Boat Building Academy

Professor Nicholas Brinen

Design Studio 3

Fall 2014

Incorporating natural water systems into architectural design was the basis of this project. The goal was to design an academy that would specialize in boat construction and the history of the rise of boat transportation along the Hudson River. I started with materiality studies to illustrate how the land meets the Hudson River's edge in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Next, I looked at the land of the existing site and how the park just south of it had a higher elevation. This led me to create a promenade that protrudes into the center of the existing bay. I laid out program with classrooms and workshops inland, while extending a portion to the water's edge that would house a museum, boat storage, and launching station, as these areas can get wet with the rising tides.

Finally, I looked at skin and structure, and how these two systems can work together. I explored this by weaving one material through a rigid structure that could function as floors, walls, furniture, and ceilings.