Wei-Che Chiang
Architectural Designer
Timber Living
INFO:
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), TIMBER IN THE CITY 3: Urban Habitats Competition
Site Location: New York City
Year: 2019
Team of 4 group project
Award: 3rd place over 900 applicants (LINK)
This project invites the community into the site along with a central pedestrian parkway that facilities socially-focused civic spaces and organizes the new buildings.
Before and throughout the construction process, the spine element facilitates the transportation of timber products from river barges to foundations on site, and beside the spine, a crane is positioned in order to erect building components. Further, an array of specially designed timber columns is erected to support several overhead timber trellis structures which cover and create a series of vibrant spaces, such as pop-up shops, produce stands, fixtures for urban farming and frameworks to define open plazas or gardens.
The columns include slots and brackets where a kit of interlocking accessories may be attached, and these kits come together to create the different trellis typologies.
Arranged as a spine, a heavy timber trellis system along the parkway connects three buildings which demonstrate the creative potentials of timber
Further, an array of specially designed timber columns is erected to support several overhead timber trellis structures which cover and create a series of vibrant spaces, such as pop-up shops, produce stands, fixtures for urban farming and frameworks to define open plazas or gardens.
An early childhood education center built with traditional post and beam timber construction as an extension of the post and beam trellis system along the pedestrian way.
A community wellness center featuring curved glulam beams overhead, gesturing to views across the river and reflecting the waves of the pools within.
Experientially, a diversity of spaces unfold into a long park to allow access to the river and promote wellness and health through a constant interplay of cityscape and nature enveloping the journey. This biophilic environment is open for everyone, residents and community members alike, to enjoy Timber Living.
A residential tower built of cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls and floors utilizing a vertical tension cable fastening system, locking the residential units into a tall stack at a height surpassing CLT towers currently underway.
