DUDLEY COMMERCIAL | Sebastian Toro

Dudley Commerical RFP

Dudley Commercial was an RFP calling for the reenvisioning of the newly renamed Nubian Square, in Roxbury Ma. With an underserved population at a central transportation hub, a lacking feeling of place at the square, and a wonderful opportunity at our hands, our proposal centered itself around the needs and wishes of the community, their history, and a shared place to live and interact.

ORIGINAL RFP FROM THE CITY

MIND-MAP

lacks a sense of place

is a historic place.

could be a Hub for the Neighborhoods surrounding it.

could be a place for communal events.

could be a meeting place.

could be a place to enjoy an afternoon on the way home from work

OPPORTUNITIES AND SITE ANALYSIS

Although it has one of the busiest subway/bus stations in the country, Dudley Square is not a well defined, easily recognizable place. Technically at the intersection of Washington and Dudley Streets; a lack of program elements, gathering space, and activity, make it hard for neighboring residents and commuters to utilize this historic space as the community hub it could become. By focusing on three key components: the history/culture of Dudley square, the neighboring residents, and a dedicated open space for community gatherings, "Dudley Commercial" hopes to define Dudley Square’s identity as a place for adjacent and neighboring communities to enjoy.

THE DUDLEY SQUARE FRAMEWORK THESIS

NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS

HISTORY/CULTURE

OPEN SPACE AND AMENITIES

Building on a community vision outlined in the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan, the three parcels in the project offer a unique opportunity to stitch the surrounding neighborhoods together. Pedestrian and bicycle pathways through the site will help connect the residences south of the project with the Dudley train/bus terminal. Program elements, such as daycares (adult/young) close to the station will make it easier for residents to manage work/life challenges. Increased activity at night and an open, well-lit square will help provide a factor of safety for everyone living in and around the development

Dudley Square is the heart of Boston’s Roxbury Neighborhood and the soul of Boston’s African-American community. Once a thriving commercial center and home to New England’s largest furniture retailer; Dudley Square experienced a loss of businesses and residents to urban flight. Roxbury has an emerging street art culture. Powerful graphics alluding to living characters from around the neighborhood, historical leaders, long gone infrastructure, and local culture have withstood the trials of time and attempts by wall owners to tear them down. “Faces of Dudley”, the mural located at 2385 Washington Street, is an icon of the square. Depicting leaders of the civil rights, such as Malcolm X, and the torn-down, elevated orange line terminal, it offers a unique opportunity to define a portal connecting the adjacent residential neighborhood and a newly defined Dudley Square. By setting the building back at the “Faces of Dudley” intersection, and creating an open space, we look to engage in dialogue with the existing street art by responding with a live mural, one which would change yearly and express the richness in cultures throughout the Roxbury neighborhoods.

Without an active meeting point and space for large gatherings close to Dudley station, Dudley Square presents itself as a wonderful opportunity to define an open plaza designed to host neighboring residents, commuters, artists, businesses, and community events. A destination, rather than just a thoroughfare, Dudley Square plaza (or project name) hopes to invigorate the surrounding areas by providing a communal hub, an event space which advertises communal gatherings and invites the thousands of daily commuting residents to pause and engage Each other. An architecture which encourages/supports food trucks, street artists, and new, innovative businesses can become integral in the overall success of the Roxbury community.

NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS

HISTORY/CULTURE

OPEN SPACE AND AMENITIES

PROJECT FRAMEWORK

SITE PLAN SATISFYING INITIAL PROJECT FRAMEWORK

TOPOGRAPHY

ARCHITECTURAL SCULTPING

0) EXISTING CONDITIONS

1) PARKING AND PLINTH

2)SQUARE AND MASS

3) MULTILEVEL PUBLIC INTERACTION

4) RESIDENTIAL SCALING AND TERRACING

Words

Ideas

Diagrams

+

Spaces

PROJECT FRAMEWORK

ARCHITECTURE

OUTDOOR SPACE AND FOOD

One of the most important goals of our proposal was to serve the community around our site. As paths were carved in and throughout the building/site, we found a great opportunity to define and improve their experiences by planting food forests along them.

As the community would find their way home during a late afternoon after work, olfactory experiences, colors, and different tastes, would provide a rich and relaxing experience.