INFRASTRUCTURE - STORAGE
Translating Architectural Circulation into Electricity
Instructor : Laura-India Garinois
Site : 199 Canal St, Providence, RI, USA
ACT Ⅰ - A Speculative Drawing
This drawing examines how fiber-optic cables have expanded the capacity for global communication across distant geographies. Embedded deep beneath the ocean, these cables remain largely invisible and difficult to detect, similar to the everyday electrical infrastructures that often disappear from our awareness through familiarity. In the drawing above, the scale and form of these infrastructural elements including utility boxes, electric poles, transformers, pad-mounted transformers, and streetlights are intentionally exaggerated to make their physical presence and spatial impact more visible.
ACT Ⅱ - Manual
Embedded beneath the ground and largely imperceptible within the urban environment, fiber optic manholes protect critical communication infrastructure from physical damage while preserving the continuity of the streetscape. Their concealed presence contributes to both the resilience of the network and the visual integrity of the city, ensuring stable signal transmission without disrupting the public realm.
The manual was designed using an extruded support system that elevates the otherwise hidden fiber optic manhole into a visible object of attention. A calendar format was chosen to encourage daily interaction on the desk, reflecting the way essential infrastructure quietly occupies and supports everyday life despite remaining largely unnoticed. The circulation network emerged from a one-hour site observation that documented patterns of movement and occupation within and around the parking lot. The study focused on the relationships between the site and nearby pedestrians, recording routes, durations of stay, and recurring activities. When these observations were compiled and mapped, the resulting network unexpectedly resembled the branching geometry of an optical fiber, revealing a compelling parallel between human circulation and the invisible infrastructures that organize contemporary urban life.
ACT Ⅲ - Circulation as an Energizing Device for Storage
The two programs, storage and cafe, were developed in response to the current conditions around Providence Station, where Amtrak delays often require passengers to wait for extended periods, and where the eastern area of the station lacks sufficient spaces for rest. The recent renovation of Providence Station, which introduced expanded waiting and dining areas with views toward the city, further supports the relevance of these programs and reinforces the need for additional public amenities nearby.
By providing storage, the project offers greater flexibility for travelers moving through the site. At the same time, it proposes the use of kinetic floors to generate electricity through everyday movement. The form and density of the kinetic floor system vary according to different activities and speeds of circulation. Near streetlights and waiting areas, the floors are arranged with denser seating zones to accommodate moments of pause. Inside the buildings, the floors become more dispersed, encouraging more playful and active movement, such as dancing. The kinetic floor pathways penetrate through the buildings as shortcuts, allowing the project to collect energy not only from Amtrak passengers but also from pedestrians moving through the broader urban context. The electricity generated from these movements contributes to lighting systems that display traffic information and news from different cities. At night, this energy also helps illuminate the surrounding urban space through streetlights and interior building lights.
Beginning with the presence of fiber optic cables as an infrastructure for communication and information exchange, the project extends this logic into an architectural system that both generates energy and distributes information. The facade and columns are intentionally extruded and emphasized, making the infrastructural elements visible within the urban environment.
Drawings (Plans, Sections, Elevations)