VCU Scholars Compass Nourish
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Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2009 Nourish Sara Streeter Virginia Commonwealth University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Art and Design Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1742 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Sara Streeter B.A. University of Delaware 2005 NOURISH A thesis submitted } in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. abstract This thesis explores the design of a food service space in an historic building in Richmond, Virginia near the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. It is a result of retrofi tting an awkward 1850s building by transforming it through the modern concept of a fast casual style restaurant, based in whole ingredients. The thesis is about the process of designing to rebalance the relationship between food and consumer in a modern era. No part of this book or creative work may be reproduced, copied or utilized by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission from the author. Sara J. Streeter © 2009 All Rights Reserved Camden Christiana all ID faculty and staff my incredible mom + dad Mike Chris THANKI could not haveYOU done this without your incredible support. Jennifer Jonathan Cilvia Darrell Valentina Kelly For GP 6 contradictions “I am for messy vitality over obvious unity.” Robert Venturi Architects Frank Gehry and Vladimir Milunic designed the Dancing House (previously known as “Fred and Ginger”) in 1995 in a central Prague location, close to the Vltava River. After a stray American bomb demolished an apartment I believe in things that can’t be neatly categorized. I believe in the way they make in 1945, the site remained vacant until construction of the Dancing House began. us reconsider what we thought we knew as truths. Contradictions serve as powerful Controversy over the project stems from the building’s imposition on the historic examples disharmonious relationships. When the coexistence of two things is context. The contradictions lie in this controversy – how can the coolly modern irrational, a contradiction occurs. I believe in embracing the contradictions I fi nd Dancing House connect to the richness of the history and site? The discussion the in the world and in my work. I believe contradictory relationships inspire us to be design initiates is more important than the building itself. The disharmony of the dynamic, to be critical thinkers, to engage in something new. site with the history and context allows people to decide for themselves if and what it signifi es. I believe in the way contradictions evoke multiple, even endless, meanings at once. By avoiding categorization, we escape a preconceived notion of how we should I believe design needs to constantly change for it to be alive and to do this, design react, feel, or think. I believe contradictions create beautiful ambiguities and a should not only be open to contradictions but should seek them out. Only then are richness without which the world would be a much duller place. Contradictions we able to de-categorize the world and see from a fresh perspective. The interesting give us the freedom to think differently. parts of life are the ones we don’t completely understand. personal photographs, 2008 NOURISH is a food service building dedicated to the social and diet needs of the VCU student population. The students, due to cost constraints and “how we eat determines, convenience, largely consume a diet of overprocessed, unhealthy items.The unfortunate fact stands that many students are at a complete disconnect from to a considerable extent, the food they consume, which many believe comes at a great cost. how the world is The process of rebalancing the social and biological relationship of food with its consumer can start with design: How design help rebalance the essential wendell berry used” relationship between humans and their food? The opportunity to introduce unique ideas about eating to a population of college students was both exciting and challenging. In order to cater to this demographic, I found convenience and effi ciency needed to be carefully considered. Michael Pollan, journalist and author of several books on the larger role of food in society, adeptly describes meals as being “about pleasure, about community, about family and spirituality, about our relationship with the natural world, and about expressing our identity”1. By using design to give these important elements a chance to thrive, individuals and communities are on their way to being socially and biologically healthier. 1 Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food, p. 8 abstract 1 introduction acknowledgements 4 design manifesto 6 project introduction 7 research site introduction 9 site case studies california academy of sciences 15 nyu dept of philosophy 18 columbus circle 21 program case studies the linkery 24 chipotle 27 shafer court dining center 29 process + presentation studies renzo piano 31 embody chair (herman miller) 32 grangegorman project (mry) 35 project concept 37 program 39 design 45 sources 57 site introduction Ritter-Hickok Laurel St. I- 95 R t I-6 . 4 1 Grace St. / 3 0 1 Park Ave. Broad St. Grove Ave. Grace St. Franklin St. VCU Floyd Ave. Franklin St.VCU VCU VCU Founders Hall Main St, Records & Reg Cary St. VCU Belvidere St. Ritter Hickok major VCU pedestrian Franklin St Gym / walkway VCU I-195 School of World Schafer Court Studies Dining Center map based on VCU image Ritter-Hickok intro 10 821 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA History in Brief Currently owned by VCU Scope of work covered: 9600 square feet, 3 levels 1855 Built in the Italianate Villa style, architect unknown. Owned by W. C. Ritter. 1868-1902 Various resident owners 1903 Enlarged and remodeled by Belle H. Hickok into a more Georgian Revival style The Ritter-Hickok building is in the Fan district, an area of Richmond. In the middle of the Monroe Campus, the building has played a role in Virginia Commonwealth since the very 1940 beginning. It is currently nestled between residences and administrative school buildings, Acquired and restored by the Richmond new and old buildings, as the Offi ce of Undergraduate Admissions. The site receives many Professional Institute of the College of pedestrians traveling around it which gives it a great uniqueness. William and Mary (RPI) 1942 Serves as RPI dormitory for women 1962 RPI separates from William and Mary to become an independent state institution Present VCU’s Offi ce of Undergraduate Admissions images courtesy of Richmond’s Fan Distric, Drew St. J. Carnealimages courtesy of Richmond’s Fan and maps.google.com intro Ritter-Hickok top: various angles of the north side of the building, facing Franklin Street bottom: various angles of the east side of the house, next to Franklin Street Gym Ritter-Hickok intro 12 top: interior images bottom: building analysis diagrams A hierarchy ABCDy/2 y small to large spaces E B light C geometry z D parti z xxx/2 E unit to whole intro Ritter-Hickok Sketches front, facing north towards Franklin Street a b A section of the concrete steps and the C plan view of the sidewalk and steps in boundary between the property of the front of the building house and the sidewalk D section of the steps, exploring the B another plan view of the front of the boundary between the property the house sits house, including the various pedestrian on and the public sidewalk walkways leading up to the front door, emphasis placed on the location of the E section of the sloped hill (east/west) on large trees (which seem to act almost like which the house is situated, from the side- buildings themselves) walk leading to the Franklin Street Gym up the brick steps to the house, back down the slope towards Founder’s Hall c d e Ritter-Hickok intro 14 a b Sketches front, east side, back towards Shafer Court A plan view of the path from the east side of the house toward Shafer, intersecting the alley and diagonal pathway B diagram of the front exterior elevation, breaking the components into a grid C plan view of the in between space in between the Franklin Street Gym and the Ritter D section of built in bench on the east side of the house E rough plan view of the porch, including references to front doors and windows c d e site case studies California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, California 2000-Completed 2008 Renzo Piano Building Workshop 410,000 sf New Program Embracing a totally new program for a previously obsolete space: “How do you take this Victorian-era model and concept and make it relevant?”2 Unifi ed the functions of 12 independent Academy structures (built at different times and eras, starting in the 1850s) into one building Used the obsolete and dilapidated structures as a physical and psycho- logical jumping off point for a new program and a new space Through discussion, came up with new defi nition of what a natural history museum should be in the 21st century • Accessible to the public • Relevant to a modern audience • Constantly evolving Need to encompass three parts of the Academy • Research clockwise from top left: living roof, dome • Exhibition for public containing living rainforest, redesigned building, old academy • Collection 2 Quote by Patrick Kociolek, Article by Karen Steen in “Green Architecture’s Grand Experiment,” Metropolis, Sept.