LINESCAPE - Undergraduate Architecture Thesis
Abstract
This thesis was a year long project in the fifth year of the undergraduate program. The requirements are to make a building as close to reality as possible.
This thesis explores different avenues of circulatory pathways as interactive spaces to connect one neighborhood to the next. By analyzing the different levels of interaction within Reno, Nevada’s downtown region, I would like to propose a new interaction space that can be a connecting path for Downtown and Midtown. I would like to challenge the focus of circulation to be thought of as more than a region to traverse, but for it to play a critical role in architecture. By analyzing different levels of interaction on a human scale, within an urban context, I will question the effects of different heights on circulation and how the physical space impacts any open path of travel. Circulation within architecture typically serves one purpose; to be able to connect you from one space to the next space. Typically areas of circulation are thought of as narrow hallways where the end point, your stopping point. Understanding that as humans we have obligations to arrive in a timely manner, is there a way that we can slow down time to make our commute more enjoyable and more tranquil? Slow down the notion of instant gratification, to understand our surroundings and the scenery that lies along your commute. Linescape is an alteration to the archetypal environment of circulation and exploring a connect the shift of time and place via connections.
Circulation Concept Model Process
Within the Downtown Reno region, there are nodes of local businesses that lack connection. The expansion of urbanization surrounding suburban areas, is creating a divide throughout Reno. Connecting a trajectory can improve the circulation to these separated nodes. There are technology companies that are moving their warehouses to Reno, that create a diversion within the city or the municipality could take this opportunity to become a more recognized. There is a conflict between professionals and locals that want Reno to grow into a more well know city. Additionally, residents that moved to Reno to work for these large corporations. The City of Reno’s slogan is “Biggest Little City in the World”, which identifies more with the idea that people are aware of the city, but it is still not considered large by population. Companies moving into Reno create gentrification that, has not been experienced, and was not anticipated. This can create a disconnection for many locals because the city language has been this mountain village and is now turning into a “Tech Company” region, where a lot of work will come and diverge the culture present before.
There are many mixed opinions as to what Reno will become within the next couple of years. With the improvement of the Midtown District becoming a region for the locals to come and spend time without having to look at casinos for the entertainment. This in turn has created more development and construction that can turn Reno into a more recognized city. This is seen as a problem or opportunity for many Nevadans. The thesis proposed will discuss further why negative spaces can become more than just empty loss serving one purpose, but negative spaces creating a connection to be a part of a city that is in the middle of a transition of growth.
This thesis explores interactive spaces with a focus on circulation and how paths play a critical role in architecture. By analyzing different levels of interaction on a human scale within circulation in architecture I will question the effects of different heights of circulation and how the physical space impacts the path of travel. The analyzation of different case studies of experimental and temporal architecture, will be to discover the difference between what is considered typical architecture. Further exploring styles such as, where hierarchy takes place in circulation, and if the height of the surrounding built environment effects the human scale within architecture?
Misconnections are causing these nodal point due to how far apart buildings types are actually separated. This nodal separation is happening based on the city developing from the emergence of new technological factories within the edge of the city. There are intentional voids that are within these disconnections like empty parking lots, abandoned buildings, and in-between spaces like alleyways that are helping nodal connections. The reason I want to challenge circulation as an experimental platform within Downtown Reno, NV is because circulation can be an exploration for interactive architecture and the connection of Midtown and Downtown. Since there is a separation of all these buildings, there has been a boom in Midtown, which has become the new art district of Reno.
Structural Model Process
Circulation is what gives meaning and context to hierarchy and land use, the infrastructure of connectivity brings a community to people and supports the language that is Reno. The Downtown of Reno, used to be an industrial region and multiple buildings were factories all along the Truckee River. Now with gentrification, the buildings are still the same, but the program uses, are different.
This revitalization of buildings interiors becomes a response to temporary architecture. Even though, the developer or architect’s original intent may not be there, and this is an opportunity for fluctuation to happen with the changes happening currently. The changes with the overall connection from person to person, and building to building. People are now influenced by computers and other people on the internet. Relationships that are made with other people are less likely to be physical, but started by a conversation in a text message or a like on Instagram. After looking through multiple case studies and focusing on investigating and analyzing different tectonics, there is a question of the current stance of humanity to become a factor to circulation. Wigley interprets (2001), “…a successful automatism must provide enough structure to make artistic improvisations meaningful enough and not merely arbitrary, but must also leave enough room that significant choice is possible: the automatism must not be entirely automatic”. The automatism that is referred to by Wigley is applied to the current state of how people view the need for instant gratification. This is a cultural aspect that has taken over most of the world due to the internet and the resources that are available within a click of a finger. This creates this instant need to feel, touch, see, hear, or taste something within a small time frame, and make a decision or opinion on a subject without really having the time to process what is happening.
By incorporating a constant flux of circulation, I will challenge the development, sequence, and operations that can take place within a space. By an in-depth analyzation, I plan to pursue multiple experiments to understand what the issues are, and why they need to be questioned. According to Bloomfield (2013), “The unnoticed consequence is that erring no longer mark humanity, but merely a moment of failure in an already complete technological organization. We have no sense of error as straying but only error as failure”. With the age of sophisticated technology and consistent shift from media to media, can we adjust the flow of access and destination of people to be adaptable to a malleable architecture?
Final Graphics
