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KelseyLiz HablaUniversity at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning

Portfolio 202 - 205

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Studio Grain Elevator Survey..............4 Body/Building/City....................8

Other Works Space Inversion.......................6 One to One............................8 Morphology...........................20 Reid House..............................2

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Grain Elevator Survey I Fall 202 I Instructor - Christopher Romano

Grain Elevator Survey

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This project was a multi aspect one that required a thorough investigation one of Buffalo's Grain Elevators located in Silo City.

We first did extensive research on Marine A through readings as well as by visiting the site to take photographs and measurements. The photographs were then compiled into one large composition that displayed the overall exterior and interior of the site.

We each were assigned a 25' section of the building to document more in depth. I was given a piece near the South end that included several silos as well as the upper half of one of the marine legs. I created a series of drawings that included four elevations, two sections, and a plan. The exterioir elevations have been toned to show depth and the plan has been shaded to represent the presence of light within the silos. Those drawings were also compiled to present a full diagram of the Marine A Grain silo.

The last study I did on this topic was the movement associated with the grain elevators. After researching the activity that went on in the building, I created a set of three diagrams showcasing first, the development of technology and transportation used, then the history of workers, and lastly the storage of grain over one calendar year. This case study allowed me to learn about one of Buffalo's

most influential buildings as well as to develop many survey and documentation skills.

After studying the structure and history of the Marine A grain elevator, we delved into the present condition. We were asked to design three postural positions for Jim Watkins, the caretaker of the building. Out of "x7" manilla folders, we needed to create three separate spaces at a .5":' scale that allowed him to stand, sit, and lay.

First I considered the conditions of the three postures and what each entailed. It occured to me that each was very different. I paid attention to the quantity of mental and physical movement allowed in each position as well as the amount of space and light needed to accomodate each of those conditions. I concluded that standing was a very complex posture, demanding substantial space to move around as well as a significant amount of light in order to see what one is doing. I acomplished this by designing a space where Jim could potentially work as well as observe the Niagara River. To reiterate the concept of complexity I chose to cut the material with two circular shapes and two linear ones. I mimmicked this process for the remaining tow by decreasing the ammount of light and space in each and decreasing the complexity of the structure by cutting it less.

Grain Elevator Survey I Fall 202 I Instructor - Christopher Romano

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Grain Elevator Survey I Fall 202 I Instructor - Christopher Romano

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After making spaces for Jim to live, we also had to consider the many objects that are stored in and around the site. I chose to look at the five vintage cars that are currently in a nearby garage. I looked at Rem Koolhauss' proposal for the 992 Paris Library Competition. In his design, he took the planes of the floors and configured them into ramps that provided a single downward path from the top of the building. I used this method to design a structure within the marine leg that penetrates the grain silos at a single point and represents the movement of the cars into their resting place. In an attempt to be as minimally invasive as possible and not compromise the integrity of the iconic building, I used the existing planes that occur every fifteen

feet inside the grain marine leg.In a fashion similar to the way I created the postural positions, I cut and folded the material to initiate a downward path for both the cars as well as people [Jim] to travel. At first, the structure was very orthogonal in nature but grew much more organic as I experimented with this way of building. When finished with the main structure, and faced with the challege to integrate the postural positions into the storage module, I placed the scaled down models into the storage model. There was a very obvious disconnect between the two so I reworked the design of the storage unit to incorporate the postural positions in a more fluid manner, by using the same cutting/folding, non-additive or subtractive method.

Grain Elevator Survey I Fall 202 I Instructor - Christopher Romano

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A B C D E F G H I

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A B C D E F G H ICITY OF BUFFALO

High Speed Traffic

Low Speed Traffic

Pedestrian Traffic

There are three types of approach from the side streets of the site. Vehicles traveling on Main Street are faster than the vehicles on Summer St and Best Street. Pedestrians can access it from every street and travel much slower.

The city of Buffalo is currently a hub of development. As you can see in the map to the left, there are several ongoing projects in various parts of the city. There seems to be a gap, however, right around the Summer-Best/Main Street intersection. The Medical Campus to the South is being developed, and should be able to spread its success to the surrounding area. The Summer-Best/Main Street intersection is a hub for public transportation, providing both metro rail access as well as a stop for a major bus route. It does not however, allow for much walking, as the infrastructure is failing and the surrounding area is so somewhat dangerous.

To me, "wellness" can be defined as balance. I have attempted to incorporate this definition in as many aspects of my propos-al as possible. In analyzing our given site, I took note of the way that traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, interacted. In an attempt to slow down the vehicles on Main Street, and integrate the side streets of Summer and Best, I implemented a traffic circle. This allowed for a small park space that fits into the existing urban fabric of the city of Buffalo. This also allowed for a curved facade, that I determined was a successful way to engage the public. I chose site , which included all four corners of the intersection. I used this to my advantage to play with balancing programed spaces and volumes across the axis of the streets, placing areas of high energy activity in one quadrant, and countering them with

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

lower level programs on the opposite corner. I created a wall that surrounds the entire site to enclose the campus of four buildings. It is a relatively short wall, which aims not to block off the public from the buildings but to include all of them and promote travel between them. Each wall has a different function that relates to the program inside. The transparent glass curtain walls of the facade allow for peo-ple to experience the interior and exterior spaces simultane-ously and have a seamless transition from the street to the built condition. I believe that all of these features enhance the experience of the visitor and create an atmosphere of wellness.

Body/Building/City:Wellness Center

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Plan at 4'Level 1

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

FUNCTION PROGRAM SPACE NET AREA(SQ FT)

Lobby 700 sfLounge 700 sf

1,400 sfM/F Lockers Showers Toilets (2 x 1000 sf each) 2,000 sfFamily Lockers 400 sfStudio 1,900 sfStorage 380 sfToilet 80 sfJanitor5 0 sfMultipurpose court 2,800 sfStudio 760 sfStorage 180 sfToilet 50 sfWeight Cardio0 sfGroup Exercise0 sfCycling0 sfPlayroom 3,000 sfInfant 0 sfStorage5 0 sfToilet 50 sf

Multifunctional Room

Multi-purpose room (3 x 750 sf each) 2,000 sf

13,700 sf10 stalls (10 x 100 sf each) 6,000 sfCirculation area (9' wide) 2,280 sfPublic Restrooms (2) 230 sfStaff lounge + restroom 590 sfStorage, waste management 1,680 sfKitchen 600 sfSeating area 2,000 sfRestrooms 240 sf

13,620 sfReception4 0 sfOffices - (3 x 80 sf each) 240 sfMeeting room 150 sfWaiting Room 290 sfRestroom 50 sfReception4 0 sfExam Rooms (10 x 110 sf each) 550 sfMeeting room 0 sfRestroom 50 sfMeditation Garden5 ,700 sfTherapy Room 750 sf

7,860 sfBuilding Support General Storage2 ,000 sfAdditional Program Multipurpose Gymnasium or Aquatics center2 ,000 sf

4,000 sf 5% of new spaceM echanical / Electrical2 ,030 sf18% of new space Circulation - General7 ,300 sf15% of new space Net to Gross - (wall thickness, columns, duct chases) 6,090 sf

15,420 sf

56,000 sf

Outdoor public space (minimum) 5,000 sf

Loading area 1,500 sfBicycle Parking 1 per 10,000 sf of Gross Floor Area3 00 sfParking 20 parking spaces minimum (@300sf including internal roads) 6,000 sf

SUBTOTAL WELLNESS

SUBTOTAL MARKET

Lobby

Locker Facilities

Wellness Studio 1

Wellness Studio 2

Fitness

Kids Zone

SUBTOTAL ENTRY

SUBTOTAL HEALTH

SUBTOTAL SUPPORT

SUBTOTAL SUPPORT

BUILDING TOTAL SIZE (GROSS)

Healthy food Market

Market Back house

Organic Cafe

Admin Office

Healing / Therapy

Storage

Wellness Studio

Classroom

Healthy Food

Market

Cafe Seating

Kitchen

Lounge

Lobby

Meeting Room Therapy

Garden

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/2" Scaled Site Model with Massing Model Option

Facade and Envelope Study Models

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

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Green Wall

Community Mural

Active Rock Wall

Water Feature Wall

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The boudary wall in the Therapy Center quadrant will feature a waterfall. It will be a tranlucent wall, letting light through and into the existing adjacent building. There will be a view of this wall from the m e d i t a t i o n garden.

The boundary wall in the M a r k e t / C a f e quadrant will be a wooden 'green' wall. Plants will be grown that can be harvested during their peak season. This wall will also turn into seating for the cafe and create a porous surface where light and air can enter the back parking area.

The boundary wall in the fitness center quadrant will feature an active wall for children to play on. It will be a heavy concrete that undulates to create structures to climb on and around.

I chose to relocate the entrance to the Metro to the opposite side of the street. A large platform that follows the form of the buildings above allows for people to purchase their tickets, wait for the train and enter the fitness center all from one location. Half a floor up is several utilities for the center, as well as access to the fitness center above as well as locker rooms and a skylight that goes up four additional floors.

For the Healthy Food Market portion, I wanted to make the food as fresh as possible, so rather than have a typical grocery store with shelves of prepackaged food and imported produce, I have put fruit trees and garden beds directly inside. Shoppers can now pick their own produce right from the source.

Following the theme of fresh food, the plants grown in the market will be what is used to prepare food at the Cafe. It will be an all organic vegan cafe where patrons can see their food being made right in front of them. There is plenty of seating inside where people can get a view of the street, or sit outside among nature.

The Therapy Center will feature a large Zen garden with a stone terrain and a soft path that weaves among succulent plants and benches for meditation. The paths will lead outside where they will meet up with the sidewalk which winds around the building and into an outdoor garden.

Every floor of the fitness center will have a walking track that follows the entire perimeter of the building. Each level will have a floor plate where fitness programs occur. Each ascending level will have a higher activity level from yoga/dance to weights to cardio. The middle of the building is open from below grade to the roof allowing light to penetrate the entire building.

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

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METRO

MARKET STORAGE

FAN ROOM

BOILER ROM

STORAGE

METRO PLATFORM

METRO

Section A

Section B

WALKING TRACK

OPEN TO BELOW

CLASSROOM

MEDITATION GARDENMEETING ROOM

OPEN KITCHEN

CAFE

MARKETPLACE

OUTDOOR SEATING

PARKING

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

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YOGA/DANCE STUDI O

DOCTOR'S OFFICES

OPEN TO BELOW

OPEN TO BELOW

OPEN TO BELOW

GLASS CEILING

YOGA/DANCE STUDI O

DOCTOR'S OFFICES

OPEN TO BELOW

OPEN TO BELOW

OPEN TO BELOW

GLASS CEILING

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

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CARDIO ROOM

OPEN TO BELOW

OPEN TO BELOW

GLASS CEILING

GLASS CEILING

SECTION A1/16" = 1'

SECTION B 1/16" = 1'

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

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View from north Main Street

Fittness Center ModelView from Best Street

Bird's Eye View

Body/Building/City I Fall 204 I Instructor - Anne Dafchick

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B

Floor Plan

North Elevation South Elevation

Section A

Section B

Reflected Ceiling Plan

Our assignment was to go out into the city of Buffalo and find a space that spoke to us: a relatively confined area that evoked a very specific feeling in us. After roaming the streets all day, I came across this alley way and it immediately pulled me in. I used the word ensconced to describe my feeling and wrote a short narrative illustrating the experience I felt while occupying the space. These beginning processes influenced the rest of my project.

After documenting the alleyway with photographs, I took measurements and created a set of as-built drawings using AutoCAD. In order to convey the entire space, I then drew an axon of the negative of the space. This drawing shows not what exists, but the

Space Inversion I Spring 204 I Instructor - Jenifer Oakley

space created by the structure. The general form consists of three pilasters and a doorway. The height of the space is defined by a metal grate walkway above, the width by the walls of the church, and the length by a border I imposed on the space. It is roughly 2'x8'x4'. The drawing was done by using a D model that I made using Rhinoceros. Illustrator was then used to do line weight work.

Space Inversion

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Space Inversion I Spring 204 I Instructor - Jenifer Oakley

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Copper Coated Steel Wire 18 Guage Aluminum Wire

My final project explored a : scale piece. Our assignment was to cast an area of our studio room with a designated material and use the cast to create a new space. Things to consider included site, structure, and space. The intended product was to be a thin shell structure, similar to our plaster gauze models. In a group with three other studio members, we began to create a method of casting. We experimented with a number of different types and gauges of wire to test their malleability and structural integrity. The two kinds that we decided would be most useful were 8 gauge aluminum and copper coated steel. Each of these wires had different qualities and we wanted to utilize them to their full potential. The copper coated steel was very strong and linear in nature, compared to the very malleable aluminum which was better suited for connections.

Rather than bend the wire to the site to cast we took a far different approach with our material. We considered

pin screen art and the way that this tool could be used to abstract a form in a horizontal manner. To create a grid for the pins we analyzed the site and placed pins in a way that emphasized changes in the topography of the wall. The site we chose was an 8' x 8' brick wall with a fuse box, and several pipes diverging from the center. Where the depth of the wall changed significantly we increased the density of pins. This emphasized the details while leaving the flat, regular surfaces to be interpolated.

One to One I Spring 204 I Instructor - Jenifer Oakley

One to One

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i Cardboard

v Spacers Placed Between Layered Cardboard

iv Cardboard Cut and Layered to Create Spacers

vi Elevation of Site Printed and Layed Over Layered Cardboard

vii Grid Printed and Layed over Elevation

viii Pins Hammered Into Cardboard to Create Holes at Grid Intersections

ix Pins Placed Into Holes

One to One I Spring 204 I Instructor - Jenifer Oakley

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Morphology I Fall 20 I Instructor - Laura Garofalo

Morphology

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Construction Technologies I Spring 205 I Instructor - Annette LeCuyer

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Reid House Construction

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