Atmospheric Sensibility

Atmospheric Sensibility:

Redefining The Urban Master Plan

Kyle Laurent Hanover

Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Architecture

Wentworth Institute of Technology

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Architecture

April 2015

Approved by the Committee:

Primary Advisor: ________________________________________ (faculty insert name here)

Interim Director, Graduate Studies: ________________________________________

Elizabeth Ghiseline

I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to my many professors over these past five years who have pushed me to become the designer I am today. Most specifically, I would like to thank Elizabeth Ghiseline for helping me discover my full potential and ability to push my limits as a designer. I would also like to thank my

thesis professors Dan Hisel and Herman Zinter, as well as my secondary advisor Erik Miller.

My thanks must also be extended to my fellow studio mates. I am grateful to have been surrounded by other hard working and ambitious people. You have led me to constantly strive to be the best I can be.

Finally, I would like to thank my best of friends and family. You have all believed in me to the very end and remain to do so. Without all of you, I would not be writing this thesis book today. Your love and support will never go

unnoticed.

ATMOSPHERIC SENSIBILITYREDEFINING THE URBAN MASTER PLAN

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCHImage courtesy of Google

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH

THESIS ABSTRACT

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KEY TERMS:

Individual | To become self-aware and stimulated positively

Collective | The masses that fuel the city

Master Planning | Caters to the collective; creates a disconnect with the self

Blasé | To be unresponsive and insensitive to one’s surroundings

Stimulation | To be mentally affected by phenomenological conditions

Redefinition | To apply new knowledge to an area that is not working

Sensorial | An atmosphere that engages all senses; the solution

Impression | To make a lasting impact on the user

Urban master planning and design has severed its connection to the individual and places focus predominantly on the collective. This sociological issue in design has generated a human atmosphere that is over stimulated and lacks a deeper relationship to the architecture and design surrounding it. This thesis will explore the correlation between architecture and the senses to create an urban atmosphere that sustains the needs of the city yet brings emphasis to the individual. Very rarely is there a deeper connection to the user than the first layer of visual memory, and as sociologist, Georg Simmel, states in his essay “The Metropolis and Mental Life,” man has become unresponsive to the intense stimuli of the city. Since architecture is more often than not a permanent part of life, architecture, design and planning should engage the user on multiple levels of consciousness and become a complete sensorial experience. By analyzing and

studying the work of thoughtful designers, like Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals (pictured opposite), I will begin to understand the correlation between built form and sensorial experiences. This thesis will explore the correlation between architecture and design and the senses to create an urban atmosphere; one that creates an emotional sensibility to the ground plane as well as design and sustains the needs of the city yet brings emphasis to the individual.

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH

TABLE OF CONTENTSThesis Abstract ____________________________________ I

Table Of Contents _________________________________ II

PRE-DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

Thesis Outline Thesis Statement ___________________________________ 1Projects Description ________________________________ 2 Research and Case Studies

Eyes Of The Skin ________________________________ 3-4Mental Life and The Metropolis ___________________ 5-6Thinking Architecture ________________________________ 7Atmospheres _______________________________________ 8Peter Zumthor _________________________________ 9-10Alvaro Siza ___________________________________ 11-12Steven Holl ____________________________________ 13-14Paley Park _______________________________________ 15Austrian Pavilion 2015 _____________________________ 16

Site Selection and Methodology

Site __________________________________________ 17-20Methods ______________________________________ 21-26Program ______________________________________ 27-28

DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

Design Process __________________________ 29-36 Design Final _____________________________ 37-56

POST DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

Conclusion _____________________________ 57-58

Appendices __________________________________ 59-62*The Ground Zero Memorial on the next page represents an atmosphere created to ground the individual in time and place within in urban context.

II

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH

PRE-DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

Since architecture is more often than not a permanent part of life, architecture, design and planning should engage the user on multiple

levels of consciousness and become a complete sen sorial experience.“ ”

THESIS OUTLINE

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH

THESIS STATEMENTUrban master planning and design has severed its connection to the individual and places focus predominantly on the collective. This sociological issue in design has generated a human atmosphere that is over stimulated and lacks a deeper relationship to the architecture and design surrounding it. This thesis will explore the correlation between architecture and the senses to create an urban atmosphere that sustains the needs of the city yet brings emphasis to the individual.

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KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH 2

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONMaster planning and design of the city places focus on the collective in order to sustain itself. Today, this has created a severe disconnect between the individual and their surroundings, more specifically the architecture and design surrounding them. The city creates a great deal of noise, congestion, areas of stress, etc. and as the city grows the stimuli it emits grows with it. This stimulus leaves many of the city dwellers with an unresponsive or insensitive attitude to their surroundings. In an article about urban stress, Mazda Adli, a Senior Physician in the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy, states that, “As urbanization of our world is inevitable, we urgently need to improve our understanding of the threatening – as well as the health protective – factors of urban living. Evidence is beginning to surface that indicates that the urban population shows a stronger brain response to stress, and stronger cognitive impairment under stress.” In order to balance out the stress and stimuli of the city master planners create public spaces dedicated for an escape. But are these spaces being pushed far enough? This project will analyze the Boston Innovation District in Boston, Ma to asses if it is an area that can benefit from public space that stimulates in a positive way.

Public space offers only a temporary relief from the conditions of the city with the

collective being the main driver behind the design of public spaces. The individual becomes lost and there is a lack of self-awareness. The task of this project is not to redefine public space but instead apply the analysis of public space to redefining community living. Since architecture is more often than not a permanent part of life, architecture and design should engage the user on multiple levels of consciousness. This project will explore the importance of sensory experience in architecture laid out by architect, Juhani Pallasmaa. This exploration will lead to the creation of a community housing project that uses the senses as the backbone to stimulating self-awareness in an urban context.

a particular smell makes us unknowingly re-enter a space completely forgotten by the retinal

memory; the nostrils awaken a forgotten image, and we are enticed to enter a vivid daydream.“ ”

RESEARCH AND CASE STUDIES


GEORG SIMMELThe Mental Life and The Metropolis is an essay written by sociologist, Georg Simmel, where he illustrates the conditions of the metropolitan life and the struggle to retain ones individuality. To him the metropolis is dominated by objectivity where interactions become short and unresponsive, lacking the personal involvement you would find in rural life. Simmel speaks about the stimuli of the city and how it creates a blase attitude amongst people. He defines this as grayness, alienation and indifference.1

However, Simmel also speaks about how the metropolis allows for liberation from the

suffocating mentality of the rural life. He believes this allows one to more freely define themselves and find their self-identity. He asserts that social development can proceed in two different but corresponding directions. But it is keeping your sense of self that is so difficult in the city, “This results in the individual’s summoning the utmost in uniqueness and particularization, in order to preserve his most personal core. He has to exaggerate this personal element in order to remain audible even to himself.”1

Simmel’s essay inspired me to look at the city I live in differently and to reflect on my

own life and where I came from and where I am now. This thesis will explore what I have analyzed from the essay and look for a solution to the unresponsive and disconnected sense of self within an urban context. This essay has led me to document the city through film to represent the blase attitude Simmel speaks of. The below image shows a macro image of the city with a still frame from one of the films overlayed on top. The still frame is discolored and distorted, symbolizing our indifference to our surroundings. The macro image becomes unfocused and lost and its vibrancy diluted.


MENTAL LIFE AND THE METROPOLIS

1. Simmel, Georg. Metropolis and Mental Life. Chicago: Syllabus Division, U of Chicago, 1961. Print.

The above image is a narrative through images that captures the ideas of the Metropolis laid out by Simmel, with my own understanding.

There was a clear difference between city life and rural life in his essay, more importantly how one transitioned from rural life to urban life and how they were impacted. The idea is that a person starts from rural life, where everyone is in good relations and together. It is full of emotion and personalities respond to that. However, it is close knit and often suffocating, leading people to want to venture out. The person than transition to

the city where he is met with liberation of the bonds from rural life. He looks onward in wonder. He gains a new sense of individuality. But eventually he transitions to the part of the metropolis where everything is indifferent, he becomes the blasé. His newly found individuality is severed by the strong stimuli of the city, slowly becoming a slave to time and money. In this part of the metropolis, he is hit with rational and intellect and his personality responds to that. Emotion is set aside and interactions become short and instrumental. In a city with millions he walks alone.

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH

JUHANI PALLASMAA

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The Eyes of The Skin is written by architect Juhani Pallasmaa. With this book Pallasmaa intended to illustrate the importance of the sensory experience in architecture as a response to what Pallasmaa calls ‘ocularcentrism.’ He explains that ocularcentrism is the act of prioritizing visual stimuli to all other sensory stimuli. According to Pallasmaa architecture is often kept from being as complete as it is capable of. This is due to the sensory deprivation caused by ocularcentrism. “Modernist design at large has housed the intellect and the eye, but is has left the body and the other senses, as well as our memories, imagination and dreams, homeless.1

Pallasmaa argues that buildings have turned into image products detached from existential depth and sincerity. He believes there is an over-emphasis on the intellectual and conceptual dimensions of architecture and that causes its physical and sensual essence to vanish. There is a loss of ‘touch’ in the architecture of today. The sense of touch allows for an emotional dialogue to be had with the architecture and the user. But with the problem of ocularcentrism, for most, the eye has become biased and looks at architecture as a “means of self-expression, and as an intellectual-artistic game detached from essential mental and societal connections.”1

The sense of touch, as well as others, have also become detached when the eye looks solely for aesthetic pleasure.

Pallasmaa then starts to speak of the senses, mainly, hearing, smell, touch and taste, and acknowledges how each of them complete a space. He expresses the importance each sense has in the design process. For example, the sense of smell may be the most important when it comes to triggering memory, “a particular smell makes us unknowingly re-enter a space completely forgotten by the retinal memory; the nostrils awaken a forgotten image, and we are enticed to enter a vivid daydream.”1

One of the most intriguing sections of his book is where he talks about shadow and light. He states that our imaginations are stimulated by the dimly lit and shadows, more so than the bright lights of today. He talks about examples like mist and twilight and how they awaken the imagination by skewing visuals and creating ambiguous scenarios. There is a powerful sense of focus that is found in shadows, whereas, when everything is lit up, it is laid out for you. There is a loss of intrigue.

Image courtesy of Pallasmaa Image courtesy of Pallasmaa

KYLE HANOVER M.ARCH

THE EYES OF THE SKIN

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Pallasmaa also goes into how the window has become only a void in the wall, upon losing its deeper meaning, as a mediator between shadow and light. He quotes Luis Barragan who says, “We have lost our sense of intimate life, and have become forced to live public lives, essentially away from home.”1 Our culture today is all about being seen, a society of surveillance. There is a high level of illumination in our society, especially cities, and this leaves us with no space for privacy as we are almost certainly under surveillance at all times.

Upon my analysis of this book I have become heavily interested in the combinations of shadow and light and how they might juxtapose each other in certain scenarios. I am also intrigued with the sense of touch and what feelings can be brought about. Pallasmaa inspires this thesis to explore all of the senses, however, in creating an atmosphere that brings about a heightened sense of self within the urban context that I set out to make.

“Every touching experience of architecture is multi-sensory;

qualities of space, matter and scale are measured equally by the eye,

ear, nose, skin, tongue, skeleton and muscle.

Architecture strengthens the existential experience, one’s sense

of being in the world, and this is essentially a strengthened

experience of self.” - Juhani Pallasmaa

1. Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. Chichester: Wiley-Academy, 2005. Print.

Image courtesy of Google Image courtesy of Google


THINKING ARCHITECTURE

Thinking Architecture, written by Peter Zumthor, is a book where Zumthor speaks about his approach to architecture. He expresses his desire for architecture and design to become something that “speaks to our feelings and possess an unmistakable presence and personality.”1 Zumthor speaks about buildings having a silence that he associates with attributes such as composure, presence, integrity, and with sensuousness. He says sense will emerge in architecture when the architect brings out specific meanings in certain materials that can only be perceived

perceived in the way he intends in the specific building. He also speaks about how when he is designing for a specific site or place and tries to capture its sensuous qualities, images of places that have once impressed him start to invade his process. He thinks of places that capture the qualities he is looking for but in different ways.

To me, this book provides a very interesting approach to architecture, and it relates to my own approach as well. Many of the essays that make up this book made me

made me ask questions and think about things in ways I have never thought of. His essay “between sunset and sunrise” was very intriguing to me as it discussed the transitional period between sunrise and sunset and vice versa. Zumthor expresses the lights we make in this period as having a beauty of their own when you strip them down and think of them as “intimate illuminated clearings that we carve out of the darkness.”1 He then asks how do we want to accomplish this, for how long, and what kind. This is something I will try to answer in my own thesis.

1. Zumthor, Peter, and Maureen Turner. Thinking Architecture. 2nd, Expanded ed. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006.

Image courtesy of Thinking ArchitectureImage courtesy of Thinking ArchitectureImage courtesy of Thinking Architecture


ATMOSPHERESThinking Architecture, written by Peter Zumthor, is a book where Zumthor speaks about his approach to architecture. He expresses his desire for architecture and design to become something that “speaks to our feelings and possess an unmistakable presence and personality.”1 Zumthor speaks about buildings having a silence that he associates with attributes such as composure, presence, integrity, and with sensuousness. He says sense will emerge in architecture when the architect brings out specific meanings in certain materials that can only be perceived

perceived in the way he intends in the specific building. He also speaks about how when he is designing for a specific site or place and tries to capture its sensuous qualities, images of places that have once impressed him start to invade his process. He thinks of places that capture the qualities he is looking for but in different ways.

To me, this book provides a very interesting approach to architecture, and it relates to my own approach as well. Many of the essays that make up this book made me

made me ask questions and think about things in ways I have never thought of. His essay “between sunset and sunrise” was very intriguing to me as it discussed the transitional period between sunrise and sunset and vice versa. Zumthor expresses the lights we make in this period as having a beauty of their own when you strip them down and think of them as “intimate illuminated clearings that we carve out of the darkness.”1 He then asks how do we want to accomplish this, for how long, and what kind. This is something I will try to answer in my own thesis.

Image courtesy of Atmospheres Image courtesy of Atmospheres Image courtesy of Atmospheres

1. Zumthor, Peter. Atmospheres: Architectural Environments, Surrounding Objects. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006.


PETER ZUMTHORThe Therme Vals is a hotel and spa complex designed by architect Peter Zumthor. It is located in Vals, Switzerland and completed in 1996. Zumthor intended for this project to be an enriching experience for the user, a complete sensual atmosphere. It begins with the exterior. Designed in a manner that makes it seem like it is growing out of the mountainside in which it was placed, the Therme Vals is connected to the landscape surrounding it. The image above shows how the form of the building frames the landscape in certain areas creating what looks like a beautiful scenic painting, and figure two shows the embedding of the building. Already one can have a deeper connection to the building just by seeing the exterior. The senses truly awaken upon entering the building, where you are demanded to experience the building through texture, light, humidity, resonance, etc. The spaces created are meant to embrace the human body harmonically. The purpose was to place focus on the ritual of bathing and really extract its essence through multi-sensory spaces. Zumthor was precise in every aspect of this project and has created a place that is seemingly dynamic through its dichotomy of the still and the kinetic.2

Zumthor and his Therme Vals has always been an inspiring project to me. It is my

Image courtesy of Google



THERME VALS“Good architecture should receive the human visitor, should enable him

to experience it and live in it, but should not constantly talk at him” – Peter Zumthor

intention to use the same kind of thoughtful design and apply it to my own project. Light and shadow will be an element that my thesis will explore very heavily, and Zumthors use of light and shadow is precise and almost ethereal. The way it shines down at different moments brings about a mysterious aspect, And how it plays off the textured walls and reflects and refracts creates a space that is luminous, serene, and ultimately grounds one in time and place.

It is also his use of open and enclosed space that makes this project so inspiring. Each space provides you with a different feeling and the linear elements make for a restorative experience. Even the layout of circulation offers a deeper connection with the user. The organization of the spaces allow the user to explore, feel, and hear their way around. And the users perception is always controlled by the organization, either framing or denying views.

This thesis will explore how architecture is not dictated solely by the physical form, but through the use of light, sounds, temperature, and other phenomenological experiences.

1. “Building Study: Thermal Baths, Vals, Switzerland by Peter Zumthor.” Architects’ Journal. 23 Nov. 2014. http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/building-study-thermal-baths-vals-switzerland-by-peter-zumthor/8636380.article

2. “The Therme Vals / Peter Zumthor” 11 Feb 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 23 Nov 2014. http://www.archdaily.com/?p=13358

Image courtesy of Google Image courtesy of Google Image courtesy of Google


ALVARO SIZAThe Mimesis Museum houses a book publishers private art collection and is located in Paju Book City and designed by celebrated architect, Alvaro Siza. Siza is known for his study of the phenomenological and the forms he creates that represent his studies. The Mimesis Museum is not shy of a phenomenological atmosphere, as the inspiration behind the project was a sketch of a cat.1

The Mimesis Museum is a concrete flowing form that wraps around a central courtyard. The walls are almost windowless and natural light pours down into the space from rafted ceilings, creating an atmosphere that is ambiguous and elegant. The idea is to see without being seen. Siza made the form of the building continuous so as when you look at the building from the exterior you see one building. However, as you journey through the spaces and levels you

see the building is ever changing.1

The use of natural and artificial light is essential in creating the atmosphere of the project. The white washed walls and ceiling allow for the unique shapes to become really prominent when the light is indirectly shining through. The design is thoughtful, precise, and carefully considered.

This thesis can learn from many aspects of the Mimesis Museum. The use of using indirect light to illuminate space will be essential to my thesis and creating an atmosphere that is sensorial. It would also be wise to look at the way Siza uses form and contrasting form which can be seen in the pictures on the following page. The shapes of the ceiling play off of the curved walls and vice versa creating a harmonic relationship as the lights illuminates the spaces in-between.

1. “Mimesis Museum - Álvaro Siza.” Arcspace. Arcspace, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2014. http://www.arcspace.com/features/alvaro-siza/mimesis-museum/

2. “Mimesis Museum / Alvaro Siza + Castanheira & Bastai Arquitectos Associados + Jun Sung Kim” 23 Sep 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 28 Nov 2014. http://www.archdaily.com/?p=78936

3. Murphy, Douglas. “Mimesis Museum by Alvaro Siza.” Icon. Icon Magazine, Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2014. http://www.iconeye.com/architecture/news/item/9185-mimesis-museum-by-alvaro-siza

“With that sketch, the idea for the building was there, drawn in one movement, one gesture.” - Carlos

Image courtesy of Icon


MIMESIS MUSEUM

Image courtesy of Arch Daily Image courtesy of Arch Daily

Image courtesy of Arch Daily


STEVEN HOLLThe Chapel of St. Ignatius is a Jesuit chapel for Seattle University and was designed by Steven Holl Architects. Steven Holl’s architecture has a philosophical depth to it and is currently one of the leading architects whose focus is on the phenomenology of architecture. A “gathering of the lights” was the main concept behind the Chapel of St. Ignatius, as well as corresponding to St. Ignatius vision of spiritual life. The chapel is made up of varied interior lights and shadows, which in St. Ignatius vision, he called them consolations and desolations. Holl also refers to this project as “seven bottles of light in a stone box.” There are a number of irregular volumes that aim to capture different qualities of light. These qualities of light depend on the program in which they emerge. For example, the south facing volume corresponds to the procession which is a fundamental part of mass while the north facing volume corresponds to the community.1

The volumes and lights, though having different meanings, all come together inside the chapel and unify. The chapel really pulses with life as the light is always changing through out the day. At night time those on the university campus can see the different colored lights reaching out and expanding across the campus.

Image courtesy of Steven Holl


CHAPEL OF ST. IGNATIUS

1. “Chapel of St. Ignatius.” Steven Holl. Steven Holl, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2014. <http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=40

2. “AD Classics: Chapel of St. Ignatius / Steven Holl Architects” 01 Mar 2011. ArchDaily. Accessed 28 Nov 2014. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=115855

A truly phenomenal experience. There is also a certain phenomenological experience when looking at the different colored lights. If you were to look at a blue square and then look to a white wall you would see a yellow square. It is an ever changing atmosphere of light and phenomena, so precise and detailed. Even the building envelope expresses the creation of phenomena. The envelope is a tilt-up method of construction, composed of 21 interlocking concrete panels. These concrete panels, once resolved, form the windows.1

Holl’s material expression also have

phenomenological qualities to it. The way the different material textures and light effects play off of each other creates a distinct spatial character. The walls have a rough texture that doesn’t allow light to pass so easily over them. Instead the material expressions capture the light on the surface of their rivets while shadows form in between as seen in the bottom left picture.2

The Chapel of St. Ignatius is a place where one can truly become self aware as the architecture causes them to reflect and focus on the emerging and vanishing lights. This thesis can look to the different qualities

of light created by different volumes as ways to create a spatial dialogue through out the project. I will also think of how material textures can have an impact on the experience one has. A smooth surface is very different than a surface that actually captures light and creates shadows in contrast. The way the chapel pulsates as clouds pass by and colored light emerges is a fascinating concept and something that can be combined in my own thesis.

Image courtesy of Arch Daily Image courtesy of Arch Daily Image courtesy of Arch Daily


PALEY PARK

1. “Paley Park - Great Public Spaces.” Project for Public Spaces. Project for Public Spaces, Web. 27 Nov. 2014. http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=69

Paley Park is a small vest pocket park located in midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is surrounded by high-rises and has been a celebrated park welcoming an escape from the city conditions. The park is a break in the urban fabric of the street and is placed directly on the street so that people stop, look in, and enter.

The park was designed by Zion and Breene Associates as well as William Paley, the person who paid for it. The park features a waterfall that provides a node within a node, a dramatic focal point and often the

driving force for why people enter. While the park is heavily used, with people constantly walking through and stopping to ponder it, the waterfall creates a white noise that drowns out the noises of the city. It creates a restful atmosphere within the urban context,allowing one to feel “alone” even when surrounded by others. The trees also filter the sun into the park creating an ambient glow.1

This thesis can push the concept of this pocket park further and think about different focal points that make someone

stop and engage. The water feature is successful in engaging the senses and blocking out the noise and in combination with the use of natural light and artificial light makes one feel rested and relaxed. This thesis can incorporate combinations of different design features that play off of each other and create intimate relationships with the urban context and the individual.



AUSTRIAN PAVILION

1. “Austrian Pavilion.” Designboom. Accessed November 24, 2014. http://www.designboom.com/architecture/austrian-pavilion-expo-2015-milano-breathe-09-01-2014/.

The Austrian Pavilion is a proposal for the Expo Milano 2015. The Expo is an exhibition that focuses on “feeding the planet, energy for life.” It is a participatory process that embodies concepts of sustainability, technology, thematics, etc. The pavilion is designed by Klaus K. Loenhart of the landscape and urbanism studio, Terrain.1

The pavilion is a 560 square-foot sensory forest surrounded by an elevated building. The idea is to promote clean air quality and provide visitors with a sensory experience through a lushly vegetated landscape. The pavilion includes sound clouds, smell stations and mist stations to further

enhance the journey of senses. The surrounding building will provide program for events and exhibitions.

The forest is able to produce 62.5 kg of fresh oxygen per hour, which is enough for 1,800 people. It also promotes an increase of photosynthesis. The design seeks to promote an interface between indoor and outdoor spaces as well as the increase of green spaces in urban environments.1

This thought process can help my thesis in my respects, especially when it comes to providing a sensorial journey.

Image courtesy of Designboom

the Innovation District has great potential for growth, but in its current state there lacks a human touch or

atmosphere to the area. “ ”

SITE SELECTION AND METHODOLOGY


SITEThe innovation district is an initiative to transform the South Boston waterfront into an urban environment that cultivates innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. The district is similar to that of San Francisco’s Silicon Valley. It was started by former Mayor Thomas M. Menino. It is the largest underdeveloped land in Boston but has potential for growth and opportunity. Its location is ideal for most projects as it is in close proximity to major transit systems as well as downtown Boston. The district is growing rapidly in the few short years the initiative began in 2010, creating over 200 new companies. But whether it is growing for the better is a question that remains to be answered.

The diagram on this page maps out the parameters of where this thesis can potentially take place. This is the main gateway into the innovation district and thus should become a landmark for the area.

So why this site? As previously mentioned the Innovation District has great potential for growth, but in its current state there lacks a human touch or atmosphere to the area. The district contains humongous parking lots and high-rise buildings that feel isolated in nature. There are industrial sized parcels of land and the problem is how do you create a human neighborhood within them? Many of the towers going in

do not support a positive pedestrian life and do not support each other in a contextual way. They are isolated, and stand alone and don’t create much lively public space.

The diagram on the next page shows the main industrial sized parcels that have been created and are what this thesis will be working with. They are numbered by the most important, 1-9, with 1 being the most important. The first parcel is the most important because it is the gateway into the project and sets the tone. The other parcels are rated based on their location and relationship to the surrounding context. The main transit axis and secondary axis

are also represented in this diagram. They will be crucial in rearranging and setting up the new parcels this thesis will create. The secondary axis will be going through the project so it needs to be re-designed.


BOSTON INNOVATION DISTRICT


SITE


BOSTON INNOVATION DISTRICTThe diagram on the previous page shows the green scape areas in the site and surrounding areas. There is currently a lack of green scape and vegetation in the site and the areas provided are not quite effective. There is a lack of human activation in them and some of the spaces feel as if they are not accessible. There needs to be a proper use of vegetation that activates the site and engages the proposed project as well as the urban context. Many of the current houses, businesses, etc. could benefit from more green scape as it will make the site more pedestrian friendly. It should also start to engage the harbor for it would generate a very sensual atmosphere, the combination of land and water.

The pictures on this page show the Innovation District in its current nature. There is a lack of human activation, and of course settings change when the construction equipment is gone, but as mentioned the buildings going in are not bringing positive outcomes to the site. The parking lots are just eye sores and the green scape, the little that there is, is not properly activated and provides no real experience to the surroundings. These picture really show how they stand alone, and that there needs to a redefinition of the area. That is where this thesis comes into play.

The objective is to take this site and create an atmosphere that grounds the individual in place and creates a lasting impression. It is to bring about a human touch to the area through the engagement of the senses. These industrial sized parcel need to become connected and cultivate the area with spaces that positively impact the individual and the whole.

1. “About.” Innovation District. Innovation District, Web. 04 Dec. 2014. http://www.innovationdistrict.org/about-2/


METHODLIGHT STUDIES

The diagrams shown on this page explore various forms of light and how they can manipulate spaces and can invoke different atmospheres. The idea is to use light as a focal point that works to shape space and ground individuals within that space or ultimately the place. The combination of light has an ambiguous nature and can create atmospheres of wonder and question. These diagrams help this thesis understand the importance of light in the project. It will be necessary to pay particular attention to the way light is used in certain spaces in accordance to the programmatic function of the space.


LIGHT STUDIES

The two diagrams on this page show light in combination with material. The material chosen was a light wood, chosen for its warm glow it receives when it interacts with light. The relationship of light and material is important to this thesis, and should be thoughtfully implemented. Certain atmospheres can be created based on this relationship. Both diagrams give off a warm, safe feeling. The combination of walls, light, and material really frame what is beyond in the first diagram. In the second diagram the light starts to create a way finding system and the material is used to light up the space with a nice ambiance.


METHODSPATIAL ATMOSPHERE

These diagrams start to explore spatial atmospheres within the site. Basic architectural forms were drawn and then placed into Photoshop were images of the site were superimposed. The idea is to create a unique atmosphere in an area that lacks a human touch. The beginning thought of a sensory forest is applied in both diagrams; passing through the architectural forms. The next step would be to push these diagrams further and apply material studies as well as programmatic functions.


METHODSENSUAL QUALITIES

This diagram looks at the sensual qualities that this thesis will explore. Drawn with charcoal, and material overlays applied, this diagram creates a setting where the sun is shining down as the person is bathing. This emphasizes the steam created from the shower, high-lighting it. The wood material also glows as the light hits it adding to the warm atmosphere. It would be beneficial for this thesis to make everyday activities a heightened experience.


SENSUAL QUALITIES

This diagram looks at the sensual qualities that this thesis will explore. Drawn with charcoal, and material overlays and site overlays applied, this diagram generates a sensual atmosphere in a pool house that is connected to the harbor. Light pours down and reacts with the heated pool and high-lights the steam. The wood texture also gives off a nice glow. This diagram starts to look into adding atmosphere to program.


PROGRAM`COMMUNITY HOUSING PROJECT

The ideal project for this thesis would be a community housing project. Since architecture should have a lasting impression on the users and create an atmosphere that makes one feel self aware, this thesis would benefit from it being something that is more permanent. A community housing project would allow a multitude of varying spaces to be created that embrace the individual, but also maintain the needs of the urban context. The site in its current status is cold and lacks a properly activated human atmosphere. A new community development that engages the context, the harbor, vegetation, and the users, will bring a warmer touch to the area.

Community housing promotes interaction amongst the residents of the community as well as the surrounding context. This thesis will also promote that interaction through its different program, but will redefine it in a way that emphasizes the individual experience and self-awareness. The spaces in the development will use material and design to generate an atmosphere that is sensual and awakening.

The images to the left are examples of urban housing and the qualities they have that start to capture what this thesis is about and will try to accomplish.

Image courtesy of Inhabitat Image courtesy of Inhabitat


The other program to be included is:

Micro Units

Building connectors

Sensory gardens/forest connector

Art galleries/outdoor galleries

Shopping centers

Restaurants/bars

Party hall

Recreation center

Observation decks

Public courtyards

Esplanade

Pool house

Image courtesy of Alex Hogrefe Image courtesy of BBC

Image courtesy of Arch Daily

Image courtesy of Designboom

DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION

The approach to the urban design of this thesis was to provide areas for the masses but to also promote

individual escape and relaxation. “ ”

DESIGN PROCESS


PROBEWith the start of the second semester of our Master’s year, we were required to develop a thesis probe. The thesis probe was intended to be a quick pass at relaying our initial thoughts on our thesis in some form of medium. I had chosen the digital medium to best represent my thoughts on atmosphere.

I created various settings and conditions within the urban realm that I thought would kick start my thesis. The diagrams on this page show building connectors (top left corner), green space and sidewalk conditions (top right corner), and a section showing building form and function, as well as urban design features (bottom),

The section on the following page looks more into my thoughts of program and function and how the senses can play a part. In this case, I am using light and materiality to show how one’s senses might be effected and heightened. This section reveals a restaurant scene looking out into the harbor. The harbor starts to dip down under this green boardwalk scene with skylights allowing sunlight to grace the surface of the water. The stone material on the inside reacts nicely with the light coming in and invites one to touch its rough textures.


MASTERPLANNINGIt was crucial to me to understand the current and future plan of the Innovation District. So my initial steps were to create both plans to see the relationships they have as well as what the future holds for the area and how best I can then improve it. The current status of the district is shown in the plan above and the proposed plan of the district is shown below.

As one can see now the district is very barren with huge open parcels of land. And the proposed plan is dense with little green and social space being created.

The two diagrams on the following page represent ideas as they developed through out the semester. On top, the plan shows the area I worked with split into smaller parcels allowing for connections to surrounding streets and pedestrian movement. It shows my thoughts of the rooftop market as well as sensory forests occurring along the way. This thought of a ground plane promenade was also created.

In the bottom image you see how the promenade started to develop and how open courtyards were being formed. Urban design was coming into effect more at this point. This thought of end points and destinations was circulating and the harbor was naturally a choice. This also allowed for more connection to the ICA and harbor walk.


BUILDING CONCEPT

The form of the buildings was not as important to this thesis as was the urban design features and master plan. Howev-er, it was necessary to understand how the buildings might start to look and fit with the

surrounding context. The top left image was the first pass, then the top right, followed by the bottom as the final concept. The buildings were to represent this thought of layered consciousness. So I

used materiality to enhance this thought. The rough concrete, warm woods, and ar-eas of glazing all work nicely together.


MICRO UNITThe Innovation District is and will continue to be an area where the younger generations mostly strive. It is for the people starting their careers or those looking for an area where it can be live/work.

Naturally, the micro unit would be the best option for this area. The micro unit is good because it uses little space and can maximize the usage of social space and urban design in this thesis. The micro unit also promotes individuality.

The diagrams on this page show how the layout and design was being thought of. My initial thoughts were to tier the units. This would allow for green balconies as well as sky light settings that can provide ambient light (top). The bottom diagram shows the initial thoughts on layout and materiality. The rooms would have more of a contemporary and modern appeal. The balconies would be next to each other and would be able to be opened to create a shared balcony setting, if both parties consented. Furniture would be multi-functional with beds and tables being folded out.


URBAN DESIGNThe approach to the urban design of this thesis was to provide areas for the masses but to also promote individual escape and relaxation.

The diagram below lays out the layers of program to be included and shows where urban design features can be utilized. The left portion of the diagram is where most of the commercial related functions are including shopping, cafe, and workshop studios. The roof top market starts in this section and will cross over at times into the

right portion of the diagram where there is a mix of both commercial and residential functions. The promenade lies in the middle as the ground plane connector between the sets of buildings.

The diagrams on the following page show the formation of the rooftop market and the promenade, as these areas are where most of the urban design will formulate. They show how vegetation will be included on both roof top market and promenade and how the two will interact with each other.

The sensory forests can be seen along the path of the promenade and how they ex-tend into the market above. The aerial shot in the bottom left diagram also shows how the scale of the project will start to look. The commercial buildings on the left side will go up to three stories and the mixed use residential buildings on the right will go up to six stories. This will provide a bet-ter human scale in this area surrounded by two-hundred and fifty foot buildings.

The end goal of this thesis was to provide users the experience of multiple levels of consciousness, expressed through the

different atmospheres created.“ ”

DESIGN FINAL


MASTER PLAN

The final master plan shows all of the features of this thesis coming together to create a retrofit community within the urban context. The overall site plan can be seen on the following page where there is a clear representation of circulation on both the promenade and the roof top market.

In the zoomed in portion of the plan above you can see this circulation pattern more easily. The urban steps in both parts of the site lead up to the roof top market or you can pass beyond the steps and locate yourself in the various urban park features.

The zoomed in plan below shows the destination and end point of the promenade, the harbor. Once can see how all the features are coming together and playing off of each other to create a cohesive environment.

Also to be noted is the rooftop gardens found on the residential buildings where residents can grow their own food.


GROUND PLANE


GROUND PLANE

These next few diagrams on the following pages will show zoomed in portions of the ground plane. The full extent of the thesis can be seen in the previous spread.

This notion of the central courtyard and an urban park are whats to be highlighted in the image above. There are various water features along the path as well as raised or sunken grass areas. Seating is provided in multiple forms, either as benches or amphitheater style seating. The materiality of the pavement changes as you pass through the courtyard, laid out by different connections from building to

building. The shadow of the roof top market can be seen, and shows how it fits in between the urban park features. It also starts to designate space underneath as well. These spaces become cafe seating areas. The urban park and the building form are cohesive and play off of each other in unison.


The zoomed in portion of the ground plane on this page looks at the destination or end point of the promenade. The shifting of District Hall to this area was important in allowing the promenade to develop but also gives the Hall more importance and pedestrian activation. The urban park features in this area continue from the promenade and there are water features and grass areas to be noted. There is amphitheater seating in multiple spots that look to various buildings and areas of importance like the ICA, District Hall or the harbor. The grass areas in this section are larger than the ones found in the promenade and can be used for activities like Frisbee that require more space.

The materiality of the site is also worth noting as the wood of the harbor walk and the concrete materials play off of each other. This gives importance to the new design features but there are also sight lines to the areas where the harbor walk continues to the ICA.


THIRD FLOOR

The third floor is where the roof top market occurs as well as the micro units begin. The form of the market can be seen in the diagram on this page. One can see how it forms around parts of the commercial buildings and becomes interior market areas. Also to be noted is where it connects to the other buildings. The market extends over the promenade and connects to the sensory forests. This provides users with a new way of experiencing the forests as they become engulfed in the canopies of some of the trees.

The two diagrams on the following page are zoomed in portions of the image above. They are highlighting the areas below in the promenade that are being affected or emphasized by the market.

In the top image you see how some of the urban park features are emphasized by the openings of the market. This will allow sun to come into these areas and allows for the overhanging vegetation to loom over head, creating atmosphere.

In the bottom image you see how parts of the roof top market look to certain park features. For example, the urban steps and stepped fountain can be seen in direct

view from the market. Also, the open courtyard where performances can be held is also in direct view.

One thing to note in both images is the placement of the vegetation in the market. Since the micro units start on this floor, the vegetation is placed in a manner that acts as a blockade for the residents. The vegetation will disrupt full views into apartments.


MICRO UNIT

The images on this page show the final elevations of the micro units. In the top images you see the interior of the units and the type of furniture to be utilized. They layout of the space can also be seen.

In the bottom image you see the exterior of the units and the materiality chosen. This gave the units a sense of individuality.


This image shows the final layout. The bathrooms have been shifted down to provide better functionality with the kitchen.


SECTIONS

The use of site section/elevation were important to the success of this thesis. The full extent of the section can be seen above. One can see how the spaces come together in unison with the buildings. The shift from day time and night time shows the utilization of artificial light to create atmosphere and heighten the senses.

The image to the left is a zoomed in portion of the section above. It looks at the urban steps and stepped fountain. The materials of the buildings and urban park come together to create a balanced atmosphere of texture. The trees are also to be noted. This thesis looks at the usage of different trees and colors to heighten the senses and visual awareness.


The image to the right shows the shift from day time to night time.

The urban park features come to life at night as they become illuminated by thoughtfully placed lights. The market becomes emphasized as the sides have strips of lights built in. This provides light from above that bleeds into the spaces below much like what happens during the day time. The water features light up and illuminate the water fountains shooting up and the ones pouring down from the urban steps. The walls of the buildings also incorporate light strips. The lighting on the columns acts as a way making tool to guide one through the promenade even at night.


SECTIONS

The full extent of the site section/elevation can be seen above. This drawing shows the residential building side of the community.

The shift to nighttime is seen in the image to the left. This portion shows the artificial lighting used throughout the project to create a new atmosphere at night. The buildings light up in certain areas, including where the balconies are. The seating areas are illuminated from below emphasizing the urge to sit. The sensory forest can be seen as a beacon of light during the night as its internally illuminated and the presence of the vegetation becomes heavily known.


The image to the right shows one of the sensory forests and how circulating through the space is unique. You are either on the ground plane looking through trees, flowers, etc. or you are circulating through the forest via the stairs where eventually you are above the canopies of the trees. This provides a new perspective and heightened awareness.


ATMOSPHERES

The images on the following spreads will show the different atmospheres that have been created through out this thesis. The end goal of this thesis was to provide users the experience of multiple levels of consciousness, expressed through the different atmospheres created.`The image above shows the plan view of the perspective shown on the following

page.

The image on the following page shows urban steps and how there are moments of separation as you continue up them. The water feature shows water pouring down from the steps and it heats up as it meets the water below creating steam. The roof top market looms overhead and ivy hangs down. People activate the promenade as

an outdoor farmers market takes place. This perspective is crucial in showing how all the factors, the urban park, buildings, materiality, etc., develop into a thoughtful environment.


ATMOSPHERES

The image above shows the lines of sight of the perspective on the following page. It is looking at the urban park features of the main courtyard.

The perspective shows the raised grass areas used for laying down in combination with the seating areas that utilize benches.The courtyard becomes filled with color and light from the different trees and skylights from the market above.


ATMOSPHERES

The image above shows the lines of sight of the perspective on the following page. It is looking at the urban park features of the destination point, the harbor.

The perspective shows the atmosphere of the destination point. More specifically it is looking at the urban design feature of the seating areas located in the water features. These seating areas cater to the masses but also provide an area to sit alone and to reflect as you are surrounded by reflecting water and vegetation.

With so much unknown in the world one thing is for certain; I will continue to

create visuals and atmospheres that inspire, heighten, and engage the user.“ ”

POST DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION


CONCLUSIONAtmospheric sensibility. That was the end goal of this thesis. To create an environment that expressed moments of self awareness and heightened senses. To take an area within the urban context that was dysfunctional and not cohesive and improve it. To retrofit a community within it that will become the framework for the surrounding area to build off of as well as other communities with similar problems.

I am confident I have accomplished what I have set out for. As the content of this book will show, I have created a framework that can be used to develop the surrounding district or be placed in other communities.

As the final crit came around I was met with positive comments, reactions, and criticism. The reviewers expressed I had a strong thesis and that I should now push it even further. They noted that I had done a lot in the semester and that everything worked well together. But they felt there were still some things left underdeveloped.

I agree with their assessment. The two surrounding streets, Seaport Boulevard and Northern Ave., need to be utilized in the same manner of my promenade.

Overall, I feel nothing but pride for my thesis and all that I have accomplished.


This past year working on my thesis has been a mix of emotions. It has been fun, stressful, engaging, hair-pulling, etc. But most of all it has been rewarding. I have learned so much about myself and where I want to be and what I want to do. I was able to learn from many instructors and many fellow classmates. We were always helping each other and bouncing ideas from one another. I do not think I could have asked for a better year.

As I continue into the next stages of life and career I will always look at my thesis with pride. I will carry it with me forever and hope to one day continue it or to build off of it in the work I do.

With so much unknown in the world one thing is for certain; I will continue to create visuals and atmospheres that inspire, heighten, and engage the user.

I again express my thanks to my instructors, classmates, friends, and family. You have all touched my heart and mind in many ways and I thank you for the learning experience that has been thesis.

REFLECTIONS


APPENDICESPrimary Sources

Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. Chichester: Wiley-Academy 2005.

This book by Pallasmaa helped define the strategy in which this thesis will tackle the problem noted. The way Pallasmaa talks about the senses helped me understand how crucial it is in the design process. It is important to create architecture that generates a deeper relationship to the user. This book was helpful to layout what senses this thesis will work with and how to start going about it. For example, shadow and light will be heavily considered in this thesis and its interplay with the imagination.

Simmel, Georg. Metropolis and Mental Life. Chicago: Syllabus Division, University of Chicago, 1961.

This essay written by Simmel is important to developing the problem in this thesis. His understanding of the sociological issues of the city still very much apply to the current day. There is a blase attitude in the urban environment and people are over stimulated. The constant barrage of construction, noise, new development, etc; at some point we all shut it out. However, this leads us to not appreciate our surroundings. Simmel’s writing is helpful in understanding how important it is to maintain a sense of self in the city and that architecture can be the answer.

Zumthor, Peter. Atmospheres: Architectural Environments, Surrounding Objects. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006.

This book written by Zumthor strengthened my opinion that architecture needs to ground the user in the space and develop a feeling of presence. The nine chapters he broke the book into were all really interesting to read and very helpful to opening the thought process to new possibilities. They all laid out qualities of architecture that everyone should think about, like what we carry gives the space soul or that movement should be an act of seduction not direction.

Zumthor, Peter, and Maureen Turner. Thinking Architecture. 2nd, Expanded ed. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006.

This book written by Zumthor is helpful in strengthening the approach to the problem. Architecture should capture certain sensuous qualities through its spaces and that it is often necessary to look to past experiences. Feelings you felt in other places are helpful in creating the spaces you want others to experience and feel. Architecture is an intimate setting that touches us everyday.


Secondary Sources

“Austrian Pavilion.” Designboom. Accessed November 24, 2014. http://www.designboom.com/architecture/austrian-pavilion-expo-2015-mila-no-breathe-09-01-2014/.

This article provides an excellent example of a sensory garden applied in an urban context. It is a thoughtful design that really focuses on human engagement and senses as well as health benefits.

Berger, Alan S. The City: Urban Communities and Their Problems. Dubuque, Iowa: Brown, 1978.

This source strays from the individual and instead talks about the community and their problems in the urban context. It is important to understand the whole spectrum and not just the issue your thesis is looking at.

Bullivant, Lucy. Masterplanning Futures. London: Routledge, 2012.

This book is useful in providing different precedents of master planning. It talks about ways of achieving a good master plan and will be helpful when the thesis enters the design stage.

Certeau, Michel De., and Steven Rendall. The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.

This source was an interesting read. The main chapter of focus was “Walking In The City.” It talked about everyday life having value in the larger aspect of things. The walker moves through the city in a way that is never fully determined. This source helps me understand the importance of generating an atmosphere that allows the user to explore on their own without being totally directed.

Koolhaas, Rem. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan. New ed. New York: Monacelli Press, 1994.

This book was an interesting read. It talks about the city’s buildings not being architectural master pieces but instead are tools for reinventing city life. This is a topic that is important in this thesis as the site chosen needs to be reinvented for generating a user friendly atmosphere.

The Urban Condition: Space, Community, and Self in the Contemporary Metropolis. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers, 1999.

This book helps solidify the problem this thesis lays out about the sociological issues in the city. This source provides examples of other sociologists and their views, like Walter Benjamin and his analysis of the urban experience.

WORKS CITED


APPENDICES*All images without image footnotes are courtesy of author

Thesis Abstract Page1. http://www.graubuenden.ch/wellness-und-entspannung/wellness-spa/thermen-heilbaeder/therme-vals.html

Page 51. Pallasmaa, Juhani. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. Chichester: Wiley-Academy, 2005. Print.

Page 61. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sameermundkur/6865878740/2. http://blog.secondstory.com/2011/03/23/moving-beyond-boring-old-real-some-future-use/

Page 71. Zumthor, Peter, and Maureen Turner. Thinking Architecture. 2nd, Expanded ed. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006.

Page 81. Zumthor, Peter. Atmospheres: Architectural Environments, Surrounding Objects. Basel: Birkhäuser, 2006.

Page 9 1. http://www.remodelista.com/posts/poetry-in-space-vals-thermal-spa-in-switzerland

Page 101. http://www.dezeen.com/2009/08/27/photographs-of-the-work-of-peter-zumthor-by-helene-binet/2. http://www.archdaily.com/13358/the-therme-vals/3. https://openhousebcn.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/openhouse-architectural-retreat-therme-vals-peter-zumthor/

Page 111. Murphy, Douglas. “Mimesis Museum by Alvaro Siza.” Icon. Icon Magazine, Mar. 2011. Web. 28 Nov. 2014. http://www.iconeye.com/architecture/news/item/9185-mimesis-museum-by-alvaro-siza

Page 121. “Mimesis Museum / Alvaro Siza + Castanheira & Bastai Arquitectos Associados + Jun Sung Kim” 23 Sep 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 28 Nov 2014. http://www.archdaily.com/?p=78936

Page 131. http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=40

Page 141. http://www.archdaily.com/115855/ad-classics-chapel-of-st-ignatius-steven-holl-architects/


IMAGE SOURCESPage 151. http://www.houzz.com/photos/3459439/Paley-Park-modern-new-york

Page 161. http://www.designboom.com/architecture/austrian-pavilion-expo-2015-milano-breathe-09-01-2014/

Page 271. http://inhabitat.com/hiroshimas-optical-glass-house-hides-a-secret-garden-behind-its-glazed-facade/

Page 281. http://visualizingarchitecture.com/2. http://www.designboom.com/architecture/austrian-pavilion-expo-2015-milano-breathe-09-01-2014/3. http://www.archdaily.com/266246/venice-biennale-2012-nordic-pavilion/4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14555871

Atmospheric Sensibility

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