Portable Reading Rooms v2 Competition - 2nd Place

Intro

In a world full of stimulation, what does it mean to be present? How can one tune out the noise, the bombardment of images, the demand for instant gratification, and be in a singular moment doing a singular activity with a singular focus?

Tight Knit creates a welcoming, intimate and meditative space to read and exchange physical books. It argues for the tactile experience as a way to reengage the mind. Tight Knit plays off the tactile and sensory experience of holding a book – a texture, a grain, definitive but recessive, grounding you while allowing you to focus on the words, the imagery, the alternative worlds.

Each module has a unique function: Park (bike rack), Browse (book exchange box), Read (seating). Each module has a distinct, open-ended shape: a “U”, an “L”, and an “I”. Although independent, their aggregation creates the space of a reading room. Serving as a kit of parts, they can be added, removed, and repositioned into infinite configurations reflecting the multiplicity and uniqueness of individuals, communities, cities, and ideas.

We added a fourth element – Shade. Why are people drawn to reading underneath trees? What makes it so enjoyable? There is a connection with nature – a reprieve from the sun allows one to find comfort in the shade. It is a sensory experience – the texture of the bark, the movement of the light under a canopy, the sound of the leaves blowing in the wind, the earthy fresh smells, and life it attracts – the birds, the squirrels, the insects. A tree is a grounding element. It is an anchor, something stable and reliable, and yet it offers a calming sense of eternal change inherent in life.

While Tight Knit is versatile enough to be embedded within existing public spaces throughout the world, it was designed and tested for Chicago. The city is full of incredible plazas and parks, but many people may not have an opportunity to visit them on a regular basis. Daily life is happening on the streets and sidewalks throughout the city and in the neighborhoods.

Sidewalks are not typically the most soothing places. Adjacent to busy roads, polluted with noise and odors, littered with trash, overheated, and devoid of nature – they are often uncomfortable for pedestrians. This is an opportunity to intercept the urban/modern noise and create a moment of rest and engagement – a reset button easily accessible to all.

Site Strategy & Scale

It is no secret that Chicago does not have an equal distribution of wealth and resources throughout the city. Access to housing, education, employment, civic services, and safety are key issues. Access to natural resources is also a concern. Chicago has a tree equity issue. Tree canopies are dense in affluent areas of the city; they are sparse in historically segregated neighborhoods and former industrial areas. Less tree coverage is associated with higher levels of pollution and higher summer surface temperatures which negatively impact residents’ health. Trees aid in the physical health and mental health of individuals and communities. “More trees mean healthier neighborhoods.” *

An overlay map of Chicago Public Library locations and Tree Canopy Coverage reveals areas of opportunity which lack access to books and trees. Tight Knit inserts modules in these locations on sidewalks which are 12’-25’ wide with one existing tree. Read will nestle underneath the tree’s canopy, providing shade, comfort, white noise, and a connection with nature. Simultaneous with the module installation, one new street tree will be planted. When the modules are removed or relocated to another neighborhood, the tree will remain as a memory, mark, and amenity to the neighborhood – a sense of pride, remembrance, value, worth, and encouragement for further planting and neighborhood investment.

Beyond sidewalk installations, the modules and trees can be inserted in underutilized vacant urban infill lots, leaving behind a community garden and pocket park. The modules and trees can be installed in greater numbers in disinvested parks, leaving behind an improved park.

Kit of Parts

The module construction has a minimal footprint, is temporary, cost-effective, and low maintenance. Tight Knit uses a powder coated lightweight metal structure wrapped with colored rope. Clear vinyl on the interior of Browse provides a waterproof enclosure. The rope on the outside of each module is pulled tight to create a façade, screen and enclosure. The inside of each module uses the rope in a more playful and flexible way serving the function.

Read relaxes the rope to create a seat and loungey surface inspired by simple camping chairs and hammocks. Browse releases the rope at the front of the shelf to create a playful fringe making the act of browsing more fun, interactive, and tactile – encouraging curiosity and discovery. Park separates the rope as one parks their bike, allowing the tire to peek through and indicate use.

Each module is scaled to the human to create a safe, welcoming, comfortable, and intimate environment. Read is lifted 16” off the ground to a comfortable seat height, while playfully exposing users’ feet, indicating occupation. The height of Read is 6’-6” which is high enough to create a sense of enclosure while framing a connection with the sky and tree above. Browse is lifted 14” off the ground to protect the books from snow and set shelves at accessible heights (15”-48”). Faces peek out over the 4’-4” top to show users engaging and encourage others to join. Park is set at 2’-2” high for ease of use. All are lifted off the ground to address drainage and snow piling in the winter.

Experience & Feel

All three modules can be used year-round. The rope will maintain a comfortable surface temperature in the heat and the cold. When the trees lose their leaves in the winter, more light will shine down into Read warming users. The rope will block the wind. Tight Knit becomes an attractive cozy reading room when the rest of the public spaces shut down in the colder months.

The color of the rope can be selected by residents to reflect the community, context and character. The module’s metal framework can be reused for the next installation, while the rope is recycled. The visibility of function, the identifiable shapes, and presence of bright rope will become recognizable throughout the city while adapting to its unique environment.

Tight Knit foregrounds a tactile, sensory, and human experience. It provides residents with an opportunity to reset and focus within a grounding meditative space in the city.

* Witynksi, M. (2021, November 23). What is tree equity? A new tool from UChicago data scientists is helping to transform neighborhood health. uchicago news. https://news.uchicago.edu/story/what-tree-equity-new-tool-uchicago-data-scientists-helping-transform-neighborhood-health

Architecture: - lieu