Moon City Creative District and Foot Bridge
Fall '14 - Librarium Nominee
Project: Moon City Creative District is a Live Work District in north Springfield, MO. It proposes apartment spaces that can function as studios for atists to creat within their own homes. It also proposes separate work spaces, open studio areas, public space for interaction between the public and the artist community, and a foot bridge over the adjacent railways to connect the community with the commercial street downtown area.
Objectives
•Create a connection to the community to influence interactions between the residence and the surrounding, as well as creating a link through the broken site.
•Creating public space within the site and bridge to create places for artists to interact with potential clients, as well as internally amongst themselves to inhibit personal growth. It could also allow for places for community events to be held, and artists to exhibit their work.
•Encouraging public interaction with the site and its residence can promote local growth amongst all class lines, leading to the revitalization of the area.
Concept: Exploring Dichotomy
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The notion to explore dichotomy, or the division or contrast of two things that are represented as being opposed or entirely different, was derived directly from the needs of the program as well as the sites characteristics. The program calls for a live work district, two things generally thought of as separate entities compounded together. However, it become apparent that these differences can create conversation with each other that isn’t opposing, but actually aiding. Similarly, the site embodies the clash between natural and man made, it was once an industrial sector that has since been claimed back by the land and the two entities appear to be opposing, however the contrast creates an interesting material conversation. In grouping dichotomous or similar conceptual entities and exploring their relationships, formal moves can be developed and organized, enhancing the needs of material and program through analogy and duplicity.
Modular Grid
Separation/ Link
Mass/ Void Bleed
Dichotomy
Plan
The Units
Four separate housing types were created to serve different housing needs. The first is a studio apartment with an open living space for working or living. The second is a one story 2 bedroom unit for a small family or for living space and an office. The third is a one bedroom loft apartment with an open multi level work space as a studio for scultptors or painters. Last is a three level town home with 3 bedrooms and space for living and working for artists with families. By providing a diverse set of living arrangements, the goal is to welcome in family units and artists of many varieties and situations into the district. Models were created for each unit as well as an overall massing.
Loft
Studio
2 Bedroom
Town House
Wall Detail
Part of the project was to design a foot bridge crossing the train tracks into the site to connect the site to the larger down town area. The design of the foot bridge is thought of as a verticle green public space, connecting the site, parks to the north of it, and the downtown area below it. The structure is meant to reflect the industrial nature of the project, whereas the bridge itself is green and natural with grass space for sitting and socializing. No structure protrudes the bridge deck, however, where the structure on the base meets the bridge, sculptural lighting in the form of metal trees are proposed similar to works done by artist Roxy Paine. The final model of the bridge that was made was nearly 5' in total and had to be split into two sections to build.
The Bridge
Conclusion
The final project was nominated for the Librarium prize, has been in an exhibition in Springfield, MO on C street, and is currently being used for NCARB accredidation. The critique of the project went well, converstations focused on the street face towards the neighborhood, and exploring ways to integrate the parking differently. The models and presentation recieved many good comments. However, the rendering technique I chose of using desaturation, some highlights, and a rainy environment had split reactions. Some liked the method, others prefered a more optimistic portrayal. The concept was clear, and my explanation of the project was complimented, which I appreciated because I was working on communication skills during presentations. The final project also had 8 total models, that along with the visualizations I created, were fun to produce and helped to represent my ideas and concepts.
