ACADEMIC: STUDIO 619 PROJECT

ALCATRAZ ARCHITECTURAL
COMPETITION
SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

THE NEW PROGRAM TO BE INSTALLED AND DESIGNED ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND SHOULD ENHANCE THE EXISTING CONDITIONS THAT ARE PRESENT. THAT THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF THESE PROGRAMS THE EXPERIENCE OF ALCATRAZ ITSELF WILL BE IMPROVED AND CREATE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO VISIT THE ISLAND.

THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRISON, THE MAIN FUNCTION OF THE ISLAND, WE’VE ELONGATED THE PRIMARY AXIS AND INTEGRATED THE NEW PROGRAM ALONG THAT AXIS. THIS INTEGRATION OF THE NEW PROGRAM WILL WORK TOGETHER AND ALONG SIDE OF ALCATRAZ TO IMPROVE CERTAIN HISTORIC MOMENTS AND CONDITIONS ON THE ISLAND.

THE HOTEL WILL PRESERVE THE APPEARANCE OF ALCATRAZ WHILE CHANGING AND INTRODUCING A NEW ATMOSPHERE THAT NESTS WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE ITSELF. WHILE THE ISHI CULTURAL CENTER WILL MAGNIFY THESE CONDITIONS THROUGH AN OUTWARD APPROACH TO NESTING. THE COMBINATION OF THE THREE PROGRAMS WILL CREATE NEW “EMERGENT PROPERTIES” ON THE SITE AND ISLAND.

Steven Nguyen
Masters of Architecture Oakland, CA