Megan Toma

Synthetic Diagram

Charleston City Market Precinct - Shows the urban grid of downtown Charelston. Especially in the City Market area the buildings are clustered together by the connection of one major wall. This wall can be thought of as a spine which binds these buildings together. From the extensive view the city market is what binds the two sides of Market Street in downtown Charleston together as well.

Charleston City Market Collage - The same idea used in the diagram was transformed into a collage.

Axonometric Diagram of Model

Charleston City Market Precinct Model - The model shows the elements used in the diagrams in a 3-D view. Beginning with the landform and ending with the buildings the model shows all the layers of the diagram and the collage compiled into one composition. The precinct blocks are supported by the natural landform of the market precinct and from these elements the urban grid of the city is created. The urban grid provides the foundation for major walls that provide the support for the clusters of buildings in the precinct.

Charleston City Market Precinct Model

Charleston City Market Precinct Model - This view depicts the coastline (land) that laces through the streets supporting the last few blocks of the precinct next to the coast.

Site plan - The site was situated on the corner of South Market Street and Meeting Street adjacent to the main entry into the Charleston City Market. The urban grid and lines pulled of the repetitive facades of the market and neighboring buildings provided the foundation from which the program of the museum grew off of. These lines related the building to its site and tide it into the surrounding buildings and nature of the site while.

A view of the urban grid exposed on the top of the building. These lines enchase the program holding it together at the same time.

The Charleston City Market Museum - The first floor of the program houses public gallery space displaying the history of the market and providing views out at the market. Further back in the program is a small historical library. This wall acts as the supporting spine for the entire plan. The second floor houses reading rooms, more gallery space and a room for presentations. You can see how the building is held together with the use of the urban grid translated into structure in the interior of the building.

This portion of the program is the wall of light. This is a public entry from the Main Street side of the program. This view of the model also shows how the urban grid is exposed on the exterior of the building, rapping around and holding the building together.

Charleston Museum

East Facade - The gallery space opens in the morning and closes in the evenings. With the use of a barn door and a very public space the gallery spaces and exhibition area captures the nature of the market.

A section through the center of the building shows how the bookcases in the program provide the support for the stairs. All of this takes place on the back wall that acts as a "spine" for the building. The West Elevation shows the public entry into the gallery space which explains the history of the market.

Perspective view - A view of the central outdoor walkway through the center of the building. The three trees that existed on the site, were incorporated into the program of the museum.

Process