KATIE

=**Best Fit** = by Katie

=INVESTIGATION STAGE =

**General characteristics of the neighborhood** :
This neighborhood is and up coming urban area with busy Northern Boulevard, running right through it; making it practically two different halves. It is Long Island City, with does have many big box stores located in it, such as Home Depot, Toys R Us, Sports Authority, Michaels, and car dealerships on the Southern part of Northern Boulevard. Then, on the other side there are also smaller stores along the Boulevard and one big box store, Best Buy along with little delis and grocery stores, surrounding the areas for housing. There are not many apartments, or houses besides the Woodside Public Housing Projects, which is sort of a rough area. The dining in the neighborhood is also very good, with stores like Pizza Hut, Dominos, Boston Market, and many Thai restaurants. For the places of worship in he Neighborhood, there is one quite huge Chinese temple of some sort not too far from the location I have chosen.

Block and Lot Number:
Block Number: 1192 Lot Number: 41

Size of lot:
257.6 x 260.01 x 275.59 x 270.01

Images:
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**Needs assessment** :
**1. A description of what the neighborhood already has.** The neighborhood that I have chosen to transform is an industrial urban area, therefore it has many buildings supporting different large-name companies. What this neighborhood has, is many small car dealerships held in 1-story stores. The area also has many big box stores, that are very popular to people all around the world. I would say there are about 5 of these and they very much make up a big part of this neighborhood. Another thing that the Northern part of Northern Boulevard consists of is delis, and other small grocery stores, these are also very important. **2. An analysis of what the neighborhood needs.** Since most of Lng Island City is made up of bustling streets, pretty active big box stores, and then many car dealerships, it feels like it needs something to make the neighborhood feel a little more comfortably welcoming. Somewhere that can be used for people in this community to go to and socialize without worrying about the busy, and noisy streets they are surrounded by. To be able to bring this forth I think that somehng like an art gallery, a library, or maybe even a large bakery coul be added. The reason I think that an art gallery woould fit in nicely in this area is because Long Island City, is a very diverse, vibrant, fresh, and upcoming place to be and the gallery would keep all of these amazing factors, yet introduce a new style in the neigborhood. The reason that I think a library or bakery would be suited for this kind of neighborhood is because I think it might soften up the area since both libraries and bakeries are usually delicate, quiet places to be. However, I do think that to make my mark in such a new area like Long Island City, I would carry through on my idea of building an art galleria here in this neighborhood. The art gallery would be huge, with stylish lights, and unique structures so that it is surely one-of-a-kind. When people come to visit it, they will automatically find it enlightening, or so I hope.

**Buildings and architects that provide inspiration**
I chose this design as one of my inspirations because I found it quite stylish, and fresh compared to some of the buildings Long Island City already has. Just looking at the strange structure of the building and the front window/wall has made we want to visit here. I think that an addition like this one, to my neighborhood would be very important because the luminescence of the building can be toned down during the daytime, to fit in with all of the other dull buildings, and then turn vibrant when night time comes.

I chose this design because I think that it is simply amazing, and the structural form of this building is just out of this world. It is in Prague, in the Czech Republic. It is astonishing to know that people are actually able to live in such a place, being that it is so oddly shaped. It has even been nicknamed "Drunk House" because of the tipsy look it contains. I think that this building is just so inspiring.

I chose this building as another one of my inspirations because I found it very cute and odd looking. It can be found in Rotterdam, in The Netherlands, and I think that the structure is amazing, and I was very astonished to find out that people can actually live in the cubes that are here, just balancing on these straighter, stronger foundations. I think that this building has a very distinct character to it and it would be a nice addition to my neighborhood. I chose this design because I thought that it was very striking and different. The strange shape and structure of the door frames, the windows, the roof, and just the building itself is so abnormal, and by looking at it I wonder how it isn't completely falling over. Anyway, I think i looks like it was just pulled out of a fairytale novel, because it has so much character, I would love it in my neighborhood without a doubt, just the way it is in Sopot, Poland.

I chose this design because it think it is absolutely out-of-this-world. The different layers, and colors just stun be and the structure itself seems to have its very own attitude. I think that one of the reasons I love it so much is because I used to have a handbag, that looks just like this very building. It, to me, is probably the most inspiring one of all and an addition like this to Long Island City would be extremely great.

**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 has influenced me to design a building for my lot that makes the best fit for the neighborhood that I am constructing in by making me realize what this neighborhood has too much of, what it is in great need of, and by making me realize what structures and buildings I was truly inspired by. I realized that the neighborhood is extremely abundant of industrial, busy, loud big box stores and is really in need of a relaxing, quiet place with a tranquilized tone. For all of these reasons, I want to add an art gallery. The art gallery would be huge, with stylish lights, and unique structures so that it is surely one-of-a-kind. When people come to visit it, they will automatically find it enlightening, or so I hope.

**Citations:**
"Cube House." //Interior design room: Cube House, Rotterdam, Netherlands (photo courtesy of kubuswonig.nl)//. Web. 7 Jan 2011. .

"Hotel Marque de Riscal." Web. 7 Jan 2011. .

//Melbourne Recital Centre//. Web. 7 Jan 2011. .

//The Crooked House." Web. 7 Jan 2011. .//

"Top 100 Architects and Architecture Firms - Dancing House by Frank Gehry." Web. 7 Jan 2011. .

=DESIGN STAGE =

**Problem to be solved:**
This neighborhood is lacking a place for the community to come together, and just relax.

**Requirements:**

 * Must be wheelchair accessible.
 * The building must be set back far enough from the road for the plants and sidewalk to fit.
 * The windows must be large enough egress.
 * The interior and exterior must be modernistic/ futuristic.
 * Must be spacious enough for many people to be held inside.

**Constraints:**

 * The size of the building cannot exceed 250" x 260" x 270" x 275"
 * The building cannot exceed 3 stories.

Description of Three Possible Designs
 * Design #1 **

media type="custom" key="8118026" This design has a transparent window, on both the second and first stories. On the right side of it, there are rectangular figures coming out of it and they are purple. On the left side of the building, there are circles, or spheres coming out of it and they are all different colors. The dimensions of the floor are 130 feet in width and 150 feet in length. The building overall, is pretty big and I think that the structure will fit my neighborhood nicely. ** Design #2 **

media type="custom" key="8118134" This design has all transparent walls, which give it the feeling of a greenhouse. I think that this effect will bring in lots of sunlight, whenever it is out, so the residents near the building will be attracted to it. The top of the building is built up in levels, like it is some sort of pyramid. The colors of the building are pink and green. This will be a great center for all large party groups, or large gatherings, along with the actual facility it is being used for which would be an art gallery. I know that this building will end up serving many purposes.

** Design #3 **

media type="custom" key="8155786" This is my third design and it has dimensions of 130 feet wide, 150 feet in length, and 15 feet tall. This building also has a transparent front wall, and left side wall. Then the other two walls (the right one, and the back one) are just plain white. This probably sounds boring but the building does have many other colorful, and spontaneous elements added to it. Wherever there are blank areas, there are outbursts of colors right next to them, to balance out the lack of color in this design.

** Identify the Best Design: **
I think that the best design would have to be design number one for building I am creating. Even though I think the other two designs were done pretty well and they would fit in my neighborhood nicely, I think that the third first design would work the best for this purpose.

** Justify Your Choice: **
==The reason that I feel the first design is the best design is because I think the color choices and the bold structure will be able to turn my building into something very successful and attractive to those in around the neighborhood. I do think that besides this design the other two designs would have done a good job with representing what I wanted my building to be transformed into which was an art gallery. However, I think that the other two designs would have been too childish and random for the sheek, sophisticated, and stylish look I was going for. People who visit an art gallery want something new and fresh to attend it in, and I feel that my first design would easily have given there people that certain oppurtunity.==