The meetings on the fourth Tuesday are reserved entirely for Landmarks Design Review agenda.

LANDMARKS DESIGN REVIEW Description of work Dimensioned existing drawings Dimensioned proposed drawings Color photographs of location Total cost estimate

What is an ACCELERATED DESIGN REVIEW? A process for pending landmarks that treats them as landmarks for the purposes of the design review. Thus, the same procedure would be followed as a Landmarks Design Review. This is to allow major structural issues and other pressing problems to be resolved without damaging the integrity of the possible landmark.

What are the CRITERIA FOR ALTERATION? Any alteration that is visible to the public and changes the design, materials, or appearance of a landmark is required to be reviewed. The standards and criteria for evaluation are tailored to each property, and are found in each landmark's study report. The BLC also has General Standards and Criteria that apply to all landmarks that concern whether the alteration is in harmony with the character of the property and district. 62

Application fee of $25-5,000

BUILDING PERMITS (SHORT/LONG FORM) Description of work Total cost estimate Identification and licenses of contractors Homeowner agreement Copy of insurance certificate Proof of worker's compensation Site plan (long-form only) Floor plan (long-form only) Plot plan showing property lines (long-form only)

ARE YOU PROPOSING ALTERATIONS TO A LOCAL LANDMARK?

YES

Apply for an Accelerated Design Review.

YES

No permit needed. Ok to start work!

YES Apply for a Long Form Building Permit.

NO Apply for a Short Form Building Permit.

Did the city approve the building permit?

YES

< 30 Days

21-48 Days

Does it affect the building's use, exits, or living area?

< 30 Days

Revise Proposal

Does a majority of the BLC vote to accept the design proposal?

YES

BLC places it on the agenda for their next Design Hearing, which takes place every fourth Tuesday of each month.

Does the modification affect structure, egress, or utilities?

Did the BLC determine that your project is exempt from review?

Are you proposing alterations to a pending landmark?

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

Apply for a Landmarks Design Review with the BLC.

Ok to start work!

The disassembly of buildings to make space for newer buildings is an essential part of a city's development, and the Department of Inspectional Services makes sure that this is done responsibly. The BLC reviews each proposal concerning a historic or cultural building.

DEMOLISH

ARTICLE 85 HEARING

ARTICLE 85 FORM

Structural analysis report (if necessary) Documentation of studies of alternatives to demolition Documentation of the outcome of the community meeting Effects of future plans on the community. A letter stating whether the project requires zoning relief Availability of alternative sites

Description of work Photos of property Map and plot plan Drawings of proposed work Proof of ownership Signature of owner

What is an ARTICLE 85 HEARING? Phase 1

Approval from the BLC Permit from the Fire Dept. Approval from MassDEP (if using hazardous materials) Description of work Total cost estimate Identification and licenses of contractors and exterminator Homeowner agreement Shut-off notices for utilities from BWSC Bond, check, or letter of credit covering the estimated cost

Phase 2

APPLICANT PRESENTS:

•

The building's historic or cultural significance.

•

Alternatives to demolition.

•

Information about the condition of the building.

Structural engineer's report (if necessary)

•

Documentation from the community meeting

The public may speak after this information is presented.

DEMOLITION PERMIT

The BLC may waive the delay if there is no feasible alternative to demolition.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS This meeting is scheduled through the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services. All properties within a 500 ft. radius of the subject property must receive a flyer seven days before the meeting, and interested groups must be notified via email. At the meeting, the applicant will discuss the information found while researching the building's history and alternatives. This is the main method through which the public can voice their opinions.

YES

Up to 30 Days

Did the BLC find the building significant? BLC schedules a hearing, Applicant must schedule a public meeting to discuss alternatives to demolition.

Are you using hazardous materials?

YES

Public community meeting. Article 85 Hearing, on the second or fourth Tuesday of each month.

A 90 day demolition delay is issued while BLC evaluates alternatives. Up to 90 days

YES

Get approval from the BLC and BWSC, and a permit from the Fire Department

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

File an Article 85 Demolition Delay Form with the BLC.

Did the BLC decide that the building is subject to demolition delay?

YES

Did the BLC find a feasible alternative? Applicant may be invited to a future hearing to discuss. If no alternatives are found the BLC issues a notice that the delay has expired.

YES

Get approval from the MA Department of Environmental Protection.

< 30 Days

10 Days

IS THE BUILDING AT LEAST 50 YEARS OLD OR LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN, HARBORPARK, OR IN A NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN OVERLAY DISTRICT?

Fill out a Short Form Demolition Permit, then visit the Boston Building Division during its office hours.

Was the permit approved?

YES

Start demolishing!

DISPOSE

Nationwide, the majority of construction and demolition waste ends up in C & D landfills. To counteract this, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has implemented a waste ban to increase recycling rates and ensure all waste is disposed of properly.

RUBBLE RECYCLING & CRUSHING ɯɯ Rubble cannot be contaminated, painted, or coated with contaminated substance. ɯɯ All rubble to be crushed on site and re-used in 6 months. ɯɯ All rubble is processed so the max length of the largest dimension is less than 6 inches. ɯɯ Any rebar is removed from the rubble and recycled.

EXCEPTIONS TO WASTE BAN When either of these conditions exist, the recycling requirements no longer apply: ɯɯ Material that is contaminated or unacceptable for recycling ɯɯ If the recycling or composting operation declines the material or is prohibited as a result of judicial or administrative order, and another facility cannot be found within a suitable time frame.

What kind of Waste is HAZARDOUS?

What kind of waste is BANNED? Asphalt pavement, brick, concrete Cathode ray tubes Clean gypsum wallboard, cardboard, & paperboard Commercial food waste Ferrous & non-ferrous metal Glass & metal containers Lead acid batteries Leaves & yard waste Single resin narrow-necked plastics Treated and untreated wood and wood waste White appliances & whole tires

Waste paints, varnish, solvents, thinners, resins, roofing cement, adhesives, machinery lubricants, and caulk, as well as liners for these items Treated wood Items with asbestos Lead-based paint Products with mercury RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT 40 CFR Sets guidelines for the generating, storing, transporting, or disposing of hazardous waste.

1976

WASTE BAN 310 CMR 19.017 Prohibits the disposal and transfer of hazardous and recyclable items at solid waste facilities and landfills. In line with MassDEP's Solid Waste Master Plan to reduce solid waste disposal by 30% by 2020. X 2006

Can it be recycled in its current state?

YES

Take it to an approved recycling plant!

Can/will the material be crushed on site for re-use?

YES

Do any of the exceptions to the waste ban apply?

YES

Find an approved facility

Is the material in question hazardous? Fill out an Exempt Recycling & Organics Management Notification Form up to 30 days before activity and submit to MassDEP.

Is the remaining rubble on site intended for reuse?

Is the material you are trying to dispose of listed in the waste ban?

Obtain a Beneficial Use Determination Permit before re-use.

NO Temporary disposal at a solid waste facility or landfill permitted

Disposal is permitted,

2.1 DEMOLITION STORIES

ARE YOU TRYING TO DISPOSE OF ASPHALT, BRICK, OR CONCRETE?

YES

Fill out the Waste Management Form and submit to MassDEP.

Does the waste load make up 20% or lower of the total disposal volume?

NO Find an approved recycling facility

YES Disposal Permitted.

3 TAKING THINGS APART

3. TAKING THINGS APART The means through which a building is taken apart plays a significant role in both the public perception of demolition whitin urban contects and well as its environmental footprint. The history of demolition technology is marked by an evolution from predonimantly manual process to include incresingly larger scale pracices involving complex machinery and controlled applications of explosives. This progression is paralleled by growing concerns amongst the general public over the excessive amounts of waste generated from these top-down processes, as well the level of air and noise pollution that they cause. Recently, there has been a push to embrace more sustainable demolition methods that enable disassembled building materials to be salvaged and reused post-demolition, yet there methodes are often time consuming and labor intensive. Another recent trend advocates for the social benefits of slower models of demolition by highlighting the programmatic potential of demolition sites as to double as vehicles for engaging communities in conversastions around the fate of their neighborhoods.

HISTORY OF UNBUILDING

Holy Trinity Cathedral exploded using 150 pounds of gunpowder in one of the ďŹ rst attempts at building implosion

450

700 BC

Battering Ram invented in the 6th century BC by the Assyrians

Twelve Tables

of the Romans instituted a ban on demolition that recovers building materials wrongfully used by another

300 BC

1773

100

500

900

1300

Trebuchet

invented by the Chinese to destroy opposing structures by ďŹ&#x201A;inging debris at them

The Middle Ages During the Middle Ages, the demolition process always began with salvaging valuable materials. After that, there were three primary methods:

SC Hosidianum

passed in the Roman Empire and forbade selling buildings for demolition; only town decurions could grant a demolition license

1. Undermine the foundations and supports of the builing, then prop the building on timbers. These timbers would then be burned or pulled by oxen, and the building would collapse. 2. Demolition by hand picks, wedges, and other hand tools. This process tended to be expensive, slow, and tedious but allowed for the material to be sold. 3. Declare the building available for quarrying. Since stone and brick were desirable materials, the populace would use the materials from the building for their own uses.

1700

demolished due to its high maintenance costs, with much public protests

1848

18621866

1850

1882

1875

1910

1900

Old Chicago Stock Exchage

Prentice Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital

demolished to make way for a typical office building that is still standing

was demolished due to its Brutalist style and awkward ďŹ&#x201A;oor plans, to the distain of the architectural community

1923

1947

1925

1963

1950

Pneumatic Drill

(Jackhammer) invented by C. Brunton

invented by Ernst Brandenberger

Bulldozer

invented by James Cummings and J. Earl McLeod

Tecorep system

by Taisei Company, Japan

invented in the 1970s in Europe

Dynamite

High Reach Excavator began to overtake the wrecking ball in popularity due to its efficiency

Controlled Demolition Inc.

intented by Alfred Noble when he discoverd Nitroglycerine in 1862. In 1866, he found it to be more stable when absorbed in diatomite, or Kieselguhr

1833-1896

2000

Thermal Lance

Waterjet

Alfred Nobel

2014

1975

Hyrdaulic Arm machine invented by Sir W.G. Armstrong and Co.

1972

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Penn Station

founded by Jack Loizeaux and is the most well-known building implosion company today

Jack Loizeaux 1915 - 2000

TYPOLOGIES OF UNBUILDING MANUAL DISASSEMBLY Manual disassembly tools date back to when humans demolished the very first structures. Disassembly via these tools relied on human force until the jackhammer's invention in 1848 added electric input. Their main uses are for salvaging materials for re-use, detail cuts before using larger machinery, breaking up asphalt, and demolishing smaller structures entirely.

MECHANICAL DEMOLITION With the invention of the hydraulic arm in the 1880s, most demolition methods shifted from humans to machines. Mechanical demolition vehicles are used to break down what remains of mid-size and large buildings after manual tools have prepared the site for demolition. Today, high-reach excavators are overtaking the destructive wrecking ball in popularity.

EXPLOSIVES Formal usage of explosives in demolition began in 1862 with the invention of dynamite. Explosives are used mainly to demolish large structures, and are both cost and time efficient. This process is often used on structures deemed either too hazardous or too difficult for individuals or machinery. It is fairly uncommon today due to its high level of disturbance.

"GREEN" DECONSTRUCTION With the environment and materials in mind, today we're beginning to see a return to the pre-mechanical demolition techniques of deconstruction that re-use materials afterwards. Many high-tech sustainable methods of demolition are beginning to develop, such as Taisei's Tecorep system that encloses the building in a scaffold to limit noise and dust.

DECONSTRUCTION AS PERFORMANCE Individuals and communities are beginning to view demolition as something that can be expressed, and are taking action in such a way that puts either the building itself or the process of demolition on display. This is driven by a desire for people to understand deconstruction, and think of it as more than merely a destructive process. 72

COST TIME DANGER NOISE+DUST RE-USE

HIGH

3 TAKING THINGS APART

LOW

COST TIME DANGER NOISE+DUST RE-USE

COST TIME DANGER NOISE+DUST RE-USE 73

SELECTING A METHOD OF DEMOLITION When selecting a demolition method, contractors typically focus on immediately tangible, physical factors such as the structure of a building or its adjacent site conditions. The level of reusability of the materials after demolition is rarely considered a priority. 49%

STRUCTURE 49%

26% Stability

14% Degree of Demolition

5% Height 3% Type 1% Use of Structure

SITE CONDITION 26%

26%

15% Health and Safety

6% Adjacent Structures

COST 11%

11%

3% Level of Nuisance 2% Site Accessibility

8% Machinery

Advances in Building Technology, Part 2002 By M. Anson, J.M. Ko, E.S.S. Lam

TIME 3%

2% Familiarity 1% Availability of Equipment

REUSE 5%

3% Availability of Expertise

5% Level of Reuse

EXPERIENCE 6%

3% Manpower

2.5% Demolition 0.5% Site Preparation

POPULARITY

"Green" Deconstruction

Manual Disass

1947 Controlled Demolition

Deconstruction as Performance

3 TAKING THINGS APART

TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS

embly

1848 Invention of Pneumatic Drill

Mech nical

Dem ol

ition

21 th Century Emergence of "Green" Demolition

1866 Invention of Dynamite

lo Exp

1820

1840

1860

1880

1900

s sive

1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

2040

2060

2080

FUTURE 75

TOOLS

HAND TOOLS

JACKHAMMER

THERMAL LANCE

WATERJET

Tools such as the crowbar and sledgehammer are used for minor and do-it-yourself removal jobs.

Rapidly generates impact forces to break up pavement and other surfaces.

Its tip is heated to over 2500 degrees Celsius and melts the material on contact, allowing removal in pieces.

A high velocity stream of water and various abrasive compounds is shot at the material to create deep cuts.

APPLICATION:

Brick Wood

Concrete

Concrete Steel

3 TAKING THINGS APART

MACHINES

BULLDOZER

HYDRAULIC ARM

WRECKING BALL

Used to topple low-rise structures through force, or for the removal of rubble from demolition sites.

Can be fitted with attachments that allow it to crush concrete, excavate soil, or exert force on a structure.

Used to demolish multi-story structures that are too dangerous to use other means.

APPLICATION:

Wood Assorted rubble

Brick Wood Concrete Steel

Brick Wood Concrete 77

EXPLOSIVES

CONTROLLED EXPLOSION

IMPLOSION

Explosives, typically either dynamite or TNT, are located at key structural moments to topple the structure in a pre-determined direction.

Explosives are planted in such a way that the building collapses into itself, inflicting as little damage on the context as possible.

APPLICATION:

Tall, thin structures or parts of structures with a sufficient amount of adjacent space to fall into

Structures without sufficient adjacent space to be toppled into and are too dangerous to demolish using machinery

KINGDOME The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium that served as the home stadium of Seattle's football, baseball, basketball, and soccer teams. During the 1990s the venue began to receive criticism from multiple of its tenants, questioning its suitability to continue serving as a venue, the structural stability of the roof (after ceiling tiles fell onto the seating area before a game), and the profitability of their shared tenancy. The building was imploded in 2000 by Controlled Demolition Inc. and set the

3 TAKING THINGS APART

1976-2000

Guinness World Record for largest building by volume ever demolished by implosion. Explosives were located in the tension and compression rings, roof ribs, columns, and support structures of the dome. To control the vibrations that would be created by the 125,000 tons of concrete, CDI first softened the roof structure with small explosives. Then, the remaining implosions were triggered in sequence to limit the impact of vibrations on the soil. Hundreds of people lined up at safe distances away to watch the spectacle.

DECONSTRUCTION

MANUAL DISASSEMBLY

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Taking apart building materials for re-use was the predominant form of demolition until more destructive forms of machinery took its place in the mid-19th century. Yet, a recent push for re-use has increased its popularity. In this process, different trades came on to the site at different times to remove each material separately. The process takes longer than a typical one, yet the high degree of reusability of its end products can make it worthwhile.

Recently, the trend towards slower, more manual forms of deconstruction has provided an opportunity to educate and engage the community in the process. These forms engagement can range from educating communities about building and material shelf lives through participatory demolition events to the collective occupation of demolition sites as new types of spaces for the public.

3 TAKING THINGS APART

ROTOR DECONSTRUCTION 2015-Present

Rotor, a non-profit firm based in Brussels that promotes the reuse of building components, created Rotor Deconstruction as a side-project to salvage and sell building materials. The project focuses on creating new sites and networks of material exchange that makes use of the un-tapped waste streams generated by demolition projects. The materials that Rotor Deconstruction salvages are mainly from the interiors of large-scale office buildings. In addition to running a store in Brussels where they sell these materials to other designers, they provide deconstruction assistance and services to building industries. They also work with lawyers and local city officials to rethink city policy on the afterlives of c&d materials. 81

MANUAL DISASSEMBLY Gillender Building Nassau Street, New York City Completed: 1897 Demolished: 1910 Method used: Manual disassembly

The Gillender Building was an early 20-story skyscraper in the Financial District of Manhattan. It was the third tallest buiding in New York by the time it was demolished, just 45 years after completion. This marked one of the first instances where a relatively new building was torn down to make way for an even larger and taller replacement.

Remove exterior walls

Remove roof

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Remove non -structural elements Garbage chutes

Remove interior walls

1: Remove non-structural elements of the first floor to provide space for material aggregation and transport off of the site.

2: Remove interior walls on each floor, using the elevator core as the waste chute.

3: Use pneumatic gun to blast away brickwork on the structure's facade.

Remove beams

Remove columns Move the columns

Empty the Site Empty site

4: Use derrick to lift large steel beams and lower them to trucks.

5: Cut steel columns and lower them to trucks to be reused in other projects.

6: Remove all debris and clean the site. 83

MECHANICAL DEMOLITION Old Myer Buidling 110 William St, Perth WA 6000, Australia Completed: 1984 Demolished: 2006 Method used: Mechanical demolition

The old Myer building was a retail buiding located in a dense urban context. It's demolition was performed similar to manual demolition, yet its use of excavators and other machines greatly sped up the process.

rra

Will

iam

Lift excavator

Garbage chute

Remove first floor

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Remove roof

Excavator

1: Remove the exterior walls of the first floor using excavators to allow trucks to drive into the site.

Remove interior elements

Remove floor

2: Remove the roof manually, making sure the top of building is flat to allow excavators to be driven on the top floor.

3: Use the lifting crane to lift excavators to the top floor of the building.

Remove exterior walls

Remove debris

4: Remove floor and interior elements using excavators.

5: Remove exterior walls using excavators.

6: Remove all debris and clean the site. 85

EXPLOSIVES 2000 Commonwealth Ave. Location: Brighton, MA Construction: 1965-1971 (collapsed) Demolished: 1971 Method Used: Building Implosion

When installing the floor to the mechanical room on the 16th floor, the entire west half of the building collapsed. The next day, four survey workers died from another collapse while surveying the building. The building was then slated for implosion in 1971. Existing zoning restrictions required the central core to be imploded separately than the floor slabs.

1: Construction crew pours a concrete base for the mechanical penthouse.

2: Floors partially collapse due to excessive column loads, building set for implosion

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Holes

3: Holes are drilled in remaining columns, explosives loaded within

Holes

4: Implosion of floors around the central core

5: Holes are drilled in elevator shaft, explosives loaded within

6: Implosion of elevator shaft 87

"GREEN" DECONSTRUCTION Otemachi Financial Building Otemachi, Tokyo Completed: 1992 Demolished: 2011-2012 Method used: TecoRep system

Hibiy

a Do ri

The Otemachi Financial Building was a 24 story high rise building in the finacial center of Japan. It was demolished by Taisei Corportation, and the first project that used their innovative T-ECO-REP system. This system decreases noise by around 17-23db, the amount of dust by 90%, and required safety materials by more than 50%.

Eita

i Do ri

Remove exterior walls

Cut holes

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Roof scaffold Roof Scaffold 2 3 4 5

1: Install suspended scaffolding that conceals the roof and mimics the windows of the existing building.

Remove floor

4: Remove the concrete floor under the suspended scaffold system.

2: Cut slab openings for telfer using a concrete saw.

Ceiling cranes

3: Remove the exterior walls inside the suspended scaffold system.

Temporary columns Lower Roof Scaffold

5: Add temporary columns and ceiling cranes using a jack.

6: Remove existing columns, lower the roof scaffold system, and repeat the process.

PERFORMANCE 3721 Washington Boulevard St. Louis, MO Completed: 1921 Demolished: 2017 Method used: Performance

NS p

rin

Titled "A way, away," this demolition project was carried out by artists Amanda Williams and Andres L. Hernandez to give 3721 Washington a new life through its demolition. The process of unbuilding took place over the course of several months, engaging the community and taking care to salvage as many materials as possible.

ing

Deconstruction

1: Community paints the exterior walls of the building gold, highlighting the final moment in the building's life.

Exhibition

4: Put reusable materials on display with new materials to show their history.

Bricks reused Safety Fence

2: Deconstruct building as part of a cycle of loss and renewal.

Grass New Site

5: Plant grass on the site to create a new public space the for city.

Clean bricks

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Paint gold

3: Transport materials to various locations for reuse.

Activity

6: Site is used as a gathering space 91

DEMOLITION SITE SAFETY

42"

CONSTRUCTION RAILING WALL BRACING SITE SAFETY COORDINATOR

FLOOR OPENINGS

BARRIER

COVERED WALKWAY ENTRY CANOPY

SIGNAGE 92

Floor Openings

Site Safety Coordinator

Construction Railings

Excavation Barrier

Any wall openings that pose a danger of workers falling are required to have a 42" high protection railing.

Debris Landing

If a hole is cut in the floor slab to drop materials down, the landing zone is required to be enclosed by 42" or higher barricades located 6' or greater from the edge of the opening zone.h

A Site Safety Coordinator is required to oversee the entire site and make sure demolition is proceeding as safely as possible.

All excavations less than 5' from the lot line are required to be enclosed by a 6' tall barrier.

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Any floor openings not used for disposal of materials are required to be covered with material that can support any load imposed on it. Any opening used for disposal of materials cannot exceed 25% of the building's footprint.

Entry Canopy

The main employee entrance to structures being demolished is required to be protected by a 8' long canopy that spans 1' past each side of the entrance.

Lot Line Requirements

The type of barrier required depends on the building's distance to the lot line. Work in Progress: Full Demolition Anticipated Completion: May 2018

Owner Name: Address Phone Number

Contractor Name:

Address Phone Number

For additional information: Phone Number To anonymously report unsafe conditions, call 311

Distance less than 1/4 Building Height: 8' Barrier with Covered Walkway Distance between 1/4 and 1/2 Height: 8' Barrier Distance greater than 1/2 Height: None

Wall Bracing

All freestanding walls are required to be braced.

STALLED SITES There are currently over 100 stalled demolition sites in Boston due to factors such as the length of legal processes, financial issues, and community protest. A site can be stalled for a few months to even multiple decades. These sites scattered throughout Boston are both an eyesore and an untapped opportunity for short term programming.

YEARS STALLED

20+

Stalled: 2010 - 2017 The approved development would locate two 45-story skyscrapers on the site of the existing 1200 car garage.

104 Canal Street

Stalled: 2012-2017 This one story Bank of America building sat vacant for 5 years until this year, when a 15-story boutique hotel proposal was approved.

820 Beacon Street

Stalled: 2007 - 2017 The site is slated to be part of a 1.1 million square foot mixed use development encompassing several sites.

3 TAKING THINGS APART

Government Center Garage

330 Boylston Street

Stalled: 2005-2017 The once flagship location of Shreve, Crump, and Low has sat empty for over a decade while the rest of Boylston Street sees redevelopment.

370 Harrison Street

Stalled: 2016-2017 Still in the design stages, the site is planned for a mixed use building containing 273 units and 8,500 square feet of commercial space.

101 Clarendon Street

Stalled: 1997 - 2017 Planned to be part of a complex that spanned over the Mass. Turnpike called the Columbus Center, the project stalled for 13 years before it was deemed financially infeasible, and has remained empty since.

Hotel Alexandra

Stalled: 1987-2017 The Church of Scientology acquired the property in a state of disrepair in 2008. They demolished an adjacent building, but sold the hotel again this year.

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

4. MATERIAL NETWORKS Waste generated from the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings comprises a majority of the waste stream in the United States, forming 67% of total waste outputs in 2014. Many of these building materials can be easily recycled and returned into production, but more often than not the building industry favors fast and cheap solutions that relegates them to the landfill. Since the 1990s, Massachusetts implemented a rigorous Waste Ban in attempt to reduce the amount of landfilled C&D waste and to promote re-use and recycling efforts in the construction community. But while most C&D waste is retained in Massachusetts, a significant amount is exported to other states, circumventing the Waste Ban. This chapter traces the established distribution networks and waste streams around second-hand building materials as they travel from building sites to processing facilities to the landfills in and around the Boston area in order to ask ourselves where we might intervene as architects to imagine alternative spatial, material and programmatic futures centered around material reuse.

MATERIAL FOOTPRINTS During the past decades, construction and demolition (C & D) waste has received increasing attention from both practitioners and researchers around the world. Many countires have not yet developed a sustainable balance between the amount of C & D waste produced and recycled. Owing to its significant impact to the natural environment, C & D waste needs to be properly managed.

TOTAL PRODUCED

RECYCLED %

TOP 5 PRODUCERS OF C&D WASTE MILLION TONS / YR

55% 551

CHINA UNITED STATES

534 34.3%

BRAZIL

267 1%

GERMANY

201.3 86%

JAPAN

75 76%

TOP 5 RECYCLERS OF C&D WASTE MILLION TONS / YR

NETHERLAND DENMARK

25.7 98% 5.57 94%

ESTONIA 1.49 92% GERMANY BELGIUM

201.3 87% 7.0 86%

NAME: CHINA

34.3%

86%

76%

UNITED STATES

BRAZIL

GERMANY

JAPAN

AREA (KM ):

9.597 MILLION

9.834 MILLION

8.516 MILLION

357,021

377,962

POPULATION:

1.379 BILLION

323.1 MILLION

207.7 MILLION

82.67 MILLION

127 MILLION

GDP (USD):

11.2 TRILLION

18.57 TRILLION

1.796 TRILLION

3.467 TRILLION

4.939 TRILLION

98%

94%

92%

87%

86%

NETHERLAND

DENMARK

ESTONIA

BELGIUM

GERMANY

41,543

306.1 BILLION

45,336

30,528

357,021

POPULATION:

17.02 MILLION

5.731 MILLION

1.316 MILLION

11.35 MILLION

82.67 MILLION

GDP (USD):

770.8 BILLION

306.1 BILLION

17,574.69

466.4 BILLION

3.467 TRILLION

RECYCLE RATE: NAME: AREA (KM2):

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

RECYCLE RATE: 55%

C&D WASTE STREAMS ME

In Massachusetts, and most states around the country, recycling rates have remained level or dropped slightly in recent years. The establishment of new local and regional markets for diverted materials can help to buffer and absorb changes in export markets, which points to the need to develop home-grown industries that will use material diverted from Massachusettsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; waste. In particular, state agency purchases will be targeted to support local and regional market outlets that can keep the benefits of recycling local and also provide more diverse alternatives to export markets.

100

OH MD

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

C&D WASTE EXPORTS FROM MASSACHUSETTS

MAINE 290,941 TONS

MARYLAND 245,835 TONS

OHIO 130,051 TONS

TIPPING TAXES

$22.75

$39.66

$62.7

$78.5

MAINE

OHIO

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

101

C&D WASTE DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

TOTAL GENERATION 2.0 MILLION TONS

100%

PROCESSING IN-STATE C&D PROCESSORS 1,355,000 TONS 69%

ALTERNATIVE USES

BIOMASS BOILERS 153,000 TONS 5%

LANDFILLED

WASTE-TO-ENERGY 107,000 TONS 3%

LANDFILL COVER AND GRADING & SHAPING

OUT OF STATE 148,000 TONS 5%

ENERGY RECOVERY

RECYCLED

102

IN-STATE 163,000 TONS 4%

EXEMPT 3%

OUT-OF-STATE C&D PRESSORS 453,000 TONS 23%

NO PROCESSING 8%

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

OTHERS 5%

IN-STATE 196,000 TONS 6%

OUT OF STATE 885,000 TONS 31%

IN-STATE 266,000 TONS 9% OUT OF STATE 60,000 TONS 2%

103

C&D WASTE PROCESSING SITES

NUMBER OF C&D WASTE RECYCLING NETWORKS IN MASSACHUSETTS TRANSFER STATION

219

COMPOST SITE

171

C&D LANDFILL

C&D PROCESSING

WOOD PROCESSING

COMBUSTION SITE

TRANSFER STATION: A building or processing site for the temporary processing of C&D waste. Transfer

stations are often used aas places where local waste collection vehicles will deposit their waste cargo prior to loading into larger vehicles.

COMPOST SITE: A facility to process raw manure or other raw organic by-products into biologically stable organic material.

C&D LANDFILL: A landfill receives construction and demolition debris, which typically consists of roadwork material, excavated material, demolition waste, construction/renovation waste,

C&D PROCESSING PLANT: A facility where materials can be separated from C&D debris to be recycled or to be reused for a specific use.

WOOD PROCESSING PLANT: An engineering discipline comprising the production of forest products, such as pulp and paper, construction materials, and tall oil.

COMBUSTION SITE: An facility where combustion for energy recovery is processing. 104

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

CASE STUDIES

C&D PROCESSING

COMPOST SITE

C&D LANDFILL

TRANSFER STATION

WOOD PROCESSING

COMBUSTION SITE

ReEnergy Roxbury Llc.

Cam's Demolition & Disposal Inc.

Landscape Express Inc.

Wood Waste of Boston

Barry Quarry

Combustion Service Co. 105

WASTE TO ENERGY PROCESSING PLANT

REENERGY ROXBURY LLC •

C&D WASTE RECYCLING

•

MATERIAL RECOVERY

•

CONVERTED WOOD CHIPS SUPPLY TO BIOMASS POWER

SERVICE RANGE: GREATER BOSTON AREA

PLANT IN NEW ENGLAND AND QUEBEC

TYPE OF WASTE ACCEPTED

106

WOOD WASTE

ASPHALT

CONCRETE

BRICK

METAL

GLASS

SERVICE LOCATION

LANDSCAPE EXPRESS INC •

STONE & HARDSCAPE SERVICE

•

LOAM, TOPSOIL & COMPOST

•

RECYCLING

•

DISPOSAL

SERVICE RANGE: BOSTON, BROOKLINE, NEEDHAM, DEDHAM, MILTON

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

COMPOST SITE + TRANSFER STATION

TYPE OF WASTE ACCEPTED

WOOD WASTE

CONCRETE

BRICK

SERVICE LOCATION

107

C & D WASTE NETWORKS IN MA Transfer Station

Demolition Site

69%

Out-of-State Processors Exempt Material Other

108

31%

OR ed ste rat Wa epa Site S n o

46%

led

ing mm te o C as W

LandďŹ ll

Recycling Recovery Rates 100% 100% 100%

4% 43%

100%

25%

Recycling Center

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

Asphalt pavement Brick Concrete Gypsum Wallboard Metal Wood

Use of Recyled and Re-use Material

16%

Compost Site

LandďŹ ll Cover

13%

Energy Plant

Power Generation 109

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CONCRETE

375 Million Tons of Waste Produced Annually in the United States

CRUSHING FACILITY Jaw Crusher Cone/Impactor

b Re

P nta ain m te Co ina d or nc ted ret e

, ris

Dir

ate reg se on g Ag e-u $20/T R $8

Scalping Screen

Fine Screen

Water

be an s c to e at te Co eg re gr onc rete d g e c cl n f a w nc cy /To % o ne co Re 137 +to 30 with ycled $ p ed ec r U ix m orm f

te re nc

110

CONCRETE BATCH PLANT Recycles aggregate toward concrete production

Cement

BY-PRODUCTS OF CONCRETE

Concrete Fragments

Recyclables Rebar

Disposal Debris, Dirt

Painted or Contaminated Concrete bontongraphics.com

Gabions

Riprap

Gravel

Infrastrucural Fill

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

Applications

Coarse Aggregate

dallasfortworthretainingwall.com

Fine Aggregate

dicksconcrete.com

transitmix.com

Structure

Water

Cement

Recycled Concrete

111

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WOOD

39 Million Tons of Waste Produced Annually in the United States e

WOOD CHIPPING FACILITY

Pr es

su re Co nta Pain Trea mi ted ted n , Wo ated or , od

Chipper Mechanism

Re ard

o eB +

ol 100 Wh0 - $ $

hi d C se /Ton o Wo Re-u - $40 15 $

Trim Scraps Whole Boards

Boiler

ts lle Pe to ngs En r Bio vided uildi s b o s f ro d ma Ton ity p s an Bio 256/ ctric hold $ Ele se u ho

gy s er mas

112

BIOMASS FACILITY Wood aggregate is burned to heat water and generate power

cli cy e pR

Water

BY-PRODUCTS OF WOOD

Whole Boards

Reusables Whole boards, Flooring, Trim, Molding

Disposal Pressure Treated, Painted, or Contaminated Wood

restoreoregon.org

Mulch

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

Applications

Particle Board

Chipped Wood

pixabay.org

Biomass Fuel

Fire

Compressed Wood

canrex.org

113

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GYPSUM WALLBOARD 14 Million Tons of Waste Produced Annually in the United States CRUSHING FACILITY

Jaw Crusher Cone/Impactor Grinding Mill for Powder Paper Screening

pe Pa

s rew c S

s et

p Gy

ll Pe

n To 5/

3 $3

nt Pai Wa amin nted llb ate or oa rd d

p Gy

e wd Po on /T

+ 00

Clean Gypsum Majority of gypsum waste is from unsused, new drywall scrap Stucco

ard

o llb Wa rd

m a le su /Bo cyc

p 16 l re % a 20 $6 ypic 0 T f1 o

114

e nt

o dc

GYPSUM WALLBOARD PLANT Gypsum aggregate is combined with stucco and water to form new wallboard

Water

BY-PRODUCTS OF GYPSUM WALLBOARD Recyclables Paper, Nails, Screws

Gypsum Wallboard

Disposal Painted or Contaminated Gypsum Wallboard

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

Applications

ovwrc.com

Mulch Gypsum Pellets

feeco.com

Gypsum Powder

Cement

Soil Amendment

eastbhuton.com

Walls

Water

rempros.com

Stucco

New Drywall

115

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BRICK

12 Million Tons of Waste Produced Annually in the United States

ekR

ic Br rick le 0+/B o h 2

CRUSHING FACILITY

Jaw Crusher Cone/Impactor Grinding Mill for Powder

P nta ain mi ted na or Br ted ick

Broken Bricks

Scalping Screen Fine Screen

Whole Bricks

li yc ec R / se

li yc c e /R se

eeR

t ga re n g o Ag 40/T

Re er

wd Po k ic on

Br 116

T 0/

BY-PRODUCTS OF BRICK Re-use Whole Bricks

Whole Brick

Disposal Painted or Contaminated Bricks

timesdaily.com

Concrete Aggregate

Infrastructural Fill

4 MATERIAL NETWORKS

Applications

Coarse Aggregate

civ-engg-world.blogspot.com

Tennis Court Surface Crushed Brick

hutchesonsand.com

Cement

Soil Amendment

Brick Powder

strawbale.com

117

118

5.1 PEOPLE NETWORKS

5. PEOPLE NETWORKS Demolition networks operate at such a vast scale that it is often easy to overlook the individual actors and collaborative networks that are at work behind the labor-intensive process of taking buildings apart. This chapter aims to expand our understanding of the varied scales of human networks behind large-scale demolition and recycling practices: from metal scrappers, to family-run demolition crews to large-scale C&D waste sorting facilities that span multiple branches. Where in the demolition process do they operate? Who are their clients and collaborators? The hope is that by making these otherwise opaque relationships visible and easily accessible to a larger public, we might begin to propose new models for how architects and artists can intervene within demolition work flows. The first half of the chapter introduces a diverse cast of characters involved in the business of demolition, focusing on both established roles within the demolition trade as well as the work of non-profit organizations, community activists, and arts initiatives. The second half maps a series of unconventional art and architecture projects that make use of the programmatic and material potential of demolition to encourage new forms of civic participation around the maintenance and reuse of buildings and entire neighborhoods. 119

DEMOLITION ACTORS

LEGISLATIVE BODIES/ ADVOCACY GROUPS

DEMOLITION INDUSTRY

CREATIVE INTERLOPERS

120

4. BOSTON PRESERVATION ALLIANCE

1. BOSTON LANDMARK COMMISSION

2. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

3. FIRE DEPARTMENT

The BLC is a government agency that manages the process to preserve historic buildings and places, through protective designation and design review.

This department is responsible for approving the process of handling of solid and hazardous wastes, as well as the timely cleanup of hazardous sites and spills.

The fire department must be contacted to obtain a demolition permit before any demolition can occur on-site.

The alliance is a nonprofit organization that provides assitance to help protect historic sites through advocacy and education.

5. DEMOLITION WORKER

6. PRINCIPAL DESIGNER

7. DEMOLITION ESTIMATOR

8. GENERAL CONTRACTOR

The demolition worker is directly involved in the process of demolition and the separation of materials for re-use.

The principal designer takes the lead in planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety during the pre-demolition phase of a project.

The demolition estimator is responsible for calculating the total costs of a demolition project, preparing bids for new contracts and analyzing company data.

The general contractor is responsible for applying for building permits, managing the project, and providing all of the material, labor, equipment and services necessary for the project.

9. METAL SCRAPPER

10. SALVAGE YARD OWNER

11. ARCHITECT

12. ARTIST

The metal scrapper is responsible for collecting scrap metal from demolished buildings and delivering it to recycling companies.

The salvage yard owner collects materials and objects from buildings slated for demolition. After examining them, they sell them for renovations or re-purposing.

The architect engages with the community throughout the demolition process, imagining new uses for the building and its materials.

The artist treats demolition as an artistic venture, and utilizes it for community design projects or to convey a certain idea about demolition.

9 7

5 12 1

4 5.1 PEOPLE NETWORKS

2 8

6 11

121

My name is Megan, and I oversee the historic preservation program for the City of Boston, which includes the Boston Landmarks Commission, nine Historic Districts Commissions, and the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Archaeology Program.

9:00 AM

DIRECTOR: BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION

Toolkit

Computer

Slide projector Reviewing proposed design changes in historic districts to make sure they meet local guidelines.

Timeline

Demolition

3:00 PM

Red pen

Phone

Planning

1:30 PM

Evaluating petitions for landmark designation.

Waste Stream Examining study reports that provide historical research and guidelines for future change.

122

Managing personnel on site, conducting site surveys, and managing C&D waste disposal and recycling.

10:00 AM

Toolkit

5.1 PEOPLE NETWORKS

I am James. I am responsible for overseeing the overall coordination of a demolition project. I make sure that all our job sites meet local and state regulations.

9:00 AM

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Computer

Hard hat

Applying for demolition permits.

Timeline

Planning

Demolition

2:00 PM

Phone

Waste Stream Hiring and coordinating new members of the project team. 123

My name is Jim, and my job on a demolition site involves stripping buildings down to prepare them for demolition, the demolition process itself, and well as the removal of hazardous materials from the job site.

9:00 AM

DEMOLITION WORKER

Preparing building for demolition by stripping out fittings, removing doors and windows, and dismantling roof structures using a backhoe.

Safety vest

Backhoe

Gloves

Work boots

Timeline

Planning

Demolition

Instructing others in safe demolition practices.

4:00 PM

Hard hat

1:30 PM

Toolkit

Waste Stream Separating out re-usable building materials after demolition.

124

Toolkit

Scales

Gloves

Work boots

Metal Cutter

Hammer

Timeline

Planning

Demolition

Sorting scrap metal by type (aluminum, iron, copper, bronze, or lead) and grade or quality.

3:00 PM

Hard hat

11:00 AM

Unloading and processing incoming scrap items from customers.

5.1 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Hi, I'm Matt and I work in the waste metal processing business. My day to day tasks on the job include the weighing, sorting, and grading of scrap metal from building sites to prepare them for either resale or

9:00 AM

METAL SCRAPPER

Waste Stream Weighing scrap metal on a platform to establish its resale value. 125

Toolkit

Computer

1:30 PM

My name is Josh, and I run an architectural salvage yard. I'm interested in encouring designers and home owners to use salvaged materials for new building and renovation projects as a sustainable way of keeping craft traditions alive.

9:00 AM

SALVAGE YARD OWNER

Collecting reusable building materials from construction and demolition sites or home renovation projects.

Flyer

Phone

Timeline

Planning

126

Demolition

Waste Stream

3:00 PM

Processing the salvaged materials for resale.

Interfacing with a large customer base, which includes homeowners, contractors, interior designers, architects, furniture makers, etc.

Toolkit

Hammer

Chalk

Measuring tools

Survey

Brochure

Timeline

Planning

Demolition

Waste Stream

Engaging the adjacent community in conversations about maintaining architectural fabric and local development.

3:00 PM

Paint brush

1:30 PM

Finding building and sites for artistic interventions.

5.1 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Hi, I am Kate and my work is interested in finding new ways to involve local communities in the demolition process, where the salvaging of materials doubles as an opportunity for public involvement in conversations about built fabric.

10:00 AM

ARTIST

Connecting neighborhood volunteers with the local building trades to work on these sites as a way to build new collaboration networks around reuse. 127

COLLABORATION NETWORKS

LANDFILL

DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS

C&D PROCESSING SITES

RECYCLING INDUSTRY

DECONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS SOURCE SEPARATION: Deconstruction is more expensive and labor intensive than most demolition practices. However, it allows for materials to be sorted directly on site in separate bins, bypassing C&D processing stages.

128

SECOND-HAND MATERIAL MARKETS

NEW CONSTRUCTION

DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS

C&D PROCESSING INDUSTRY

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Reducing the amount of C&D materials sent to the landямБll.

LANDFILLS

RECYCLING INDUSTRY

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Replacing the demolition contractor with emerging creative actors.

SECOND-HAND MATERIAL MARKETS

ARCHITECTS & ARTISTS

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

MUSEUMS & ARTS FOUNDATIONS

COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS

DECONSTRUCTION AS EVENT:

PARTICIPATING AUDIENCE

Re-designing the demolition process as a participatory event where material sorting is transformed into a public experience.

129

A WAY AWAY [LISTEN WHILE I SAY] Amanda Williams & Andres L Hernandez Demolition and Rebuild Project St. Louis, MO

VACANT

PAINT

SUBTRACT

TRANSFORM

REUSE

Pulitzer Art Foundation Host

University of Washington Host

U. Washington sponsors the PXSTL competition where Amanda and Andres’ submission was selected because it had “the power to serve as a meaningful catalyst for urban transformation”

Amanda Williams & Andres L Hernandez Artists

A Way, Away [Listen While I say] creates open space through the dialogue of the unbuilding process

Community Involvement Local Architecture Students Local Architecture Students help to paint the building gold and Local Residents help collect, sort and clean the bricks from the demolition.

Local Residents

Spiritas Demolition Demolition Company

Landscape Company Amanda & Andres work to distribute the recycled brick to the local organizations for use in construction of new objects

Local Organizations -Perennial -Art House -Solidarity Economy -Granite City

Community Table crushed brick Granite City Art and Design District is a collection of a variety of creative project spaces for different artistic expression

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

GRANITE CITY

ART HOUSE Contemplative Wall whole brick Art House provides much needed resources for residents in high poverty areas

SOLIDARITY ECONOMY Fire Pit whole brick Solidarity Economy works to create just and sustainable systems for people to meet their basic material needs

PERENNIAL Functional Objects whole brick Perennial is a community based workshop that offers educational programs

131

Local residents get involved in painting the wall as a way of rebranding the material.

132

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Bricks are cleaned and prepped for reuse

133

STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK Theaster Gates Restoration Project Chicago, IL

VACANT

FUNDRAISE

RENOVATE

ENGAGE

Theaster Gates Artist

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Theaster Gates removes pieces of marble and engraves with his stamp to take to Art Basel to sell for fundraising

Government Agency

Art Basel Art Exhibition

Rebuild Foundation Host These entities collaborate to help streamline the design and renovation process of Stony Island State Savings Bank

Fitzgerald Associates Architecture Firm

Theaster Gates and his Rebuild Foundation work together to select the Local Organizations to become permenant tenants and the temporary installations that use the building.

134

Local Organizations -Frankie Knuckles Records -Johnson Publishing Archives -Edward J Williams Collections -University of Chicago Glass Slides

MARBLE SLABS SALVAGED FROM THE BATHROOM STALLS IN THE BANK USED TO MAKE A SERIES OF "BANK BONDS"

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

MONEY FROM BOND SALES USED TO RENOVATE BANK BUILDING

TOMBSTONE: $50,000

unknown amount sold at Art Basel 12” x 17.5” x 1”

TABLET: $5,000

100 sold at Art Basel 6” x 8.5” x 1”

Stamped with “In Art We Trust 135

The bank's side facade faces onto an empty lot. At night, it doubles as a backdrop for film screenings.

136

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Fragment of original ceiling preserved.

137

HOLDING PATTERN Interboro Parterns Temporary Museum Installation, Summer 2011 New York City, NY

Ma n ha ttan

The Bronx

Architectural Salvage: Wood, Plastic Metal

Queens

Brooklyn

PHASE 1: SOURCE

PHASE 2: DISPLAY

PHASE 3: DISTRIBUTE

MoMa Host

Interboro Partners was selected for the installation through the PS1 Competition (hosted by MoMA), which is a chance for young architects to present innovative projects.

Interboro Partners Designer

Reuse Store

Interboro Partners obtains some of the objects from architectural salvage stores and materials to make the remaining objects from local reuse stores.

Materials Supply

Architectural Salvage Objects Supply

Interboro Partners reaches back out to the Community Organizations to coordiate the delivery of the objects on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;holdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Interboro Partners reached out to the surrounding Community Organizations to determine what they were in need of to integrate into their installation.

Community Organizations 138

Recipients of objects

Stools 30

Chess Tables 3 Mister Stage 1

Tree Planters 24

Picnic Tables 2 Mirror 1

Pools 5

Benches 20

Ping Pong Tables 2 Sandbox 1

Bike Rack 1

VARIETY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

Chaise Loungers 3

Rock Climbing Wall 1 Foosball Table 1

Lifeguard Chair 1

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Trees 84

They need a way to separate the playground from the street and a new lifegaurd chair for the pool

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK They are in need of new benches because theirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are falling apart,

CHECKER MANAGEMENT They want the place where their taxi drivers hang out to have places to sit and gather

LIC COMMUNITY BOATHOUSE They have a great location and gathering area but need places to sit.

RAVENSWOOD NORC They are a senior center that wants seating and gathering spaces to bring it to life. 139

140

5.2 PEOPLE NETWORKS

Museum visitors using furniture before it is delivered to community organizations

141

142

"Tossed into the Secaucus graveyard are about 25 centuries of classical culture and the standards of style, elegance and grandeur that it gave to the dreams and constructions of Western man. That

Ada Louise Huxtable, The New York Times

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

turns the Jersey wasteland into a pretty classy dump."

6. A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP After the widely publicized demolition of New York City's Pennsylvania Station by McKim, Mead, and White in 1963, its iconic architectural fragments found their way to some unlikely places such as Kansas City and Washington, D.C. But for the most part, the old station found its primary resting place across the river in New Jersey's Meadowlands, a 8,400-acre wetland area where the disposal of demolished building material was not always legal but certainly common practice in what architecture critic Ada Louis Huxtable characterized as "a pretty classy dump." The material afterlives of Penn Station provide a unique case study for thinking about the dissemination of architectural monuments and the types of spaces and environments in which they end up. The existing means through which C&D materials are sorted and redistributed, and the sites on which this activity takes place remains largely hidden from public view--behind fences and on the outskirts of cities. The following chapter traces the diverse range of sites and spatial typologies where demolition debris is processed and redistributed, from the landfill to architectural salvage yards to emerging second hand material market places. We will analyze these sites for their methods of operation as well as their spatial and programmatic potential to engage a larger audience in a culture of reuse.

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LANDFILL HISTORIES Boston has a long history of using C&D waste to physically shape the city. In fact, two-thirds of the city center today rests on landfill. This process is known as "mass transfer" and involves the relocation of material debris from large-scale construction and demolition projects to fill in previous uninhabitable areas of the coastline. The four projects featured here provide a series of insights into the city's rich history of mass transfer, mapping the process of exchange between the subtractive processes of the demolition site and the new landscapes that are created as their counterpart.

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1750 - 1849

1850 - 1924

1925 - Present

0,000 ft3

BACK BAY: 1857

The water from Mill Pond powered the corn and flour mills until it became unprofitable and unhealthy to continue its use. Regarded as one of Boston’s first large-scale landfill projects, the pond was then filled with soil cut from Beacon Hill.

One of the largest landfill projects at the time, the marshy flats of Back Bay were filled to help deal with the failed dam and large amounts of raw sewage piling up. Granite was shipped by train all the way from Needham, since all of the hills on the Shawmut Peninsula had been flattened.

32,400,000 ft

148,500,000 ft3

1,200,000 yd3

283,500,000 ft3

540,000,000 ft3

148,500,000 ft3

1,200,000 yd3

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

0 ft3

MILL POND: 1807

283,500,000 ft3

1,350,000,000 ft3 AIRPORT: 1945 The increasing popularity of Logan Airport after World War II came with a need for more space, and this time Boston created 1,800 acres of land from adjacent Governor’s, Noodle’s, and Apple Islands.

1,350,000,000 ft3

540,000,000 ft3 32,400,000 ft3

BIG DIG: 1991 Boston’s increasing density created a large scale traffic problem, solved with the creation of over three miles of tunnels underneath the city. Removing the above-ground parts of I-93 created the space for the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and the soil was moved to cap over 100 landfills and to transform Quincy Quarry and Spectacle Island into parks.

148,500,000 ft3

1,200,000 yd3

283,500,000 ft3 145

1,350,000,000 ft3

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The Meadowlands, New Jersey.

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

Eagles sit on pallets outside the New Jersey Transit Training Facility in Newark. These were restored and intended for reinstallation elsewhere but remain here.

"Figure of Night" was presumably purchased by the Brooklyn Museum and installed in their sculpture garden alongside other interesting statuary.

"Figure of Day" was among those rescued from the Meadowlands and brought to Ringwood State Park in NJ.

This ticketing window was sold on Ebay as an antique, but its destination is unknown.

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FORMS OF ACCUMULATION

Any given demolition site generates a significant amount of material surplus. This can include anything from bespoke architectural details to anonymous piles of recycled aggregate. As these byproducts of the building industry are filtered and processed for redistribution, they move through a wide variety of architectural spaces that range in character from logistical warehouses to highly designed retail environments. In a junkyard, the space is large and left open, designed

Junkyard

for trucks to drive through. In a collector's house, one may squeeze through tight, winding aisles to consider an object up close and personal. The means through which this material is cataloged also varies - from apiles, to stacks, to carefully curated arrangement - influencing our perceived reuse value of these objects.

Landfill Park 148

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

Salvage Warehouse

Vacant Lot

Collector's House

Webstore 149

THE LANDFILL PARK The typology of the landfill park capitalizes on the volumetric potential of C&D waste to shape topography. Through the application of an impermeable barrier and a new layer of top soil, capped landfills are transformed into public landscapes that function primarily as a space of leisure.

PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS RESILIENT PLANTINGS BARRIER SYSTEM ~10â&#x20AC;&#x2122; THICK, 50-100 YEAR LIFESPAN. GAS COLLECTION

WINDING PEDESTRIAN PATH FOLLOWS LANDFILL TOPOGRAPHY PERMANENT STORAGE: HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF YEARS 150

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

Northala Fields Park, London

Freshkills Park, Staten Island

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THE JUNKYARD A junkyard buys and sells discarded metal components from building sites in bulk. On first glance, the space appears as a disorganized landscape of piles and mounds. In fact, the metals are organized in a series of exterior bins through an efficient system from which they are loaded onto trucks and redistributed. The space is large and open, designed to accommodate frequent vehicular traffic.

MATERIAL INFLOW FOR WEIGHING/ PROCESSING

PLACED UP TO A YEAR; DURATION DEPENDENT ON MARKET PRICES OPEN YARD FOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC

FENCED BOUNDARY SORTED MOUNDS: FERROUS, NON-FERROUS ONE-OFF CASH SALES OR INDUSTRIAL ACCOUNTS

READY FOR TRANSPORT

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6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

Metal scrapyard in Everett

Metal scrapyard and recycling center

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THE SALVAGE WAREHOUSE When discarded building components are identified as being in good condition or capable of a second service life, they often end up in a salvage warehouse. Here materials are stacked and arranged by type in a curated retail environment and priced individually for sale to individual customers.

PATHS LONG AND LINEAR, MIMIC RETAIL STORE AISLES

LUMBER ORGANIZED INTO PILES DOORS AND WINDOWS ACCEPTED IN GOOD CONDITION SHORT-TERM PLACEMENT; UNSOLD MATERIALS MARKED DOWN TO CLEAR <7 YEAR OLD APPLIANCES

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6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

Restoration Resources, Roxbury

Salvaged cabinets, Habitat for Humanity Restore

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THE VACANT LOT An unsecured, vacant building offers a myriad of opportunities for informal exchange. Two illicit forms of material flows often take place on these sites: the illegal dumping of waste and the stripping of millwork, appliances, and valuable metal piping from the building to feed into the secondhand material markets. This can occur in a residential setting or a larger commercial building site.

COPPER WIRING, METALS AND APPLIANCES REMOVED ILLEGALLY WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME REMOVED ONCE DEMO OR CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE, MONTHS

VACANT BUILDING, NO UTILITIES

MATERIALS SMUGGLED OUT

UNSECURED DUMPSTER USED BY OUTSIDE PARTIES TO DUMP WASTE 156

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

Copper wiring stripped from foreclosed homes

Illegal dumping at a baseball field

157

THE COLLECTOR'S HOUSE The practice of pillaging building fragments has a long history. The collector's house offers us an alternate but comparable model of a building material stockyard where the objects are curated, arranged and displayed for posterity. Visitors are allowed to look, but purchasing these recycled remnants comes at a significant cost.

ANTIQUE STATUES, COLUMNS, STONE BUILDING ELEMENTS SALVAGED FRIEZES ARRANGED FOR DISPLAY LONG-TERM, INDEFINITE PLACEMENT

STORIED PAST OR KNOWN SOURCE

PATHS MEANDER AROUND OBJECTS, UP-CLOSE VIEWING 158

6 A PRETTY CLASSY DUMP

John Soane Museum

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

159

THE WEBSTORE Shopping online for architectural antiques is both a private experience and a form of participation within a global commodity market around architectural reuse. In this case, the consumer has access to salvaged materials from anywhere in the world at their fingertips. Items are presented with detailed origin stories, imbuing them with a sense of age and character in order to command a higher price.

THE WEBSTORE

IMBUED WITH CHARACTER CURATED IMAGES, SINGULAR PRESENTATION

GLOBAL ACCESS, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

PLACED INDEFINITELY

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APPENDIX ALTERNATE ENDINGS: 164 Ten speculative design interventions that employ strategies of architectural subtraction, time-based occupancy, and material stewardship to re-imagine the under-utilized sites and networks of Boston's demolition and reuse industries.

GLOSSARY 174 PROJECT REFERENCES 178

163

STALLED Danny Sweeney

164

BUILDING MATERIALS STOCK EXCHANGE APPENDIX: ALTERNTE ENDINGS

John Rinaldi

165

DOWN FALL: A DECONSTRUCTION EVENT SERIES Ben Garbow

166

TOUR DE RUINS APPENDIX: ALTERNTE ENDINGS

Kevin Tremblay

167

DEADSTOCK: ARCHITECTURAL RE-ENACTMENTS Emily Weiser

168

TRASH TO TREASURE APPENDIX: ALTERNTE ENDINGS

Ezgi Nizamoglu

169

DEMOLITION SUMMER CAMP Emily Cannon

170

LEAVE A TRACE APPENDIX: ALTERNTE ENDINGS

Karen Yeung

171

MEMORY WALL Angela Shi

172

TRASH PLANET: LIVING UNDERGROUND APPENDIX: ALTERNTE ENDINGS

YanQiu He

173

GLOSSARY

Concrete

con-crete /kän,krēt/

n. material used in construction to form monolithic structures

Article 85 Demolition Delay policy Implemented by the Boston Zoning Code , this policy provides a waiting period of 90 days for proposed demolished buildings at least 50 years of age or situated in certain areas of Boston.

aggregate (forms around 75% of volume), cement, water, and admixtures

Brick

brick /brik/ n. utilized in construction as a building material

n. medium composed of

Demolish

de-mo-lish /dә’mälish/ v. to destroy its original form through mechanical means v. to reduce structure to a granular scale

n. a rectilinear masonry unit composed of clay or concrete

C & D Waste

Dissassemble

dis-as-sem-ble /dise’sәmbәl/

Construction & Demolition Waste n. material by-products from building and un-building processes See also: brick, concrete, gypsum wall board, metal, wood

Compost Facility

com-post fa-cil-i-ty /käm,pōs fә’silәdē/

174

n. facility that handles the degradation of organic materials through biological processes, generating an organic-rich humus

v. to take apart in sections in order to preserve the integrity of the entire structure or its building components to the greatest extent possible

Disuse

dis-use /dis’yoos n. no longer employed or serves any functional purpose

Landﬁll

land-ﬁll /’lan(d),ﬁl/

n. marks an ending place for the containment of waste

Disrepair

dis-re-pair /disrә’per/ n. in a dilapidated state resulting from neglect

APPENDIX: GLOSSARY

n. a site dedicated to the disposal of C & D waste, municipal solid waste,

Landmark

land-mark /’land(d),märk/ n. status designation of a site that provides it certain protections in relation to renovation or demolition

National landmark

designated by the Secretary and recognized by the site designation. United States government, this listing provides preservation suggestions but no protection unless the project is using federal funds, licensing, or permits or is a federal project

Gypsum Wall Board

gyp-sum wall-board /jipsәm wôlbôrd/ n. building material often used for paneling n. composed of a non-combustible gympsum core (along with water and additives) surfaced with paper or ﬁberglass mats

Local landmark (Boston)

approved by the City of Boston, this designation ] site designation. allows for a waiting period and review for any proposed changes to a property attribute.

Total of 8000 landmarks in Boston

Boston Landmarks Commission preserves landmarked historical properties within Boston and oversees proposals to make physical changes to a property attribute. composed of volunteers nominated by professional organizations and neighborhood groups speciﬁed by the Commissioner’s legislation agency.

LHD Protection Area

located adjacent to Historic Districts, this space was site designation. established to protect the views and maintain architectural consistency

175

Boston Local Historic District site designation.

area that falls under its corresponding commission to handle landmarks within its own boundaries and manages proposals to make physical changes to a property

attribute.

the nine Local Historic Districts are as listed: Architectural Conservation District, Back Bay Architectural District, Bay State Road/Back Bay West Architect, Bay Village Historic District, Historic Beacon Hill District, Fort Point Channel Landmark District, Mission Hill Triangle District, Saint Botolph Area Architectural Conservation District, South End Landmark District

M Metal

Recycle

re-cy-cle /rē’sīk(ә)l/ v. conversion of material castoffs into functional products able to provide additional service

Renovate

n. material used for structural, cladding, and decorative purposes see also also steel, aluminum

ren-o-vate /’renә,vāt/ v. the restoration, through rebuilding and generally large scale changes of a site or building, to elevate its state of condition

Reuse

re-use/rē’yoos/ v. the purposing of a previously utilized item for futher use

New Construction

new con-struc-tion /n(y)oo ken’strәkSH(ә)n/ n. building constructed from the ground up

Salvage Shop

Preserve

pre-serve /prә’zәrv/

176

v. protecting a building subset, building, or site so as to maintain its original quality

sal-vage shop /’salvij SHäp/ n. a typically higher end place, whether real or virtual, that deals with the selling of archectural goods received from demolition or renovation projects

Scrap Yard

scrap yard /skrap yärd/ n. a place that holds low-quality materials for recycling, reselling, or disposal

stalled proj-ect /stôld präj,ekt/ n. projects in a state of limbo, with demolition or construction that has been halted due to bureaucratic or ﬁnancial issues

Steel

steel /stēl/ n. metallic material used for structural or decorative purposes n. formed from iron and carbon, giving it a high tensile stregth

Waste Ban

waste ban /wāst ban/ n. enacted by Massachusetts by the MASSDEP, this ban prevents certain recyclable and toxic materials from disposal or transfer for disposal in Massachusetts

Wood

wood /wood/ n. a natural material used in construction

n. can be inﬁnitely recycled

APPENDIX: GLOSSARY

Stalled Project

n. produced from trees, this material can be pressure treated to resist rot and insects through chemical processes (treated wood with certain chemicals are considered hazardous so MA does allow for the disposal of treated wood) or formed into particleboard

Tipping Tax

tip-ping tax /tippiNG taks/ n. associated costs with waste disposal

Transfer station

trans-fer sta-tion /’tran(t)sfәr stāSH(ә)n/ v. a processing site for C & D waste that acts as an intermediary location before being further transported to a recycling center, landﬁll, or reuse shop

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PROJECT REFERENCES Blue Cross/Blue Shield Building 1960-Present Boston, MA Paul Rudolph A precursor to high-tech modernism that was under threat of demolition for over a decade.

820 Beacon Street Stalled 2007-2017 Boston, MA The site is one of many to be part of a 1.1 million square foot mixed use development.

104 Canal Street

330 Boylston Street

Stalled 2012-2017 Boston, MA

Stalled 2005-Present Boston, MA

The site of a former Bank of America building that sat vacant for 5 years, to be replaced by a 15 story boutique hotel.

A flagship location of jeweler Shreve, Crump, and Low that has sat empty for over a decade.

A Way, Away

Tacoma Building

1921-2017 St. Louis, MO Amanda Williams + Andres Hernandez

1889-1929 Chicago, IL Holabird & Roche

This demolition project was carried out to showcase the process of demolition to the community.

The awkward floor plans of the department store were difficult to adapt to future uses, and thus the building was demolished.

Stalled 1997-Present Boston, MA Originally planned as a part of the Columbus Center, the site remains empty after stalling for 13 years.

2000 Commonwealth Avenue 1965-1971 Boston, MA Before completion, half of the structure collapsed. Due to its instability, implosion was the optimal method of demolition.

Filene's Complex Boston

Gillender Building

1905-2006 Boston, MA Daniel Burnham

1897-1910 New York City, NY

A well respected department store that was closed in 2006. The site was sold, yet some of the buildings were preserved.

Government Center Garage Stalled 2015-2017 Boston, MA This existing 1200 car garage is slated for demolition, for a 45-story skyscraper.

APPENDIX: PROJECT REFERENCES

101 Clarendon Street

An early 20 story skyscraper that was the 3rd talled building in New York when demolished by manual deconstruction.

370 Harrison Street Stalled 2016-Present Boston, MA The mixed use building planned to be situated on this site is still in its design stages, leaving this site vacant. 179

Holding Pattern

Holy Trinity Cathedral

2011 New York City, NY Interboro Partners

1096-1773 Waterford, Ireland

An installation at MoMA PS1 that focused on recycling and connections.

Hotel Alexandria

Kingdome

1870s-Present Boston, MA

1976-2000 Seattle, WA Naramore, Skilling & Praeger

Famous for its Gothic detailing and sandstone facade, the building has remained vacant for over 3 decades.

Malden Government Center 1976-2017 Malden, MA Doxiades Associates

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A Norse cathedral that was one of the earliest documented attempts at building implosion.

Its disruption of the downtown combined with its austere design provided enough public dissent to demolish the building.

A covered sports dome that was imploded due to structural and monetary concerns.

The Meadowlands New Jersey An enormous landfill that served as a dump for waste from various locations, including the remains of Penn Station.

1971-2013 Cambridge, MA Josep Lluis Sert A brutalist school that was demolished due to its asbestos, lead paint, and polarizing style.

Old Myer Building 1984-2006 Perth, WA, Australia A concrete retail building that was demolished by lifting machines to the roof of the structure to work.

Old Chicago Stock Exchange

Otemachi Financial Tower

1894-1972 Chicago, IL

1992-2012 Otemachi, Tokyo

An iconic building that was demolished to make way for a typical office building.

A 24 story high rise building in Japan that was demolished using Taisei's green "Tecorep" system.

Penn Station

Prentice Women's Hospital

1910-1963 New York City, NY With much public protest, the famed train station was demolished due to its high maintenance costs.

APPENDIX: PROJECT REFERENCES

Martin Luther King Jr. School

1975-2014 Chicago, IL Bertrand Goldberg Its Brutalist style and awkward floor plans helped to get it demolished, to the disdain of the architectural community.

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Stony Island Arts Bank 2015-Present Chicago, IL Rebuild Foundation The Rebuild Foundation transformed an old bank into an art exhibition and museum.

Techwood Homes 1936-1996 Atlanta, GA Flippen David Burge The first public housing project built in the United States. It was demolished as part of a redevelopment initiative.

The West End Late 1700s-Present Boston, MA A neighborhood of Boston that underwent an urban renewal in 1959 that destroyed much of the area's character. 182

ALTERNATE ENDINGS: A USERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MANUAL FOR UNBUILDING Northeastern University, School of Architecture / ARCH 7130 Masters Research Studio / Fall 2017