STUDIO FINAL:concept summary

Sitting on a bench under a tree on a warm August morning, I looked up into the canopy above me and noticed the light filtering through the branches and leaves. The unique pattern on the sidewalk was full of shapes that seemed to highlight various cracks and features. Looking back up into the canopy, there were highlights of the surrounding features. I say features and not buildings since the canopy filtered out most of the buildings and left just a steeple or window visible. The tree lined streets created a screen that filtered out the expanse of city and left it all in small manageable proportions just right for a pedestrian passing through. The natural act of filtration did many things on its own and inspired me to look at how artificial filtration could relate the building to site and be meaningful to the program.

Technology very much relies on filtration. Without sites like Google would we ever be able to filter all of the information on the web to find just what we are looking for? Walking into a store selling a multitude of electronics is usually overwhelming. By breaking the store into smaller, more individualized pieces, the spaces filter you from the public to the more individual spaces where you can find the product to meet your needs. The entire building plays with the notion of filtering you back and forth from public to individual spaces, always arriving back at the central core. The façade is able to act as the canopy in Copley Square. It shields us from the large expanse of the city until we are ready to take it in. Abstracted shapes from a tree canopy are cut into large stainless steel panels. The way these pieces are layered and spread apart across the façade filters the views experienced by those inside. Cut-outs in the central core allow users to look down on the more public spaces they have already passed through. It also brings additional light and shadows into the spaces. Finally, as you reach the top, the release. The façade opens up to views of the city. Small dining spaces remain intimate while the user is able to look upon an incredible public space. The city, the technology and the art have all been filtered by the building to provide each occupant a different experience than another. A tree never provides the same shade twice. Although the experience will always be similar, it will be unique by which path you choice and what you are looking for today.

STUDIO FINAL:site analysis

The trees lining the street and Copley Square provide a unique type of filtration. They are able to control the scale of the city, provide a bit of privacy, create unique views and provide the basis for my site analysis. I started by looking at the various elements that make Copley Square what it is. It has always been viewed as an artistic and educational mecca for the city of Boston. Using these two ideas, I have my program of the art gallery and the technology store. The trees on site start the filtration that continues through out every aspect of this space. I want to use the ideas from the trees to create intimate spaces in the middle of the city, generate unique views and highlight specific elements around the site and guide visitors through the spaces much like the branches of a tree. Spaces will open and close until finally at the top, outer edges the entire city is revealed. The interior spaces will be kept neutral to allow for the visitor to focus on the various elements exposed through this filtration process. With the changing seasons and various times of day, the experience will be different, much like a walk through the trees at Copley Square.

STUDIO FINAL:research and exploration

Since it was the trees that first led me to the idea of artificial filtration, I used the branches and leaves as abstract ideas to layout the floors and the facade. The central core is cut across by various branches of circulation opening up to the sales floor with it's various filtering elements and than finally to the facade where the final phase of filtering happens before opening up to the wide expanse of the city. The idea of leaves creates the abstract shapes that break through the steel panels on the facade. The entire building opens up the top and outer most edges. After analyzing various ways to apply this idea of filtration, I came up with a list of elements that would be able to provide the desired effect. The facade itself is made up of a glass curtain wall and steel panels. The placement of the panels on the facade will allow various elements to be filtered out or exposed. The circulation is another important aspect. The stairs are floating in the space allowing light to pass right through. The circulation all takes place in the central core of the building which also is differentiated by different material. The floor here is semi-transparent. Through out the various spaces, flexible partions work to divide products, provide privacy or display product information. These can be moved as needs change. The art gallery and technology store both have their various products on display which also act as a filter of light and of people. Through much research and exploration, filtration has been applied through out the building using a multitude of forms to allow a unique experience each time you visit.

STUDIO FINAL:site and roof plan

The urban setting and the rich history of this site make it unique. The plan shows that the building extends up to the street on all sides, fully engaging the passerby. Along the edges of the roof, the glass facade wraps its way up and over. When seated in the restaurant, you will feel as though there is nothing above you, you have passed through all of the filtering factors. The central core of the building finishes at the roof with a large skylight that allows all of the natural light into the space.

STUDIO FINAL:plan

Engaging Copley Square was achieved by bringing some of the current programs of the site into the new building. The subway station is accessed through the public space on the ground floor. The information booth from across the street has been relocated to the dominant corner space inside. The technology store makes up the 2nd and 3rd floors. It consists of open spaces equipped with flexible partitions to allow for constant change. An art gallery is located on the 4th and 5th floors. It contains studio space for a few artists, a large storage space for everchanging exhibits and open spaces and double height spaces to fit any exhibit. The 6th floor is a small restaurant and lounge space. It has ntimate tables with magnificent views of the city. A large central core runs through the middle of the building. This space allows light to enter all the way down to the subway level. Branches of circulation, staircases and elevators are the only elements inside this space. The floor is made up of a different material. It is semi-transperant to allow the light to continue filtering to below. The floor slabs bring the user back away from the facade before allowing the visitor to enjoy a meal seated at the edge. The plans also show the shadows from the facade.

STUDIO FINAL:section

The light filtering through the space is one of the most critical elements. Ii starts to show the change in intensity as the light enters the space. The central core is mostly open with a few branches crossing through the space further filtering the light.

STUDIO FINAL:elevations

Copley Square is so rich in history that the elevation becomes a major factor. This design primarily consists of a reflective glass curtain wall system. Brushed steel panels cover parts of this wall to create the desired filtration system. These panels are staggered, layered and juxtaposed all across the facade to filter various elements around the site. The reflective glass mimics the Hancock Towers use of the material. The reflection of the site appears on the face of the new building allowing it to blend into the existing neighborhood. Relationships between the four major buildings, the Old South Church, Boston Public Library, Trinity Church and the Hancock Tower, were all taken into consideration when looking at the scale and material.