Fianl part II

Being a semester where the context that we live in and work in is at question it is sometimes hard to believe that there could be anything different or how it really could change. I am not a native to Fargo and never traveled to this place before I was in College. Therefore, when people say how delapitated and unused our downtown was at one period of time it is hard to believe. However, is it then that hard to believe that this place could once agian be very different then what it is today. I look to Denver as a city where there 16th street mall could be an example of downtown Fargo.

However, here is the final result for the Student Union Site. I have proposed the site just to the south of the Barry Hall which is not currently the pioneer plaza building. This might surprise anyone who sees this building now, because there is nothing wrong with the building, we are not saving anything in the project we would only be re- structuring its purpose. So, because it is a site that would have the potential to have much growth and who knows if it would fly as a successful student union, I have created a structural system that I would compare to the southwest adobe huts. Once you run out of room, build on top and to the side and whichever way that would be possible. Then by adding in a outdoor plaza that would be grass in the summer and ice the other 9 months of the year we could facilitate some activity downtown. Also, some key notes on this site are the winter garden created none other then the south side of the building and a parking garage which could be a reality being as there might be anywhere from 100 to 3000 more students attending classes just a block away. here it is.....













Also included on this board is the 3rd and 10th street site. This is admittedly the most unresolved site, but could offer some interesting features. The main idea here is to lift the building off the ground and then to preserve the parking. The almighty parking is very important to this area because the new Barry hall across the street needs to have it for parking. Aslo, then by bringing street level up to second level people are taken away from the business of 10th street and would actually thing of walking or living around this area.

With that my final comment is that this area is not only important to think about from the side of money, economy, or whatever sort of power control. It could be a heritage area where when someone thinks of Fargo they will see this spot and not the vast suburbs that are being put in all directions of Fargo. It is not crazy to think that Fargo will one day reach 200,000 people, so we must plan for the growth and prosperity of the downtown region.

Final- Student Union

Boys Ranch Site-

This is a site that in Fargo could be something special. However, sense I have started working on the project there has actually been some development and there seems to be a warehouse or commercial building of some sort being put up. However, i will talk about it anyways and see what we can learn from it.

The boys Ranch sense it is located in the middle of the path from campus to downtown campus there is an opportunity to create a niche. This would be a great place to stop and could develop into a community within a community. There would be a sheltered plaza with a water feature in the middle. Creation of an architecture that would facilitate for green living is also important. Using large balconies and terraced roofs that could hold gardens so everyone could have a place.

here it is














Also, viewing the site map there is the layout of all the projects that have been proposed this semester. Basically taking a look at 10th st. and seeing what else could be there and what possibilities are open. This always doesn't mean if we make all the parking lots into buildings then we will accomplish our goal. It is more of a responsible way of constructing a place where humans are the number one user (where as our urban context can be seen as a car friendly place more then a human friendly)

site pictures

architects are a breed of people who learn from pictures or diagrams. There is a special affinity in my heart for a well thought out perspective that shows to the people what they will see... the vision. here are a few preliminary visions. I hope to greatly advance these in conclusion of this project...



3rd ave and 10th st











Boys Ranch Site on 10th st

Design Standards list

This is a brief list of some of the more important design standards that I think would make a positive change to the downtown area of Fargo.

Any new building must have enough structure so that it can accommodate a minimum 3 stories. This provides for any future expansion that could possibly happen vertically, also helping the density issue.

Use at least 30% of like materials as adjacent buildings to promote a consistency though the neighborhood.

Zone in an area where walking or bicycles are the only form of movement possible. I propose Broadway to be this area, and copy Denver's 16Th street mall and only have frees buses that traverse the street. This will develop a area like a mall but is outdoors and will grow the downtown street front businesses.

Bike paths.

Using materials that have a suitable lifespan. Quality materials will last into the future and are ultimately the most green material we can invest in, so lets use them here.

To promote Green Roofs, grant any person/s who installs a green roof access rights to all runoff water from all adjacent buildings. (i dunno if this is legal) Basically, if we can give the people some reason to build a green roof and even more possibility that it would work then we win environmentally.

Any building that is to be torn down must go through a neighborhood comity that votes on it, then it must be vacant or unusable for it be destructed.

Any existing building must keep 50% of its existing materials when renovation takes place, unless not possible.

This is the basic rules/ regulations that I have discussed and thought about. In my mind I have many more rules, but they are mostly objective opinion. Yes, I may say that one building is ugly, but someone most likely built that building and think that it looks fine. So, when coming up with these standards I think it is helpful to think of Fargo as a whole and what we want this city to say to people. What is the image or layout of this area?? Should it reflect all the old masonry buildings that have been here for 100 years or should it be more modern and streamline to give this area a new identity.
My opinion is that cities like Santa Fe where everything is pueblo style are negative towards expression and true experience. Lets tell people from other places that Fargo is a great city and give them some character that they will want to come back. Lets use the old buildings as a mold and then break off and build diverse dwellings that will accommodate everyone.

Union Site Development

So, after looking at what to do, I have come up with a design parti and want to start refining the final solution. Basically to add a student union downtown I believe there should be many layers of spaces and physical boundaries that not only make it secure, but also define from the surroundings so that public spaces and student spaces are separate. So the parti that I have came up with is to compare my building to a winter jacket. The metaphor that this building will surround the people with layers of insulation and keep them comfortable is much like how a winter jacket is warm and offers a much needed barrier from the cold.




















Basically there are three new spaces that are added to the site. There is a parking garage to the southeast, a greenhouse to the south of the existing pioneer building, and a new extension to the north.






















This site is a little unique in the fact that views are not all that important as there is nothing around the site that is really that appealing and the spaces withing the building do not really require there to be all that great of views. So, to accommodate many of the spaces and to add light I would like to make walls of masonry construction with sun shading screens so that west light isn't an issue, but have the entire roof tilted open so that light can pour into the building.
Next, there is the outdoor space that needs to be addressed. What I wanted to create here is an outdoor lawn for the downtown campus that would serve many different functions and hopefully have a lot of flexibility.
Last point that I wanted to point out is how this site is a "link" for downtown. I would want to have public travel ways inside my building that would go through the existing building and the parking garage. I also would link in Barry Hall and the Taco bell site which is most likely going to be more apartments. So using this building as a link will be convent and be more attractive to students and the public during the winter months (which seems to be 5 months out of the year in Fargo)
In conclusion the development of the design deals first with its context and then looks at the program to make decisions on where things will be placed. I think it is important to think of the public and not just NDSU, because the fact that this building might not always be in the possession of NDSU is very likely.

3rd Street Site

This is the last of my sites and it shows a lot of potential because of its proximity to so many people on a day to day schedule. I would like to show the site map before I explain a lot of what i am talking about here, because the context is so important to this site.












Taking a good look at the map and by touring around the site there is a high amount of people that are in this area and that live in this area. I also think that in the future there are going to be more people who would want to live here, however they are also going to need things, and that is why i would provide some commercial/ retail space. I do not for see this becoming a spot for bars or clubs, but that is not out of the question either. The biggest challenge of this site would be keeping the parking. They really need parking in this area and a more extensive study on parking would have to be conducted to see if this much building would even be possible. Maybe instead of the proposed two buildings there would only be one. Here is the program.
Residences
Low income- apartment design
student housing- lofts, apartment design
young professional- loft design
Mix Use
daycare
building resident center
restaurant
Green space
spot for young people to hang out
quiet from noise and busy 10Th street traffic

Other then that i am not seeing to much of an idea. However, last Friday the idea for a business incubator space was proposed by Milt. I think this would be a absolutely great idea because of its proximity to Barry Hall and because NDSU and the Fargo Area doesn't have anything like this (that i know of). It would fallow the lead of the already established Tech Park by the NDSU campus, but would be catered to businesses who would benefit from being affiliated with NDSU and its business program.

Boys Ranch Site

This site is rather interesting and is my close #2 that I would want to pursue this semester. Basically because of it proximity between NDSU campus and Dwtn. Campus. I think it would appeal to a lot of students and hopefully bring in more then that. Here's the site and ideas.













Well this is the place so what are the spaces?? What do we NEED here?? Sense there is such a lack of development here and such feeling of vacancy I think these spaces would improve if not just bring life into this area.

Residency
Student housing apartments, maybe condos/ lofts (why not sell)
houseing for families
houseing for low income
housing for young professionals
Retail
replace the offices and buisnesses that were on the site
resturant
possible grocery for selling garden stuff
Green space
play area
garden area
basketball courts
hill twords the tracks (block sound)
Warehouse
keep existing function

Lastly i would like to say that the possiblitys that this site would be a green comunity with gardens and the residents could sell produce is not out of the picture. i would like to live in somthing like this.

any suggestions??