Better Living Through Architecture

8/6/2019 Better Living Through Architecture

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BETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE


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Part of the practicum experience includes a research project. The project cancover any topic selected by the student although preference is given to a subjectmatter ofmutual interest to both the student and the practicum firm. From thebeginning my intentionwas that this projectwould lay the groundwork for mysenior researchwhich will be a two semester endeavor. Well, perhaps "lay thegroundwork" might be a bit too decisive. I simply hoped that any explorationsthis semester would help guide my selection ofa topic; lead me to a subject ofsufficient interest anddepth to develop nextyear. Atmy most ambitious Idreamedthat the research would spawn an architectural manifesto, or a definitive Hawaiian style of architecture for the new millennium, and at the very least, andmorerealistically, I thought my work would prove a valuable cross-section of ideasfrom which I could select a topic.Interestingly, during this semester FCA has completed the renovation of the Hawaii Theatre marquee in downtown Honolulu, andheld the grand opening for theNELHA gateway project just south of the Kona Airport on the "Big Island" ofHawaii. Each project addressed a different aspect of sustainability. The HawaiiTheatre project contributed to the ongoing historic restoration of the theatre thathelped save the old venerable structure from ruin. The gateway project, on theother hand, involved a completely new structure that uses an experimental sustainable cooling system using deep sea water. The concept ofsustainability spansawide spectrum-from the renovation ofexistingbuilding stock to the constructionofnew experimental buildings. Based on this broad definition ofsustainabilityBETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

FOREWORD

inspired by these projects, I thought to investigate various aspects ofsustainability.I finally focused on "adaptive reuse" as a topic with the hopes ofalso identifyinga building in Honolulu with the potential to be developed into a future model ofadaptive reuse strategies. The research soon leadme to other related areas.My researchprojectoften times more closely resembled an exercise in process ora survey of ideas, than a definitive examination of adaptive reuse. I ended uptouching on many different aspects of sustainability, some related only tangentially, and getting a general understanding of a few different topics. The workpresented here reflects these academic wanderings in the field of sustainabilityand adaptive reuse over the course of the semester. I believe the success of thisprocess and the final product lies in the useful body ofknowledge collected, andmore specifically how itwill lenditselfto an intendedfinal design project regarding the adaptive reuse ofa building inHonolulu.

Image above: The Hawari Theatre ....,th new marquee lights. [hawautheatreoom]

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O'AHU RECYClING RATES, 19932003OC "'" I 5 mlJOn toM rJ ""ste _ale

only recently "solved" this problem by extending the size and life ofthe existinglandfill, but thereby breakinga politicalpromise to close the dump byMay 2008.The hope being that trash will have somehow solved itself between now and thetime the dump has been filled seems to be an article of faith.Oahu must also contendwith a near complete reliance on outside sources for itsenergy. With no local sources of fossil fuels, Hawaii currently imports approximately 90% of our energy needs in the form of oil and coal. Various groupsfrequently call on the state to reduce our reliance on imported energy and movetoward independence, but action has been slow and limited. In fact, Hawaii'sGovernor recently noted that the percentage of energy generate by alternativesources has actually shrunk in the past decade. On a larger scale the rest of theworld faces the same political, economic and environmental issues attached to adependency on finite energy sources. Given that we live on a world of limitedresources, the more things we burn or put in the landfill the fewer resourcesavailable. Considering the role architects have in the building industry and itsuse of raw materials and fuel, they must be among the most fervent advocates fora more sustainable built environment.

I Tedmically, constmctiOll debris goes to a privatelandfill as opposed to Waimanalo Gulch.

Image above: dJg>taJ. typhoon.olgChart obove: "HonoluluAdvertiser- Monday. October 25, 2004


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INTRODUCTION

Every bUilding exists within an environmental contextupon which it not o n ~ v acts but which also hasan impact upon the building... no bUildingcan be constructedasa microcosm. Every buildingmust consider the impact it will have on the environment into which it will be placed, locally andglobally.

-Ross Spiegel, Green BUildingMaterials: A Guide to Product Selection & Specification.

Architecture should always be consideredwithin the context ofthe site. Environmental factors, such as the sun, the wind and views, and the built environment,including neighboringbuildings and infrastructure, playa large part in the ultimate orientation and design of the building. Essentially no building should orcan be a monument unto itself. More frequently thesedays this idea ofcontext isexpanded to encompass the lifetime impact of the building on a world-wide levelin terms of its materials and energy consumption. The construction, renovationor demolition of a building will have ripple effects on its visual, physical andsocial environment. Native Americans famously state that the impactof all decisions on the next seven generations must be considered, andperhaps that is direction the construction industry ought to be headed. According to this precept,architects today have high standard to meet in designing buildings that strive tobe not only structurally sound, aesthetically pleasing and functional but alsosustainable... and ultimately moral?These issues andthe following strategies to deal with them are nothing new. Myexplorations coverwell-trod territory. Much of the following discussion has beensummarized nicely by Randy Croxton, principal of the Croxton Collaborative:

1: Look for ways not to build.2: Minimize in design and detail by using assemblies of resources that can be retrieved and reused at the highest value.3: Facilitate disassembly.

BETTERLIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

I simply hope to expound upon these ideas and apply them to specific circumstances here inHawaii. Some of these ideas can be grouped under Sustainability,Adaptive Reuse, etc., but they basically provide modern terms for traditional waysof living and designing. Taken as a whole, correctly understood and appliedthese ideas could help strip away some ofthe ego andmoney that drives themorewasteful aspects of the profession, and begin to reframe Architecture as an approach to living and a process for better living.

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Could we simply stop building?On December 5, 2004 an entire house with all its furniture was leveled to makeway for a new house and a pool. All of this was done in 5 days. All of this wasdone without an architect. All of this was done for the pleasure of a nationaltelevision audience and ithappens every week On each episode Extreme MakeoverHome Edition selects a "deserving" family and sends them on a vacation whilethe program documents the destruction of their house and furniture, and con-struction ofa new house completely furnished. The family returns shedding tearsofjoy for the new retractable plasma screen, swimming pool, walk-in closets andthemedkitchens. Although the previous house and its contents may have been alittle older andworn, was there need for a complete overhaul of the property?

"Renovation and remodeling make up the lion:S share of thathuge volume ofC&D waste. According to some EPA statisticsfrom 1996, demolition and renovation constitute 92 percent ofconstruction waste. " [Knecht]Considering the enormous amountof refuse createdby renovations in general theshow sets a bad precedent. A brand new house with all new appliances shouldnot be the bar for living well. A common catchphrase of the eco-friendly is"reduce, reuse, recycle". This phrase should be more frequently applied to thepractice ofarchitecture. The first step in reducing waste generated by the build-BETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

MINIMIZATION

ing industry is to ask i fnew construction is needin thefirst place. Randy Croxtonof the Croxton Collaborative states that the first step in their design process is:Lookfor ways not to build; [ask if ] the programmatic reqUire-ments demand afully enclosed, energy consuming space. [Knecht]

A current example can be found in an unusual and high profile adaptive reuseproject involving an old abandoned elevated train tracks in New York City knowas the highline. The highline is 30ft high, 30ftwide andnearly a mile and a halflong locatedin West Side Manhattan. Over the years it has fell intodisrepairanda lush bed of wild native grasses and flower have sprung up along its length,creating an elevated linear park. People have worked to preserve the structureand a recent international competition (700 entries from 36 countries) looks todevelop the highline and the area around it. The highline presents a perfectopportunity to reflect on the ideabroached by Randy Croxton: "Is a building orany new construction is even required?" The highline has developed for years onits own into a natural park with a unique character (all without professional de-sign intervention) suggesting that any further interventiontake a subtle approachand let the highline speak for itself. Yet, of the four final designs selected onlyone did not propose substantial construction; focusing on simply putting in awalkway and developing points of access. Does the highline need to become asuper multi-media mall center? Does it even need a shelter? Do we need tobuild? Do we need to build new?Imageopposrte. ABC's ExtremeMakeoverHome Edrtion www.abc.oom Photo above; "FnelJd:,of the HIghline- at thelughhne.org 7


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PRESERVATION

There is no art as impermanent as architecture. Al l that solidbrick and stone meannothing.Concrete is as evanescent as air. The monuments ofour civilization stand.

usually. on negotiable real estate; their value goes down as landvalue goes up.-Ada Louise Huxtable.

Death andLife o fGreatAmerican Cities

One ofa city'smost valuable, andsurprisingly fluid, assets is its existingbuildingstock. During the Japanese economic bubble of the late 20 th century, relativelynew buildings in Tokyo often succumbed to the overwhelmingfinancial pressuresof skyrocketing landvalue and inevitably larger projects. [Brand] 1 Tokyo is notalone as this shortenedbuilding cycle frequently occurs in quickly growing urbancenters. In the hopes ofmaintaining and stabilizing their tumultuous built environment, many cities and regions champion the idea of"preservation". Legisla-tion, tax incentives, increasing social value attached to old buildings, rising construction costs and the failings ofmodernist architecture [powell] do make pres-ervationan increasingly appealingarchitectural option. Savingthe existing building stock also just makes good sense in termsofconserving the energy andmaterials used to construct the building in the first place, commonly known as "em-bodied energy conservation". The value of this "embody energy" is likely toincrease along with the rise in fuel and material prices meaning that the initialinvestment in the construction pays offmore each year. The building then startsto create what Brand refers to as "Intergenerational Equity". [Brand] However,the recognized value of the buildings does not only rest in the materials of thestructure but also in the historythey contain. As architectural criticLewisMumfordonce stated, "In the city time becomes visible", and indeed in the design, patinasand fabric of the buildings we find stored our collective histories. And so as amethod to ensure the survival of existing building stock as well as secure theheritage of a community, preservation certainly succeeds, but it often must beweighed against progress and the development of an area.BETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

Many developers, buildingowners and cities bemoan the restrictions used to conserve the historical nature of a building or district. The "Historical" distinction,as it often severly limits the development potential of a site, is not always welcome. Honolulu's Chinatown currently struggles with this dilemma as variousgroups work to balance the integrity andvitalityofthe neighborhood. Landowners within the district often find it difficult to sustain the financial viability oftheir property while abiding by the guidelines of the district. One building currently at this impasse is the C.Q. Yee Hop Warehouse, a two-story structure builtof local "blue rock" and located in the Chinatown Special District ofHonolulu.Built in 1919, the structure operated for decades with cold storage on the groundfloor andboarding rooms on the second floor. Now, vacant for years andwith aquarter of its roof caved-in, the building represents a neighborhoodon the vergeof resurgence while coming to terms with its historical designation. The ownerswant to demolish the buildingand redevelop the site, but the State Historic Pres-ervation Division would like the building retained for its historical and architec-tural significance. The owners state that rehabilitating the buildingwould not becost effective and have requested a compromise that would require saving only aportion of the building. No agreement appears close, but how this conflict concludes will likely impact the redevelopment of other sites in Chinatown. Thepreservation movement has done much to reconsider the importance ofold buildings, but in some cases could jeopardize future development and construction.lmage opposite: PreservatIOn a plece &1a tIme. TIID SamU


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'Saving' old bui ld ings i s no longerenough. The aim is not preservation buttransformation, an architectural, ratherthan a sentimentalor historicistapproachto creating newform outofoldfabric.-Kenneth Powell, Architecture Reborn


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ADAPTIVE REUSE

Somewhere between minimization and preservation is adaptive reusl;}-transforming the current fabrics and forms ofan area for a new purpose. Adaptive reuse orthe idea of adapting a building for a new use is not a novel one. Old buildingsmay often outlive their original purpose and can be put towards a different use.ATrain Track becomes a ParkAChurch becomes aMosqueATrain Station becomes aMuseumAGrain Silo becomes aHotelAn Industrial Factory becomes a Residential Loft

Change is the only constant. This can be seen in architecture as with anythingelse. In previous periods of history construction was closer to a "closed-loop"environmental system-"one where every material has an ongoing useful life andwaste is diverted from landfills." [Knecht] The actual buildingmaterials of ancient civilizations such as the Romans might very well be found today still supporting structures on other continents. [Knecht] Recycling building componentsand entire structures have enormous advantages beyond the conservation of"embodied energy" and heritage particularly for an island state such as Hawaii thatneeds to import nearly all of our construction materials and energy. Adaptivereuse relieves some of this pressure by relying more heavily on local resourcessuch as manpower.

Adaptive reuse ofhistoric buildings requires fewer construc-tion materialsbutoften requiresmore time in labor. Thismeansthat dollar for dollar, a renovation project will provide morefunds to the local workforce than a new construction project.[Thaler]Adaptively reusing a building means that most of the investment required is interms ofmanpower not materials imported from out of state which keeps moremoney in Hawaii. This method of construction invests in the state. But thissystem has to a degree fallen out of fashion during the second half of the 20thcentury. Approximately 200,000 buildings come down every year, and unfortunately much ofthat material becomes landfill. [Knecht]

Today, houses throughout the u.s. contain the recycled lumberofdismantled structures. It isonly in the last half century thatthis country abandoned the art of recovery and reuse for theexpediency, predictability, and standardization resulting fromcomplete demolition and new construction. [Knecht]

And the truth of the matter is people like to demolition old buildings. TV showsare constructed around this premise and audiences gather to watch building demolitions. For every masterpiece ofarchitecture that people will picket to preserve,there are a hundred humble, unknown buildings that are considered disposableBETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

lmageopposite: Prom trams to art atMuseeD'Orsay. tiger.lowson.edu Photos above: (I) PIcketing for a Sullivan building. [ThnSamuelson LostBuildmgs.W are.] (r) A fiee show. repderno.oom 11


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ADAPTIVE REUSE

and demolished due to fashion or finance. Adaptive reuse can be most effectiveon those buildings not considered historically significant. While preservation isconcernedwith the restoration of the building, adaptive reuse is focused on renovations that transformthe building for a new purpose; givinga buildingnew life.A closer look needs to be given to a wider range of buildings as potential forarchitectural transformations.Cities needed oldbuildings ... By old buildings I mean notmuseum-piece old buildings... butalso alot ofplain, ordinary, lowvalue old buildings, including some rundown old buildings.-Jane JacobsThe problem is that buildings, unlike wide ties and JeffersonAirplane albums, can t be put in storagefor decades while theirowners hope they become fashionable again. [BernsteinJ

Amajorongoing debate involves the buildingsof the 60s. While older buildingsare being preserved, those from the 1960's are frequently tom down in favor ofnew construction. Granted, buildings from this era frequently have expensiveproblems. Many 60s era buildings suffer "leaky roofs, inadequate heating systems, flimsy with low ceilings, unopenable windows, highly energy inefficient[and furthermore they are] generally disliked [and cost] more money to updatethan to tear down and rebuild" [Bernstein). Structures of the era also typically

involved hulking, masses of rough concrete that would liberally use air-eonditioning and fluorescent light in place of natural ventilation and light. Theseproblems largely resulted from the circumstances of the times, namely extremelycheap energy, material experimentation and an interest in the Brutalist style ofarchitecture. Interestingly, the Baby Boomers growing up during 60s are theprimary ones knocking these buildings down while theyounger 20-something set[Bernstein] are the ones working to preserve the buildings suggesting perhapsthat it is mostly an issue of style. Applying adaptive reuse for these buildingscould allow others to see their value and make them functioning and increasetheir valuable. There are numerous examples of adaptive reuse rejuvenating abuilding or even entire areas of a city. While there aremany buildings that couldbe set apart for their amazing transformation (many ofthem museums such as theTate Gallery in the Bankside Power Station), perhaps no other adaptive reuse\genre has had such an impact as the residential loft. The large open flexiblespaces ofvacated factories locatedin abandoned industrial districts provided theperfect spaces for an agglomerationof artists on the cheap. As the concentrationof artists bring in more people and businesses interests in the area as a place tolive swells. The first artists to take over thefactories started as illegal squatters inthemid-20 th century, but today cities try to encourage and harness the gentrifyingpowers ofthe artist loft. Areas in nearly every majormetropolis from New Yorkto London to Berlin have experienced the phenomenon.1 In New York alone theexperience swept through SoHo, Chelsea, the MeatpackingDistrict andDumbo.The vitality and livelihood of these areas thrive on continuous adaptive reuse-


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evolving from low cost factory space to abandoned neighborhood to artist com-munity to residential neighborhood with all the accoutrements including coffeeshops, restaurants, bakeries, grocers etc. The Chinatown Special Districtmay bepoised for its own transformation. OnAugust 11, 2004 the Honolulu City Coun-cil approved the bill that allows for loft apartments. This change combinedwitha recent revival in galleries and artistvenues in Chinatown suggest that the areawill undergo a dramatic transformation in the next few years.Other major cities abroad and in the US continue to rejuvenate themselves bytransforming areas with careful development of existing resources. Barcelonahas been set apart as a model due to recent resurgence particularly in the areaaround its waterfront. The strategies utilized by the city have collectively beencalled the "Barcelona Model" [Ingersoll] andwas described as, "...recuperationof a run-down area through the pragmatic use of architectural & culturalresources ...avoid insensitive demolitions, conserving the urban grain of the ex-isting blocks ...there has been no attempt to induce architectural masterpieceS;-but instead to create incentives for synergybetween workplaces, schools and hous-ing." While new architectural works were commissionedand have receivedpraise,the focus ofmuch of the work has been to maintain the existing character of theneighborhoods, and integrate the new and the old. Barcelona has thus proven thepracticality ofmany adaptive reuse ideas on an entire city section. In the US,Philadelphia, Detroit and Denver (in some way the model for HonoluluChinatown's bill) have seen resurgence with new developments complementingBETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

ADAPTIVE REUSE

the existing building stock. On both the building and city level, adaptive reuseapplies a sustainable vision of transformation ofexisting resources.

1 As an interestingside note, the popularityo findustrial lofts has reached sudl a point that an entiresuburb recentlyopened in the US with homes designed to resemble abandoned factories. And ofcourseall fronted by a green lawn.

Photo opposite: Orange County GovernmentCenter (Goshen, NY) typiJies 60s era brutalism rronyCenioola.NYT Oct 31,2004].Photos above: (I)Edward Durell Stone's New York CulturnlCenter. (r) Adaptiveabuse is a risk. [Moore]

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DISASSEMBLY W.TRIXSl'C E-'".wy _ r a ~ va._ QuonDlyd Wo;ghtd En'Codiod SIMged--. Ca!1monI LileSpon 004liIed Of Recycling Reoc>.wy - W"'llht - co, Ton ...-300 Conaele 100 -, recycling I low 53ll)


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houses, the pieces are assembled using mechanical systems such as pegs andplates. MF Technologies" ... tout the sytem's frugal use ofmaterials (2-5% lesslumber than a typical stick-frame house)" [Brown], which makes for less factorywaste, as well as its ability to produce tighter frames and shells, reduce production and assembly t ime and simplify labor requirements." Panels are then attached to the frame with nails and screws. In addition to assisting construction,this technique also means that deconstruction is easier as well. Also, use ofengineered lumber offers a couple ofdistinct advantages. The lumber is strongerthan standard [Brown] and the wood used grows back quickly. Even with achange in design and construction, the disassembly of buildings will remain acomplicated endeavor as the disassembly process is often costly and the reusenetwork is still underdeveloped. Design for dissassembly will require an indus-try-wide effort and coordination.

I "Renovation and remodeling make up the lion's share ofthathugevolume ofC&D waste. Accordingto some EPA statistics from 1996, demolition and renovation constitute92 percent of construaionwaste."[Knecht] Interestingly,the etherlands tedmicallyhasno constructionwaste as law requires allitsmaterial be recycled.BETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

DISASSEMBLY DESIGN

2 Mountain Lumber (Ruckersville, Vrrginia) purchases Chinese Elmtimbersthat had been dismantledfrom ancientMingD)nasty structures over 400 years old. Thetimbers oould be disassembledbecausethey hadbeen put together usingmortiseand tenon technology. The lumberwas eventuallymilled intofloor planks. Mountain Lumberhas also imported traditional wood vats from cider mills in Englandthatwereupgradingto modem metal barrels.3 Elementary schools in Hawaii were closed in October 2004 due to asbestos found under the paint.Sdlool officials saidthat the asbestos will be removed now that ithas been dttected. However, officialsalso stated that the chemical does n pose a threat unless released intothe air as a powder, a s in the caseofbuildingdemolition. -Shapiro

Table opposite: Disassembly matrix based on Cro.xton Collaborabvewod forRmker Hall Image> above: (I) Connection plate.(r) Completed house. [MFTcorp.oom]

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Bernstein, Fred A. "Baby Boomers are taking revenge on the blocky, Brutalistbuildings of their youth", New York Times, October 31, 2004.Brown, Ted Smalley. "Tech Briefs: From balloon frame to CAD-tailored: Japanese precut framing technology comes to theU.S.", ArchitecturalRecord,October 2004, p 191.Brand, Stewart, How Buildings Learn: WhatHappens After They AreBuilt, Penguin Group, Penguin Books USA Inc., 375 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014,1994.Busch, Akiko. "An Argument for Seasonal Architecture", Metropolis, October2004, pp 90-91.David, K. "TheAdaptive Reuse ofthe City: Uncovering the"Site Specific Narra-tive" , http://www.architectureink.com/l0-2000/sitespeci:ficnarrative.htm.Downtown NeighborhoodBoard, Minutes ofRegular Meeting, July 1, 2004 &September 4, 2003. (http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us)Gonser, James. "Loft Apartments now allowed in Chinatown", Honolulu Advertiser, August 12, 2004, pp AI, A6.

Ingersoll, Richard. "TheBarcelonaModel", Architecture, August 2004, pp 2122.Kelly IT, Joseph. "Correspondent'sFile: Philadelphia sets a path towardrevitalization through a redefinedgovernment role", Architectural Record, October 2004, pp 73-76.Knecht, Barbara. "Designing for Disassembly and Deconstruction", Architec-tural Record, October 2004, pp 181-188.McDonough, William andMichael Braungart. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the

Way We Make Things, North Point Press, 19 Union Square, New York10003, 2002.Mayell, Hillary. "Human 'Footprint' Seen on 83 percent of Earth's Land", Na-tional Geographic, October 25, 2002. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com)Moore, Arthur Cotton. The Powers ofPreservation:New Life forUrban HistoricPlaces, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 11 West 19th Street, NY,NY10011, 1998.Nobel, Philip. "Let It Be", Philip Nobel. Metropolis, October 2004, pp 82-86.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Powell, Kenneth. ArchitectureReborn: ConvertingOld Buildings for New Uses,Colmann and King Ltd, Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 300Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10010, 1999.Shapiro, Treena andEloise Aguilar. Honolulu Advertiser, October 2004.Spiegel, Ross andDru Meadows, Green BuildingMaterials: AGuide to ProductSelection & Specification, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158-0012, 1999.Thaler, Mark. "Adaptive reuse ofhistoric buildingsmakes economic sense", The

Business Review, October 21, 2002. (http://www.bizjournals.com)Ulam, Alex. "ParisianRenewal", Metropolis, October 2004, pp 68-70.Ware, Chris and IraGlass with photos by Tim Samuelson. Lost Buildings, 2004.

BETTER LIVING THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

I would like to thank and acknowledge all those individuals in the communitywho I spoke with regardingmy research. Their knowledge and insights helpedgreatly in the completion of this semester project. Included among them are:Chris Smith, local architectChristy Vicari-Coito, Chinatown property owner andRealtorDuc, local restauranteerGelareh Khoie, tenantJames Lynch, UH architecture studentScott Cheever, local historian and authorStephen Chun, Chinatown property representativeand everyone else not listed who lent a hand or an ear...thank you.Iwould like to take this time to thankand acknowledge everyone at Ferraro ChoiandAssociates. Their support, assistance and tasty snacks helped me immenselyover the course of this semester, and without them this report would not havebeen completed.

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