Massachusetts Center

Abstract

THE PROJECT IS PRESENTED IN 3 PARTS - CONTEXT, LAND USE, AND ORGANIZATION. INTEGRATING THE SITE WITHIN THE EXISTING CITY FABRIC HAS PRIORITY IN THIS FIRST SECTION, MASSACHUSETTS AVE. IS LINKED TO THE DOWNTOWN BY CREATING "PEOPLE PLACES" WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO EXISTING CENTERS OF ACTIVITY. SECONDLY, THE GROUND TO SKY RELATIONSHIP WITHIN AN URBAN SETTING DICTATED A CLEAR PROGRAM RESPONSE. PARKING IS PLACED UNDERGROUND, WITH RETAIL AND OFFICES SPACE AT STREET LEVEL, WHILE HOUSING-TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE SUN AND AIR ABOVE. THE THIRD SECTION DEALS WITH SPATIAL ORGANIZATION. EACH AREA RETAINS ITS OWN IDENTITY AS IF OUR "BUILDING" WERE COMPOSED OF THREE SEPARATE STRUCTURES BUILT OVER TIME. RETAIL AREAS BRING THE STREET INSIDE AND ONTO THE ROOF. OFFICE SPACES FOCUS AROUND A QUIETER COURT AS HOUSING UNITS ABOVE STEP BACK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR SOUTHERN ORIENTATION.EACH SECTION CONSISTS OF TWO TYPES OF INFORMATION. PRODUCT, FINAL DRAWING AND VERBAGE, IS FOLLOWED BY THE CYCLICAL PROCESS BY WHICH A SOLUTION WAS ARRIVED AT.BY NO MEANS A STRAIGHT LINE PROCESS, THE DESIGN CHRONOLOGY LOOKS MORE LIKE THIS.