Early program iterations:

Early site design iterations:

My first idea is to integrate the stage area with a terraced entrance that connects a parking lot and the bridge that crosses the levee. I made my parking smaller than my original proposal. This idea would incorporate a retaining wall between the parking lot and the upper open space so that a flat lawn is created from which the stage area of the terrace could be viewed. This upper lawn is connected with the open play space on my site.

My second idea is to place terraced seating in the area between where the bridge comes into the park and and the levee wall. This seating tucked into the corner would create seating for a ‘performance’ on the open lawn as well as create a semi-private gathering space.

The third idea does not integrate the bridge and the performance area. Instead it is a reorientation of my original design. This design created berms within the site that can be used for seating for a performance on the open lawn. This design created no formal performance space but rather shapes the land in a way that a performance could be easily viewed.

Thoughts?

Through the onsite mockup, it became very clear that the full scale basketball court is not appropriate for the site.  Its boundaries nearly stretch from the road to the levee wall at the eastern end (largest part) of the park space.  I then mocked up a half sized court to how its size would compare to the overall site.  The half court is a much more appropriate size for the site and can easily be implemented in the overall site design if desired.

Here are my current plan view, section, and diagrams for my hypothesis. Any and all recommendations/advice on enhancing them will be greatly appreciated. I am also working on a couple analog perspectives and have some study models complete.

Neighborhood Side
River Side
Combined

MAX/MSP
Max is a visual programming language for music and multimedia. It is widely used by composers, performers, software designers, researchers, and artists looking to create innovative recordings, performances, and installations. It is a real-time visual programming environment for multimedia and control that’s great for learning about digital signal processing, hardware interfacing, and more. The program itself is highly modular, and most routines exist in the form of shared libraries.

SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY/NITINOL
A shape memory alloy is one that ‘remembers’ its original, cold, forged shape and which returns to that shape after being deformed by applied heat. The material is lightweight alternative to conventional actuators such as hydraulic, pheumatic, and motor-based systems. Nitinol is a nickel-titanium based shape memory alloy. Nitinol exhibits both shape memories properties and superelastic properties. Nitinol can be used for couplings, biomedical and medical, toys, actuators, heat engines, and sensors although it is a very expensive material to use because it is difficult to manufacture.

PNEUMATICS/HYDRAULICS
Pneumatics are the use of pressurized gas to affect mechanical motion. Hydraulics are very similar except they use fluids instead of gasses. Pneumatics use easily compressible gases such as air while hydraulics use relatively incompressible liquid media such as oil. Most pneumatic applications use pressures of about 80-100 psi while hydraulics commonly use 1000-5000 psi. Some advantages of pneumatics are simplicity of design, reliability, easy storage of gas, and are relatively safe. On the other hand, the advantages of hydraulics are that liquids don’t absorb supplied energy, capable of moving much higher loads, and hydraulic working fluid is basically incompressible leading to minimal spring action. Some uses of pneumatics/hydraulics are air brakes, compressors, and engines, actuaters, motors, tires, and tools.

DUCTAL
Ductal is a new material technology that offers high ductility, strength, and durability while providing moldable products with a quality surface. The cementitious material consists of cement, sand silica fume, silica flour, admixture, water, and high strength steel fibers. With Ductal, thinner sections, longer spans, and higher structures, which are lighter and have superior durability can be created. They also have superior durability and are corrosion, impact, and abrasion resistant. Ductal will allow companies to manufacture new lines of products that can compete with stainless steel, cast iron, ceramics, and others.

LITRACON
Litracon is a light emitting concrete that is made of a combination of optical fibers and fine concrete. It can be produced in panel form as well as in prefabricated building blocks. The large number and small diameter of the light transmitting fibers result in a homogeneous mixture that results in a part structural concrete, part light transmissive surface. The glass fibers act as an aggregate and have no adverse effect on the strength of the concrete. The optical fibers make up only 4 percent of the total volume of the material but they can effectively transmit light through walls up to several meters thick.

KEBONY
Kebony is a high performance wood that is modified by a process called Kebonization. The procedure enhances the properties of the wood using biowaste from the sugar industry. It is a durable alternative to impregnated surface-treated and tropical timber. The process strengthens cellular walls of the wood, increases the density of the material, and makes the product stiffer and significantly harder than untreated wood. The properties are enhanced using biowaste from the sugar industry. The polymer is permanently bonded to the cell structure and thus can’t be reversed. Kebony exhibits good durability, long life spans in harsh climates, and there is no need for painting or sealing.