From the jury report: "The design is nearly invisible at first glance. However, the way the shape is gently tucked into the landscape draws you in, and you want to know more. Upon further review, one starts to realize the level of in-depth research that went into the overall design (...).".
Minneapolis is a city that is rich in water resources ranging from lakes and wetlands to waterfalls and spillways, all the way up to arguably the city's most defining element, the Mississippi River. The Bohemian Flats Boathouse acts as a viaduct that is spliced within a confluence of these systems located at the West bank of the Mississippi River. Elongated along the river's edge, the building becomes a linear thread that programmatically activates the site, continuing an existing 50-mile route through the city.
Minneapolis possesses a teeming culture with love for recreation and the outdoors, providing an excellent opportunity to develop a program for a boardwalk and boathouse simultaneously. The diverse stratification of the site ensures that it does not become a mere dead thread or infrastructural relic but a thickened zone of activity along the river's edge. The project's sloping nature resolves seasonal water level variation, facilitating the year-long access—the program nests along the ramp that is longitudinally divided into enclosed and covered areas.
The soft wall facade system acts as an air pocket insulation system and a docking shock absorber. The double-layer membrane confines air to insulate the interior from extreme thermal variations. The tubes on the facade deform to absorb the shock, creating a softer docking process. On land, the project leaves the waterfront view unobstructed but reappears when seen from the river.
The Bohemian Flats Boathouse was designed with Varia Smirnova and J.P. Maruszczak. The project won 2nd Prize in the AIAS Student Competition. The boathouse was published in the Spring 2010 Issue of CRIT Magazine and was exhibited at the AIAS Exhibitions FORUM 2009 in Minneapolis.