Week 5: Part 2

Over the long weekend i produced a 3d massing model in revit of the Gowanus Canal.

I think being able to rotate and zoom the massing model has given me a new dimension of the canal.  This was especially apparent with building typologies, shadow castings and presence at street level.

In a setting placed 100+ years into the future, the massing model will be adapted to suit.

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Map 2: Revitalization 
The second mapping analysis identifies the lack of green space with areas that can be reworked into green spaces, which in turn could create a green conduit for residents to move through from the previously selected sites from Map 1: Gentrification 

Brooklyn Green Heatmap

Map found at

https://www.addressreport.com/image/5502190282080256

Green Space and Potential Green Space Map

Map based upon

https://www.addressreport.com/image/5502190282080256

The light green highlights areas which have little to no vegetation qualities whilst the dark green shows park facilities located in or near the suburb of Gowanus.

Hardscape Map

The light blue areas currently serve as parking lots, these areas are focused upon for regeneration as the future of Gowanus will become a sustainable suburb, limiting use of cars and promoting pedestrian and bike transportation as seen in Map 3: Connectivity.  The dark blue areas are identified as vacant sites

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Map 3: Connectivity
The third mapping analysis looks at the connectivity of site to areas which were analysed previously as areas of highest potential for gentrification.

As a general consensus, car ownership is set at 44% in Brooklyn and is slowly declining.  This does not take into account who and where in Brooklyn that own vehicles.

From a more sustainable point of view i decided to look at bike and pedestrian paths as the sole transportation through the suburb of Gowanus.

Bike Map

Bike Paths highlighted in blue.  These paths are dedicated lanes which share a portion of Brooklyns Roads.  This is seen in images sourced from Google Maps below

Images sourced from googlemaps.com.au

Pedestrian Map

Pedestrian paths highlighted in pink

Pedestrian paths feature on most blocks in the suburb of Gowanus.  There is definitely a defined edge between building and road whilst also lacking in character and vegetation.

Images sourced from googlemaps.com.au

Transportation Map

Pink circles indicate 800 meter radius whilst the green circles mean subway stations and yellow circles indicate bus stops.

I believe walk-ability of a site can only go so far and there needs to be connections within a walk able distance to different forms of public transport such as buses and trains.  The suburb of Gowanus is highly connected through public transport with opportunities for designated transport hubs connecting directly to pedestrian and bicycle paths.

Ideogram Before Circulation

Bridges are the sole means of crossing the Gowanus Canal with quite a few dead end streets meeting the canal in between.  There is currently no opportunities for people to move up or down through the canal, requiring one to cross over the selected bridges.

Ideogram After Circulation 

Proposed Connections Map

The green spots identify areas where pedestrians and people using bikes can enter into the new pathway, whilst bridges connect to the new pathway for occupants.  The proposed path network links the two segregated areas highlighted in red.

Revit map showing boardwalk (brown) and path which connects segregated areas (grey)

Accessing the canal boardwalk is shown in the following diagram.

Road rejuvenation , expanding upon greening footpaths and roads and widening bike paths.