PROJECT Contextual Bridges
LOCATION Baltimore City, MD, United States
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 5/1/2016
PROJECT CATEGORY Undergraduate / Upper Level Design
PROJECT TYPE Studio
ENTRANT Alaina Gentles
TEAM MEMBERS Juan Perez
Andrew Fuller
SCHOOL Morgan State University
FACULTY SPONSOR David Lopez, Professor / Architecture and Planning
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
Park Heights is currently one of Baltimore’s thriving communities located approximately 10 minutes from Baltimore’s Harbor Front. Once a Jewish community consisted of a thriving commercial district and supportive religious structures, has now become the a danger Park Heights residents. Park Heights continues to struggle with the lack of proper goods and services, low employment ratings, adequate living conditions and most importantly, a strong sense of place or something to that effect. What used to be a self established neighborhood is currently known as a struggling neighborhood. Churches in Baltimore have, and continue to participate in overseeing, reuniting and developing Baltimore’s communities. They are the artifacts establishing a sense of place. Park Heights is lacking these qualities therefore, this design aims to reconnect Park Heights to its surrounding communities and reestablish Park Heights using Baltimore’s thriving culture.
STUDENT'S STATEMENT
Project 2 explores contemporary practices of urban redevelopment in order to address the economic,
social, and environmental revitalization of the exiting urban environment. By using strategies for
increasing density and diversity,students will explore design possibilities for the generation of
economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and socially vibrant urban communities.
Park Heights, a community located in Northwest Baltimore and subject to several urban renewal projects,
is undergoing significant transformation via the acquisition and demolition of a 62-acre area centered on
Park Heights and Woodland Avenues. Baltimore City is pursuing redevelopment of the area by replacing
blighted blocks with economically viable development.
Project Goals:
1. Collect, format, and organize site data and visual characteristics of the urban environment.
2. Analyze data and communicate diagrammatically.
3. Understand urban elements and characteristics that influence urban development.
Aiming for a solution:
A substantial amount of the design process included practices such as
-sit visits (several)
-site measuring
- analyzing and mapping (before and during design phase)
-vigorous design phases: the class was broken into groups of three. Each student was required to design their own initial iterations of the RFQ with supporting diagrams.The next several weeks consist of the development of the final iterations before moving into the final design phase.
We studied neighborhood precedents such as Bolton Hill and Linden green. Individually, our group also studied the West 8's Boreo-SporenBurg Urban Design project, grasping an idea of unit typologies and their locations. Subsequently, 'Contextual Bridges' was molded into what we believe is a successful approach to Park heights social and economic growth.
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1: Contextual Bridges_image 1| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project| Aerial perspective from North looking South
IMAGE 2: Contextual Bridges_image 2| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project| Aerial perspective from South looking North
IMAGE 3: Contextual Bridges_image 3| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project| South West neighborhood
IMAGE 4: Contextual Bridges_image 4| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project| View of the green walk and Library
IMAGE 5: Contextual Bridges_image 5| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project|View from Park Heights side walk
IMAGE 6: Contextual Bridges_image 6| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project| view from North neighborhood
IMAGE 7: Contextual Bridges_image 7| Alaina Gentles; Juan Perez; Andrew Fuller| Morgan Sate University| Faculty Sponsor: David Lopez| Undergraduate Submission| Studio Project| Contextual Bridges diagram
MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Contextual Bridges
Category
AIA Maryland Student Design Awards > Undergraduate > Undergraduate / Upper Level Design
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