Path, Plaza, and Park: Cross-Programming Space in the City

“I tend to operate by variations…When (I) think about the construction of a wall...I am interested in thinking about all of the possibilities that this element can or could contain…I never work by reduction: I try to reveal the multiplicities, the singularities…” --Enric Miralles

Enric Miralles’ adaptable architecture and furniture designs are not merely the combination of disparate things. His designs combine programs and elements which are complimentary and serve to strengthen each other. They can change according to time of day, needs for privacy, requirements for work or play, the number of people using them, storage needs, etc. The above quote by Miralles illustrates how he combines multiple programs, or stories, to create just one object. Like Miralles, I am interested in all of the potentials that a single piece of architecture contains. With careful planning in regards to the needs of the users, the possibilities of the site, and the requirements of the larger city or neighborhood, such programs can be realized in a single multi-faceted project. Such a project can contribute to the life of a city (the physical composition of its structures, the interaction of its people, and the vibrancy of its public spaces) through an architecture of flexibility and experiential connections that serves the different needs and program requirements of individual users and the conditions of the site and city.