So, I revised a few things on the site and tower since my last post. One of them being the shifting of the tower so it's closer to the corner and still respect a setback. I am interested in creating a corner plaza, big enough for a few people to enjoy without being to close and at the same time allow incoming visitors to pass through. After careful consideration of comments by Werner in regards to Stair no. 3 being adjacent to the neighboring building, I decided to relocate this to within the bar element. This creates better relationships with the neighbors and still serve it's pragmatic function.
Due to the shifting of the tower and suspended element the retention pond was able to be enlarged. I extend the east portion of the pond so that it catches rainwater as this washes down from the tower. Another move I did was to relocate the main Gallery space within the tower and added another level to the tower, therefore it now soars +105'-0" A.F.F. By relocating the Main gallery inside I was able to provide more outdoor green area. Nevertheless, I introduce outdoor glass walls at the center lawn qualifying this as an outdoor Gallery. I will try to show this on my Sketchup model as the course heads to towards completion. Small walkways between the center lawn, tower and main lawn connect each other. Due to the width of the walkways and perhaps shallowness of the pond I won't be incorporating railing, in case you are wondering how deep is the pond, I foresee nothing to exceed 3'-0" deep. Since the stair element with Shearwall was relocated I had to introduce a supporting angle column at the northwest end of the suspended element.
Site grading along the north end of the site is maintained as it exist, therefore the Bar element or Automated parking structure is partially buried, it has not changed in length or width, perhaps it would get a bit taller. As you could see, the site now offers only one curb cut, and that is to the west end of the property, I want to create a block that is uninterrupted.
The driveway into the parking facility is maintained to a minimum and still provide access for two-way traffic. I feel is important to maintain the two-way lane to allow for sufficient stacking of vehicles and minimize potential accidents on the street.
I started to put together information on the images below of Green Integrated design strategies. I am currently finishing my Final code analysis and will be posting very soon and will be updating the structural plans to reflect the edit to the stair and comments by our Structural Engineer. For now, I will let the images speak for themselves....
9 comments:
Eddie,
The site seating, Lighting, green strategies, gaining more outdoor green areas by relocating the main gallery exhibit are all very advancing and progressive decesions in your project.
Can your corner plaza have like a light steel pergolas? or shading system. then we would have herarchy in lighting from the outside to the inside. from corner semi-shaded plaza -to-covered entry more shaded -to-the tower full shaded?
This herarchy in lighting intensity or shading could enrich the experience of the user's and they way they feel and relate to the diffrent spaces within your context.
I am glad you nicely designing the structure solution for your suspended Living Quarters.
This is a tottaly creative Idea that i like to be in one day.
Eddie,
I have to second Amr's request for the pergola over the plaza. I think it could create an interesting gathering area at the corner for the passer-by and the students. In the summer the people will gather here to have a moment of relief from the hot sun, in the other months they might try to get a bit of shelter (not that a pergola will give complete protection but it can offer some.)
Eddie,
I like the detail of your site. I have a couple of questions (not good or bad, just wondering how you are planning on handling them, or looking at them).
1. Will the water in the pond be drained during the winter, or become an ice skating area? You may have noted that someplace, but I can't remember all the details of everyone's projects.. :-). The Christian Science Center as you drains theirs and it was disappointing to see that in January when we were there.
2. Is the SE corner of your garage the area you speak of being below grade, as the pond and that corner get close?
I like the idea of your illuminated seating blocks around your lawn, the lights within them will create a really nice glow below your residences. It will be that cool look you get as you are flying into or out of a city at night and looking down on the lights.
Keep up the great work... I will have to go verify your structure sizes now!!! lol
Eddie,
I like the latest site plan development, especially moving the exhibit space into the tower. The pond presents its’ own challenges, questions of draining are real. I enjoy you accommodating even trash and transformer. I would hope in further development (next semester?) you might try to integrate these elements even more. The transformer located under a mature tree might not be feasible in reality; reducing the trash court some and incorporating the transformer into it might get you towards the solution.
Your proposed green initiatives are very timid and certainly not inline with your grand design ideas. Recycling and bicycle racks are mandated already in Boston; the public garage might contain a level for bicycles with showers, bike repair and bike rental (similar to McDonald’s Cycle Center in Chicago http://www.chicagobikestation.com)
I had an interesting phone conversation with Lee Lazarus of A.P.T. Parking Technologies, he pointed out to me that your current automated parking garage design has a few challenges, I’m hoping he will leave an entry on your blog with direct comments. To understand how your design works with in the site section, I urge you to add a few sections. I think you will be surprised when you see the relationship of the tracks and Boylston Street to entrance to your garage, the different parking levels (you might not have the turn table under the garage once you are all done…), and the pool. I think the only section you will have easy sailing will be the corner of Mass Ave and Boylston. Keep also in mind that the site drops at least 2 feet from the corner back to the existing building.
Eddie,
My name is Lee Lazarus and I am with A.P.T. Parking Technologies, a provider of automated parking garages. We have built dozens of automated parking garages throughout Europe and currently have a few under construction in the US. One of our projects in a 300-space automated garage for the Lovejoy Wharf development in Boston.
I commend you on a terrific building design as well the inclusion of automated parking in it. I wanted to provide a few comments to you with respect to your garage design. Your garage design appears to include a crane down the center aisle storing vehicles on each side of the crane in the "door-to-door" position. Point #1: The crane requires the entire cubic space to be open and clear so the crane can simultaneously travel horizontally and vertically. The automated garage requires an entry/exit area where a customer can park his vehicle, turn off the engine before the crane picks up the car for storage. If you want to enter and exit from the same driveway, you need a turntable to rotate the car to face out for exiting. The entry/exit cabin with turntable is roughly 22ft in diameter and needs to be positioned next to the crane aisle. The design shows cars exiting from the crane aisle but the automated system does not work that way. #2 The crane aisle is typically longer than the storage aisles because the structure of the crane is longer than a parking space. This requires approximately 5ft runout at each end of the crane aisle so the crane can access the last parking space. #3 The Boston Fire Dept will focus on fire access to and from the automated garage so it feels comfortable it can fight a fire in a vehicle stored inside the automated garage. Lastly, I do not know if you intend to design a LEED compliant building but automated parking provides a few additional LEED points toward certification.
Feel free to contact me at lee@aptparking.com if you have any questions or comments. Congratulations again on a great design.
Mr. Lazarus,
I Thank you for the kind words, for visiting, and giving me valuable information. I visited your company's website and find your systems to be visually appealing, on the cutting edge and of great benefit in minimizing space and therefore giving back to environment. Your detailed information is most helpful and I will make sure to make the necessary edits to make the Automated parking garage buildable. As I was working on my three-dimensional model today I have removed the uneccessary structural columns that presented a challenge to the layout of the automated system. I wish you success on your Automated system for the Lovejoy Wharf in Boston, Thanks again.
Eddie Alvarado
Jaclyn and Amr,
Thank you for your comments, they are greatly appreciated. I am incorporating a suspended canopy that act as a trellis over the main entry of the tower to compact the entry. I would prefer to maintain the plaza open and perhaps introduce one or two more trees to create shade, soften the corner and provide a small heaven for visiting birds. Boston has many plazas that are open to the sky because Bostonians truly enjoy the sun when available. As an ex-Bostonian, I remember reading days at the base of the reflecting pool of the Christian Science Center where many others enjoyed the urban open space.
David,
I did mentioned before to have the retention pond become an ice skating rink, however, since then, my Green design strategy has evolvedto using this water retention pond for the use flushing plumbing fixtures, irrigation, etc. This means that I cannot count on freezing the water as it would need to be readily available for consumption. I must come up with a way of providing a cover that absorbs heat to keep the temperature of the water at a certain level and also keep the snow out when it occurs.
Werner,
I am happy to see that you like the new design. Point taken on the location of the mature tree and the proximity of the transformer. My guess is that I will no be able to convince you or the utility company on locating a root barrier adjacent to the underground power lines. I therefore propose to donate the tree to the City of Boston prior to construction, perhaps my Dear friend Amr will be kind enough to accept this tree into his proposed enclosed eco-system. :-)
I would like to maintain the length of the trash/recycling area to create a backdrop for the traveller heading west or east on Ipswich street.
The Green Design strategies (bicycles & recycle) are merely the begining of the overall Green Integrated Design, it so happened that they needed to be included on the Site Design as these are located within. Needless to say, there are other Green Strategies that occur at the ground level but are currently under the preparation of proper documentation for the presentation. One of them is the outcome of being able to provide 65% of pervious surface, this number could grow if I include the non-pervious surface of the plaza.
The water retention pond is another Green Strategy that creates a visually appealing environment for the end user and an opportunity to conserve water for the City of Boston.
Thank you for introducing Mr. Lazarus to the project and for discussing the proposed scheme. I really enjoyed the commens and suggestions and look forward to hearing some more.
Eddie,
you can't be serious to be thinking of relocating the mature tree! Move the transformer (maybe into the enclosure for the trash - reduce the amount of trash recepticles. Make it right, not precise. What do you think of the bike pavilion in Chicago? Could you add that into the basement of your car storage facility? Lee LAzarus found you yourself - he must have googled automated garages. We tried to use his product in a job - unfortunatley the client (and his construction advisor) got cold feet and didn't want to be the first ones creating automated parking in Boston... sometimes good ideas are just ahead of their time.
Interesting solution to the east plaza. You have a setback. But the overhead arbor (if I read it correctly) extends the building to Mass. Ave in effect creating a gateway entrance on the Avenue while preserving the setback – sort of cake and eat it too. I think it needs this to avoid having the space eroded by the big road.
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