Public utility building
A public utility building (also known as infrastructure building, and utility building
Exterior design strategies
Decorative cloak
After the
The city infrastructure buildings in this period were more communicative and expressive with their own designs without having to conceal their locations from the public.
Other types of infrastructure facilities had their unique architectural expressions as well. Those include gas supply, electrical supply and communication buildings.
Utilitarian
Since the
Functional and anonymous
Many of these public utility buildings need to be close to the users. They may need to be in residential and commercial areas of the cities in which the public has an expectation of the areas to be aesthetically pleasing to attract residents and visitors. One strategy to hide unattractive equipment is to create enclosures or buildings with exterior designs to disguise and blend in to the neighboring buildings. The goal is to make the buildings not to stand out so that they can stay anonymous.[1] In some municipalities, this design decision is mandatory. For example, public utility buildings in residential zones of Montgomery County, Maryland are required to have exterior appearance of residential buildings.[11]
Large scale implementations this design strategy is seen in
Another example is the 23-story AT&T equipment building at 10 South Canal Street in Chicago. While the ground floor and the top floors have an appearance of a normal skyscraper, the middle 18 floors of the building are windowless concrete to protect the equipment. The architect designed rough-grooved concrete texture to disguise as windows of typical office buildings.[1]
Inspire curiosity
Another strategy is to have exterior the buildings to blend in with the neighborhoods, but there are parts that reveal the existence of the equipment that is housed inside the building. This strategy is to provide aesthetic compatibility with the areas, but it does not hide the locations of such facilities. An example of this is
Open and transparent
In the 21st century, some utility operators started to recognize that the internal working machinery of the infrastructure can be seen as aesthetics to the public. Some infrastructure building designs were more transparent by incorporating glass walls, color-coded pipes, and light for night time illumination. Some examples of such architecture can be seen at the University of Chicago's South Campus Chilling Plant,[1] and West Campus Combined Utility Plant.[14]
Distinctive architecture
Some of the 21st century infrastructure buildings were built with an intention to create distinctive architecture. This is an approach to combat the
This approach has also been used elsewhere is the world. In the United States, when the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority wanted to build a water filtration plant, it invited the public to form a committee to select the architect for the project after some residents voiced objections to the plan. Steven Holl, an award winning architect, was selected. The demand for the project was to create a unique structure that would be attractive to the area. The result was a contemporary building with a cross section of an inverted raindrop shape and its side elevation with an appearance of a large pipe covered in decorative stainless steel shingles. The building was built alongside a landscape design to make the surrounding area a public park. The interior of the building included an area accessible to the general public for educational purposes.[7][16]
In Japan,
Adaptive reuse
As technology advanced, the demands for modern equipment types underwent significant transformations. Consequently, the architectural requirements for public utility buildings evolved to accommodate these updated technologies. This shift prompted alterations in both the types and layouts of these structures, rendering some older public utility buildings obsolete. In response to growing environmental concerns and a commitment to historical preservation, there has been a concerted effort to minimize the demolition of outdated buildings and instead explore adaptive reuse as a sustainable alternative. Adaptive reuse involves repurposing existing structures for new functionalities. While numerous success stories highlight the viability of adaptive reuse across various building types, challenges persist in garnering public and financial support for such initiatives, hindering the adoption of this approach in some areas.[18]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Masengarb, Jennifer; Dukes, Jesse (10 July 2016). "Hidden in Plain Sight: Inside Downtown Chicago's Windowless, Doorless Buildings". WBEZ. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Public Utility Building". Zoningtrilogy.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ ISBN 1871056659. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Douet, James (25 January 2018). The Water Industry as World Heritage (PDF). The International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Infrastructure: Utilities and Communication. Historic England. December 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Spellen, Suzanne (12 December 2012). "Building of the Day: 136 Second Place". Brownstoner. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Bernstein, Fred A. (27 February 2005). "In My Backyard, Please: The Infrastructure Beautiful Movement". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ a b Brownell, Blaine (10 September 2014). "Architecture that Refines the Look of Infrastructure". Architect Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ Mission Valley Community Plan - Historic Context Statement (PDF). Heritage Architecture & Planning. 31 January 2019. p. 5-7. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ Combined Sewer System Characterization Report for the River Road Wastewater Treatment Plant (PDF). North Hudson Sewerage Authority. 1 July 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "Sec. 59-G-2.43. Public utility buildings and structures". Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance (2004). Montgomery County, Maryland. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
- ^ Mars, Roman; Kohlstedt, Kurt (10 May 2020). "See the secret buildings that make cities run". Fast Company. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Basch, Michelle (14 December 2017). "Concrete roofs and secret rooms: Local homes with forgotten past lives". WTOP News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "West Campus Combined Utility Plant". The University of Chicago. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Waste to Energy Plant". Erick van Egeraat. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ "Whitney Water Purification Facility and Park". SAH Archipedia. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Walsh, Paul (5 October 2005). "Naka Waste Incineration Plant". Get Hiroshima. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- . Retrieved 2 March 2024.