When I first visited the site I was struck by what a different reading one would get of it depending on how one arrived there. If one approaches from the pedestrian bridge one has to pass all the new condo development to get there; and if one goes down the trail from Caesar’s Park you will be surrounded by trees before you get to it. This very strong first impression that the site gave me has driven my design from the beginning. When you approach my building from the park trail, you see my building engulfed in nature. It’s sited next to the tall tress on the site, has a green roof, and has trees planted along its ramp. It’s proximity to the vegetation and way it digs into the earth makes it merge into the landscape. On the other hand, when one arrives to the boathouse via the pedestrian bridge, all on can see is a strong rectilinear façade composed by cubic volumes that echoes the built environment one has just passed through. The cube of the office, which at the same time is a mezzanine to the storage level bellow and cantilevers out into the loading level outside, makes the building seem like a unique object in the landscape.
Status: School Project
Location: Milwaukee, WI