Downtown Crossing, Boston

MEET Downtown Crossing from Adam Flanagan on Vimeo.

The Materiality of Space

Storm King

The Positivity of Negative Space

A puddle is something too often overlooked. No more than a void in the ground that allows water in, it modestly reflects something greater than itself, the surrounding context. Like the puddle, all empty space has this quality. Humans move towards these particular places of emptiness just as water gravitates towards low elevations. It is the space between the solid forms where humans inhabit and life occurs. In turn, this space has more of an ability to give people deeper insights into their environment than solid mass does.

I propose an architecture that emphasizes the void over solid mass. We see ourselves in this space, not in walls and buildings surrounding it; therefore it is beneficial to human affairs to take the fullest advantage of this space.  It is defined by its context just as bronze is defined within its cast. Hence, space is contingent upon this context’s presence in order to mold itself. This space emerges from its context.

Thesis Site: One Franklin Street

I have decided to choose this site because it relates quite literally back to my idea that the void or empty space is much more significant than solid mass. It has the potential to change the way people view their city around them by influencing them to reflect on the context. Why is this void in my city? What has happened here?

The Great Boston Fire of 1872

This area also has quite the history.  It lies just one the western end of where the Great Boston Fire of 1872 had spread. This area has been devastated before and has since risen from the ashes. However, the site on One Franklin Street brings about these ideas of emptiness and harks back to the days of the fire.

Movement Through Empty Space

This clip is a simple observance of how people might use open space. In this instance a person is walking from a distance towards a statue. If there were obstacles in their way, they would not have experienced the same profound procession. The sense of scale also diminishes in such vastness.

European Plazas + Public Space

I believe that by studying typical European squares, I am able to better understand what makes that place so significant that an entire society would decide to leave it devoid of solid mass.

Amsterdam: De Dam

Rotterdam: Schouwburgplein

Hamburg: Rathaus Square