Architecture as a Link

Abstract

Industrialization in America left behind a sea of abandoned warehouses and factories all over the country. Today, these buildings are often neglected and typically lack a design connection from their interior spaces to their adjoining exterior site, and furthermore to the city in which they were built. They lack purpose. The architecture of these existing warehouses and factories are representative of their original usage and have a cultural significance to their city, and abandonment or destruction of these buildings would be tragic. These buildings represent the culture of a place - whether it be an entire city or a single neighborhood - all in one built entity, which is why it is important that we reuse these buildings to give them new purpose. Today, we as a society are forced to ask the question of how we can transform these abandoned buildings to provide them a new function while respecting and celebrating their existing architecture, connecting them with their site, and ultimately integrating them with modern-day culture. The former Maxwell House coffee processing factory and its surrounding site located in East Downtown Houston is transformed into a doorway between Downtown and the emerging neighborhood of EaDo, thus creating a unique integration for the currently highway separated areas. The building and plaza aim to not only link the spatial and historic characteristics of the historic building with the qualities of its adjoining site to create a cohesive identity through the celebration of the art and culture of the EaDo neighborhood. The study focuses on answering these three questions: How can architecture link emerging and established? How can architecture link old and new? How can architecture link interior and exterior? When spaces are linked, they inspire the users to partake in the journey in which the architecture is telling.