Academic - Houston, TX
At the nexus of two pedestrian trails, my partner, Jonathan Franklin and I decided to site and program a market. The market would act as the commercial anchor that is necessary to activate this corner. Bray’s Market features rotating local food and retail vendors, a coffee-bar, rentable incubator spaces, indoor and outdoor event spaces, and the Toolshed: a retail space which sells tools for gardening and educates residents about sustainable, urban farming practices. On the second floor of the Toolshed is a greenhouse with a hydroponic living machine. The living machine and the stormwater pond work together to treat gray and black water for the block. A large mess hall activates the corner, fronting our proposed Bray’s Bayou Park and Bray’s Bayou. The materials and massing take on an industrial character to integrate the industrial history of the site. The Greater Third Ward has historically been severed from the river (white flight in the 70s greatly contributed to this). We worked from the scale of the neighborhood down to the building to make the argument that the market, and the larger riverfront development, can potentially begin to reconnect the Third Ward with the bayou.
By identifying major corridors, the green loop was conceived as a means to reconnect major nodes in the neighborhood. Our proposed projects become catalysts for development along these corridors.
Our proposal weaves the Bray's Stormwater Park in-between new mixed-use development.
Bray's Market anchors the stormwater park.
Corner Massing
Slope Roof
Carve Porches
Breezeway
Orient
Open up towards courtyard
On-Site Water Management
Plan Sketch
Office Floor Stereo Panorama - Click to view
Market Floor Stereo Panorama - Click to view
