Assembled Independent Development Zones:
A Prototype for Boston's Back Bay
by
Gregory Faulkner
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
1983
SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE
DEGREE
MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE
AT THE
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
June, 1987
@Gregory Faulkner 1987
The Author hereby grants to M.I.T.
permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly copies
of this thesis document in whole or in part.
Signature of the Author .........
.............
P
I
....................................
Gregory Faulkner
Department of Architecture
May 8, 1987
....................................
Certified by....................................................
Imre Halasz
Professor of Architecture
Thesis Supervisor
......................................
Accepted by.............
V 11-%
Julian Beinart
Chairman
Departmental Committee for Graduate Students
MASSACHUSETs !NSTmJT!
OF TECHNOLOGy
JUN 0 g1987
LIBRAP!E$
2
Assembled Independent Development Zones:
A Prototype for Boston's Back Bay
by
Gregory Faulkner
Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May 7, 1987, in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Degree of Master of Architecture
Abstract
This thesis is intended as a continuation of an MIT design studio. The class proposed an
alternative approach to building in the city. It seeks to address some of the following issues:
continuity, collective form, range of sizes, territoriality, power, and context.
A design exploration is undertaken utilizing this approach on a site in the Back Bay of
Boston. The work is organized into five parts:
The introduction begins with an overview of the approach. Goals are stated which it seeks to
attain: decentralization of control, range of sizes, reduced construction costs, clarity in
expression of building parts, vertical zoning, and adaptability. Towards the realization of
these goals, some working assumptions are identified: The construction of the building will
be divided into two layers. First, an infrastructure that will provide the primary structure,
public access and utilities. Second, zones of approximately five thousand square feet that are
allowed to develop independent of the infrastructure will provide the infill partitions, internal
access, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical service as required by the occupants. The
section continues with a comparison of the approach to a building currently under
construction on the thesis site. Documentation of a previous design exploration that utilized
the same approach is included. The section concludes with an overview of the organization
of the thesis document.
Part two looks at the Back Bay of Boston, the site of the design exploration. Its beginning
as a land fill of the original tidal basin is discussed. The lot sizes and various building types
are documented along with zoning ordinances. Finally, the specific site is illustrated and
discussed along with its adjacent context.
Part three begins the initial design exploration with the introduction of the structural system.
A diagram for the site is evolved from an original Back Bay plan type for this size site. The
first layer of construction or 'infrastructure' is illustrated and then tested by a group of
students. A discussion of problems identified by the students and further testing by the
author concludes this section.
Part four seeks to address some of the problems uncovered by the testing done in part three.
A new structural system emerges and is deployed through the use of a grid of zones and
margins. Documentation of the resultant changes in the infrastructure concludes this part.
Part five contains the refinement of the design which is illustrated with drawings and a
model. Some suggestions are offered for modification of the approach as it relates to a site
of this size. Finally, a discussion follows which outlines the original issues of the "alternate
approach" and how they were addressed by the design.
Thesis Supervisor: Imre Halasz
Title: Professor of Architecture
3
4
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all of the people whose influence either directly or indirectly affected this
thesis. In particular, special thanks to:
Imre Halasz my advisor, for his infinite patience. Also for the opportunity to continue
my education in his office.
Maurice Smith for serving as my reader, but more importantly, for information that will
stay with me my entire career.
Tom Hille for his drawings and his help in interpreting what I heard at MIT.
Rob Maulden for helping to organize the thesis document.
David Welles for allowing me an invaluable introduction to the real world of
architectural practice.
Robert Walters, my first great teacher.
I wish to thank my family for their support and especially Renee' and Lauren for tempering this
experience.
5
6
Contents
A b stract...............................................................................................
3
...
Acknowledgements..................................................
5
Part One:
9
Introduction...............................................
Aggregations: An Alternative ArchitecturalApproach
The Independent Development Zone and the Infrastructure
Comparison of the Approach to Current Strategy
Previous Work
Summary of Thesis-Organization
Part Tw o: T he Site.......................................................................................
19
The Back Bay System
The Specific Context
Part Three: The
Design Exploration....................................5
Primary Structure
Infrastructure
Test Inhabitations
Part Four: The Design
Exploration-Revisions ....................................................
63
Zones and Margins
The New Structural System
The New Infrastructure
Part Five: C onclusion..
......
..................
.......... ...........
.................
755.....
Documentation of Design
Summary
B ibliography......................................................................
................
7
7
8
part one:
Introduction
9
10
The purpose of this thesis is to further test an
approach to building that was initially explored by
the author in an earlier MIT design studio.The studio
was taught by Imre Halasz and Tom Hille in the
Spring of 1986. This thesis should be reviewed
with the resultant publication of that studioAggregations: An Alternative Architectural
Approach.
This "alternate approach" addresses several
issues which have direct influence on the built
environment: continuity, collective form, hierarchy,
range of sizes, territoriality, power, adaptability, and
context.
These issues are addressed through a set of
goals that can be listed as follows:
1. to decentralize control of development
2. to realize a continuous range of sizes from the
site to the individual room
3. to reduce construction costs
4. to allow the parts of the building to be
expressed as elements of the whole
5. to incorporate vertical zoning as a formal
organizational method
6. to provide an environment that submits easily
to changes in needs and uses
11
Possibly
goals
is
the
most important
of these
the integration of a range of different
sizes into one whole.
Within this range, the
"Independent Development Zone" ( IDZ ) is
deployed as an additive size element. It complies
with building and safety codes as a size increment
within which, when compartmentalized with fire
zone protection,
allows the use of inexpensive
wood frame construction.
This enables small
developers and contracting firms to build within the
building's primary structure. This less expensive,
less permanent construction lends itself to
adaptability. As uses and needs change over time,
the infill changes easily and economically.
The
working
design
assumptions
approach
that
assumes some
divide
the
responsibilities of the building into two parts: the
infrastructure and the IDZ. The infrastructure will
provide the following:
1. primary structure
2. IDZ enclosure including two hour fire
separation at adjacencies to other buildings or
IDZs- (a spatial separation of not less than
thirty feet can be substituted for the two hour
fire protection)
12
.1-U
3. public access and collective spaces
4. utilities providing service to IDZ
The IDZ will provide the balance of the needs:
1. approximately five thousand square feet of
buildable area not to exceed thirty six feet in
height
2. two independent means of egress
3. an infill of wood frame construction
4. the control and design of its own use
5. vertical access within the IDZ
6. IDZ collective spaces
7. independent heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning system connected to a central
energy source.
It is perhaps useful at this point to make a
comparison between this 'alternative'approach and
another strategy being utilized on the site of the
thesis design exploration. Fig..1 shows this
building under construction. It, along with the two
Fig.....
View of thesis site with
current construction
13
adjoining buildings, represent a transformation of
the townhouse type where it has become a taller
multifamily apartment building.
These three
buildings while serving somewhat different needs
from the original townhouse have remained virtually
the same, growing in size only.
There are several similarities between this
approach and the example under construction. The
new building is being built as a shell only, the
exterior envelope, stairs, and elevator are provided
without finishing the interior (Fig .:...).
Interior
partitions including kitchen and bathroom fixtures
are left to the individual owner and his development
team. This serves to help decentralize control, the
first goal of the thesis approach. Opportunities now
exist for reduced costs, the third goal and adaptable
Fig. 1 :.g
Plan of building under construction
on thesis site
infill, goal number six.
This is not unlike the current renovation trends
in the surrounding neighborhood. Single floors of
one hundred year old townhouses are sold as
condominiums, and the interiors rebuilt to meet the
needs of the current occupants. Property values
have increased in recent years to the point that these
buildings are no longer economically feasible as
single family residences.
14
With respect to the
building, this reuse is positive. It offers the building
an opportunity to continue its life in a new way,
serving the needs of more families than was
originally intended. The reason for looking at the
renovation model as well as the new building is to
observe that the "shell only " attitude is physically
possible and economically feasible.
However, the similarities end here. The buried
inaccessible lightwell, stairs and elevator combine
with the horizontal layering to negate any legibility
of the parts thus disguising the physical
organization. This in direct contrast to goal number
four, to allow the parts of the building to be
expressed as elements of the whole. Further, goal
number two, the integration of a range of sizes is
made difficult by the covering up of the lightwell,
stairs and elevator.
The loss of these elements
leaves only the room and person size left with which
to build the facade.
Fig..l.3
It is not to say that these differences will lead to
bad architecture, but that good architecture is more
difficult to attain.
Figs...A:.9 thru .1:6.. represent some of the
author's work completed during the original design
15
1~~'
Fig....
Sketch elevation
Fg.......
16
studio. These are related to the work here only as an
example of a previous design exploration utilizing
the same approach.
This thesis is organized into five parts. The first
part gives an overview of the goals of the design
approach and the means with which to attain these
goals. It includes an example of an earlier design
exploration utilizing the same approach. Also, a
comparison of this approach with a current example
illustrates some of the similarities and differences
with present attitudes.
Part 11 consists of a discussion of the Back Bay
Fig...:
6
building system in general. Additionally, analysis of
the thesis site with respect to context, orientation,
and zoning is documented.
Part 111 is a partial documentation of the initial
design exploration. It includes the process that led
to the first infrastructure design, a test inhabitation
by students from a current design studio as well as
the author. A short discussion follows with some
suggestions for improvement of the infrastructure.
Part IV continues the design exploration and attempts
to solve some of the problems encountered in the
first pass.
It introduces John Habraken's SAR
(Stichting Architectural Research) system of zones
and margins as a way of organizing the
17
infrastructure.
Part V concludes the thesis by bringing the
design exploration to a stopping point. -It offers
modifications to the original approach to make it
more feasible on a building site of this size. Finally,
discussion follows which outlines the original issues
of the "alternate approach" and how they are
addressed by the design.
18
part two:
The Site
19
20
The Back Bay of Boston was chosen as the
location of the design exploration for several
reasons. First, it held special interest for me as a
positive urban environment which I wanted to more
fully understand. Also, since its townhouse served
as a reference for the size of the IDZ, it seemed
especially appropriate for the initial implementation
of such an approach.
The thesis does not attempt to document the
architectural development of the Back Bay.
However, a description of the townhouse type as it
Fig... A
exists
there has been included.
Much of this
information comes from Bainbridge Bunting's
Houses of the Back Bay. This is an excellent survey
of the history of the area and should be consulted for
more information.
The term" Back Bay" refers geographically to an
extensive area which was created by filling in the
tidal flats of the Charles River where it met the
harbor. Fig..2 :.2 shows the original shoreline and
area filled. The Commonwealth began the work of
filling in 1857. The new ground was developed
quickly by the construction of private residences and
apartment buildings which continued until about
Fig. 2 :2
Map of Boston showing the original
shoreline of the Back Bay
1900. Filled land still remained at the west end of
21
TYPE
TYPE I
1. Reception Room
2. Dining Room
3. Drawing Room
H. Hall
4. Library
C. Closet
P. Pantry
V. Vestibule
TYPE Ha
TYPE Ec
Fig. :.§
Typical plans of Back Bay Houses of the 1860's
22
M
TYPEI b
the Back Bay undeveloped, but construction ceased
as the potential homebuilder moved to the suburbs.
In all, about fifteen hundred buildings were built in
a row house configuration. The building lots varied
in width from twenty feet to more than thirty feet.
Fig...:.§ illustrates the various types of plans for
the different sized lots.
The narrow plan of type 1 is found on lots less
than twenty feet in width. Two rooms occur at each
floor, one in front and one in back with a dark zone
in the center which is generally utilized for service
and access functions. Because of its small area, this
type tends to be several stories higher than some of
the larger lots.
Type 11 is utilized for lots up to a maximum of
thirty feet (the size of the thesis site). It allows for
an entry stair hall on one side and rooms on the
other. Fig.. 2 .-. shows three variations of type 11.
Type lla has a depth of two rooms and is most
common in the Back Bay. lb, with a three room
depth is more common in New York. Lightwells
and mirrors are utilized to bounce light into the
interior. llc allows three rooms, but displaces a
smaller rear room to the side to allow light into the
middle room. Most of these houses, now containing
23
Roof
Fire Wall
Servants' Rooms
Gutter Stone-
_U U
UU UU U U I
Closet
UU UU M
9
U
-zUzI
Servants'
U U II
il
Rooms
UI
1: 0
Gutter
Bedroom
Closet
Bedroom
Wood
Partitions
Face Brick or
Double Joists Under
Wood Partitions
Stone Veneer
Library
Drawing Room
Air Space
Common
Brick Wall
I
I0
U
Vestibules
Street LeveI
GRADE IT
U
I I
0
Main Hall
Dining Room
Lrundry
Closet
dBosement Floor Supported on Joists
I 9 U 11
U I U U 0U
Level of Excavation, GRADE
12
11 1 1 U 0 U UI
Level of Average High Tide,
U I
Kitchen
U
~LevelI
I I I I I I I I I
<Yard7
GRADE 9
Gronite Leveling Block
Top of Piling, GR ADE 5
Wood Piles
Fig.A
Longitudinal section of a typical Back Bay house showing important grades
24
of
Kitchen
more area per floor, were built three stories in height
plus a basement and attic.
Type Ill houses are for lots exceeding thirty-five
feet in width. Most often houses of this size were
arranged with a central stair hall with rooms placed
at the four corners.
In section, it is important to note that the alleys of the
Back Bay were generally graded five feet lower than
the streets. This allowed for a basement that could
be entered directly from alley grade (Fig. 2 4 ..).
Thus, the kitchen and other service functions
occurred in the basement to allow easy access to the
alley. Principle public rooms were located at the
second floor with bedrooms on the third. Servants'
quarters were located in the attic. Although it varied
among the different types, this was the general
diagram.
In addition to the lot width, the houses were also
controlled by property restrictions set down by the
Commonwealth.
A front setback of twenty feet
from the property line was imposed which created
front yards that serve as privitizing elements.
Although the main building facade could not project
into this zone, allowances were made for
appendages such as steps, porches, balconies, and
25
bay windows.
No projection, however, could
extend more than five feet into the setback or exceed
seven tenths of the lot width ( Fig....).
Sidewalk
(Front
Back yards were originally governed by the
Property Line
maximum depth of the building balanced against
G)
C\J
o
obtaining natural light to the middle of the building.
0
0
of
Lin This
C\J
No Projection Other Than
Cornice Allowed in Front
of This Line
These yards were generally paved with brick and
used only for service.
0.
7V
E
0
,L-
1 Total Width of Lot
or a Maximum of 18 Feet
With regard to the exterior appearance and
architectural style, the Back Bay represents a built
history of sorts.
The construction spans
approximately fifty years and documents style
Property Lines
changes that begin with Greek Revival in 1845 and
move to Federal Revival in 1890.
Fig .....
Diagram showing setback
requirements for Back Bay structures
Fig.:..9 is a composite photograph which
contains the thesis site and extends from Berkley
Street to Clarendon Street. In general, the elevations
of the Back Bay houses utilize a tripartite
composition of a base, body or middle zone, and top
roof zone. The base, which makes a new ground
for the piano nobile, delineates a horizontal zone
that is quite evident in the fabric of continuous
townhouses.
These shared compositional rules
begin to overide the discontinuity of the separate lots
and result in a rich block size wall of buildings.
26
This wall gives the street a sense of closure that
makes it a very comfortable place to be.
Fig..9.& shows the specific relationship of the
site in plan to the street and the block of buildings
that make up this section of Commonwealth Avenue.
Important aspects of this situation are its adjacency
to the corner building and the church across the
alley. The corner building is important because it
contains a lightwell
which is required to be
respected with a similar space in the new building.
The church's importance can be seen in a
photograph taken looking through the site to the
alley prior to the present construction (Fig
A sketch by Alvar Aalto of St. Marks in Venice
bears resemblance to this image (Fig.9:7.). This
kind of glimpse of a monumental building is typical
of what one might find in a dense medevil city. It
there fore can be used as an advantage allowing a
more reasonable view than the normal alley could
offer.
Fig..-1. shows an enlargement of the actual
site locating property lines, front and back yards, as
well as the required light well.
Additional site requirements include a height
limit of sixty five feet , a maximum floor area ratio
27
I
0
Ae
Commonweath
Avenue
0
II
0
Newbury Street
-v--In
HF
I
Fig..2 :.6
Plan showing the site as it is situated in the Back Bay
28
n
100 ft
0
.0
of 3.5, and an occupancy rating of H-1. The height
limit is generally respected at the street but ignored
further back by roof terraces their head houses. The
floor area ratio of 3.5 means the site can be built
with three and one half times its area in useable floor
area. The occupancy rating of H-I means residential
however, there is precedence for institutional uses.
Fig..2.Y
Sketch by Alvar Aalto of
St. Mark's in Venice
Fig±...
View of the church
through the thesis site
Fig..S-9
c2.10
Fig ........
30
Composite elevation of the south side of Commonwealth Avenue from Berkley Street to Clarendon Street
31
32
Commonwealth Ave
Walk
0Q
Fig.92 .
8
0
1
30.00
Site Plan
I6
0
9- 130
0
10.00
Lightwell
0:
cig
0
0
Iq
U,
0
0
'-4
V-4
Alley
33
34
part thme:
The Design Exploration
35
36
This section follows the process that led to the
first infrastructure design. The primary structure is
identified and deployed through the emergence of a
diagram for the site. The design then undergoes a
test inhabitation by the students of Imre Halasz's
current design studio at MIT. A few of the designs
are shown which best illustrate the weaknesses of
the infrastructure design. The author engages in a
similar test and concludes the section with a critical
discussion that identifies the problems encountered
during the testing.
Fig. 3 1 .
Typical plan of a Back Bay
house for a lot thirty feet in
width
To begin the design exploration, the structural
system used in the original design studio was
employed. It consists of precast concrete columns
and beams with floors of precast double tees. At
first, this structure seems overbuilt. However, it
serves as the primary structure which must be
capable of accepting loads at any point from the
secondary three story infill construction.
As previously discussed, the building type for
this site has more than doubled in size from the
original townhouse. It is now expected to house a
multiple of tenants and functions. The diagram
begins with one of the original plans (Fig. 3 1..). It
is transformed by reversing the dark zone at the
Fig.. 3 .
The original diagram transformed
37
midpoint of the site and making it light (Fig 3 ... ).
A courtyard is realized that provides light to the
inside edges of what is now virtually two buildings.
The next step is to access the courtyard from the
street. By leaving this access open to the air, a new
passage is allowed that, in addition to making a
continuity between the street and the courtyard,
provides yet another accessible edge of light.
It has
not affected the efficiency of the building because it
occupies the traditional entry stair hall location. The
stair can now occur in the courtyard and be shared
Fig. 3 3
Diagram of the new
service zone
by the two buildings. However, the courtyard has
displaced the service functions which must also be
relocated. They can be accommodated by projecting
the zone the new stair has created longitudinally in
the direction of the site. This demarks a service zone
that occupies the dark edge of the site opposite the
. .). To help build this zone and
light edge (Fig.3 43
offer some clues to the developers of the IDZ, the
columns of the primary structure can be displaced
from the wall which would allow easy vertical
penetration of utilities. The columns on the other
side, however, can remain at the property line to free
the closure from the structure (Fig..A4..).
Fig.:..
38
The
passage can now become partially inhabited and thus
begin to reclaim some of the space earlier given up to
access (FigA3 .:.).
This would begin to build a
room size screen to the sky and change the light
quality from the street to the passage. The streets of
medieval Italy offer some precedents that express the
potential quality of this size and type of space. The
flying buttresses hovering over many of these streets
serve to brace the buildings against earthquakes.
Fig.3 .5
Clay model exploring the
inhabitation of pedestrian passage
Later they became the structure for additional floors
for adjacent buildings.
Part of the house now
straddled the street, each serving to intensify the
spatial
(Figs .
dynamics
.... 3-9..
of
the
other
).
To allow the building closure to remain open, a
fire separation must be provided in its traditional
location at the property line. It would also serve as
an opportunity to build the surface of the adjacent
building. Poor grade materials could be covered
with masonry and inset glazed tile. The glazed tile
would most likely occur toward the bottom of the
wall to improve the light.
These few moves were the basis of the first attempt
at designing the infrastructure. At this stage, it was
given to the students of Imre Halasz's Spring 1987
Fig..-
6
Street in Matera.
design studio for a test inhabitation. It is illustrated
in the following pages.
39
Fig3.7
Fig..:.8
Street in Perugia, Italy
A Sperlonga staircase
Fig.3.:9 .
Gate in a Perugia street
40
1-****~
First Floor Plan
II
8ft
0
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Collective
5. IDZ Habitable Territory
41
<1D
Second Floor Plan
8ft
0
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Collective
5. IDZ Habitable Territory
=4j
42
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
I.
Ii
Building Section
8ft
0
A
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Collective
5.IDZ Habitable Territory
43
-
- mmwimiw
7%.
i-.
J
9
8
A
5:
7
1=
6
5
3
5
4
5
3
5
1
5
5
5
;
li
C
2
1
A
11A i
B
Building Section's
8ft
0
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Collective
5. IDZ Habitable Territory
44
1
Aj>
Ca
B!
Building Section
D
8ft
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Collective
5. IDZ Habitable Territory
45
The students were divided into groups of four.
Each group was
asked to produce a complete
building. The length of the assignment was only
one week but the results were enlightening. A few
of the designs which best serve to illustrate
weaknesses in the infrastructure design have been
included in the following pages. They are
accompanied by diagrams in order to help explain
important aspects. The students' work is identified
by their initials:
James Bill (JB)
Lauren Weingarten (LW)
Maria DeAngeles (MD)
Damon Strub (DS)
Gunny Harboe (GH)
Amelia Jezierski (AJ)
Sally Wendall (SW)
David Liberatore (DL)
Jonathon Sinagub (JS)
Rick Ames (RA)
Hermann Ferre'(HF)
Paul Pettigrew (PP)
Dan Krynytzky (DK)
Sara Haga (SH)
46
There were basically four problems encountered by
the students. Direction of use (zoning), articulation
of second intervention size, recognition of service
zone, and closure.
Direction of use (zoning) refers to the way in
which rooms or spaces are deployed in the plan. In
a narrow building,
use must be allocated
perpendicular to the direction of the building.
Zoning parallel to the direction of the building results
in increased access and loss of potential use of the
full width of the building (Figs.0..1:.).
Further, the potential for any territorial use form has
been negated.
The second problem involved the basic size
increment of the infill ( Figs.A:A.and 3:12 .).
The infill must make the next size between the
building and the human being.
If it does not,
nothing has been done to slow movement; there are
no stopping places for the individual or even a group
of two or three. This is important in plan because it
leads to the articulation of this size in the facade.
The next problem involved the service zone. In
some cases it was projected to the edge of the
building, resulting in a room such as a toilet
occupying valuable street frontage
(Fig.-.).
47
Also, the service zone was not recognized and uses
requiring plumbing were located over the passage
(FigP:1.4.).
The last problem involved the closure or skin of
the building
(Figs.-.- 3.:1.). The conclusion
was reached that the infrastructure did not offer
enough clues to inform the infill closure of its
possible behavior.
This along with technical
problems such as construction phasing and
waterproofing resulted in an agreement that the
infrastructure should provide the majority of the
closure with the infill playing a more minor role.
48
Fig. 3 -10
Diagram indicating direction
of zoning
MD
JB
-
49
Fig.3 11
Diagram showing sizes
and direction of zoning
JB
50
Fig.;.-A
Diagram showing sizes
DS
LW
51
Fi;3.13
Fig.1
Diagram of areas
requiring plumbing
HF
52
Fig 3.14
..:.
Diagram of areas requiring plumbing
53
JB
MD
LW
DS
Fig 3 :.15
North Elevation
( Commonwealth Ave.)
54
8
0
Fig..3 .4 .6
Building Section
8
0
55
Following this work of the students, the author
made a test inhabitation utilizing similar uses to those
of the students.
Having learned from their
experiences some of the same problems were
avoided.
However, the question of the closure
remained. Even if it was the responsibility of the
infrastructure, it had difficulty remaining adaptable.
It seemes that the floor plans could be more flexible
if the building made some gestures toward light and
dark zones and not merely window placement.
In summary, the problems to be addressed are
direction of use (zoning), articulation of second
intervention size, recognition of service zone, and
closure.
The following illustrates some of the work
involved in my own test inhabitation.
56
6
Second Floor Plan
8ft
0
4D
57
Third Floor Plan
8ft
0
58
Fourth Floor Plan
8ft
0
59
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North Elevation
(Commonwealth Ave.)
60
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62
part four:
The Design Exploration- Revisions
63
64
This section continues the design exploration
and works toward solving problems encountered
during the testing. John Habraken's SAR method of
zones and margins are utilized and a new structural
system in introduced. The section ends with another
pass at the infrastructure design illustrated in plan
and elevation.
This thesis work was done concurrently with
work for John Habraken's Thematic Design theory
class at MIT. The influence of the class was mainly
through exercises as they pertained to the thesis.
One such exercise included the use of a grid of zones
and margins.
Along with a set of rules for
deployment, it was used to organize an assemblage
of parts. The exercise was applied directly to the
thesis with positve results. The grid constructed for
the thesis contained an alternation of 12'4" territorial
zones and 6'4" margins organized perpendicular to
the site. Parallel to the site, the grid countered with
a 10'0" margin, 12'0" zone, and a 6'4" margin
(Fig...1)
The parts of the assemblage could be looked at
as the elements that make up the infrastructure;
primary structure, windows, stairs, elevators, utility
chases, and even trees.
65
Along with this exercise, the primary structure
was evolving into a new system. It was inspired by
the original townhouse structure of masonry bearing
walls with wood floor joists spanning across the
site.
Fig.:..
The new system consists
of
concrete slabs with integral concrete beams spanning
across the site. A secondary composite system of
steel grating and concrete slab was used to span
smaller distances.This seemed to fit comfortably
within the grid.The deployment rules could now be
stated:
1. concrete slabs and beams occur only in the
GRADE
Street Level-
zones-slabs could be held back while the
beams
bearing
continued
walls.
to
the
This retained
the
Top of
opportunity to build light into the passage.
Piling-GRADE 5
Fig. ..
Transverse section of a typical
Back Bay house
2. Steel grate-concrete slab floors occur only
in margins and span between larger
concrete slabs and beams.
3. Masonry walls occur at property lines with
some allowed to move into the site to serve
as closure and lateral support.
4. Any form of exchange-stairs, balconies,
elevators, utility chases and doors occur
only in margins.
66
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Sketch Plan
68
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Axonometric View
69
Deployment Diagram
n
8ft
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70
South Elevation
(Commonwealth Ave.)
8
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71
Building Section
72
8
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0
73
74
part five:
Conclusions
75
76
This final section contains three parts. First, a
brief discussion offers modification to the original
approach
in order to make it more feasible for a
site of this size. Then the design exploration is
documented at the point in its development it had
reached at the end of the thesis semester.
The
documentation includes drawings and models.
Finally, the thesis is concluded with an outline of the
original issues of this "alternate approach" and how
they were addressed by the design.
Some modifications can now be offered to
the working
assumptions of
this
"alternate
approach" stated in the introduction.
The infrastructure will still provide the primary
structure, IDZ enclosure, public access, collective
spaces, utilities, and exterior inclosure. However,
in addition it must provide the two independent
means of egress for each IDZ. The size of the site
does not permit the IDZ to provide its own egress.
The design provides three stairs to be shared by all
four IDZs.
Secondly, the size of the IDZs is somewhat
smaller than the expected five thousand square feet.
This is due again to the small size of the site coupled
with the vertical height limit of thirty six feet as
imposed by the building codes. These smaller areas
77
also led to a reduction in the hierarchy of spaces.
The original assumptions allowed each IDZ its own
collective space. This is not possible here because
the small size of each floor permits only one tenant
and therefore no shared entries. This somehow
makes sense, for the reduced size of the project also
lends an intimacy to the building collective zone
(courtyard) that would have been provided by the
IDZ collective zone.
Thirdly, the primary structure can be refined.
The enclosure of the building can now take vertical
loads from the infill construction and concentrate
them within the existing structural lines of the
primary system. On a site of this size with the walls
of the primary closure being within 20 ft. of each
other there is no reason
to force the primary
construction (concrete floors) to accept loads at any
point. Secondary floors can be attached directly to
walls of the infrastructure. This should result in a
cost savings by concentrating the loads into fewer
paths.
So it seems that a general statement can be made
about the approach. As the site decreases in size so
does the amount of responsibility that the IDZ is able
to accept.
78
Documentation
79
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First Floor Plan
8 ft
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P0
1. Building Collective
2. Mechanical
3. IDZ Habitable Territory
-I----
80
.....
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Second Floor Plan
8ft
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1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Habitable Territory
81
Third Floor Plan
8ft
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Habitable Territory
82
-F
4
Fourth Floor Plan
8ft
0
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Habitable Territory
83
Fifth Floor Plan
8ft
0
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Habitable Territory
84
Sixth Floor Plan
8ft
0
1. Passage
2. Courtyard
3. Building Collective
4. IDZ Habitable Territory
85
V:
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Seventh Floor Plan
8ft
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2. Courtyard
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4. IDZ Habitable Territory
86
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87
Fig...
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North Elevation
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101
The Introduction of the thesis stated several
issues that were to be addressed by the design
exploration and its "alternate approach." These were
continuity, collective form, hierarchy, range of
sizes, territoriality, power, adaptability, and context.
The following discussion attempts to show how
these issues influenced the form of the design.
Continuity or continuous spaces allow
movement without contributing to disorientation. In
the design exploration, the pedestrian
passage
makes a continuity between the street and the
courtyard. The courtyard and its public stair extend
this continuity vertically to the top of the building
and the sky. A roof terrace for the entire building is
now realized (Fig. 5 :..).
Collective Form is addressed by the design in
several ways. First, it incorporates elements and
their placement in the facade which express
movement
to
(Fig. 5 .J.-..-...).
the
adjacent
buildings
On the north elevation, the
framework of the bay window moves back onto the
main facade with larger elements that make gestures
toward the taller corner building. The large stone
panels under the bay window move towards the
smaller building, stop short and break into smaller
pieces in respect to its smaller size. On the south
102
elevation similar moves are made. The framework
of the bay windows
step up to meet the larger
building. This intent of movement in the facade as
opposed to a static symmetrical organization is to
allow the building to make gestures toward its
neighbors. It attempts to group the three buildings
as collective form.
Isolation, symmetry, and
monumentality can be saved for more socially
important places in the city.
Hierarchy begins to be built with the pedestrian
passage, courtyard, and stair. Their size informs us
of their use. They are larger in the hierarchy than
bay windows, decks, doors, and windows which
serve more private needs. This hierarchy begins to
make a recognizable place.
Range of sizes is closely related to hierarchy. It
is precisely this difference in size which allows the
possibility of any heirarchical organization. The
thesis design utilizes sizes that range from the site to
the person. Site size elements include the pedestrian
passage, visible in the north elevation (Fig..T:7.),
the courtyard, and main stair visible in section
(Fig..§:.9.). The next size is articulated by the
IDZ.
In the north elevation, the bay window
represents one IDZ and begins to break down the
building into recognizable pieces. Other IDZs are
legible in the building section (Fig. ..
103
The rear building represents one IDZ and depends
soley on spatial separation
for its identity. The
base or ground form represents another IDZ and is
identified by a change in materials. The third IDZ,
already articulated in the front facade by the bay
window, retains this size in the pedestrian street
through the deployment of habitable rooms over the
passage and exterior decks. The fourth IDZ occurs
in the roof zone and employs smaller sizes and
reciprocal moves with the sky in order to earn its
identity. These IDZ size pieces are further broken
down with zones of light and dark that correspond to
the territorial zones of the plan. Exterior decks
continue the size range down and correspond to the
margins of the plan. The bottom of the size range is
realized through the deployment of small person size
windows.
Territoriality is also closely related to hierarchy
and range of sizes, because it is these qualities that
help to draw territorial boundaries. Smaller things
are generally owned by one person or entity, while
larger things are controlled by groups of people.
The more clearly these sizes are stated , the more
clearly defined are the territorial boundaries.
Most important to power is the "Independent
Development Zone". It allows its owners control and
104
design of its own use. It follows therefore that it can
be more responsive to their needs than if it were
controlled along with other zones by a single entity.
Adaptability is also closely related to the IDZ as
well as power. The technical aspects of the IDZ
infill construction (wood frame infill) along with its
independent control allow for growth and change.
All of these issues continuity, collective form,
hierachy, range of sizes, power, and adaptability
allow a more healthy relationship with the building's
context. They are realtangible aspects of the built
form which can directly relate the building to its
surroundings. Stylistic elements can now be added
to further build the facade however, they are not
asked to stand alone as mediators between the past
and present.
105
106
Bibliography
Boston Society of Architects. Architecture Boston. Barre Publishing: Barre, Massachusetts,
1976.
Bunting, Bainbridge. Houses of the Back Bay.
The Belknap Press of Harvard University
Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England, 1967.
------- Carlo Scarpa.. A+U Publishing Company, Ltd., October 1985.
Kroll, Lucien. An Architecture of Complexity. The MIT Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts,
1987.
MIT Design Studio, Spring Term 1986, Instructors: Imre Halasz and Tom Hille,
Aggregations: An Alternative ArchitecturalApproach.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The City as a Work of Art. Museum of Fine Arts, 1969
Rudolfsky, Bernard. Streetsfor People: A PrimerforAmericans. Doubleday & Company,
Inc.: Garden City, New York, 1967.
Schildt, Goran. Alvar Aalto: The Early Years. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.: New
York, 1984.
Schildt, Goran, ed. Alvar Aalto Sketch es. The MIT Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts, &
London, England, 1979.
107