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URBAN INCUBATOR / STIMULATOR

NEW MEDIA CENTER | SECOND-YEAR STUDIO

Carnegie Mellon University | School of Architecture

Instructor Jeremy Ficca | Professor Jennifer Lucchino | Spring 2017

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Project Site : East Liberty Neighborhood in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This project required to design an Urban Incubator/ Stimulator which is a mixed-use building that contribute to the business vitality of East Liberty’s central business district while nurturing the creative culture of Pittsburgh’s East End. The design had to maximize utilization and impact throughout the day, evening, week, and across seasons for the users. The three primary program components are Technology Business (incubator) consisting small business start-up spaces that provides resources and advisement with flexible office and meeting spaces, New Media Gallery and Event Space (stimulator) consisting various ranges of activities containing displays of immersive and interactive media art and production of public events, and Cafe to accommodate morning and lunch hours for casual dining. This project also required some thoughts into structural components as well as exploring materiality uses that provide opportunity to incorporate how natural light is modulated to achieve a range of natural light conditions and spatial atmospheres. To engage with the site provided, each volume of space has been designed by shifting spaces that allows users to flow into the building easily as well as bring people together from the neighborhood. Using different materials exhibited different atmospheres such as open and inviting on the ground floor using glass and a little bit closed off and private on the second floor using concrete wall. With the use of central stair, it invites people into the building as well as allow them to explore the building. The transparency in the building also accommodated for the view from the vehicles passing by so the activities are easily acknowledged. The vertical shifts allows for double height spaces which also the users to enjoy some acoustic qualities in the building.

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Section

Plans

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Renders

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Lobby

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2nd floor hallway

Diagrams

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program and shift diagram.jpg

Materiality Concept Model

Final Model

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