In support of a modal shift towards rail for goods movement, a reconceptualization of urban and interurban mobility frameworks leads to the proposed infrastructural fitting for the urban periphery. Keller Easterling’s notion of Situating serves as a tool for engaging the serial aspects of the project territory in order to leverage widespread change. The intervention is born of the premise that while the ‘last mile’ of the supply chain must remain predominantly road based, the ‘second-last mile’ between concentrated distribution clusters is an opportune target for modal shifting initiatives. Towards this end the thesis envisions alternative, elaborated templates for distribution cluster design which optimize instrumental capacity as well as generate new performative possibilities through the conflation of productive, consumptive, and logistical activities. The hybridized type is demonstrated on a greenfield, industrial zoned site in the outer fringes of the Greater Toronto Area. Standard warehouse morphologies are retooled to serve the unfolding trends of agglomeration and just-in-time delivery while functioning as revolutionized, streamlined terminals of inland intermodal exchange. A unique urban condition is created where the freight-intensive logistics cluster interfaces a transit-supportive arterial corridor in the surrounding suburban fabric. Here, a thickened seam is developed to engage pedestrian-scaled experience, offer richness through surprising functional juxtaposition, and capitalize on the potentials for efficient local connections to regional distribution agents.

In support of a modal shift towards rail for goods movement, a reconceptualization of urban and interurban mobility frameworks leads to the proposed infrastructural fitting for the urban periphery. Keller Easterling’s notion of Situating serves as a tool for engaging the serial aspects of the project territory in order to leverage widespread change. The intervention is born of the premise that while the ‘last mile’ of the supply chain must remain predominantly road based, the ‘second-last mile’ between concentrated distribution clusters is an opportune target for modal shifting initiatives. Towards this end the thesis envisions alternative, elaborated templates for distribution cluster design which optimize instrumental capacity as well as generate new performative possibilities through the conflation of productive, consumptive, and logistical activities. The hybridized type is demonstrated on a greenfield, industrial zoned site in the outer fringes of the Greater Toronto Area. Standard warehouse morphologies are retooled to serve the unfolding trends of agglomeration and just-in-time delivery while functioning as revolutionized, streamlined terminals of inland intermodal exchange. A unique urban condition is created where the freight-intensive logistics cluster interfaces a transit-supportive arterial corridor in the surrounding suburban fabric. Here, a thickened seam is developed to engage pedestrian-scaled experience, offer richness through surprising functional juxtaposition, and capitalize on the potentials for efficient local connections to regional distribution agents.

A presente pesquisa refere-se aos armazéns de estocagem do café na cidade de Santos, construídos no final do século XIX e início do século XX. Esses armazéns tiveram grande importância na economia cafeeira de exportação. Instalados próximos ao porto, eles eram usados para armazenar o café vindo do produtor, enquanto aguardavam o carregamento nos navios. Essa tipologia industrial, presente na região central da cidade santista, está integrada à malha urbana, característica que a torna interessante e, concomitantemente, coloca-a em risco constante. O trabalho teve por objetivo produzir material que registre e analise essa arquitetura industrial santista. A ausência de pesquisa sobre essa tipologia e a dinâmica de desenvolvimento da cidade torna vulnerável a preservação dessa memória edificada. Para tanto, os edifícios remanescentes foram inventariados e estudados através de pesquisa bibliográfica, documental, iconográfica, levantamentos de campo e croquis. O estudo de caso, Armazém Roberto, propiciou a melhor compreensão dessa tipologia e o aprofundamento dos sistemas construtivos e maquinários utilizados à época. / The present research refers to the storage warehouses of coffee in the city of Santos, built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These warehouses were of great importance in the coffee export economy. Installed close to the port, they were used to store the coffee from the producer, while awaiting loading on ships. This industrial typology, present in the central region of the city of Santos, is integrated to the urban network, a characteristic that makes it interesting and, at the same time, puts it at constant risk. The objective of the work was to produce material that registers and analyzes this industrial architecture. The absence of research on this typology and the dynamics of the city\'s development makes the preservation of this built-up memory vulnerable. To that end, the remaining buildings were inventoried and studied through bibliographical, documentary, iconographic, field surveys and sketches. The case study, Roberto Warehouse, provided a better understanding of this typology and the deepening of the construction systems and machinery used at the time.

A presente pesquisa refere-se aos armazéns de estocagem do café na cidade de Santos, construídos no final do século XIX e início do século XX. Esses armazéns tiveram grande importância na economia cafeeira de exportação. Instalados próximos ao porto, eles eram usados para armazenar o café vindo do produtor, enquanto aguardavam o carregamento nos navios. Essa tipologia industrial, presente na região central da cidade santista, está integrada à malha urbana, característica que a torna interessante e, concomitantemente, coloca-a em risco constante. O trabalho teve por objetivo produzir material que registre e analise essa arquitetura industrial santista. A ausência de pesquisa sobre essa tipologia e a dinâmica de desenvolvimento da cidade torna vulnerável a preservação dessa memória edificada. Para tanto, os edifícios remanescentes foram inventariados e estudados através de pesquisa bibliográfica, documental, iconográfica, levantamentos de campo e croquis. O estudo de caso, Armazém Roberto, propiciou a melhor compreensão dessa tipologia e o aprofundamento dos sistemas construtivos e maquinários utilizados à época. / The present research refers to the storage warehouses of coffee in the city of Santos, built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These warehouses were of great importance in the coffee export economy. Installed close to the port, they were used to store the coffee from the producer, while awaiting loading on ships. This industrial typology, present in the central region of the city of Santos, is integrated to the urban network, a characteristic that makes it interesting and, at the same time, puts it at constant risk. The objective of the work was to produce material that registers and analyzes this industrial architecture. The absence of research on this typology and the dynamics of the city\'s development makes the preservation of this built-up memory vulnerable. To that end, the remaining buildings were inventoried and studied through bibliographical, documentary, iconographic, field surveys and sketches. The case study, Roberto Warehouse, provided a better understanding of this typology and the deepening of the construction systems and machinery used at the time.

The project set out to develop a non-typological approach to public space in a poly-centric city. The principle of third space was used to conceptualise an interface for public life that would potentiate both public and private realms, and mitigate the issues currently related to contemporary public space. The notion of third space was also considered for the projects programmatic response in order to achieve an authentic urban experience. In essence a bridge between industrial typology and retail space was proposed to remedy the state of the unconscious consumer as well as establish the cross-fertilisation that occurs when a larger demographic of users are present. / Mini Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Architecture / MArch (Prof) / Unrestricted