        Zhang, Tianhe : Assignments5th Street Essay“Developments and Potentials of Fifth Street” The Fifth Street NW continues from Ferst Dr. from Fowler St. to its end at W. Peachtree St. The overall composition of this street can be divided into four major sections, as shown in the attached map in the end of the essay. This single street contains a wide variety of features within only a few hundred yards. However, only so many features can be developed further from this point in time because most of the buildings have already been constructed and embedded as a part of Tech Square. We can examine whether or not the plans of development were near the goal of maximum efficiency and if any new developments have occurred in the area. Firstly, the street itself has a hierarchy system that controls traffic flow. Shop owners do not prefer wider street (The Street), which explains why there are only two travel lanes in sections 3 and 4 that travel in opposite directions. However, having this two-lane road presents frequent disruptions such as when someone drives in or out of the parking lane or when someone can only turn into the parking lot in section 4 when there are no incoming vehicles from the other lane. The building line is parallel to the street line. The speed limit on this street is 25 miles per hour, definitely not a race track. If this street is not mainly for the purpose of vehicle efficiency, it should give more emphasis on the pedestrians without causing traffic congestion as slower traffic increase the safety and speed of pedestrians (Giving Grounds). A few good characteristics of an efficient street that has good traffic flow include many access points, right-of-way procedures, and a variety of lanes (How You Subdivide). So far, Tech Square has the problem of having multiple access points. Even though Fifth Street itself has lanes in opposite directions, W. Peachtree St. is one way north while Spring St. is one way south. However, the design of two one-ways in opposite directions makes it seemingly more accessible since both streets are incorporated in a circuit path that circles the blocks of section 4. It is not necessary to widen the streets for there are limited spaces. Sections 3 and 4 have one narrow bike lane and one parking lane on each side. In the past, the major problem of most designers was to separate the pedestrians from the traffic (The Street). The bike lane, however, is marked between the parking lane and the travel lane. There can be many variations and arrangements of the bike lane. When the issue of safety is considered, it can be concluded that it is more dangerous for cars to hit a bike and its rider than for the rider to hit walking pedestrians. However, the car must pass the bike lane in order to park at a meter so that the paths of traffic and pedestrians are nowhere separated. From examining Tech Square, the bike lane is not utilized to its efficiency, as not many people ride their bikes in that area and even if they do, they will most likely just ride on the sidewalks along with the pedestrians. A segregated system is most efficient (Giving Grounds). In this case, however, by creating a different level for the bike lanes is excessive and most people choose to ignore it anyways. Why not use that space to add onto the sidewalks? In sections 1 and 2, the lane pattern changes to three lanes, with the center as the turning lane. This is effectively designed because of a much heavier traffic of I-75 and I-85. The bike lanes still exist but are more reasonable since the only area that interferes with the separation bike and travel lane is the trolley stop. All intersections have four pairs of pedestrian lights. However, there are no stoplights at the intersection of William St. Vehicles on Fifth St. continue while those on William St. come to a stop sign. Therefore, stoplights should be added on that intersection, as speed and traffic flow are not a considerable issue on William St. The street itself is a public space although the buildings on its blocks are not. The spaces of Fifth Street, although diverse, have flaws in its design that leads it away from the purpose of those spaces. Fifth Street is composed of square blocks of normal lot sizes, a feature that is flexible and gives sense of community (How You Subdivide). So why does Fifth Street lack that sense of community and rarely have gatherings of any kind? The fault lies within three factors to be considered: the purpose of surrounding buildings, the use of space, and the focused pedestrians. Starting at section 1, all of the surrounding buildings are fraternity houses so there can be very limited development in that area, although the activities in the area seem very communal and filled with students. Section 2, the bridge, is the least active area. The area around the bridge, including a small plaza on one side, is rarely used and purely aesthetic. Pedestrians only come across this section as a pathway between the two bordering sections. Section 2 is a very possible area for further subdivision in the next step (How You Subdivide). Section 3 is more complex and has a variety of shops. RBC dominates the north and its own small plaza, while restaurants, apparel store, salon, and the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center aggregate in the south. Section 4 composes of a parking lot in the north, Barnes and Nobles and Ray’s in the south, and the Baltimore Hotel at the end of Fifth Street. The biggest area currently under construction is a plaza next to Ray’s. Many activities on Fifth Street occur on these two sections. Now the crowd is composed mainly of students, some workers of nearby buildings, and random pedestrians. Students go to Tech Square for Barnes and Nobles or classes at College of Management. Eating is secondary. This now brings the discussion of strolling and loitering. The stroller has no apparent destination. He or she wanders the space and takes the pleasure in doing so. Paris, where public and private spaces seem to have fused together, is a place both adventurous and dangerous (Paris). Even though Tech Square is not as lively as elsewhere such as Midtown, Tech Square can not overcrowd so that people go there just to be in a spirited scene. One reason is that the downtown is an urban ghetto and creating such a place at Tech Square would cause a bedlam and attract all kinds of people. Not that the diversity of culture is a bad thing; Tech Square should focus on the purpose of attracting Tech students not just by building another studying center. Strolling and consorting are two different concepts. The size of Fifth Street is too limited so even though the idea of strolling sounds good, it should be left in malls and parks. What can be done to attract Georgia Tech students except to build a nightclub? Most of the products offered in the shops can also be found in campus or nearby. The problems lie within space issue and the difficulty in separating traffic from pedestrians. The dramatic measure is to remove the road of section 3 and change it into a rectangular plaza. Would a plaza be the best solution? The plaza that is currently under construction in section 4 is perhaps the most controversial area. What constitutes a good plaza is to be center of a larger area, sunlight received, concentric shapes, and a suitable relationship to the street (The Design of Spaces). The undeveloped plaza is at the corner of Tech Square, surrounded by one side the tall Baltimore Hotel. It is still too early to determine the inner aspects such as the seating patterns, seating types, and other geometric arrangements. The distinctive feature of a plaza is that people are there usually for a specific time or for a scheduled time. A good location is more important than the quality of the plaza (The Design of Spaces). Having a plaza in the center of Tech Square makes it almost unavoidable by pedestrians. The plaza of RBC creates the sense that it is too institutional and not part of public space. The most people there are those waiting at the trolley stop. The RBC building broke the chain of smaller buildings along Fifth Street. Not much, if at all, can be done now because the frameworks of the early design. Having clerestories which block rain and allow sunlight seems like a good way to further segregate traffic and pedestrians (The Street), which can also help the restaurants with a covered seating section outside. Separating the traffic and pedestrian completely unparallel with each other will give more speed to the pedestrians while the vehicles only need to take one detour. Some studies shows that people in groups walk slower than people by themselves and always will try to take the shortest route (The Skilled Pedestrian). By having a wide plaza in the center, pedestrians can efficiently move in this area and avoid jaywalking. Other studies show that most conversations are held at street corners (The Social Life of the Streets). More corners can be designed within plaza, creating more social interaction. Now on more details subjects: the components of the sidewalks. One thing in particular that captured my attention was the excessive amount of bike racks in the interest of students. It would be more effective to have more width on the sidewalk and the bike racks in the area of the College of Management. There were a decent amount of trash cans and newspaper dispensers. Most of the benches were either facing the street or facing each other parallel to the street. Fifth Street is too small to plan for any large projects such as a shopping mall. Fifth Street is what Andrew Blum describes as “lifestyle centers”. He believes that they are better than malls and “successfully capturing most of the pleasures of walking down a city street” (The Mall Goes Undercover). The difficulty is to define what these “lifestyle centers” really are. The pleasures of walking down the street are similar to those of a stroller who would window-shop. However, there is not really much to window-shop on Fifth Street. People go to restaurants to eat and go to the salon to get their hair or nails done. Every action is quite objective. Window-shopping has a certain hesitation to it as the pedestrian changes speed of their walk. The open air seems to give pedestrians a sense of serenity unlike window-shopping at a mall. (The Sensory Street). Now the real question is whether or not the Tech Square section of Fifth Street should be a place to stroll or a place of deliberate interaction. Section 2 has much potential with the extra spaces on the bridge although not able to have any building constructions on top. However, its function on Fifth Street is to connect Tech Square to its campus. Section 1, being actually part of the main campus, does not seem to see any development in the near future. The plaza that is being built currently in section 4 does not have a favorable location; however, the effect of the street varies with different local environments. As for section 3, it can be changed to a considerably lively spot. However, not only would that affect current traffic flow, it would affect the shops in the plaza which would not be easily spotted from Spring St. and Williams St. It is important to preserve the unique groundwork of Tech Square and Fifth Street since many similar scenes can only be found in Atlantic Station and Midtown Plaza. With the changes, there could also be more special events; however, many times results differ from projections. But with enough assurance, Fifth Street would no longer be just a space with functions and uses but more of a social ground. 10.04.07 Playback: In the early colonization of America, the basic framework of land planning developed according to those of its predecessor. The lands were divided very geometrically, mostly square acre lots that are divided into smaller square lots. The square lots have inscribed circles. The towns and the farming lands both followed that format. Much of the later land planning still has geometric characteristics in most of its borders, such as in the suburbs. This form of framework is efficient in saving spaces, especially in urban planning that was discussed in a previous lecture. The town has its main building in the square in the center of a bigger square. There were many ways to divide the lots in the grid system, such as with fence, roads, or trees. Terms: 1. Metes and bounds- a system typically used in England to describe the borders of land properties. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metes_and_bounds 2. arterial-collector-cul-de-sac-pattern- land pattern that has a central area in the bound. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arterial_road Questions: Pedagogy: Which major is most closely related in the field of urban planning? Are there any studies about history that is involved in the course? Architecture 1. The presentation first distinguishes architecture from basic construction, as architecture is more than just fulfilling the fundamental needs of the structure. Architecture not only exceeds aesthetic appeals but also sustainability. Architecture also ties directly to other design majors. The presentation continues with the introduction of the architecture program specifically at Georgia Tech and the path of an architecture student in the future. 2. a. nested hierarchy- way of arrangement in which one group fits completely inside another group (wiki.cotch.net/index.php/Nested_Hierarchy) b. ecological literacy- understanding of how a sustainable ecosystem has came to be (www.hent.org/ecoliteracy.htm) c. beltline- path around specifically Atlanta to redevelop some areas to more green (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltline_(Atlanta)) 3. a. Discipline- What are some of the studies used in architecture that coexist with other architecture-related majors? b. Professions- How are some skills such as law relate to the architecture field? c. Program- What are some of the advantages of doing intern before pursuing work? Industrial design 1. The presentation discussed primarily the aesthetic appeal of product designs that are also functional. The design usually deals with creative thinking and conceptualization. It not only has to look pleasing to buyers or users, but also more advantageous in its utility than previous models of the product. Industrial design stretch on a large scale of products and its programs at Georgia Tech features the Merit Award. 2. a. iterative adjustment- procedure in which patterns are altered in a repetitive design (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=/iel5/18/22794/01057846.pdf) b. cognitive- refer to thinking in terms of logical reasoning (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cognitive) c. tactile- relate to sense of touch (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tactile) 3. a. Discipline- What studio works are within the industrial design major in the sophomore year. b. Professions- Does ID major correlate with interior design of architecture major? c. Program- Where does the major offer programs that deals with automation? Building Construction 1. The presentation describes the field of building construction in a common sense to architecture. The difference seems to be the specific function of a building in relation to its appearance. Building construction is on very large scale and specifically deals with the best way this building can facilitate the purpose of the building. 3. a. Discipline- Does the modeling creating of the BC major correlate with that of ID major? b. Profession-What are some advantages of working on each different role in BC construction? Bibliography Atalah, Alan, ed. "Pipelines 2006: Service to the Owner." Assessment of Damage to Urban Buried Infrastructure in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Chicago: American Society of Civil Engineers, 2006. Brinkley, Douglas. The Great Deluge : Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. New York: Morrow, 2006. Cooper, Christopher, and Robert Block. Disaster : Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security. New York: Times Books, 2006. Curtis, Wayne. "Road to Recovery: How Did Hurricane Katrina Affect One of America's Great City Treks?" Preservation: the Magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (2006). Eamon, Christopher, Fitzpatrick, Patrick and Dennis Truax. “Observation of Structural Damage Caused by Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” 2007. The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina : Lessons Learned. Washington D.C.: White House, 2006. Fein, Geoff. "Katrina Showed Need for Rapid Damage Assessment, Improved Communications." Defense Daily 27 July 2006. Fellowes, Matt, Bruce Katz, Amy Liu, and Nigel Holmes. "The State of New Orleans: an Update." The New York Times 5 July 2006, Late ed. Francis, Brian. "Magnitude of Katrina Disaster Demands Help." USA Today 21 Feb. 2006. Golub, Robert. "New Orleans, Katrina, and the Death and Life of Cities." Editorial. JAMA 5 Sept. 2007. Hammond, Margo. "After the Deluge." St. Petersburg Times 6 Aug. 2006. Horne, Jed. Breach of Faith : Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City. New York: Random House, 2006. Illia, Tony, Russell Fortmeyer, John Bergeron, and John Gendall . "Katrina Update." (2006). Jordan, James, and Saul Paulius. "Lessons Learned From Hurricane Katrina." Forensic Engineering 2006. Cleveland: American Society of Civil Engineers, 2006. "Katrina, One Year Later." The Washington Times 29 Aug. 2006. Kennedy, Shawn, and James Murdock. "Remaking New Orleans, Without Losing Its Past." (2007). Lukensmeyer, Carolyn. "Large-Scale Citizen Engagement and the Rebuilding of New Orleans: a Case Study." National Civic Review (2007). McDonald, Martha. "Picking Up the Pieces: Post-Katrina Recovery." (2006). McKee, Bradford. "New Orleans Recovery Plan Released." (2007). Nodar, Janet. "New Orleans' Rising Tide." Traffic World (2007). Perce, Karen. "Disaster Recovery: Lessons Learned From an Occupational Health and Human Resources Perspective." AAOHN Journal (2007). Silva-Tulla, Francisco, and Peter Nicholson, eds. "Embankments, Dams, and Slopes (GSP 161)." New Orleans Vs. Katrina: Overview & USACE Preliminary Response (Emergency Operations). Denver, 2007. Solnit, Rebecca. "The Lower Ninth is Rising From Katrina's Awful Ashes." The Guardian 29 Aug. 2007. Stephens, Suzanne. "Damaged by Katrina: Early Signs of a Campus in Recovery." (2006). Syzerhans, Douglas, ed. Federal Disaster Programs and Hurricane Katrina. New York: Nova Science, 2006. "United States: the Slow Recovery; New Orleans." The Economist 25 Aug. 2007. Warner, Coleman. "SPENDING, SAVING ; Preservation Groups Have Poured About $5 Million Into an Area of Architectural Treasures, Helping It Rebound Fast From Katrina." Times - Picayune 11 May 2007. Watson, Wade, ed. "Ports 2007: 30 Years of Sharing Ideas." Master Planning the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi — Rebirth After Katrina. San Diego: American Society of Civil Engineers, 2007. Waugh, William L., ed. Shelter From the Storm : Repairing the National Emergency Management System After Hurricane Katrina. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2006. Whoriskey, Peter, and Spencer Hsu. "New Orleans Gets a New Hurricane Plan;." The Washington Post 3 May 2006, Final ed. 09.17 1. The lecture dealt with how architectural designs affect our behaviors. Statistics show that a soothing environment will help patients heal faster and the surroundings of stairs might provoke people to use it, thus reducing obesity in the U.S. The lecture then stresses on the importance of physical health, which reduce risk of other diseases. By creating a friendly environment, it can improve each individual almost inconspicuously. 2. Space syntax- organization of space to maximize efficiency of its use (spacesyntax.com) Acuity-adaptable- concept in organization of a room to alleviate pressure in the surrounding areas (medicalconnectivity.com) Evidence based design- strategy in creating stress-free and efficient surroundings to help the function of that environment (healthdesign.org) 3. Pedagogy- Are teachings in statistics required as part of the design program? Disciplines- Are there works relating the lighting aspects to energy-efficient environments? Professions- Do people in this field also design not just the environment but also objects within that environment? Systems of organization- Do professionals in this field expand their work to residential settings? 09.19 1. This lecture dealt with photography in the field of building construction, in particular Atlantic Station. Photography captures the change over time in an area and preserves some aspects of the original reminiscence. Photography can also capture how the future planning went on track and what changed during the construction process. 2. Environmental remediation- removal of harmful contaminants in the environment (westonsolutions.com) Infrastructure- the basic foundation of a structure (m-w.com) Substructure- structure that supports the main foundation (m-w.com) 3. Pedagogy- How different are this kind of photography from those that strictly deals with capturing aesthetic aspects? Disciplines- Are there any techniques involving use of filming besides just recording the change over time? Professions- How associated are people in this field work with those that design future projects using computer animation? Systems of organization- Are there separate fields concerning filming of an area from scratch and an area of reconstruction in a different environment? 09.26 1. The lecture deals with Palladio’s design of usually buildings with a classical design, including massive columns in the front, and the organization of the space inside. The building’s internal structure is completely symmetrical. The uniqueness with the villa design is the different variations that can be applied in not only the space inside but the outward appearance. 2. Villa- originally residential building for the upper-class Composite- made from multiple variations Platonic- based upon theory (m-w.com) 3. Pedagogy- What relationship does this design have with other classical architectures at the time? Disciplines- What are the differences in the design process between the internal and external variations? Professions- Are there projects expanding in buildings other than those of residential? System of organization- What areas are most influenced by the modernism of Palladio’s design? 08.29 Classical & Traditional Architecture Part One: In this lecture, the various designers discussed their firms' projects and the incorporation of classical designs into those structures. The projects include classical themes such as arches and symmetry. Most of the presenters structure their presentations chronologically. Different presentations range from interior structures to the entire building, from private residences to towns. The central concept involved schematic drawings and perspective studies since classical architecture concerns proportional arrangements. Part Two: New Urbanism: a sprawl of urban designs in suburban areas in order to conserve space and promote jobs and transportation. Schematic Drawing: diagram of relationship between the layout appearance of an architectural structure to the internal systems that runs functions for the structure. Part Three: Pedagogical- What are the aspects distinguishing an architectural structure from "classical" and "traditional"? Disciplinary- What are some of the plannings needed to adapt the schematic designs into the interior functions and spaces of the structures? Professional- Are there any requirements to participate in construction projects in foreign countries? 08.31 Solar Decathlon Part One: This lecture involved a contest in which competitors are to create a functioning house using only solar energy. Each team have groups of different skills. The aesthetic aspects of this project only account for a minimal portion. Although each section has its own requirements to earn points, all the sections are interconnected to maintain sustainability which makes the house function as a whole. Part Two: Thermal Bridge: the layer of insulation materials which can be used to trap heat and as a heat source, but if defective, may cause significant loss of heat. Nanogel: material used as an insulation material, with microscopic pores that prevent heat loss through the gel and is adaptable to climate changes. Part Three: Pedagogical- What distinguishes the difference in the value of each category in the grading scale? Disciplinary- How does the team arrange the different skills in which some are more directly related than others? Professional- Are there any specific interactions with possible energy conservation groups or environmental activists? 9.05 Digital Design and Manufacturing Part One: The lecture dealt with the use of computer programs that designs a structure. Digital design and manufacturing form a bridge between conception and production. The speaker organize the presentation by displaying the familiar installations of the architecture building and the processes in which the are planned out on the design programs. Then the speaker goes in detail about the geometry of the structures, which involves shape and dimensional space. Part Two: Feedback Loop: system in which some of the output is placed back to the input and that all sections of the system are interconnected and supportive of each other. Combinatorics: study in mathematics that deals with, in analyzing building structures, minimal and optimal spaces. Part Three: Pedagogical- What are some more ways to define various surfaces than the ones mentioned in the presentation? Disciplinary- What are some skills required from computer science to use in these programs? Professional- How are these programs applied other than in modern architectures? Installation 1 (Outside) 1. Description The installation seems to be made of a material similar to fiber glass at glance, but is most likely a type of polyethylene that is quite flexible. It is made with a series of flat transparent pieces held together by bolts and probably needed support during construction. The pieces are mostly elongated and twisted. The base of the installation is held to the ground in a shape like the base of a fan, with many layers compressed together. As the installation progresses upward, there are changes in its geometric structure. The compressed layers change to three-dimensional shapes with either three or four sides that form rectangular or triangular prisms. As the installation ascends upward, the three-dimensional sections are disintegrating to two-plane figures. As the installation approaches the top of the ledge of the building, the layers have disintegrated to single units of pieces. The arrangement of the pieces at the end of the installation is disorganized comparing to the rest of the installation. The overall shape represents the shape of a wrapped piece of candy, progressing in a circular motion with many individual spaces between the layers. The proportion is set to make it a part of the building. The effects of light on this does not cast shadows since it is transparent, but create light spots on the ground or walls. The material is very adjustable to temperature and the surface is less smooth than in appearance. The sound of the installation when struck resonates through the entire installation. 2. Speculation The installation could have been used to represent some pattern by natural elements, such as air or water currents. In air and water currents, the origin is very compact and it gets less concentrated as it scatters. The design is very complex but is in a repeated pattern of disintegration. The installation could have been motivated to explore the complexity of patterns in the transition of dimensional figures. Questions concerning this installation would be based on how a three-dimensional figure would go through a transition to a two-dimensional plane, similar to unwrapping something with many layers, and how would that change affect the lighting from the installation. The design process probably dealt with some kind of mathematical function which keeps the same amount of volume in every section of the installation but varying the surface areas. Each section of the installation had to be analyzed individually to see how one section will transition into the next. The irony in this is that when the figure is disintegrating, it becomes more complex rather than understandable of its pattern. I would name the installation “Whirlpool” because it gives that kind of image not only from direct appearance but also from the similarity of the movement of water. The “life” of this installation is one that is trying to fit into its own environment because its surroundings are trees on one side and buildings on the other. Although it is made of synthetic material, it’s a natural representation. Installation 2 (Inside) 1. Description The installation is made of layers of plywood with a light paint finishing on the outside. The installation stretches from the third floor all the way to the bottom floor with curvy sections. The plywood’s thin strips are connected by short horizontal metal rods that connect and sometimes force the vertical strips together. The material is not generally flexible, but the transition make the entire installation look flexible. Some wood pieces are bent to adjust to the shape of the building. The variance patterns of the metal rods make the installation very self-supportive. The bottom of the installation represents seats, which also supports the structure as a whole. On the top, the installation also has its base settled to the ground of the third floor, which comes up half way into the air, then pours down. The shape is very smooth in transition and there are changes in the way the structure progresses down. The structure bulges out in some areas because it has to adapt to the shape of the walkway on the second floor. From the second floor to the first floor, the installation goes straight down. The installation does not seem to have any support from its surroundings. The structure hardly takes up any space as it runs parallel to the building, almost serving as a wall. The surface is very smooth and not very adjustable to temperature. With lights in the room, the installation will cast repeated patterns on the ground in forms of straight lines. The ends of the structure almost seem like force naturally compressed the structure. The sound varies with each vertical strip as if they were individual units. 2. Speculation The installation is similar to some type of musical instrument, such as a harp, as the strips represent the strings. The installation may seem simple in design, but the wholeness of the entire structure depends on each strip that makes smooth transitions. Questions concerning this installation may be about how to create a structure of impressive size without taking up too much volume. The design process might not have required too much support as the structure from ground up is self-supporting. However, it required careful planning for the placement of the metal rods to make the installation compact. Areas where some vertical strips were compressed by the metal rods could have been intentional. Bulgy areas also require lots of calculation in order to run the structure in juxtaposition with the building. I would name the installation “Waterfall” because it has a clear representation of a real waterfall’s movement. The compressed section at the bottom represents the water hitting the bottom, and the bulgy areas adjusting to the walkway flows down as if the water flows down off an object. The “life” of this installation is one that fades into its environment but puts its environment to its own perspective, as the waterfall will give a feeling that the surroundings are also part of the nature it represents. Link to this Page
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