Connect 4 Pocket Park

“Connect 4 Pocket Parks” gets the name from the idea that all four pocket parks are connected through pedestrian walkways to make it easy to access for tourist. Also, the connect part for the design is shown in a different sense when it comes to the network of each pocket area. For example, each pocket park consists of grass patches, the same paving texture, a water feature, and same species of trees.

The concept of “Connect 4 Pocket Parks” was to create a tall building layout developed at certain heights to manipulate the sun’s light access into each pocket park long enough each day to allow for plants and grass patches to survive. Also, creating a way to develop the street scape to connect in a way to all four pocket parks was part of the concept as well.

Site Analysis & Inventory

Legend

Residential Buildings
Offices
Commercial
Industrial

Major Flooding
Entrances into site
Trail
Sewage smell areas
Steep slopes in the area all consists around the perimeter of the site boundary, all at least 25% in slope
Overlook area
Railroad
Trail splits to other side of river
Residential homes mostly only located here in site
Bus stop's location

Zoning

Site Design is narrowed down to just River Front North Shore zoning.

Flood Areas

Alot of area is known to flood so adding a border of vegetation could help this problem.

Steep Sloped Areas

Steep slopes also cause flooding because all water is draining through north side of the site to the river.

Concept

Figure shows the proposed circulation, green space, parking areas, and new road layout.

Legend

Tree Borders are in Green
Trail Path is in Red
Road layout is in Black

The trail path concept idea was to all for pedestrians to interact with the site more than just along the river. Adding tree borders all along the perimeter of the site is to slow down the flooding in the area and make the site more enclosed from the rest of the city.

Masterplan

Legend

Parking Area
Green Space
Riparian Forest Area
Trail
Railroad
Pedestrian Road

Masterplan consists of large, stacked buildings at different heights that include four pocket parks and newly designed streetscape along David McCullough Bridge. Also has a road toward the north of site that is closed off for strictly pedestrian use making it easier to access each pocket park and not worry about traffic. A few areas have parking lots, but for the most part parking is proposed on the first floor of a few buildings.

Streetscape

Streetscape is divided into three lanes with the orange-colored lane used only for buses. The sidewalk along the road is made up of Techo block pavers to match the four pocket parks.

Streetscape also has bright yellow as a proposed way to allow for traffic calming by vehicles seeing the crosswalks from a further distance away.

Each sidewalk along the road consists of planters along the side of the buildings to catch runoff water from the buildings. Also consists of planting beds with vegetation to collect water from the sidewalks before hitting the road.

Patches of grass are also located along the sidewalks to connect back to the pocket parks as well.

Sidewalk is wider on the left to try to persuade people to use that side of the road when walking because that is where the bus stop is, and three of the four pocket parks are located.

The section also shows the street lighting and how it shines along the road and sidewalks. Also, the planting area along the sidewalk are 2 ft tall so it allows for people to sit and rest by using it as a bench if need be.

Street Drainage System

Sewage drains are located along the road to be carried to the river through the use of sewage pipes. Also, sidewalk is slanted towards road so stormwater can lead into the vegetated areas adjacent to the road.

Drainage Flow

Since the road is crowned, the water will end up leading towards the left and right side of the road and flow down until it reaches a sewage drain that way flooding is not a problem during storms.

Pocket Park 1

Area is proposed next to a mixed-use building that consists of residential apartments and a cafe. The cafe has area for outdoor seating which is then divided from the residential area with vegetation. The whole pocket part consists of grass patches, seating walls, a water feature, lighting, and Techo block pavers.

The cafe is only one floor which allows for more sunlight to enter the site based off the suns path throughout the day. The area gets sunlight anytime from 10am-3pm.

Perspective shows what the pocket park looks like from the street. On the right side of the road is a Techo block cross walk to allow for people to enter and exit the area that way. The paver crosswalk leads through an opened-up area of the building to the other side where the pedestrian road would be located.

Also, the figure shows the shaded areas of the site based on the sun light, as well as how the trees will be planted on top of the paved ground to allow for a naturalistic look.

Pocket Park 2

Pocket Park 2 shows more of a passive design, where it is not really meant to stay around for a long period of time but can still be used as that if need be. The area consists of picnic tables, a water wall, a pond area, patches of grass, seating walls, lighting, vegetation, and Techo block pavers.

Used stacked building method to allow for more sunlight to enter the open space. Best times throughout the day for sunlight in area is from 10 am-4 pm.

Section shows what the pocket park would look like from the north side road. The water wall creates a divider in the middle to allow for two distinct walking paths through the area.

Also, the section shows how the planting area on the left is risen to allow for people to sit if they would like.

Pocket Park 3

The pocket park is located between two residential buildings and is similar to that of the famous Paley Park located in New York. The area has steps leading up to the pocket park to not make the two buildings feel as tall where it makes the area feel enclosed. Area consists of seating areas, water wall, lighting, patches of grass, and Techo block pavers.

The building to the left is two stories lower to the one on the right to allow for sunlight to enter the site for a few hours throughout the day. Between 11 am- 5 pm is when the area gets the most sun.

Section shows the height of the pocket park when elevated with the steps to that of the building heights. Also elevating the area allows for more sunlight to enter the site where trees and patches of grass can be added and still survive.

Also, the section does a good job of showing the height of the light fixtures and the water wall in the back of the park.

Pocket Park 4

This pocket park design is very simple and is mostly made to attract people into the commercial building. But even with the design being simple it still holds those certain aspects; patches of grass, Techo block pavers, lighting, and water feature; to still have a connection with the rest of the pocket parks.

The Orange building and blue building in the figure are designed in a way to allow for more sun to enter the pocket park. But since the area doesn't need as much sun there was no need to add to much of lower height sections of the building. Sunlight enters the site from 10 am-2 pm

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