Whispering Tree

University of Utah School of Architecture Faculty Design Award Winner

College of Architecture+Planning The University of Utah Soonju Kwon 2009 Final Graduate Master Project The Whispering Tree Project Background Intro Urban Design Architecture Design Architecture that creates Community 02 Prof. Jörg Rügemer The Whispering Tree 03 Designer Resume 59 Downtown Renewal on a Regional Scale 06 Sustainable Community Housing 16 Concept Structure Program Composition Sustainability Diagrams Drawings Perspectives Model Photographies Sketch & Study Model 52 Units 44 3 Architecture that creates Community Salt Lake City, UT Prof. Jörg Rügemer [e-mail] http://faculty.arch.utah.edu/ruegemer Social aspects of housing playing a sub-ordinate role in today's architectural discussions, in which the focus often is on outstanding build-ings or on contemporary formal trends. The social understanding of a community is articulated in a holistic approach that includes the expression of the built structure; it's identity, the infrastructure of the housing environments, and the social possibilities and living conditions of the inhabitants, rather than its expression in a few remarkable structures. The dwelling unit as the defining element of urban form is the cell out which the urban structure is built. The community it creates therefore has a strong influ-ence on its urban environment. A community-based society is an ecological and sustainable society that shows the richness of human possibilities, as well as it distinguishes itself through a variety of lifestyles. It sees important potentials of synergies in the concentration of different groups of interests and ages. Future projections show that social structures will significantly change in the next 25 to 30 years. Although the situation might be slightly more stabile in Utah, the Wasatch Front will experi-ence an increase of single parents and one-person households, all kinds of patchwork families, empty nesters, and double-income couples. The baby boomer generation is just about to retire, challeng-ing architects and planners with a different demand on building structures and organizations. It neither can be the solution to build more isolated homes for the elderly, nor can it be the solution to extend the suburban lifestyle. Although models for living have already grown more varied, communal aspects of urban living are rare along the Wasatch Front and in Salt Lake City's downtown area. Under the characteristic title ‘Architecture that creates Community', an avant-garde, trendset-ting future housing model shall be developed that goes beyond the traditional, predominant housing models in the US and Utah. The high requirements for the project demand an outstanding architectural quality that draws a clear dividing line to the com-mon mainstream developments along the Wasatch Front. Innovative, future- and community-oriented housing should be understood as a societal and po-litical basis, in which central scenarios and require-ments of today's daily routine can be articulated by employing an innovative approach. The proposed program tries to reflects current and future social pa-rameters: over-aging of our society, isolation, need for care, a more flexible relationship between living and working, and an extended spectrum of partner-ship models. The project's objective is the development of an urban structure that refers explicitly to different forms of living and housing models, their inhabitants' lifestyles, and the sophisticated demands of our so-cial daily routine. Overarching goal is to develop an architecture that creates community. This program-matic approach will give an exemplary impulse for urban densification at the provided location. Preamble Project Goal Project Objectives 4 "…Every time when I come to write something, I bring to mind the hills covered with thick forest in summer breeze. Then I think like this; how beautiful it would be if I could write SOMETHING for cicadas or frogs, and for summer grass or wind…" Haruki Murakami, Hear the wind sing Sustainable Community Housing for Downtown Revival 5 The whispering tree imagines an ideal urbanism for a vacant lot in Downtown Salt Lake City that is located on the opposite street side of the old Rio Grande train depot. It envisions the location as the place where people can get close to each other, know each other, enjoy a safe life and relish the delight of community. This housing complex strives to embrace an urban community by using a delicate concept of sustainability to build human-friendly environments.The project proposed building approach-es design both on the level of civic, urban, and architectural scale. 6 The search for fostering regional identity Urban design Phase l Based on the existing, precious historical fabric, the Rio Grande area is redrawn as the heart of the proposed downtown rehabilitation. As part of initial research, four blocks of the city were redeveloped as a walkable cityscape to revive the area's former connection to artists and to restore the hidden value of the urban space. Rio Grande District 7 ·.-----.-1.-----1-1.'-'--'-- 1---' I.- -----.l •• - ----.] ~ • ~ ~ ~ • I . ~ ~ • I. ~ ~ 9 t; ~ ~ t:I ~. ~I ., ._!~_~U!~~U!.~a~lm~~ :l~v ~ . __ ____ r __ • .. - .- I .- i1 .- I .... .... .... ..... • ... III III III I •• J OJ t::~ • Two major pedestrian arteries emerged, which divide the huge Salt Lake City blocks from 600 feet down to a human scale of 300 feet. They connect two important nodes in the city fabric; therefore they act as mediators between them. =-- - -­,~- ~. - .c. ' " -- - .' -­~--- The poorly developed, but historically very important plaza in front of the Rio Grande station is redeveloped into an inhabitable, pedestrian-friendly space; it acts as the intersection of the two new axes. The abandoned, huge area on the west side of the train station is divided into two parts to give it a human scale; it will function as a future park for the community. The park sits on top of a central parking structure with underground pedestrian access; the structure will provide parking for the entire area, therefore offering a new experience for inhabitants as well as visitors of this part of the town. Communal connections are proposed throughout the entire area; in particular, the projected Artist Alley will highly foster cultural identity. 10 Urban Regeneration Sustainable Urban Design 11 .. - - ---- ---., ..... J .-- ... • "J .... ' .-... - .. ' I . --- f.;;- • ~- ) I .. ~ I ------ ..---_- .... - - -.----- - -~- -f- - l 1----/ -- 12 13 14 15 - 16 Whispering Tree as an image for the composition of urban community Architecture design Phase ll The propsal offers urban housing in the tree structure by intergrating space design, sus-tainability and natural sensability for those who are dreaming green downtown life. 19-unit housing complex is developed as a primary object and an initiator to build a commu-nity based on a sustainable structure. On the ground level, the building's art gallery stretches out into the Rio Grande Square, offering a welcoming gesture and functioning as a root of the building. Follow-ing the image of the tree in an abstract manner, proposed communal facilities representing branches. Like leaves, the residential units are exposed variously to light. 17 Context Air scope r land scope J ·, ,, ""• "• r ) C. I 18 J , /1 II '--,,-_'-"', ist A II 1--- q-- .~ • Community gardenl Playgroud r -."' - ~, rtist courtyard em ~ I unken Gallery ~ Dowr Rio Pub (Un, , 19 ,town Plaza ,lie Parking derground Structure r -(') I I-- • " L - - --~ L _ • tp. - 20 21 22 Community Service Gallery 23 Housing 24 Sustainability The urban chimney emerges as a strong architectural, vertical element; it houses a solar chimney that provides passive cooling and heating to the building. Specific building research on passive sustainable strategies lead to a building that incorporates many of those strategies, including rainwater harvesting systems, greywater collection systems, and a num-ber of communal roof gardens to create a healthy picture of the future urban life.. 25 • Urbim Chimney -EvaporativQ cooling in summer Gr&en house effect neatlng in winter ·9~: hight ",~rtic<il landmarl:. • West doub:e skin -Opcrob!c dc\;cIcs to adjust ligIll and privacy -Passive 8.Nen\i13tiOn -Advam:ed bLilclng en'/e ope syslam -M8dil'lle tJelween puhli!: pla7a am priv""'e home Roofsarden ·Cummun~y open fOlCi.ties ·Do',,mtoVin skyview UndergrolXld mectlanlcaJ Syslarn > -Grey water collection system, ralnwa:er harvesting system -MhCdnicai nxxn v /> .... <' t Sustainable Community Housing for Downtown Revival T e ' sper 9 Tr e 28 In order to fulfill its function as an architecture that creates community, several semi-private community decks and spaces are located throughout the building, creating a dialogue to the neighbor-hood, while the 19 dwelling units are open to natural daylight, the sun, and the wind, each providing private outdoor spaces for their inhabitants. Basement Floor CD -- .-- ~ -~ =, I - L. ,~,. . . ; -- 29 1st Floor 32 • • S. l·· -­' ... 1¢CiiOiiUib ..... 1 - -- 30 2nd Floor 3rd Floor 32 - .I" , .• _. S . 1 ·~ . 31 32 4th Floor 5th Floor 32 I. ' , ,. S . 1 ·~ \\\\\\\ \\\\\\\:&:;:1. [j L n, ~.-~ a .' • r ,, ~ " • I I I <" , a' , 17,,1 J ..... . • - a '.- • ~ ~3 I. I f • I 33 34 6th Floor Roof Garden 32 ::-eU , _AN -- - I ~ -- - . L. , , 11 - - t • I.' I I I :. S . 1 ·~ • .. ~. S--- -- - 35 36 West-East Section Plan S . 1"·3 2. I Rklhrlr. I ~ t:f"''' u,1 1""''''111""" d D D 37 , ,,. J j &10_2 J -- -= 38 North-South Section Plan $ . 1"· 32 . I I-- I I ~ " -"'" , I .~ -' J: 01 ir7"" ~ rr d-i,l.i.l ' - I ~ I I -~ , I .- Sl.tIkM ~ ...... - 39 40 Elevations South North Timber, white concrete, steel, glass • • 5.'·..., - l Dr~I Im IL-HII t= '= I ~ jiFT "I Il·-t! ,-- l> I ; c- - t=\ _/-/ , I ,oj "- - • : ' ~ '-:i~ . l ..1 I:.t:::i I ".. M 1 .... ... 41 West East Facade Detail , , , , r- D-\b ~..± ~, C' = Jt.- I.", .L. I:;; . .1 42 Facade detail Controling solidness Spin & 6idedwa .. ~~ Closing Fillering Opening 43 Configuration of west skin 44 Fadade detail Controling solidness Units design Combination from single households up to large family Variation of vertical and horizontal extension Space quality; 3,5F 18" floor down/ 4,6F 18" ceiling up Flexible plan for artist studio 45 Cross Unit I tJ ~ (j L '. . 5. 1"· 10' " .... Il .. 'I Ll I -... - -~, 46 47 48 Bridge Unit 1 J L 1-E~~~---.-dJ '. iIil " j lIW W " r .='-...- .~-- 49 Studio Unit Interior perspective of Bridge Unit M t\ f ''-·IV ~ 'Z§ • ,~ - .~ , O~- I ~U l ; ~ ~ • • J L c 1 [3 ~ C! '--"( !!Ill C( , •- 50 s .•' . .•.• .• • 51 52 Mass Study Study Models 53 Program and Space 54 Context Elevation 55 Urban Chimney Final Scheme 56 57 58 Soonju Kwon e [e-mail] Education Awards Scholarship Professional Career Education Awards Date of Birth 09 M. Arch., University of Utah May 08 Design Arts Utah 2008, Selected work Aug 19th National Exhibition of Architecture Selected work 00 Oct 08 Scholarship, Architectural NEXUS Apr 07 Kiahn Architecture Jan 02 B.S., Soongsil University, Seoul, Korea Feb 78 Born in Seoul, Korea Feb 03 Dunam Choi Architects Mar Resume Auto CAD 2008 Autodesk VIZ 2008 Adobe Photoshop CS4 Adobe Indesign CS4 Adobe Illustrator CS4 Corel DRAW X4 Intel Core 2 Duo U of U Printing Center '----