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Masters Thesis written and created by Sergio Riccardi 2020-2021 at the Boston Architectural College

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Published by sergio.riccardi, 2023-03-05 21:14:22

Sergio Riccardi Masters Thesis P.II

Masters Thesis written and created by Sergio Riccardi 2020-2021 at the Boston Architectural College

Keywords: BAC,Boston Architectural College,Architecture,Masters thesis,Design,theBAC,Sergio Riccardi

The existing site exists at 0’-0” elevation, significantly lower than the mean water line of the Main Outfall Canal, making it vulnerable to two major types of flooding. The first is ground water flooding, which is illustrated at the top left. In 2019 alone, the Lower 9th Ward saw both a major and minor ground water flood event, with 64” average annual rainfall over 56 rainy days and, impacting the entire context of the site as a result. The second type of flooding is Levee Failure, which, while less frequent, certainly poses a significant risk to the community. With events like this, even the three elevated properties to adjacent to the site are severely impacted by unpredictable water levels.12 iii. Site Site Study 7. NEW ORLEANS/ORLEANS PARISH UNINCORPORATED AREAS FEMA FLOOD MAP [Map] 8. New Orleans Google Maps [Map]. 12. LOWER NINTH WARD CLIMATE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA [Climate Date] 51


iii. Site


iii. Site Looking at the site context in perspective, we can see how the community has dealt with the impact of flooding through elevation. At one end of the extreme at the far left is the property at 2637 Caffin Ave, which is elevated 15’-0” from the grade, situating the home above the typical groundwater flood level. The two remaining properties, 2621 and 2601 Caffin Ave are both elevated 3’-6” from grade, making them much more susceptible to flood impacts. In a severe ground water flood situation as depicted at the left, the higher elevation helps prevent flooding damage, however in the event of a levee failure, where fifteen to sixteen feet of water inundates the area, even the elevated property is compromised. Although the traditional “elevate” strategies offer some protection, they are disconnected from the realities of the site, and are not a viable long term solution as water levels increase. Aesthetically, the solutions often are utilitarian and not visually appealing nor do they help reinforce the idea of a community. An ideal dwelling on this block needs to be truly embracive of its context, nestling into the landscape and aquascape, and allowing for flexibility in dealing with changing flood situations. In contrast to the traditional approaches, the proposed dwelling for this site will explore a two-story volume, with its lower level completely submerged in water as a baseline, perhaps counterintuitive proposing the lowest elevated structure on the block. In its development however, this concept will explore embracive solutions for living at three levels - Above, On, and Below the water. Site Study 53


54


When designing a house that operates drastically different than its neighbors, its important to respect the vernacular and design language of the area so that it can fit in with its context. Although giving this dwelling a pitched gable roof would achieve this, It does not allow for adaptive programing of the roof and this being the level above water it is important that this space can meet the needs of the resident. Utilizing a massing that bears resemblance to a boat or vessel allows the dwelling to float, but makes lateral movement extremely unstable and does not create ideal lower level floor plate. Its important that this embracive dwelling be nestled into the landscape and this can be done by submerging the unit a full story below grade. The Massing or Hull, which is the main structure that will be submerged, must be the heaviest part of the dwelling for stable buoyancy. To counter this, visually the upper portion of the massing, the brow, will visually look heavy, like its pushing and forcing the hull into the landscape, but in reality would be the lightest portion of the structure. The underside of this brow, will allow caustic light into the unit to illuminate the interior of the dwelling and to allow the brow to remain as solid as possible. With a solid hull and brow, windows can only exist at the intersection between both components Massing Study 55


iii. Site AMF-House Proposed AMF-House as seen during normal, non-flood events 2609 Caffin Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117 The Aquatic Moored Foundation house utilizes embracive strategies, existing in its normal state as a floating unit, landlocked in a pond of water. This allows the unit to adaptively control its water level as nature sees fit. The unit is able to float through the use of buoyant structural concrete and water integrated into the massing of the unit. The dwelling is a mix of in situ and prefabricated construction. This house is meant to act as a proof of concept to help challenge and change the way people perceive life and living in Flood prone areas. 56


iii. Site 57


iii. Site In the event of a flood, the dwelling simply embraces this new water level and rises with the flood staying laterally in place by the AMF Slip. During a severe storm, resident of the AMF-House would be in the lower more protected level. This level is significantly below the water line so any thrashing or significant movement that does occur will be felt less here. The house’s dock also rises with the flood water and can be corralled up against the house or broken apart and used by the other residents until the flood waters recede. 58


iii. Site 59


iii. How It works 60


The Dwelling sits inside of an Aquatic Moored Foundation that prevents and restricts lateral movement while allowing vertical movement with rising and falling water levels. The unit is constructed in two parts, The first is the Unit itself which is partially prefabricated with components delivered to the site for assembly. The second is the slip and pond, constructed on site with foundations, slabs, and sheet pilings built inside the AMF slip. At the base of the slip, the circular objects visible in the image at the left act as a movement and impact dampener, constructed from truck tires filled with stone and cast halfway into the concrete slab. This arrangement allows the water level to drop to lower than normal levels without damaging the “hull” or the slip in the process. iii. How it Works 61 On Site Vs. Prefabrication


iii. How It works 62


At the base of the assembly, the dwelling itself is supported by a waterproof concrete hull which is cast solid, sealed, and float tested before delivery to the site. This structure supports a mass timber frame which is prefabricated in sections and assembled on site framing the upper portions of the house. To maintain the integrity of the hull, this frame is the primary structural support for attachment of the majority of the elements Skylight / Rain Water Deflector Custom Metal Panel Facade Timber Frame Waterproof Floating Concrete Hull constructing the house, including all skin and enclosure elements. The exterior skin incorporates a contemporary use of the metal panel seen throughout the area, and features skylights above which supply daylighting into the center of the unit and to an interior Botanical Library, as well as diverting rainwater into a cistern housed in the lower level of the house iii. How it Works Assembled Components 63


iii. How It works Other Float Typologies Desired Float Level Proof of concept 3D Printed Hull Massing Proof of concept 3D Printed Hull Massing Proof of concept 3D Printed Hull Massing Proof of concept 3D Printed Hull Massing Proof of concept 3D Printed Hull Massing Proof of concept 3D Printed Hull Massing Desired Float Level Desired Float Level Actual Float level Actual Float level Actual Float level The Water Column 64 The Water Mound


The AMF House is constructed of a sealed structural buoyant concrete hull, combining the principles of material density and water displacement to float the structure. The overall concept relies on maintaining a float level for the house aligned with the floor of the upper level, which requires careful consideration to ensure its stability and consistency. One method to achieve this effect is to actively control a ballast weight of the structure by actively adding or shedding water as needed. This approach allows the structure to float at a desired level, but requires significant intervention by the homeowner, and therefore allows for too much room for error. A better solution for this problem is to design a structure which introduces more surface area for displacement, passively introducing water below the massing strategically, creating upward pressure in the process. In the explorations of this concept at the left, two alternates to a typical flat bottomed hull are explored to achieve the desired level of floating with minimal interaction. The water column approach incorporates six slender columns to provide the necessary surface area, but impact the floor plan much like traditional columns which can undesirably impede interior planning of the space. An alternative approach condenses the surface area into a centralized single column called the water mound, leaving the floor plate open on all sides, providing well scaled usable lower level areas in the process. iii. How it Works How it Floats 65


iii. How It works 5. 4. 1. In this section we can begin to see how these levels of thinking come together, above the water you have rain water harvesting and power generation, at the water level, you have all the amenities one needs to dwell and reside. Below the water level you are submerged and here you have the functions that support the dwelling and offer total shelter. Above, On, and Below 3. 66


iii. How it Works 1. Botanical Library Legend: 2. Corridor to Bedrooms 3. Integrated PV Array 4. Rain Water Diversion & Skylight 5. Pump/Filter/Power 6. Corridor 3. 2. 6. 67


Upper Level iii. How It Looks Roof Level 68


The design of the house features an upper level positioned roughly 3’-0” lower than the adjacent grade, aligned with elevation of the typical water table in the area. This floor supports two bedrooms, a bathroom, and an open kitchen and lounge space and is intended as the primary living space of the house. The space is flooded with natural light, from the skylight above and adjacent windows, and is directly accessible to a two story growing wall which incorporates terracotta pots for growing herbs inside the structure. This growing wall, or Botanical Library, connects the upper and lower levels, housing a small reading nook at the base. The basic concept of the house is to create a selfsupporting environment, allowing for survival and operation in a flood event. In addition the green wall, the roofscape supports additional garden space as well as a PV array, and serves as a means to collect rainwater in an interior system, making the structure selfsustaining. iii. How it Looks Understanding the Levels 69


Lower Level Plan Slip Plan 70


The lower level of the dwelling houses the primary support systems for the house as well as an additional living space. Located entirely below the water level, the space is day lit from above with a continuous gap along the upper level floor infilled with rope mesh, bringing the daylight down into the darker space. Support systems including the sewage ejector, electrical hookup, main water supply and cistern, drainage, batteries, pumps and water filtration systems are consolidated in an area below the stair to the upper level, providing necessary infrastructure for the house without compromising the layout. Below the lower level, the structure rests in the slip on the recycled truck tire dampeners, surrounded on all sides by structural sheet pilings tied back to the landscape to maintain the shape and integrity of the pond walls. Understanding the Levels 71


iii. How It Looks 72


Intimate Corridor Blocked by the Reeds, illuminated by caustic reflection iii. How it Looks A small intimate corridor provides access to the two bedroom spaces located on the upper level. This space is surrounded by windows, which are intentionally blocked by a reed garden to provide privacy while still allowing daylight to filter into the space. These windows are connected to a series of horizontal windows which wrap the house, creating a caustic reflection of the water on the ceiling of the first floor, allowing the presence of the water to be felt in the interior at certain times of the day. Along this corridor, the floor line is also pulled back from the exterior wall, and infilled with rope mesh, providing a connection to the floor below, and a pathway for natural lighting to the submerged lower level. 73


iii. How It Looks 74


iii. How it Looks Botanical Library A familiar nature and a means of food production The botanical library is meant to help keep residents connected to nature throughout a flood. The Library ladder allows the resident to maintain and tend to the green wall. The wall also acts as a living wall paper, directly visible from the bedrooms through a rilled glass wall. Closer to the kitchen we have a hung terracotta clay pot wall that allows the residents to grown and maintain a fraction of there own food supply. The kitchen space was designed larger to allow for a more adaptable space that could be used as a harvest ans veggie work station during the beginning or ends of the growing cycles. 75


iii. How It Looks


iii. How it Looks It can be done but at what cost? Bibliography Reflections IV. Conclusions:


iv. It can be done, but at what Cost? 78


Understanding how people can dwell in areas that are vulnerable and prone to flooding can help change the lives for all individuals currently living in the Lower 9th ward. These are the individuals who were impacted the most in New Orleans and will continue to be impacted the most as the frequency and severity of flooding increases. Finding an equitable solution to flood mitigation will not come from just one thesis, but it can start with one thesis. From the beginning this thesis has been about challenging and changing the perception of living in vulnerable areas by creating equitable housing for the residents who currently reside in the Lower 9th Ward. While the AMF house challenges this perception while providing a solution, this solution as a stand alone project is far from affordable. It would need to be explored as a series of test houses to holistically understand the principals and components of this unit in order to find more economic ways of achieving the overall goals of the project. By making the AMF house a large custom prefabricated house, it becomes essentially one completely customizable home that challenges not only perceptions of how we live, but also how the current residential construction industry operates. The benefits of this type of housing would significantly increase the overall value and longevity of the physical construction of the house, despite the increased costs associated with advanced materials and custom engineered structural elements, making it worth the overall expense. Initially there would be a cost and operational learning curve to this approach, however over time, as the methods proposed in this thesis become more common in communities like the Lower 9th Ward, costs and challenges would decrease with each new structure. Therefore, the proposed dwelling is a critical starting point aimed at changing people’s perceptions about living on or near water, as a means of creating embracive communities which focus on forming symbiotic connections to their communities and environment. The AMF house is meant to function primarily as a proof of concept to help shift the focus, which over time would become more affordable through future iterations and explorations. It can be done but at what cost? iv. It can be done, but at what Cost? 79


iv. Reflection, Whats Next? 80


Spending the last two years researching Climate Change and resilient strategies to combat sea level rise first in the Netherlands in 2019 and then in America in 2020-2021 has significantly captivated my interests and most definitely changed the trajectory of my professional career. Inside of this thesis, in section ii. Planning for the Now-ish, there are 3 scales that were conceptually explored, Urban, Community, and Residential. I choose to zoom into the smaller residential scale because I genuinely believe that in order to embrace the flood prone landscape that is the Lower 9th ward, people need to understand that humans can design their own future that can indeed exist with water. My intention after graduation and in my professional career is to continue the research and strategies explored conceptually in Section ii that did not make it out of the conceptual design stage and begin to more thoroughly develop a master plan for the lower 9th Ward where water takes the main stage in planning and design. It is also my intention to continue to explore how an embrace architecture can change the future in more than just flood prone landscapes, in hopes to create a harmony between humans, architecture and nature. Reflection, whats next? iv. Reflection, Whats Next? 81


Bibliography Books Maps Journal Deltares, Coastal Work Katwijk, 2016. Design With Nature MacHarg, Ian L. “Sea and Survival.” In Design with Nature. Garden City: Doubleday, Natural History Press, 1971. New Orleans: Stratagies for a city in soft land Joan Busquests, Felipe Correa, “New Orleans: Stratagies for a city in soft land”, Harvard GSD Studio 2005. Flood Risk in New Orleans Implications for Future Management and Insurability Grossi, P., & Muir-Wood, R. (2006, January 10). Flood Risk in New Orleans Implications for Future Management and Insurability [PDF]. Newark, CA: Risk Management Solutions (RMS). A multiple additive regression tree analysis of three exposure measures during Hurricane Katrina Andrew Curtis, Bin Li, Brian D. Marx, Jacqueline W. Mills and John Pine, “A multiple additive regression tree analysis of three exposure measures during Hurricane Katrina”, Disaster, Whiley-Blackwell, Vol. 35, Pg. 19-33, January 2011. The Ten Most Damaging Hurricanes in U.S. History Pielke, R. A., Jr., Gratz, J., Landsea, C. W., Collins, D., Saunders, M. A., & Musulin, R. (n.d.). The Ten Most Damaging Hurricanes in U.S. History [Map]. In Www.arcgis.com. Retrieved from https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index. html?appid=50aea84a9853491f994f775cb989ea92 Neighborhood Statistical Areas of New Orleans [Map] C. (n.d.). Neighborhood Statistical Areas of New Orleans [Map]. In Portal-nolagis. opendata.arcgis.com. Retrieved from https://portal-nolagis.opendata.arcgis. com/datasets/e7daa4c977d14e1b9e2fa4d7aff81e59_0?geometry=-90.408%2C29.874%2C89.365%2C30.082 New Orleans Google Maps G. (2021, January 01). New Orleans Google Maps [Map]. In Www.google.com/maps. Retrieved February 02, 2021, from https://www.google.com/maps/place/New+Orleans,+LA/data=!4 m2!3m1!1s0x8620a454b2118265:0xdb065be85e22d3b4?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwijtp_6gsjwAhVo ElkFHc-uC3EQ8gEwAHoECAQQAQ NEW ORLEANS/ORLEANS PARISH UNINCORPORATED AREAS FEMA FLOOD MAP F. (2020, June 06). NEW ORLEANS/ORLEANS PARISH UNINCORPORATED AREAS FEMA FLOOD MAP [Map]. In Msc.fema.gov. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://msc.fema.gov/ portal/search?AddressQuery=new%20orleans#searchresultsanchor 82


Normalized hurricane damage in the continental United States 1900–2017. Weinkle, J., Landsea, C., Collins, D., Musulin, R., Crompton, R. P., Klotzbach, P. J., & Pielke, R. (2018). Normalized hurricane damage in the continental United States 1900–2017. Nature Sustainability, 1(12), 808-813. doi:10.1038/s41893-018- 0165-2 A multiple additive regression tree analysis of three exposure measures during Hurricane Katrina Hernan Cortés: from Second Letter to Charles V, 1520. Thatcher, Oliver J. 1907. “Hernan Cortés: from Second Letter to Charles V, 1520.” Modern History Sourcebook: 317-326. Websites Images Louisiana’s flood risk will skyrocket over the next 30 years Writer, M. (2020, July 05). Louisiana’s flood risk will skyrocket over the next 30 years; Here’s why. Retrieved May 14, 2021, from https://www.nola.com/news/ environment/article_2566fadc-ba5a-11ea-9291-b788cbd90904.html 2609 Caffin Ave Looking Down 55’ 2609 Caffin Ave Looking Down 55’ [Persona/Zack Smith Photography photograph taken in 2609 Caffin Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70117]. (2021, March 03). Main Outfall Canal 105’ Main Outfall Canal 105’ [Persona/Zack Smith Photography photograph taken in 2609 Caffin Ave, New Orleans, LA, 70117]. (2021, March 03). Rising sea to DISPLACE 500,000 New Orleans area RESIDENTS Tristan Baurick, N. (2017, April 21). Rising sea to DISPLACE 500,000 New Orleans area RESIDENTS, study Says; see where they might go. Retrieved May 14, 2021, from https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_f87ed4a5-ffe7-5108-810ea1bc775b47e9.html Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan Waggoner, D. (2010, September 10). Greater new Orleans urban Water Plan. Retrieved February 02, 2021, from https://livingwithwater.com/blog/urban_water_plan/ problems/ LOWER NINTH WARD CLIMATE (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) Data.org. (2020, December 28). Retrieved May 14, 2021, from https://en.climatedata.org/north-america/united-states-of-america/louisiana/lower-ninth-ward489863/#:~:text=Lower%20Ninth%20Ward%20climate%20summary&text=Even%20in%20 the%20driest%20month,mm%20%7C%2054.4%20inch%20per%20year. 83


iv. Appendices 84


Appendix A: Thesis Proposal Appendix B: Thesis Presentations Appendix C: Thesis Boards V. Appendices: iv. Appendices 85


86


IV. Appendix A: Thesis Proposal This initial thesis proposal was developed in the fall of 2020 as a research introduction to the topic of Embracive Architecture, prepared under the tutelage of Ian Taberner, Rita Doummar, and Prasanna Lachagari. 87


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An Embracive Architecture: NEW ORELANS 2200 Sergio Riccardi ARC 3320 Section A 89


Executive Summary I believe that a fundamental role to understanding how we “NEED” to design our cities and buildings lays within embracive design. Humans have inhabited coastal regions for their connection to the water and what it meant for the development cities and settlements. Symptoms of climate change are getting worse year after year, these areas have become venerable due to the very thing that mad them viable. Storm surge and flooding have become one of the largest threats to coastal communities in Louisiana and the Southern United States. Architecture that Embraces is one that forms an intimate connection with culture, nature, and aquaculture to create spaces that protect, engage and strengthen humans connection to them and there to humans. New resilient building Typologies that help unify and protect in times of aggressive storm surge, and remain purposeful for everyday use are necessary to embrace the future of human survival in coastal communities. Can new building typologies be created to help preserve coastal city’s life sustaining infrastructure during flood or storm surge? Can a building be designed in a way that allows it to adapt to its changing environment in Louisianan? Can architecture embrace disaster? NEW ORLEANS 2200 Sergio Riccardi ARC 3320 Section A 90


Table Of Contents 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 Aspiration Synopses Faming the Thesis Mind Map Case Studies Radical Resilience Performance Programming Sketch Model Program Matrix New Orleans 2200 Annotated Bibliography 91


I believe that a fundamental role to understanding how we “NEED” to design our cities and buildings lays within embracive design. Humans have inhabited coastal regions for their connection to the water and what it meant for the development cities and settlements. Symptoms of climate change are getting worse year after year, these areas “wanderer above the sea of fog” By: Caspar David Friedrich 1.0 Aspiration Synopsis have become venerable due to the very thing that mad them viable. Storm surge and flooding have become one of the largest threats to coastal communities in America. Architecture that Embraces is one that forms an intimate connection with culture, nature, and aquaculture to create spaces that protect, engage and strengthen humans connection to them and there to humans. New resilient building Typologies that help unify and protect in times of aggressive storm surge, and remain purposeful for everyday use are necessary to embrace the future of human survival in coastal communities. 4 92


“the dreamer” By: Sergio Riccardi 5 93


2.0 Framing the Thesis The big why... After traveling to the Netherlands in 2019 to study Climate resilient architecture and the Dutch peoples constant battle with water dating back centuries I came to a sudden realization, many of their infrastructure projects seemed much to my surprise more of an offensive strategy rather than a defensive tactic. Instead of fleeing the coastline and heading to the hills, they started to increasingly densify the coastline and implement solutions that worked with the water instead of against it. They seemed to have this romantic harmony with water as a people and it reflects undoubtedly in there architecture and infrastructure. Any Dutch professional I spoke with about sea level rise and storm surge, after understanding I was from America, seemed to always bring up the hurricanes, tropical storms and tornadoes that have been ravaging the southern states for centuries. The tone was much more apologetic than judgmental and now I understand that it was more of a statement of how they viewed our government and our country not learning from its mistakes. Traveling back to the United states I began to conduct research on states that lined the golf coast. Trying to understand how they were planned what if any infrastructure projects were put into place that protected the coastal lines against impending storm surge from hurricanes or tropical storms. Much to my surprise there was a shockingly low amount of funding being put into research and implementation of “preventative measures” project on venerable coastal cities but there was an unbelievable amount of funding going into the rebuilding of these cities after disaster. Even more unbelievable was that they were rebuilding almost the same. I believe there is without doubt a better way to protect venerable coastal cities that lay in disaster prone areas that deal with large amounts of storm surge and flooding in the southern United States. Whether its designing new infrastructure that allows these City’s to operate even during cataclysmic events, radical approaches towards offensive planning strategies that deal with sea level rise and storm surge, new flood resistant building typologies that are multi faceted with respect to there programing, or a new flood resistant construction techniques that allows cities to float, something must be done now. We have all of the facts, we know the risks and costs associated with rebuilding and most importantly we hear the cries of families forced into seeking refuge from something that there government should have been focusing on decades ago. 6 94


Methods of Inquiry: Terms of Criticism: How many projects in the southern United States are using resilient design to when building new? Where are they? What types of projects are they? What defines how well a building can withstand storm surge? Can buildings be rated based on there ability to handle flood waters? What cities are most concerned with the study of flood resilient design and planning? Why are they concerned? Who is impacted the most by storm surge? What makes them so venerable? How has the plant life and ecology of venerable coastal areas responded to storm surge? What do animals do during large storms? How much would it cost to build a flood resilinat city of the future? What would it be made of? would it be static or moveable? Who would live there? Can new building typologies be created to help preserve coastal city’s life sustaining infrastructure during flood or storm surge? Can existing infrastructure be preserved and adapted to withstand flood or storm surge? What makes architecture more resilient to storm surge, offensive or defensive structure and planning strategies? Do we keep designing cities on venerable coastlines or do we come up with an alternate strategy. Stay or Go? Can a building be designed in a way that allows it to adapt to its changing environment in Louisianan Can architecture embrace disaster? 7 95


Accommodate Strengthen Mitigation Optimize Adaptation Protection Barrier Resiliency Sand Wall Dam Levee Soft Barrier Hard Barrier Barrier as Barrier Barrier as Infrastructure Change Evolve Adjust Prevention Conromity Dunes Granular Particulate Blanket Shelter Shield 3.0 Mind Map 896


Coastline Weather/Climate Environment Resiliency Ocean/Sea Waves Aquatic Salty Vast Power Texture Storms Melting Heat Sea Level Rise Land Loss Coastal Defense Delta Wetland Aquatic Living Topography Flooding Embracive Digging Holes Sand Castles Vacation Surfing Warm Shells Sand Stone Recreation Beach 9 97


4.0 Case Studies Whitney Water Purification Facility Steven Holl Architects LOCATION Lake Whitney, New Haven Connecticut, USA COMPELETION 2005 DESIGN TEAM Steven Holl, Chris McVoy (design architects) Anderson Lee, Urs Vogt (associates) Arnault Biou, Annette Goderbauer (project architects) Justin Korhammer, Linda Lee, Rong-hui Lin, Susi Sanchez (project team) STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING CH2M HILL; Tighe and Bond LANDSCAPE DESIGN Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates CLIENT South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority Steven Holl’s design for a water treatment facility in southern Connecticut is both a water treatment facility and a public park with educational tours so young visitors can learn about water the process of water purification. The plant is situated on Lake Whitney has the capacity to purify up to 68,000 cubic meters of water per day for the state of Connecticut. The design of the plant takes into account its natural setting and 70% of the building itself is subterranean. Light is often a driving element in Holl’s designs and he uses water reflecting properties in oder to blur the line between architecture and landscape. In this project, the architects decided to place the programing space for the treatment of the water itself below ground. The usual design approach towards water treatment facilities are to design these large boxes that take up a lot of area. Holl proposed to put all the functions below ground in order to free the landscape and allow it to become a park. The park, a natural wetland caters to the needs of the local residents an is a recreation venue. The park was designed to represent the water treatment process and is a natural habitat for birds.1 10 98


https://www.stevenholl.com/projects/whitney-water-facility 11 99


4.0 Case Studies 12 100


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