what are the

architectural
precedents?
107
 AMSTERDAM ORPHANAGE The Amersterdam Orphanage is home to 120 children. The hous ng type is made up of little
pavil on like residential un ts that are clustered together to create both communal and private
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS liv ng spaces. The hous ng is organized by age and gender of the children, as to prov ded the
ALDO VAN EYCK 1960 spaces required for the specific age groups. Each residential unit opens to a courtyard. The
walls act as a shell that wraps and protects the children while d ssolving nto the outdoor
spaces. The organizat on of the program parts are interlocking and consider public/private,
-houses 120 children age/gender, and the idea of the collective and individual space. The dea s to create a com-
munity w th in this large populat on of children. Van Eyck created an architecture that allow
-orphanage as both house and a little city
spatial relationships between each space as to no create solation or str ct boundaries with n
-shell the orphanage.
-courtyard
Th s is a key precedent in the study of housing typology for children. The organization of
-open/closed space s very successful through the integrat on of children and the home environment while
-interlocking not creating an nst tutional like home. The way in which Van Eyck uses the architecture to
create spaces that protect, integrate, nterlock, will be explored further within th s thes s proj-
-community
ect. Creat ng a commun ty like home and a little city for the orphan children will be examined
-integration through similar techiques Van Eyck used to execute the Amsterdam Orphanage.

figure 24: aerial view of the orphanage.

108
 figure 26

figure 27 & 28: v ew of the loggia in the pat o of one of the ground units.

figure 25: v ew from the north s de.

109
 11 13

12
1 20 1
14
3 16 5 6
g

2
boy
15 17 2
19
18 3
3
1 b oys
ys 14 18 -1 upper storey
2 gir
g 14 18 -1 1 b ys 1
dormitories
3
4
boy
ch re 10
chi d1 n14
girls
1
4 5 1 boys
b y 1 18 -1 4
5 chc l dren
ren 6-102 41 24 girls
gir 1 18 -1
6 c babi
il r n s 4-6 3 boys
me 10-1
tn
7 c nfil rma
ren 2-4
y 4 roo 10-14
girls f
8 babies
fes iv 5 meeting room
6 rooms for living-in staff
6
9 in heatre
irmary
10
1
11
festive
tr eehallp
theatre
eam leade and gymnaisum
a d ta f
g
10
1
12 a m
tru e s, is ps
ra hol
n a gist,r
team
st roomleader nd and brary
staff
13
1 administration
m inten nc and ser iarchive
e oom

7
1
14 garage
staf room and library
1
15 ma enan
main tena e ceservice
serviceror om
m
16
1 garage
mai k
17
1 maintenance/service
team le der’s residence room
18
2
19
main kitchen,
ent ance to director’s
team leader’s residence
cle she residence
8 9
20 entrance gr und o shed
to cycle r
2
ground floor
5 2 0 2 6 10 20

110
 11 11
13 13

12 12
20 20
1 1
14 16 14 16

2 15 17 2 15 17
19

18 18

3 3

4 5 4 5

6 6
10 10

14 staffroom and library

15 maintenance/service room 7 7
16 garage
17 maintenance/service room
18 main kitchen, director’s residence
19 team leader’s residence 9 9
8 8
20 entrance to cycle shed

ground floor
5 2 0 2 6 10 20

111
 girls 10-18
communal spaces
public service area
service area boys 10-18
ground floor
private children under 10
5 2 0 2 6 10 20

most private director’s residence

112
 plan of units for children
ages 2-4 and 4-6

1 cloakroom
2 brick play-house
3 lower section with
surrounding bench
4 modelling tray at low
window
5 unit containing cupboards
plan of ground floor units for chilren aged 2-4 and 4-6 1
and heating 3 4
6 open kitchen 2
7 sitting area
8 washplace 10
9 showers 9 13 13 13
10 toilets 6
11 sand pit with rainwater traps 8
5
12 roofed playroom
13 dormitory ‘boxes’

7
12

11

plan of older children’s units with upper storey

elevation/section
(left) unit for older children
(right) unit for younger children

113
 NEXUS WORLD HOUSING
FUKUOKA, JAPAN
REM KOOLHAAS/OMA 1991
-24 apartments (3 stories)
-each unit is free standing blocks
-vertical arranagement of the core
-dense
-solid and void
figure 29: model of the design scheme.
114
The Nexus World Hous ng is made up of twenty-four courtyard houses all three
stories h gh. The design uses three unit modules that fit together compactly.
Each unit has its own private courtyard to allow natural light and air through the
three storey un t. The hous ng type is an nward and vertical courtyard scheme.
The organization of the each unit s layered horizontally from the street level
accommodat ng the service area and commerical program, the second level is
for sleeping, and the third level being the liv ng area.
This precedent is a great example n the organization of compact living spaces
and how modules can be used. The vertical courtyard scheme in this design
is very successful in how it incorporates natural l ght to penetrate through all
three levels of the units. This a desirable scheme to explore for the housing
componenet for th s thes s project.
figure 30 & 31: daytime and nightt me render ngs of the courtyard houses. figure 32: aerial view of the build ng with n its urba
 figure 33: panoram c view from the front of nexus world housing.

third floor (living area)

iving room
2 terrace
3 dining room
4 kitchen
5 extra room
an context. 6 void
7 service balcony

second floor (sleeping area)

master bedroom
2 bedroom
3 lavatory
4 bathroom
5 void
6 patio
7 service balcony

ground floor (commercial service)

road
2 shop
3 approach
4 concourse
5 patio
6 entrance
7 bicycle storage
8 to parking
9 parking
0 0m

115
 B

B1

concre e ‘cyclo

3 living area

2 sleeping area
col

1 city

‘plug-in modules floor pla es

walls

bedroom
living founda ion
terrace
patio
bauni
typical h
3 living area 2 sleeping area 1 city bathroom

116
 sun

sun
sun

living area 3
sleeping area 2

city 1

sun sun sun

living area 3
sleeping area 2

city
g are 12

living area 3
sleeping area 2

city 1

vertical space

117
 UDC SCATTERED SITE HOUSE PROJECT The scattered house project is used a precedent as a house type. The
rty
ITHACA, NY low-rise stepped courtyard scheme s a great organizational strategy for
WERNER SELIGMANN & ASSOCIATES 1992 housing. There are two units connected that each open upon a private
courtyard. Th s scheme could be an interest ng way n th s thesis project
house house and how to occupy the ‘plinth’ of sakura park.
courtyard

house house
courtyard

stepped courtyard housing

figure 34: aerial view of the courtyard housing. figure 35: view of the stepped courtyard houses from the bottom of the s te.

house
cour yard

118
 urban orphanage | from isolation to integration
valerie rachel herrera | Thesis advisors randall korman, francisco sanin

Sakura Park, Manhattan, NY

W. 122nd street and Riverside Drive

This thesis contends that by reconceptualizing the spatial, programmatic, and sociopolitical forces that form the
41 102

basis of the orphanage typology, an architectural framework can be constructed that can instigate and facilitate 104

new conditions of programmatic overlap between the 'urban cultural' and the 'private/secure residential';
fundamentally altering the outdated assumptions of the orphanage type in favor of a contemporary response,
41 102

which embeds the orphanage in the city and the city in the orphanage. By integrating the orphan community with the
broader context the orphan evolves understanding him/herself as a fully participant 'member' of society and not outside of it.

what does a traditional what does the foster what does a traditional what does the proposal for the
home provide? care system provide? orphanage provide? new orphanage provide?
temporary
unwanted

neglected unadoptable

abused
unadoptable
neglected abused

one temporary

9
night stay

8
7

1
10 11 12 13 14
temporary
over

15
16

17

18

19

20
crowded

shelter many broken homes residential institution for orphan youth residential educational center - orphan youth
microcosm of the city

+11’
ground level / claremont ave / art gallery / student commons / theater / gymnasium / administration / cafeteria

N
family no consistant family large groups of children integrate orphan youth + community

basic necessities
food basic necessities

?
play childhood
childhood
architecture:
architecture: integrated + inclusive
isolated from society
X reclusive
education lack of
education
A
education

identity identity

identity healthy + structured environment/home

UPPER WORLD | PRIVATE (ORPHANAGE) LOWER WORLD | PUBLIC

8
7

1
10 11 12 13 14
LOWEST

15
16

17

18

19

20
20
19
18

17

16

HIGHEST
15

12 14

13

3 12

4 11

5 10
6 9
7 8

floating lounge / lecture hall / residence

CIRCULATION DIAGRAMS

N
ORPHANAGE CITY TO THE SITE
CIRCULATION FILTER | SECURITY
1

RESIDENTIAL TOWERS | ROOF-TOP ACTIVITY SPACE

UPPER WORLD | CIRCULATION

UNDER WORLD | CULTURAL VENUE UNDER WORLD | CITY-ONLY

CAFE

GYM
CAFE
COURTYARD

ART GALLERY | STUDIO

N
THEATER ART GALLERY | STUDIO

THEATER

Harlem

Sakura park General

Grant Morningside
Manhattan
Houses
Columbia Park
University
Hudson River School of
Music
New Grant’s
Tomb Riverside
Jersey Church

Riverside
Park

119
 resources / bibliography
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“Child Care.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipe-
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Gutman, Marta. “Under Siege: Construction and Care at the Fan-
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ENDNOTES:
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Administra-
tion for Children & Families, 2011.
2. We need to rethink orphanages for a simple reason: The lives
of children are at stake. Again, orphanages might never be a
major part of the solution for problems that so many children
face, but they might be a minor yet important part—as they were
in the past. Orphanages, however, must first be viewed as they
actually were and not as the novels and movies have portrayed
them. They need to be seen for the considerable good that they
did for many children and not just for their failings, which they
no doubt did.
Richard McKenzie, Rethinking Orphanages of the 21st Century,
p. 13.
3. The designers of the contemporary child welfare system
proposed that the permanent care of children in institutions
be replace with temporary care in foster homes. That was an
untested dream decades ago. Regrettably, for far too many
children, the dream has become the worst of all forms of care—
permanent temporary care.
Richard McKenzie, Rethinking Orphanages of the 21st Century,
p. 1.
4. Lawrence J. McQuillan, A Brighter Future: Solutions to Policy
Issues Affecting America’s Children, p. 6.
5. Lawrence J. McQuillan, A Brighter Future: Solutions to Policy
Issues Affecting America’s Children, p. 6-7.
6. Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia, Melting Pot, Online: http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melting pot,accessed 9/2011
7. Herman Hertzberger, Space and Learning, p. 35.
8. Giulio Ceppi and Michele Zini, Children, spaces, relations, p.
116.
9. Herman Hertzberger, Space and Learning, p. 118.
10. Herman Hertzberger, Space and Learning, p. 46.
11. Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia, Residential Education,
Online: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residential education, ac-
cessed 10/2011.

12. Herman Hertzberger, Space and Learning, p. 35.
13. Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia, Orphan, Online: http://
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14. Bethesda Home for Boys Website, Online: http://www.
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html>
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16. Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System,
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<http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/> 09/2011
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121