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trans/spot: transient awareness center (#62) |
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| Type of building: | School |
Entry Description | |
| Our structure is a modular configuration that is assembled in empty lots across the city of Chicago to provide information to the local residents. In time, the structure has the flexibility to truly adapt to the needs of the community. The lifecycle of this building is an empirical tool for educating the city. The solution is not necessarily for prototypical building forms but more so for creating modular accessible informational public spaces. It is “sustainability,” but in a different form. | |
| A discussion of design for adaptability and disassembly techniques incorporated: The concept of this building stems from the importance and ease of adaptability and disassembly. The majority of the building is made from lightweight, recycled cardboard tubes that are affordable, easily transported, waterproof, fire resistant, durable, and biodegradable. These tubes are connected with thin wiring and recycled aluminum that runs through the insides of the tubes. A grounded track system guides the structures movement. This moveable structure, equip with multiple joint configurations that adjust on the appropriate axis for effortless erection, allow for different compressions and angles to position panels for optimal usage. These compressed pieces that unfold from their packaged containers to become large modular units are easy to package, lightweight, and compact for simple transportation (by means of truck, bus, light rail, etc) to and from the site, minimizing the embodied energy of the entire construction process. Once the structure is expanded and in place, the PV panels effortlessly lock into the structure and are adjustable in response to the changing environment. These PV panels power the media wall, which readily locks into the front of the structure, and is a double-sided touch display that acts as an educational tool for the community. The building is designed become a community space such as a future public park, and if necessary, can be easily disassembled or moved. Because each site is unique, the specific construction of the building and its foundation changes with each assembly. The resulting public spaces become indices of the buildings occupation and its dialogue with the neighborhood. | |
| Environmental implications of entry: The recycled materials and ease of assembly and deconstruction minimize the overall carbon footprint of the building, making this assembly eco-friendly, especially because of the sustainable practices, awareness, and education, constantly provided for the community to experience. The main material, cardboard, is completely recycled and ideal because it is lightweight, durable, inexpensive, readily available, and resistant to the elements because of an eco-friendly coating. The PV panels adjust between the angles of 19 and 40 in response to changing climates, seasons, and conditions, providing for the most perpendicular positioning toward the seasonal sun angles in order to retain and capture the greatest amount of solar energy and preferred air-flow. The energy produced powers the media wall, and creates excess that adds to the city grid. Because this structure and site is meant to adapt for future uses and needs of the community, it eliminates construction and demolition waste. | |
| Economic or policy implications of entry: This assembly is a publicly funded site that is tended by citizens and used as an identity marker for community. The lifecycle of this building transforms as the needs of the community grow and change. The strategic placement of these structures, near routes of public transportation throughout the city of Chicago, makes it easily accessible and affordable for people of all economic status. Also, this structure is adding to the community in many ways, is ideal because it produces all of its own energy, has a universal, simple means of construction, and demands little to no up-keep over the years. This space was designed to be a very public, community involved location, and a functional, free flowing, dynamic space for all to enjoy. | |
| Explain how the entry advances lifecycle building education: The proposed built environment allows blighted neighborhoods access to vital information that in the past, hindered their opportunities and involvement. With this proposal, neighborhoods are meant to grow and be more connected and informed with entire city, resulting in an increased awareness and improvement for the entire community. The north side of the structure operates as a double-sided media wall that is positioned to face an open, multifunctional area that is directly connected to the community and the city structure, the El Train. The positioning is intended to naturally attract people from the community because the most effective way to reach the masses is through the media. This open, northern space is intended to create an open gathering area for movies, presentations, lectures, rallies, protests, or anything else the community requires or desires. This area can simply transform to appropriately serve the community in several ways. With the easy addition of a simple support structure, this area can function with an effective back drop of a display system, and depending on the specific site, seating, staging, or other arrangements can be added to truly convert this space into a multifunctional area that the community can effectively utilize as an educational tool. The opposing side of the media wall, which has a visual connection to the El Train, functions as a community display board, or a learning center, that exhibits updated job openings, events, community news, and information. This southern side is also integrated with a Wi-Fi zone that allows community members to gather, access, and post the information seen on the display. The eco-friendly and energy producing materials and process are apparent to the users. Ultimately, this community center, which is established on several locations throughout the city, creates a connected information system that keeps entire city educated and informed of community opportunities and happenings. | |
| Additional information: The lifecycle of a building cannot be separated from the lifecycle of a site. Buildings are informed by their surroundings and sites are conditioned for use and development. When buildings are removed from their sites, each retains a record of past occupation. The “lifecycle” of this building is an empirical tool for educating the city. As communities engage with its construction, occupation, disassembly, and memory, they will discover techniques for locally addressing the social and ecological challenges that confront the city as a whole. | |
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