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title. "Pop Ecology" - ACSA Timber in the City Design Competition

date. Spring 2016

city. New York, NY

Andy Warhol transformed ordinary objects into artwork with extraordinary societal meaning, and the design for this mixed-use development holds the same lofty goal: experiment with ordinary elements to make an extraordinary whole, while drawing attention to key societal issues and present a new approach to traditional building design. The site in Lower East Side Manhattan offered a canvas to create a unique development that demonstrates how we can reverse negative global processes in an urban context. Exposing, embracing, and celebrating natural ecological patterns through use of wood, water and the philosophy of Andy Warhol, this project brings typically destructive development trends to public consciousness and  illuminates alternatives that can help reverse those trends.

   

Developing a range of multi-family housing, a public market, and a museum dedicated to Andy Warhol, a wide range of timber construction techniques were put on display.  Showcasing a renewable material that sequesters carbon in an otherwise brick and mortar neighborhood is an attempt to promote public awareness of larger ecological cycles. The housing block and elements of both the museum and market are composed of 10’ x 16’ cross-laminated timber panels, and a highly visible timber space frame in the market and trusses throughout the museum areas show how practical uses of timber in these different construction systems can create unique spaces. Heavy engineered timber beams and columns, such as glulams and LVLs help frame the spaces the community will occupy.

     Rainwater from roof structures spirals down through a series of roof and balcony gardens spread throughout the site before ultimately falling into one of several interconnected wetland features at the center of the project. Excess water is captured and reused for graywater systems throughout the housing blocks and for onsite irrigation of plants, lowering water demand for the project. The central wetlands naturally filter excess water before it leaves the site underground, at a water feature proposed to be constructed at the future Low Line development below Delancey Street.  Making water visible throughout the project helps knit natural ecology and the hydrologic cycle into the daily life of residents and visitors.  

    A series of adaptable conditioned and unconditioned spaces are created as the programs weave around each other.  Overlapping museum and market spaces throughout the site is intended to blend everyday life activities with the experience of extraordinary art.  Long elevated pedestrian corridors overlook the site as visitors travel through a series of museum gallery ‘nodes,’ framing views of ordinary life as extraordinary art is experienced.  The inclusion of workshops with artist-in-residency lofts echoes the creative and generative community lifestyle present in Warhol’s historic factory loft, and helps enhance local culture and support urban vitality and resilience.  Providing space for the display of both local art immediately produced on site alongside the historically renowned art of Warhol creates opportunity for exploration and celebration of a local maker culture. Mixing these uses throughout the site with permanent and temporary market space, as well as co-mixing housing typologies also helps build a diverse, vibrant, and cohesive community.

    

The Pop Ecology project is focused around the creation of a healthy urban ecosystem. Creation of such a place could serve as powerful social commentary, transforming how we view the ways we live, work, and consume.  This Project was a team collaboration between Casey Williams, Erik Barth, Griffin Gilbert, and myself.

POP ECOLOGY: WOOD, WATER, WARHOL

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