0402 - Confluence Park and the Adaptive Icon

 

The proposal creates an Icon based on flexibility and interaction that can be curated by the community over time. Adaptive Icon interacts with its users through ever-changing media projections. At its interior, a ramp spirals as a vertical promenade bringing the city into the structure: a multisensory experience, a place to observe and be observed. People will float above the city on SkyDecks. The park provides a gradient of spaces allowing a multitude of activities. The sites link through pedestrian bridges and walkways organized in a loop system, connecting with its surroundings and a network of trails and parks.

 

0402 - DesignPresentationBoard Page 1

 

 

0402 - DesignPresentationBoard Page 2

 

The proposal creates a new typology of Icon, one based on flexibility, technology, and interaction, that can be curated by a diverse community over time. The park design provides a gradient of spaces allowing from a multitude of activities ranging from small gatherings to large venues. Adaptive Icon engages the park and surrounding buildings, interacting with its visitors through ever-changing media projections. The form appears to transcend time, seemingly ancient and from a distant future. A metal frame forms the structure. A translucent outer skin gives it a sense of lightness, evoking qualities of the former Light tower. The structure, measuring 200 feet in height, is organized in three main elements: The ramp spirals upward as a vertical promenade bringing the city into the egglike structure. A multisensory experience, a place to observe and be observed. The surrounding surfaces can mutate into anything. It is a Hyper-flexible open platform for the community to be set up as an exhibition space or pop-up show through its changing-media. It could become a place to promote local and global issues such as climate change, social justice, celebrate the region's agricultural history, and more. Sky Decks offer views of the city from various points on the structure. The translucent skin and mix of solid and suspended hammock floors, give the spaces ethereal qualities. Visitors would feel as they are floating above the city. A viewing deck tops the structure. The Podium acts as an artificial ground. It also functions as a gathering space or stage for concerts or events. Underneath the green roof are programmatic elements such as the welcome desk, cafe, communal areas, and restrooms. Confluence Park merges the natural, cultural, and commercial aspects of San Jose, culminating in an extraordinary architectural experience. The two arena green sites link through pedestrian bridges and meandering walkways organized in a loop system connecting with a network of trails and parks. These walkways allow for pedestrian and cyclist circulation, accessible to all users. The project is designed around principles of sustainability, ecology, and wellness. The building's skin is made of recycled plastic fabric, able to filter air. The structure would source its power from photovoltaics situated on the east-site. The proposal preserves the natural edge of the river and Los Gatos creek carrying its native vegetation into the landscape. The scheme also retains some of the site's existing features, integrating them into the new design.