Water Network - NYC
This is a team research and design project, which pursues solutions for Water Street in Manhattan. This street suffers from continuous floods and has a particular scale, which makes it uncomfortable and consequently a "left over space" in the city. Co-designers: Architects C. Maier and H. Vicci.
Opportunity spaces: POPS (Private Owned Public Spaces)
NETWORK: GREEN + WATER + INFRASTRUCTURE
The general idea is not to stop the water, but to project its flow and create places that could be use either with or without water. Under this concept the city will have water but it would be in planned spaces. Moreover, the water will be clean and will not raze with everything along the streets and carry garbage and diseases.
STRATEGIES
1.Technology
Walls as reactive canvases
2. Scale
Establishing a new sense of scale
Provide a evacuation space
3. Patchwork
Encouraging a mix of program
Actions (move, rest, etc.)
Restrictions for retail
4. Network of greens
Flood zones that can redirect water to the slips
5. Establish Continuity to create an identity
Same language throughout spaces
NEW IMAGES OF WATER STREET
NEW LEISURE ACTIVITIES UNDER THE ARCADES
50% GREEN 50% LEISURE
Green + Leisure mixed per property
Since the POPS are private owned public spaces, there has to be a new regulation for how they are going to be used.
Each Property has to have 50% green and 50% leisure/commercial/retail.
Property owners can get together to divide or arrange these % for better results.
Commerces or retails can not be repeated within the same block, and some stores will have a limit in sq feet to operate, for the purpose of not occupy large spaces with only one commerce.
Property owners are responsable of the finiancial costs of the new infrastructure, with the back-up of the city planning department.
Earnings of the retails/commerce/gastronomic/rent will be for the owners. (in those cases, where the city lend money for the new infrastructure construction, the earnings will be use for paying the debts, until those are finished.
Maximization of Absorbing Soil
In those cases, where the underground program doesn't allow to prepare an absorbing green area the program has to be modified prioritizing the absorbing depth
Platforms
The Platforms are used:
-to change the uncomfortable scale under the arcades
-to provide a place for gastronomic or commercial activities
-to carry the interactive installations
-as an alternative emergency circulation in case of a flood
SLIPS
The green absorbing slips re-direct the water while the sea level rises and in case of a flood while creating a different landscape.
The slips are flexible in use, could be green or canals
