Gowanus Keep
The Gowanus Keep is an ark which protects cultural enclaves while negotiating the process of gentrification. It is sited on the banks of the Gowanus canal over an abandoned load bearing masonry structure now know as ‘The Batcave’ which was once an electrical plant. It stands as a monument to the destructive forces which shape it: pollution from decades of environmentally degrading industry have resulted in the area begin designated a superfund site, while in the wake of Hurricane Sandy it became clear that natural forces are poised to affect the city with greater frequency in the future. The area is also rapidly gentrifying, heightening pressures with the expectation of positive economic and ecological growth which threaten the culture of Gowanus as it exists and individual qualities which comprise its identity.
The architecture and program of the Keep were constructed through a series of exercises which involved reactionary drawing to musical compositions. These drawings were stitched together forming a narrative using a series of new notations. Driven by the generative concept of growth from destruction, the Ark was sited in an area effected by Hurricane Sandy, specifically around the Gowanus Canal which is a Superfund site. The culture of production which exists in Gowanus is a story of growth from destruction. By solidifying that culture where it exists the ark is a monument to it.
The Ark can be seen and attracts influences from far away. It is able to accommodate for the needs of visitors and new inhabitants but it’s solid grounding on the site, both physically and in terms of programmatic distribution ensures that the underlying culture still exists despite natural or economic forces at odds with it.
