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Each summer, WHSAD students have the opportunity to participate in various paying projects and internships through the New York City Department of Education’s SYEP program. These endeavors provide students not only with remuneration but also with skill development opportunities. In the following article, WHSAD Seniors, Linda Foster and Felisha Solis, provide insights regarding their project on the Cole House on Staten Island. Thank you to AKT Architects for offering this opportunity to our students. For more information about the Cole House, click on the link here:
Introduction
The Cole House Site Analysis Team has been provided by AKT Architects with the task of designing a functional and aesthetically pleasing visitor center and office space for the Cole House. This visitor center will serve as a space to educate people on the history of the Cole House and how it contributes to the construction of maintainable wind farms in Staten Island. We were asked to propose an interior plan for the visitor center and design historical/educational placards and technology accessible classroom-like space. In order to do this, we researched classical architecture styles that have transformed the Cole House throughout the 1800s to present day.
History
The history of the Cole House goes back to when it was built around the 1840s, an uncommon structure of maritime development in 19th century Tottenville. The architecture style, Greek Revival, was ubiquitous in Staten Island residences. However, due to the many adjustments made to the house’s original structure, it was denied landmark status in 2009. One such renovation included window and door repairs due to a 1999 fire. The original owners of the Cole House were Mariner and Oysterman, Captain Abram Cole and his wife. The Cole family had owned the house until the 1970s.
Design Process
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The idea was to research homes in Staten Island, during the 1800s. The site analysis team decided to focus on architecture styles such as Italianate, Victorian, Gothic and Greek Revival. We took these styles into consideration because we had to maintain the exterior of the Cole House, which consists of small traces of Greek Revival. We came to the conclusion that keeping the exterior and interior similar would be better. The plan for this was to mix modern styles while keeping the previous historical features.
Historical preservation plays an important role when it comes to designing both exterior and interior. Historic preservation is a movement that aims to conserve old buildings and reuse structures that are already present in an effort to tie a place’s history to the people and culture. Therefore, one of the challenges we faced was to leave the exterior of the Cole House intact in order to preserve historical elements such as pillars, wall trimmings, and windows.
The Cole House Site Analysis Team used an application called AutoCAD, which is a general drafting and design application used in industry by architects, project managers, engineers, graphic designers, and city planners to prepare technical drawings. We used AutoCAD to view the completed floor plans of the future renovations of the Cole House, which gave us an idea of how much space was in each room and provided us with visualization in order to construct a functional and size-appropriate design. Another app we used was Miroboard. This allowed us to have a space to organize our notes and design ideas.
Additionally, we went into more depth with the design ideas, such as tone. The tone we wanted to set for visitors and employees was designed to create an environment that fosters productivity. We opted to use cool tones, such as blue, white, gold, and dark brown, not only to provide a visually appealing backdrop but also to exude a sense of comfort. These colors, known for their calming influence, help to reduce stress and anxiety, allowing employees to focus on their tasks effectively. Also, the contrast between the lighter and darker tones adds depth and visual interest to the space.
Reflections
As a part of the Site Analysis Team for the Cole House, I did historical and architectural research so I could assist in making sure that the Cole House is designed to its fullest potential. Acquiring knowledge on both the historical and architectural background of the Cole House allowed me to gain insight into how its structure had evolved over time and to replicate the influential architectural styles during the late 1800s. These included the classical inspired Greek Revival, and the picturesque Gothic Revival, seen through the roof’s overhanging eaves and dentil molding. A unique opportunity I’ve received with this project was to plan a visitor center, enabling me to explore and visualize; designing a functional and aesthetic interior. A challenge for me would probably be implementing a modern twist to classical architectural styles and making the interior visually appealing and functional.
-Felisha Solis
During the process of working on the Cole House site, I did come across a few challenges. One of which was sticking to historical preservation as we transformed a home into a commercial structure.
Balancing between these two contrasting ideas was a challenging task. The thing I had to consider was that there would be minor changes done to the exterior, keeping the original design for the most part.
While we were given the freedom to design the interior to our heart’s desire. I suggested that maintaining the same design, for the exterior and interior would look better.
-Linda Foster