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Fostering civic awarenessthrough reintegrated public space.

Thesis: Fostering Civic Awareness

Jeff HammerquistSenior Thesis, Jackson StudioCollege of Architecture and Environmental DesignCal Poly, San Luis Obispo

In Transit

Thesis .Fostering Civic Awareness

Precedent Varied Urban Space

Site The Seattle Waterfront

Form Dynamic Environments

Product Integrated Public Space

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19

25

39

51

3

Thesis: Fostering Civic Awareness

Thesis: Fostering Civic AwarenessThrough Reintegrated Public Space

Our conception of ourselves as bodies and minds located in the city has fallen behind the realities of the modern metropolis. Todays city, as distinct from earlier human civilizations, is characterized by a disintegration of its population into groups divided by class, ethnicity, and age, causing a loss of a greater civic identity amongst its citizens.

Instead, we as citizens are increasingly aware of ourselves as individuals interconnected through global networks in a virtual space outside of and invisible to the city around us. However, because our day to day lives still occur in the space of the city, we share a common stake in the welfare of our cities and in the forces that shape them.

Reintegration

6

A successful architecture will encourage civic engagement amongst citizens by maximizing the eff ect of visual and phenomenal adjacencies occuring in the city.

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The Four Corners: an example of a location given relevance by abstract political boundaries.

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Regional Identity

How is regional identity defined? The American Heritage Dictionary defines a region as either 1) A large, usually continuous segment of a surface or space, or as 2) An area [or sphere] of interest or activity. The former definition is what we think of most commonly when we consider regions: one describing our physical whereabouts and how they are geographically defined.

For example, the term Greater Puget Sound refers to a region in Washington State geographically defined by the Cascade Range to the east and the Puget Sound to the west, and is easily drawn on a map. However, geographic borders and boundaries are rarely adequate to describe the complexity of how regions are defined in the minds of their residents.

Psychologically, a region is defined by how aware we are of it.The extent to which we are aware of our environment depends on how visible it is to us, how accessible it is, and how much we actually choose to look at it.

Imagine shading the total area of space you see or experience in one day or one month on a map. This is the space encompassed in your gaze, or the space that is visibly accessible to you. Everything you are aware of that occurs outside of this space is due to a secondary source of information, which you understand by basing it on your immediate surroundings and on memories of spaces you have previously occupied.

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Anyone who has shown out-of-town visitors around their hometown knows the feeling of rediscovering a familiar place through new eyes. This occurs when ones gaze expands to encompass additional perspectives or times of day.

An experiment conducted by Guy Debord, a key figure in the Situationist movement of the 1960s, tracked and mapped the daily motions of a girl along the streets of Paris for one month. The resulting map demonstrated that although her daily destinations were in disparate locations around the city, her psychogeographic gaze encompassed only a small portion of the city. Though the girl likely thought of herself as a citizen of Paris, how much of the city did she truly identify with? Perhaps the girl was aware of the city in other ways.

Los Angeles is a good example of how

Before the ubiquity of aerial imagery, the collective gaze of Los Angelenos had been previously complied from their everyday one-on-one encounters with the those in world around them. This changed dramatically when the first news helicopter began rebroadcasting images of the city from above back to its residents; Suddenly Los Angeles was aware of itself as a orthograhpically mapped mega-region connected, divided and defined by a system of freeways. Although the condition itself was not new, the peoples understanding of themselves as part of a region was fundamentally transformed, their gaze having been artificially extended.

a regions understanding of itself can be transformed by new technology.

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Aerial photograph of Burbank in 1983

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The Good: New connections formed between geographically disparate people can bring a region together.

The Bad: Connections made with people outside the region perpetuates cultural divisions within.

Now that our digitally augmented gaze extends across borders and continents, the way we identify ourselves as belonging to a region is changing.

were born from the generative potential of urban life. As people of diff erent origins, ages and cultures mix and build new relationships across divisions and diff erences, their understanding of others and of themselves deepens and lets human vitality and ingenuity fl ourish. However, it is also human to crave the familiar or to avoid the uncomfortable, and not all things encompassed in our gaze are familiar or comfortable.

While machine- and information-age technologies have introduced new and novel ways to bring us together, they have also given us opportunities to remove chance from our lives and to ignore things we would rather not see.

How do virtual connections aff ect a region?

they are the roots of the citys potential as an educational entity. From the French Revolution to the birth of jazz, some of mankinds richest cultural inventions

Opportunities for chance encounters in our every-day lives are an essential part of widening our gaze:

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Some argue that the telephone marked the beginning of the end to face-to-face communication. No longer did businessmen need to leave the confi nes of their offi ce to communicate with someone in another offi ce: executives could deliver intrapersonal messages themselves, emptying the street of couriers and messenger boys.

Perhaps this change was welcomed by all, but the streetscape suff ered a reduced cast of characters nonetheless. Television and fi lm brought foreign settings and ideas to new audiences and were lauded as being the key to a more educated populous, but they too had their eff ects on interpersonal contact: entertainment became less of a community event and more something enjoyed from the comfort and security of ones own living room.

The motorcar, however, was never seriously touted as being universally benefi cial to society; rather it was seen as a means for individual escape, of complete personal freedom. This fi t nicely with the American dream, and so

at the end of the century the average American family owned 1.9 cars. Not many understood the true value of what an asset they had posessed in their urban conditions, and even fewer understood the devastating eff ects the car would eventually have on those very conditions.

while remaining safely inside a miniature environment completely under our own control (Networked Publics, 21). While one could argue that we maintain visible access to our surroundings when we travel by car, we do so as a passive observer and only in traumatic circumstances does the environment outside our windows aff ect us directly.

The car itself has always functioned as a viewing machine, allowing us to bypass places or conditions we fi nd unpleasant

Freeway under construction ca. 1950. The city streets below are left in neglect and shadow

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The freeway and the car became americas transportation method of choice partly because it allowed city businessmen to move untouched through the less pleasant, often impoverished fringes of the city to the verdant, virgin landscape waiting just beyond. Thus they could have the best of both worlds without riding a crowded trolley through the third. However, now that suburbs in the US have swelled to hold half of

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, decennial census of population, 1910 to 2000.

2000199019801970196019501940193019201910

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its growing population, land use habits resulting from the freeway itself have in many cases loaded it beyond its useful capacity, ending the freedom of mobility previously enjoyed by car owners. Once rich with social potential, transportation today is often a solo affair.

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Due to both physiological and psychological reasons, we experience the same space differently at different speeds. While physical impediments such as a curvy road can slow us down, our reduced speed is partly due to the fact that as we move more quickly, our eyes lose the ability to focus on nearby objects and our gaze extends further in front of us. We also spend less time in any one place when moving rapidly, giving us less time to process it as a unique space. Often we are aware of the composite effect of these spaces as seen in rapid succession: that is we are aware of our immediate environment as a condition rather than a space itself.

Psychologically, moving at an elevated speed through an environment has an

a means of travel which does not isolate us from the space we pass through, but still allows us to do so quickly.

isolating affect. It as a phenomenon is born of trying to minimize the time spent between point A and point B, therefore bypassing the stuff in between. However, while slow space keeps us in touch with the city around us, the ability to move quickly through a dense area allows us better physical access to the citys diverse geography, letting us expand our gaze. Perhaps there is a happy medium:

Space at Different Speeds

Bicyclists reclaim the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattleduring an event called critical mass.

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Precedent: Varied Urban Space

The Galata Bridge in Istanbul exemplifies how transportation infrastructure can enrich its urban surroundings instead of detracting from them. The bridges success is partly due to its utility: it is a bottleneck that provides one of the only routes across the golden horn. It is used by pedestrians, cars, and a tram line running across the city, giving it the requisite foot traffic to sustain commerce successfully. The bridges lower deck, perched underneath the upper car deck and just above the waters surface, houses dozens of vendors that take advantage of the high volume of traffic.

To allow a place for boats to pass under the bridge, all foot traffic crossing the bridge must climb stairs to the upper deck to cross its entire length. However, these staircases, born from necessity,

have a fortunate consequence; Foot traffic wishing to bypass the crowded lower deck can cross on the upper deck, but can still change halfway across the bridge.

The bridges prominent location on the water is visible from the waters edge up and down the horn, and the bustle of the commerce on the lower deck is prominently displayed. By maximizing the spectacle of the bridge crossing, the bridge serves as an advertisement for the shops below as well as providing onlookers with an intuitive understanding of their options for crossing the water. It focuses the urban activities of transportation and of commerce into a highly visible node, encouraging chance occurrences by letting activities overlap.

Galata Bridge Istanbul, Turkey

A rich variety of uses make the Galata Bridge in Istanbul, Turkeymuch more than just a way across the water.

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The HighlineNew York City, New York

The Highline, New York Citys new linear park, is sited atop an abandoned rail line which used to serve the citys meat packing district. Once reserved exlusively for noisy freight trains, the elevated platform when complete will let the public experience the city from an entirely new perspective. Winding above, alongside and through buildings, the landscaped pathway allows its users a verdant break from the chaos of the street below.

While the fixed width of the abandoned railway does not allow for much spacial variation throughout the line, idiosyncratic spaces are carved from branches and nodes along the way. These spaces are instrumental in the parks success: by providing a varying visual and spacial experience they serve as landmarks for navigation as well as inspiration for playfulness and curiosity. Although the parks linear nature suggests primarily kinetic use such as jogging or walking, the spaces provide opportunities for different sedentary activities as well.

Equally important to the parks success was the design of the city codes shaping future modifications to the park and its surrounding buildings. Interestingly, these codes restrict connections to the park from adjacent buildings, citing the potential risk of the park to be taken over by private uses as a concern. While this restriction does prevent the park from becoming just another busy street, perhaps a synthesis between public and private space could allow for further variation in form and function.

The Hudson River as viewed from the Highline Park.

A couple appropriates auditorium-style seating for personal use.

Wooden lounges roll on the old tracks, letting park patrons reconfigure them. 21

The Pike Place MarketSeattle, Washington

As one of Seattles most precious cultural and historic gems, the Pike Place Market is renowned for its numerous sights, sounds and idiosyncrasies. It is Seattles most visited destination for tourists, but also manages to attract an equally large crowd of city natives with its fresh produce, diverse array of restaurants and excellent crowd watching.

The markets success, however, is not due to its reputation alone: its spacial diversity together with its rich history ensures its continuing success. While other historic areas of the city such as Pioneer Square undergo periods of boom and bust, the Pike Place Market rarely sees a downturn. This is partly due to the diverse makeup of the markets visitors; Between its barbershops, restaurants and bars there are destinations for a wide array of people during the day and night. Pioneer square, while it hosts a similar variety of shops and venues, is less concentrated and varied than the market and thus does not always achieve the critical mass needed to sustain a vibrant streetlife.

Since places such as the market evolve slowly over time, it is impossible to achieve such a rich variety of use and space in new development. However, its success is certainly a good model to consider when planning new, successful urban spaces in a modern city. The key lies in the cooperation of local government, private industry and the citizens, which requires civic awareness of all parties.

The Markets covered main arcade allows patrons a break from the rainy weather outside22

A convoluted maze of shops under the main arcade allow discovery in a world with too little mystery.

Car and foot tra c coexist without explicit direction from signs thanks to the high concentration of

pedestrians.

A mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as street widths as narrow as an alley and as wide as a boulevard, give the

market the diversity of use with which it thrives.

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Site: The Seattle Waterfront

P u g e t

S o u n d

BellevueSeattle

Redmond

BainbridgeIsland

VashonIsland

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Seattles unique geography and aging waterfront make it an ideal site for an investigation of spaces in transit. Because both the city of Seattle and the greater Seattle area are mountainous and nestled between several bodies of water, population centers are relatively dense and sprawl has occurred mainly to the north and south of the city. Improvements to the bridges spanning Lake Washington as well as Microsofts eastside location have led to the rapid growth of the population centers east of the lake, and while these cities have attracted large employers with their cheaper real estate prices, many people still commute into Seattle on a daily basis.

Since the region has only recently begun significant investment in regional transportation, most trips taken are by private car. While the regions geography has saved the region from excessive sprawl, it has also forced the regions arterial transportation routes into a few narrow bottlenecks, causing some of the worst highway congestion in the nation.

Seattle, WashingtonPart of the Greater Puget Sound Region.

While the interstate highway system will remain essential to the city for the foreseeable future, however congested, a new light rail system planned for the region will give people another way to get around which does not involve being confined to the walls of their automobile in a traffic jam. However, it is not enough to solve the regions transporation challenges.

The city has recently launched a Bike Master Plan aimed at reinstating the bicycle as a viable means of transporation around the city. While the plan promises to make biking a little easier,

changing the way people get around will require significant changes to the citys streets, policies, and prioritiesafter years of car-centric road and infrastucture design.

P u g e t

S o u n d

BellevueSeattle

Redmond

BainbridgeIsland

VashonIsland

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Some buildings in the shadow of the viaduct outdate it, and are therefore well suited to a waterfront without it. Howerver, most buildings have turned their good sides away from the waterfront towards Western Avenue and will need significant modifications to take advantage of a new Alaksan Way.

Commercial reuse of piers vacated by industry has shaped the modest successes of todays waterfront; The piers interesting histories and unobstructed harbor views make them valuable components of the waterfronts future.

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The Central WaterfrontAnd adjacent Alaksan Way Viaduct

The Seattle Waterfront, once the busy economic center of one of the wests larger port cities, has long laid in neglect under the shadow of the Alaksan Way viaduct. Built in 1953 at the climax of Americas love affair with the motorcar,

Its twin elevated highway decks carry 110,000 cars a day above a dense urban center with the highest population density in the northwest, leaving the

the viaduct now stands as a noisy barrier between Seattle and its Maritime origins.

streets below lifeless and in shadow.

Attempts have been made to reconnect the city with its harbor, such as the George Benson Streetcar that ran between Pioneer square and the northern waterfront, but the waterfronts problems run deeper than limited access; Due to the increasing size of container ships and a dwindling fish supply, industry has vanished entirely from the waterfront. The few remaining piers, now filled with a strange assortment of chain restaurants and tourist shops, struggle to remain relevant to the rest of the city.

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Fortunately, change is imminent. In 1999 the Alaskan Way viaduct was structurally compromised by the Nisqually earthquake and it became clear that the structure, no longer deemed safe for public use, needed to be replaced. The city of Seattle together with government at county and state levels has voted to move forward with a plan to replace the viaduct with a bored tunnel by 2016. At that time, the viaduct will be demolished and the streets below will once again see the light of day. However, there is not yet a consensus about what to do with the two mile long swath of valuable land the viaduct will leave behind when it goes.

Preliminary visuals released by The State of Washington, while only schematic,

10 Contours

Existing High Foot Trac

> 10% Slope

Potential Waterfront Foot Trac

4000 800 1/4 mi.

Bainbridge Islantd Ferry

Bremerton Ferry

Pioneer Square

Pike

Pine

show the area covered by a vast expanse of nothingness. While self-admittedly incomplete, these images show a dearth of creative solutions to the waterfronts unique challenges at the state level. The citys plan for the waterfront, though more developed than the states, is still vague and inconclusive, suggesting the viaduct be replaced with a strip park of primarily open space. While nothing is wrong with a little open space,

little will be added to the waterfront to get at the root of its real crisis: a lack of diversity in use.

The waterfronts potential to create a vibrant corridor between the Pike/Pine neighborhood and Pioneer Square.

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The Washington State Department of Transportations proposal for the Seattle Waterfront is clearly all about the car: the roadway lies directly

in the middle of an otherwise indiscriminate and useless open space left for other uses.

The City of Seattles plan isnt much better: it is equally vague about how the vast space between

exsiting buildings and the roads edge is used, but make it look smaller with grossly out of scale

pedestrians.

10 Contours

Existing High Foot Trac

> 10% Slope

Potential Waterfront Foot Trac

4000 800 1/4 mi.

Bainbridge Islantd Ferry

Bremerton Ferry

Pioneer Square

Pike

Pine

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Republic Parking Lotbetween Seneca and Spring streets.

Currently tucked away behind the Alaskan Way viaduct is an undeveloped parcel of land rare in the heart of downtown Seattle. It is two car decks and several years away from one of the best views in the city, and is perfectly situated between the successful Pike Place maket and Pioneer Square neighborhoods. These qualities, along

with its full block footprint, mean the site is ripe for something more than another offi ce builing. Downtown Seattle lacks a decently sized park as well as a sizeable outdoor venue to host large events. If only the park were a little higher to capture the view of Eliott Bay over the low roofs of the piers.

The city block between Seneca and Spring streets is currently used as a parking lot. When the viaduct is removed, the lot will increase half again in size and enjoy frontage to a new Alaksan Way, making it a prime candidate for redevelopment.

Original Shoreline

Alaskan Way

Eliott Bay

Highway 99 Viaduct

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Western Avenue

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Pier 49Original site of the Denny Mill

This particular section of the waterfront has been witness to every stage of Seattles growth from a native american fi shing village to todays urban center. Its current state of decay gives few clues as to its rich history, save for the pergola entrance to the old Washington Street Boat Landing.

The site was the original landing point of the Denny family upon their arrival in Seattle, as well as the site of the Denny mill which processed timber logged inland. Years of ballast unloaded from freight ships slowly moved Seattles shoreline from its previous location just south of fi rst avenue southward to its current location. Alaskan way was built

shortly after the turn of the century, serving the waterfronts numerous commercial piers, and Pier 49 became the primary non-commercial access point to Eliott Bay as a public boat landing.

Because the bay in this area is relatively shallow, the site not only provides a unique opportunity to develop a facility to showcase Seattles diverse history,

it also allows the possbility of restoring the shoreline and reconnecting Seattle with the the waters of Eliott Bay.

The Seawalls poor state of repair is evident in this picture of a condemned dog park alongside pier 49. If designed appropriately, new development on the waterfront could soften the edge between land and water and avoid the expense of maintaining such a hard edge.34

Original Denny Sawmill

Historic Boat Landing

Original Shoreline

All that remains of the public boat landing that was once located at pier 49 is its pergola. The decrepit structure reminds us of a time when the bay was

a much bigger part of the average Seattleites city experience than it is today.

The rock wave-break piled against the seawall near pier 49 shows that the seafl oor is relatively shallow

in this area. Such a site is ideal for re-establishing public access to the waters edge and reaquainting

Seattles citizens with the vitality of their harbor.

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In the 1970s, several piers were cleared to make room for Seattles current ferry terminal. Lost were the original streetfront facades of the piers sheds, only to be replaced by a parking lot and a few hundred feet of barbed wire fence.

As an attempt to make the terminal more attractive to walk on commuters, a skybridge carries passengers across Alaskan Way and Western Avenue directly to First Avenue. It eff ectively isolates the ferry terminal from its surroundings, giving no reason for commuters to set foot on the waterfront even in passing.

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Washington State Ferry TerminalServing routes to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton.

As the third largest auto-carrying ferry system in the world, Washington State Ferries carry thousands of cars per day across the Puget Sound. Technically considered to be a part of the state highway system, the ferries were once thought of as an interim solution put in place until the state built bridges across the sound. Building such a bridge today would be prohibitively expensive, and the benefi t gained from doing so is questionable.

Many of the Puget Sounds ferry terminals are not near major population centers and thus are mostly used by drive-on passengers. The Seattle waterfront is a strange location for such a terminal: its dense urban location makes access by car diffi cult, and it cannot easily provide the large amount of space required by cars waiting to board the next ferry. The illogical placement of todays terminal is probably due to the fact that the regions reliance on the automobile evolved over time, and

the expansion of the ferry systems car carrying capacity was equally as incremental.

Walk on ferries have been been tested by the state for popularity, but no route has had overwhelming success due to the lack of good transportation options at either end of the route. While the state is currently developing plans for a new, larger ferry terminal with increased car capacity, the imminent redevelopment of the waterfront corridor provides a great opportunity for the opposite approach; If the waterfronts new design is truly inclusive of all forms of transit and walking or biking are given priority,

the terminals footprint could instead be reduced, allowing more space on the waterfront for people instead of cars.

The pedestrian entrance to the Ferry Terminal as it appears today. The terminal itself is visually inaccessible from the street, making it uninviting to passers by on Alaskan Way. 37

Form: Dynamic Environments

4002000 800

The proposed plan for the Seattle waterfront calls for a linear park to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct after it is demolished in 2019. At over 120 feet wide and nearly a mile long, the space created by the elevated highways removal allows for a much richer diversity of uses and users than can be aff orded by a single use park. Instead, a comprehensive plan for the waterfront should accomodate a rich variety of functions and varying spacial conditions

Spacial CompressionThe benefi ts of varied spacial density

suitable for diff erent kinds of urban activities.

While open space is a valuable asset to any city, its value is maximized when it is adjacent to densely populated spaces. Dense spaces too are valuable to city life, as evidenced in Seattle by the Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square. By modulating the spacial density of the new waterfront, a maximum variety of uses are accomodated and encouraged.

Vaugue Space

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4002000 800

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e & Swap

Lear

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Play

Watch & Perform

Eat &

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sum

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Wait, Come & Go

Swim

& Bo

at

Diff erentiated Space

To provide the central waterfront with the varied spactial density essential for its success, open space is concentrated in nodes idiosyncratically sutied to a specifi c genre of activities or interests. This gives each node a unique sense of place and helps showcase particular events or activities to the passing public.

Paths for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians are woven between these nodes, maximizing proximity between path and node while minimizing the

width of the paths collective footprint at the space in between nodes.

for those travelling past the waterfront as well as diverse destinations for those travelling to the waterfront itself.

Together, open space nodes along with woven circulation provide a dynamic, continually changing experience

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Study 1: PathVaried circulation

A paths width and curvature both aff ect the speed and comfort at which it can be traversed. Long, straight paths which are of a consistent width allow faster and more direct travel than those which have varying widths or curvatures.

This happens regardless of the mode of travel, aff ecting pedestrians, bikes and vehicles similarly. However, due to scale diff erences the same path can feel drastically diff erent when experienced via diff erent modes and speeds.

Formal StudiesDrawing From The Natural Environment

Through a series of explorations, I investigate the functional and eff ectual potential of four distinct spacial conditions within the context of the waterfront. Each is based on an analogue condition occuring in the natural environment and is achieved by manipulating a diff erent formal element, such as a path, fi eld, surface or canopy.

By drawing formal inspiration from the rich natural environment of the pacifi c northwest, a new scheme for the Seattle Waterfront will mediate the harsh edge between the downtown cityscape and Puget Sound by playing off of the spacial cues we already know from our surroundings.

42

A path moving through a fi eld of solids is no longer an object to travel along but a fi eld through which to move. Variations in object size and spacing give the fi eld varying spactial characteristics, allowing diff erent routes through the same medium to vary in time or density.

Moving through a fi eld, rather than alongside a barrier or edge, maximizes the surface area of the boundary separating fi eld and object. This quality,

along with the variable nature of a fi elds density, makes it a good strategy for maximizing the streetfront facade space required by commerce or retail along the new waterfront.

Study 2: FieldDensity and exposure

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Varied, non-planar topographies create unique opportunities across a surface for moving in/under or out/over. Much like object fi elds, contoured spaces create variable conditions along a consistent surface when traversed. This aff ords more possibilities and spacial conditions than conventional, stacked space does.

Contoured surfaces can focus or defocus space by their concavity; Concave spaces focus views, motion and sound while

Study 3: SurfaceFocused space and seamless transitions

convex spaces dissipate or decentralize them.

Connections between elevated or non-elevated space on the waterfront should take advantage of contoured surfaces to facilitate seamless transitions between the two and to focus views in open spaces.

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A challenge inherent in creating outdoor spaces underneath elevated surfaces is keeping them well lit, comfortable and visually permeable. Most over- or under-passes in urban environments fail at this task, creating cold and lifeless spaces which attract crime and neglect.

Typically, elevated surfaces get better views, better light, and better accessibility, subordinating the space underneath them to second class status. For mode seperation to work on the

Seattle waterfront, spaces created when one path crosses over another need to be open, well lit, and attractively unique in some way.

A light supportive structure, a refl ective or lighly colored underside, and permeations in the upper surface can provide light and visual access to the spaces underneath.

Study 4: CanopyLight and visual access

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Product: Integrated Public Space

The new Seattle waterfront focuses urban activity in several nodes along its length, each one specially suited to a particular use. Individuals travelling through the waterfront skirt around or through each node, keeping them aware of activities occuring in the city around them.

A new elevated pedestrian and bike path provides a fast way in and out of the city for these low impact modes of travel, making their convenience competitive

to that of the car. The path also aff ords its users a new way to view the city from above, a privilege now reserved for those travelling north on Highway 99.

Additions and modifi cations to existing structures minmize waste and help older structures take full advantge of the new urban environment being created along Alaskan Way.

Integrated Public SpaceMaximizing the eff ect of physical and visual adjacencies.

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Alaskan Way is pushed toward the water in some places and pulled back in others, creating useable areas on alternating sides of the road instead of dividing the waterfront into two useless strips.

Building facades also create wider and narrower spaces along the waterfront, creating spacial interest and focusing open space in nodes.

Multiple changes in direction along the length of the road and the elevated causeway provide constantly changing views of the city and its surroundings.

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0 200100 500

2

1

Shop & WorkTerraced platforms and double level shops draw the commerce of the waterfront up into the adjacent buildings rather than keeping it isolated to the street level.

4

Watch & PerformA new indoor/outdoor theater draws art patrons to the waterfront while allowing passing individuals to participate in their own spontaneous performances.

3

Aerial FarmA new permaculture facility close to the Pike Place Market provides the citys residents education about how to grow their own produce in an urban environment.

2

Fast SpaceThis path provides a fast route in and out of the city for people on foot or bike, making these low impact forms of transit equally as convenient as the car.

1

Stay & GoA new commuter hotel and adjacent square provide benefi ts for ferry commuters. The square encourages all modes of transit using the ferry system to mix, keeping individuals aware of eachothers needs, while the hotel provides a place to sleep for those just missing the last ferry.

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Play & RestShoreline access, a new beach and a barge-top pool facility create a space for Seattleites to recreate in the heart of the city, while the adjacent grove of evergreen trees provides a place for rest and refl ection on the citys unique history.

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Bike Commuter StationBike commuter stations spaced out along the raised causeway allow bike commuters to store their bikes in automated storage facilities and shower before walking into the city core to their workplaces.

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1 Fast SpaceAn elevated path for pedestrians and bicyclists A new elevated causeway provides a quick route along the waterfront for pedestrians and bicyclists but still allows ample access to the street level. The space below the causeway is visually connected to activity on its surface through grated holes, which also allow light through.

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Grated holes allow light and sound to pass through causeway to the sidewalk below, visually and aurally connecting the two spaces.

The causeways unibody steel casing uses ship building technology, serving both as skin and structure. Individual segments can be built off site and assembled in place.

Causeway railings, at their full height, encase trusses, allowing the causeway to span long distances at street crossings with minimal deck thickness.

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Seating

Ramp

Kiosk

The small structure to the side of the causeway in this scenario functions both as a way to enter or leave the elevated path as well as location for a small kiosk.

Variations in the causeways profile provide an opportunity to rest and watch the activity of the street below.

A circular ramp in the center of the causeway provides an easy way for bicyclists to enter and leave the elevated path.

By spanning both levels, the columns that support overhead canopy help connect the space below the causeway with the space above it.

Potential ScenariosEarly studies in possible functions for the elevated causeway.

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Looking north along Alaskan Way 60

Aerial view of the southern waterfront and ferry terminal

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3 Watch & PerformA new performance venue for Seattles burgeoning music scene. Despite its burgeoning music scene, Seattle lacks good outdoor venues for large or medium performances. A new ampitheater park would allow planned and spontaneous performances to occur in a high profi le location highly visible to the adjacent pedestrian and bicycle artery.

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Alaskan Way

Western Avenue

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treet

Seneca S

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Views

Regular UseDuring normal daytime conditions, Alaskan way operates as a through street, keeping tra c light on Spring and Seneca streets for primarily pedestrian use.

Special EventsDuring evening concerts or special events, tra c from Alaskan Way can be temporarily rerouted to Western Avenue to provide more space for the ampitheaters pedestrian plaza.

Rooftop ParkTo maximize the usefulness of the site, easy rooftop access provides space for a park above as well as an indoor performance venue below.

The causeways location behind the stage of the ampitheater puts its users on stage, making biking and walking highly visible to spectators from the park.

Alaskan Way

Western Avenue

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Western Avenue

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Section AAA section showing the indoor performance venue, the tiered outdoor amitheater seating, and the rooftop park.

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Outdoor AmpitheaterA new outoor ampitheater on a rooftop park provides a much needed venue for live performances in downtown Seattle while allowing a view over the existing piers to the bay beyond.

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While the Pike/Pine corridor at the Viaducts north end and the the Pioneer Square District at its south end both sport a diverse array of uses and inhabitants, todays waterfront lacks such diversity. Previously used for industry, the buildings lining the waterfront turn east away from its dirt and din towards western avenue and the rest of the city. In the wake of the

viaduct, these buildings will have premium views and street exposure to a newly rebuilt Alaskan Way. To take full advatage of this condition, existing buildings would get new front ends, opening their facades to the street and providing terraced rooftop space for private and public uses.

4 Shop & WorkNew mixed-use development to attract a diverse array of users to the waterfront.

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Alaskan Way

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Alaskan Way

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Alaskan Way

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Transparency

A glass curtain wall facade showcases the diverse contents of the tiered structure, allowing instant legibility from the street. Open facades on the upper levels of new development on the waterfront take advanage of the uninterrupted views present at these heights.

Crossroads

The building serves as a connection between the slow space of the street and the accelerated space of the elevated causeway, giving it relevance and visibility to both user groups.

Alaskan Way

Madison S

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Mixed Use

The buildings tiered design allows it to host a diversity of tenants or uses. As is typical for mixed use buildings, the ground fl oor is amenable to retail. Two sets of stairs, an elevator and proximity to the elevated causeway elevate public access to the second fl oor, allowing for additional retail or services. The existing offi ce space also benefi ts from more well lit fl oor space and roof access.

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Human ScaleNew waterfront development hosting retail and o ce space creates an appropriately scaled streetscape by hugging the side of the street. A publically accessbile terrace at the level of the elevated causeway pulls streetlife up to another level by providing an additional level of retail.

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Seattles ferry terminal is the largest hub of the Washington State Ferry System, the worlds third-largest ferry network. Ferries carry over 23 million riders annually both in cars and on foot to various destinations in the puget sound. While originally thought of as a stand-in for vehicle bridges across the sound, the ferry network and Seattles terminal is primarily designed for vehicle commuters. With on-foot ridership on the rise and the states plan to signifi cantly reduce vehicle miles travelled statewide by 2030, the existing terminal needs an overhaul to better accomodate pedestrian traffi c.

A commuter hotel extends the useful hours of the ferry system, allowing commuters to stay in the city past the last ferry and catch one the next morning. This will serve not only downtown employers but also the citys nightlife establishments.

5 Stay & GoA new commuter hotel, a transit square, and a new entrance to the existing terminal.

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Alaksan Way

Alaksan Way

Alaksan Way

Alaksan Way

Alaksan Way

Alaksan Way

Alaksan Way

Pedestrian AccessEntrances to the ferry terminal and the hotel are both located on the central plaza, engaging pedestrians and adding life to the street.

Vehicle AccessThe waiting lots vehicle entrance is situated in the square but its surface is materially simliar to the pedestrian space surrounding it. This is done intentionally to bring all ferry users in to the same space when entering the terminal to maximize their awareness of each other.

Slow SpacePlaza space on the roof of the new terminal building provides space for bicyclists and pedestrians travelling on the elevated path to stop and enjoy the views of the square below and the bay beyond.

Fast SpaceThe elevated causeway provides easy bike and pedestrian access to the ferry terminal at its level.

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Section AAA section through the commuter hotel and adjoining restaurant.

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Mixed TrafficA new commuter hotel and adjacent square provide options for commuters just missing the last ferry. The square encourages all modes of transit using the ferry system to mix, keeping individuals aware of eachothers needs.

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As industry has left Seattles waterfront, the water of Elliott Bay has become increasingly attractive to recreational uses. However, accessing it is still diffi cult: a large seawall, previously necessary for the deep hulls of cargo ships, prevents the public from reaching the waters edge. North of the waterfront, the new Olympic Sculpture park includes a small beach where people are able to reach the water, but its size and location keep it as

a novelty. A new recreational harbor in Seattle will showcase new recreational opportunities including a barge-top fl oating swimming pool and spa, sport facilities in a new evergreen grove, and of course water access for boating.

6 Play & RestNew beachfront access, an evergreen grove, and a barge-top swimming facility.

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Water AccessShoreline access, a new beach and a barge-top pool facility create a space for Seattleites to recreate in the heart of the city, while the adjacent grove of evergreen trees provides a place for rest and reflection on the citys unique history.

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Swiss Army Chair

The workings of the toy embody a kind of moral lesson, rewarding its user for patience and cunning while penalizing the unreasoned application of more strength. The toy itself is in this way a physical manifestation of a riddle, which through its solution can be owned by its solver. A riddle intrigues us by constructing a fi ctional world whose logic must be followed to arrive at an answer. The solver of the riddle must accept the projected realities of the fi ction and play the game of the riddle to solve it, else face defeat: not playing along with the riddle is an admission of inability. The fi nger trap works in the same way: It does not allow one to give up but traps him and forces him to discover its logic. The words Chinese fi nger trap are in fact used as a metaphor for a belief system that includes punishment for disbelief in itself. Once the initial challenge of solving the riddle itself is over, its fun then lies in posing it to others to solve. This puts the solver in a position of power, letting them posses and utilize a specifi c kind of

knowledge which is satisfying in much the same way that opening a padlock is.

How can furniture embody a tradition, riddle, or idea? A double handled sugar pot in a tea set is an example of an object surprising in its fi tness for its specifi c use, which in its case is passing sugar between tea drinkers. One handle is for the passer, and the other is for the recipient to grab when receiving the dish. The object anticipates and facilitates the act of passing sugar more so than a normal dish without handles would. The swiss army chair is at fi rst glance only a cube of limited functionality, but hints visually at other possibilities. In every confi guration, functional remnants from other confi gurations remind us of the chairs multiple functions. Once one fi gures out the chairs workings, he develops a sense of ownership much like a craftsman and his well worn tools. There is then sense of play in demonstrating this new skill to others.

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