PARK + KITCHEN + HOUSE
In the research portion of this project, one of the main concepts looked at was agriculture in Illinois. Illinois is one of the leading producers of many agriculture commodities due to their varied soil types and climate. Illinois produces a variety of crops including wheat, corn, and an assortment of produce. Due to the pandemic, farmers that sell directly to consumers rather than large companies, had a hard time selling their crops. With lowered income in rural farm households, it is apparent that there is a need for more job opportunities within the city.
Since 75% of the land is farmland, the Illinois economy can be negatively or positively impacted by the accessibility of agricultural jobs. A beneficial solution to the Illinois economy would be to create jobs in downtown Chicago for rural Illinois farmers.
Another focal point of the research was the rent trends in downtown Chicago in comparison to the national average. The majority of rent in Chicago is greater than $2000 per month, with the national average being under $1600 per month. While there are multiple apartment and living options surrounding the Fulton Market District in downtown Chicago, there is a significant decrease in apartment availability as one moves further east.
An organic form that embodies multiple void spaces + layers.
With heritage green park being situated in the center of a transportation hub, it provides accessibility to the site. Ogilvie station, Chicago Union station, and multiple bus stops can provide transportation to the site from many locations.
Looking closer to the site, the proposed park has extended to take over the entire city block on the northern region, leaving the medical building in place.
To connect the surrounding green spaces, the proposed structure has multiple elevations. The surrounding green spaces are at ground level and 18' elevation. On the north side of our site, the elevation is at 18 feet to connect the two adjacent green spaces on the east facing side. This situation creates community at different elevations.
To preserve the natural aspect of the site, the view lines from different areas are very important and dictate the form. The view lines show what a person would see while standing in multiple spots in the surrounding streets. From the majority of these angles, the site will still look like a park.
Moving into the floor plan, there are entrances on the east and west facing sides that open up into a large centralized public courtyard that is open to above to create a void within a void. This space features a covered seating area, which would allow the space to still be used during harsh weather conditions. Across from the covered seating, there are large amphitheater seats open to above. The central courtyard in the center of these two spaces can be used for many different activities, one of them being a farmer’s market.
Proceeding north through the pathways, an individual will pass by small underground seating spaces that will lead to a farm to table restaurant. There is built in seating that resembles an amphitheater for the customers. As well, there are restaurant tables to create a more formal dining experience. The space has a central kitchen and bar that also includes an open observational farm to table food prep area. All of the experiences in the space revolve around this central point.
Proceeding south through the pathways, one will follow into a residential courtyard that contains 2 levels of apartments. There are multiple layers of space. The first layer is the ground level courtyard that can be accessed by the public, but mainly used by the residents. The second layer of space includes our first floor of apartments. The second floor of apartments creates a third level of space in the residential area of this structure.
This section perspective is showing the relationship between the pathways and the formal dining experience.
The next section perspective is showing the layers of space in the residential side as well as the relationship of the void space and the city.
The topography lines are separated by a 3 feet distance. It is important to note that the north elevation reaches a max of 18 feet, and the south elevation reaches a max of 28 feet. The slopes on the northwest and northeast corners are easily walkable to reach the top of the structure. On the southwest and southeast corners, the incline is steeper to deter individuals from inhabiting the more private space.
This circulation diagram shows the abundance of pathways. It is important to note how to circulate throughout the space. the four entrances all lead into tunnels and pathways that connect to each individual program.
Taking a closer look, specifically at the tunnels and pathways, it portrays how to occupy the built-in seating and how to access the centralized courtyard.
There is a strong relationship between the public and private space within the structure, as well as the formal and informal relationship in the farm to table restaurant. This can be seen as a gradient connecting the different experiences throughout the space.
The materials used in this project directly relate to the organic nature of the form. The materials are inspired by naturally occurring elements.
This perspective displays the experience of the informal dining space. Individuals can order their food at the bar counter and choose to inhabit the space in the interior or the exterior.
This perspective shows the opposite side of the restaurant, which is the more formal dining experience. Individuals can choose to be served at the bar space, the open tables, or the more private rooms.
The central courtyard space is a space where many activities can take place. The void surrounded by the city gives the individual a feeling of being in an interior while being outside.
This perspective shows the entrance sequence into the underground pathways, which leads them to all three programs.
This view shows how the sightlines from the park are mainly green space and shows the relationship of all the voids within the city.
