This advanced design studio from the Spring semester of 2020 was taught under the lead of Coleman Coker as a project for the Gulf Coast Design Lab, a design-build studio hosted at the University of Texas at Austin, and is the first long-running ecologically based program that fosters environmental activism within the field of design and for the public. More can be learned about the specifics of this studio at the link above.
Because this studio started in January of 2020 and was finished in May of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way this studio was managed and executed. Because of the circumstances of this semester, the studio layout changed quite a bit: from a design-build and short design exercise to a build that was cut short and yet to be completed and a much more in-depth conceptual design exercise that examines equity in the context of the Galveston Bay and neighborhoods that surround the Houston Ship Channel.
Coleman Coker stands to the left of the column grid as we prepared to pour concrete footings for our bridge's columns and into the molds formed for the pavers leading to the outdoor living room.
We were planning on a design-build project of a small pedestrian bridge and furniture for an outdoor living room on campgrounds for the Houston Audobon Society at their field research site in High Island (located on the Bolivar Peninsula on the south side of Galveston Bay in Texas). We were able to get out and build for one weekend, but the second got postponed indefinitely, because it is still not safe for our studio to gather and finish construction.
All of this design-build was a fully integrated project, designed by me and ten other people in my studio under the careful direction of our professor Coleman Coker, who has a breadth of experience in this type of studio as the founder of the Gulf Coast Design Lab.
After designing for both pedestrian use and formal exploration, we further refined our bridge by making a drawing set that went through rounds of redlines for constructability and details from our professor. When it is complete, I will add photos of the final product. But check out the process images from our research, prototypes, and build so far here.
One of this final images taken by me during our only weekend of construction in 2020: the pavers from the bridge to the outdoor living room have been poured and the bridge has been fully framed but missing decking (which is complete but remains in Austin in our workshop).
The following collection of images are from site visits and documenting the process of building our bridge and furniture. I was responsible for running the Gulf Coast Design Lab's Instagram account during the semester so I could frequently share our project's progress.
Measuring elevations on site.
Discussing what furniture we could build that would best fit in the space.
Building a prototype of our main chair - to be constructed with cedar and steel.
Professor Coker trying out our prototype.
Studio building the bridge decking.
Measuring and labeling different deck pieces.
Constructing bridge framing on site.
Overall progress during build as concrete is poured for column footings.
The second weekend in March of 2020 lives in all of our memories as the first weekend of COVID-caused shutdowns, including our university for any kind of academic-related travel. That weekend was when we were planning to install the decking of our bridge, and we never met again in person for the remainder of the semester.
In March of 2021, I drove down to High Island from Dallas to finish installing the decking with a handful of people from my studio and volunteers that did not assist in the initial design and build.
The footbridge and pavers we designed and built connect the RV campsites to a screened-in porch outdoor living room.
From the outdoor living room, one can better observe the grade change and how our floating panels work.
View of bridge and pavers with old live oak and RV campers.
Due to the change to become fully online in March of 2020, we began the process of working through a specific design problem of our choosing relating to equity in neighborhoods along the Houston Ship Channel.
I began by looking over my notes from all research done previously in my sketchbook, and how to develop my interests into a complex hypothesis utilizing my principles and principles from the Green New Deal as a guide.
Context map.
A page from my sketchbook shows a development of my ideas before condensing into a project intention and summary
COrporate REsponsibility PARK:
Reinventing Hartman Park
Reinventing Hartman Park
The CORE of the Manchester and Harrisburg Neighborhoods in Houston, Texas.
Intention of Project:
Park and technical school, entirely sponsored by biggest offenders in toxic chemical pollution (Valero, Goodyear, Ameriforge, and Akema) for the specific neighborhood of Manchester/Harrisburg. The institution will train local citizens and hire them to prepare and be proactive for the next environmental disaster that they cause. This space will also include a community center and market, bringing healthy food and yet more jobs to the residents. There will be a satellite park on the proposed Galveston Bay Park sponsored by the main companies that will benefit from the park (Marathon Petroleum, Valero, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron).
Park and technical school, entirely sponsored by biggest offenders in toxic chemical pollution (Valero, Goodyear, Ameriforge, and Akema) for the specific neighborhood of Manchester/Harrisburg. The institution will train local citizens and hire them to prepare and be proactive for the next environmental disaster that they cause. This space will also include a community center and market, bringing healthy food and yet more jobs to the residents. There will be a satellite park on the proposed Galveston Bay Park sponsored by the main companies that will benefit from the park (Marathon Petroleum, Valero, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron).
Summary of Project Intention:
- Provide a purposeful community center and daycare for residents.
- Provide a consistent source of healthy and affordable food.
- Provide jobs and training for residents to learn the mitigation process as well as proactive measures in the case of the next chemical spill, climate disaster, or crisis in the community
- Research and develop biological/technological resources for residents facing health problems caused by any major corporation listed.
- Research Lab Types: Research Renewable Power Options, Environmental Clean Up – Preparatory and Reactionary, Ongoing monitoring of local air, water, and soil quality.
- Provide a purposeful community center and daycare for residents.
- Provide a consistent source of healthy and affordable food.
- Provide jobs and training for residents to learn the mitigation process as well as proactive measures in the case of the next chemical spill, climate disaster, or crisis in the community
- Research and develop biological/technological resources for residents facing health problems caused by any major corporation listed.
- Research Lab Types: Research Renewable Power Options, Environmental Clean Up – Preparatory and Reactionary, Ongoing monitoring of local air, water, and soil quality.
The Green New Deal was used as an outline to focus goals and intentions for this project.
After extensive research on my selected topics, I planned and developed site plans and other drawings to elaborate further. Throughout this, I spent most of my time refining my concept and developing schematic designs that best aligned with my big picture.
Image via National Geographic. Click image to read more.
I chose this site in the Manchester/Harrisburg neighborhoods because of its unique qualities. It is currently home to a community center, playground, baseball field, and basketball court all while surrounded on two sides by private residences and the other two sides by a Valero chemical refinery plant.
Bubble diagram of site plan.
Overall site plan.
Plan of all buildings.
This site was split into three clusters: community center, green grocer, and technical school. All of these unique programmatic needs are linked together by an extended roofline and similar formal language - providing an experience from one end of the site to the other that does not change in appearance while changing in function.
Community Center plan.
Community Center section.
Community Center rendering.
The community center includes an auditorium, meeting room, administrative office space, and a day care linked by a combination of open and partially shaded courtyards linked by the continuous roof form. This expands on the site's existing community center.
Green Grocery plan.
Green Grocery section.
Green Grocery - central plaza perspective.
The green grocer cluster includes an open plaza in the front for any farmers' markets or future community needs, a grocery store with storage spaces and a covered loading dock, as well as a garage door-style café space for fresh foods. This adds to the overall site by taking these neighborhoods out of the "food desert" status that they still hold.
Technical School plan.
Technical School section.
Technical School perspective.
The technical school is the most important part of the site - including a library, classrooms, labs, and an administrative office. This is where a company such as Valero will collaborate with the community they are polluting to work towards more equitable solutions.
The entire concept represented in this project is a novel one - it is one in which large corporations and known polluters take accountability for their actions by financially uplifting the communities they exploit for profit. Developing a technical school to teach and pay residents to develop solutions for pending "natural" disasters, chemical spills, and any other hazard caused (directly or indirectly) by the companies is very new - even newer if it includes progressive and equitable program components that provide fresh foods, childcare, and strive to foster a sense of community.
At the time that I am writing this, the only form of accountability that Valero has exercised is just over $600,000 in grants and in-kind donations to revitalize just the existing playground located in Hartman Park, nothing about tking responsibility for contributing to the creation of this so-called cancer cluster or the declining health of adjacent residents. More can be read about this "generosity" here.