A COMMUNITY ON THE GULF OF MEXICO Undergraduate Thesis by Michael Martorelli
THESIS STATEMENT
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KATRINA & THE GULF COAST
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SITE INFORMATION
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RESIDENTIAL UNITS
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COMMUNITY CENTER
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SMALL CRAFT HARBOR
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THESIS STATEMENT The physical strength and permanence of structures in hurricane zones is extremely important. One decision that is often overlooked or ignored by architects involves the space beneath an elevated structure. These spaces can transform from mundane, derelict areas that are traditionally used for storage and/or parking into something more beautiful and equally as important as the space above.
PROGRAM A community on the Gulf of Mexico in Biloxi, Mississippi that includes housing units, a community center, Hurricane Katrina Memorial and marina.
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HURRICANE KATRINA
& THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST
When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast on Au-
gust 29th, 2005 it not only destroyed lived, it destroyed the very fabric that previously made the Gulf Coast a beautiful and culturally rich place. The storm would be record-
ed as the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, estimated at 89.6 billion dollars in damage. In Mississippi alone, Katrina was responsible for over 235 deaths and the destruction of every town and city along the coast.
Upon viewing scenes of wreckage from Katrina, it is ob-
vious that the devastation was tremendous. If a building didn’t fail completely, then the bottom 25 to 30 feet was completely washed out by the massive storm surge.
Architects should immediately begin to think about how
structures can be intelligently designed so that a situation like that never happens again. How can we create
structures that will demonstrate phyical strength as well
as aesthetic beauty? What can be done so that a build-
ing lasts through a hurricane with no loss of functionality afterward, and lastly, what can be done to the space beneath a structure so that they can become more imaginative and add to the physical beauty of the structure.
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BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI Situated in Hancock County on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, the city has a long, interesting history. In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved from Mobile to Biloxi. In 1723, amidst fears of hurricanes the capital was moved to a new inland town called New Orleans. The territory changed hands from the French to the British to the Spanish, and finally under U.S. control in 1811 as part of the Mississippi Territory. Following this period, Biloxi began to grow, quickly becoming a premiere summer resort for wealthy New Orleans residents. During World War II, the economy again boomed and the population grew as a result of the construction of Keesler Air Force Base. Biloxi was again transformed in the 1990’s with the introduction of legalized gambling. Biloxi emerged as a prime casino location, and dozens of cainos and hotels sprouted up, bringing millions of dollars in revenue to the city. When Katrina hit in 2005, it virtually wiped out the three pillars of Biloxi’s economic success: seafood, tourism and gaming. The storm produced a 27 ft. storm surge that destroyed nearly 90% of the buildings along the coast and heavily damaged thousands of others. In the time since the storm, the city has slowly rebounded, rebuilding homes and reopening eight of it’s casinos, however the effects of Katrina are still visible on every corner and there is still a massiva amount of work to be done to bring the city back to it’s former glory. 8
STUDIES
PASS CHRISTIAN YACHT CLUB (2008)
PORCHDOG HOUSE PROTOTYPE (2009)
PAUL PATIN HOUSE (2009)
One-story building raised on concrete pilings
Two-story structure raised on steel piers
One-story structure raised on wood piers
One-story structure raised on concrete piers
26 feet above sea level
Main floor raised 12 feet
Main floor raised 12 feet
Main floor raised 8 feet
10,000 square-foot clubhouse and restaurant
1,500 square-foot home
1,250 square-foot home
1,520 square-foot lot size
Area beneath is unused.
Area beneath contains a storage area, entry stairs, porch and parking area.
Area beneath contains entry stairs and parking
Area beneath contains parking area, storage, and rainwater harvesting system
PASS CHRISTIAN, MS
MARLON BLACKWELL
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BILOXI, MS
SOUTHCOAST DESIGN/BUILD
PASS CHRISTIAN, MS
THE GARDEN PROTOTYPE (2008) KIERAN TIMBERLAKE
NEW ORLEANS, LA
SITE LOCATION
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE
HIGHWAY 90
APPROX. 5 MILES TO DOWNTOWN BILOXI
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SITE INFORMATION Situated on the Gulf of Mexico, this roughly 14 acre site was the former home of the Broadwater Marina and President Casino.
The site was constructed in 1965 and contained 118 berths for smaller boats, lighthouse, restaurant and park spaces. The site was completely state-of-the-art at the time and quickly became a
Gulf Coast landmark. In 1992, a floating casino was added to the site on the southern end of the marina. After the owner’s filed for bankruptcy in the early 2000’s, new owners closed the site
with the intention of completely revitalizing it. Katrina completely destroyed everything on the site and tore the casino barge from it’s moorings, washing it ashore nearly 1/2 mile to the west.
Currently, the site sits barren and unused, with the exception of local
fisherman and curious visitors. All that remains of the former site are the lighthouse on the southern end of the western peninsula,
which miraculously survived the storm, and the concrete shell of the former harbor master building. Although left in the hands on
nature, the site is still an incredible place, offering 180-degree views of the Gulf of Mexico.
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DEVELOPMENT The strength of a structure is of the utmost importance in a hurricane zone, so development began with a cubic concrete grid system. The wood modular housing units would then be inserted into the grid. 16
RESIDENTIAL UNITS The southernmost peninsula on the site will contain 33 residential units, designed to demonstrate their physical strength and aesthetic beauty. Along with the community center, these units appear to be wooden boxes slipped into a concrete frame. Opposing the customary Gulf Coast practice of using the space beneath a structure for parking and/or storage, the ground floor instead becomes an area of value and is tranformed into a public, pedestrian space. A raised path on the next level becomes the ‘street’ to provide access to the units. One would then move to the ‘yard’ of the unit, a space completely open to the air that becomes the main outdoor space for each dwelling. Operable panels on this level, which double as protection from hurricanes, will allow each resident to configure privacy and shading to their specific needs, therefore creating a visual diversity when viewing the community as a whole. A vertical glass light well penetrating the interior of the residence contains the staircase which brings one up to the main living area.
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RESIDENTIAL UNITS VIEWED FROM THE GULF 20
PORCH
LIVING ROOM
ENTRY
DINING ROOM
OFFICE
LIVING ROOM
BEDROOM
STORAGE
GROUND FLOOR
LEVEL 2
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MASTER BEDROOM
LEVEL 3
A SPACE TRANSFORMED The space beneath the the structure becomes much more than simply an area for parking and storage. The main space under the walkway becomes a vehicular access route, and the spaces directly beneath the unts become public plazas. The light wells that penetrate the vertical length of the units help to light these spaces, making them much brighter and more inviting. 24
FRONT ELEVATION
REAR ELEVATION
SIDE ELEVATION
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FRONT ELEVATION
REAR ELEVATION
SIDE ELEVATION
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY Elevated concrete walkways on the residential section of the site become a pedestrian street, connecting all the units and providing access to the 2nd floor entrances. 28
COMMUNITY CENTER
Located on the western peninsula, the community center uses many elements found within the residential units. Both use the concrete grid system with units that appear to be slid within the grid, however to convey the strength of the structure even more, a massive concrete shell was added to the interior of the building. The thick concrete walls that contain the main hallway and staircases will provide stability in the event of a hurricane and provide for a much more interesting building, architecturally speaking. The bottom floor of the interior hallway becomes an art gallery, the second floor has a raised pathway to connect the community areas, and the third floor contains bridges that connect the community spaces on either side. Flow from the eastern side of the buiding is interrupted by a canal which will be ideal for kayaking lessons. Bridges over the canal connect to a long allĂŠe of trees, which acts as a buffer between the community center and the marina.
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COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE The overall view of the community center shows how the thick concrete form appears to slice through the center of the building. The residential units can also be seen on the southern peninsula. 32
PLAN DEVELOPMENT The form of the community center was meant to mimic the form of the residential units. Each of the four sections provide for a specific programmatic function within the building, i.e. youth center, gym, offices and Katrina memorial. These four sectons are united by a winding hallway, consisting of 2 ft. thick concrete, that cuts through the center of the building, culminating in a framed view of the lighthouse on the southern tip of the peninsula. To achieve an improved function, the bottom floorof the hallway becomes an art gallery which permeates to the exterior of the structure. In the event of a hurricane, this gallery can be quickly disassembled and moved to higher ground. Much like the residential units, these units also have light wells to enhance the space beneath the structure.
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WESTERN PENINSULA SITE PLAN
EAST ELEVATION
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SOUTH ELEVATION
NORTH ELEVATION
EXTERIOR GALLERY The spaces beneath the community center units become an extension of the interior art gallery. Openings in the thick concrete walls allow access to these areas from the interior. Once outside, the space appears to be sunken upon viewing the lawn space just outside the gallery, giving the space a more room-like quality. 40
INTERIOR GALLERY 42
Typical dock construction along the marina’s perimeter. 8” diameter wood pilings will be driven down to support the structure. Ipe wood decking will be used for the walking surface. Dock length: 50’ Dock width: 10’
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Typical dock contruction for the marina’s midsection. 10” diameter wood pilings will be used to support two levels. Upper walkway becomes main access route for berths below. 6” Ipe wood slats will be used to create screens and railings.
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A derelict site on the Mississippi Gulf Coast destroyed by Hurricane Katrina is transformed into a beautiful, thriving community. Each structure displays physical strength and the spaces below are given a better use.