ABSTRACT Title of Thesis ACTIVATING A 60?S MODERNIST PLAZA USING THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN SCALE DESIGN: RE-IMAGINING HUD PLAZA Sebastian Velez-Lopez, Master of Landscape Architecture, 2022 Thesis Directed By: Professor Jack Sullivan, Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture Population growth has increased rapidly across many large American cities in the last 20 years. The growing population generates a need for quality public open space, but it also increases the development of housing making land increase drastically in value, making it harder for municipalities to acquire land for public open space projects. One strategy that cities can use to address this issue, is to leverage existing public spaces that are currently underutilized. This project explores the contemporary principles of public space and human scale design through a review of the existing literature. The principles gathered from the literature, are demonstrated by using them as the basis for re-imagining an underutilized urban public space. The project establishes a link between the research on public space design and practice, providing an example of how it can be used to create innovative ways to better utilize our existing public spaces. ACTIVATING A 60?S MODERNIST PLAZA USING THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN SCALE DESIGN: RE-IMAGINING HUD PLAZA by Sebastian Velez-Lopez Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture and Community Planning 2022 Advisory Committee: Associate Professor, Jack Sullivan, Chair Professor, Dr. Christopher Ellis Associate Professor, Jana VanderGoot Table of Contents Table of Contents ???????????????????????.. ii - iii Chapter 1: Introduction ?????????????????????? 1-2 Topic Proposal Organization Chapter 2: Literature Review ???????????????????. 3-14 Plaza Design: Definition and Typologies The Experience of Urban Spaces Public Space Design The Effects of Planting Case Studies Chapter 3: Site Selection ...????????????????????15-16 Chapter 4: Methods ??????????????????????.. 17-20 Public Life Toolbox Stakeholder Conversations Mapping Chapter 5: Inventory & Analysis ????????????????? 21-45 Public Life Study Local Context and Land Use Transportation Context Historical Context Design Critique ? HUD Plaza ? Martha Schwartz Chapter 6: Design Proposal ??????????????????? 46-74 Neighborhood Scale Design Site Design From Car-centric to Human-centric Design The West Plaza 7th Street Plaza Connectivity and Access Environmental Performance ii Next Steps Chapter 7: Conclusion ..??????????????????????. 75 References ?????????????????????????? 76-79 iii Chapter 1: Introduction Topic As the population of cities across the United States has grown, the need for quality public open space has also increased. However, it has also created a need for large amounts of housing development, putting developable land at a significant premium. This has generated a significant challenge for urban designers and city planners when it comes to achieving a balance between public open space and housing density. While there will always be a need to create new public open spaces within growing cities, effectively leveraging existing public spaces is also a key aspect of any comprehensive public space improvement strategy. Many cities in the United States have a plethora of underutilized public spaces. Their lack of use can be attributed to a variety of factors including, but not limited to: insufficient local population density, a lack of proper maintenance, a shift in cultural and social context, the character of adjacent buildings and spaces, the environmental externalities of local land-uses, and/ or bad design. Whatever the reason may be, these spaces provide a great opportunity for cities to provide quality public space without having to acquire more land. To contribute to the discussion of how this problem can be solved, this thesis poses the following question: Can an underperforming urban plaza be activated using the contemporary principles of public space and human scale design? Proposal This thesis explores how the design of urban plazas has evolved in the last 50 years, starting with a Mid-Century Modernist aesthetic, critiquing a late 1990?s transformation, addressing recent 1 changes to site context, and identifying the early 21st Century desire for establishing more environmentally and socially sustainable public urban places. Organization This document is organized into eight sections. The first section is the introduction to the project which outlines the goals of the project. The second section is the literature review, which has three subsections. Subsection One reviews the literature on the definitions and typologies of public plazas throughout history. Subsection Two assesses the literature on the contemporary principles of public space design including those of human scale design. Subsection Three is a collection of case studies of recently re-designed civic public spaces throughout the United States and abroad, and their social and environmental performance. The third section reviews the site selection process. The fourth section describes the methods used to research the current physical and social conditions on site. The fifth section describes and analyzes the information collected through the previously discussed methods, to inform the design. The sixth section delineates the re-design of the site, and how it addresses the issues set forth by the site analysis. The seventh section is the conclusion that examines the lessons learned, what research was missing, and what next steps could be taken if this project were to be extended. The eighth section identifies all the references used for this document. 2 Chapter 2: Literature Review Plaza Design Definition and Typologies Plazas are defined in several different ways within the literature. How plazas are used and how they fit into the urban landscape has changed over the years. J.B. Jackson (1985) characterizes it as ?a place of passive enjoyment?. Kevin Lynch (1981, 443) states that the ?the plaza is intended as an activity focus, at the heart of some intensive urban area. Typically, it will be paved, enclosed by high-density structures, and surrounded by streets, or in contact with them. It contains features meant to attract groups of people and to facilitate meetings.? Clare Cooper Marcus and Mark Francis (1998) define ?plaza? as an outdoor public space made of mostly hard surfaces, that is not accessible to cars and functions as a place for strolling, sitting, eating, and watching. It is primarily different from a sidewalk in that it encourages people to stay rather than just walk through. This last definition is the most connected to what we interpret as a plaza in the modern United States. The literature also helps to define plazas through the analysis of morphology. Jere Stuart French (1978) seeks to deconstruct the different typologies of urban public space, specifically that of urban squares. He defines three factors that influence urban form in modern public space: the political factor, the economic factor, and the social factor. These factors define the function and programming of the space. The political factor includes civic and government centers. The economic factor includes shopping centers, malls, and town centers. The social includes green squares and recreation spaces. These uses are usually based on the surrounding context of buildings, land use, and allotted space. Civic squares are created through the grouping of city administrative buildings (post office, water department, county and city offices), or cultural civic 3 buildings such as the library, museum, and civic opera. They usually have a formal and orderly framework, to reflect efficiency and other desired government traits, and they tend to have a central location. Shopping centers and town centers are often built to stimulate economic activity. They are usually designed to increase store frontage and visibility of the marketplace. Social spaces can take many forms such as village squares or downtown squares that serve as places for interaction as well as providing a greater variety of spatial experiences within the urban framework. Rob Krier (1979) breaks down the morphological classification of spatial types using three basic shapes. These shapes are the square, circle, and triangle. He also lists many variations that can come from these shapes, and the different ways in which streets can intersect with a space. He speaks to how the position of the entrances of these paths can affect the experience of enclosure. For example, a space with two parallel paths entering the square along two edges maintains a feeling of enclosure in the center; a space with a single path crossing through the center pushes the feeling of enclosure to the sides; the entrance of a single path along the edge maintains the feeling of enclosure throughout most of the space. These will be useful when analyzing the shape and relationship to the street of the plaza space that will be redesigned. It will also help when considering the appropriate level of enclosure for an urban space. The literature also helps to classify plazas in terms of functional typologies. For example, Memluk (2013) argues that public square design has changed dramatically in the 21st century, due to factors such as growing populations and a greater diversity among residents and visitors. He starts by reviewing the history of the public square, tracing its origins back to the Agora of ancient Greece. These spaces served as the primary gathering place for the citizens where many political, social, and economic events took place. The author then proceeds to 4 review the different roles that public squares take on in modern cities. They may function as transport hubs or intersections. They can also function as a commercial hub, attracting people to use the businesses along its edges. Squares can also be the setting for a variety of games and sports. The Experience of Urban Space Other helpful literature discusses the experience of urban design. Matthew Carmona (2003) discusses the different ways in which people experience urban space. Carmona first speaks to people?s perception of space and how it influences how they will use a space or if they will use it at all. The author states that the ?value of this dimension of urban design is the stress on people and how they perceive, value, draw meaning from, and add meaning to, the urban environment? (Carmona 2003, 105). Places need to feel inviting and rewarding to encourage people?s participation. Individuals determine the authenticity of a space and the quality of their experience. Next, the authors consider the social dimension of urban space, and the role of urban design concerning social impact, especially when it comes to public spaces. The cultural, political, and socio-economic characteristics of a space have an impact on the social interactions within the space. They speak to the different ways in which control is exercised over space by different entities including the government, private landowners, or members of the community. This makes a large difference in the kind of people that are allowed to participate. They state that while design has a small part to play, it is still an important aspect that can make a difference. Most importantly, how comfortable and safe people feel within a space will influence the way in which they perceive others within the space. This is helpful for determining the types of values that the design can promote to the public. Spirn (1988) discusses, in detail, the relationship between nature and cities. The author tells the story of how that relationship has developed 5 throughout the historic evolution of urban form and analyzes specific landscapes that demonstrate the most desirable characteristics. It also assesses how the two phenomena interact on both a physical and a mental plane. It discusses the relationship of human culture to the landscape and how the urban landscape can become better connected to nature through cultural change. Using exemplary design precedents, Spirn shows that there is an important link between nature and the human experience of urban areas. Public Space Design The literature for design of public space has many insights into the physical characteristics of those spaces and how they relate to human behavior. For example, Gehl (2010) stresses the importance of designing at the human scale throughout the entire city. He argues that this will bring more people into the city and create a greater level of quality of life. He also discusses examples of how small design interventions within urban spaces can increase the use of a space. For example, after conducting surveys for the harbor of Aker Brygge before and after the doubling of seating within the space, they found out that the amount of people sitting in the space also doubled. He speaks to the importance of distance when it comes to allowing for certain interactions and lists the four distances of communication as listed by anthropologist Edward A. Hall in the book The Hidden Dimension. There is the intimate distance (0-18 in.) at which emotions can be exchanged. The personal distance is that of 18 in. to 4 ft. , at which private or very friendly conversation takes place. A social distance of 4-12 ft. is that at which casual conversations happen. More than 12 ft. between participants is defined as a public distance at which one-sided communication can happen, such as a teacher to their pupils. These distances provide a good standard for when decisions are being made about the different types of social experiences that a space can host. William Whyte reviews his extensive participant observation 6 research in public spaces in New York in his 1980 book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Through a range of studies conducted in plazas around New York City, the author recorded the behavior of pedestrians within these spaces. The studies were conducted through observation both in real time and on film. Using these observational studies, the author and his team were also able to generate some practical and applicable design features that tended to attract people to use a space. One very often-sighted finding of the studies was that plazas with a large variety of seating arrangements, including low walls, stairs, benches, and chairs, were more attractive to the public. Movable seating was also popular, as it further expanded the choices for people to sit in a variety of ways and locations. The presence of ample sunlight was also found to be an attractive characteristic, especially in the colder months of the year when the sun can make a large difference in keeping people warm. Protection from the wind was also a desirable characteristic that allowed people to use the space during the colder months. On the other hand, trees were also desirable in that they provided a sense of shelter and shade, while helping to cool the space. Water provided more cooling, and it is a highly attractive element that people often chose to sit near, and children often played in. The author also stressed the effectiveness of food vendors when it came to livening up a space. Francis (1998) also helps to break down some of the existing literature on ?urban plazas? and provides a definition for the term. Francis also provides a set of urban plaza typologies, and then proceeds to break down the typical design features of effective, or highly utilized ?urban plazas?. This will be useful in determining types of design elements for the re-design of a dysfunctional plaza space. Mehta (2014) seeks to create an index for quality of public space to serve as a tool for analyzing the inclusiveness, meaningfulness, safety, comfort, and enjoyment of our public spaces. It goes through an extensive literature review to formulate the index. This index could be helpful in the analysis of 7 the existing plaza as well as a framework from which to judge the quality of the final design. It is also very useful to know how a space can be overdesigned. For example, Kullman (2014) speaks to the programmatic trend for activating public spaces in urban settings. They state that while these approaches have been successful, it is worth analyzing whether over-programming space causes it to be less resilient and may reduce access for certain groups. The author concludes that due to many societal pressures a landscape must be ?useful? in terms of programming, but we must not over-program to the point that spaces are not adaptable to the evolution of activity preference. The Effects of Planting Asgarzadeh (2014) conducted research on the perception of oppressiveness and spaciousness, in relation to high rise buildings. They did this by having a group of 20 participants walk around the city of Tokyo and fill out a questionnaire about several sites throughout the city. The sites varied in street tree cover, facades, and ground plane texture. They found that trees generally increased a sense of spaciousness. Ra?kovi? (2015) also researched the influence of trees on people?s subconscious. They conducted an online study that asks participants to fill out surveys about different public squares: some that have trees, and some that do not. They tested the subconscious impacts by asking participants about what they perceived about the site in terms of whether it is worth it to stay, aesthetics, the value of space around it, etc. They proved that the presence of trees in urban space had a positive impact on all of these perceptions about a space. This may be useful in deciding how to use trees within the final plaza design. 8 Case Studies Figure 1: Central Wharf Plaza ? Boston This is a case study of a redesigned plaza in Boston. The case study seeks to determine the performance of the space in terms of its environmental benefits, its success at attracting people, and its effects on the surrounding spaces. The authors determined that the environmental benefits provided by the planting of trees are substantial and that those benefits will increase significantly as the trees mature. It also determined that a significant number of people are staying within the space for extended periods of time, as well walking through it often. The creation of this plaza also seems to have helped to make the streets around it be safer for pedestrians, by reducing accidents significantly. This will be a useful case study when making decisions on the kinds of features to include within the re-designed space. (Chanse 2015) 9 Figure 2: Dataran Ipoh ? Malaysia Harun (2014) conducted a study on the social performance and meaning of a civic space in the city of Ipoh in Malaysia. They did this by conducting a survey of questions handed out to a variety of users of the space. They sought to determine the relationship of ?(1) Properties and attributes of the urban plaza; (2) experiential contact; (3) perceptual responses; and (4) physiological effects.? (Harun 2014) The site was chosen due to its function as the primary civic space for the city. It primary physical attributes are a raised platform with seating and stairs overlooking an open recreational space. There is a clock tower that serves as a landmark and a variety of government and commercial buildings establish the edges. During the nighttime a variety of food trucks, park near the raised area, attracting many people. The findings say that the space is mostly used at night, but also significantly throughout the morning and 10 afternoon. They also found that the most common activity was to gather in bigger groups rather than with a small group of friends or family. In terms of the perception of the space, the survey found that most of the participants had a positive relationship with the space. People saw it as a great space for gathering, recreation, and nightlife. Surprisingly people rarely cited going to the space for events. This study will be useful in thinking about the kinds of characteristics that make a good civic plaza, despite some of the pitfall of the methodology, including the fact that they do not mention how many people were involved in the study. Figure 3: Main Street Square ? Rapid City, South Dakota This article summarizes a case study done to determine the ecological, social, and economic performance of a recently constructed urban plaza in Rapid City, South Dakota. The case study determined that the benefits include the saving of a significant amount of water through the 11 installation of LID features, the reduction of on-site temperatures through increase plant material, and the reduction of materials going to landfills due to the addition of several recycling bins. It also attracts a significant amount of people through a series of programming including ice skating in the winter and concerts in the summer. It also raised the overall value of the properties around it. This case study may be helpful in determining the kind of features to include to provide ecological benefits and to determine the kind of programming that might be involved with the site. Figure 4: Canal Park- Washington, DC The authors of this case study analyzed the performance of Canal Park, located in Washington, DC. They analyzed the environmental, social, and economic impact of the site. Environmental benefits include the significant reduction of run-off through capturing, the conservation of potable water through storm water reuse, the reduction of energy consumption through renewable energy sources and efficient light fixtures, and the re-use of demolition materials on 12 site. The social impact is highly valuable with an average of 58 visitors per day and thousands of people participating in seasonal events. The park has also contributed to people establishing social connections with others, and to a perception of safety in the area. Economically the park has contributed to the rise of value for the surrounding buildings. (2015) Figure 5: Sundance Square Plaza ? Fort Worth, Texas The authors of this case study analyzed the performance of this newly constructed space in Fort Worth, Texas. They analyzed the environmental, social, and economic performance of the site. The environmental benefits include reduction of flow rate of rain events through reduction of impermeable surfaces, the increased sequestration of CO2 through newly planted trees, and the reduction of temperatures below the shade structure, trees, and umbrellas. It has also been a social success attracting a significant amount of people during both weekends and weekdays, 13 becoming the civic center for the downtown by hosting a variety of free events, and improving the quality of life of about 88% of residents according to surveys. Economically it has encouraged further development in the area and has increased the square-foot cost of the buildings around it. 14 Chapter 3: Site Selection The landscape of the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building (Office of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development) Figure 6: Satellite image showing the location of the site. The landscape of the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building was selected to be the setting in which to demonstrate the application of the principles of contemporary public space design and human scale design because of its underperformance as a social space despite the large amount of foot traffic in and around it. The site is in the Federal Core of the city, surrounded by dozens 15 of office buildings that bring thousands of workers into the city every weekday. It is also adjacent to a variety of transit stops including the L?Enfant Plaza Metro Station which is one of the most trafficked transit stations in the District of Columbia. Its location at the midpoint between the National Mall and the newly constructed development at the The Wharf on the Southwest waterfront also makes the site an important landmark along 7th street. Because 7th Street functions as one of the primary North-South paths between these two areas it is paramount that the experience of walking between the two be as enjoyable and safe as possible. The HUD Plaza?s location right at the midpoint, makes it the ideal stop for a break for people walking from the mall to the Wharf and vice versa. The site is also historically significant because the building is a unique example of the 1960?s Modernist architecture that became an integral part of the architectural identity of the city during the Urban Renewal Projects of the 1950?s and 60?s, that completely redefined the Southwest of the city. This presents a unique opportunity to engage with the evolution of public space design in the last 50 years and make it an integral part of the design. 16 Chapter 4: Methods Data collection for this paper was done using several tools from the Public Life Toolbox created by the Gehl Institute, as well as stakeholder engagement, and various mapping tools (ArcGIS, Google Earth). The Gehl Institute?s Public Life Toolbox was chosen for the collection of data due its wide-spread use among cities and communities around the world, including the city of Washington, DC, where the site is located. Conversations with stakeholders helped to get a firsthand account of how the space is perceived, and what kinds of issues are important to them. The mapping tools served the purpose of gathering geographic and contextual information for the area. Public Life Toolbox Many firms and cities use the Gehl Institute Public Life Toolbox to evaluate how effectively public spaces are being utilized and what they may be missing. Three of the Public Life tools were used to collect data for this paper: People Moving Count, Stationary Activity Mapping, and Twelve Quality Criteria. The data collection worksheets used for the first two tools were created specifically by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) for analyzing streetscapes and other public spaces in Washington, DC. The worksheet used for the Twelve Quality Criteria was taken directly from the Gehl Institute website. The People Moving Count is a quantitative research tool that allows the surveyor to determine the amount of people moving through a space for twelve hours throughout the day. The DDOT worksheets also allow the surveyor to count the number of men and women (as perceived by the surveyor), their age range, whether they are walking alone or in groups, and whether they are walking, biking, skating, etc. Ten spots were chosen throughout the site to do the counts. These spots were chosen to count the amount of people coming in and out of the site, 17 the direction they were moving in, and the parts of the site that they were moving through. The surveyor must draw an imaginary line starting from each spot. Every time a person crosses that line, they should be counted. Each count is done for ten minutes for each hour for twelve hours of a day. The weather and the time must be documented for each count. The Stationary Activity Mapping is a quantitative/qualitative research tool that allows the surveyor to determine the number of people in a space that are standing, sitting, leaning, playing, or doing any other sort of stationary activity. Four spots were chosen throughout the site to observe the East plaza, West Plaza, and the North-west wing. These spaces were chosen for observation because they have seating, and they were perceived by the surveyor to be the most utilized areas during casual observation of the site. Just like in the people moving counts, data had to be collected once every hour from each of the spots for twelve hours, and the weather and time had to be documented. The Twelve Quality Criteria is a qualitative research tool that allows a surveyor to determine whether a space satisfies the three basic needs of protection, comfort, and enjoyment, based on its physical characteristics. To determine whether a space is protected, the surveyor must analyze the three following characteristics: Protection Against Traffic and Accidents; Protection against harm by others; Protection against unpleasant sensory experience. To determine the level of comfort the surveyor must analyze the six following characteristics: Options for mobility; Options to stand and linger; Options for sitting; Options for seeing; Options for talking and listening/hearing; Options for play, exercise, and activities. To determine how enjoyable the space is, the surveyor must analyze the three following characteristics: Scale; Opportunities to enjoy the positive aspects of climate; Experience of aesthetic qualities and positive sensory experiences. By analyzing whether the space satisfies these twelve criteria, a 18 surveyor can determine what kinds of design choices could help to attract more people to stay and use the site. The data collected using the People Moving Count and the Stationary Activity Mapping was compared to determine the ratio of people moving through the space in comparison to the amount of people staying in the space. The data collected using the Twelve Quality Criteria, helped to document the physical characteristics of the space and compare them to the principles of public space design as defined by the literature. This data was also compared to the Stationary Activity Mapping to observe whether the different attributes of the spaces made a significant difference in the number of people utilizing them. Stakeholder Conversations To gain a good sense of how the space is perceived by stakeholders, it is important to get their firsthand accounts of the space and how it is used. Four different stakeholders and stakeholder groups were engaged as part of the research for this project. Stakeholder engagement for this project started with an interview with Sarah Ridgely, AICP, who is a Senior Planner for the National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC). This interview was helpful to getting a good sense of what NCPC?s plans were for the Federal Core of the District and how they perceive the HUD site. On October 13 2018 a site walk and interview was conducted with a group of employees from the General Services Administration (GSA), which is in charge of running and maintaining the Federal government?s Real Estate Portfolio and whose headquarters are located across D Street from the project site. This interview helped to get a better understanding of some of the 19 more technical characteristics of the site, as well as a first-hand account of how people who work in the area interact with the space. Another interview was conducted with Patrick Revord, a former HUD employee who went on to work as Director of Research and Data Management for the Southwest Business Improvement District (SWBID), as well as the Director of Technology, Marketing, and Community Engagement for The Wharf. He worked at the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building for over four years, during which he passed through the space on a daily basis. During Patrick?s time as part of SWBID he was also engaged with the landscape of the HUD Building fairly often, due to the fact that it is within the improvement district. This interview helped to get a sense of the perception of HUD employees over their workspace, including the landscape around the building, as well as the perspective of a local development organization. The other stakeholder engagement was a casual conversation with one of the Security Guards stationed in the 7th street plaza. His daily experience observing the space, including some weekends, gave him an informed perspective on how the plaza is used. Mapping The mapping tools used for research on this project are the ArcGIS ArcMap application and the Google Earth application. The ArcMap application was used to gather a variety of data points on the physical characteristics about the site and the local and regional context. Those characteristics include transportation, land-use, and topography. Google Earth was used as used as a visual aid for a more detailed physical analysis of the site and its local context. 20 Chapter 5: Results Inventory and Analysis Public Life Study: Results and Analysis As predicted by the hypothesis these tools demonstrate that only about one of every twenty people moving through the spaces around the HUD Building stayed for an extended period. This confirms that the space is being underutilized. This data serves as the basis for the need to re- design the HUD Landscape. When the observations from the Twelve Quality Criteria are compared to the data from the Stationary Activity Mapping, the spaces where there were desired characteristics were present tended to be have higher rates of utilization. For example, the benches along the west side of the building, which are pointed towards an area with trees and grass and are shaded for the first half of the day tended to be utilized often between 11am-12pm on weekdays (lunch time). The tables and benches below the North-west wing were also utilized often. The presence of traditional seating elements arranged in a way that facilitates interaction, as well as ample shade and protection from precipitation make it an attractive area to congregate in. It should be noted that that space is the designated smoking area which makes it specifically attractive to that group of people, but people used it for other activities including conversating, talking on their phones, and waiting for lunch. These data comparisons generate the basis for the decisions made during the design process, as it pinpoints the desirable characteristics that are present and those that are missing. Local Context and Land Use The headquarters of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), otherwise known as the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, is located in Southwest Washington 21 D.C. in the Federal core of the city. It sits along the west side of 7th Street SW, between D Street, SW, and the Southeast-Southwest Freeway (I-395). It is adjacent to the L?Enfant Plaza office building and shopping mall. The Southwest Federal Center is primarily made up of office buildings, housing many federal agencies and other public institutions. This includes the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Education, the new National Spy Museum, the new Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, the Hirshhorn Museum, and many others. Retail in the area is primarily concentrated in the L?Enfant Plaza Mall. There are also several high-end hotels within the area including the Mandarin Oriental, The Hilton, and The Hyatt. Historically the Southwest Federal Center has had no residential land-use with the exception of the small housing for retired priests located behind St. Dominic?s Church at the corner of 7th and E Streets. There is a mix of single-family attached and multi-family housing directly south of I-395, but the separation created by the highway makes those neighborhoods feel distant. Like most other parts of Washington, DC the Southwest neighborhoods (including the Southwest Federal Center) of the city are seeing a sharp rise in residential development, catalyzed by a large influx of population in the last 10-15 years. For example, there are two brand new residential towers within the limits of the Southwest Federal Center. Additionally, the new Wharf DC (a mixed-use retail, commercial, and residential development stretching along more than half of a mile of the Washington Channel Waterfront) is located about half a mile south of the HUD Building Site and is currently in its second phase. The first phase has attracted an estimated 10-12 million visitors within its first year according to a 2018 article on WTOP?s website. 22 Analysis Along with an increased demand for housing, the sharp increase in residents and visitors to the area also increases the need for quality outdoor public space. The plazas of the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building, provide the perfect opportunity to satisfy those needs. Its current use as the headquarters of the Department of Housing and Urban Development also makes it an obvious location to showcase the most contemporary principles of urban design, just as it did at the time of its construction. The large number of offices in the area also means that there is a large group of people looking for enjoyable places to eat lunch and grab coffee or breakfast before work. Unfortunately, the only spaces that attract people to eat outside in the area are the five benches at the edge of the west plaza, and the tables and benches below the north-east wing. A former HUD employee named Patrick Revord (2019) said he and other employees at the agency had tried to have movable tables and chairs placed under some of the shade structures on the 7th street plaza for people to come out and have lunch, but the agency refused. 23 Figure 7: Regional Transportation Map for Washington DC. (DC Open Data) Transportation Context Current In addition to the increasing population in the area, its adjacency to public transit makes this site an ideal location for quality public space. The site is located at the nexus of a variety of transit modes, including Metro, commuter rail, Amtrak, Metro bus, and Commuter Bus. There are four entrances to the L?Enfant Plaza Metro station within a block or two and a large portion of the station is right below the site. One of those entrances is immediately adjacent to the west plaza at the entrance to L?Enfant Plaza Mall. The Green and Yellow lines and the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines cross at this station, which averages more than 20,000 boardings per day during 24 the work week (WMATA 2018). The HUD site is also situated less than a quarter of a mile south of the L?Enfant train station, which serves the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and the Northeast Regional Amtrak Line (The rails are owned and operated by Amtrak). As the station for both the Manassas and Fredericksburg lines of the VRE, this station accounts for approximately 41% of destination station activity (VRE 2019). Amtrak trains operating between Washington DC and Roanoke, Virginia also stop here to pick up people with VRE tickets. There are also many city bus stops within a city block of the HUD site, including four on the north and east sides of the site (along D St and 7th St respectively). The bus stop at the north- west corner of the site serves six bus routes including two WMATA routes (5A-Dulles Airport, V1-Benning Heights) and four commuter buses (OmniRide ? G100, M100, MC100, RS) destined to Northern Virginia. The two bus stops situated at the center of the block on 7th Street serve two WMATA bus routes(74-Buzzard Point, V1-Benning Road), as well as one commuter bus destined for Northern Virginia (OmniRide ? D300) and six commuter buses destined for Maryland (MTA ? 610, 620, 640, 650, 705, 715). The area also experiences a large amount of car traffic, especially on I395 which the District?s 2018 Traffic volume map shows, as carrying over 172 thousand cars annually through the point where it crosses under 7th Street. The 7th and Georgia Avenue corridor also experiences a large annual traffic volume, averaging around 20 thousand cars annually along its entire length within the city. 25 Figure 8: Existing rail and Metro Lines and Entrances (DC Open Data) In the Works The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) L?Enfant station will be undergoing a platform expansion and reorganization that will accommodate a fourth rail along the length of the Northeast Corridor. After the expansion, the platform will reach across two superblocks from 7th Street to 4th Street, increasing access from the east as well as general capacity. The project is currently in the design phase. There are also plans for a streetcar line along the 7th Street Corridor including a station along the east side of the GSA building north of D Street. However, 26 the Streetcar Plans in Washington DC are currently on hold and are unlikely to materialize in the near future due to the lack of popularity of the H Street Streetcar. Analysis Because of its proximity to a large number of transit stops, people often walk through or by the HUD landscape when arriving by or getting on to transit. Transit riders often use the adjacent stops and stations to walk to or from the neighborhoods to the south (including the Wharf), and the National Mall to the north. However, there are currently no entrances to the L?Enfant Metro station at the south end of the station, making it less accessible from the neighborhoods to the south. Also, despite having a lot of bus stops in the area, the speed and efficiency of the vehicles is limited by the heavy traffic throughout the city, especially during rush hour. The traffic, especially the hundreds of thousands of cars driving along I395, also generates a large amount of air and noise pollution that impacts the HUD landscape. Walkability There are sidewalks along all sides of the HUD site that are facing the street (south, east and west). Pedestrian access to the L?Enfant Plaza Mall entrance on the west plaza is made up of a set of 15 steps, and an ADA ramp that connect to a path that approaches the north-west entrance of the building. Sidewalks along 7th Street are about 8 feet wide with tree pits that are about 3? 8? wide leaving an approximately five foot wide circulation area. The sidewalks along D Street are about 11 feet wide with 6.5 foot wide tree pits, leaving an approximately 4.5 foot wide circulation area. The sidewalks along the E street side of the building have the widest 27 circulation area at about 10 feet with no tree pits. The sidewalk along the east side of 7th street is approximately 10 feet wide with five food wide tree pits, leaving about 5 feet for circulation. Analysis The sidewalks around the HUD building are insufficient for the amount of pedestrians that move around the area. These sidewalks barely meet the minimum standard of five feet for circulation, causing pinch points along the sidewalk. This impacts the comfort of people walking along the street by having to navigate by each other very closely, especially if people are walking in groups. Bike Lanes Since DDOT published its bike master plan for Washington DC in 2005, bike lanes have popped up throughout the city, making getting around on a bike safer and more accessible. However, the system is still fragmented, requiring bikers to negotiate the open roads with fast moving traffic. The gaps often happen in the busiest areas where they are most necessary. The development of the SW waterfront has brought with it a significant amount of new bike and pedestrian infrastructure, most notably the new Maine Avenue Cycle Track that runs along the edge of the Wharf DC. However, there are still significant gaps when it comes to efficient north-south bike connections. 4th Street has a set of separated bike lanes (painted) traveling in both directions that terminate at Pennsylvania Avenue, at which point, bikers traveling north must bike west on the Pennsylvania Avenue Cycle track for almost one mile before being able to get on the 15th Street cycle track north. 7th and 6th Streets have designated 28 bike lanes, but they only reach north to I Street, where bikers are directed towards 4th Street by way of 4th Street. Bike Share The bike share program for Washington, DC, has seen enormous growth since its start in August 2008 (Capital Bikeshare.com). It was initially called SmartBike DC, and it provided 120 bikes at 10 stations in Downtown. In 2010 that system was replaced by Capital Bikeshare, a collaboration between Arlington, VA, the District, Alexandria, VA, and Montgomery County, MD. The system has since grown to serve five jurisdictions, with 500 stations and 4,300 bikes. There is one bike share station across from the site at the north corner of 7th and E Streets and one about a block north of the site at the south corner of 7th and C Streets. The 7th Street Corridor The 7th Street and Georgia Avenue corridor is the longest north-south arterial road in the District of Columbia, reaching from the Southwest Waterfront to Silver Spring, Maryland and beyond. The corridor runs through the center of the city, and crosses through many growing neighborhoods including Takoma, Petworth, LeDroit Park, Shaw, Mt. Vernon Square, Chinatown, Penn Quarter and Southwest. There are also several important landmarks along the length of the corridor: Howard University, the Convention Center, the Verizon Center, The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and West Wing, the National Mall, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Air and Space Museum. Besides the L?Enfant Plaza Metro, there are also many other metro and bus stops along the corridor, as well as many Capitol bike share stations. Its terminus at the waterfront is marked by a drop-off court and an 29 impressively designed pier, topped with a sculptural firepit, that stretches out into the water at the center of The Wharf. The road width varies between six and four lanes (each at approximately 11 feet wide) throughout its entire length. The lanes at either side of street become parking lanes from 7am to 6:30pm along most of the street. Analysis Because of its significance as a north south connector through the middle of the city, its substantial width from end to end, its strong connection to public transit, and the large amount of bike share stations along its length, the 7th Street/ Georgia Avenue corridor presents an excellent opportunity to improve multi-modal public transportation across the city: Its connection to so many growing neighborhoods means that there are a very large number of potential users; Its ample width allows for more substantial streetscape improvements; Its strong connection to public transit and the presence of so many bike share stations increases the likelihood that people will use the bikeshare system for first or last mile trips from the corridor. All these aspects contribute to making the 7th Street/ Georgia Avenue corridor an ideal setting in which to improve the multi-modal transportation of the city from north to south. Historical Context The Robert C. Weaver Building has been the subject of much debate. Some have called it a Modernist masterpiece, yet it stands on several lists of some of the most hated buildings in the city of Washington, DC. It was constructed between 1966 and 1968 as a part of the ?urban renewal? project executed in Southwest Washington, DC between the early 1950?s and early 1970?s. This effort was led by the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA), which was 30 established as part of the Redevelopment Act of 1945. The primary task of the RLA was to redevelop Southwest Washington in order to replace a neighborhood that was regarded as a collection of ?blighted slums?. The RLA employed an urban framework that reflected the ideals of ?Modernist? city planning and architecture. This enormous ?urban renewal? project was rationalized as an economic and symbolic necessity that would increase tax-revenues through the repopulation of the city, and would reflect the aesthetic and functional ideals of the nation, especially because of its proximity to the Capitol Building and the National Mall. This plan resulted in the destruction of approximately 99% of the structures in the area, displacing approximately 3,000 businesses and 23,000 residents. Most residents in the area at the time were black, leading many to believe that this effort was also racially motivated. Figures 9 and 10: Photographs of the Southwest neighborhoods in Washington, DC before they were demolished to build the Urban Renewal neighborhoods. (United States Archives) The Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer, among many other well-known architects, was commissioned to design two modern office buildings as part of the redevelopment of Southwest Washington. The new urban development would ?reflect the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of our national government.? (John F. Kennedy, AIA 25). Breuer designed two new Federal Buildings, which included the headquarters of the Department of Health and Human 31 Services (HHS), located at 200 Independence Ave. SW, and the headquarters of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), located at 451 7th St. SW. Both buildings are regarded as excellent examples of 1960?s ?Modernist? architecture. However, the Robert C. Weaver Federal building stands out significantly from the pack. Its curved and elongated ?X? like horizontal form make it unique among the typical box shaped ?Modernist? buildings that dot the urban landscape of the city. This form was meant to create a slender enough profile, so that light would be able to penetrate the center of the building. It also resulted in a series of four exterior spaces that are embraced by the curving fa?ade of the building. Breuer utilized that same form factor in two of his previous projects: the IBM Offices in La Gaude, France and the Headquarters of the UNESCO Foundation in Paris, France. However, there is a stark difference between those two buildings and the HUD Building in terms of their setting. Both the IBM Offices and the UNESCO Foundation are set on large open landscapes with large gardens on several sides, while the HUD Building is set on a dense city block surrounded by buildings on three sides and a large highway on the other. 32 Figure 11: View of the Robert C. Weaver Federal Building from the Benjamin Banneker Park Overlook. (Library of Congress) The Robert C. Weaver building was the earliest example of pre-cast and reinforced concrete buildings in Washington DC, and one of the first in the nation. The HUD building was a demonstration of the most innovative engineering of its time, using a precast concrete panel fa?ade supported on cast in place reinforced concrete columns called ?piloti?. Breuer?s concrete buildings were part of an architectural style later dubbed ?Brutalism?, which is thought to originate from the French phrase ?beton brute? which translates to raw material. Like many other styles of ?Modernist? architecture, ?Brutalist? designers sought to make the structural and aesthetic materiality of buildings indistinguishable. The ?piloti? functioned as the primary structural foundation for the building, allowing Breuer to design a relatively open interior floor 33 plan that did not require any structural walls besides the fa?ade. It also allowed for the lobby walls to be set back into to the interior of the building, creating a space reminiscent of a European arcade around the entire first floor. Figure 12: The HUD Building being constructed in 1966. (NCPC, Library of Congress) This space blurred the lines between outdoor and indoor space by providing protection from the elements but remaining permeable to the street. It also gives a sense that the building is partially floating. Like most other Modernist architects, Breuer used this space as a more efficient form of car parking that got employees as close to the entrance as possible, minimizing walking times from the car to the office or house. This design feature is one of the primary principles of the Modernist architectural philosophy, which advocated for buildings and cities to be designed like highly efficient machines that increased productivity (a reflection of the ideals driving the industrialization of the western world). These ideals are best summed up by the Modernist architect and urbanist Le Corbusier in his 1923 manifesto Towards a New Architecture when he remarked, ?The house should be a machine for living in?. However, Breuer did not see the space 34 around the first floor just as a practical design feature, but also as public expression of modern technology?s triumph over the laws of gravity. In contrast to the sense of floating generated by the first floor, the ten floors of concrete precast panels spanning approximately 600 ft north to south and 300 ft east to west generate a sense of heaviness. By juxtaposing these seemingly exclusive characteristics Breuer demonstrates a paradox later described as ?heavy lightness? by the architectural historian Barry Bergdoll in his 2018 article for the Places Journal, Marcel Breuer and the Invention of Heavy Lightness. Despite his use of certain typical Modernist design elements, Breuer?s designs have several characteristics that set them apart. The fa?ades of the HUD building are made up of many identical 10x10 ft precast panels. Each panel has a small 2x3 ft window that is set back about six inches into the panel. The front of the panel slopes inwards to meet the edges of the window creating a divot. By attaching all of them side to side and top to bottom, Breuer creates a repeating symmetrical texture that changes throughout the day with the movement of the sun, as it hits the different faces of the panels. His interpretation of ?piloti? was also unique in comparison to the typical cylindrical or rectangular columns used by most his contemporaries. The piloti of the HUD Building, like those on many of his other buildings, are thick, substantial, and polygonal with beams spreading from the top like tree branches. The angles and multiple faces of the columns and beams also contribute to the contrast between sun and shadow generated by the texture of the fa?ade. Despite their heavy-set nature, their downward tapering profile makes it so that they do not lessen the sense of lightness generated by the void. 35 Figure 13: The indented window panels of the fa?ade generate a rich texture that changes throughout the day with the angle of the sun. (Library of Congress) 36 Figure 14: Site plan for the original design of the HUD Building by Marcel Breuer. The landscape surrounding the HUD building has evolved since its original construction. When it was originally built in 1968, the East plaza had the existing garage entrance and exits as well as a vehicular drop off loop. The West plaza had a raised intake vent area on the southern half and a lawn with a long grove of trees along the whole north side. The first change arrived with the construction of the L?Enfant Plaza Metro station, which opened on July 1st 1977. When the entrance to the metro station was added to the shopping mall, they also made it accessible from the West plaza of the HUD building by a set of stairs and a concrete path leading to the north-west door of the HUD building. This resulted in the removal of several of the trees and a lot of grass. The second and most drastic change came in the form of Martha Schwartz? redesign of the East Plaza in the 1990?s. The garage entrance was kept, but the drop off loop was removed. This design also included the installation of bollards along the edge of the north side of the 37 building, and the prohibition of parking cars below the arcade, opening it up to pedestrians. Another change came in the form of a playground built as part of a daycare center between 2006 and 2007. It was placed just north of the path leading to the entrance to the L?Enfant Plaza Mall and metro station. Design Criticism ? HUD Plaza ? Martha Schwartz The plaza in front of the Robert C. Weaver Building, home of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), on 7th Street SW in Washington, DC is an undoubtedly dumbfounding vision. It resembles a fleet of extraterrestrial spaceships hovering above a mostly barren concrete plain. This effect is no more palpable than at night when the shade structures light up, casting a stark white light over the plaza. The design for this mysterious space was created by the landscape architect Martha Schwartz in the 1990?s, replacing the original design of Marcel Breuer (the building?s architect) from 1968. The design was commissioned by the Secretary of HUD at the time, Henry Cisneros, after a water leak was found from the plaza into the underground garage below. Mr. Cisneros saw this as an opportunity to breathe new life into the landscape around the building and make it more representative of the agency?s people- focused values. In the three decades since the construction of the original building, the priorities of urban designers had shifted from a vehicular efficiency focus to creating public space that brings people out on to the streets. Martha Schwartz was selected by the United States Fine Arts Commission, due to her unique design style that blended landscape and art. The design process for the plaza included an extensive stakeholder engagement process, drawing a stark contrast to the planning process of the urban renewal district, on which the site is located. Working with 38 weight and planting depth limitations, Schwartz drew inspiration from the curvilinear elements of the architecture and prescribed circular planters (also functioning as seating) and shade structures. The proposed design created a bold contrast using color and materiality. The shade structures, planters, and paving were all rendered in bright hues of blue, orange, yellow, red, and green, and the planters were filled with evenly mowed fescue grass providing a textural contrast to the smooth surfaces surrounding it. The shade structures are made of fiberglass and supported with slender aluminum poles, which aid in giving the impression that the shade structures are hovering above the ground. These proposed design elements spanned both the 7th Street and D Street Plazas. Unfortunately, after starting construction in 1993, the project hit a snag when the Figure 15: The site plan of the original proposal by Martha Schwartz Inc. included a variety of bright colors that would have contrasted the gray muteness of the surrounding site. (General Services Administration) 39 newly appointed Secretary of HUD, Andrew Cuomo, decided to put a stop to the project. He was concerned that instead of improving the image of the department, it would instead be a symbol of frivolous government spending. Martha Schwartz and the Fine Arts Commission fought back, citing the fact that the new design did not exceed the budget allotted for replacing the waterproofing and repaving the plaza. They eventually reached an agreement whereby the portion of the design on the 7th Street plaza would be built but, instead of a wide array of colors, the shade structures would all be white and the planters would be the natural concrete color. The only infusion of color remaining were the green grass and some yellow circles in the paving. Figure 16: View of the existing 7th Street Plaza from the south. (Sebastian Velez-Lopez) 40 In the years since its construction in 1997, the 7th Street plaza has had inadequate maintenance and repair. Dark spots of grime can be seen on some of the fiberglass shade structures, while some have pieces missing, and others no longer light up. The only element that seems to receive regular maintenance is the turf grass. The plaza also receives very little extended use by the majority of people who walk through or nearby the plaza at all hours of the day. Static Activity Mapping of the space during the week revealed that there are only three groups of people that consistently utilize the landscape around the HUD building: people waiting for commuter buses in the evening sit on or stand near the curved concrete bench near the north end of the garage entrance; people smoking cigarettes sit in the designated smoking area below the north-west wing of the building; and people having lunch sit on the benches along the eastern edge of the western plaza. It should be noted that the only traditional seating placed beneath the Figure 17: The designated smoking area is consistently used, likely due to the ample protection from the elements and varied seating. (Sebastian Velez-Lopez) 41 mass of the building is in the designated smoking area and one table that seems to have been moved to the area below the western edge of the fa?ade. There are several two-foot diameter concrete bollards along the edge of the northern parking lot that people also tend to use as seating (usually smokers or people having conversations on the phone). Martha Schwartz?s design of the HUD Plaza has two primary elements that shape the space: seven white, circular shade structures; and nine circular concrete planters with turf grass. They are set up in a staggered geometrical pattern with a shade structure next to a circular planter. The UFO-like shade structures do not adequately shade the donut shaped seating, especially when many office workers in the area are looking for lunch hour shelter from the hot summer sun. This seems like a blatant mistake on Schwartz?s part, considering that it was the primary purpose of these structures. In addition, the shape of the seating only allows for people to sit facing outwards, preventing groups of people to gather. They could technically use the grass circles for this, but little is done to invite people on to them. The three grass circles closest to the building in the middle have a set of stares facing directly at the building, but people are unlikely to approach from that direction due to the position of the doors at either side of the plaza. Even if they felt invited, when people sit in the grass they like to lie down and spread out, which these little lawns are too small to accommodate. The plaza also includes a performance stage set into one of the donuts on the south side of the plaza, next to the monolithic concrete block that bears the name of the department. The stage is never used, and even if it was, the space in front of it is not set up in any way for viewing. Seating that faces it is extremely limited and farther than necessary for such a small outdoor performance space. Considering that the stage is surrounded by concrete, which is well 42 known for making sound bounce and reverberate, it also seems like a questionable spot to put a stage in the first place. Schwartz?s design seems to attempt to have the garage entrance blend into the rest of the plaza by placing two shade structures above it. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, this was unsuccessful due to the fact that the 3 foot tall, 80 foot long concrete walls surrounding it present a barrier along most of the middle section of the plaza that cannot be ignored. Figure 18: View of the stage on the plaza. (Sebastian Velez-Lopez) The design is very disorienting because there are no clear paths of circulation, and it makes no reference to the entrances to the building. This was already a problem of the building 43 design due to the darkness generated by the overhanging portion of the building. Martha Schwartz? design does nothing to solve the issue, and arguably makes it worse by adding further visual disturbance between the street and the entrances. This was without a doubt a lost opportunity for the designer. The grey muteness of the building is made starker by the plain white shade of the structures and the almost colorless concrete paving. The circular lawns contained by the grey concrete seating and the yellow dots in the paving do little to provide a respite from the bleakness of the space. However, it should be noted that Martha Schwartz original design sought to solve this issue through its use of bright colors throughout. The version of the design that was built is certainly intriguing and creates a variety of interesting views and perspectives. For example, the holes in the middle of the circular shade structures act as framing for different views of the building fa?ade and sky, like the circular windows often used in Japanese gardens to frame natural features like distant mountain peaks. The geometric pattern of circles across the entire space makes for an elegant and interesting form but the shade and seating elements fail to engage most users as shown by the public life study. However, it should be noted that on Saturday evenings, the security guards on site have reported regularly seeing families with children engage with the space. The children enjoy climbing onto the circular planters and running in between them, which is revealing of the whimsical and playful nature of the design. 44 Figure 19: The shade structures frame views of the building?s fa?ade (Sebastian Velez-Lopez) 45 Chapter 6: Design Proposal Neighborhood Scale Design Activating a space does not only consist of improving the space itself, but also its context. Adjacent land-uses can exert a variety of externalities on the site, that can impact the experience of users, and will influence their decision to stay or leave. As the analysis demonstrates, the most notable negative externalities are generated by the streets and the presence of the 6 lane highway (I395) immediately south of the building. The cars on the streets generate a lot of noise and pollution, especially those on I395. Despite being far below the level of 7th street, the highway also creates a major physical rift between the federal core and the residential neighborhoods to the south, making the federal core feel detached and farther away than it really is. The railroad bridge that crosses over 7th street 1 block north of the site, also creates a visual rift along the street, once again breaking up the continuity of the 7th Street streetscape. As mentioned in the inventory and analysis, there is also a shortage of temporary parking for tour and coach buses, visiting downtown DC. It is also lacking in sufficient and safe bike connectivity. These issues impact the protection, comfort and enjoyment of the space. The following design goals were created to address these neighborhood scale issues: ? Create better continuity of the streetscape along 7th street to the residential neighborhoods to the south, and to the National Mall to the north ? Reduce the noise and air pollution around the site ? Prioritize bus speed and efficiency over car traffic ? Improve pedestrian and bicycle access along 7th and D streets ? Find a place to provide temporary parking for tour and coach buses ? Provide greater access to the L?Enfant Metro Station from the south 46 To address these design goals, this thesis proposes several neighborhood scale changes. To provide better continuity along 7th street and reduce noise and air pollution, this thesis proposes decking over I-395 along both sides of the street by constructing a large five-floor garage on the east side of 7th street and a five-floor residential building on the west. The garage?s first floor will serve as temporary parking for tour and coach buses. All other floors will replace the street parking lost due to any streetscape improvements. The garage and residential building should not be taller than five floors to create a transfer of scale between the ten floor office buildings of the Federal Core and the single-family attached residential neighborhoods to the south. The garage and residential building should both have ground floor retail along 7th street helping to further activate the streetscape. The garage?s south facing fa?ade should be softened with the addition of a green wall due to the ample amount of sunlight it will receive, while its other facades could be decorated with public art from local, and national artists. Increasing the sense of continuity for the street as it passes under the railroad overpass north of the site will take some very different measures. This thesis proposes the use of artistic lighting features to make the experience of walking or biking under it more comfortable. A good local precedent for this type of lighting is the installation below the rail overpass on M Street NE, Washington DC. Another way that noise and air pollution can be reduced around the site is to make improvements along the 7th Street corridor that reduce the traffic by allowing less cars to be on the road at once and providing fast and convenient public transportation along its length. This will be achieved, by reducing the vehicular lanes to one in each direction, while the other lanes will be used to expand the sidewalks, put in a two-way protected bike lane, and put in north 47 south designated bus lanes. Expanding the sidewalks is a key aspect of improving the pedestrian experience around the site, by eliminating the pinch points created by the tree pits, and allowing users to comfortably walk by others without having to do any maneuvering. D Street will also get a sidewalk expansion on the south side. Putting in a two-way, protected bike lane along the length of 7th Street, will drastically improve north-south bike circulation through the middle of the city, encouraging more people to use bikes for last mile trips from transit, as well as commuting from the many neighborhoods that 7th Street crosses. The north-south designated bus lanes will help buses along the corridor move more quickly and efficiently, increasing the capacity of the system, and creating a more affordable yet efficient alternative to metro for people doing shorter distance trips within the city. Increasing the efficiency and speed of the system, will also make it a more convenient option for people to use. Convenience is the most important factor when it comes to people choosing what form of transportation to use. 48 Figure 20: Proposed Bike Infrastructure Diagram. Solid orange ? Bike Parking; Dashed Orange Line ? Bike Circulation; Solid Red ? Existing Capital Bikeshare To improve access to the Metro station from the south, this design proposes the addition of two entrances on the east and west sides of 7th street, north of the E Street intersection. The entrance on the east side of the street will be an escalator entrance, while the one on the west side will be an elevator entrance to ensure accessibility for all. 49 Figure 21: Existing and proposed rail and Metro lines and station entrances. Proposed metro entrances ? Bright Blue Site Design This design seeks to demonstrate that the contemporary principles of public space and human scale design can be used to activate an underperforming 60?s Modernist Plaza. to achieve this, a list of design goals was created that responds to the shortcomings of the site and its context, while leveraging its best attributes. These design goals were generated through a triangulation of the site inventory, the statistical analysis of on-site activity, and the qualitative analysis of the site?s attributes. 50 Design Goals: ? Leverage the proximity of the adjacent transit stations o Enhance the transit user experience through better physical connections and infrastructure improvements o Make transit infrastructure improvements into focal points of the design o Create activities that engage transit users and attract them to stay longer ? Increase pedestrian safety and building security o Remove the presence of cars from all pedestrian areas including plazas o Get cars further away from the building to lessen the risk of damage from a car bomb or other terrorist threat o Create physical barriers to prevent vehicles from entering the site ? Improve circulation, accessibility, and connectivity throughout the site o Simplify circulation by creating more clear and direct paths to and from entrances/exits, transit stations, and other points of interest o Remove vehicular infrastructure and other obstructions from pedestrian areas o Ensure access to the entire site for people of all ages and abilities by meeting ADA Standards and exceeding them wherever possible ? Create visual interest through different types of spatial contrast throughout the site o Use a variety of plant species in a variety of arrangements to provide textural and seasonal contrast o Use organic forms that contrast the rectilinear texture of the fa?ade yet respond to its curving surface o Use trees, shade structures, seating, changes in elevation, and the building?s underside to create spaces with a variety of scales o Compliment the contrast of light and shadow generated by the sun?s direction and the fa?ade of the building by using trees, shade structures, and varying materials o Use water, glass, and other reflective elements to create contrast through light o Use natural materials, such as wood and stone to create textural contrast with the concrete building 51 ? Integrate the building into the landscape o Increase transparency through the ground floor of the building increasing visibility through the first floor o Create a continuous paving pattern throughout the site o Weave plantings in and out of the building footprint o Use tree species that will grow tall and soften the scale of the building?s fa?ade ? Make the landscape a destination o Provide a place to get food and drink on site o Use architectural elements that are visually striking and are visible from the street o Create a variety of climatic conditions using shade and water o Provide a large variety of seating types that promote different kinds of sitting and levels of social interaction ? Increase the environmental performance of the landscape o Add ample numbers of trees, other plant material, and water to help reduce the heat island effect o Capture and retain as much water as possible through a variety of stormwater management strategies From Car-centric to Human-centric Design The first step in bringing the human scale to the HUD landscape, is to remove the presence of cars wherever possible. The design proposes that the parking be removed from the north plaza, and the entrance and exit to the garage on the east plaza be removed and replaced by an entrance at the south end next to the loading dock entrance. This will increase pedestrian access to the landscape and make it safer and more comfortable for pedestrians who will not need to interact with cars when using the space. The car parking on the north plaza will be replaced by lush plantings, anchored in the center by a large circular structure inspired by Martha Schwartz existing shade structures, which will function as enclosed bike parking for the 52 surrounding transit stations and office buildings. The building will be enclosed by a white powder coated metal grid structure, that reflects the grid pattern of the building?s fa?ade. It will be accessible from the north and south via secured doors. The structure has space for approximately 145 bikes and a bike workshop, where people can make minor repairs and blow up their tires. The south plaza will retain its use as a drop-off point due to the presence of the entrance to the childcare, as well as the fact that it is used as the arrival point for high-ranking government officials. However, most of the parking will be removed, besides several ADA parking spots, to maintain accessibility for all. Removing most of the parking in the south plaza also creates an opportunity to add a large amount of planting and Storm Water Management (SWM) facilities as it is the only south facing plaza, and it is not on structure. Figure 22: The burnt orange areas show the existing garage and loading dock, as well as the proposed garage entrance from the south side of the building, eliminating the need for the existing garage entrance in the middle of the East plaza. 53 Figure 23: Site Plan Rendering The West Plaza The design for the west plaza proposes that the playground at the north end of the west plaza, be moved to the raised platform, closer to the childcare center. This will eliminate the need for the childcare specialists to have to walk the children across the busy public space between the L?Enfant Plaza Mall entrance and the HUD building, improving the safety of the children. It will also open the north end of the plaza for better circulation and usability. Recovering that space is also important because it makes up part of the little surface area around the building that is not on structure and receives a decent amount of sun during the day, making it ideal for adding plantings to the landscape, and increasing the amount of permeable surface area. The existing ADA ramp will also be removed and replaced by one that is farther west to 54 open up the circulation to and from the north plaza. It will also include a connection to the north- west corner of the site along the wall separating it from the L?Enfant Plaza Mall Garage entrance. The topography around the ramp will gradually rise along with it, embracing it with thick grassy plantings, softening the impact of the vertical change. The slope will be topped by 3 flowering dogwoods, providing shade to the upper portion of the ramp and creating seasonal interest. The planting slopes down to a curving concrete seat wall that allows people sit along the edge of the plaza and creates a dynamic flow into the north-west wing of the building and into the north plaza. The air intake vents on the raised platform in the southern portion of the west plaza, will be topped with tall, multi-colored, plexiglass structures of varying heights that will keep children from injuring themselves with the vents, and providing a playful atmosphere. The plexiglass boxes will be perforated with tiny holes that will allow airflow into the vents, while not being large enough for kids to stick their fingers in or push anything through. The platform also has much more space for play than the existing playground, allowing for more flexible and varied play. Another important change in programming in the west plaza, will be the addition of a covered space with movable tables and chairs to provide a space for people to take advantage of the green space and the mature Willow Oaks that grow adjacent to the building. This takes advantage of the existing popularity of the space, as was demonstrated by the Static Activity Mapping portion of the analysis. This space will be shaded and protected from precipitation by a small green roof shade structure, and it will be placed closer to the oak trees than the existing benches to allow users to engage more closely with the greenspace and open the circulation through the arcade. This green roof shade structure, as well as all the other ones designed 55 throughout the site, were inspired by the shade structures of the Norreport Subway station in Copenhagen, Denmark. By tapering the edges, these shade structures give the impression that they are thin and light despite having to be thick and sturdy enough to support the soil and plantings above. They also use thick reflective steel columns that minimize visual obstructions and reflect their surroundings, allowing them to blend in. Figure 24: Section elevation of the shade structures built at Norreport Station in Copenhagen Denmark (Archdaily.com) The space below the oak trees will be planted with understory plants such as Azalea shrubs and Hostas creating even more visual interest in the space. In between the oak trees and the seating space, will be a stormwater Bio-retention facility which will be planted with varied 56 grasses and perennials that will also make more interesting planting palette, and help to capture the stormwater from the paved spaces around it. Figure 25: View from the west entrance out onto the west plaza Figure 26: View from the west plaza into the proposed passageway. 57 7th Street Plaza While the overall programming of the east plaza as a public pedestrian space is not changed in the design, it does make drastic changes to the character of the space. It proposes a division of the plaza into four sections that will take advantage of the large amount of space and humanize the scale. The southernmost portion of the plaza will be anchored by a new elevator entrance to the L?Enfant Metro Station that will bring transit users directly onto the site. Slightly north will be a large platform with a bosque that will provide a shady and intimate space for people to gather or relax individually. At the center of the site will be a architecturally striking shade structure which will shelter a caf? and a new bus stop. The northern most part of the plaza will be centered around a water fountain and provide plenty of seating for people to relax by the fountain. These spaces will provide users of all ages and abilities with a variety of ways to experience and enjoy the plaza. Figure 27: View looking south from the north-east corner of the site. 58 Figure 28: View as a pedestrian approaches the north east entrance plaza, anchored by a low disk shaped fountain. South L?Enfant Plaza Metro Station Entrance This thesis proposes the addition of two new south metro entrances on either side of 7th street. An escalator entrance is proposed for the east side near the intersection with E Street, due to ample room for placing the structure and its location right above the southern end of the station platform. The west side of 7th street will have an elevator entrance near the southern end of the 7th Street Plaza of the HUD headquarters, near the existing monolithic signage which bears the name of the agency. This elevator will insure access for people of all ages and abilities at the south end of the station. The addition of a south entrance to the station is a logical next step to making it more accessible to riders going to and coming from the neighborhoods to the south. As an increasing number of people use 7th Street to walk to and from destinations like The Wharf, adding a south 59 entrance to the station will make it a simpler and more pleasant experience. The National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC) has already proposed the addition of a south entrance in their 2013 SW Eco-District Plan. The south end of the 7th Street plaza is an excellent place to add an entrance to the Metro Station, as it will put passengers in a great position to transfer to the buses that stop in front of the plaza or walk south towards The Wharf. Locating it within the plaza will also likely increase the amount of people entering the plaza. By placing the elevator in the plaza instead of the escalators, the design also avoids creating a large physical and visual obstruction on the plaza, that would have a similar impact to the garage entrance that currently exists. Figure 29: View onto the east plaza from the south end, which is anchored by the proposed elevator entrance to the metro and the structure above. The elevator structure will be topped by a green roof shade structure that will provide shelter from the elements for people getting in and out of the elevator. The elevator building will 60 provide the structural support for the green roof along with three thick, steel columns. These columns will have a mirror finish that will reflect the surroundings and camouflage their presence, generating a sense of floating, similarly to the thin aluminum columns that hold up the existing shade structures by Martha Schwartz. The ceiling will be at about fourteen feet to give the sense that it is an extension of the ceiling below the arcade and strike a balance between a feeling of enclosure and openness. The elevator building will be made of glass and a grided white tube structure (likely steel), that will provide structural support as well as a textural contrast to the curvilinear motifs of the overall design and is reminiscent of the HUD building?s fa?ade. The doors of the elevator will point north-east which will allow for views into the plaza and the street, as well as point transit riders directly at the new bus stop located in the middle of the site along 7th Street. This will simplify the process of transferring between transit modes, by making it easier to get from one to the other. A curvaceous planting raps around the south and southwest sides of the elevator grounding both structures and giving their sleek and modern materiality a naturalistic backdrop of foliage. The encapsulating form of the planting creates a feeling of enclosure while allowing for natural flow into and out of the plaza. The planting slopes up to about eighteen inches from north to south into the arcade below the southeast wing of the building allowing for sufficient soil depth above the basement and garage, that sit right below grade. An eighteen-inch suspended custom wood bench follows the north edge of the planting, broken up by the elevator and the base of the signage. As the bench flows along the east and west of the planting it runs into a concrete seat wall that is flush with the top of the bench and supports the mounded-up soil on the south side. The seat wall serves as a place to anchor the structure holding up the bench, along with the elevator structure and the concrete sign. By using the minimum number of vertical supports under the benches, it will create the illusion that they are 61 levitating, further emphasizing a feeling of ?lightness? in the space and counteracting the heavy and bulky materiality and form of the building. The benches and seat wall provide ample seating, that allows people to sit looking in any direction. Its sinuous form also creates both outwardly and inwardly oriented curves allowing people to sit for conversations with others or by themselves. The Bosque Slightly north-west of the elevator will be an elevated bosque of ten Red Maple trees that shade a three-foot-tall, black concrete platform. The platform walls will be made of dark grey, poured in place concrete while the top will be made of black granite cobblestone pavers supported by a Silva Cell system or similar product which prevents soil compaction by providing a static structure on which the pavers rest. The inside of the platform will be filled with about 3 feet of soil which is the minimum soil depth recommended for growing trees on structure. The trees will have plenty of room to spread their roots laterally allowing them to grow larger and healthier. The tree canopy will act as a textured ceiling that softens the overwhelming scale of the building and creates a more intimate environment. It also provides ample shade while allowing some light to penetrate the space in the warmer months and allows the sun to fully penetrate the space during the colder months when the leaves fall off. The dark stone surface of the platform will also absorb heat from the sun in the colder months when the leaves fall off the trees, helping to warm up the space. By allowing people to be above the plaza, the platform promotes a sense of being protected and separated from the rest of the space, while maintaining sight lines to the entire site. It also breaks up the ground plane, further contributing to humanizing the scale. 62 Figure 30: Section elevation showing the silva cells supporting the paving, allowing for ample rooting and connection between trees. Figure 31: View of the bosque from the north end. 63 The platform is accessible by steps along the east, west, and north edges and from the south by a gradual ramp (5% slope) that blends seamlessly into the landscape and contributes to the goal of making the whole site accessible to people of all ages and abilities. A sloped planting along the south-east edge of the platform rises along with the ramp, helping to ground the platform and make the vertical transition feel more natural. Pairs of eighteen-inch high, light colored stone slabs set to the east and west of some of the tree pits, and six sets of movable, multi-colored tables spread around the platform provide ample and varied seating to take advantage of the shade. Along with the stepped edges of the platform, these seating elements provide users with the opportunity to sit in a variety of ways and interpersonal distances, while providing contrast in texture and color. The Red Maple trees also create an evolving textural and color contrast against the monochrome, repetitive fa?ade of the building throughout the seasons. The bright red fall colors of the Maple trees will create a striking contrast against the gray, grided fa?ade of the building. When the leaves fall off in the winter, the bear branches will also create a dramatic contrast against the fa?ade of the building. 64 Figure 32: View of the bosque from the south end where ADA compliant access is provided by a ramp at 5% slope. Figure 33: View into the East plaza near the Transit pavilion and Caf?. 65 The Transit Pavilion and Caf? Engaging transit riders at the site is one of the most important actions that can be taken to activate the HUD landscape. The culmination of various transit modes and its central location in relation to various unique destinations like The Wharf and The National Mall, as well as residential and commercial areas, make it an ideal spot to establish a lively public space. It could be the ideal place for friends to meet up before walking, biking, or riding the bus to the Wharf, or a pleasant place for a HUD employee to sit in the shade while waiting for their bus on a hot summer afternoon. That is why the central element and focal point of the 7th street plaza design is the new bus stop pavilion, which seeks elevate the experience of using transit by providing a beautiful, comfortable, and protected shelter for people to wait in. The pavilion consists of a green roof shade structure that slopes from about fourteen feet high at its west end to about eighteen feet at its east end. The shade structure is anchored at its west end by a circular caf? building clad in glass and a steel tubular structure just like the elevator building at the south end of the plaza, and the bike parking structure in the center of the north plaza. Between the bus stop and the caf? is an open area with caf? tables for people to sit while they eat, drink, or have lunch meetings. The grid motif is also repeated in rectangular structure that rises-up from behind the bus stop seating, and pierces through the shade structure. The structure sits around a metro system vent, allowing air to go into or out of the vent without obstruction. The grid is also visually permeable allowing for visual contact between the bus stop and the caf?, allowing users to keep track of their bus while eating or drinking at one of the caf? tables. It also avoids blocking the lines of site across the landscape, which are very important to maintain for safety and security of the building. Just north of the pavilion is a planted hill that separates the caf? from the northern section of the plaza. The southern side of the hill that faces the pavilion is 66 planted with mowed grass to enable people to sit out in the sun or have a picnic style meal, while staying engaged with the caf?. Figure 34: View into the east plaza as a pedestrian enters from the north. The North Fountain The form of circular fountain at the north end of the site is inspired by the UFO like shade structures that currently hover above the site. The fountain will be made of a dark granite, and will be supported in the center, to imitate the illusion of floating that the current shade structures demonstrate. The water will run off the edges giving the fountain a dynamic quality that gives the viewer a sense that the fountain is slowly rising upwards. The fountain is embraced by two plantings to the south and north-east, that still allow for plenty of room to circulate in between. Curved wood benches are nestled into the inside edges of the plantings, allowing people to sit and experience the fountain. The southern bench is shaded by 3 flowering 67 dogwoods, while the north-east bench is exposed to the sun, providing opportunities for different sitting experiences. Figure 35: View into the north east entrance plaza from the north east entrance. Connectivity and Access Despite the arcade that encircles the HUD Building the plazas created by the building?s curved facades feel disconnected and in the case of the West Plaza, somewhat isolated. This isolation has become especially significant since the construction of the childcare center below the south-west wing of the building, which has resulted in access being restricted to that area and around the south end of the building. The placement of the playground at the northern end of the west plaza also partially restricts movement between the north and west plazas, as well as movement from D St to the west plaza. While that isolation does help to reduce street noise and pollution, the current programming causes a lot of confusion for people circulating through the 68 site, especially those who are exiting the metro from that entrance and are trying to get out on to the street. During site observation several groups exiting the metro were seen attempting to walk south along the side of the building before realizing that there was no passage in that direction and becoming visibly disoriented before eventually walking around the north end of the building. Figure 36: Proposed Circulation Diagram To improve connectivity, access, and ease of circulation throughout the site, it is also important that movement flows between the three public spaces as easily as possible. Since the current design requires pedestrians to go around the north end of the building to reach the west plaza from the east plaza and vice versa, the new design proposes a passageway that cuts through 69 the northern half of the lobby of the building, connecting the two plazas directly. This passageway allows for a more natural flow of people between the east and west plazas, as well as to and from the west entrance to the L?Enfant Metro Station and Mall. Its inwardly curved sides create a sense of compression as people enter the space, making the experience of coming out to the open plaza on the other side a more dramatic experience. The passageway further emphasizes the feeling of ?heavy-lightness? described by Bergdoll, by allowing people to see all the way through the building?s ground floor. The passageway will be lined by a curved, raised planting along the south, and a ceiling to floor waterfall along the north side. Both features will help to cool the space, while the sound of the waterfall will help to mask the noise from the streets. These elements also help to create a sense of crossing a threshold into a completely different space. The planting is contained by an 18 inch high seat wall, and a line of movable bistro tables and chairs are placed along its length. There are also a large number of river rock shaped chairs along the edge of the waterfall, allowing people to interact with the water more closely. The seat wall, tables and chairs, and the river rock chairs provide a variety of seating options below the protection of the building, allowing people to use the space in most weather conditions. 70 Figure 37: The proposed passage draws pedestrians in with views of the west plaza and a waterfall along the north side. Connectivity and accessibility around the site are also improved using the plantings and other features in the plazas to create more direct and legible paths to and from different nodes around the site. For example, the design gets rid of the visual noise created by the repetitive pattern of circles that currently exist on the east plaza, and leaves views from the sidewalk to the north and south entrances to the buildings completely unobstructed. The organic forms of the plantings and other elements also help to direct people towards those entrances, making them easier to find and get to. The forms were also designed to provide a natural flow between the different spaces, by assuring that key paths of circulation are unobstructed. 71 Another important connection that is proposed is the addition of the accessible ramp that connects the west plaza and the entrance to the L?Enfant Plaza mall to the sidewalk on D St. The ramp will allow for more direct ADA access from D street to the plaza and mall/metro entrance. Environmental Performance Metrics Part of making a public space more usable is to maximize its environmental sustainability, by creating landscapes that help to cool the city, absorb carbon dioxide, generate more oxygen, and capture and clean stormwater before it goes into the storm system. The design for the HUD landscape includes many features that help to do this in a variety of ways. For example, the design significantly increases the amount of permeable surface. It also adds a total of 43 new large shade trees, and 18 new medium shade trees. Figure 38: Green Infrastructure Diagram. 72 Next Steps Despite the thorough research that went into the creation of this thesis and the resulting design, it does not fully satisfy all of the steps required for a proper design process. Most importantly, no good public space design process can really exist without a comprehensive community engagement process. Engaging the community provides planners and designers with the opportunity to collect priceless information about how all the different stakeholders perceive the site, and what their needs are. The Gehl Institute addresses this in the ?How to use the Public Life Tools? article on their website by saying, ?The tools only tell us part of the story about a space; they must be complemented by local knowledge that can only be accessed through robust community engagement and working closely with community partners?. The stakeholder groups that would be included in the engagement process for the HUD Building site re-design are: ? Employees of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other workplaces in the area (including the security guards stationed at the building) ? The General Services Administration (GSA) ? The National Capitol Planning Commission (NCPC) ? The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) ? The DC Department of Transportation (DDoT) ? The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) ? Residents of SW Washington, especially those that live within a half mile (10 minute walk) from the site. 73 ? Metro and bus riders, especially those that regularly use the L?Enfant Plaza Metro Station ? Visitors and tourists While the research for this paper did include some interviews with a few stakeholders from these groups, the scope and duration of the engagement was extremely limited. A robust community engagement process includes hundreds if not thousands of people, especially in a dense, urban area like Southwest DC. This can be done using strategies such as in person and online community workshops, neighborhood canvasing, e-mail surveys, online surveys, kiosks at metro entrances and bus stops, and on-site interviews and surveys. 74 Chapter 7: Conclusion As cities keep growing and evolving, it is paramount that planners, urban designers, landscape architects, and architects do all they can, not just to increase the number and size of urban public spaces, but also to improve the quality of those that already exist. This thesis demonstrates how the contemporary principles of public space and human scale design as expressed by the Gehl Institute?s Twelve Quality Criteria, can be used as a framework for analyzing and re-designing an underutilized urban place to make it more socially and environmentally sustainable. It also shows how those principles can be applied within the historic context of the 60?s Modernist building of the Robert C. 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