vertical villages
ARCH 704 - Stefan Benisch/Martin Haas - Philadelphia, PA
Vertical Villages aims to facilitate physical connections across the river, railroad tracks, and
street levels. The development addresses the lack of destination on the river’s
edge and at the end of Locust Street by creating an urban plaza to draw visitors
to the area. Bordering this plaza are a series of public amenities, including a
music hall, cafe, and corner grocery. Beneath this plaza, a hip underground night
club will draw people to the site during typically underused hours of the day. These
moves are intended to foster community interaction between building residents, site
neighbors, and the city as a whole by increasing activity and sharing services. Environmentally,
Vertical Villages creates opportunities to harvest “free energy” from the sun and river, and to shelter
inhabitants from the wind by employing a textured facade to diffuse the harsh winter gusts. In
addition, shared garden space is included within the towers to allow residents a more “suburban”
and autonomous feeling, while still enjoying a vibrant urban setting. |
Selected Images (click to enlarge)
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