PAULINA

= **Best Fit** = by Paulina

= INVESTIGATION STAGE =

**General characteristics of the neighborhood** :
The neighborhood that contains my lot is Jackson Heights. Jackson Heights is very historical, and in that way, very comforting and unique. Many of the buildings are old, some even around 100 years old. All of the buildings in Jackson Heights have these designs that make this neighborhood different from others. At the very top of buildings, and even store buildings, there are extra designs that aren't in many other places in New York. Many of the buildings have gardens in the back where the people who live there are able to relax, but not all buildings have that. It is said that many years ago, wealthy people, such as princesses once lived in Jackson Heights.

Block and Lot Number:
Block Number: 1443 Lot Number: 3

**Size of lot:** // **75 x 100** //

**Needs assessment** :
**1. A description of what the neighborhood already has.** The neighborhood is called Jackson Heights and it is a historic area with old, but beautiful and fancy buildings. In this area, there are many low-rise apartments, but also a few townhouses here and there. The buildings have a historic touch that makes the town welcoming. There are quite a few pharmacies, such as Rite-Aid, which is right next to the lot. There are also a lot of delis on Northern Boulevard, but they aren't quite so nice and welcoming. Many nationalities live in Jackson Heights, therefore there are a lot of unique restaurants with food from all over the world. Many of these restaurants are found along Northern Boulevard, and a few more are on 37th Avenue. There aren't many stores with clothes around the lot other than Mandee's which is a few blocks away. A few smaller stores can be found with clothes, but they arent too close. Many clothes stores can be found on 37th Avenue, escpecially on 82nd Street. You can find Children's Place, Payless Shoes, and other well known stores. Near the lot, there are also many stores with phones from many phone companies. There are a few places of worship such as the St. Joan of Arc church on 82nd Street. There are no big factories or stores, other than C-Town on 37th Avenue which is close, but not so close. There are a lot of dentists and doctors, especially on 82nd Street and around there. There are a few schools, such as St. Joan of Arc, the Renaissance School, and P.S. 212. Jackson Heights also has a Queens Library on 81st Street, which is about 8 blocks away from the lot. Jackson Heights is a great tourist area because of it's history. It is said that princesses and other wealthy people once lived in Jackson Heights.

**2. An analysis of what the neighborhood needs.** I would think that the neighborhood needs a really well held apartment building that is unique and pretty on the inside and out. There should be many more underground or on ground parking because to find parking for a car in Jackson Heights is a nightmare. If there were more parking around Jackson Heights, adults wouldn't have to spend about half an hour (or time depending on the day) less, or even more on parking the car. Grown ups would have time to relax after work and spend time with their family. The neighborhood doesn't need delis and pharmacies because there are a bunch and a few right next to the lot. If more delis were built, some businesses would go bankrupt because they won't have any clients. Although Jackson Heights is a very pretty community, a park would be wonderful. Not a playground. A place to relax, with grass all around, and many trees. It would really help the neighborhood and the world. People would be able to relax and "get out of the city." The town needs a place to work out and relax. A place with a spa, pool, and work out machines would be very popular in Jackson Heights since there are no places like that near by.

**Buildings and architects that provide inspiration**

It looks as if it came out of a fairy tale, and it doesn't even look real. This building is located in Sopot, Poland and it was created by Szotynscy Zaleski. I am inspired by this building because unlike other buildings all around the world, it is probably the only one of its kind. This building probably took people a long time to plan out and actually build. || This building is found in Poland and it was designed by a business man. This building is very interesting because how often to you see an upside down building or house. It must have been very hard to build this building with all of the diagonals and angles. The architects must have had a lot of patience to build this house. By looking at this house, it makes me wonder how it all looks inside, and how do people walk inside. The outside of the house leaves me with many questions. I was surprised that the building stood up, with only one side in the ground. ||
 * [[image:Picture_9.png width="224" height="241"]] || [[image:http://images.stanzapub.com/readers/2008/09/18/338329_0.jpg width="311" height="233"]] || [[image:upside_down_house.jpg width="352" height="264"]] ||
 * This building is one of The Towers in Jackson Heights. It is one of the most elegant buildings here. The Towers have a big, beautiful garden and private elevators, which are my favorite part. This building was created by Andrew J. Thomas in 1924. Although the building might have been many years, it is a wonderful place to live in. || This building is very unique, but charming.


 * [[image:file:///Users/student/Desktop/basket.jpg]][[image:basket.jpg width="350" height="273"]] || [[image:http://lh5.ggpht.com/_dlkAw43cLC0/SRxCqSG_zCI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/X7Q7oXLeVAA/s800/06-kansascitypubliclibrary-thumb.jpg width="389" height="263" caption="Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, United States)"]] ||
 * This is a very, very unique structure. This building inspires me because it seems very hard to design and actually build, with all of the over,under, over, and under. This building catches everybody's eye. I would really like to work in this building and I think that it was a really great idea to have the office building to relate to the object you sell. || This building really caught my eye because it is one of a kind. This building is inspiring because it isn't one of those boring libraries that are usually gray or some normal building. This library is very colorful with well known books on the exterior walls. This really inspires me because it was a really good idea to put big books on the walls. It really catches people's eye and brings them over. ||

** In what ways has this investigation influenced you to design a building for your lot that makes the best fit for the neighborhood. **
This investigation influenced me to design a building for the lot that makes the best fit for the neighborhood. The basket and book building influenced me because I can make a building representing the thing that the office sells. Its a good idea to have the building represent what you sell or give because more people would want to come. For example, a shoe store should have a shape of a sneaker. This idea is very inspirational and unique. I would definitely do something of this sort if I was building a recreation center or a store. This investigation informed me that some buildings are weirder than others, but that could be that they serve for different purposes. A regular building is a regular place to live in, but the upside down house is mainly for tourism. Even though the upside down house is cool, it cant really be a place for somebody to live. It doesn't look as strong as other buildings because it only has one part of the house in the ground. By the look of it, the house doesn't look balanced. It could be possible that more weight is on one side. I could build something similar to the Towers because they are simple, but also unique in their own way because of the tiled roof and something that looks like a small bell tower. I don't have much room, so I can just do something similar to the Towers, except that there wouldn't be a garden because of lack of space.

** Citation: **
 * "The Basket Building in Ohio." //Home Decorating Trends- Interior Design & Home Design//. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. <[]>.
 * "The Towers Coop Jackson Heights | Towers Apartments Jackson Heights Queens." //Co-op Jackson Heights NY - MPC Properties LLC - Michael P. Carfagna//. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. <[]>.
 * "10 of the Worlds Most Inspiring Buildings | Creative Architecture." //Yurei Media//. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. <[]>.
 * "Kansas City Library (Missouri, USA)." //Unusual Architecture//. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. <[]>.
 * "Amazing Upside Down House." //Smart Picture | Cool Picture//. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. <[]>.

= DESIGN BRIEF =

**Requirements:**

 * brownish-reddish brick walls
 * a tiled roof
 * there has to be something representing what the building is used for
 * should attract attention and people due to its shape and/or anything else that is maybe unusual or just attractive
 * has to have at least 4 windows, can't have too many
 * has to have at least one entryway

**Constraints:**

 * has to fit in the lot (75 x 100)
 * no more than 4 floors

**Function:**
My building is supposed to be a work out center, a gym (something like YMCA, but better). It will be a place for people living in Jackson Heights to work out, play sports, relax, and have fun with family and friends.

Description of Three Possible Designs = Design #1 = media type="custom" key="8114064" This model is a fitness center in the shape of a weight. The weight shape of the building is very unique and it will attract others to come closer and see it, and maybe even join the fitness club. The building has three floors including the ground floor. It is made up of an old red and brown brick. There are really big windows on each floor going almost all around the weights in a pattern until they meet the ground or roof. The roof is tiled with small tiles of different light colors. The entrance is a light tannish yellow color door facing Northern Boulevard. The size of the building is about 75 x 100, which is the footprint of the lot.

** Design #2 ** media type="custom" key="8150662"

This model is a fitness center for my lot. It is a regular rectangular three-dimensional figure with balls and weights on the roof and all around. On the roof, there is one big orange basketball closer to the front of the building, but also centered. Around the basketball, there are five black weights at different angles. On the ground there are no sport balls, one on each side of the entrance. On the left there is a bowling ball and on the right there is a tennis ball. The balls and weights would probably be attractive and attract customers. The sport balls and weights would represent what the building would be used for, a fitness club. Without looking inside, the people of Jackson Heights would probably guess that the building is a fitness center or a sports center. The building has 3 large windows on one wall and one circled window above the entryway containing four windows in all. The size of the building is about 75 x 100, which is the lot footprint.

** Design #3 **

media type="custom" key="8147476" T﻿his third model is also a fitness center for my lot. It is three floors high, and it's footprint is about 98 by 73 which is about the size of the whole lot. This building has five circle shaped windows﻿ on the first floor (ground floor). This is useful because people of Jackson Heights would be able to see inside of the fitness club without going in and they will know that the club is neat and comforting﻿. On the frontage side, facing Northern Boulevard, I have three doors, just in case there is a lot of people coming into the building. Next to the doors, I have windows of the same size as the doors for light and for people to see inside the building. Over the entrances, there are two weights randomly put in at a slant. They are half way into the building and half way out (you can see part of the weight inside of the building and part of it on the outside. This could really be interesting. This building doesn't have a flat roof completely. It has a little slant which is clear and the small flat part of the roof is made of little tiles.

** Identify the Best Design: **
The best design in my opinion would be the second design. This is the design with the big basketball and a few weights on the roof, and two sports balls, each on one side of the entrance. This building is a fitness center and has three floors and four windows, three on one side, and a circle window above the entry way.

** Justify Your Choice: ﻿ **
The design that I feel best fits Jackson Heights and follows the design brief completely is design 2. This building is used as a fitness club. Families and friends can go to work out and play sports. This design has three stories, which is the limit, and has four windows which is the minimum described on the design brief. There is a big basketball and around it are five weights on the roof. On the ground, there is a tennis and bowling ball, one on each side of the door. The balls and weights would be quite unique because I never in my life saw a building with sport balls or weights on the roof. It would be a sight and customers would probably come because of the outside of the building. The exterior of the building most likely describes and represents what is on the interior of the building. Without going inside, people would automatically know that the purpose of the building is a fitness club or something of that sort. The first design of my fitness center was in a shape of a weight, but it isn't quite as good as the second design. It has all of the windows, entrances, brick and roof colors needed, but it lacked something. It was hard to tell that it was to be a weight. People in Jackson Heights couldn't have guessed what the purpose of the building was. Design one is less creative than design two because all it is a weight shaped building with a few clear walls. It wasn't something really special and exciting. The balls and weights are more of a "wow" because they are unique and they stand out. The third design has the weights just like the second design has, but they are on a wall, not on the roof. I don't think the third design is as good as the second design because it has too many clear walls or roofs giving too much sunlight and too little privacy. Too many clear walls also doesn't match to Jackson Heights because it looks a bit more modern. The second design doesn't have too many or too little windows. The second design is perfect comparing it to the design brief.