2 minute read
Bottom-up Sub-Urbanism
by ranhegsd
Re-imagination of suburbia
Harvard GSD Urban Design Studio| Fall 2021
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Professor: Stephen Gray, Rahul Mehrotra
Collaborator: Yixin Wu
Suburban Community
Strip Mall Industrial Park
forest/wetland suburban outskirts
Scale
In this project, we started off by analyzing parcels of the existing built environment- we identified “snapshots” of our site with mismatched adjacencies, incoherent programs, discontinuous public realm as well as underutilized spaces. Putting these elements together gave us a rough sense of how much potential the site has in each of these clusters.
Our goal is to strategically re-configure the existing site condition not through total redevelopment but by formulating a number of widely applicable “rules” which address building density, programs, street adjacencies, community connection, and the arrangement of nature and public green spaces. We wanted to see how much difference it would make by applying small and subtle local changes and applying them over the entire site.
In this project, we started off by analyzing parcels of the existing built environment- we identified “snapshots” of our site with mismatched adjacencies, incoherent programs, discontinuous public realm as well as underutilized spaces. Putting these elements together gave us a rough sense of how much potential the site has in each of these clusters.
Our goal is to strategically re-configure the existing site condition not through total redevelopment but by formulating a number of widely applicable “rules” which address building density, programs, street adjacencies, community connection, and the arrangement of nature and public green spaces. We wanted to see how much difference it would make by applying small and subtle local changes and applying them over the entire site.
In this project, we started off by analyzing parcels of the existing built environment- we identified “snapshots” of our site with mismatched adjacencies, incoherent programs, discontinuous public realm as well as underutilized spaces. Putting these elements together gave us a rough sense of how much potential the site has in each of these clusters.
Our goal is to strategically re-configure the existing site condition not through total redevelopment but by formulating a number of widely applicable “rules” which address building density, programs, street adjacencies, community connection, and the arrangement of nature and public green spaces. We wanted to see how much difference it would make by applying small and subtle local changes and applying them over the entire site.
Left: Masterplan Right:Zoning and FAR Proposals
Design Visions
Our first focal point is the University Park Amtrak Station. As an important gateway for traffic from Boston and nearby cities, this station facilitates both railway transit and acts as a stopping point for vehicles from nearby communities. At the moment the majority of building footprint is dedicated to parking and vehicle storage. However, being the very first building to be seen from the highway, we believe it has a lot more potential than its current development. A few changes on the architectural level, if introduced, could increase the surrounding foot traffic and establish a more coordinated local traffic network. An open ground floor with a central courtyard also provides much needed public space around this block.
We introduce convenient and pedestrian-friendly paths from the Westwood neighborhood to the site so that people get easy access to what makes their lives wonderful. The largely shortened distance also stimulates green travel with less reliance on private cars.
On the north west of the site where there’s dramatic elevation difference, a bridge connected to the roof garden on the strip mall then down to one of the main recreational green open spaces contributes to a pleasant walk. Elevators inside the buildings are also utilized for connection between different levels. The ground floor facing the lower side can be occupied by service stores at the front and car parking at the back and it reduces ground parking.
