final presentation

INVENTORY
Donnelly Park is situated in Gentilly, New Orleans. It is a community garden mainly serving the neighborhoods around. Before Hurricane Katrina, Japanese Magnolia and live oaks are planted in the park. After the hurricane, only live oaks stand here. Another change is that new house in this neighborhoods tend to be more than two-story height (20’ – 30’) in contrast with one-story old house before.

IDEA EXPLORING
The idea is division. Trying to create spaces for different programs for the neighborhoods. A strong path, a gathering deck, and topography are three important elements in this design. The idea dividing means using the path or the topography to divide the park into two parts. The topography lines come into the deck and then go to the south. During the process, I tried to shift these three elements in different places and fit programs into it, as the drawing above. This is to find a stronger scheme for this design.

The above one is the master plan for the park. As showed in the plan, there are five spaces: passive (shady), active (sunny), playground, deck (building), and community gardens. Meanwhile, the sections&elevations shows the texture of each space as well as the relationship between the surrounding houses and the park. The drawing Diagram is composed of program, vegetation (grasses, community gardens, and trees), circulation, and shade (different time in one day). As indicated in the program diagram, some programs overlap. That allows the park provide as many community programs as possible. The second one is vegetation diagram. The trees are composed of existing live oaks and proposal Japanese Magnolia and native trees. The circulation also concerns the surrounding streets and traffic. Finally, the shade study diagrams attempt to show the shade areas in the park with time changing.

perspective — path view

perspective — active space
varied active programs

perspective — passive space
white & pink feeling while magnolia blooming

Monday deskcrit

drawings shown on the coming Friday

1:20 site plan

1:10 section/elevation

diagrams: program, vegetation, circulation, shade, and idea exploring
perspectives….

 and 1:10 site model with some study models..

no idea….

still cannot work…
the thumbnail can be seen ,but the full size cannot….

Inventory

Gentilly_park&school

Gentilly_transportation

many many ways

Last post I mentioned I would try to strengthen the idea dividing. The following are some examples I make by AutoCAD and hands….Some are interesting, but some not so interesting. I’ll try to incorporate the interesting into my design. In fact, I realize that there are still many many ways that can be tried. so many….

Next step is to fit gathering deck in these experiments.

strengthen dividing

The strong wide divides the park into two parts. I’d like one to be more refined feeling and the other more natural. Some prgrams may overlap on these two part. The path and water channel help connect two part and make them as a whole community park.

While the idea dividing is not strongly showed on my plan now, I will try to use topograpgy, water channel and materials to strengthen the idea. Try to figure out how and try to make some study models.

moving

About the photoshop
I just know the basic commands taught by the lecture 1102. I believe that the basic commands, in fact, are enough to render the idea. However, how to get the work done within limited time is another question. I am still exploring.

SketchUP
It feels OK to build a model by SketchUP and it is helpful in perspective rendering. Basically, it helps show the idea in 3D; at the same time, a 2D graphic by SketchUP need to be improved and modified by photoshop to make it looks good. exploring……

Concept and water channel
I weighted too much on the water channel rather than the concept dividing in Friday’s presentation. The water channel should help the concept develop. I try to figure out how to use the water channel and the strong path to make the divided parts as a whole, not separated areas.

Additionally, when it comes to the water channel, it still have to be modified. Although it looked not so natural and strong as other parts, I had a little fear to modified it because I wonder whether the width of the site is enough for playground and passive area. At the same time, the safety of the water channel is also important. But I still do not understand how to link the water experience to the park development….–

Diagrams
I totally accept that diagrams should be rendered as clear as possible. If graphics are not enough to tell all the information, adding some concise text is necessary.

Review

some of the feedbacks:

the cleanning system practically works or not…..
safety of the playground beside the water channel…
programs not limited in certain areas….
multiple sacles….

Ground Fountain

These are photos of ground fountains in the precedent parks, Schouwburgplein and Greenwich Peninsula. I prefer to this kind of fountain that people can walk through and play with. Try to incorporate those into the water channel.