Opportunistic Park(ing): A Distributed Pedestrian Network

Thesis 2012: California College of the ArtsInstructor: Brian Price

By: Sean Stillwell

OAK STFELL ST

GREAT H

WY

BAY ST

9TH ST

19TH

AVE

3RD ST

LOMBARD ST

1ST ST

KEARN

Y ST

GEARY BLVD

MAR

KET

ST

GENEVA AVE

CASTRO

ST

SLOAT BLVD

HOWARD ST

KING ST

ALEMANY BLVD

PARK PRESID

IO BLVD

LINCOLN WAY 16TH ST

24TH ST

FELL ST9TH ST

1ST ST

KEARN

Y ST

HOWARD ST

KING ST

Population Density

Opportunistic Park(ing): A Distributed Pedestrian Network

Thesis 2012: California College of the ArtsInstructor: Brian Price

This thesis proposes ulterior means of producing public space within the city.

The research has focused on where current policy for public space making is ineffective and where there are opportunities to propose alternative strategies in both locating and implementing these spaces.

This design experiment exploits an economy of means both politically and conceptually to illuminate how policy may be augmented to produce public space that will better serve the city.

SITE LINES: SPACE UNDERSTOOD AS DEAD END SITE LINES: SPACE UNDERSTOOD AS A THOROUGHFARE

LAYERING OF CONTIGUOUS OPEN SPACE WITH GRADE CONNECTION

SECTIONAL SHIFT ONE FLOOR ABOVE STREET LEVEL PARKING LOTS

DESIRED GROUND LEVEL CONNECTIVITY

CURRENT SECTIONAL DISCONNECTION MEDIATED BY HOST BUILDINGS

DISCONNECTED PUBLIC SPACE: DEPENDANT HOST BUILDINGS

STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE OCCUPATION OF PUBLIC SPACE:-USE OF MATERIALS ASSOCIATED WITH OPEN SPACES-PROVIDE CIRCULATION ROUTES THROUGH THE SPACE

IDENTIFY INAFFECTIVE PUBLIC SPACE MAKING PRACTICES:-DETERMINE FACTORS THAT CONTRUBUTE TO UNDERUTILIZED PUBLIC SPACE-LOCATE AREAS OF THE CITY WITH BELOW-AVERAGE OPEN SPACE-LOCATE AREAS OF THE CITY WITH HIGH POPULATION DENSITY

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC SPACE: DEPENDANT ON NEW DEVELOPMENT

CONNECTED AT GRADE

DISCONNECTED VIA HOST BUILDING

SITE ANALYSIS: Powell BART Station & Context

Civic Center

POWEL BART

BOEDDEKER PARK

N N

A

1

2

4

5

6

7

8

9

B C D E F G HA

1

2

4

5

6

7

8

9

B C D E F G H

BOEDDEKER PARK

URBAN STRATEGY:

LOCATING SITES (AGGREGATION OF OPEN SPACE)

EDDY ST.

TURK ST.

GOLDEN GATE AVE.

MARKET ST.

TAYLOR ST.

MASON ST.

EDDY ST.

BOEDDEKER PARK

TURK ST.

GOLDEN GATE AVE.

TAYLOR ST.

MASON ST.

THOROUGHFARE BLOCKS: SITE LINES AS STRATEGIES FOR SURGICAL INTERVENTION

MARKET ST.

METHODS OF INTEGRATING NEW SPACES WITH PARKING PROGRAM:-DEVELOP PUBLIC SPACE ABOVE EXISTING STREET LEVEL PARKING LOTS-USE A STRUCTURAL GRID THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PARKING LOTS BELOW-ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE NEW SURFACE OF PUBLIC SPACE FOR LIGHT AND AIR AS WELL AS SECTIONAL CONNECTIVITY

IDENTIFY URBAN STRATEGIES FOR NEW PUBLIC SPACE:-STREET LEVEL PARKING LOTS USED AS SITES FOR NEW OPEN SPACE INCREASE PUBLIC SPACE SQ. FOOTAGE TO CITY AVERAGE 17 %-THESE SPACES CAN BE CONNECTED WITHIN EACH BLOCK THROUGH MINIMAL SURGICAL CUTS IN THE URBAN FABRIC USING SITE LINES

MODEL: MAPPING THOROUGHFARES & SITE LINES MODEL (UNDERLAY): THOROUGHFARES & SITE LINES

SUBDIVISION FOR LIGHT AND AIR BELOW NEW SURFACE FOR PUBLIC SPACE

SECTIONAL SHIFT ALLOWS FOR BRIDGING SUBDIVISION FOR SECTIONAL CONNECTIVITY STRUCTURAL STRATEGY FOR PARKING COMPATABILITY

SITE LINES THROUGH BLOCK

ZONES FOR SURGICAL CUTS

POTENTIAL OPEN SPACE

PARKING STRUCTURES AS THOROUGHFARES

EXISTING OPEN SPACE

VACANT PROPERTIES

PARKING STRUCTURES

STREET LEVEL PARKING LOTS

EXISTING OPEN SPACE

BUILDING ABOVE

GOLDEN GATE AVE.

TURK ST.

EDDY ST.

ELLIS ST.

BOEDDEKERPARK

NEW FRONTAGE

DENSE GRAIN:CONNECTION TO SIDEWALK

MARKET ST.

MASON ST.

TAYLOR ST.

VIEW:VISUAL CONTINUITY THROUGH BLOCK

PERMEABLE PAVERS:

WOOD DECKING:

CONCRETE PANNELS:

PARKING STRUCTURES:

PROGRAM A

PROGRAM B

PROGRAM C

PROGRAM D

PUNCH THROUGH GROUND FOR VISUAL POROSITY

FURTHEST FROM MARKET ST.

ONCE REMOVED FROM MARKET ST.

BOARDERING MARKET ST.

2ND FLOORS AS THOROUGHFARES

N

PLAN: CONTIGUOUS PUBLIC SPACE *NTS

SECTIONE-W

SECTION

PERSPECTIVE

B-

A-

D-

C-

GRAIN DENSITY:

SCALES OF RESULTING PROGRAM

CIRCULATION: 5’ WIDTH,(GREATEST FLEXIBILITY FOR ACHIEVING SECTIONAL SHIFTS)WATER FOUNTAININDIVIDUAL BENCH

CIRCULATION: 10’ WIDTHGROUP SEATING 2-6INDIVIDUAL CART VENDORBUILT IN BOARD GAMESSMALL SCALE PUBLIC ARTEXERCISE STATIONSTORM WATER CATCHMENT

20’ WIDTHGROUP SEATING >15JUNGLE GYM UNITSMALL SCALE REC SMALL INDOOR SPACELARGE ART INSTALLATIONBATHROOM/LOCKER ROOMDOG PARK

60’ WIDTH+LARGE AGGRICULTURELARGE REC FIELDLARGE INDOOR SPACELARGE ASSEMBLY SPACELARGE PLAYGROUND AREA

GRAINING OF SITES: EAST-WEST GRAIN

NORHT-SOUTH GRAIN

B

A

D

C

7”

7”

14”

30”

5’5’10’20’

D

C

C

C C

C

BB BBB

B B

PLAN:PROGRAM TYPES

SECTIONAL BEHAVIOR

10

30

80

160

EAST-WEST SECTION SHOWING CONTIGUOUS PUBLIC SPACE:-SURGICAL CUTS ARE MADE THROUGH EXISTING BUILDINGS WITHIN THE BLOCK-PARKING LOTS ARE MAINTAINED AND EVEN DEVELOPED AS COVERED PARKING-NEW FRONTAGES ARE CREATED BY THE SITE LINE CUTS THAT HELP TO ACTIVATE THE SPACE

DEVELOP PROGRAMMING STRATEGIES FOR MULTIPLE SCALES:-BASED ON THE STRUCTURAL GRID, EACH NEW SPACE IS SUBDIVIDED -DENSITY INCREASES AT THE EDGE AND PINCH POINTS FOR FLEXIBILITY-GREATEST FLEXIBILITY OCCURES AT CONNECTIONS TO EXISTING SIDEWALKS

Architecture/Policy Precedents:

Precedent analysis provides strategies of architecture as policy.

- Re-conceptualize space as public, as with Rebar's Park(ing) project (1).

- Provide an open frame work for programming and interaction, as with KGDVS & Dogma Architecture's urban strategy for Seoul, Korea (2).

- Provide a pedestrian thoroughfare as an alternative to, or extension of the sidewalk, expanding and contracting into a variety of public spaces. These strategies are exemplified in the Highline, by Diller Scofidio Renfro and James Corner Field Operations (3).

1

3

2

AXONOMETRIC: IN SITU-NEW THOROUGHFARES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANIC DEVELOPMENT OF NEW FRONTAGES ADJACENT TO THESE SPACES ONE LEVEL ABOVE GRADE

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC: SYSTEMS OF NEW PUBLIC SPACE -POSSIBLE PROGRAMMING IS DETERMINED BY COMMUNITY OUTREACH -NEW FRONTAGES/BUSINESSES CREATE STUARDSHIP OF NEW PUBLIC SPACES

TYPICAL STREET LEVEL PARKING& MIXED USE BUILDING STOCK

OPPORTUNISTIC PARK(ING):CREATING NEW ADJACENCIES

VIEW: VISUAL CONTINUITY THROUGH THE BLOCK

ADJACENCIES ARE DEVELOPED ALONGEDGE OF NEW PUBLIC SPACE

CONCEPTUAL PERMINANCE: NEW DEVELPMENT REQUIREDTO MAINTAIN QUALITIY & CONNECTIVITY OF NEWPUBLIC SPACE NETWORK

PHASING: SPEC’ING PUBLIC SPACEFOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

SECTION PERSPECTIVE:CONNECTION TO THE SIDEWALK

SECTION PERSPECTIVE:CONNECTION TO THE SIDEWALK