ARKEN
Undergraduate Thesis, 2013
University of Waterloo School of Architecture
Proposed Spa in Galt in Cambridge. Cambridge has a definite outline in its urban planning around the Grand River crossing its main centre. By regulation, a flood wall has been provided to protect the built area, while greeneries were exposed to the flooding river. The river is daily visited by fishermen, and used by water rafters and residents as well as visitors. It provides an interesting “exposed interior” to the city and river but where the utilitarian facade of the wall has neglected the important backdrop it could provide for the city. For the given site on a greenery it was proposed to extend this flood wall into an organizational element within a private as well as urban space. The flood wall becomes a thermal cavity or utility wall, carrying services, furniture, mechanical systems circulation, storage to free up tectonic social and recreational spaces.
