P i x i l a t i o n O F h y b r i d i t y
H Y B R I D B O S T O N B U I L D I N G
P R O J E C T B R I E F
Examine the relationship between architecture and the city of Boston to design intentionally for the city's future. Create a housing solution that also offers all the city's services. The final building should explore all the possibilities of a hybrid structure.
P R O J E C T S U M M A R Y
Through studying light and the surrounding environment, I designed a fully accommodating home for three types of residents; students, families, and retirees. Individualized in personal quarters and multifunctional and accessible to all in communal spaces, the program type shifts from one floor to the next in response to the environment, resident, or circulation needs.
O R I G I N A L S T U D I E S
To understand the importance of a mixed-use structure, I researched forecasted flooding to understand which of Bostons services and homes are at risk of intense storm damage. The research highlights the need for new space to replace many services and shows the value of large mixed-use structures within the city's future.
Projected sea-level rise with-in areas at risk of 5-year floods and sea-level rise (From left to right - residential, institutional, and cultural areas in danger)
D E S I G N S O L U T I O N
First, I explored three resident types impacted by the climate, students, families, and retirees, to create individualized living experiences to cover their specific living needs. The pixilation of the residential façade optimizes daylighting and creates the opportunity for personal exterior space.
Next, I created a structural system and circulation throughout the building form in reaction to the program's organization. The program types circulate vertically and horizontally to accommodate each resident's needs and foster resident interactions.
My material studies from the surrounding cityscape inform the façade to incorporate the large structure within its surrounding environment. The open, flexible spaces are free of assigned purpose and open to the public to activate the building's interaction with its neighborhood.
Finally, I created a model to highlight the variation throughout the façade that suggests the internal program.
