Week 7: Update (Mid-review)

Comments and thoughts about my Thesis Project:
Preparing for Mid-review has been exhausting, but I am glad it is over and  my review went ok.

The reviewers recognize the large urban focus of my project and wanted to see me begin to speculate at what the future phasing for the new urban growth will look like, they wanted to see the "wild fire" of development.  I too feel like that is the next step or has been missing, but being that I am in pursuit of an Architecture degree and not a Planning degree, that portion of the project will have to remain speculative.

My reviewers are still skeptical of my choice to develop a building/ plaza / street linking all of the different modes.  As a designer wearing both the Urban and Architecture hat I am being pulled in two directions trying to create something convincing, interesting, and compelling (architecture) and make something that is functional and will work well 50 yrs down the line (planner).  They are concerned that making someone wall to a transfer point is ridiculous, I agree, but I am proposing a pedestrian dominated walk that will be enjoyable and increase the economic development for the area.

Unfortunately we never got into the building, which is fine.  Im not even sure if what I have designed/proposing for a building is even right.  I will use the rest of this term to finalize the overall scheme, program included, and if I don't ever figure out what my project is I will know that I have this ok building design waiting to be further developed in the spring.

The over arching comment in most reviews on wednesday was that people aren't thinking about the context!!!  They are just getting into the building because that is what is comfortable.  Well I feel like having a year to design a building should allow for ample time of thinking about the context and I am tired of feeling rushed to get into a building that isnt responsive to the fabric of my area as well as working towards proving my thesis.

I dont care how long it takes for me to resolve this but I will, and hopefully my instructors will trust that When it comes time to documenting, presenting and articulating my ideas they will be clear and well thought out.  I came to this school to do urban architecture and by God I will.


Narrative/Thesis:

We thrive on Mobility.  Our quest to increase our mobility is responsible for the discovery of America, manifest destiny, landing on the moon, and long weekend get-a-ways. A desirable result from this increased mobility has increased our ability to share ideas and improve technology. Unfortunately the exploitation of our technological advancement has made mobility possible for all; the car.  This inefficient person mover plays a detrimental role in carbon emissions, urban sprawl, storm water management, infrastructure costs (maintenance/implementation), and the reason you can never find parking downtown. 

Coordination of regional and district scale transportation options will greatly reduce our dependence on the automobile, mean while promoting re-urbanization in areas dominated by the automobile, and become a valuable asset in the realization of neighborhood scaled sustainability. 

In the Gateway Urban Renewal Area, an alignment capable of functioning as both economical and habitat fodder is incapable of intersecting with the existing regional transit, which is critical when trying increasing mobility.  Anyone who has ever utilized multimodal public transportation knows it can be arduous, time consuming, and discouraging.  The greater city of Portland’s current interaction with the Gateway area is primarily through the Transit Center located adjacent to the freeway.  All of the existing Light Rail Transit (except the yellow line) have service through this station, including 6 regional bus lines.  

The status of the current transit center’s primarily consist of a platform and covering that allows for riders to transfer from train to train or train to bus in the exposed climate and without ever setting foot into gateway. The site adjacent to this transit center is Gateway’s opportunity for creating a powerful node, capable of connecting the greater city with Gateway (visa versa) and becoming a desirable area to live, work, and play.   A building situated here would function to bridge the gap between alignments working to improve connection of multi-modal transit.  Secondly a community-programmed edifice would work to provide a place the area could take pride in as well as function as a gather space.

The link between multimodal transportation is crucial in making it an efficient, effective, and desirable means of transportation. In this context it has the ability to become more than just a connector between transit modes and become a connector of people and possibly idea.  In the similar vain of gained knowledge through travel in our pass, an epicenter for idea sharing is possible by situating a forum/symposium component where can be accesses by many through a public transit means. 

Vignettes:

Presentation Boards:

Board 1 'Portland Metro Context'. How this thesis begin to play into the idea of connectivity and re-urbanization.

Board 2 'Urban Analysis and URA Context':  Opportunities for Ecological Improvements.

Board 3:'Site Context' Concept/Parti/form development, Nolly plan.  

MODEL

1:25 model: museum board/ acrylic on trace