Proposal 6: MID CITY GROW [ back to entries ]
The neighborhood of Mid-City is sustained by the people that live in it; the quality of the environment and the amenities it provides largely influence people’s presence in the area. However, the lack of fresh produce and the structural deficiencies of many of the homes have inherently slowed Mid-City’s socio-economic growth.
The immediate site is in Mid City Baton Rouge and located at the corners of North Boulevard and Brice Street. The lot is owned by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and is a footprint of the Romano's Pack & Save which was a grocery store serving the neighborhood before it was torn down.
FOOD DESERT
Mid City is a “food desert” and needs a grocery that provides locally grown produce. Providing this service stimulates the local economy and encourage economic and social growth while providing the community healthy food options which will only improve the quality of life in the area.
STRUCTURAL DECAY
The area is also in need of physical repair to its residences; there are an alarming number of homes in the nearby neighborhood which require severe renovations. Possibly doing more than just providing additional square footage to a home with a growing family but completely rebuilding homes that are failing.
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Mid City Grow would be a non-profit workforce program which serves as a catalyst, encouraging the growth and renewal of the Mid City region of Baton Rouge by attracting new business and residents.
In order to promote development in the Mid-City area, this design for the Saint Vincent De Paul’s Workforce Development Program introduces a building strategy that allows for development to expand beyond the site. The need for growth demands a modular type of architecture which would allow the program to extend or expand.
THE SHIPPING CONTAINER
Shipping containers as building blocks
Shipping containers are designed to have system based advantages such as prefabrication, mobility, modularity, and global availability. A container building can be erected in a short time, and it is possible to react more quickly to increasing spatial requirements and planning changes by gradually extending the structure.
The "12 Container House" is a custom prefab green home created from twelve recycled shipping containers and used as a precedent for our group's workforce building design. This house is designed by architect Adam Kalkin and is composed of a rigid steel frame structure and glass curtain wall that becomes the envelope with shipping containers as spatial modules placed inside to meet the unique program requirements of the residence.
This idea of modified shipping containers inside a large structure or envelope is used for the workforce building. The containers stacked along the perimeter of the steel structure create a free flowing space that extends to each end of the site. The grocery store and cafe is open to the public and makes up the first floor of the building. The second floor is workforce development that has spaces dedicated to classrooms, offices, conference rooms, and a lounge area. Shoppers on the first floor are exposed to the workforce development program activity above them; this makes the individual feel more involved in the program that will help sustain and rebuild Mid City
Sales Floor
First Floor - Market
Second Floor - Work Force Development
Sections
Work Shop - Customizing Freight Container Modules
A workshop will specialize in the conversion/ upgrading of freight container. These modules have the potential for a high degree of prefabrication and assembly. The Workshop will house the construction portion of the workforce development program, working towards developing an overall plan to upgrade the skills of the existing workforce and prepare a new generation of craft professionals while rebuilding the surrounding area of Mid City.
With a desire to remain in the community despite the urgent need to repair their homes, residents may be hesitant to move forward with any plans that would displace them. A holding house gives the opportunity to redevelop without relying upon relocation or incurring steep financial burden. The first new residence built on the site would serve as a temporary home for a family during the evaluation and renovation/rebuilding of their homes. The Holding House model delivers a new value to the community of Mid City by rebuilding it while retaining its social cohesion.
Holding House
Example of Holding House Plan
Diagram of how the Mid City Grow Workforce Program works
