Jordan Hernandez
East Los Angeles Collage
Professor: Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter
This project was about student housing developed atop of the parking structure at ELAC. And bring a compact adaptable and articulating unit. The technology of a bus below which allows the units and site to be placed in a variety of ways. The site incorporated a colored shaded structure and a garden to each community which is unique from one another and allows the neighborhood to be differentiated. And brings an amphitheater to the site to build community and bring people together in a shared space.
El Jardin Del Laberinto
Homelessness and housing insecurity is a big problem facing many in Los Angeles today. Student homelessness and housing insecurities is a big problems facing many students at East Los Angeles Collage as about 55% are housing insecure and about 35% of all students are homeless. This is why we designed a student housing project that is in the top of the parking structure located at ELAC as more classes move online the parking structure’s top floor becomes less utilized. And this project is to be a compact student housing unit.
My units bring this idea of a compact but adaptable housing unit with its lightweight construction of panels and aluminum framing that allows the units to easily be adapted and allows the individual a variety of customization option to which they might need now or further down the line such as adding shelves to the units for books or adding extra storage underneath. My unit brings forth the technology of an articulating bus with the idea of a bus below being the technology used to connect my units to one another and allow for the individual units to connect and articulate just like a bus would. The units themselves can connect to one another not just for an individual space but for multiple spaces as not all students come alone and allowing the units to connect to each other and open to another unit allows to accommodate for a variety of family sizes.
By using a bus bellow, we are also allowing for the site to be divergent and allowing for a variety of ways to customize the site. In turn the units become adaptable not just to the top of the parking structure at ELAC but can also be adapt to a variety of site and location making it a sustainable design. Housing is not just about providing a home but also about providing a community and a place of being for the individual.
This was important not only to build community but also for the mental well being of the students. So that is why community was a big part of this design process and is why I created small communities throughout my site which allows student to feel like they are part of a larger community. And is why I designed gardens and shaded structures throughout to give a differentiating identity through each neighborhood with its unique garden and colors.
This in turn allows for the construction of a unique neighborhood and allows students a space they feel connected to. Also bringing sustainability with the solar panels that are in the shaded structures which bring clean electricity and the unit’s roof that collect water from the gutters to a water container underneath the units which can be used to grow the gardens in a sustainable way. I incorporated a shared amphitheater as I wanted to create a space for every community to gather and enjoy something together. As arts is a shared experience that can bring people together and can be enjoyed by everyone.
