Animated presentation of my first two years of studio work in the MLA program at Penn. Click to play.
An analysis section of the abandoned warehouse on the Delaware river shore.
A mapping of the former uses and current marginal uses within the site and its vicinity.
A speculative image of some of the activities taking place within the warehouse. Click to see the full image.
Inspiration for the water collection system.
The design was generated from the overlapping grids created by the current warehouse structure and adjacent infrastructure remnants. Click to see the full image.
An exploded axon showing the relationship of the different garden surfaces and functions. Click to see the full image.
A section showing the garden surfaces and uses.
A section showing water collection and "transient" emergent vegetation.
A view of the garden looking toward the warehouse threshold.
A view of the garden looking along the loading dock.
Transient Garden
For this 4 week project, each student was assigned a 60'x60' plot on a former industrial site adjacent to the Delaware River. My site straddled an abandoned shipping warehouse, a loading dock, and a truck and rail loading pad now overtaken by pioneer vegetation. The site has become home to marginal uses such as skateboarding, socializing, and temporary housing.
My design bridged the threshold between the pad and the warehouse, creating a new flexible space for this audience. The loading dock roof diverts water into a channel along the rail line and into a holding basin. A variably porous surface creates a gradient between the warehouse floor and the surrounding field. As the site is reclaimed for mainstream use, the garden remains as an icon and entranceway to the waterfront pier.