Place [Ing] a Rural Built Identity: Establishing a Built Identity for St
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Place[ing] a Rural Built Identity Establishing a Built Identity for St. Henry, Ohio Through a Hermeneutic & Phenomenological Enrichment of Critical Regionalist Theory & Practice A thesis submitted to the The Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture in the School of Architecture and Interior Design in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning 2014 by Kurt A. Miller B.S. Architecture, University of Cincinnati, 2011 First Committee Chair: John Hancock Second Committee Chair: Michael McInturf Abstract Contemporary rural architecture, particularly of rural Midwestern Ohio, produces uninspiring, abject, and cheap architectural solutions that become universally accepted, yet that ignore the depth and complexity of meanings and particularities of place inherent in their geographic, cultural, and historic relationships. Through a hermeneutic and phenomenological enrichment of Critical Regionalist theory and practice, this thesis develops an architectural design process for Saint Henry, Ohio and the surrounding Midwestern Ohio region that reveals the subtle architectural and cultural regional identities. Critical Regionalism, as explored by Kenneth Frampton, works within the mediation of technological universality and traditional regionality to produce architecture that poetically engages specifics of its time and place. These well-known ideas are deepened through a phenomenological understanding of experience as ongoing interpretation of already- existing traditions, meanings, and relationships. Specifically understood through five relationships of geography and place; history and time; culture and identity; material and presencing; and tectonics and engagement, this thesis will develop a Town Hall and Square for St. Henry, Ohio through a process of reading regional particularities. As a result, the town hall typology will enhance a sense of place through architectural intervention, specifically, a “presencing,” (or foregrounding) of meanings and relationships already latent in the cultural and built environment. ii iii Thank you to all of my loved ones who have encouraged, supported, and put up with having to listen to me talk about architecture for hours on end. It will only get worse as time goes on. & Thank you to the professors and mentors that have inspired, guided, and influenced me and shaped how I understand and experience the world - upon the earth, under the sky, and among the mortals and divinities. iv Table of Contents Abstract ii Illustration/Image List viii 01_Introduction 1 Background Influences Theoretical Influences 02_Problem 4 The Perception of Truth 03_Background 6 The Perception of the Built Environment The Perception of Meaning 04_Theoretical Positioning 9 Frampton’s Six Points Interpretations of Frampton Defining a Sense of Place Built Interpretation: Ghost Lab Built Interpretation: Marlon Blackwell v 05_Research Narratives 17 06_Thesis Proposition 18 07_Defining a Region 21 Geography / Place History / Time Culture / Identity Material / Presencing Tectonic / Engagement 08_Theoretical Precedents 30 Ghost Studio Projects Mason Lane Farm Riverview Park Service Building Parrish Art Museum Shearer’s Quarters 09_Client / Culture 36 St. Henry Town Hall Town Hall Typology The Role of the Town Hall St. Henry Institutions and Organizations The Town Square vi 10_Typology Precedents 45 Town Hall in Saynatsalo Brainbridge Island City Hall Newbern Town Hall Giant’s Causeway Visitors’ Center SCAD Art Museum 11_Site / Context 51 The Site Inherent Site Design Issues St. Henry Town Square Activities and Festivals 12_Space / Experience 60 The Program Knowledge/Past - Library Engagement/Present - Meeting Hall Projection/Future - Offices Process of Tradition - Town Square 13_Design Process 65 14_Bibliography 72 vii Images/Illustrations List 00.i. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 11 August 2013. 01.01. Siegrist, Justin. Autumn Harvest: Grain Bin. Personal Photo. 2013. 03.01. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 11 August 2013. 03.02. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 11 August 2013. 03.03. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 2 September 2013. 03.04. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 2 September 2013. 03.05. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 18 March 2014. 03.06. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 2 September 2013. 04.01. MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects. Danielson Cottage. Accessed 26 March 2014. http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/mobile/danielsoncottage.htm 04.02. Ratcliffe, Jesse. Ghost 6 At Night. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://jesseratcliffe.com/portfolio/ghost-lab-design-build-workshop/ 04.03. Marlon Blackwell Architects. Srygley Office Building. Accesssed 26 March 2014. http://www.marlonblackwell.com/work_commercial_the-srygley-office- building.html 04.04. Marlon Blackwell Architects. Eastern Orthodox Church. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://www.archdaily.com/207501/st-nicholas-church-marlon-blackwell- architect/attachment/99296/ 07.01. Miller, Kurt. St. Henry, Ohio in the Midwestern Ohio. 19 March 2014. 07.02. Miller, Kurt. Midwestern Ohio Region. Map, A Process of Tradition. From the United States Geological Survey, 2012. 19 March 2014. 07.03. Miller, Kurt. Midwestern Ohio Region, Geography/Place. From the United States Geological Survey, 2012. 19 March 2014. 07.04. Miller, Kurt. Virgin Forest to Farmland. Photo Collage from photos by A.L. Gibson and author. 19 March 2014. 07.05. Miller, Kurt. Seasonality. Photo Collage from photos by Justin Siegrist and author. 19 March 2014. 07.06. Miller, Kurt. Midwestern Ohio Region, History/Time. From the United States Geological Survey, 2012. 19 March 2014. viii 07.07. Rand, McNally & Company. Ohio, 1903. From David Rumsey Map Collection. Accessed 19 March 2014. http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/ RUMSEY~8~1~37882~1210730:Rand,-McNally-&-Co--s-Ohio---with-- ?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort&qvq=q:ohio%2B1903;sort:Pub_List_No_Initial Sort;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=4&trs=12 07.08. Miller, Kurt. Built Environment Analysis: Town Centers. 9 February 2013. 07.09. Miller, Kurt. Midwestern Ohio Region, Culture/Identity. From the United States Geological Survey, 2012. 19 March 2014. 07.10. Miller, Kurt. Land of the Crossed-Tipped Churches. Photo Collage from photos by Russ Martin. 19 March 2014. 07.11. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 25 October 2013. 07.12. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 25 October 2013. 07.13. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 25 October 2013. 07.14. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 25 October 2013. 07.15. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 25 October 2013. 07.16. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 25 October 2013. 08.01. MacKay-Lyons, Brian, Buchanan, Peter. Ghost: Building an Architectural Vision. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008. 08.02. MacKay-Lyons, Brian, Buchanan, Peter. Ghost: Building an Architectural Vision. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008. 08.03. MacKay-Lyons, Brian. Ghost 9. 2007. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://www.mlsarchitects.ca/mobile/ghost9.htm 08.04. de Leon and Primmer Architects. Mason Lane Farm. 2009. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://deleon-primmer.com/FlashSite/De%20Leon%20&%20 Primmer%20Architecture_Main.html 08.05. de Leon and Primmer Architects. Mason Lane Farm. 2009. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://deleon-primmer.com/FlashSite/De%20Leon%20&%20 Primmer%20Architecture_Main.html 08.06. de Leon and Primmer Architects. Mason Lane Farm. 2009. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://deleon-primmer.com/FlashSite/De%20Leon%20&%20 Primmer%20Architecture_Main.html ix 08.07. de Leon and Primmer Architects. Riverview Park Visitor Service Building. 2011. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://deleon-primmer.com/FlashSite/De%20 Leon%20&%20Primmer%20Architecture_Main.html 08.08. de Leon and Primmer Architects. Riverview Park Visitor Service Building. 2011. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://deleon-primmer.com/FlashSite/De%20 Leon%20&%20Primmer%20Architecture_Main.html 08.09. de Leon and Primmer Architects. Riverview Park Visitor Service Building. 2011. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://deleon-primmer.com/FlashSite/De%20 Leon%20&%20Primmer%20Architecture_Main.html 08.10. Placek, Matthu. Parrish Art Museum. 2012. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://www.archdaily.com/294936/parrish-art-museum-herzog-de- meuron-2/121010_parrish_museum_shoot_2-0247/ 08.11. Baan, Iwan. Parrish Art Museum. 2012. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/2013/01/Parrish-Art- Museum-Herzog-and-de-Meuron-slideshow.asp?slide=8 08.12. Baan, Iwan. Parrish Art Museum. 2012. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/2013/01/Parrish-Art- Museum-Herzog-and-de-Meuron-slideshow.asp?slide=4 spine. 08.13. John Wardle Architects. Shearers Quarters. 2012. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://www.johnwardlearchitects.com/projects/project/29-shearers-quarters 08.14. John Wardle Architects. Shearers Quarters. 2012. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://www.johnwardlearchitects.com/projects/project/29-shearers-quarters 08.15. John Wardle Architects. Shearers Quarters. 2012. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://www.johnwardlearchitects.com/projects/project/29-shearers-quarters 09.01. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 19 March 2013. 09.02. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 19 March 2013. 09.03. Miller, Kurt. Personal Photograph. 19 March 2013. 09.04. St. Henry, Ohio. Map. United States Geological Survey. 2012. 09.05. Fletcher. Lynnfield Old Meeting House. 2008. Accessed 9 February 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lynnfield_Old_Meeting_House.JPG