K-R-8: Kensington Regional School
OLD KENSINGTON, PHILADELPHIA, PA
Studio 3-B [Design Studio]
Project Duration: 10 Weeks
Instructor: Dr.-Ing Ulrike Altenmüller-Lewis, AIA
Concepts of play extracted from a series of 'Play(thing)' models were combined with the core principles and experiential attributes of the Waldorf education pedagogy, off which this K-8 school for 720 students is based. The building design began with an intimate study of teaching and classroom requirements, including the investigation of spatial attributes that affect one's learning ability. These classrooms exhibit a central space with two auxiliary learning spaces, creating a flexible learning environment for a teacher's unique classroom requirements.
8 classrooms, (4 per floor), make up a typical "cluster" of classrooms, which each hold 2 grades of pupils. The clusters serve as "stops" along a "learning street," existing as a double and triple-height circulation atrium with ample daylight admitted from a glass roof. Located at either end of the "street" are public "destinations," including a community Performing Arts Center as well as fitness gymnasium. Careful attention to threshold articulation and daylight & thermal manipulation throughout the school presented opportunities for interior spatial interventions to reveal a heavy-timber structure, as well as provide easy access to a multitude of exterior play spaces. Located in Old Kensington, Philadelphia, this Waldorf-based school has been carefully crafted and designed to equip the next generation of creative thinkers with tools of success that its pedagogic principles call for.
An Urban Dwelling Complex
POWELTON VILLAGE, PHILADELPHIA, PA
Studio 3-A [Design Studio]
Project Duration: 10 Weeks
Instructor: Jeremy Voorhees
A comprehensive analysis of Philadelphia's 'Powelton Village' neighborhood within its greater context provided significant insight into contextual design parameters for a thorough master planning process of an urban dwelling complex, calling for mixed-income private dwelling residences, public amenities, outdoor spaces, parking, and building services. A mix of 90 studio, 1, 2, & 3-bedroom apartments provide nearly 87,000SF of living space within a greater 120,000SF building, accompanied by 98 subterranean parking spaces and ample exterior space.
The design's main public attraction is a Jazz music venue and restaurant, geared to enliven the long-standing history of music in West Philadelphia. Adjacent to the Jazz venue is a corner deli accessed by a large public gathering plaza, overlooked by a rooftop community garden that provides raw food products to both dining facilities. Powelton Avenue's two main entrances provide convenient circulation into and throughout the complex, as well as out to a Pearl Street-accessible resident courtyard connected to a community health & fitness center. Spacious private dwelling residences are articulated on the exterior façade by the strategic layout of public and private spaces, tied together with an architectural wrapping system to achieve cohesion in the contemporary design.
A Philadelphia Rowhouse
POWELTON VILLAGE, PHILADELPHIA, PA
Studio 2-B [Design Studio]
Project Duration: 8 Weeks
Instructor: Kelly Vresilovic, AIA
A thorough investigation of the building site and its context influenced many of the design decisions employed throughout this block's spatial organization and façade arrangement. The site is zoned for five east-facing structures, with the northernmost being located on a corner. Four houses with alternating façade conditions compliment a corner Jazz Club located below two residential apartments. Powelton Village's varying organizational density drove the home design in section, while adjacent Drexel Park called for a connection between interior and exterior spaces. A continuous winder stair connects a series of public and private interior spaces, while facilitating in thermal exchange and sunlight manipulation at the core of the rowhouse. This stair condition also serves as the most efficient key to circulation in the complex split level design visible in section. A corner Jazz Club unites the community and enlivens the culture of West Philadelphia, while providing convenient circulation paths for guests, employees, and apartment residents. Neotraditional façade elements respond to historic site context, while alternating materials articulate the more contemporary design moves of the block.
Sustainable Micro Dwelling
EL YUNQUE RAINFOEST, PUERTO RICO
Studio 2-B [Design Studio]
Project Duration: 2 Weeks
Instructor: Kelly Vresilovic, AIA
Contextual site interaction and minimal environmental impact were considered in the design of this 89 SF microstructure, to be located in the El Yunque Rain Forest in Puerto Rico. Program elements are specifically designed to accommodate the needs of an environmental scientist & photographer, while implemented systems respond to a rich and secluded environment. A concrete trough diverts water from an adjacent waterfall to generate hydropower and reduce geothermal radiation from below the structure, while a curated fenestration design manipulates thermal exchange within. The lightweight, pre-fabricated structure respects existing site conditions upon arrival by air, and is approached by a hike through the mountainous terrain. A carefully chosen orientation reduces solar impact on the exterior while making use of natural sunlight below a dense palm canopy.
