NAHIN

=**Best Fit** = by Nahin

=INVESTIGATION STAGE =

**General characteristics of the neighborhood** :
Briarwood is a small, old neighborhood in Queens, New York. It is placed right next to the Kew Gardens. The neighborhood is very similar to a typical suburbs, but there is light industry in the neighborhood. It is split into two sections: the living area and the business area. The business area has small, local businesses, from grocery stores to hardware stores. That section is strictly shopping and business. The other side is all living. There are ranges of housing, from apartments to duplexes to houses. In the neighborhood, it is mostly single families that move in, but once in a while there are couples, but that is rare. The entire neighborhood has trees, because long ago, Briarwood was a forest. The neighborhood is also like a walkway, because the paths are straightforward.

Images:






**Needs assessment** :
**1. A description of what the neighborhood already has.** My neighborhood has the necessary stores needed for everyday life. It also has other buildings that we need. In the business section of Briarwood, we have many small, local stores. From grocery stores to delis to even Chinese food restaurants, most people don't have to go far to get the necessaries. To start off, we have a hardware store and a 99 cent store across the street from each other. We also have two local grocery stores, one on 85th drive and the other on the corner of 84th drive. We have one deli, which is at the beginning of 85th drive. Continuing, we have two tailors shops/ cleaners right across the street from each other, and next to the one next to he deli, there is a Chinese restaurant. We also have two banks. We have a HSNBC bank and we also have a Chase Bank. In Briarwood, we also have a Dunkin Donuts, a Key Food, and a Queens Library. And not too far from the library, we have our public park, Hoover Park. We also have three schools in our area: Joyce Keld Elementary School (PS117), Robert A. Van Wyck Middle School (MS217), and the Archbishop Molloy High School, a Catholic School. But also, Briarwood has many homes, ranging from duplexes to single family homes. **2. An analysis of what the neighborhood needs.** I believe that my neighborhood needs a small community center. In Briarwood, everyone is really close to each other. The entire neighborhood is one big family. Even the generations younger than our parents are close to each other, no matter how long they've been in Briarwood, judging from personal experiences. The problem is that we, the younger generation, and the adults and elders can't always find an area to talk together. During our free time, we always want to have a place to hang out. In the winter it's too cold for Hoover and too hot during the summer, and we can't talk loudly or drink or eat in the library. So, a community center would protect us from weather conditions and would give a small place where everyone can socialize and enjoy.

**Buildings and architects that provide inspiration**

 * = [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/StJohnTheDivineWilliamPorto.jpg/547px-StJohnTheDivineWilliamPorto.jpg width="272" height="299" align="center" caption="Cathedral of Saint John the Divine"]] ||
 * = The first building that inspires me is the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in Amsterdam Avenue, New York. The cathedral was designed in 1888 and started being built in 1892. It was designed by George Lewis Heins and C. Grant LaFarge. The entire structure of the building inspires me. The design has a Roman feeling to it, and the designs that are carved into the cathedral are more of an ancient design. Also, the building is shaped in an unusual way. There are different sections added, and there are indents and outward walls, adding more rooms to go to. ||
 * = [[image:http://imgur.com/2BWnW.jpg width="333" height="193" align="center" caption="Chrysler Building"]] ||
 * = My second inspiration is the Chrysler Building in New York City. It was designed by architect William van Alen for Walter P. Chrysler and was completed in 1930. What inspired me with this building was how this building was inspired by automobile gargoyles and the stainless steal gives it a futuristic look. Also, the building is not shaped like a rectangle prism, but has many different shapes on the building, adding more room. ||
 * = [[image:http://imgur.com/2BY8W.jpg width="335" height="195" align="center" caption="Taipei 101"]] ||
 * = This is the Taipei 101, which used to be the largest building in the world. This building is found in Thailand and was designed by C.Y.Lee and Partners. What I love about this building is the spiral design of the building and the structure of it, which has many columns and beams to support it. It's appearance also appeals to me because of the cultural influence on the building. Also, the cylinder shape of the building lets the building add more room in it, because a circle can have many rooms all around. ||
 * = [[image:http://imgur.com/2BXLM.jpg width="335" height="195" align="center" caption="Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building"]] ||
 * = The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was completed in 1991 and was designed by Kenzo Tange. What I love about this building is the shape of it. The building is at first one building, but at the 33rd floor, it splits off into two towers, giving more room. This structure can give more rooms, satisfying more people. ||
 * = [[image:http://imgur.com/2BXZg.jpg width="335" height="195" align="center" caption="Petronas Twin Towers"]] ||
 * = This is the Petronas Twin Towers, which were built in 1998. They still remain the world's tallest twin towers. These buildings were designed by Cesar Pelli. It was inspired by Islamic styling. This building inspires me because the country's beliefs and culture had a big impact on the design and also, the height and shape of the towers and how the architect connected them creates a lot more space and a future look. ||

** In what ways has this investigation influenced you to design a building for your lot that makes the best fit for your neighborhood? ** After this investigation, I have now found ways to create many rooms without over stepping the size of the lot. In most of these buildings, the designers have created an unusual shape while designing the buildings, like how the Tokyo building adds towers to create more space because even though it is not over going the lot's sizes, by adding two columns, you are splitting up the building, but this creates more room than having a building going upward. But also, since Briarwood's buildings are mostly 2-10 stories, adding columns will add more rooms in the community center. Also, instead of a box shape, the building should be shaped a little differently, because a box shape limits the amount of rooms, since there are only four sides. So, if possible, since the lot is already trapezoid shaped, which would add more rooms, meaning more activities in the community center. Also, the cathedral inspired me to add an old-ancient look to the community center because the buildings in Briarwood are very old, since the oldest houses are from the late 1800's to the early 1900's. So, the cathedral look will be a perfect fit in Briarwood.

**Work cited:**
1. N/A. "10 Of The Most Famous Office Buildings From Around The World - Office Kitten Blog." // Office Supplies and Cheap Office Stationery from Office Kitten //. Office Kitten, 2006-2010. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>.
 * Picture 1


 * 2. Wikipedia. "File:StJohnTheDivineWilliamPorto.jpg." // Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia //. N/A. Web. 07 Jan. 2011. <[]>. **
 * Pictures 2-5

=DESIGN STAGE =

**Problem to be solved:**
The problem to be solved is that Briarwood does not have a community center so the local people living in Briarwood can socialize. Briarwood is fairly large neighborhood, but everyone in the neighborhood is pretty close, from parents to parents, kids to kids, and all other generations. Most of the time, the children want to "chill out" together and the older generations want to socialize with each other also. However, there is no local place to socialize all days of the year. We do have a park and a library, but it becomes too cold in winter and fall to socialize, and no one can talk at the library. So, weather conditions can interfere with this. Also, Hoover Park isn't large enough to do other activities that adults and children want to do.So, my mission is to create a building of recreation, therefore Briarwood needs a community center, and this empty lot is a good place to build it.

**Requirements:**

 * Must have multiple rooms for basic activities. (E.g; basketball).
 * Must be large enough to have entire community fit in.
 * Must fit in with neighborhood's "style" (oldies, pioneerish).
 * Must have two towers, to create more rooms.
 * Must be wheel chair accessible.
 * Must have a front and back door.
 * Color scheme of the exterior of the building should be gray to dark brown.
 * Cannot overflow to next lot.
 * Should have trees planted near the building, since neighborhood has many trees near or around every single building.
 * Rooms must block all harsh weather conditions, so walls should be thick.

**Constraints:**

 * Base cannot be over 22.5' x 126.54'
 * Building should not have a height greater than the tallest buildings in Briarwood (which are usually 10-12 floors high).
 * Style of the buildings (not so many windows).
 * Footprint of the building should not be greater than limit on tax map.
 * Must be set back a certain amount of feet for sidewalk.
 * Shape of the building (which is a trapezoid).
 * Rooms in the back of the building are t be smaller than the rooms in the front, so room-expanding techniques should be used.


 * Footprint:**

Dimensions: 118.45' x 19.75'

Description of Three Possible Designs media type="custom" key="8106922"
 * Design #1 **

For Design #1, I did a simple building, like any other building in Briarwood, but I shrinked the middle part of the building and in the space between the two portions of the building, I put a little column to connect the two sides, like an arch, using my inspiration, the Petronas Twin Towers. This will add a new twist to the building, since there will be many and the building won't exceed the height limit. The building is a rectangle within the trapezoid shaped lot. This is to give space for the curb. There are two doors, one back door and one front door. The exterior of the building will be built with old bricks, since many of the buildings in this area are built with old bricks. However, the walls that are not completely outside and the middle building will be built by concrete, because concrete blocks out both cold weather and heat. In this design, I tried placing in windows, wanting to place 80 windows on the left and right face, 30 windows on the back, one large window on the front, on the arch 10 windows on the front and back side, and 15 windows on either side of the arch, so they face each other directly, but couldn't do this because of technical difficulties. ** Design #2 ** media type="custom" key="8130998" For the second design, I did something a little more different than the first design. In this design, I created a sort of box shape. The base is the same size as the previous design, but I didn't use all of it. On the base, I created a T-shape, and then created the 3-D effect, There is a front building, which is a box shape. However, the taller part of the building, it is like a box with a rectangle pushed out in front. Then, surrounding the building, there is a garden, like any other Briarwood building, but this little garden around the building will give the children a place to sit outdoors when it is summer or spring and just chill out. Also, on the sides, there are little ponds, which would be nice for a community center, giving the kids a nice little place to read also. On the front, there is one large window, which I outlined with the rectangle tool, but couldn't insert the other windows since they wouldn't be the same shape.There would be more windows than the number of windows in Design #1.

** Design #3 ** media type="custom" key="8131794" The third and final design is similar to the first. The building has a middle section, which is the smallest in height and is a rectangle. Then, surrounding it is another building, surrounding every side except the front of the main building, and is taller in height. There is a double door in the front and no back door, since the edge of the lot is used. On the front two columns, there is one large window, and on the main building front, there is one large, square window. While exploring through Google Sketch Up, I see that there is a glass-painting option, so I made these windows and glass-tinted them. Around the building, there is a green garden, and a much larger garden than portrayed in other designs.

** Identify the Best Design: **
The best design out of these three is Design #3. This is the design with a large garden surrounding it, and in the back, center of the building, there is a small gap, and this is where outdoor activities, such as football and basketball, or there could be a pool built in. There will be approximately over 200 rooms in this building, because of it's shape. Infront of the building, there is a small square, where a pond is hopefully going to be placed.

** Justify Your Choice: **
I believe this is the best design because it fits in with many of the specifications on the design brief. There are many rooms, enough rooms to do as many activities, and there is even a small outdoor court so children can play games such as football or basketball outside, and there are also rooms inside. Since the building is very large and there are many rooms, many more than any room in the other designs, plus it has an outdoors room, it will be large enough for every person in the neighborhood. Also, this building's exterior walls are made up of old bricks, which add an old kind of look to the building, and adds to the Briarwood-pioneer theme. Also, the front door is wheel chair accessible, and instead of stairs, there will be an elevator, since the building is very tall. Also, the exterior of the building is light brown (the bricks) or gray (concrete). Around the building, there is a very large garden, unlike the other two designs, so trees can be planted around the building. Also, since the building is also to be built with concrete, the concrete blocks out harsh cold and extremely hot weather conditions. However, the only thing that is missing is the back door, since the edge of the lot was used.