#HomeRECONSIDERED

[cmusoa-udbs]

Every Wednesday, the UDBS meets with our Reality Computing team to collaborate on the integration of a virtual reality environment into the HOME_Inc.UBATOR.  On one of those Wednesdays, the IDeATe Professor, Tom Corbett, walked us through navigation of a virtual reality experience within Google Earth.  In the video attached he shows briefly how to navigate the environment, change the time of day and shifting between google street views and aerial views. 

[gthakkar]

Tectonics of a House

There have been numerous posts on ‘What constitutes a house?’ or ‘What is it that makes a house a home?’ by teammates here at the UDBS. These questions constantly take me back to India, in the context I am familiar with, and I always keep comparing the answers to these questions to the answers that we get back home – in Mumbai. There might be many intangible aspects which might be familiar in both conditions, after all, a home for someone is as much a home in Mumbai as it is in Pittsburgh or London. But there are some tangible aspects about a house that are very peculiar to the local conditions of a city that really dictate the tectonics and have a huge impact on the way we think of design in each of the cities. These conditions can be driven by climate, the local socio-cultural values, formal values, the contextual setting, the way of living or the family dynamics.

These tectonics literally dictate how one designs a house in the city. In Mumbai, the primary construction methods are framed concrete structures with masonry infill walls, wood being limited to either interior finishes or doors and windows whereas here in Pittsburgh, its more about SIPs, steel framing, prefabricated or CNC milled wood panels, etc. The construction materials are much more lighter and modular than the wet wall masonry in Mumbai to keep out the lashing rains. In Mumbai one start measuring spaces through span of concrete beams, 6”/9”/12” walls, waterproofing, overhangs to block sun and rain and 6-8” thick concrete slabs. Pittsburgh house design conversations revolve around the 16” frame spacings, 2x4” wood section frames, SIPs, floor joists, and insulation sandwiched between walls and gypsum boards. The most important factor dictating the tectonics of a house is the weather – blocking the sun and keeping the rains at bay in Mumbai whereas increasing solar heat gain in North west of USA. The design principles change from internal courtyards and terraces to porches, pitched roof houses with limited openings. The spatial dynamics in Mumbai are balanced between the costs (value of land) and building with nature – getting as much light and air in. Materiality weighs more towards stones, bricks, wood and concrete which is expressed outside.

Being exposed to the design discussions for a house in Pittsburgh in the studios, helped me understand the vocabulary of building in the region. The value of design shifts from an idea of a courtyard to an idea of a porch culture that flourishes here. The idea of visual connectivity is reinforced as a mother keeps an eye on her child from the kitchen window while he or she is playing on the street across the house.

As the studio progresses towards thinking about schematic designs for the house RE_CON1, it is extremely essential to understand these tectonics which dictate the values of design and how they contribute to strengthening the community.

Picture above: The Chameleon house by Anderson and Anderson Architects, The cantilever house by Anderson and Anderson Architects

[cmusoa-udbs]

After the PLACE and CONDITION exercise that the UDBS did last spring, on March 24th, I was struck by the harsh reality of what could be bought for $5. This is a strong reference point for me as I continue working with the UDBS this year on housing in the same East End Communities where we looked at food access issues only a few months ago. In a post made by Candace Ju at the time we did the exercise, she outlined the impact that a diet consisting of 1650 calories could have on a growing child. Posts by Anthony Niche just recently added to the blog provide further statistical evidence of impact. From personal experience, I know that individuals with other health conditions could be more significantly impacted by that diet.

I am prone to hypoglycemia, meaning that when my blood sugar drops below normal levels I am prone to symptoms ranging from shakiness to (if not managed) losing consciousness. To manage this, I have to be very aware of what I eat, particularly paying attention to the carbohydrates I eat and the frequency of meals. Processed or refined  carbohydrates can cause a quick spike and then drop in blood sugar that can trigger symptoms.  Until doing this exercise I hadn’t realized that something like planning and strategizing meals may not be an option for some. For an individual trying to feed themselves with $5 a day a pretty manageable condition when one has access to healthcare and a variety of fresh and nutritious food, can become a serious health risk and amplifying the implications of malnutrition and hunger on physical and mental health.  

[cmusoa-udbs]

WALKING LARIMER : As has been mentioned in previous posts, the pre-cursor to UDBS work on affordable housing in the East End was addressing challenges to food access. While different in focus, we employed a number of the same observational methods - firmly rooted in experience. On Sunday March 26th, three of us (Garrett, Kelsey, and Candace) re-visited Larimer to gain greater understanding of food access in the neighborhood. After parking at Target in East Liberty, we walked Northeast on Larimer Ave to the Larimer Community Garden and Urban Farm. It looked unused but that is likely due to it being early spring, just coming out of winter. A couple blocks away was LA Grocer, where Kelsey and Garrett picked up a few snacks. From the few minutes we were there it seemed like a popular place for kids to get snacks. We walked Southeast towards LE Corner store and passed by a couple churches and Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School. on the way. The map above illustrates the path we took and identifies places where food can be accessed.   

[cmusoa-udbs]

During the PLACE CONSIDERED exercise I came across a lot of things that were alien to me. I am new to Pittsburgh and CMU, coming here from Mumbai, India. Mumbai is very different from Pittsburgh socially, culturally, and economically. The differences were most apparent walking through the neighborhoods where we will be working this year, Larimer and East Liberty. 

What stood out most were the vacant lots and abandoned buildings. Mumbai is a city of accelerated growth with a very high population density. This is reflected in the physical and social fabric of place. Poverty in Mumbai is not associated with vacancy, but with densely packed structures that utilize every square inch of land available and constructed with any/all resources within reach. 

The sight of boarded-up houses and abandoned religious institutions is alien to me, and it makes me curious about the impact on community - something that i will be learning about. I have always understood public buildings as necessary to infuse life in a community. Each abandoned building appears to me as a wound. Will we help to heal the wounds?

[cmusoa-udbs]

ORIGINS

The programming and development of the HOME IncUBATOR has been a process of exploration. Over the past year, the project, funded by Ford Motor, has been studied as a self contained crane-in module, as a virtual experience, as a permanent neighborhood amenity, as a mobile unit, and every combination of the previously mentioned forms. The decision to tie development to a bike chasis and trailer found its origin in a GIS mapping that exercise that started the 2017/2018 academic year.      

While working on the PLACE RE_CONSIDERED exercise, my group mapped  all the bike stations in Pittsburgh associated with the “Healthy Ride Pittsburgh” program. As can be seen in the image, the neighborhoods of East Liberty, Larimer, and Garfield have little or no access to these bikes. The nearest stations exist on Centre Avenue bordering Shadyside and/or on Negley Avenue bordering Friendship. Bikepgh.org notes that “The locations (station locations) were developed through a collaboration between the City of Pittsburgh and neighborhood groups.”

The UDBS looked at transportation access issues in the East Liberty, Garfield, and Larimer neighborhoods throughout the fall of 2017 to better understand the context of RE_CON 01 and the HOME IncUBATOR. The GIS data points and information included above points to low representation from the neighborhoods where the projects will be realized. At that point, the studio began discussing how the HOME IncUBATOR might raise awareness about bikes as an affordable and beneficial transportation option in these neighborhoods due to the limited access inner regions have to bus routes. That provided a springboard to explore what could be accomplished with a bike to raise awareness around all housing related issues; access to healthy food, access culture, access to transportation - access to opportunity. 

[cmusoa-udbs]

Part of the Problem:  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an article called “ Riding OD Road” (it can be found here: https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/riding-od-road/) chronicling the rise of opiate addiction issues in the Carrick neighborhood of Pittsburgh.  There are clear connections to issues surrounding affordable housing.

The UDBS has discussed many of the themes explored in the article.  Absentee landlords often provide safe havens for drug dealers to operate with little or no worry of discovery.  One such example is that of Realty Choice, a property manager that purchased more than 200 properties throughout Allegheny County (the picture shows the properties in Carrick) and then promptly sold them to outside, usually overseas, investors..  Additionally, as urban renewal efforts like St. Clair Village, a public housing project built in the 1950’s that originally contained 680 units, failed, hundreds of families were forced to move with little notice and without appropriate replacement housing.  For many of them, Carrick is where they went.  Some of the families were shifted to Housing Choice Vouchers which they used to rent houses recently purchased by landlords in adjacent neighborhoods.. According to the article, Carrick had 265 families using vouchers.  As communities continue to struggle with issues of affordable housing, it’s important to understand that though housing is part of a much larger scale problem that must be addressed on all levels including possible drug recovery issues, criminal pasts, and future opportunities.

[cmusoa-udbs]

More images illustrating the process of story boarding for the HOME Inc.UBATOR. the UDBS and UDBS IDeATe/Reality Computing groups have been working on the development of conceptual strategies this past week.  These images were taken on Monday during a collaborative design session.  

[cmusoa-udbs]

Early Saturday, October 21st, the UDBS group tasked with studying lots at 45 Carver Street met with its Reality Computing counterpart to pitch ideas for the HOME Inc.UBATOR (mentioned in previous posts). The time-lapse shows a story board coming together, including the potential uses of virtual reality and interactive applications to educate and inform both the class and the community.

[cmusoa-udbs]

As part of work in DEFINITION and ARTICULATION, UDBS students have been developing design schemes that respond to site conditions that we have researched (reference previous blog post). The design illustrated above specifically focuses on how to preserve enough space on the site at 45 Carver  to prevent a new residence from casting too much shade on the existing adjacent single story home. The scheme explores balancing massing, location of volume, and sloping of roof forms as methods/technique to achieve the articulated goal.  The formal moves to address solar access for adjacent homes must be balanced with programmatic and social relationships - which is the big challenge as we advance work toward viable schemes for the community and development partners to review. 

[cmusoa-udbs]

As part of our deliverables, the UDBS AECM students worked on preparing possible Site Utilization Plans (SUP) for each of the three sites being explored through HOME RE_CONSIDERED  – 416 N Euclid Ave, 318 N St Clair St and 45 Carver St. A comprehensive SUP helps in identifying locations of material and equipment that shall be placed on the project site during construction. Therefore, it can aid in minimizing the cost and time associated with delays due to poor site management. We generated multiple schemes for each site which includes placement of a dumpster, a portable toilet, a temporary electrical base, a staging area, and job boxes.

AS can be seen in the diagram above, we have been struggling with keeping all of these components located within the property lines during construction. This scheme represents a layout where permission would need to be granted by the jurisdiction for components to be located curbside or in adjacent areas. This would require a special exception or variance. We will be using these diagrams, and more like them as work advances toward decision making about which site to develop first. 

[cmusoa-udbs]

THE RACE TO HQ2: Amazon recently announced an RFP for their second North American headquarters which set off a hot municipal contest amongst cities and their Mayors as they scrambled to make proposals/competitive bids. Pittsburgh is one of the cities in the race for HQ2 – as the new headquarter is christened by the company – and seems very excited and hopeful that it will be one of the forerunners to qualify for the big prize. Amazon is estimated to invest around $5 billion in construction if the headquarter and estimated to generate as many as 50,000 jobs. “We are looking for a location with strong local and regional talent—particularly in software development and related fields—as well as a stable and business-friendly environment to continue hiring and innovating on behalf of our customers,” Amazon says in its online RFP. “We encourage cities to think big and be creative.” 

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald who is working with Mayor Bill Peduto, the State of Pennsylvania, Corporations, Universities, Foundations and labor leaders to draft a convincing proposal. He was recently quoted saying “We have a lot of assets. I feel really good about this. It’s in our sweet spot and their sweet spot”. He says Pittsburgh has affordability and attractive quality-of-life factors, along with many potential shovel ready sites for Amazon to spread out: in Oakland near top researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, at the Almono site in Hazelwood, in the Strip District, Lawrenceville, South Side, Cranberry and along the Pittsburgh International Airport corridor.

Pittsburgh has been consistently ranked at the top of national and international livability and progress rankings. Most recently a national article ranked two of the city’s neighborhoods amongst top 10 coolest in the US. There have been varied perspectives on Amazon coming to the city. While the state has been positive and hopeful, there have been some reactions to these which suggest otherwise and these come from people who have generational ties to the city. Some of those reactions suggest that Amazon’s HQ2 will have an adverse effect on Pittsburgh. An article by CityLab suggests that editorials have been quick to make East End of Pittsburgh a model asset while ignoring social and racial tensions. Pittsburgh based film maker Chris Ivey has been exploring and documenting this phenomena over the last 10 years in his documentary “East of Liberty” which focuses on the displacement of families.  Ivey’s documentary series archive everything that went into the transformation of the neighborhoods: the explosion and implosion of residential towers, removal of low income housing development and driving away longer-term residents of the area away from the city – all of which questions the “coolness” of the neighborhood and all the accolades bestowed upon the city.

One of the responses by a young black teen recorded in Ivey’s documentary “Unlivable times” illustrate apprehension in the face of recent development - ”What’s it gonna be like when that big Bakery Square opens? They’re gonna look at us like, ‘What are they doing in here?’ I can’t even walk into Trader Joe’s over there, without them looking at me weird. I can’t even go into the Whole Foods without getting weird looks, and this is in our neighborhood.”  After spending enough time with the community, families, and youth left behind in the wake of development, Ivey feels the residents of East liberty weren’t fortunate enough to be sustained for the opening of Target. What will happen with a behemoth like Amazon? He says, “I get really pissed off when I see them try to jump through hoops for shit like this when we have worse water than Flint,” says Ivey, referring to the Pittsburgh’s current problems with lead in the municipal water system. “I don’t see Amazon contributing, and I definitely don’t see the city seeing to it that they contribute. These are the stories they don’t want to talk about, like, we get so focused and excited about all these new developments, but what about the people?”

There are implications that follow after a big tech giant intervenes with municipal economic, social, and cultural dynamics. One can study the transformation of  Seattle and learn from the lessons that it has to offer in the wake of corporate success. As Pittsburgh advances in the bidding for Amazon’s HQ2, it is also necessary that it work toward the post development scenarios that manifest in the physical, social, and cultural fabric after the integration of opportunities like Amazon.

[cmusoa-udbs]

This is another mapping that our group developed while analyzing East Liberty in the spring of 2017. It outlines locations where there are some affordable and charitable food access locations in the neighborhood. There are two farmers’ markets that open on single days of the week for a limited time. The East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) provides lunch on weekdays for city residents around who do not know where their next meal is coming from. And, the East Field Community Garden is another source where some of the goods produced are shared with residents in need.

[cmusoa-udbs]

QUICK SNAPSHOT: A quick look at one of the schemes we are working through for the 416 N. Euclid. site. This image shows a quick chip board study model at 1/8″ scale on our site model. This scheme is largely contextual - the surrounding building heights, roof shapes, porches, street widths, external finishes, and green coverage are among many factors being explored.    

[cmusoa-udbs]

What We Talk About, When We Talk About Mortgages

Today in the United States, when someone talks about a mortgage, there are commonly a few assumptions: 30-year, fixed rate, 20% down. However, this was not the case historically, and not always the case recently, or globally. For example, around the world, a 15-year mortgage is standard, potentially saving someone thousands of dollars in interest.

Mortgages only started being commonly available commercially in the 1920s. Prior to that, they were typically only issued to farmers. Only 25% Americans in urban settings owned a home. Mortgages were typically 5-7 year terms, and 50% down. Or, if from a Building and Loan (a la It’s a Wonderful Life), the term might be 10-12 years. However, in the wake of the Great Depression and the New Deal, mortgages came to be regulated by the government more heavily. The term was extended to 15-years, with only 20% down. This allowed more families to own homes and build wealth, but also exposed a far greater proportion of Americans to the financial of home ownership.

The WWII GI Bill also changed the mortgage market. Terms were changed to 30-year, 20% down, fixed rate. This allowed even more families to own a home. At this point, owning a home came to become fixed in the mindset of Americans as part of the “American Dream.” Home Builders came to make fortunes on this idea, and white families fled urban areas to the newly-constructed “suburbs.”

Later, the restrictions on mortgages were relaxed and privatized even more, variable-rate loans were offered, no-down-payment loans were offered. Debt-to-earnings ratios skyrocketed, eventually leading to the Great Recession. Yet, the evolution of the mortgage was never examined. The US mortgage market was never compared globally. We never saw how our mortgage market keeps people fixed geographically, not allowing them to move to new opportunities. We never saw how the 30-year-term results in billions of dollars of increased profits for banks, and never questioned if that was a good thing. All we saw is the “American Dream” of owning a home.

And never asked if it was worth it.

[cmusoa-udbs]

Rick’s post a few days ago caused me to think about the origins of distressed neighborhoods, home ownership, and affordable housing. The figure above is a Home Owners Loan Corporation map of Pittsburgh. Maps like these were made for almost 300 cities during the new deal, in a practice referred to as “red-lining.” The New York Times has a great article explaining the practice here.

Under FDR’s new deal, the federal government began purchasing mortgages, insuring them, and refinancing them in order to limit foreclosures. The Home Owners Loan Corporation was formed to purchase and refinance mortgages, while the Federal Housing Administration was set up to insure them.

As part of their operations, the  HOLC started mapping cities in order to understand the risk categories for mortgages based on neighborhoods. HOLC appraisers only looked at the “state” of a neighborhood, and the people who lived in it. The New York Times article presents notes from an appraisers report stating that a neighborhood was “high-risk” because of the rising “colored population.” Across the nation, HOLC appraisers did this. In the Pittsburgh map for example, historically black neighborhoods, and modern-day distressed neighborhoods, can be seen in red or yellow, indicating them as high-risk. This includes the neighborhoods in which we are building, East Liberty and Larimer. They are in grid-square E13, by the “D8” marker on the map.

Black neighborhoods in the city, including the Lower Hill District (D10), the Spanish War Streets (D2), and South Side (D26) are also red, as in Homestead (D21). It can also be noted that wealthy, white neighborhoods in the city are low-risk, such as Shadyside (B12), Point Breeze (A5), Squirrel Hill (B13), and Highland Park (A3).

HOLC and FHA were later absorbed in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. Yet it was not until the 1970s that the blatantly racist practices of HUD were abolished, and black families were able to get loans. Even so, by then the damage to communities had been done, further reinforced by systemic oppression and under-investment.