Portfolio: Site and Roof Plan

The developement of the site was largely based on a single idea. That the studio building and the residential building would be seperate. From there is seemed simple that the studio building should go along the freeway due to the noise and activity, while the residential building would existing on the street in a 'historic' fashion.
The residential building sits on the street and has the scale and materiality of typical surrounding streetscape. It is important that this building fill in the blank that this site is in the Boylston Street pedestrian corridor. Additionally, the residential building sitting on the street and its relationship to the studio building serves to mask the height and impact on the pedestrian of the studio building, making the experience on the street a few yards north from the corner no different than that of any other street in the area.

The studio building is parallel to the north property line that borders the Mass. Pike, and transit corridor. The north elevation towers more than 100’ above the highway, to provide a protective wall not only for the use of this site, but much of the neighborhood to the south of the site. This elevation of the building is juxtaposed to the southern glass elevation in an attempt to provide a barrier to the noise and pollution of the highway. Yet, there is an opening in the wall that provides a glimpse of what is inside the site to create interest from the freeway. More importantly though the pedestrian view from Mass Ave is a direct shot into the interior courtyard of the building, and the angle in which the opening is cut decreases the impact of the wall on this view. The remainder of the site or the interstitial space between the two buildings became a grassy lawn with little ornementation. I wanted this area to be simply... a back yard. Flexible in use.

My theoretical client has arranged with the neighbor to provide parking on a limited basis to the site, due to the fact that the neighbor is using part of the site to access his lot. Additionally, there won't be much use for parking considering most of the people to come to the building won't have cars. I have provided a drop off zone at the corner for students coming in using the transit system.

Pedestrians have accessible access to the front door of each residential unit and the main entrance to the building and lawn area.