Appeals to the Hierarchical Orders of Value

Ian Hsu engages an interesting combination of appeals by pursing the industrial order as well as the inspired order of hierarchical value. In his pursuit of the inspired order, he uses glass boxes as dividers between various programmatic uses. The design of the glass boxes find their roots in the inspired order; allowing ample light and connection with endless sky. Accomplished with soaring seamless glass, the inhabitants interact with the immaterial. In these glass enclosures the most noteworthy part of the experience is the sense of warmth and white light. In one way the user is enclosed by the structures to the east and west, feeling a sense of restriction and comfort, but then the sky above is endless. This combination of blocking out the context on the street level and creating no limits on the context above normal eyelevel disconnects the users from the surrounding street context, and allows them to only connect with the surrounding environment through sky views. Through this intention in planning scale and material, Ian appeals to the inexpressible and ethereal.

A seemingly contradictory appeal is that of the industrial order. Finding its mark in the dignity of tangible work, the principle of efficiency, and the standard of high function and organization, industrial appeals, at face value, seem to clash with inspired values. From the information on Ian’s design I have presented so far, the obvious assumption would be that he was not interested in making industrial appeals. However, his glass enclosures that create an ethereal experience double as direct solar gain greenhouses. The soaring seamless glass allowing in ample light and warming the space for the unique experience of the user also cuts down on HVAC costs. Efficient. The location of the greenhouses as anchors for the other building functions allow for the users disconnect for street context and connection with endless sky also give the greenhouses a perfect location to naturally radiate heat into the adjacent apparatus bay and residential areas. Well organized. Depending on how you frame the design intention behind the glass enclosures they can be viewed as contributing to both inspired and industrial appeals.

Synthesis and Analysis of the Critiquer’s Comments

Going off of this theme of duality of function in a space, one reviewer argued that there are many missed opportunities for continuing this theme throughout the rest of the layout. Ian included a large paved outdoor area south of the apparatus bay. In his current design it serves merely as a continuation of the access route for the firetrucks and an outdoor washing area for the trucks. Its program is strictly related to the operations of the fire vehicles. This space, which encompasses hundreds of square feet of land, could double as an outdoor patio space for the enjoyment of the firefighters. They could use it for barbeques and get-togethers with family and friends. It could be incorporated into the residential area to the east of the apparatus bay. It could connect to the park path and in doing so create a more fluid connection between building and site.

Another opportunity to develop site, that Malcolm mentioned during the review, is the green space enclosed on two sides by the residential building and on a third side by one of the glass enclosures. It opens up to a view of the inlet, but is bordered on the south by apparent dead, white space on the site plan. Any direct connection to the inlet is cut off by the access drive for the fire trucks, so the green space functions almost as a courtyard. Ian has currently decided to leave the design of the courtyard ambiguous, but the strength of the building’s integration with the site would be greatly enhanced by a more developed design for that greenspace. As mentioned during my discussion of the paved area outside the apparatus bay, the green space could be incorporated with the paved area to create a more fluid use of outdoor space. Part of the courtyard could be enclosed within the greenhouse to enhance the edgeless, ethereal feeling of the glass enclosure space. Also, being that it borders residential program like a large kitchen, part of the greenspace could be devoted to a vegetable garden for the full time firefighting staff. And if Ian decided to connect the courtyard with the paved area and the park path, the garden could become a space open to the community.

Another point brought up in review by Christine was the issue of scale. The greenhouses are currently at two different scales although they are serving the same function. They interact with the surrounding buildings differently because of their differing heights. One of the greenhouse enclosures cannot even be seen from Franklin Street because it cuts off after the second floor and the surrounding buildings continue higher. If Ian’s concept is based around these anchoring greenhouses that create an ethereal experience for the users, then he might consider making them more of a statement structure. He could accomplish this simply by increasing the roof heights of the greenhouses so that they are visible from every elevation. I would also like to throw out the opposite suggestion for consideration; Ian could decrease the scale on both of the greenhouses and make an effort, with the placement of the surrounding buildings, to visually close the glass enclosures off from the public streets on the north and east. Instead of making them statement structures he could make them understated hideaways. Two secret sky-filled spaces tucked between hulking, old-world industrial buildings. But regardless of which direction he chooses to take his greenhouses, I would still suggest connecting them to greenspaces in a more fluid way.

Technical Comments

Because of the interactions between many separate spaces, a massing model or axonometric diagram of the basic programmatic layout would be helpful. I would also suggest that Ian develop his wall section even further because it currently does a great job of communicating accessible space within all the levels and if developed further could be a statement drawing on his board.

Featured image Bauer Hall by architect Moore Ruble Yudell.