Harkness Memorial State Park

Waterford, CT

Site Analysis

&

Programmatic Design Principles

•Site Analysis

•Programmatic Design Elements•Clients Requests

•Overall Theme – Watershed Drainage Basins

•Users of programmatic design concept

•Structural Architecture & Landscape elements

•Synthesis

Site Analysis

Location

•State of Connecticut

•Town of Waterford

•Shoreline neighbors

East Lyme

New London

Groton

•County of New London

•Town of Waterford

Location

Site PROPERTY LINES

Harkness Memorial State Park

•125 acres

•History : summer home for Edward & Mary Harkness – purchased 1907. Awarded to the state 1950

•Site features : ornamental gardens, nature preserves, 42 room mansion – circa. 1906

•Estate name : Eolia - Greek goddess of the winds.

Site PROPERTY LINES

Camp Harkness

•102 acres

•Program : specific for persons with disabilities

•Wheel chair accessible recreational facility

Site SITE HISTORY

- Landuse

•Bluffs – Rock Beach

•Upland forest

•Meadow

•Turf – Passive Recreation•Agricultural Land

•Preserves

•Ornamental Gardens

•Sand Beach

•Emergent Wetland* Wetland dominated by erect, rooted,

herbaceous hydrophytes- Ralph W.Tiner

Site SITE HISTORY

- Existing Structure

•Cabins, Recreational facilities •A.D.A. accessible playscape, parking lot & facilities area

CAMP HARKNESS

Site

HARKNESS MEMORIAL

STATE PARK

SITE HISTORY

- Existing Structure

•Mansion

•Water tower

•Green houses

•Parking lot

•Maintenance

•Caretaker

Site TOPOGRAPHY

Site WETLAND DELINIATION

Estuary Deepwater

Fresh water forest/PFO

Estuary Wetland

Map Sources:

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

National Wetlands Index

Connecticut

Site HYDRIC SOIL

Map Sources:

U.S. Soil Survey Map New London county

Hydric Soil -

Soil that has standing water for significant periods and/or saturated at or near the surface for extended periods during the growing season.

Wetland Indicator: A Guide to Wetland Identification, Delineation,

Classification, and Mapping

Ralph W. Tiner

Site WETLAND SOIL

Map Sources:

U.S. Soil Survey Map New London county

Floodplain soil

Site SOIL TYPE

Map Sources:

U.S. Soil Survey Map New London county

Walpole Sandy Loam-

Poorly drained sandy soil. Permeability moderately rapid within surface layers.

Wetland Indicator: A Guide to Wetland Identification, Delineation,

Classification, and Mapping

Ralph W. Tiner

BUILDABLE /UNBUILDABLESite

Site OPPORTUNITIES / CONSTRAINTS

•Sensitive ecosystems

•Excessive parking lots, roads

•Excessive maintenance facilities

•Preserved historic landscape

Constraints :

Site OPPORTUNITIES / CONSTRAINTS

Opportunity :

•Buildable land with views

•Established vegetation

Site Forces

-Predominant winds from the east, south, and west

-Mean wind speed:

10.65 – 13.4 mph

Speed(ª) m/s = Wind power density

@ 10 m (33ft.)

9.8 + 11.5 /2 = 10.65 mph

@ 50 m (164 ft.)

12.5 +14.3 /2= 13.4 mph

WIND

Renewable Resource Data Center

http://rredc.nrel.gov

Programmatic Design Elements

•500,000 sq. ft. of building footprint

•200 parking spaces

•1 or 2 buildings

•Loading dock for ea. building

Clients Needs

Theme : Watershed Drainage Basins

Long Island Sound drainage basins

Southeastern

Drainage Basin

Harkness Memorial S.P.

Contextual water courses

Users of Programmatic Design Concept

•Non-for-Profits•Artist Space•Facility for persons with disabilities – Camp Harkness •Research Station•Cancer Center: radiation/chemotherapy treatment

Structural Architecture

& Landscape Elements

•Minimize structural exposure to the site elements

•Camouflage exposed structure with native plants indicative of the site

•Use new window technology to reflect and display site landscape elements

•Use low-impact design techniques for surrounding site landscape features

•Rain gardens•Porous pavers•Retention ponds

•Uncompetitive intervention within the existing landscape fabric

Inspiration - Structure

Inspiration – Architectural Style : Deconstruction

Philip Johnson’s - Glass House

New Canaan, CT

Baird House

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Ivy, Hedera spp., covers the cinder block structure

Inspiration - Windows

Amsterdam, Holland

Inspiration - Billboards

Billboard illuminated at night

Billboards during the day time

Material : vinyl banners

Baird House

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

See hardcopy master plan, sections, & models