The site was in the Acushnet Heights (a Historic District) neighborhood of New Bedford, MA, a city of over 93,000 in decline. The attempt was to revitalize this neighborhood (with the myriad vacant lots and buildings,) a mere three tenths of a mile from Downtown through different strategies. Currently the northern edge of the neighborhood is cut by I-195 East/West and its direct access to the waterfront is cut by a downtown connector. The waterfront is a working industrial waterfront; it was once known most for its whaling industry, then Wamsutta Cotton and now it is principally related to the fishing industry.
My interest in this studio was initially to challenge myself to design in small spaces. This did not happen (my last chance is now in Thesis) as my focus shifted to the space between the back of Purchase Street (the main commercial avenue) and the downtown connector; eventually encompassing the connector itself. This proved to be very challenging and at times overextending as I ended up designing a 1.3 mile long linear park. The interest stemmed from the idea that intervening in this relatively thin strip of land would act as a catalyst to develop Acushnet Heights without draining resources and interaction from the neighborhood.
Design Statement
Using a built typology of the city’s maritime tradition and manufacturing lore, this adventure promenade of exposition seeks to act as a placeholder for increasing density between a residential neighborhood and a working industrial waterfront. It proposes to act as a catalyst and container for program, and borrows the site for an interpretive programmatic timeline to be relinquished over time as needs arise. The rather fantastical nature of the exposition elements hope to physically ground the city’s sense of identity in the attempt to activate both Acushnet Heights and Waterfront for new density while preserving the existing character of the neighborhood.
An earlier intent to reverse the decline of the Acushnet Heights neighborhood was to strategically repurpose existing abandoned buildings along Purchase Street for new, generative program. By doing so, it was hoped to bring local and regional micro economies to the street which as a result of these activities, improvement would radiate out into the neighborhood. A lack of viable buildings and lots along the street to be effective led to a shifting of this idea of what I termed an “edutainment crèche corridor” to the right of way between Route 18 and the back of the buildings of Purchase Street. This corridor intended to act as a public/private interface for new density in that a public walk would be created for recreation while allowing for privacy of these businesses adjoining the walk. It was soon understood that Route 18 was siphoning off these potential micro economies from the neighborhood because of the barrier that this downtown connector was creating. There seemed to be little reason for anyone wanting to visit Acushnet Heights. Therefore, and in addition to a concern that the program intended for this thin sliver of land was not large enough, I shifted the corridor to occupy the present space of Route 18.
The corridor became a promenade due to the idea of using this now long linearity as an interpretive timeline of New Bedford’s history to define the program along its 1.3 mile length. Realizing that perhaps this new promenade of exposition is acting as its own barrier – not of transportation, but rather as a program between a residential neighborhood and a working waterfront, I designed the area as a recreational and educational park with specific program density according to site adjacencies but leaving space in between these programs to allow for new density over time. I do not imagine that this linear park will remain in its designed form indefinitely – I hope that over time as the population grows, yes, grows, that the spaces between programs, for example, between the Foundry/Forge and the Book Exchange, will fill with new buildings and new purposes.
The design is taking over all this land but it is giving it back to the city slowly over time or as need arises. Its rather unusually fantastical nature is necessary to act for inspiration and a sense of place for the neighborhood. I realize that a sense of place exists for New Bedford, especially with a city with such a rich history, but even if this identity is strong, it needs to be pushed beyond its current capacity to change the perception of its neighborhoods. Complacency or “business as usual” does not breed innovation, new ideas, or the internal strength to rebuild a neighborhood. If it is well known that Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick, a novel inspired while on a whaling expedition originating from New Bedford, the capital city of whaling, and sailed on a whaler aptly named the Acushnet; then it would be appropriate to physically insert a whale ship as a book exchange and informal business incubator and meeting place and to insert an interpretive whale as dramatic theater, itself being a theater. These two physical objects would act as visual metaphor of New Bedford’s history: this is where New Bedford came from, and these objects of exposition serve as an interpretive adventure for the future. This is accomplished by:
- Tearing out Route 18 and taking over that space for program
- Strategically placed program corresponding to existing site adjacencies
- Having nearly continuous program for 1.3 miles
Manufacturing Neighborhood, Fall 2009
The site was in the Acushnet Heights (a Historic District) neighborhood of New Bedford, MA, a city of over 93,000 in decline. The attempt was to revitalize this neighborhood (with the myriad vacant lots and buildings,) a mere three tenths of a mile from Downtown through different strategies. Currently the northern edge of the neighborhood is cut by I-195 East/West and its direct access to the waterfront is cut by a downtown connector. The waterfront is a working industrial waterfront; it was once known most for its whaling industry, then Wamsutta Cotton and now it is principally related to the fishing industry.
My interest in this studio was initially to challenge myself to design in small spaces. This did not happen (my last chance is now in Thesis) as my focus shifted to the space between the back of Purchase Street (the main commercial avenue) and the downtown connector; eventually encompassing the connector itself. This proved to be very challenging and at times overextending as I ended up designing a 1.3 mile long linear park. The interest stemmed from the idea that intervening in this relatively thin strip of land would act as a catalyst to develop Acushnet Heights without draining resources and interaction from the neighborhood.
Design Statement
Using a built typology of the city’s maritime tradition and manufacturing lore, this adventure promenade of exposition seeks to act as a placeholder for increasing density between a residential neighborhood and a working industrial waterfront. It proposes to act as a catalyst and container for program, and borrows the site for an interpretive programmatic timeline to be relinquished over time as needs arise. The rather fantastical nature of the exposition elements hope to physically ground the city’s sense of identity in the attempt to activate both Acushnet Heights and Waterfront for new density while preserving the existing character of the neighborhood.
An earlier intent to reverse the decline of the Acushnet Heights neighborhood was to strategically repurpose existing abandoned buildings along Purchase Street for new, generative program. By doing so, it was hoped to bring local and regional micro economies to the street which as a result of these activities, improvement would radiate out into the neighborhood. A lack of viable buildings and lots along the street to be effective led to a shifting of this idea of what I termed an “edutainment crèche corridor” to the right of way between Route 18 and the back of the buildings of Purchase Street. This corridor intended to act as a public/private interface for new density in that a public walk would be created for recreation while allowing for privacy of these businesses adjoining the walk. It was soon understood that Route 18 was siphoning off these potential micro economies from the neighborhood because of the barrier that this downtown connector was creating. There seemed to be little reason for anyone wanting to visit Acushnet Heights. Therefore, and in addition to a concern that the program intended for this thin sliver of land was not large enough, I shifted the corridor to occupy the present space of Route 18.
The corridor became a promenade due to the idea of using this now long linearity as an interpretive timeline of New Bedford’s history to define the program along its 1.3 mile length. Realizing that perhaps this new promenade of exposition is acting as its own barrier – not of transportation, but rather as a program between a residential neighborhood and a working waterfront, I designed the area as a recreational and educational park with specific program density according to site adjacencies but leaving space in between these programs to allow for new density over time. I do not imagine that this linear park will remain in its designed form indefinitely – I hope that over time as the population grows, yes, grows, that the spaces between programs, for example, between the Foundry/Forge and the Book Exchange, will fill with new buildings and new purposes.
The design is taking over all this land but it is giving it back to the city slowly over time or as need arises. Its rather unusually fantastical nature is necessary to act for inspiration and a sense of place for the neighborhood. I realize that a sense of place exists for New Bedford, especially with a city with such a rich history, but even if this identity is strong, it needs to be pushed beyond its current capacity to change the perception of its neighborhoods. Complacency or “business as usual” does not breed innovation, new ideas, or the internal strength to rebuild a neighborhood. If it is well known that Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick, a novel inspired while on a whaling expedition originating from New Bedford, the capital city of whaling, and sailed on a whaler aptly named the Acushnet; then it would be appropriate to physically insert a whale ship as a book exchange and informal business incubator and meeting place and to insert an interpretive whale as dramatic theater, itself being a theater. These two physical objects would act as visual metaphor of New Bedford’s history: this is where New Bedford came from, and these objects of exposition serve as an interpretive adventure for the future. This is accomplished by:
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