BIOPHILIC DESIGN FOR THE ELDERLY: DESIGN OF A SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY ALONG THE DELAWARE A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Philadelphia University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Sustainable Design By Harshika Bhatt May 2015
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BIOPHILIC DESIGN FOR THE ELDERLY: DESIGN OF A SENIOR LIVING
COMMUNITY ALONG THE DELAWARE
A Thesis
Presented to the Faculty
of Philadelphia University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Figure 1: Number of Persons 66+, 1900-2030 (numbers in millions) .................... 1
Figure 2: Deaths Attributed to 19 Leading Risk Factors, by Country Income Level 2004 ................................................................................................................... 7
Figure 3: Net Gain vs Net Loss of Wetlands in Coastal Louisiana...................... 12
Figure 4: Comparison of Self-esteem in both the walks...................................... 14
Figure 5: Comparison of Depression in both the Walks ...................................... 14
Figure 6: Table Showing the Positive Effects of Biophilic Design ....................... 16
Figure 7: Flyer used for the Charrette ................................................................. 17
Figure 8: Picture Taken During the Charrette ..................................................... 18
Figure 9: Picture Taken During the Charrette .................................................... 18
Figure 10: Table Showing the Site Selection Process ........................................ 22
Figure 11: Site Location – 1533 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard .......... 23
Figure 12: View of Columbus Boulevard Facing South....................................... 24
Figure 13: View of Reed St. and the I-95 ............................................................ 25
Figure 14: View of the Site from Columbus Boulevard ....................................... 26
Figure 16: Site Zoning ........................................................................................ 29
Figure 17: Circulation in the Open Spaces ......................................................... 30
Figure 18: Vehicular and Pedestrian Circulation ................................................ 31
Figure 19: Proposed Master Plan ....................................................................... 32
Figure 20: View of the Site .................................................................................. 33
Figure 21: View of the Street Intersection ........................................................... 33
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Figure 22: Amphitheater at the Entrance ............................................................ 34
Figure 23: View of the Entrance ......................................................................... 34
Figure 24: View of the Garden at the Entrance ................................................... 35
Figure 25: View of the Intersection near the Entrance ........................................ 35
Figure 26: View of the Entrance to the Recreation Center.................................. 36
Figure 27: View of the Water Feature near the Recreation Center ..................... 36
Figure 28: View of the Central Activity Area ....................................................... 37
Figure 29: View of the Site from the Apartment .................................................. 37 Figure 30: Visual Connection to Nature .............................................................. 39
Figure 31: Diffused Lighting in the Seating Area in the Garden at the Entrance 42
Figure 32: Diffused Lighting in the Seating Area on the Recreation Center ....... 42
Figure 33: Dry Streams Flowing Through the Community .................................. 43
Figure 34: Entire Site Perceived as Prospect and Refuge .................................. 44
Figure 35: View of the Courtyard ........................................................................ 45
Figure 36: Seating Area as Prospect and Refuge .............................................. 46
Figure 37: View of Central Area of Activity ......................................................... 46
Figure 38: View of the River from the Central Area ............................................ 47
Figure 39: View from the Apartment ................................................................... 48
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
There is an increase in demand for housing that caters to the elderly because the
senior population is increasing. This population, - people that are 65years or
older, - numbered 39.6 million in 2009 (the latest year for which data is
available). As shown in Figure 1, the population of people 65 years or older is
only expected to increase.
Figure 1: Number of Persons 65+, 1900-2030 (numbers in millions)
Source: (Administration for Community Living, 2011)
They represented 12.9% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight
Americans. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons, more than
twice their number in 2000. People 65+ represented 12.4% of the population in
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the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030
(Administration for Community Living, 2011).
“Retirement is no longer an individual’s last few declining years but rather the
beginning of a significant portion of an individual’s life” (Wassum, 2013) . A
person can be expected to live at least two more decades after retirement.
Improved medical care, development of new drugs and cures to diseases have
caused a drastic increase in life expectancy in the late 21st century.
Development in the fields of medicine and technology, will only lead to an
increase in life expectancy and thus an increasing population of the elderly.
However, aging could be depressing and lonely if the environment provided for
the elderly is not supportive. Old age is accompanied by many problems such as
physical or mental disabilities due to aging, loss of a loved one, feeling of
isolation, and the inability to perform daily activities as easily as they once could.
Research says that staying connected to nature and elements of nature helps in
healing. Natural environments also help to improve sleeping patterns, reduce
pain, speed up recovery and even increase longevity (Rodiek, 2010). The
biophilia hypothesis introduced by Edward O Wilson, in his book Biophilia,
suggests that there is an innate connection between humans and nature. This is
the reason most people prefer savannah-like landscapes (Kellert & Wilson,
1995).
This thesis demonstrates an approach to design that may help seniors feel more
emotionally satisfied and increase their overall well-being. This approach uses a
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biophilic design process to create a healing environment. Furthermore, the thesis
intends to demonstrate, to architects and designers, one example of how to
create environments that heal through design. While water consumption, energy
consumption and materials used are very important aspects of sustainable
design, a key element of making people comfortable and creating a feeling of
belonging often takes a backseat, when instead it is an important benefit of
sustainable design.
The project aims at designing a community in Philadelphia that specifically caters
to people over 60 years of age. The site selected is a 16.5 acre site on South
Columbus Boulevard by the Delaware River. The community shall cater to
people of all age groups with residences reserved depending on the age groups.
Through its design the community shall be focused on creating opportunities for
socialization and interaction.
This study aims at Designing a retirement community based on the principles of
biophilia will help architects understand the positive effects of biophilic design.
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CHAPTER 2
AGING
Old age is the start of a new phase of life. As people age they have to face many
changes. Most of these changes might not be positive and so they could lead to
a feeling of depression. According to a report by the National Alliance on Mental
Illness, “Depression affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans
aged 65 years or older. Depression in older persons is closely associated with
dependency and disability and causes great suffering for the individual and the
family” (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2009, p. 1).Depression could be
caused due changes in the biological, personal, cultural, mental and economic
aspects of their life (Simon, 1951). In his book, Caring Environments for Frail
Elderly People, Geoffrey Salmon describes some of the major physiological
aspects of aging by classifying them into the following categories:
a. Muscular Skeletal - Movement, Balance, Flexibility, Strength and
Control: This includes bone and joint disorders affecting posture, mobility,
flexibility and dexterity. Arthritis and osteoporosis are two examples of this
kind of disorder. They lead to difficulty in walking, turning over in the bed,
difficulty in bending arms and cause a lot of pain.
Older adults also experience a weakening of their leg muscles which affects
their ability to sit and get up with ease. Another important everyday activity
that is affected due to old age is walking. A frail old male adult takes 16 times
longer to walk in comparison with an average healthy male adult.
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In case of a sudden change in equilibrium, it is difficult for them to regain their
balance as quickly as younger adults making them more susceptible to fall
(Salmon, 1994).
b. Cardio-vascular and respiratory - Endurance and stamina: People over
the age of 65 are more likely to be affected by a cardiovascular disease. This
may lead to limited activity or the need for complete bed rest. Respiratory
disorders could lead to shortness in breath and difficulty in breathing (Salmon,
1994).
c. Psychiatric – Memory, Mental Health and a sense of well-being: This is
mostly caused due to changes in the personal lives. The children moving out
of the house or the recent loss of a loved one could make them feel more
lonely and sad. Relocation to a facility or a senior living community could
make them feel bereft and rejected. Retirement means loss of a job, which
implies loss of a source of income. It could mean that they might have lost the
purpose in life and feel dejected. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are examples of
mental ailment that a person could be suffering with. This could lead to
deficiency in social skills, tendencies to wander and reduced control of the
environment.
d. Perception and Sensory – Environmental Perception and
Communication: The efficiency of most of the parts of the body is reduced
due to their age. Their senses are not as sharp as they used to be, reflex and
reaction time is delayed, daily activities that were accomplished with ease
become tasking and tiring. They need assistance to complete simple tasks,
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which could make them feel dependent. By age 45, the photoreceptors of an
average adult receive just 50% of light needed to fully stimulate circadian
rhythm. By age 55, this dips to 37%. By age 75, this is a mere 17% (Scott &
Harrington, 2014). There also could be changes in sleep patterns and
circadian rhythms. Also, certain loss of hearing, especially of high
frequencies is common due to aging. However, the degree of loss of senses
varies across different people.
They also have a lot of extra time at hand and reduced opportunities for social
interaction. There is also a need to come to terms with the gradual cultural
changes due to the generation gap. For instance, an elderly person might not
be comfortable using technology (computer, mobile devices etc.). Also, if a
person leads a sedentary life, he/she increases his chances of having
problems in his/her health in the future. These changes make them feel
isolated and out-of-place. These could also be reasons for a person to loose
contact with the larger community (Ball, et al., 2000).“No one is too old to
enjoy the benefits of regular physical activity” (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1996, p. 1).
There is plenty of recent research on the health risks of leading a sedentary
life. It is said that “sitting is the new smoking” (Carmody, 2015, p. 1). In
today’s world, people spend most of their day sitting, either at work or at
home. Sedentary adults double their health risks in comparison to all day
smokers. As shown in Figure 2, the World Health Organization (W.H.O) has
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identified physical inactivity as the fourth biggest killer – ahead of obesity
(World Health Organization, 2009).
Figure 2: Deaths attributed to 19 leading risk factors, by country income
level, 2004
Source: (World Health Organization, 2009, p. 16)
A sedentary lifestyle leads to slower metabolism, circulation and weakness
and stiffness in the muscles. Physical activity on the other hand, keeps the
lymph fluid circulating and boosting the immune system. Exercise helps the
body get rid of toxins. Constant exercise helps in instigating the hormones
that sharpens thinking and elevates the mood reducing depression (Ude,
2013).
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CHAPTER 3
DISCONNECTION OF OLDER ADULTS TO NATURE
The second problem addressed in this thesis is the disconnect of older adults
with nature. As of 2008, more than half the world’s population lives in cities
(UNFPA, 2007). The general conception of a city today is something that is
totally disconnected from nature or natural elements. Nature and urban settings
have become two separate entities. However, while selecting a holiday spot or a
weekend getaway most people choose a place or an activity associated with
nature like going to the beach or hiking.
While there is a lot of research that says it very important for children to stay
connected to nature, there is very little research that stresses the importance for
older adults to stay connected to nature. In his book, The Last Child in the
Woods, Richard Louv, discusses the Nature Deficit Disorder (Louv, The Last
Child in the Woods, 2005). It is a hypothesis where he says that a lack of regular
connection with nature could lead to stunted academic and developmental
growth in children. In his book, The Nature Principle he extends this
phenomenon to adults. He says that growing disconnect with nature can dull our
senses eventually making them blunt to sensations (Louv, The Nature Principle:
Human Restoration and the End of Nature Deficit Disorder, 2011).
With growing developments in the field of technology, people immerse
themselves in a world created by humans. In his book, Louv wonders how life
could be different, if people would be immersed in nature instead. While
technology is important and necessary in our lives, it is also important to have a
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balance. Humans might be getting ahead of themselves by having all their faith in
technology and turning away from nature. He also says that the future will belong
to the “nature-smart”. The loss of connection to nature threatens health, spirit,
economy and the future stewardship of the environment (Louv, The Nature
Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature Deficit Disorder, 2011).
There is a wide range of green-building rating systems like LEED, ASHRAE,
Passivhaus and others that deal with water and energy efficiency. While these
are very important aspects of sustainable development, a balance with the user
experience and human health and well-being is lost. There are very few rating
systems like the Living Building Challenge and WELL that address and insist on
reconnecting the built environment with nature. This is changing gradually and
people will want to stay in a building that is aesthetically pleasing and creates a
healthy environment.
While recent trends in sustainability have developed methods to reduce the
impact of the built environment on nature, attempts at reconnecting humans to
nature are few (Kellert, Heerwagen , & Mador, 2011). While LEED, Energy Star,
Passivhaus and other building rating systems concentrate on improving the
efficiency of the building, the connection of the building to the users is lost. Most
people spend 80% of their time indoors, inside a building. It is either their house,
their work-place or a mall. This makes it even more important for designers to
take into consideration, the effect the building will have on its users (Boluda,
2011).
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CHAPTER 4
BIOPHILIC DESIGN FOR THE ELDERLY
Community Living or Co-housing
An integrated community catering to people of different age groups would be the
best possible solution to this problem. A community with people of different age
groups would be a major step towards preventing the elderly from feeling isolated
and would help them feel like an integral part of the society. The proposed
community shall have individual dwellings with shared facilities and amenities.
This helps the people maintain their individuality and keep their privacy while
they are still the part of a larger community in which the facilities and amenities
are maintained by the administration. Integrated housing facilities will offer the
seniors more opportunities to be integrated with society when compared to
housing catering specifically for the elderly. The need to stay connected to nature
is not just an option but a necessity (Beatley, 2011).
The proposed solution is to reconnect community with nature by designing a
biophilic community that caters primarily to the elderly. The design of the
community shall help the residents to gradually shift their lifestyles and lead a
healthy life by staying connected to nature and natural systems.
The World Health Organization (W.H.O) defines health as: “a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity” (World Health Organization, 1948, p. 100). Hence, healthy community
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shall be designed not only to promote the physical and mental health of its
residents but also provide scope for social interaction.
What is Biophilia?
Bio means life and philia in Greek means fondness. Biophilia is a term coined by
Erich Fromm in his book The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness (Fromm,
1973). Edward O Wilson popularized the hypothesis in his book The Biophilia
Hypothesis. He suggests that humans originate from nature and hence have the
innate tendency to get attracted to life and life-like processes (Wilson & Kellert,
1995). Biophilic design is the design of spaces in a manner that promotes and
encourages the interaction of humans with nature and natural systems. It is the
experience with nature and natural elements that a person has while in natural
environment. The flow of water, being able to see the changes in the times of the
day and experience the changes in seasons are some examples of connections
to nature. It is not just important for humans to stay connected to nature but also
interact with it and be a part of the natural process. This connection would make
a person feel that they are a part of a bigger system creating empathy for the
system, which in turn creates a shift in their thinking from “I” to “we”.
However, there are some aspects of nature that are not very appealing to
humans and can cause adverse reactions. This is known as biophobia. Some
common elements that instigate biphobic reactions are rats, spiders, predators
and heights. Care should be taken to avoid these biophobic reactions.
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Biophilic Design not only helps improve human health but also the health of the
environment. It helps in making the community more resilient. Ecosystem
services are the natural conditions and processes that humans rely on.
(Millenium Ecosystem Assesment, 2005). According to a report by the Ecological
Society of America, New Orleans could have avoided some expenses during
hurricane Katrina if the natural wetlands had been preserved (Costanza, Mitsch,
& Day Jr, 2006) . The wetlands surrounding New Orleans had been preventing
storm surges. Figure 3 shows the net wetland loss over the last 6000 years.
Figure 3: Net gain vs net loss of wetlands in costal Louisiana
Source: (Costanza, Mitsch, & Day Jr, 2006)
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Trees and green cover clear the air of pollutants by absorbing the carbon dioxide
present in the air and releasing oxygen into the air hence helping to reduce the
carbon emissions. An acre of tree plantation absorbs the carbon dioxide amount
equivalent to the CO2 produced when a car is driven for 26000miles. They also
help to cool the surroundings through evapo-transpiration and by blocking direct
sun-light and providing shade. The cooling provided by a single tree equals that
of 10 air-conditioners running 20 hours a day. Trees also help reduce urban
storm-water runoff by absorbing the water and recharging the ground water
system (Evans, 2002).
Nature also helps in nurturing a sense of place. Sense of place is a phrase used
to describe a person’s relationship or association with a place and a community
attachment to the place (Cross, 2001). Once a person has an association to a
place, he or she tries to protect and preserve the place.
Green neighborhoods and natural environments have been associated with
stress reduction and improved physical and mental health. There is plenty of
research and evidence to support this claim. One such research is by an
organization called MIND in the United Kingdom. In this research the results of
people taking a walk in a shopping center was compared with the results of the
same group of people taking a walk in the park. Figure 4 shows that the feeling of
self-esteem increased when they went for a walk in the park. Figure 5 shows the
decrease in depression while in the park (Mind, 2007).
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Figure 4: Comparison of self-esteem in both the walks
Source: (Mind, 2007)
Figure 5: Comparison of depression in both the walks.
Source: (Mind, 2007)
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Biophilic design is the design of any kind of space that promotes health by
creating connections with nature. In their report, The 14 Patterns of Biophilic
Design, Terrapin Bright Green has enlisted 14 patterns of nature and how each
pattern helps in promoting human health. Each pattern has a citation along with it
that provides the research for the pattern. Figure 6 shall be used as a benchmark
for the design.
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Figure 6: Table showing the positive effects of Biophilic Design
Source: (Terrapin Bright Green , 2014)
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Healing through Nature
In order to understand the requirements of the elderly and get their opinion on
biophilic design, a charrette was conducted in the Atria Senior Living Community,
Philadelphia, PA. Figure 7 shows the flyer used to invite the people in community
for the charrette. Figures 8 and 9 show some pictures from the charrette.
Figure 7: Flyer used in the charrette
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Figure 8: Picture taken during the charrette
Figure9: Picture taken during the charrette
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At the end of the charrette, the group had a list of preferences as given by the
seniors in the community. These preferences were later segregated into different
categories to develop a set of guiding principles.
Health
It should be green as possible. Natural materials should be used.
There should be plenty of green spaces.
The community needs to be restful and peaceful
The facility should have plants and small trees.
Operable windows with views of greenery is preferred. Views into other
buildings should be avoided
Maximize the use of available natural daylighting.
The community could have a flower garden and rooftop gardens.
A vegetable garden to grow your own food.
Solar energy and photovoltaic panels to generate energy
Energy efficient appliances.
Based on these points the first guiding principle was “creating a nurturing and
healthy environment by providing access to natural elements”.
Social Aspect
Community spaces where people can interact with each other.
Spaces for lectures, theaters and music concerts
Small restaurants throughout the facility.
Display art
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The second guiding principle which would promote the social well-being of the
residents is “Enhancing community connections by providing spaces that create
opportunities for social interaction”.
Equity
Outdoor and indoor spaces that are accessible to all.
Special outlets for oxygen and space for tanks.
Design to enhance the senses.
The third guiding principle that is a major step to include everyone is “Encourage
equity by creating spaces that are accessible and could be experienced by
everyone”
Safety and Privacy
Privacy
Allowance for independence.
Safety
A very important aspect for a residential community the fourth guiding principle is
“providing a sense of safety and privacy by suing connection to nature”.
Response to Site
The fifth guiding principle was one that was not developed through the charrette.
Biophilic design is also called restorative design. While the first four guiding
principles deal with the health of the humans, the fifth guiding principle addresses
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the health of the site. “To create a restorative environment by providing a site
sensitive design”.
These guiding principles, along with the benchmarks, help inform the design and
make it respond to the users, the surroundings and the environment.
Site Selection
Based on the availability of land and proximity to certain facilities four sites were
short-listed. Figure 10 lists out the criteria for site selection. The green shows
criteria that is the most favorable for the project and the red shows the least
favorable criteria.
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Figure 10: Table showing the site selection process
Site Selection
Criteria
4900 W
Jefferson St
GRAYS FERRY AVE.
& 34TH ST. –
University City
1533 S Christopher
Columbus Blvd –
Between Tasker and
Reed Street
7777 STATE ROAD
– former Marine
Terminal –
Site Area 7.2acres 7.5 acres 16.5 acres 70acres
Current zoning Medium
Industrial (I-2)
Medium Industrial (I-2) Community
Commercial Mixed
Use (CMX-3)
Residential Mixed
Use (RMX)
Proximity to
public transport
3 bus stops
adjacent to the
site and a train
station @ 0.8
miles
4 bus stops adjacent to
the site and a AMTRAK
station @ 2.5 miles
6 bus stops adjacent
to the site and a train
station @ 3.1 miles
Nearest bust stop
0.3 miles from the
site and a train
station @ 0.5 miles
Proximity to a
Hospital
1.1 miles 0.8 miles 0.6 miles Health center @ 1.2
miles
Proximity to a
grocery
0.3 miles 0.3 miles 0.6 miles 1.3 miles
Proximity to
center city
4.9 miles 3 miles 2.4 miles 10 miles
Proximity to
parks/ green
spaces
0.7 miles 0.4 miles Delaware river trail
that runs across the
site, 0.5 miles to the
nearest park
1.3 miles
Ranking based on
site selection
criteria
4 2 1 3
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Based in the criteria shown in Figure 10, the selected site was 1533 South
Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19148.This site was selected mainly due
to its proximity to various services and facilities that would be important for the
residents. The site lies between Tasker St. and Reed St. Initially, Foxwoods
proposed for a casino to be built on the site. Due to protests by the residents of
the Pennsport community, the casino was moved to The Gallery at Market East
(Parmley, 2006). Figure 11 shows the location of the site. The site lies along the
Delaware River with a shopping complex to its south. The shopping complex
includes Walmart and a HomeDepot. The I95 runs parallel to Christopher
Columbus Boulevard to the West. The United Artists Theater is right across the
road to the west of the site.
Figure 11: Site Location – 1533 S Christopher Columbus Boulevard
Source: (Google Earth, 2015)
N
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Site Analysis and Programming
Figure 12: View of Columbus Boulevard facing south
Christopher Columbus Boulevard caters to fast moving traffic. Figure 12 shows a
view of Christopher Columbus Boulevard with traffic.It would be intimidating for
pedestrians to cross the road to get to the site.
Figure 13 shows the I95 that runs parallel to the Columbus Boulevard. The
presence of the I95 and the Columbus Boulevard (both catering to fast moving
traffic) would make the periphery of the site noisy.
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Figure 13: View of Reed St. and the I95
The presence of the shopping complex near the site should be taken advantage
of by providing easy access to it. Also, with the United Artist’s theater opposite
the site, there is the opportunity for some parts of the site to be accessible to the
public to make the surroundings livelier and connect the neighborhood to the
river. Figure 14 shows a view of the site from Columbus Boulevard facing south.
As seen in the figure, the existing site condition is not favorable for pedestrians.
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Figure 14: View of the site from Columbus Boulevard
With the Delaware River to the east and a view of the city skyline to the north-
west most of the site has desirable views. A part of the site lies in the 100year
flood plain and hence cannot be used for construction. The prevailing wind
direction in the winter is from the south-west in the winter. Hence, the western
part of the site needs a noise barrier. A river trail runs across the site. A
connection to this trail would encourage activity on the site.
Based on standards and existing prototypes, a program for the community was
developed as shown in Figure 15
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Figure 15: Programming
Requirements/ spaces Spaces Areas Total
Area
number of
occupants
1 50 individual units 2bhk, 1bhk (20+30) 1000sft/1bhk + 1600sft/2bhk (house). 1300/lot for 1bhk +
2080/lot for 2bhk-
80600 50-70
2 Apartment(2 blocks) 2bhk, 1bhk and shared housing