Site Analysis

Site Morphology, changes to surrounding context overtime

Time-line of events surrounding the site

Taking these first steps to organize the historical documentation, I then sought to use it for a single site history diagram. Then I explored different site forces that were influencing the selected site. I started with analyzing the large scale of the greenway and pulling it down from an urban level to a neighborhood level and a parcel level. Then I examined how views and sight-lines to significant features and open space could inform interior spatial qualities.

Historical MorphologyScales of the GreenwaySight-lines informing interior forces

Site Documentation

Front Panorama

Rear Panorama

Context Aerial

Aerial

What I initially was looking for in choosing my site was a place that could incorporate both an open landscape condition and a more dense urban condition. However, the contrast shouldn’t be so strong, i.e. not Central Park in New York.

The site I chose is the Big Dig Parcel # 2, towards the North Station end of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. I saw potential in this site because of its strong connection to a landscape idea that is the greenway, as well as strong urban connections. It is directly connected to infrastructure being adjacent to both North Station and Haymarket. It also gives me the opportunity to link together two neighborhoods that were once torn apart by the central artery, Bulfinch Triangle and the North End. The site size is roughly 52,000s.f, and would be an opportune space to all of the program conditions stated above.Figure Ground
Zoning Map

Street and Wharfline Changes

Major ThoroughfaresElevated Railway Lines

The approach I decided to take as far as starting to develop some in-depth analysis of the site, I wanted to look at its evolution since it was apart of the first few landfills in Boston. I gather historical maps, aerials and photographs to get a better understanding of the site.

Boston Landfill Overtime17751808 - Master-plan for Bullfinch Triangle street grid after landfill1826 - Causeway Wharf and separation of Wards1852 - Expansion of Wharf and Bridges to Charlestown

1881 - Railway plans for North Station

1923 Aerial of Downtown - North End

1930 - North Station

1946 Aerial, showing Haymarket and Scollay Square1949 - North Station and the Bulfinch Triangle

1954 - Plan for elevated Central Artery1955 - Artery is ConstructedThe impact of the artery on Boston's neighborhoods

2003 - Artery still up and in use, construction on the "Big Dig" will put it undergroundToday - Now with the highway underground, the artery still exists as a greenway, dividing Government Center and Bulfinch Triangle from the North End.

Thesis Program

Program concept diagram: Adaptable Space

Although program within a building has previously gone as "form follows function", the idea which leads to building longevity is that of adaptable space. If space can adapt to hold many different functions, it will see more use and diversity within its lifetime. Empty buildings become warehouses, then offices, then art galleries, then dance studios, and so on.

Adjacency of Spaces:

Looking into the breakdown of planned program spaces, I want there to be a blend between private spaces (such as offices and residences) and public spaces (exterior landscapes, markets, and retail).Activities and Circulation:

Associating the private urban spaces and the public landscape spaces led to me thinking about the situations in two different ways: the horizontal and the vertical natures of both. Coming up with potential circulation, there could be an interesting mix of both horizontal and vertical in the blended spaces, interior and exterior as well.

Idea Map and Visual Abstract Final

In this idea map I wanted to explore the bridge between two topics that I have great interest in. I created a common path through words of subtopics and details that pertain to each topic. The words close to each topic can be translated between natural ideas and their man-made counterpart.The visual abstract takes images related to the two topics, and combines them into ideas of how they might integrate into an architectural idea.

more image collection

These are from my initial look into what images I like. Note that I took most of these photos.

Small Alleyways

Light, Shadow, Texture
Rolling Landscapes
Light and Shadow
Bizarre
Playful Materials
Contrast
Reflectivity
Steep topography
Interior-Exterior relationships
Ramps
Monuments
Reflectivity
Brick streets without cars
Texture
Rem Koolhaas
Reflectivity
Curvilinear Forms
Sharp AnglesStrong Axis