"Redirecting" by Anna Lineburger

Redirecting

Anna Lineburger, Thomas Jefferson University

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Artist Statement: “Redirecting,” a digital collage, reimagines an abandoned urban lot by prioritizing the integration of green space and pedestrian access. The proposed intervention builds off existing conditions in central Philadelphia, where the middle section was inaccessible. By introducing a pedestrian bridge and usable outdoor spaces, the lot regains habitability for the area’s residents. 

The design choices take inspiration from principles of vernacular architecture, where the built environment derives from community needs and regional site-responsiveness. Using existing infrastructure, such as the parking garage on the left, reduces the proposal’s environmental impact while creating a greater connection to the exterior. The balconies and patios create a transition of privacy between interior spaces and the publicly accessible pedestrian bridge. The resulting tiers aim to embrace site-responsiveness by providing comfortable spaces for the area’s community.

The collage’s layered format reflects the way in which urban conditions are continually altered and expanded upon. A gradient of realism allows the intervention to be rooted in present conditions while growing with the city’s changing needs. The left-hand side begins with slight variations of the current lot, then transitions into a designed invention, concluding with the right-hand side: an abstraction to permit future imaginings. By designing layers of real and imagined, urban areas continue to evolve, creating opportunities for greener, more accessible spaces.