ERIC_C

=**Best Fit** = by Eric

=INVESTIGATION STAGE =

**General characteristics of the neighborhood** :
The neighborhood of the vacant lot that have chosen is in Rego Park, New York. In this neighborhood the buildings that people live in are attached single family homes with some apartments here and there. This neighborhood has a mix of fast food and restaurant service. Also in this neighborhood there are many ways of transportation such as buses and trains. There are also many different malls to go to in the neighborhood such as the Queens Center mall and the new mall called Rego Center. In this neighborhood there is also a school called PS 139Q. This neighborhood has many shops such as deli's, painting shops, resaurants, and a library

Images:

 * Tax map ||
 * [[image:Tax_maps_8-3_Chan_Tax_Map.png width="263" height="296"]] ||
 * Street View ||
 * [[image:8-3_Chan_Street_View.png width="344" height="328"]] ||
 * Satellite View ||
 * [[image:8-3_Chan_Satellite_View.png width="475" height="253"]] ||

**Needs assessment** :
**1. A description of what the neighborhood already has.** In this neighborhood there is many things such as single attached homes and apartment buildings. The neighborhood has many different shops such as deli's, supermarkets, a church, a school, a park, transportation, and restaurants. There is also a library in this neighborhood. There are burger joints for some eat and run situations which are MC. Donald's and Burger King. In this neighborhood the train stop is 63rd Drive Rego Park and is a local stop on the train. There are also two malls in this neighborhood which are the Queens Center mall and the Rego Center mall. The school in this neighborhood is called PS. 139. In this neighborhood there are many ways to get on the highway and there is no community center. **2. An analysis of what the neighborhood needs.** This neighborhood is mostly a mixed residential and business neighborhood due to all the homes and all of the shop and stores in the neighborhood. This neighborhood is also a neighborhood which is really accessible to shop due to the two big mall near it and with many different store. This neighborhood may also be somewhat noisy because it has the Long Island Railroad running through it at some places but most of the neighborhood should be quiet. In the neighborhood you can assess many books because the library is right across the block. This neighbrohood needs somewhere to relax and have fun. There should a recreation center such as an aracde or movie theater somewhere in this neighbrohood because all there is many shops and one small park. There is absolutely no where you can have fun.

**Buildings and architects that provide inspiration**
The Solomon R. Guggenhiem Mueseum ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Guggenheim_museum_exterior.jpg width="256" height="252" caption="File:Guggenheim museum exterior.jpg" link="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Guggenheim_museum_exterior.jpg"]]
 * This piece of architecture was made by Frank Lloyd Wright and this piece of architecture inspired me because this building was shaped into a circle and when you are inside you can actually walk up the spiral path to the top. As you walk up there are many different exhibits to see and if you can see other exhibits from the other side of the museum. This seemed interesting how an architect could make a spiral building that winds up and up and have such an interesting form. This gives inspiration to myself because it has such a different geometric shape than the other buildings we see in New York City everyday.

Web. 6 Jan. 2011. <[]>. ||
 * [[image:http://ec3046.k12.sd.us/eiffel-tower.jpg width="188" height="250" caption="View Image" link="@http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0PDoS0kJDtNMWYAbOijzbkF/SIG=11sk0oivg/EXP=1295807908/**http%3a//ec3046.k12.sd.us/eiffel-tower.jpg"]] ||
 * The Eiffel Tower is an inspiration to me because of its amazing size and shape. The Eiffel tower also inspires me because it is a very famous landmark that has stood there for a long time. The looks of this tower also inspires me because I always wonder could could something so big stand for so long and never fall or move. This tower is also the tallest man made tower for 41 years until the Chrysler Tower was built.

"Eiffel Tower." //France: Tourist Attractions//. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <[]>. ||
 * [[image:http://static.newworldencyclopedia.org/thumb/b/ba/Sears_Tower_ss.jpg/256px-Sears_Tower_ss.jpg width="227" height="249" link="http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Image:Sears_Tower_ss.jpg"]] ||
 * I think that the Sears tower is an inspiration to me because it shows me that anything is possible if you set you mind to it. This is the tallest tower built in the U.S. and it is a tall and grand building. I believe this is also and inspiration to me because it is such a enormous building that took a plethora of work but was accomplished.

Web. 6 Jan. 2011. <>. ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Louvre_Museum_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg/500px-Louvre_Museum_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg width="399" height="165" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Louvre_Museum_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg"]] ||
 * I think that this is one of my inspirations because it was built completely out of glass and it is an imazing stucture just by the looks of it. This also serves as an inspiration to me because it looks so amazing and interesting and it is completely made out of glass and catches my eye everytime is look at it or see it in a picture.

"File:Louvre Museum Wikimedia Commons.jpg." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 10 Jan. 2011. <>. ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Great_Wall_of_China_July_2006.JPG/250px-Great_Wall_of_China_July_2006.JPG width="250" height="187" caption="The Great Wall" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Wall_of_China_July_2006.JPG"]] ||
 * This is an inspiration to me because it has been so many years ago and yet it is still stand to this very moment. This wall is grand and it shows me how if you spend a hard time on something it will stay up for a long time. This serves as an inspiration to me because it shows me how strong a far something can stretch and there are no limits when creating something.

Web. 6 Jan. 2011. <>. ||

==** In what ways has this investigation influenced you to design a building for your lot that makes the best fit for the neighborhood. ** == From this investigation it has influenced my design of a building because before i had though of designing a regular old building with nothing special and interesting about it. However, now that I have seen these astounding buildings and landmarks I am thinking about creating a building that is tall and has a different shape and form that is made out of something that stands out from all other building like the pyramid in front of the Louvre museum which is made out of glass. If the building had all of these components it would make the building stand out from the rest and catch other eye. By doing this it would make others draw to want to go inside and take a look. An example is the Guggenheim Museum which has a different shape than all of the buildings that we see everyday. The building is different and that is what may cause people to stop and look at it. If a building in this community were put there many people would stop and be flabbergasted by what they saw and would want to see what it is used for. If the building were big then it would make stand out in this community too because all the buildings are relatively small. It would be a unique building and it would make the people in this community want to visit and see the building.

=DESIGN Brief =

**Design Brief:**
==**Problem to be solved: The problem to be solved is the community needs a new building that is built on an empty lot and it must serve the role of entertaining the community** .==

**Requirements:**

 * This building will require windows only on the front on the front of the building.
 * There should be at least 4 floors to the building.
 * The building should be made up of brick but on the first two floors where the arcade will be and the top of the building should be made up of glass
 * There must also have 2 automatic doors.
 * The top two floors must be completely made out of glass.
 * It must also have a bright red color on the bricks to make it stand out from all of the other buildings.
 * There may be awning so the consumer will not get wet when coming in.
 * On the roof there should be sky lights windows so people inside can see the sky.

**Constraints:**

 * The building must fit to the dimensions of 24.67 feet by 100 feet.
 * The height constraint in this community is the around 3-7 stories high.
 * There must be a minimum setback.

Description of Three Possible Designs  media type="custom" key="8159296" This is a arcade and theater where the theather is on the top two floors with a glass top so that it makes it feel as a comfortable and warm enviroment when the sun is outside. There are also 2 big windows in front of the building and it will allow some light to flow in, in the arcade rooms whcih are in the bottom floors. There is also an awning so that if it is ever raining the consumers can stay under it warm and dry. This is also a 24 feet by 100 feet building which is a perfect fit for the empty lot that i am using.
 * Design #1 **

** Design #2 **  media type="custom" key="8159288" This building has 5 floors and its 3 top floors are devoted to the movie theater while the bottom 2 floor are arcade room floors. The top floors are almost completely made up of glass. The glass acts a window so that people can see outside when they are inside and they can see the light of out side. The bottom floors follows the same structure as my last design and has only 4 windows facing the front since the sides of the building will be right next to a wall. This is also shaped like all the other buildings in the neighbrohood and is 24 feet by 100 feet.

** Design #3 **  media type="custom" key="8159308" This design has a place where you can walk outside on the roof ans look over the houses and enjoy the fresh air. Underneath this will be a movie theater made up of all glass and will allow the sun and light to penetrate the glass and flow inside the building. On the bottom two floors there are 2 windows on each floor and they are only facing the front as the previous designs. This building is also made up of brick in the bottom floors. This building is a rectangular building and it is a 24 feet by 100 feet and it will stand out against the other builings in the neighborhood because it is made up of glass and no other building is made up of glass entirely on some floors.

==** Identify the Best Design: ** The design that I think is the best design is the third design. It has a roof top look out and it has met all the specifications. It is made up of brick on the bottom 2 floors and the top floors are made up of all glass. On the roof top lookout it has a railing made up of fencing and also wood. This building also has 2 doors on the bottom of the building and has 2 windows on each of the floors of the building for the first two floors.==

** Justify Your Choice: ** This is the best choice because I believe that the building will serve its purpose of bring relaxation to this community the best and it meets all of the specifications. I think that this will also be the best design because it makes the place feel more inviting and has all the things needed in the design brief. It has followed all the constraints and it also has some features that would make the place better. It is also the best design because it gives a comfortable feel that would make people draw inside of it and it also stand out from all the buildings in this community. It also think that this is the best choice because it will be able to stand out of the community and allow more people to come to the building. This building also has many features that may lure people in because it is unique and no other building is like it. This is also the best design because I think has some thing extra from the rest which is the top floor lookout because my other designs didn't have an accessible roof which means it was less interesting and it really didn't complete the problem of complete providing leisure to the community.