emily mueller

CONTENTS

Edge Re:GenerationGreen Redevelopment

Suburban LibraryUrban LibraryClone Project

Marble ProjectGeometric Horizon

House of the AncestorMulti-Family Housing

E-1027 Case StudyAalto Residence Case Study

URBANREDEVELOPMENT

How can the people of San Diego reconnect with the waterfront?

Currently there exsists a disconnect between the people of San Diego and the bayfront which cradles the city. Military, Port Authority, and the Convention Center are largelyto blame. How can the waterfront be reinvented to accommodate these industries, whileallowing public access, both physical and visual? How can this change be economicallyjustified to the city and to property owners?

This project focuses on a portion of the waterfront which is operated by the Unified Port of San Diego, and contains operationsfor loading and unloading ships, as well as for storing cargo. A large area is set aside for loading and storage of railroad cars, and an adjacent trolley station.

Site Analysis

Hard edge necessary for port operations

All runoff leads directly back into the Pacific Ocean

Public have no destination. Take a picture. Turn around and go back.

Tracks create disjunction.

Harbor Dr. is elevated over

RR tracks.

D ole

Conveyor system for bulk dry goods.

Constant movementof goods.

Agents

Dole Developers MilitaryManufacturers

People with a vested interest for/against change to this site

ViewTrajectory

Blocked view

Clear view

Potential Reorganization

Inverted Port

Soften Edge

Buffer

medium: collage

Site Potential

3

Community

A new form of housing is created over the rail yard, directly linked to the new public space, which includes awetland and a public pathway.

Invert

Buffer

2Solar and wind energy to power ships while docked

Permeable pavers

Cut

Cut

1Shift

Removed material reused for

Soften

(hard edge)

Soften

The new cuts allow for the inversion ofthe hard edge needed for port operations.The outer edge is reclaimed and a bufferis placed to signify the new boundarybetween public and private.

The existing storage facilities will berepositioned and strategic cuts will bemade into the wharf and the bay edge.

What has led us to become so detached from that which is so essential?

This proposal seeks to reconnect the people of San Diego to the water on multiple levels. Strategic land manipulation combined with the reconfiguration of the existing facilities will allow for the reintroduction of a natural waterfront on both outer edges of the site. A proposed system for living combined with a structured ecology produces a sophisticated operating system for urban development and energy production. Allowing industry, nature, and residential to coexist at maximum efficiency, while accommodating a system of on-site renewable energy production, amd consequently, a source of revenue for the property owner. Used as a prototype, this system could be implemented in ports throughout the world.

Site Plan

B

A

A

B

100’

Structural Potential

001 Inverted Port

An inversion of the hard edge necesary for terminal operation combined with a restructuring of the facilities allows for the softening of the exterior edges and the public to once again have access to their waterfront.

002 Structured Ecologies

The excess gray water from site operations is diverted under Harbor Drive to a wetland which is open to the public. This wetland showcases the phytoremediation process in an attempt to familiarize the public with the idea. Users can view each stage of water treatment, clarified by an informational pavilion. A pedestrian conduit is provided to close the loop from Harbor Drive to the bayfront walk. This will afford the public the opportunity to learn about and explore the ecology of the wetland system, or to simply traverse the space.

medium: photoshop collage

REEF

BUFFER

ISLAND

PENINSULA

ARCHIPELAGO

003 Educational Pavilion

The proposed system of pathways includes an educational pavilion which marks the start of both the lower path through the wetland and the upper path through the buffer system. The pavilion provides educational materialto make the public aware of the potential the wetland has for water treatment,stormwater treatment, fertilizer production,and ultimately, energy production. The more aware the public becomes of these issues, the greater the potential for commonacceptance of water treatment via natural phytoremediation processes. The pavilion has a demonstrational wetland in planters which shows the phytoremediation process on a miniature scale.

medium: photoshop collage

HARBOR DRIVE ENTRY

EDUCATIONAL PAVILION

WETLAND EXHIBIT

004 Pathway System

The existing public paths do not provide a route through the site. Proposed pathways would close the loop between the existing waterfront path to the north and the existing Harbor Drive Path. The system would provide two options for public passage through or over the wetlands and the buffer.

medium: photoshop collage

ELEVATED PATHWAYS

GROUND-LEVEL PATHWAYS

SUNKEN PATHWAYS

1

2

3

4

Housing

Treatment

Wetland

Energy

005 Integrated Housing

The housing loop contains a water cleansing system which cleans sewage, greywater, and stormwater to safely deposit to the bay. High Nitrate and Phosphate water from the secondary stage of sewage treatment will be used to fertilize the community garden. Grey water from the tertiary stage of treatment is pumped through to flush toilets, and the remainder of the water is released to the bay. Bay water is then pumped into a desalination system and redistributed as clean drinking water for the residents.

003 Educational Pavilion

The proposed system of pathways includes an educational pavilion which marks the start of both the lower path through the wetland and the upper path through the buffer system. The pavilion provides educational materialto make the public aware of the potential the wetland has for water treatment,stormwater treatment, fertilizer production,and ultimately, energy production. The more aware the public becomes of these issues, the greater the potential for commonacceptance of water treatment via natural phytoremediation processes. The pavilion has a demonstrational wetland in planters which shows the phytoremediation process on a miniature scale.

Biological Degradationin cisterns produces methane.

Methane is harvested.

C

HH

H

H

Some energy is diverted tohousing and site operations.

Excess energy is sold.$638,750 annual profit.Supplies 16,263 homes.

1 Repurpose existing cisterns

Biological Degradation.

Methane.

C

HH

H

HExcess energy is sold.$1,277,500 annual profit.Supplies 32,526 households.

2

Organic waste.

Port remains functioning

Addition of cisterns

3 Repurpose entire port

Organic Conveyor

Biological Degradation.

Methane.

C

HH

H

HExcess energy is sold.$4,151,875 annual profit.Supplies 105,709 households.

Ships bring waste.

Port shut down.

$700K

$1.3M

$4.2M

06 Clean Energy

The wetland contains plants which grow rapidly due to the excessive amounts of nitrates and phosphates in the waste-water. These plants are then harvested, and deposited into the cisterns, where they are left to decay. The bacteria from the wetland, and a temperature range of 20-40 Celsius speeds the process of degradation. This process releases copius amounts of methane, which then is diverted back to serve the on-site processes with heat and electricity. One cistern provides plenty of volume required for the site, while the rest of the cisterns continue to serve the port. In the future, repurposing the remainder of the existing cisterns for biomass degradation and diverting the surplus back onto the grid as electricity would turn a profit of nearly $2 million per year. The addition of more cisterns in the future could greatly increase the profit margin.

medium: photoshop collage

PEARSON FORD

+

EMILY MUELLER

EL CAJON BLVD.

FORMER SITE OF PEARSON FORD

EMPTY LOTS

WIDE ROAD, NOTPEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY

SMALL BUSINESSES

RESIDENTIAL

NARROW SIDEWALKSLACK OF EFFECTIVE PEDESTRIAN REFUGE

MISSED OPPORTUNITY FORGREEN SPACES ALONG THE AVE.

EXISTING PARKING GARAGE

SITE CONCERNS

PRECEDENT

LAFAYETTE PARK Detroit, MI

ALAMO SQUARE PARK San Francisco, CA

AGORA OF ATHENS Athens, Greece

Mies van der Rohe/Hilberseimer

A 78-acre residential community designed and constructed in the 1950s and 60s, which includes townhouses and apartments.

A spacious park and a network of paths allows pedestrians to walk to the shopping center and school without crossing a busy street.

Architect Mies van der Rohe designed the residential buildings: the Pavillion, Lafayette Towers, and the townhouses, a vibrant community from inception through today.

-City of Detroit Planning and Development

The neighborhood surrounding Alamo Square Park is often referred to as the Alamo Square neighborhood. It is characterized by Victorian architecture that was left largely untouched by the urban renewal projects in other parts of the Western Addition.

The demographics of the neighborhood vary widely and include young people and upper-middle-class homeowners, in addition to a diverse older population.

Divisadero Street is home to a number of small businesses including a number of hip and popular restaurants and bars.

Central to every Greek city was the agora, a large open space surrounded by buildings. In the large empty space of the agora, vendors set up tables and sold food, wine, olive oil, and livestock.

In the shady parts of the agora, family and friends could meet to socialize, while business people could make deals. Citizens could join in discussions about community and political issues. They may have watched musical and theatrical productions.

Busy and bustling, the agora was a vital area for a community.

DENSIFICATION

0’ 100 200

REMOVE PARKING GARAGE

OUTDOOR SPACE

LOW-DENSITY STREET UNITS

MEDIUM-DENSITY COURTYARD UNITS

COURTYARD

NATURAL DIVISION

NATURAL DIVISION

DIVISION

DIVISION

potential

+OPEN PARK SPACE

PEDESTRIAN ACCESS

PEDESTRIAN ACCESS

OUTDOOR SPACE

LOW-DENSITY STREET UNITS

MEDIUM-DENSITY COURTYARD UNITS

COURTYARD

VEHICULAR ACCESS

VEHICULAR ACCESS

0’ 100 200

PUBLIC PLAZA

SUBTRACTION open air

EL CAJON BLVD.FAIRMOUNT

43RD STREET

TO URBAN VILLAGE

0’ 100 200N

SITE DIAGRAM

EL CAJON BLVD.

FAIRMOUNT

43RD STREET

TO URBAN VILLAGE

0’ 100 200N

SITE DIAGRAM

SIDEWALK

GREEN SPACEGREEN SIDEWALK RESIDENTIAL

GREEN SIDEWALK AWNINGS/PATIOSSTREET PARKING

PARKGREEN SIDEWALK

EL CAJON BOULEVARD

RESIDENTIAL STREETS

PARK PERIMETERDETAILS

01 SIDEWALK POTENTIAL

In addition to increased safety and comfort, widening the sidewalks along El Cajon Boulevard allows for various social, entrepreneurial, and leisure activities to occur. Additional space can give rise to outdoor dining, street vending, bicycle parking areas, public seating, street performaces, and space for plantings, among others.

02 ECONOMIC BOOST

As a central point to three neighborhoods, this is a prime location for economic development. City Heights is in need of local jobs, and both Kensington and Talmadge residents have more purchasing power, so it is imperative to attract residents of all three neighborhoods with the retail facilities provided at this location.

medium: photoshop collage

03 HOME DENSIFICATION

To increase residential density without greatly increasing the scale of the neighborhood, two-story apartment additions can be added to the rear of existing homes. Construction of new units can occur without displacing current residents. The alley is repurposed to become a courtyard, increasing resident interaction, and enhancing the sense of ownership and responsibility for the outdoor space.

04 OPEN SPACE

An central feature of the public park, the paved plaza provides the ideal location for community activities, such as the farmers market, public performances, and outdoor meetings. With the addition of some chairs and tables, it could be tranformed to a lunchtime getaway. A temporary stage could give way to outdoor concerts, while a collapsible screen allows for movies in the park.

CLONEPROJECT

medium: cardboard

MARBLE PROJECT

media: baswwod, vellum, thread

HORIZONGEOMETRIC

medium: museum board

HOUSEANCESTOR of the

medium: basswood

MULTI-FAMILY

PROCESS

mixed media

media: basswood, acrylic, museum board, dried floral material

CASE STUDYMODELS

EILEEN GRAYE1027

media: basswood, cotton fabric

ALVAR AALTO RESIDENCE