Datum_Master of Architecture Thesis Book

immersive learning along urban coastlines Nupur S. Khadilkar

DATUM: immersive learning along urban coastlines

DATUM

Nupur S. Khadilkar

DATUM immersive learning along urban coastlines

Massachusetts College of Art and Design Department of Architectural Design Master of Architecture Nupur S. Khadilkar

Š 2020. Nupur S. Khadilkar. All Rights Reserved GRANT of REPRODUCTION and DISTRIBUTION The author hereby grants to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, royalty free, non-exclusive and irrevocable permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document, including any accompanying unbound supplementary material, in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created. ______________________________ Author's Signature

DATUM immersive learning along urban coastlines By: Nupur S. Khadilkar Submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Architecture at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. December 2020

By the Author: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nupur S. Khadilkar Department of Architecture December 18, 2020

Certified by: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

Paul Paturzo Associate Professor of Architecture Thesis Advisor

Approved by: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tamara Roy Assistant Professor of Architecture Thesis Committee Member

Accepted by: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Patricia Seitz Professor of Architecture Head of Architectural Design Department Thesis Committee Chair Person

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Acknowledgements: To Paul Paturzo, my thesis advisor To Tamara Roy, my thesis professor To Patti Seitz, my thesis professor To Olivia Wiktor, Shachi Bhavsar and all my Classmates To My Family, who has been along for the entire journey

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“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words, but by experiences in the environment.�

- Dr. Maria Montessori

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Abstract

1

This thesis proposes an architecture that is informed by history and anticipates the future. By exploring the process of learning within the changing context of the urban edge, the proposal integrates learning with place-making. The use of innovative design and technology along the urban edge influences the perception of space, creating an immersive learning environment.

The program of an Immersive Learning and Research Center engages its users in a variety of experiences throughout the site focusing on the past, present, and future of Boston’s waterfront. Situated along Boston Harbor in the North End, this proposal focuses on the historic context of the site in parallel with the future opportunity that the waterfront provides. An engaging learning environment is formed along the Boston Harborwalk as well as an acknowledgement and addition to the rich history of the North End neighborhood.

This project engages people with their context through experiential learning. The human desire to learn is stimulated by embedding knowledge within a variety of immersive environments.

The site interacts with the harbor, creating spaces where that interaction is visible. The building interacts with the site, forming spaces that highlight the daily, weekly, and seasonal variability. By creating these places within the site, climate change and sea level rise are brought to the forefront of everyone’s consciousness.

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Table of Contents

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1

Abstract

2

Introduction

13

3

Concept Development

15

4

Boston Waterfront History

21

5

Site and Surrounding Analysis

31

6

Precedent Studies

39

7

Program

43

8

Final Design

47

9

Conclusion

81

10

Bibliography

85

Table of Figures Fig. 1: Neuse River Kayaking Adventure, by Author Fig. 2: Digital Concept Studies, by Author Fig. 3: Concept Diagrams, inspired by Francis D.K. Ching, by Author Fig. 4: Rock Concept Study, by Author Fig. 5: Digital Concept Study, by Author Fig. 6: Boston Land Growth Since 1630 http://www.bostonplans.org/3d-data-maps/historical-maps/ Fig. 7: Boston Footprint in 1630 https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:q524n430n Fig. 8: Boston Footprint in 1852 https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:q524n434r Fig. 9: Boston Footprint in 1934 https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:q524n440w Fig. 10: Boston Footprint in 2020 https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:q524n4440 Fig. 11: Underground Foundation Structure https://www.wsj.com/articles/bostons-priciest-real-estate-is-sinking-into-theearth-11583416663 Fig. 12: Rotten Wooden Foundation Pile http://www.bostongroundwater.org/overview.html Fig. 13: Underground Wooden Pilings with Stone Pile Cap https://northendwaterfront.com/2018/09/underneath-boston-a-city-built-on-wood-pilespreserved-by-groundwater/ Fig. 14: Boston Aerial Map, by Author Fig. 15: Harborwalk Boardwalk https://archive.org/details/harborparkframew00bost/page/27/mode/2up Fig. 16: Harborwalk Cityscape https://archive.org/details/harborparkframew00bost/page/27/mode/2up Fig. 17: Harborwalk Waterfront https://archive.org/details/harborparkframew00bost/page/27/mode/2up Fig. 18: Harborwalk Access https://archive.org/details/harborparkframew00bost/page/27/mode/2up Fig. 19: Boston Harborwalk Map, by Author Fig. 20: Aerial Site Context Map, by Author Fig. 21: 1883 American Sugar Refining Company http://www.bostonplans.org/3d-data-maps/historical-maps/the-boston-atlas/ Fig. 22: 1900 Quincy Market Cold Storage Warehouse http://www.bostonplans.org/3d-data-maps/historical-maps/the-boston-atlas/ Fig. 23: 1984 Public Parking Lot http://www.bostonplans.org/3d-data-maps/historical-maps/the-boston-atlas/ Fig. 24: Existing Site Plan, by Author Fig. 25: Existing Site Aerial, by Author Fig. 26: Street Edge, by Author Fig. 27: Harbor Edge, by Author Fig. 28: Site Entry, by Author Fig. 29: Neighboring Site Edge, by Author Fig 30: Harborwalk Edge, by Author Fig. 31: Duke University Marine Lab, NC https://www.archdaily.com/896725/duke-university-marine-laboratory-dr-orrin-h-pilkeyresearch-laboratory-gluck-plus Fig. 32: Islandwood Environmental Education Center, WA https://mithun.com/project/islandwood/

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Fig. 33: Duke Marine Lab Massing Diagram https://www.archdaily.com/896725/duke-university-marine-laboratory-dr-orrin-h-pilkeyresearch-laboratory-gluck-plus Fig. 34: Duke Marine Lab Exterior https://www.archdaily.com/896725/duke-university-marine-laboratory-dr-orrin-h-pilkeyresearch-laboratory-gluck-plus Fig. 35: Islandwood Interior Classroom https://mithun.com/project/islandwood/ Fig. 36: Islandwood Tree House Classroom https://mithun.com/project/islandwood/ Fig. 37: Program Venn Diagram, by Author Fig. 38: Proposed Project in Context of North End Neighborhood, by Author Fig. 39: Island along Waterfront, by Author Fig. 40: Learning Node along Harborwalk, by Author Fig. 41: Massing Diagram linked to North End, by Author Fig. 42: Mean Sea Level 2020, by Author Fig. 43: Mean High Tide 2020, by Author Fig. 44: Mean High Tide 2030, by Author Fig. 45: Mean High Tide 2050, by Author Fig. 46: Mean High TIde 2070, by Author Fig 47: Exploded Axonometric Floor Plans, by Author Fig. 48: Research Laboratory https://www.itrlab.com/laboratory-services/ Fig. 49: Virtual Reality Exhibit https://www.nolongerempty.org/exhibition/mel-chin-wake-unmoored/ Fig 50: Public Waterfront Seating https://plus-spaces.com/design/ Fig. 51: East-West Building Section, by Author Fig. 52: Ground Floor Plan, by Author Fig. 53: Second Floor Plan, by Author Fig. 54: Third Floor Plan, by Author Fig. 55: Fourth Floor Plan, by Author Fig 56: Process Model Study A, by Author Fig. 57: Process Model Study B, by Author Fig. 58: Underground Wooden Pilings with Stone Pile Cap https://northendwaterfront.com/2018/09/underneath-boston-a-city-built-on-wood-pilespreserved-by-groundwater/ Fig. 59: South-North Structural Building Section, by Author Fig. 60: Enclosure Axonometric Diagram, by Author Fig. 61: Enclosure Plan Detail, by Author Fig. 62: West Site Elevation, by Author Fig. 63: East Site Elevation, by Author Fig. 64: South Site Elevation, by Author Fig. 65: North Site Elevation, by Author Fig. 66: Underwater Classroom Section Perspective, by Author Fig. 67: North Canal Section Perspective, by Author Fig. 68: Crossing onto Site Section Perspective, by Author Fig. 69: Artificial Amphitheater Section Perspective, by Author Fig. 70: Rendering Sitting along South Bank of Canal, by Author Fig. 71: Rendering Walking Through Site, by Author Fig. 72: Rendering near Main Entry, by Author Fig. 73: Rendering Walking Across Harborwalk Bridge, by Author Fig. 74: Street View Rendering looking East, by Author Fig. 75: Project Proposal Rendering, by Author

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Fig. 1: Neuse River Kayaking Adventure

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Introduction

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I am fascinated by the way we learn through experiences in our environments. I was raised in a Montessori classroom, an atmosphere focused on building a stimulating environment that fosters the human desire to learn. This environment helped me develop essential skills that have shaped who I am today. I thrive in spaces that have several avenues of exploration and allow for a natural process of discovery and learning.

My love for nature and exploring the outdoors is directly linked to my passion for learning. Early into this project, I went on a kayaking trip down the Neuse River in North Carolina. The previous few weeks had been relatively dry, so water levels were low. Our adventure peaked with a large conglomerate of rocks sticking out of the water in the middle of the river. It made for a perfect lunch break. Fast forward a few weeks later, after several inches of rain, I again paddled this river with a different friend. About halfway through the paddle, I was on the lookout for the rock I had previously stopped at for lunch. When we arrived, there were merely a few inches of the rock above the surface of the water. It was a completely different environment. The two times I paddled this river, I was struck by the immense difference in the experience, primarily due to natural forces.

I strived to create a place that will reveal different pieces of information and create a range of experiences each time people engage with it. This project allowed me to combine my passion for learning with my passion for nature by creating an immersive learning landscape, engaging and rich with knowledge. My goal was to design a place where learning is seamlessly integrated into the built environment, providing opportunities for people to explore and learn through discovery.

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Fig. 2: Digital Concept Studies

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Concept Development

3

My concept for this project is focused on the idea of a Datum.

In the context of this project, I focused on exploring how the user experience is impacted by the multiple data. The physical design explores datum as a constant and the programming of the project explores datum as information. The physical datum is also used as an organizing principle in the building and site design. The information datum is used to influence design decisions and learning spaces throughout the project.

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Discovery An act of finding out or learning for the first time.

Research A careful study of a subject, especially in order to discover new facts or information about it.

The process of learning something that was not known before.

Knowledge Education The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university.

An enlightening experience.

The awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.

Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education.

The theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

Learning The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or by being taught.

Knowledge acquired through experience, study, or being taught.

Glossary of Terms

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Exploration The action of traveling in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it.

An examination of something in order to find out about it.

Fig. 3: Concept Diagrams, inspired by Francis D.K. Ching A piece of information; something given.

A line, plane, or volume that, by its continuity and regularity, serves to gather, measure, and organize a pattern of forms and spaces.

Datum

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Low Water Level

Mean Water Level

Fig. 4: Rock Concept Study

High Water Level

The intent of this study was to replicate the experience I had while kayaking. The changing water level datum impacts the perception of the form.

Concept Model: Submerged Rocks

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Low Water Level

Mean Water Level

High Water Level Fig. 5: Digital Concept Study

After studying this idea of datum in a physical model, I developed a digital study of how an entire landscape changes as the water level rises and falls.

Concept Model: Submerged Landscape

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Fig. 6: Boston Land Growth Since 1630 20

Boston Waterfront History

4

The edge of the land in Boston has evolved through human intervention and natural processes. Over time, people have filled in 70% of Boston’s current land footprint. The development of Boston’s waterfront has undergone many changes from marshland, to in-fill land used as industrial ports, to a surge of waterfront reclamation. In recent years, the waterfront reclamation has included a mix of historic preservation, redevelopment for public access, and environmental improvements.

The Boston Harborwalk was conceived by the Boston Harbor Association and the Boston Redevelopment Authority for then-Mayor Raymond Flynn in 1984. A now 43-mile linear park system along the shoreline, the Harborwalk connects many of Boston’s neighborhoods.

It stretches from lower Dorchester all the way to Charlestown and East Boston. “Harbor Park [was] designed to guarantee public access to the unique environment along the Boston Harbor, while encouraging balanced growth along the entire waterfront.” 4 Although the initial plan was visionary, the Harborwalk was developed in a piecemeal fashion that does not reflect the initial design intent and has pieces that have received more attention than others.

Today, Boston’s edges vary from natural, soft edges, to man-made, hard edges. The resiliency effort throughout the city has been to break down the concrete hardscape walls that line much of the harbor and develop a system that provides a buffer zone between the water and the land, while also protecting the existing city infrastructure.

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Backfilling Boston Almost 70% of Boston’s land today did not exist when the Puritans arrived in 1630.

Boston’s land making has been motivated by the need for more space, safeguarding public health, building public parks, adding railroad tracks and depots, making harbor improvements, adding shipping facilities to develop a competitive port, and much more.2 It has evolved over time and gone through phases of development.

1630

Fig. 7: Boston Footprint in 1630

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1852

Fig. 8: Boston Footprint in 1852

1934

Fig. 9: Boston Footprint in 1934

2020

Fig. 10: Boston Footprint in 2020

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Waterfront Construction History As the city grew in size since the 1600s, mud flats were filled in with sand and gravel. The building in-fill areas were built on wood pilings that extend down to the marine clay or bedrock.10 These piles were capped with a granite pile cap that spreads the load from the buildings above evenly across the piles. The untreated wood piles can last for hundreds of years if they stay submerged in groundwater; however, rot when exposed to air.7 As the city continues to expand the underground infrastructure on land, like tunnels and train systems, the groundwater levels are conversely at risk of dropping.

Fig. 11: Underground Foundation Structure

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Fig. 12: Rotten Wooden Foundation Pile

Fig. 13: Underground Wooden Pilings with Stone Pile Cap

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Hard Edge

Soft Edge

Fig. 14: Boston Aerial Map

Soft Edge 26

Hard Edge

The Boston Waterfront today continues to play a vital role in the vibrancy of the city. It is home to a variety of historical and cultural sites that are linked along the coastline by the Boston Harborwalk. The divide between the city and the harbor is built up of both hard and soft edges. The city is at risk of flooding due to being constructed close to sea level. The underground infrastructure of Boston’s coastline is also at risk of rotting foundations as groundwater levels change, due to the vast amount of land that is backfilled with buildings built on wooden pilings.

Current Boston Waterfront

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Boston Harborwalk The Boston Harborwalk spans 43 miles along the coastline, connecting parts of lower Dorchester to Charlestown and East Boston. Today, it is made up of pathways associated with some public amenities and water transportation infrastructure.

It varies along the coastline, reflecting the various neighborhoods, activities, and “urban textures of adjacent land.� 4 The Harborwalk was intended to increase public access to the waterfront environment as well as promote balanced economic growth along the waterfront.

8 Boston Neighborhoods Connected 9 Public Beaches along the Harborwalk 43 Miles of Harborwalk 1984 Harborwalk begins to take shape

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Fig. 15: Harborwalk Boardwalk

Fig. 16: Harborwalk City scape

Fig. 17: Harborwalk Waterfront

Fig. 18: Harborwalk Access

Charlestown East Boston

North End

Downtown

Seaport Fort Point South Boston

Dorchester

Fig. 19: Boston Harborwalk Map

Existing Harborwalk

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Fig. 20: Aerial Site Context Map

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Site and Surrounding Analysis

5

The site is located along the Boston Harborwalk in the historic North End neighborhood. It provides the opportunity to connect people to the city’s edge along the waterfront. The site, known as Sargent’s Wharf, has transformed overtime from being part of the Boston Harbor in the 1600s to the Bay State Sugar Refinery in the late 1800s, to the Quincy Market Storage and Warehouse in the early 1900s, to a public parking lot as of the late 1900s.8 The location along the waterfront is an excellent site to create an immersive learning environment that engages people in the past, present, and future of the waterfront and as well as brings awareness to climate change and sea level rise.

Sargent’s Wharf Neighborhood: North End Site Area: ~120,000 SF Current Use: Public Parking Lot Proposed Use: Education and Research Center

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Fig. 21: 1883 American Sugar Refining Company

Fig. 22: 1900 Quincy Market Cold Storage Warehouse

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Fig. 23: 1984 Public Parking Lot

1852 Sargent’s Wharf Land Backfilled 1883 American Sugar Refining Company 1900 Quincy Market Cold Storage Warehouse 1984 Public Parking Lot

This site was originally part of Boston Harbor. It was backfilled in the 1850s to develop one of the many wharfs along the waterfront. Sargent’s Wharf served as an integral part of the maritime trade in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1984, the site was leveled and became public parking.8 It has been included in many city and neighborhood master plan studies, including the original HarborPark proposal, however, has not been developed since.

Sargent’s Wharf Site History

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Atlantic Avenue Fig. 24: Existing Site Plan 34

Sargent’s Wharf Public Parking Lot

Current Site Plan Sargent’s Wharf is currently used as a paid public parking lot. The location provides an opportunity to create a place for people to learn, observe, and engage with the waterfront.

The site has a dynamic history and my proposal will be another layer that continues to shape the way we use and inhabit the waterfront.

Neighborhood: North End Site Area: 120,000 SF Existing Use: Paid Pubic Parking Lot Proposed Use: Immersive Learning and Research Center

Boston Harborwalk Site Parcel boundary

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1

2

5

4

3

Fig. 25: Existing Site Aerial

Sargent’s Wharf has a variety of hardscaped edges, including paved streets, brick pathways, and a wooden boardwalk. The existing parking lot is divided from the street by a low brick wall. The stone wall and chain-link fence create an inaccessible boundary between the land and the harbor.

1

Current Site Conditions Fig. 26: Street Edge 36

5

Fig. 28: Site Entry

4

Fig. 29: Neighboring Site Edge

2

Fig. 27: Harbor Edge

3

Fig. 30: Harborwalk Edge 37

Fig. 31: Duke University Marine Lab, NC

Fig. 32: Islandwood Environmental Education Center, WA

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Precedent Studies

6

During the development of this project, I focused my precedent studies on projects that seamlessly integrated learning into the design. Both the Duke University Marine Lab and the Islandwood Environmental Education Center are coastal learning hubs that have responded to their context in different ways.

The Duke Marine Lab, on the North Carolina coast, is at risk of flooding as sea level rises. The architect used the environmental concerns to shape the massing of the building in a responsive way.1 They used the joint program of research and education to develop a strategy for interaction and communication between users inside the building.

The Islandwood Environmental Education Center, on Bainbridge Island in Washington, was developed to create a learning center for children and young adults.5 They were particular about the design of each learning environment in a way that it would be embedded with knowledge and enhance the user experience.

Both of these precedent studies helped me understand how I can design for discovery and integrate knowledge into elements of the design.

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Fig. 33: Duke Marine Lab Massing Diagram

The study of the Duke Marine Lab helped me develop a strategy for adapting the building massing based on extreme environmental conditions. It also provided an example for combining research and teaching space within the building and allowing the joint program to help drive the building massing.

Gluck+ Built 2014 Piver’s Island, NC

Duke University Marine Lab

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Fig. 34: Duke Marine Lab Exterior

The Islandwood Environmental Education Center was focused on integrating the material learned with the context it is taught in. The places within this project led me to focus on the relationship between learning and the environment you are learning in.

Fig. 35: Islandwood Interior Classroom

Fig. 36: Islandwood Tree House Classroom

Mithun Built 2002 Bainbridge Island, WA

Islandwood Environmental Education Center

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Nature

Built Environment

Education Knowledge Discovery

People

Fig. 37: Program Venn Diagram

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Program

7

The proposed program is an Education and Research Center that functions as a joint venture between the City of Boston and Educational Institutions in surrounding areas. It is dedicated to coastal research practices and improving access to public education in the city.

The Education and Research Center allows people of all ages and abilities to engage with and learn about the history of Boston’s waterfront, the present challenges the city is facing, as well as the future development of sustainable coastal practices. The program, approximately 76,000 square feet, provides a variety of learning spaces, classrooms, open exhibit spaces, and lecture halls, as well as private research laboratories.

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Innovative Research Labs

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Interactive Exhibits and Classrooms

Illustrative Program The Immersive Education and Research Center will be home to a range of programs catering to a wide spectrum of users.

The goal is to bridge the gap between research and the public by creating several learning spaces throughout the site and building.

1 Lobby 2 Coffee Shop 3 Main Atrium 4 Lecture Hall 5 Exhibition Space 6 Classrooms 7 Research Laboratory 8 Offices 9 Green Roof Deck 10 Solar Panels 11 Roof Teaching Space 12 Outdoor Patio

Immersive Learning Landscape

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Fig. 38: Proposed Project in Context of North End Neighborhood 46

Final Design

8 47

Fig. 39: Island along Waterfront 48

The shaping of the site creates an island at the city’s edge.

It is intended to bring the water up to the street edge and increase public access to and awareness of ocean environments. The island is a teaching opportunity about the important role harbor islands play in reducing harsh winds and waves to create a calmer, protected harbor environment.

Site Strategies: Creating an Island along the City’s Edge

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Boston Harborwalk

Fig. 40: Learning Node along Harborwalk 50

The proposed site creates a learning node along the Boston Harborwalk. The site serves as an icon along the 43 mile pathway.

It will provide a variety of learning opportunities both by the way spaces are designed and the program inside.

Site Strategies: Creating a Learning Node along the Harborwalk

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Fig. 41: Massing Diagram linked to North End 52

The building forms proposed relate directly to the historic wharf structure along the Boston Waterfront. The site paths tie back into the street grid of the North End neighborhood. The proposal ties back to historic structures, while also providing a modern approach to building on the harbor.

Site Strategies: Creating a Link to the North End Neighborhood

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2020 Fig. 42: Mean Sea Level 2020

Mean Sea Level

2020 Fig. 43: Mean High Tide 2020

Mean High Tide

Sea Levels are projected to rise six to eight feet by 2100.3 The site is shaped in a way that reflects the changes happening in the environment. As water levels rise, the shape of the island changes and artificial amphitheaters are intentionally flooded. The paths that extend out toward the harbor are designed to flood, creating a dynamic site that is constantly changing.

The user experience is intended to be visibly different as the environment and context changes.

Each time the tide fills the site it creates a water line that subtly marks a datum on the sides of the amphitheaters and canal. Over time, these water lines will become more visible, making visitors aware of the new datum lines.

Site Strategies: Resiliency

54

2030 Mean High Tide

Fig. 44: Mean High Tide 2030

2050 Mean High Tide

Fig. 45: Mean High Tide 2050

2070 Mean High Tide

Fig. 46: Mean High Tide 2070 55

Fourth Floor 10,328 SF 9000 SF roof

Third Floor 14722 SF

Second Floor 21310 SF 2600 SF roof

Ground Floor 25700 SF

Fig. 47: Exploded Axonometric Floor Plans 56

The building organization transitions from a very public ground floor to private upper floors as you cross the datum of the second floor slab. The green roof deck creates a vibrant learning space looking out towards Boston Harbor. The public spaces created are primarily dynamic open areas that allow for exhibits and learning to happen in a variety of ways. The exhibit space is designed for the program to change over time.

Fig. 48: Research Laboratory 1 Lobby 2 Coffee Shop 3 Main Atrium 4 Lecture Hall 5 Exhibition Space 6 Classrooms

Fig. 49: Virtual Reality Exhibit

7 Research Laboratory 8 Offices 9 Green Roof Deck 10 Solar Panels 11 Roof Teaching Space 12 Outdoor Patio

Fig. 50: Public Waterfront Seating

Building Design: Program

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2

3 5

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Fig. 51: East-West Building Section

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1 Lobby

7 Research Laboratory

2 Coffee Shop

8 Offices

3 Main Atrium

9 Green Roof Deck

4 Lecture Hall

10 Solar Panels

5 Exhibition Space

11 Roof Teaching Space

6 Classrooms

12 Outdoor Patio

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5

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5

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In section, the plane of the datum occurs in multiple ways. One datum occurs between the first floor public uses and the upper floor private laboratories. This datum is expressed by a change in structural material and a thick concrete floor plate that extends outside the building envelope. Another datum is created by the ground level of the research center, which is set at a height where it will flood.

Building Design: Program

59

Atlantic Avenue

Research Entry

Main Entry Artificial Amphitheater

Fig. 52: Ground Floor Plan 60

Artificial Amphitheater

Building Design: First Floor Plan The main entry to the building occurs at the center atrium in the slack space between the building form that reaches out towards the harbor and the piece that reaches back towards the city. The ground paths create two distinct points of crossing onto the island as well as forming two artificial amphitheaters that are designed to flood as tides change and as water levels rise.

Boston Harborwalk Site Parcel Boundary

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7

5

6

3

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Fig. 53: Second Floor Plan

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Fig. 54: Third Floor Plan

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Fig. 55: Fourth Floor Plan

1 Lobby

7 Research Laboratory

2 Coffee Shop

8 Offices

3 Main Atrium

9 Green Roof Deck

4 Lecture Hall

10 Solar Panels

5 Exhibition Space

11 Roof Teaching Space

6 Classrooms

12 Outdoor Patio

Building Design: Floor Plans

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Fig. 56: Process Model Study A

Fig. 57: Process Model Study B

Fig. 58: Underground Wooden Pilings with Stone Pile Cap

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Building Design: Structural System The structure of the building resembles the historic building foundations in Boston, which were primarily wood piling with stone pile caps. The ground floor concrete columns are grouped to resemble foundation pilings. The floor slab of the second floor is significantly thicker than the floors above to resemble a foundation pile cap. The structure on the second through fourth floors is composed of a simple steel column and beam system. The aim was to bring the history above ground for people to experience as they move through the building.

Fig. 59: South-North Structural Building Section

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Fig. 60: Enclosure Axonometric Diagram

66

Insulated Metal Panel Enclosure

Triple Glazed Curtain Wall

Concrete and Steel Framing

Fig. 61: Enclosure Plan Detail The enclosure of the building is constructed in multiple layers beginning with a concrete and steel structural system wrapped with triple glazed curtain wall and insulated metal panels. The detail of the metal panels varies in size and shape to break strong winds against the face of the building.

Building Design: Enclosure System

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Fig. 62: West Site Elevation

Building Design: Elevations

68

Fig. 63: East Site Elevation

69

Fig. 64: South Site Elevation

Building Design: Elevations

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Fig. 65: North Site Elevation

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Fig. 66: Underwater Classroom Section Perspective

The below water teaching space is designed to emphasize the different levels of ground planes that we experience in Boston.

From inside the classroom, you are able to experience the water level changing against the glass facade, see the ground level of the canal, and compare it to the adjacent street level. This distinction is a great reminder that infrastructure often exists above and below what we perceive as the ground plane.

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The existing canal on the north side of the site provides access for research boats. The canopy creates a distinct separation in the facade and provides a constant datum for the ever changing environment.

Fig. 67: North Canal Section Perspective

Building Design: Section Perspectives

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This section depicts the crossing from the street onto the site.

The simple point of crossing over a bridge is intended to stimulate people’s awareness that they are leaving the urban context and entering a harsher ocean environment.

Fig. 68: Crossing onto Site Section Perspective

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Fig. 69: Artificial Amphitheater Section Perspective

The site pathways create an artificial amphitheater that provides a protected environment where people can freely interact with the water. The topography of the edge of the island breaks harsh waves and protects the land from significant erosion.

Building Design: Section Perspectives

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PLACEHOLDER

Fig. 70: Rendering Sitting along South Bank of Canal

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Fig. 71: Rendering Walking Through Site

Building Design: Harborwalk Renderings

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Fig. 72: Rendering near Main Entry

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Fig. 73: Rendering Walking Across Harborwalk Bridge

Building Design: Harborwalk Renderings

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Fig. 74: Street View Rendering looking East

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Conclusion

9

The Immersive Learning and Research Center creates a vibrant environment on the edge of the city and the harbor, by engaging people with the natural dynamics of the edge. Innovative design and technology develops immersive learning environments throughout the entire site. The design references historic precedent, present circumstances, and future opportunities.

The datum in this project is emphasized by the second floor slab and canopy that resemble a concrete pile cap. This datum acts as a static organizing element, distinguishing the public ground floor program from the private research spaces above. It aims to bring awareness that infrastructure exists both above and below the inhabited zones of the built environment. Revealing the underground construction infrastructure in the design of the first floor allows people to get a glimpse at the foundation structure of backfilled land in Boston.

The datum is also signified by the information that is revealed to the user over time. It engages the users in a variety of immersive experiences that foster awareness of the past, present, and future of Boston’s waterfront. The dynamic exhibition spaces allow for the program to change over time. It creates a space where learning occurs on all levels and information is shared by researchers and visitors to the site.

The human desire to learn is stimulated by embedding knowledge in the design of the proposal. The Immersive Learning and Research Center integrates learning and natural discovery into the built environment, while reflecting the changes occurring in the surrounding context.

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Fig. 75: Project Proposal Rendering 82

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Massachusetts College of Art and Design Department of Architectural Design Master of Architecture Nupur S. Khadilkar

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