WEEKLY PROGRESS UPDATE 2/5

Thoughts on how Ill position this project in the greater field of mobility/impermanence There are a few points that have been brought up in every review, so its apparent that I need to make my position clear as I move into a specific design project. What IS this project? This project is a temporary, mobile, flexible system that can be installed and removed very quickly with the intention of drawing life to a place in the style of the new twitter/ foursquare bourgeoisie. Instant City on a micro scale. It is an open building system that enables a number of programs to occur within. It is an incubator for entrepreneurs, a lure used by property owners looking to fill vacant spaces, a reinvigoration (gentrification?) engine for struggling neighborhoods, an economic and social catalyst for a city always looking for new places to drink an IPA with friends.

SITE PROGRAM ANALYSIS

Ground-floor program in the mid-market area

Unnecessary streets (can close off )

Site outlined in blue

To determine the ideal programmatic mix for my proposal, I looked at the existing ground-floor program to see what was already oversaturated, where there were programmatic holes that could be filled (to avoid cannibalizing local

business), and which areas could benefit most from a stimulus. The triangular block on the North side of Market St. between 6th & 7th was chosen because it is proximate to a number of vacancies, contains a large open area of surface parking,

is adjacent to a disposable street, and is sufficiently far from both UN Plaza and Westfield Mall. The site also contains the old Hollywood Billiards building, now faced with a colorful mural that already adds character to the block.

MISA GRANNIS | THESIS SP12

WEEKLY PROGRESS UPDATE 2/5

What is this project NOT? This project is not a standalone proposition for a new type of semipermanent architecture. It is not a proposal for modifying existing structures to be more flexible in the future. What is slow, exactly? Brick and mortar, concrete, foundations, steel-framed megastructures. These permanent fixtures are what make up the city fabric that we love to inhabit, but they are also inherently unable to adapt to rapid change, and their high costs of production and maintenance often make them financially unavailable to potential tenants. Isnt this about a new paradigm for all architecture that is less permanent, rather than a temporary fix for a permanent problem? I agree that there should be a shift in thinking across most if not all of the field of architecture that considers ways to make architecture more flexible, but this is not a standalone proposal for new construction. This is about

DIGITAL SITE MODEL / PROGRAM MASSING

Bungee Tower 25' x 25' x 100' Caf/Biergarten/Gallery: 25' x 40' x 8' Bowling Alley: 17' x 84' x 10'

Roller Rink: 70' x 150' x 10'

The Site

New program square footage massings

After analyzing the site conditions, it was determined that that span of Market could benefit from additional program in the following areas: Recreation Food Arts Bars Open Space The minimum programs selected for the initial proposal are as follows:

Recreation: Roller Rink, Bowling Alley, Bungee Tower Food/Arts/Bars/Open Space: Caf/Gallery/ Biergarten The typical square footage requirements for each program have been massed out in Rhino to compare to the available area. Next steps: Design the thing Start to think how it might be decomposed into smaller pieces

MISA GRANNIS | THESIS SP12

WEEKLY PROGRESS UPDATE 2/5

recognizing the significant capital and material investment that these permanent structures represent, and finding ways to continue to use them to their fullest potential for as long as theyre standing. Permanence also helps provide a sense of stability and security to residents of a city; part of civic pride is tied to having reminders of a citys past strength embedded in its historical structures that have withstood the tests of time. If you think the buildings are slow, why arent you altering them to make them faster? See previous response. Who is your audience? It financially benefits the owners of the vacant or struggling properties as well as the city, but consumers would be the ones to enjoy it.

MATERIAL EXPLORATIONS
As part of a quick brainstorming exercise regarding what is the fastest way to be large/flexible?, a slinky wearing a nylon emulates the performance of a jetway or the sterile tents the government scientists walked through in E.T. Inflatables are also very fast, though not always practical. Regardless, both of these options will be briefly explored during the design of the aggregate.

MISA GRANNIS | THESIS SP12