The revitalization of postindustrial cities lies both in landscape and in culture. To maintain the urban fabric urban brownfield sites must be remediated and built on again instead of extending the city horizontally. It is important that the core of the city does not lose its potency as industry moves to suburbs and leaves holes in the city in the way of abandoned building and open space because it detracts from the quality of city life and destroys and contaminates more land. In the past these spaces have become great urban parks, such as the Highline in New York. However it is critical that smaller scale sites are revitalized as well and not just as outdoor spaces. In addition to restoring the landscape and soil quality, culture also needs to be brought back to give the postindustrial city identity again.
Site Criteria and Selection:
The primary element of my site is for it to be located in a secondary city where the population is lower and there is less activity due to a post-industrial migration. This will enable my program to become a tool for revitalization in the city. A site that was industrial at one point where remediation is necessary is also critical. This is important because it will create a deeper tie between the architecture and the land—water, soil and geology. Finally it should have a connection to nature making the remediation faster and clearer to the user.
I’ve chosen my site in Hartford, Connecticut. It is the abandoned office on the Colt Armory campus at 19 Van Dyke Avenue. This site is connected to riverfront… as much as any site in downtown Hartford can be as I-91 runs parallel to the river. However, this creates an opportunity to bridge the gap underground giving the building a direct connection to the waterfront. It also references the history of the city, as it is adjacent to the iconic Blue Onion Colt Armory building.
Program Statement:
What is culture?
Oxford English Dictionary Definition: Cultivation, tending.
2 The action or practice of cultivating the soil; tillage, husbandry.
3 The cultivating or rearing of a plant or crop.
3d The training of the human body.
4 The cultivating or development (of the mind, faculties, manners, etc.); improvement or refinement by education and training.
5 …the intellectual side of civilization.
In an effort to revive the culture, all elements that collectively identify culture must be explored. The identity of a city is tied to its traditions, progressiveness and idiosyncrasies. Some elements connected to tradition would be the flavors used in cooking in the region, the craft of the area, specifically in its architecture and also in the arts here. Art can also be connected to the progressiveness of a city. The dynamism of a city is what makes it an icon. Avenues of art that can be connected to identity might include music, fashion, literature, and theater. Another example of the capacity for change in a city lies in the digitalization of our era. Evidence of this can be found in interactive site interventions and university and research facilities in the area. Finally the idiosyncrasies are what set it apart from it’s sister cities. These can be the celebrated sports team, particular flora and fauna that are native to the area, politics and religion.
That said looking at Hartford as a city in need of revitalization. A program that is appropriate to the city would be an art forum. Hartford is home to America’s oldest art museum and more recently a science center. The Wadsworth Athenaeum is not an interactive space, the science center is, but Hartford is still lacking a space where ideas in art and literature can be openly communicated. This space would include some spaces for exhibition but would mostly contain places for the exchange of ideas. These spaces could include lecture halls, lounges classrooms and main circulation spaces where the passer-by could contribute.
No comments:
Post a Comment