2) “The
street is dead.”, with this sentence, Koolhaas draw me in the world of public,
private, collective, and shared spaces, places, spheres, realms, and domains.
We tend to think that the public space fulfills an important role in increasing
the ‘social cohesion’ in society because in philosophical discussions the
public sphere is the place where society is formed or at least the arena where
the collective will is formed with regards to the future of society. This is
because it is so to say the sphere where we encounter the proverbial ‘other’
and where we must relate to ‘other’ behavior, ideas and preferences.
3) This
theoretical thinking exercise is very relevant to the current situation in north
Crown Heights. Although neighborhoods constant change, the arriving of young
middle class merely white individuals, known as gentrification, creates strong
supporters and opponents and therefore tends to divide the current residents. This
leads us to my subject, can ‘successful’ public space assist in the social
transition of the neighborhood? The core of successful public space lies not so
much in the shared use of space with others, let alone in the ‘meeting’, but
rather in the opportunities that urban proximity offers a ‘shift’ of
perspective. Through the experience of otherness, one’s own casual view of
reality gets some competition from other views and lifestyles. However, this
shift in perspective is not always pleasant and the pure, politically-correct
view of public domain as the Great Fraternization in the public space is not
realistic. Not all groups in society will use this public space but the
creation of spaces providing opportunities for confrontation with the
otherness, a change of perspective, an exchange are nevertheless very valuable
for the social cohesion of a neighborhood.
4) Gentrification
can be mapped with factors like the increase of ownership rate, monthly gross
rent and
5) the
increase of the number of recent in
movers and the decrease of vacancy rate.
6) These
factors can be mapped with the spatial gentrification index which shows a
gentrification wave in east direction.
7) This
is a very logic movement because Park Slope, west of Crown Heights, is already
strongly gentrified while 2 historic districts in crown heights were not so
long ago approved. 2 more historic district were recently submitted. Cultural
institutions and historic architecture, and especially entire historic
districts, serve as a catalyst for first wave gentrification. Although I cannot
yet show a more recent gentrification index, blogs like ilovefranklinavenue and
articles in newspapers only confirm the process. The RentJuice Index reported
that the cost per square foot of residential rentals in Crown Heights rose 18
percent in the last quarter of 2011, the fourth-highest increase in the city. And
Census data along Franklin Avenue between Eastern Parkway and Atlantic Avenue shows
an increase of the white population between four and twelvefold from 2000 to
2010.
8) The
site
9) The
site where I want to design a public space and a building is logically located between the current ‘border’ of the
gentrification wave, Franklin Avenue, and the future zone, the historic
districts. An interesting point is the crossing of the 2 grids because they
cross at a square and squares have more potential of becoming a destination
than streets.
10)
The crossing streets are Bedford Avenue
and Rogers Avenue.
11) They
cross at Grant Square. Currently a ‘park’ according to the New York’s
department of parks and recreation.
12) This
is a south to north view.
13) A
west to east view.
14) And
a south-east to north-west view.
15) Design
Program. My goal is short said to design a public space and a hybrid building
that can be destinations for the new and current residents of north Crown
Heights and thus can assist in the experience of the ‘otherness’ and so helping
creating a common identity.
16) The
green is open space you see, is open space. Only parks and sports fields. No
squares. When there is a market of neighborhood party, streets are closed off.
This is no problem but why not creating a square which is always available for
these events? Open and central , not sealed off like sports fields usually are.
17) 1
of the 2 streets forming Grant Square is a relatively busy road but the other
has the potential of becoming a shared surface street. This concept is built on
the equality of the street users. Studies have shown that it is safer because
people drive slower due to the shared use. Blind people have a disadvantage due
to the removal of the curb but other tools can fix that. In case of for example
a market, the shared space is more easy to close and the created ‘pedestrian
only’ space is, due to the entire flat surface, a much more comfortable area
because you don’t have the temporary character you have with a closed street.
18) First
wave gentrifiers are often artists and the designing of a design center can
therefore be an interesting program for the hybrid building. These photos are
of the design center de Winkelhaak in Antwerp which is very successful. The
concept is to offer fully equipped offices and more for the ‘creative
business’. You can rent offices of all sizes, whether or not shared, for as
long or short as you want. An exhibition space is also present. It is the
perfect ‘incubator’ for small and young offices.
19) The
area of Grant Square is a blind spot of community centers although it is a
great place for this type of program. And especially for my design goal.
20) The
biggest disadvantage of gentrification is the replacement of economic weaker
current residents. Subsidized housing
can help some of them. Encouraging home ownership also supports economic
self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and community pride.
21) Summarized,
I have made a design for Grant Square as a shared space and a hybrid building
containing a design center, a community center and subsidized housing. By
combining them in a complex way, I tried to create interesting crossings between
programs and users.
22) You
can see the new Grant Square in the middle and the hybrid building on the
right. The glass surfaces house the design center, the wood the community
center and the concrete surface houses the dwellings. The façade facing the
square is at the same height as his neighbor, a retirement home. While the
façade facing the neighborhood street is one level lower where he meets its
neighbor. The ground floor houses the exhibition space.
23)-31) Plans and sections
32) Thesis Content
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