User:Kpleas/Flexible Housing

In Alaska, the significant variation in both climate and population make standard architectural applications impractical. The summer months in Alaska draw in more than half of the yearly income for the state due to the increase in construction, commercial fishing, logging and mining, and the tourism industry. In some regions, including southeastern Alaska, the population fluctuates as much as two thirds from January to July. This irregularity creates a huge strain on the city especially in the realm of housing. The majority of the seasonal population is currently expected to live in modular housing units fabricated to withstand less than three years, demanding an unbelievable amount of government funds that could be used elsewhere for city development. Not only is this economically and environmentally unsound, but it provides only the bare necessities for this population. This is why a seasonal housing facility is pivotal to the success of the state as a whole and specifically to those cities with a large seasonal population. The large variation in population between the summer and winter months has created a need for housing types that can “hibernate” seasonally to reduce the amount of necessary energy and maintenance. Not only would this produce a more suitable and environmentally conscious method of housing the seasonal population, but also increase the possibility of permanent residence through an increase in the quality of life. Although the application of seasonal buildings would be beneficial to most cities in the state of Alaska because of the migration patterns of the seasonal populations, the city of Juneau is particularly affected. This city, the state’s capital, looses almost one third of its population in this seasonal shift, and yet has maintained a significant role in the economic success of the state. However, Juneau suffers from housing shortages, urban sprawl and unfavorable living conditions. This is why the application of a fluctuating, multifamily housing facility would accommodate the seasonal population, densify the current population, and employ environmentally responsive technology to help reduce the overall cost of living. The success of the proposed building type would change the face of Alaskan housing and address the housing crisis that has for so long gone unaddressed. The underdevelopment of Alaska is often attributed to the unusual conditions of its latitude including dramatic variation in sunlight hours and harsh weather conditions. However, this argument is undermined when compared to other cities at the same 60oN Latitude. Glasgow, Scotland, St. Petersburg, Russia, and Stockholm, Sweden are all located within 5 degrees of the latitude of Juneau Alaska, and all are very established ranging in population from .5-5 million. In addition, these cities are all major contributor to the overall GDP of their respective countries. The city layouts demonstrate the success of the area with the densely build scheme. The feature of these cities that is not shared by Juneau is the topography. All of these cities have a very flat landscape making development much less difficult and also ease in the circulation through and into the region. It can then be concluded that in Alaska the topographical challenge is more detrimental to the development of the state than the cold climate. The land area of Alaska is 656425 square miles making it account for almost 20% of the total land area of the United States. It is by far the largest state at more than 60% the size of Texas, 75% the size of California, and 93% larger than Pennsylvania, and yet is one of the most underdeveloped and underutilized areas in the nation. The land features significant natural resources and the largest amount of coast line out of any other state in the United States.

The average population of the United States falls just above 304 million. The average population per state is just above 6 million, and yet the largest state, that which encompasses almost 1/5 of the United States territory has only 626, 932 inhabitants, almost half of the population of Rhode Island. These numbers are even more significant when one compares the population density of various states. Alaska with its vast lands and miniscule population is by far the least dense, having an average of only 1.2 residents per square mile. The states chosen for comparison have a wide variety of geographic and climatic aspects which shows the diversity of population density over the nation, but none even comes close to the discrepancy between these numbers and those exhibited in the region of Alaska. It is also strange that Alaska’s proximity to the Pacific Northwest, the religion currently experiencing the largest national population growth, has not more directly affected the influx into this adjacent territory. The economic trends in the United States have a very significant impact on the economy of Alaska. The trend over the last 30 years has consistently demonstrated this relationship. During times of economic turmoil in the US, namely recessions, the migration to Alaska increases drastically. This is largely due to the more stable job market in Alaska, one that operates more independently from other states in the nation. The lower chart shows the average state GDP vs. various state’s GDP. The GDP of Alaska is above the US average. This should result in a higher population due to a more stable economy, as is the trend in the United States, yet the result is inconsistent in Alaska. The city of Juneau offers a variety of locations that would benefit from the establishment of a large scale housing facility. This is largely due to the fact that housing development is currently sprawling into the outskirts of the city lines because of cheap and more buildable land. This has expanded the city limits, but not the density or even overall population. In addition to sprawl, in the last 30 years the center of Juneau has shifted from the historic downtown area to the land surround the airport. Unfortunately this diversion has left the downtown in disrepair. The migration has occurred because the land surround the downtown area is more difficult to build upon, making construction of single family homes more expensive, and because of the significance of the Juneau Airport as a primary gateway into the state of Alaska. The city is essentially being split in half socially and industrially. Reorganizing the city development of the city to focus on the historical downtown area would help preserve the city as a destination and not merely a transit hub. Locating a housing facility in this area would help facilitate this effort, making it more affordable to establish residence. It would also reduce the need for public transportation because the majority of employment, especially tourism and government based professions, occurs in this section of the city. The intended program to be developed on this site is a large scale housing facility. This facility will cater to a variety of people with different needs throughout the city of Juneau. The core of the facility will be made up of two and three bedroom units that correspond with the current housing market demand in the area. In addition to these standard units, a portion of the development will be dedicated to affordable housing units to accommodate the portion of the population that is below the poverty line, including a large portion of the native population in and around Juneau. In addition, a portion of the units will be seasonally adjustable creating a facility that can fluctuate either physically or systematically to accommodate the seasonal population influx. This portion of the structure will not merely be cut off from the establishment when not in use, but like the city, will change in use to enhance the facility for the permanent residents. The establishment of a stable and changing population could be a mutually advantageous relationship. The permanent residents help reduce the maintenance and upkeep to the temporary facilities during the off season and in turn receive a portion of the profit from the seasonal residents. This relationship would change the dynamic between the two groups are result in a more community centered organization. In addition to housing units, the facility will include amenities that not only increase its desirability for both temporary and permanent residents, but also work to draw in the surrounding community and population of downtown Juneau. These amenities will be defined and located in a way to ensure security for the residents while still increasing public circulation to and through the building. The facility will also be developed in a way that is environmentally sensitive in design and perception. It will capitalize on the aesthetically unique features of the context and utilize the favorable site conditions to become more self sustaining. The development of a successful housing system will increase the density in downtown Juneau and provide the citizens with a more habitable and experientially significant living experience.