(from project brief)
The project will be developed on the 8 acres over the Vanderbilt Rail Yards, in Brooklyn, NY. It is a contested area that has gone through different Master Plans and Community Proposals.
Part one: Protoblocks
During this part of the semester students will focus on the development of a protoblock, for which they will design and articulate parameters for growth and expansion into larger formations. The protoblock will be embedded with urban intelligence and will be constantly evaluated according to its environmental performance.
This exercise will focus on the development of iterations of volumes that are capable of hosting the program defined for the protoblock. These volumes should occupy no larger than 1 acre. The volumes will focus on the speculation on the distribution of program (with the typological implications that this could have) and the urban effect that the resulting volumes are capable of producing: alignments, corners, continuities, transparencies, shadows, view obstructions and so on. This exercise focuses on the urban potential that certain volumetric distribution strategies may have. The design of the volume should include the definition of the ground and its potential use as infrastructure, landscape or open space to support social activity. The student will choose the area of the site to test the volumes and will develop urban prototypes with which to work (block, tower, tower-block,etc.)
Program Protoblock
Footprint: 1 acre. 44,000 sqf (4046.85 sqm)
187500 sqf housing
11875 sqf cultural and community service
Possible programs:
Theater
Public Library
Hotel
Senior Citizen Center
High School
Elementary and Middle School
28750 sqf retail commerce
38125 sqf office space
10750 sqf recreation and leisure
37500 sqf infrastructure
FAR: 7.1
