INTEGRATED DESIGN 4
AARON BALDWIN
PROFESSOR EMILY KUTIL
AARON BALDWIN
PROFESSOR EMILY KUTIL
"Redefining the relationship between built form and ground."
"Economic and environmental sustainability as intersectional problems."
"Touching the earth lightly."
The studio addresses the disinvestment and historical context of Detroit suburbs that have been split by an industrial district running through the site, down to the Detroit River. Given Detroit's current struggle with storm-water drainage and impermeable land, the project begins to address economic and environmental sustainability as intersectional problems. Through developing an adaptable system of the Permanent Anchor and the Temporary (Demountable) Structure, the relationship between built-form and the ground is redefined.
The architecture of the project is reconnected to the water-table through natural drainage, instead of centralized Combined Sewer systems that have lead to immense amounts of pollution in the Detroit River. The Demountable Structures are raised above the topography of the site not only to accommodate for drainage but for a programmatically adaptable system that lies on top of helical piles.
The project uses prefabricated components stored on-site for fast construction and augmentation. Temporary structures are mounted on top of helical piles, which may remain throughout various structural configurations and provide for interesting public spaces, such as playgrounds or public art installations.
A modular, demountable boardwalk system directs occupants through the site and brings them up to level with the demountable structures. The boardwalk works in combination with the mechanical pavilion as a threshold between the public road and buildings on site.
The project exists within phases of development and asses the necessary permanent changes to the site to accommodate storm-water drainage and future temporary structures. As the programmatic needs of the community changes, so does the structure of the site.
