Mixed-use Building Morphology: A Case Study of Vliet Street?s 3700 Block
Mentor 1
Arijit Sen
Location
Union 250
Start Date
29-4-2016 12:40 PM
Description
One of Milwaukee’s commercial corridors, Vliet Street, has stood the test of time by its ability to meet the demands of multiple businesses, time periods, demographics, and cultures. The key to this success is the mixed-use buildings that occupy this street. This case study examines a typical block of Vliet Street, the 3700 block, which is made up of multiple mixed-use buildings. Patterns of access and claim of space emerge from the analyzation of formal architectural layout, use of materials, marking of territorial boundaries, and organization of physical features. The morphology of these buildings demonstrates how their architectural form allows for the accommodation of multiple uses and adaptation over time. The mixed-use buildings along Vliet Street tell stories that reveal not only the changes in the usage of space, but the spatial strategies that made these transformations possible. The characteristics found in the buildings analyzed, including movement patterns, fenestration, ornament, and layout of spaces, define patterns that suggest flexibility. The flexibility of buildings is determined by its ability to meet the needs of the occupant without undergoing fundamental changes. These needs vary with the intended use, lifestyle of the resident, and cultural values of the time. Studying the sources of flexibility shows how these buildings have been able to succeed in providing functional space to their users and informs designers and tools about strategies that can be used to create spaces that are able to accommodate multiple uses and allow for change over time.
Mixed-use Building Morphology: A Case Study of Vliet Street?s 3700 Block
Union 250
One of Milwaukee’s commercial corridors, Vliet Street, has stood the test of time by its ability to meet the demands of multiple businesses, time periods, demographics, and cultures. The key to this success is the mixed-use buildings that occupy this street. This case study examines a typical block of Vliet Street, the 3700 block, which is made up of multiple mixed-use buildings. Patterns of access and claim of space emerge from the analyzation of formal architectural layout, use of materials, marking of territorial boundaries, and organization of physical features. The morphology of these buildings demonstrates how their architectural form allows for the accommodation of multiple uses and adaptation over time. The mixed-use buildings along Vliet Street tell stories that reveal not only the changes in the usage of space, but the spatial strategies that made these transformations possible. The characteristics found in the buildings analyzed, including movement patterns, fenestration, ornament, and layout of spaces, define patterns that suggest flexibility. The flexibility of buildings is determined by its ability to meet the needs of the occupant without undergoing fundamental changes. These needs vary with the intended use, lifestyle of the resident, and cultural values of the time. Studying the sources of flexibility shows how these buildings have been able to succeed in providing functional space to their users and informs designers and tools about strategies that can be used to create spaces that are able to accommodate multiple uses and allow for change over time.
