Recharge & Recognize : A Rest Area Prototype for Tomorrow

Final Thesis Presentation

2009-12-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

Final Thesis Poster

2009-12-11T17:24:00.001-08:00

This poster is on display in the lobby of the Gatewood Studio Arts Building until early Spring 2010.

Final Site: Piedmont

2009-10-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Our mid-term critiques today helped me determine which of the three prototypes I will continue to develop. Considering today's input from students and faculty, I will continue designing the Piedmont site on I-95 near Fayetteville, North Carolina for the remainder of the semester. This design proposes a strong relationship to the regional context to provide a sense of place for travelers. Although from the Midwest, I have spent the past 4 1/2 years living in the Piedmont in Greensboro, North Carolina. Perhaps my greater understanding of this region is derived from my experiences here. My next step will be to continue developing the site surrounding the building and use the context to inform travelers. I plan to visit the site near Fayetteville next weekend... Road trip anyone?

Mid Semester Presentation

2009-10-21T17:35:00.001-07:00

Mid Semester Critique Script

2009-10-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

Recharge & Recognize

During this presentation, I will present three rest area prototypes that have been developed using form, materials, light and color to inform travelers of their surroundings during their short-term experience at three sites in North Carolina. The title Recharge & Recognize has a dual meaning. Electric car recharging stations are located at each site as well as the rest area gives travelers a place to recharge themselves mentally and physically. The buildings themselves strive to increase awareness of the surrounding culture and encourage travelers to recognize their environment.

Theory

The theoretical framework for this project contains three main subcategories: sense of place, vernacular architecture, and cultural geography. The history of roads and rest areas is also influential to the project. This diagram visually shows this framework and highlights the main theorists work involved in my research.

Sense of Place

Through my research I have come across sense of place theories such as each traveler encounters a varied sense of place in the same physical location. Research also shows that a greater short-term recognition comes from previous understanding and seeking information. Travelers depend on the character of a place to create their experience. Christian Norberg-Schulz describes that it is important to orient oneself, but also to identify with the environment.

Vernacular Architecture

Vernacular architecture, the second theoretical subject, is inspired by the landscape, built using local materials, respects the environment, and is not influenced by fashion. This study has helps to tell the human story because throughout history, vernacular buildings have been built to directly satisfy the needs of the time. Vernacular architecture represents the regional architecture which is influenced by the users’ needs as well as particular architects.

Cultural Geography

Denis Cosgrove explains that landscapes are symbolic and each produces cultural norms and dominant values for groups in society. Both the natural and man-made landscape defines the appropriate behavior of the site. The combination of the man-made and natural landscapes in this project aim to encourage curiosity of the surroundings. A quote from Karl Raitz states “The trick [for tourists] is to learn about the everyday landscapes that ‘common folk’ create…” He explains that while traveling, one must be willing to read more than the roadside historical markers and look to the landscapes created by the local people. These three subjects sense of place, vernacular architecture and cultural geography form the theoretical framework for the project.

Rest Area Activities

The proposed rest areas go beyond what may be expected at a roadside facility. Looking towards future generations while also remembering the past, new amenities have been added to the traditional rest area programmatic requirements. Digital touch screens and large digital displays allow travelers to interact and learn information on the weather, regional history, current events, attractions, traffic, and more. Wireless internet is provided in all facilities. Nature trails allow travelers to stretch their legs. Vending provides unique treats such as seasonal local apples in the mountain region to enjoy in picnic shelters. Recharging stations give a new purpose to these roadside stations bringing them into the future.

Sites

The three sites were chosen based on the three distinct regions of North Carolina: mountain, piedmont and coastal. In the Appalachian Mountains at milepost 10, 12 miles south of Asheville on I-26 near the Asheville Airport, the first location is located in Henderson-Buncombe Counties. This second site is located in Cumberland County at milepost 48 on I-95, 1-mile southeast of Fayetteville in the piedmont region. The third site, unique because it serves both motorists and boaters, is in the southbound lane of US-17 one mile south of the Virginia line in Camden County.

Site Images

These three images represent the landscape of each region. Below are the three proposed prototypes, which I will now present. Each of the three are schematic designs in which details have not been fully developed. I will spend the remaining half of the semester developing one of these schematic designs in detail. Today, I would like the discussion to follow to be focused on the successes and weaknesses of the prototypes based on my theoretical approach. This will determine the prototype to continue to develop for the remainder of the semester.

Materials

Certain materials including metal, vegetation, wood and concrete are incorporated into each of the buildings but used in a fashion informed by the landscape. Some unique materials are also used in specific locations because they are inherent to the region. An example of this is small stones inside a wire structure which create the façade of the mountain site. Metal is used sparingly in the mountain region whereas further towards the coast where the landscape is influenced by ships and boats, worn, rusted metal is an important material. Reclaimed wood from different sources is used at each site. Examples include reclaimed barn wood in the piedmont and reclaimed wood planks from docks on the coastal site. Polished concrete has been chosen for all interior floors because of its durability and ease of maintenance.

Daylighting

Each site incorporates daylighting in a different way. From the mountains to the coast, the buildings progressively open allowing in more daylight. The coastal facility has the most fenestration whereas the building near the Blue Ridge Parkway is more closed due to the climate. These images represent the daylighting strategies for all facilities.

Night lighting

The night lighting, influenced by flashy roadside diners from the early age of the highway provides a glow from the road. This dually increases night safety as well as lures drivers from the highway.

Building Codes

Here, I have provided a list of some of the building codes that will need to be incorporated into the facilities. Two main codes I have met are the ½ diagonal rule, which states that the distance between the two required exits must be at least ½ the longest distance in the building and the restroom ADA guidelines. A five-foot turning radius is achieved in all spaces.

Mountain Region

This slide represents the inspirations for the Appalachian Mountain site on I-26. Color scheme consists of earthy tones, and previous conceptual models represent angular forms.

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Exterior materials include reclaimed wood planks, stones in wire structure, Fusion Solar roofing by Custom-Built Metals which has a layer of solar film manufactured on each panel, and a vegetated wall with indigenous plants. Interior materials include reclaimed wood planks, polished concrete, a smooth glossy earth-toned paint, and the vegetated wall.

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Perspectives of the building show the central public space where digital touch screens are located. A security office is located within view of each entry. The main path of entrance is through the vegetated wall, which is green on both the interior and exterior of the thick wall.

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Plan and sections. An emergency exit is located on the back façade of the building. There are two womens restrooms and two mens restrooms in each facility for maintenance purposes as well as one family or assisted use restroom.

Piedmont Region

This slide represents the inspirations for the Piedmont site near Fayetteville, NC on I-95. Color scheme consists of tones derived form local crops, and previous conceptual models represent linear, horizontal forms. The history of textiles and mills as well as the current vineyard culture are inspiration for this design as well as farming.

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Exterior materials include metal panels on the front façade and reclaimed barn wood planks on the rear portion of the building. The front façade has large sliding glass panels that can be opened during temperate seasons. The roof is Fusion Solar roofing by Custom-Bilt Metals. Interior materials include polished concrete floors, vegetated wall, a smooth glossy paint in a red-orange hue and a patterned 3-Form divider panel.

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The vegetated wall penetrates the building and users weave through the openings reminiscent of former textile mills in the region. Two womens restrooms are adjacent as well as two adjacent mens restrooms in the rear of the building. The vending is located to the right of the entry clearly visible from most public spaces. Information is provided through touch screens in the entry and in a more enclosed space left of the entry near the security office.

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Plan and sections. An emergency exit is located on the back façade of the building.

Coastal Region

This slide represents the inspirations for the coastal site on the Dismal Swamp Canal near the Virginia border on Highway 17. The form of the building is inspired by the contrast of water with its curvilinear, undulating properties and the linear structure of the man-made canal. The color scheme introduces blue and the building aims to achieve a weathered open coastal feeling.

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Weathered wood reclaimed from coastal areas and boat docks is used as flooring on the large exterior deck. Tile resembling coastal shingle siding is used on the panels in the interior. A green roof featuring swampy moss vegetation grows out of the interior as a vegetated wall and catches rainwater on the roof using a filtration system. The curvilinear structure is constructed of weathered blue steel. Polished concrete is the interior flooring.

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The interior of the building is accessible from both the roadside and canal side. On the canal side, there is an exterior deck designed to catch some of the debris brought up from the waterside. Cables are used to visually lower the ceiling height on the entry of the restrooms and is reminiscent of cables used in boat mechanics. Information is located on both sides of the interior near the large curtain wall and security is centrally located creating a wall for the vending on the exterior.

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Plan and sections. There are two entrances to this building.

Discussion

I would now like to open start a discussion focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the three prototypes focusing on the theoretical framework and creation of a sense of place for travelers. I plan for this discussion to help me determine which of the three designs is the strongest prototype to continue developing.

Mid Semester Critique Handout

2009-10-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

Sustainable Northwest North Carolina Visitors Center & Rest Area

2009-10-03T13:35:00.001-07:00

North Carolina's first sustainable rest area opened Thursday on Highway 421 near North Wilkesboro. Built by Innovative Design, a sustainable architecture firm out of Raleigh, the building is aiming for LEED Gold certification.

Sustainable design elements include:

Small building footprint surrounded by open space
Stormwater management through bio-retention basin, hazardous spill basins and bio-swales
Xeriscape landscape (no irrigation needed)
Light pollution reduction
0.8 mile green trail
4.5 acres of reforestation
Preferred Parking for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles and van pools
Reduced parking capacity to appropriate amounts
Reclaimed site vegetation for landscape mulch and site furniture
Photovoltaic system
Domestic solar water heating for restroom sinks
Increased daylighting
Rainwater harvesting
Diverted 90% of construction waste from landfill
Building shell is constructed of an Energy star rated membrane

[Information courtesy of the NCDOT]

The building's green monitoring system is available online. The system updates the information every 15 minutes.

The new building is impressive and well received. Today over 350 visitors took advantage of the facilities before noon, including around 100 during the hour I spent on site. The design utilizes many strategies proposed in my thesis prototypes which are exciting to see implemented. Hopefully this will be the first of many sustainable rest areas in North Carolina. This is a wonderful precedent study for my thesis as well as a fun day trip to visit the site.

Schematics & Materials, Light, Color, Form

2009-10-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

The prototype lighting strategy will maximize daylighting with the buildings will be oriented in the optimum way to efficiently use solar energy. Large curtain walls allow light into the lobby from the entrance. Interior and exterior light shelves direct light upward, filling the space with light and reducing direct glare. Private versus public space deserves deliberation in the restrooms as privacy is of key importance, but lighting is vital as well. In these spaces, indirect diffused light will enter through clerestories and openings in the ceiling planes. The architectural form of the envelope dictates the placement and shape of the windows. By design, each restroom will have natural light entering the space on at least two sides in addition to natural overhead light. A view towards the exterior featuring a picnic arbor will be incorporated into each restroom. This view will remind users of the arbors knowing that many motorists stop at rest areas solely for the purpose of using these restrooms. This vertical opening will be small, one directional glass as not to disrupt the privacy and will not reveal any private areas from the exterior. Landscaping following the contours of the building exterior will prevent travelers from approaching this window as well.

Florescent lights will be used because of their energy efficiency and color rendering potential. Artificial lights will be on automatic sensors that sense the amount of light needed based on the exact time of year. A manual switch override is available if necessary.

The history of the American roadside is inspiration for the night lighting. Flashy diners flagged the roadside starting in the 1950s and attracted motorists through their large eye-catching signs, colors and lighting. The Las Vegas strip developed its ostentatious aesthetic in anticipation of luring drivers off the road into casinos, restaurants, and hotels. The tradition continues today with large billboards reading “McDonalds 5 miles ahead, Turn Right” followed by a large arch visible from miles and highly illuminated at night.

Each prototype will interpret this flashy roadside manner by utilizing bright colored night illumination. Serving a dual purpose, this illumination will both attract motorists and increase safety in a well-lit night environment. Caution will be taken to ensure the proposed lighting will not direct footcandles upward. The glow will be emitted outward and the level of illumination will be calculated to ensure minimal environmental disturbance. LED lights are used for all exterior lighting including but not limited to the building façade, parking, and walkways because of their high energy efficiency.

The region of each site dictates the building’s color scheme, mainly through inherent properties of the local materials. White will be used as a main color element at all facilities as it is a fresh, clean, modern color. All materials in this project are chosen for their inherent sustainable properties. Painted sheetrock is minimal in the facilities as other local materials provide more of a sense of place and identity to each region. Materials will be used in unconventional applications to provide a unique sensory experience for travelers passing through the region. Through the architectural form and materials, an effort will be made to realize the surrounding culture in the building.

The models below are conceptual and do not directly suggest forms for the prototypes. They are abstractions of inspiration taken from each landscape.

The undulations and peaks of the Appalachian Mountains inspire the form of the rest area in the mountain region. Characteristics of the architecture will be substantial, dense and angular simulating the landscape. Indigenous regional materials including wood, stone, rock, brick, and concrete will be used in the design. Each material will be used in a unique application. An example of this unique application is the 9x9 House by Titus Bernhard Architecture. Pebble stones are held within a metal wire frame structure to form the exterior walls of the house. FSC certified wood is specified for all wood products. The color palette for the mountain region includes earth tones such as shades of brown, evergreen, and terracotta brick.

A double-sided (interior and exterior) vegetated wall will be included in the design featuring indigenous plants from the Appalachian Mountain region. The wall will be thick and substantial with a window opening in the vegetation showing the thickness of the architecture. Exterior paved walkways will be permeable using products such as Drivable Grass to reduce runoff and increase the amount of vegetation on site.

Low, flat land characteristic of this area and the farmland covering the landscape influence the form of the building as well as the shapes and contours of farmland. The building will extend in various directions on a flat ground plane to emphasize this quality and use abstracted forms of geometric shapes. The use of an overhang will be incorporated into the project creating an overhead plane that gives protection from the elements as well as creates a more intimate sense of place with the horizontal landscape.

Polished concrete with a high content of fly ash will be used as flooring for the prototype building to keep maintenance to a minimum. A vegetated wall will be incorporated on the exterior of this building wrapping around in a manner influenced by the contours of field crops. Metal will be incorporated into the project such as Chemetal weathered steel, a product that contains 85% recycled content and can be recycled after its useful life. Other materials will be included in innovative fashions such as sticks were used in the Pio Pio Restaurant by Sebastian Mariscal (the third photo in at the top of the slide). Vernacular architecture will influence the designs, but will be abstracted to create a unique sense of place for travelers.

The piedmont color strategy draws inspiration from regional crops including red, orange, evergreen, leaf green, wheat, and terracotta brick. These colors will come from the inherent properties of materials as well as in lighting.

Motorists approach this building on the east, while boaters approach on the west making two main entrances a necessity. The fluidity of water is inspiration to the design as well as the wildlife inhabiting the nearby Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Other influences include the structural architecture of both boats and cars and the contrast between them. Steel cables containing recycled content will be used as a reflection of ropes and cables associated with boats.

Wood docks and the wooden slat construction that is identified with them is a major influence with this design. FSC certified wood is an important material to this design and will be used in both horizontal and vertical applications. Both curvilinear and linear forms will contrast the forms of the linear man-made canal and the nearby curvilinear coastline. Traditional shingles of coastal homes are imitated through the use of tiles in both interior and exterior application. The Worldwide Fund for Nature building by Rau (upper left image on slide) demonstrates how these tiles can be used on a curvilinear exterior application.

Blue, the color of water is inspirational to the color scheme in the coastal region. Other colors will include shades of brown, green, and terracotta brick.

A Reliable Break : Narrative

2009-09-28T18:47:00.000-07:00

Bob and Shirley Wilkinson drive the scenic route from Northern Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina each September to visit their grandchildren. The same routine is followed every time the couple gets in the car. After 40 years of marriage, Bob knows Shirley gets anxious and needs to stretch her legs every couple of hours, as does their dog Wayne. They prefer to stop at rest areas, visitors’ centers, and state parks so the couple has a place to walk around and let Wayne run loose.

Each year the Wilkinsons look forward to stopping at the rest area and visitor’s center on the Virginia/North Carolina border on US Highway 17. Bob is always the first to shout out “Welcome to North Carolina” as he always wants to be the first to spot the state sign. As they exit for the rest area, Wayne wags his tail and waits eagerly with his front paws on the back window for the car to come to a stop and he jumps out with Shirley.

Bob takes Wayne around the site to the back deck where they can sit and watch boaters pass by on the Dismal Swamp Canal. Many of the boaters just pass by, as do the motorists, but there are always a few fishermen and families docking their boats to stretch their legs at the rest area as well. Tuna sandwiches, dill pickles, and diet sodas make up the Wilkinson’s traditional road trip diet. Bob arranges lunch on the wooden table ready to eat when Shirley comes back to join him.

Meanwhile, Shirley uses the restroom and is always pleased with her feeling of security in the building. The officer greets her with a friendly smile whenever he is at the security station. Always fresh and maintained, the restrooms are well-lit with indirect natural light during the day and automatic fixtures. Over the past few years, Shirley has become more conscious of the environment and is pleased the plumbing fixtures consume low amounts of water and that rainwater and graywater are reused on site.

Watching the boaters and listening to the faint sounds of wild birds, Bob and Wayne sit waiting for Shirley to return. After lunch, the Wilkinsons take a short stroll around the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge before returning to the building. This gives Wayne a chance to let his energy loose before the second half of the road trip begins.

The couple is always interested in the cultural happenings of the area, and they never fail to stop by the digital information center on their way back to the car. After this many years, they know the history of the area inside and out, but are always curious to know about the latest developments and activities.

A retired history teacher who has always been intrigued by architecture, Bob remembers this rest area most of all for its relationship to its surroundings. Sensitive to both boaters and motorists, the architecture gives him a unique sense of place, which he does not often have the chance to experience. Local materials and a style influenced by the coastal waterway make the facility memorable for him.

Each time the Wilkinsons leave the site, they have a better appreciation of their surroundings and a better understanding of the current conditions around them. This short, but meaningful break is important for their journey each summer as they need a chance to stretch their legs and recharge before returning to the highway.

Mountain Biking Discovery : Narrative

2009-09-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

During college, Sam, Mike, and Brad started the tradition of mountain biking on the trails of the Blue Ridge Parkway on the second Saturday of each summer month. Although three years have passed, and life has taken them separate ways, they still manage to join together and load up the car with everything necessary for a mountainous off road adventure. Brad is now a businessman living in Charlotte, Sam lives a low-key lifestyle just west of the North Carolina border in Tennessee, and Mike works at a bike shop near the coast. These college buddies still crave adventure and are always happy to reconnect with each other and nature during their trip.

Their routine has never wavered; after a long day biking, they settle down for dinner and a few beers on the patio of an Asheville pub catching up on their lives and sharing old stories. The drive up Interstate 26 to Asheville wasn’t more than 15 miles from the trail, but right after the guys got back into the car the battery light clicked on again. Brad’s new electric SUV wasn’t going to make the trip to town so the car located the closest recharging station off of the interstate. Brad is not always the most prepared and forgot to charge the battery the night before. Earlier, he told Sam and Mike not to worry about the blinking battery light, as they were all excited to hit the trails. They pulled off the road right into a recharging station as soon as they saw the rest area sign. These signs were familiar, of course, but they had never thought to stop to use the facilities.

The off ramp seemed familiar, but there was something noticeably different about the site plan when they arrived. They pulled straight into a refueling stall in front of the building. They did not have to walk across the parking lot dodging other cars or semi-trucks. While Brad plugged in the car, Mike and Sam gave him a hard time for forgetting to charge it the night before, and made their way to the restroom.

Upon entering the building, the travelers remarked that it did not feel confining and instead was as open and welcoming. Natural light filled the entry from clerestory windows and a large curtain wall. The restrooms were fresh and clean; not only from a maintenance standpoint, but also in another unexplainable way. Waterless urinals and automatic fixtures made the process quick and sanitary. On the way out, Sam caught a glimpse of a picnic arbor out a slim window in the restroom entrance. Beautiful natural vegetation filled the rather large gap between the building and the picnic arbor as if to keep them separate.

Mike and Sam found Brad in the atrium of the building downloading the latest maps and some local podcasts onto his iPhone. He was standing in front of an immense digital screen that could pull up more local information than imaginable. Just in a few short minutes of standing there, he checked Asheville’s weather to make sure a storm wasn’t brewing nearby, searched for a new pub to try, and confirmed that there was no traffic that would impede the final leg of their journey. Mike eagerly took over the touch screen after Brad had finished mapping their route and scrolled through the information on current events. Sam, who has not done much bike riding lately, sat down on a unique wooden bench to rest his legs and read about the regional history on placards lining the walls.

Music filled the lobby, but not loud enough to drown out the prattle of summer travelers making their way in and out of the building. Some stopped to check their email on small digital monitors, and others simply passed through after using the facilities.

Knowing that the SUV fully charges in about thirty minutes, Sam suggested they take a break at one of the open picnic arbors around the corner. On the way they stopped along the brick path at the vending machines. Elated that the vending machines were not stocked with Twinkies, the tired bikers each choose a frozen treat from the local Biltmore Village Creamery. The view from the arbor captured the building as well as the majestic mountains. The vending machines were camouflaged by a vertical garden, and the rest of the building made a bold statement but was situated in a natural way as if it were delicately placed on the site. Native vegetation and indigenous plants followed the contours of the brick paths mimicking the curves of the land.

Brad, Sam and Mike didn’t put much thought into analyzing their break at this rest area, but subconsciously they left with a greater recognition of the region and cultures they come in contact with during their summer bike trips.

3 Sites

2009-09-28T12:45:00.001-07:00

Proposal

2009-09-28T12:37:00.001-07:00

Proposal Script

2009-09-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

Recharge & Recognize

The project title Recharge & Recognize is derived from the physical actions in which motorists engage in at rest areas. Rest areas allow motorists to both mentally and physically take a break from driving or recharge, and in the case of the proposed prototypes in this project, people will be able to literally recharge their electric cars. The meaning of the verb recognize, is to detect with the senses or to be fully aware or cognizant. In this case, recognize refers to the motorist’s acknowledgment of the surroundings beyond the physical facilities. I will first introduce the history preceding today’s rest areas followed by the theoretical framework and project site.

Timeline

After the introduction of the Model T in 1908, the federal government started developing highways and the national interstate system crossing the United States. This rise of the highway system and automobile during the mid-20th century spurred commercial development lining the highway. It was the age of the first major gas stations and flashy roadside diners, but it was not until 1959 that the government developed its first roadside rest area. Providing an area of respite for motorists, state governments quickly developed these sites. By 1972, approximately 1,200 rest areas had been built; today there are more than 2,500 state rest areas, but they may not all be around for much longer.

State Styles

Most state rest areas built between 1960 and 1990 consisted of a toilet building and picnic shelters. States generally used the architectural design of picnic shelters to showcase their local style and culture, but this was not always as apparent in the main toilet buildings. The upper images on the screen are picnic shelters from Oregon, New Mexico, California and Texas. Below are images of toilet buildings in Michigan, Idaho, Wisconsin and Missouri.

Closings

The state of Louisiana closed 24 of its 34 rest areas last year due to budget concerns and Virginia has followed in their footsteps this year closing 19 of its 42 stations. Virginia estimates these closings will cut $9 million of annual spending in order to bounce back from its $2.6 billion dollar budget shortfall. Other states such as Vermont, Wisconsin, Maine, Colorado, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Arizona have either closed facilities or are proposing to do so. Recently North and South Carolina have cut staffing from their facilities between one and two days a week.

All of these closings have stirred up quite a controversy from a wide array of people. One article on this issue entitled “Rest Areas, R.I.P.” by Emily Badger on Good Magazine online has received 499 responses so far, an overwhelming majority in favor of preserving the concept of rest areas.

Construction

While rest areas are on the bottom of the list of priorities for some states, they are top priority for others. Currently, Texas and Iowa have two of the most aggressive programs for redevelopment in the country. Texas uses Transportation Enhancement Funding, which allots 10% of the transport budget to surface transportation projects such as safety rest areas, bike trails, landscaping, scenic beautification and historic preservation.

Each Texas rest area is context sensitive incorporating the surrounding culture, history and geology. Sustainable design is incorporated into each building and systems such as wind turbines and rainwater cisterns are at some of their new facilities. Washington state is developing electric car recharging stations to bring its rest areas into the future. I plan to incorporate many of these same aspects into the prototype designs in this project.

Theory

The theoretical framework for this project contains three main subcategories: sense of place, vernacular architecture, and cultural geography. The history of roads and rest areas is also influential to the project. This diagram visually shows this framework and highlights the main theorists work involved in my research.

Sustainability is a major priority and concept in this project but is not in the diagram because it is an overarching value. The building will aim to be self-sufficient in a number of ways. Wind and solar energies will be examined to supply power. Sustainable materials and practices will be proposed to reduce the roadside environmental footprint. Water conserving fixtures and low-flow toilets will be located in the public restrooms. Electric car recharging stations will also be proposed for the site.

Sense of Place

“The sense of place is an experience created by the setting combined with what a person brings to it.” Fritz Steele explains that each individual’s background influences his or her thought process and experience in a place. This translates to mean that each traveler will encounter a varied sense of place in the same physical location. Research also shows that a greater short-term recognition comes from previous understanding and seeking information. Each of the prototypes will have digital displays highlighting the culture and history of the region. The possibility of large digital maps as well as interactive touch-screen displays will be explored to bring information to motorists in a new way. Travelers depend on the character of a place to create their experience. Christian Norberg-Schulz describes that it is important to orient oneself, but also to identify with the environment. The information available and architecture of the buildings will act together to help motorists identify while passing through.

Vernacular Architecture

Vernacular architecture, the second theoretical subject, is inspired by the landscape, built using local materials, respects the environment, and is not influenced by fashion. This study helps to tell the human story because throughout history, vernacular buildings have been built to directly satisfy the needs of the time. Studying the history of vernacular buildings in the three regions of North Carolina proposed for this project will give greater understanding to the lifestyles of the counties.

Henry Glassie explains that architects and designers are directly influenced by their surroundings and education merely adds another layer of knowledge to the existing. As a designer, it is apparent that each of us designs to our own capabilities influenced by our backgrounds. This is important to vernacular architecture in that regional architecture is influenced by the users’ needs as well as particular architects. The notion of boundaries is also important to stabilize social relationships and define the land.

Cultural Geography

Denis Cosgrove explains that landscapes are symbolic and each produces cultural norms and dominant values for groups in society. If society is informed by the landscape then buildings should be able to help inform society about the landscape as well. Both the natural and man-made landscape defines the appropriate behavior of the site. The combination of the man-made and natural landscapes in this project will aim to encourage curiosity of the surroundings. A quote from Karl Raitz states “The trick [for tourists] is to learn about the everyday landscapes that ‘common folk’ create…” He explains that while traveling, one must be willing to read more than the roadside historical markers and look to the landscapes created by the local people. These three subjects sense of place, vernacular architecture and cultural geography form the theoretical framework for the project.

Site Map

The three yellow dots on this map denote the three site locations for the rest area prototypes in this project. I will be developing three schematic designs in the first half of the semester based on three varying North Carolina landscapes. At the time of mid-term critiques, I will determine which site to continue developing for the final design.

3 Regions

The sites are located near Fayetteville in Cumberland County, in the Appalachian Mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Buncombe County and on the Great Dismal Swamp Canal in Camden County. Each design will aspire to create a sense of place for travelers to briefly experience the culture and history of their immediate surroundings. These landscapes are each beautiful in themselves and vastly different. As you can see, the current rest area facilities do not reflect these differences and the prototypes will aim to achieve this diversity.

Piedmont Region

This site in Cumberland County is located at milepost 48 on I-95, 1-mile southeast of Fayetteville in the piedmont region of North Carolina. The facility was opened in 1981 and is 2720 heated sq ft. In 2009 a major renovation was done to add new restrooms to the facility.

Great Dismal Swamp Canal

Unique because it serves both motorists and boaters, this rest area and visitors center is in the southbound lane of US-17 one mile south of the Virginia line in Camden County. It is built on the banks of the Great Dismal Swamp Canal, and is open five days a week from 9-5. The facility opened in 1989 with major renovations in 1994 and 1996. This location will be unique catering to both canal and roadway traffic.

Blue Ridge Parkway

At milepost 10, 12 miles south of Asheville on I-26 near the Asheville Airport, this rest area is located in Henderson-Buncombe Counties. This is currently a 1,932 sq ft building opened in 1967 with renovations in 1998. The building is open 24 hours a day and staffed 18 hours per day. The location on the parkway in the Appalachian Mountains will give inspiration to this design.

Haiku
Pause along the way
Embracing nature and site
Reveals the culture

This haiku embodies the spirit of this project and will guide the design process.