University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative
Exchange
University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects
University of Tennessee Honors Program
5-2012
Reclaiming Identity: White Street Pier, Key West
Adam H. Richards
University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_chanhonoproj
Part of the Other Architecture Commons, and the Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Commons
Recommended Citation
Richards, Adam H., "Reclaiming Identity: White Street Pier, Key West" (2012). University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects.
http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_chanhonoproj/1517
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Reclaiming Identity
White Street Pier, Key West
Adam Richards
College of Architecture and Design
Advisor: Professor Tricia Stuth
.
state
g nal
origi
that
r emin
Key West population: 18,800.
Nearly half are of Cuban origin
his space around him to be a
ond
bey
ng
eeti
f
span o
ndb
eyond t
attach
he pre
se
nt
,
to som
e ho
pe. B
e
ut h
s
is al
in
eek
os
blis
esta
h
a
a
pres
e
a
2020
2010
1990
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940
1930
1920
1910
2000
June 2000
Elian Gonzalez affair
May 1995 - present day
Wet foot/Dry foot policy and los Balseros
Under the Johnson and Nixon administrations, Cubans were allowed to leave
from Varadero Beach to Miami in order to flee the Castro regime.
1960 - 1962
Operación Pedro Pan: 14,000 children
Out of fear that the Soviet Union would seize their children, parents placed their
sons and daughters on planes to Miami, Florida.
1 January 1959
REVOLUTION
e pa
ra tio
hist
so
ryy.
S
this
dis
ruup
ts
nt
isp
lac
em
e
pla
ce
.D
rch
it e
ctu
re
rs
offfe
a ta
ngi
“p
ble
f
roo
say
ording to Le Corbus
i er, w ho
xistence” acc
of e
s th
at
“t
i
ce
s
s not provi de
ic
signif
ance. For
is
there. He
gh i
omes thro u
ce c
ifican
, sign
cture
g ng to
longi
t ons hip
ts relati
m
to leav
a e one’s ho ela nd, the Cuba n-America
n does n ot conside
r hims
el f
with
i ts
inh
a
tm
Pa s
ants.
bit
em
a
ies
or
nd
e
tori
his
sb
rrin
io
nit
efif
gd
s
nd
na
ig n
c
iffi
c
an
Identity :: For architecture, significance can come through its relationship with its inhabitants,
through their attempt to establish a feeling of home and of permanence. Past memories
and histories bring definition and significance to a place. Man’s persistence there over time
establishes a sense of home and identity.
e
Exile :: The thesis explores the link between identity and architecture and the intimate connection
between memories and the places in which they are created. If man’s relationship to architecture
is often to establish a sense of home, to carve memories into a place, what happens when
this link to the past is severed? Separation from an architecture of home can endanger identity.
This separation is the essential struggle of the exile. In this struggle, architecture can become a
catalyst in the reclamation of identity.
e.
return hom
fro
ile
ex
m
e nor
ither her
place. Ne
archite
Aldo van Eyck, “The Medicine of Reciprocity, Tentatively Illustrated”
to a
c
an
ific
e,
a
a
o ssession of sp
oe
estur e of
Existence alone d
liv
ivin g things.”
I came to the conclusion that whatever space and time mean, place and occasion mean more,
for space in the image of man is place, and time in the image of man is occasion.
n fr
f om
ust deny the pres ent. In the human search fo
em
r si
gn
tur
ec
a ki
ng p
ration
International Airport (departing
terminal) constructed
est. 1977
International Maritime Boundary
Those refugees who do not reach dry land are returned to Cuba or relocated to other countries if they fear persecution.
an architec
ty—
ity
nt
id e
it
key west
A tension exists in the heart of the exile, dislocated fr
f om home. He is in no
despe
ugh
First cruise ship to set
sail from Key West
October 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis
An agreement between the U.S. and Cuban governments allowed Cubans to
leave from the small port city of Mariel. Most arrived in Key West, Florida.
ture of h
ome en
dang
ap
r to establish
rch
e no
with
2009
1969
Key West International
Airport constructed
April - October 1980
Mariel Boatlifts: 125,000 refugees
ers id
e
g to
ord
e
nc e
—an
i rst g
Established in Key West as air mail and passenger travel to Havana, Cuba
1957
1965 - 1973
Freedom Flights: 265,297 refugees
n tity. This separa
tion is the essenttial
e futur
miami
st.
In
th
ef
Railway becomes
U.S. Highway 1
1927 - 1991
Pan American Airlines
strugggle of the
exile. His
op
ex
te
1938
Overseas Railway connects Key
West to continental U.S.
First U.S. flight to Cuba.
identity
is in
h
life. He
to
1912
1913
Aviator Augustin Parla
limbo. He appropriates
fl
the
es
1900
der of
1890
hom
e, yet
he ha
ve
d ne
t an
s no
rnn to
o retu
l t
al—
is go
ain h
ll att
r wi
1890
o
an i mmi grant to the U. S. but f
r
reve
g
ivin
liv
in
v tably a return to Cuba
Inevi
, for
Cuba.
the
e
x ile, can only reside in memo
ry. T
he Cu
ba
to wh
ich
the
yl
on
gt
o re
tu rn
is, i
n
Threshold :: In the attempt to establish ownership, we begin to draw boundaries on land to
demarcate territory, in some cases even the sea. For the exile, boundaries become loaded with
meaning. It is a threshold that, once crossed, establishes a disconnect from home. For the
Cuban exile, this boundary is the ocean: the Straits of Florida.
ma
ny
a
ys,
wa
rt
pa
havana
the
of
pa
s
The Cuban-American :: The plight of Cuban exiles is a living history, spanning more than sixty
years to date. Reasons for leaving may vary, though each resonates with enough desperation
to leave one’s homeland. The project seeks to create an architectural identity for the CubanAmerican, the self-imposed exile: a person who does not consider himself an immigrant to the
U.S. but living in exile from Cuba, a person who is neither here nor there.
R ason
Re
s fo
f r
w th
a var y,
leav
y though each reason resonates wi
a ing Cuuba may
ug
eno
t on to leaave o n
sperati
h de
e’s ho
, the
meland
n-Am
Cuba
f rever
U S. but fo
eriican do es not consider himself an immigr ant to the U.
le from Cuba. Inevvitably a retur
iving in exi
liv
n to
reside
a
Cub , for t he exile, can only
y is in li
is identi
t
1 January 1959
REVOLUTION
White Street Pier reaches out over the water, extending man’s reach
across the ocean. Built in 1960, the pier caps a main avenue of the city. Its
unofficial moniker, according to locals, is the “unfinished highway
to Havana.”
n fro
m an arc
hitec
ture of h
ome en
dang
ers id
e
n tity. This separa
tion is the essential
str ug gle of t
he exile. H
Havana, having slowed significantly in economic growth, is often seen
as a place of memory. Key West is primarily characterized as a tourist
destination, a place of transience. In many ways the project seeks to
recapture the spirit of travel and exchange for city of Key West that has
subsided over time.
h is
tor
y. S
e pa
ra tio
Prior to Fidel Castro’s rise to power, the stretch of ocean between the U.S. and Cuba could be
characterized by times of commerce and travel: a cultural exchange in which Havana, Key West,
and Miami took on identities of each other. Key West rests at the center of much of the history of
U.S.-Cuba relations, especially in travel.
Following the Revolution, Key West, because of its proximity to the isle of Cuba, became (and
remains today) the landing point for many refugees. The most significant event is perhaps the
Mariel Boatlifts in 1980 during which more than 125,000 refugees fled Cuba over in the span of
six months, landing on Key West’s shores.
Today, Miami has become the cultural epicenter of Cuban-Americans, and Havana, having
slowed significantly in economic growth, is often seen as a place of memory. Key West is
primarily characterized as a tourist destination, a place of transience. In many ways the project
seeks to recapture the spirit of travel and exchange for city of Key West that has subsided
over time.
to
retu
1890 - 1959
1959 - present day
present day
The era preceding the Revolution and Castro regime could be
characterized by a time of travel and exchange between the U.S.
and Cuba. Key West, due to its location plays a prominent role in
both air and sea travel.
The exodus of Cuban exiles, in various manifestations
characterizes movement across the Straits of Florida. Key West
serves as an arrival point of many refugees, especially by sea.
Travel to Cuba is under heavy restriction, though policies are
beginning to shift. Meanwhile, rafters continue to traverse the
Straits, often under extreme circumstances.
rn is,
in
ma
ny
w
ng
s ti
exi
r:
pie
55
°S
of
E
N
White Street Pier reaches out over the water, extending man’s reach across the ocean. Built in
1960, the pier caps a main avenue of the city. Its unofficial moniker, according to locals, is the
“unfinished highway to Havana.”
runway oriented North-South due to wind conditions
W
E
S
wind rose for Key West
solar path for 24° latitude
dredged water depth line: 18’
view out oriented 21.5° W of S
toward Cuba
The architecture is a mediation of the past and the future. The marketplace along the pier recalls
memories of Old Havana, through textures, smells, and sounds. The terminal evokes both a
longing for home and a hope to return some day. The promenade bridge connects the pier and
the terminal linking the past to the future.
Leaving home and going home are often difficult matters; to go in or out, to enter, leave, or
stay, are sometimes painful alternatives. Though architecture cannot do away with this truth
it can still counteract it by mitigating instead of aggravating its effects. It is human to tarry.
Architecture should, I think, take more account of this. The job of the planner is to provide a
built homecoming for all, to sustain a feeling of belonging - hence, to evolve an architecture of
place - a setting for each subsequent occasion, determined or spontaneous.
Aldo van Eyck, “The Medicine of Reciprocity, Tentatively Illustrated”
01 : the marketplace
The marketplace along the pier taps into stories of Old Havana, capturing the
smells, textures, and colors of memory.
:: Market kiosks stand along the northeastern edge, catching the morning light.
The sun rises and the business day begins. Textures of canvas and wood wrap
the kiosks, as artisans and craftsmen lift the rolled doors and display their
goods. Smells of fruit, flowers, and fresh food fill the air.
:: The trolley paces by in a rhythmic pattern, carrying people to and from the
terminal offshore.
:: Vines of hibiscus and white roses climb metal latticework, providing a
screened threshold between the commerce of the market and the leisure of the
promenade.
01 : the marketplace
The marketplace along the pier taps into stories of Old Havana, capturing the
smells, textures, and colors of memory.
:: Market kiosks stand along the northeastern edge, catching the morning light.
The sun rises and the business day begins. Textures of canvas and wood wrap
the kiosks, as artisans and craftsmen lift the rolled doors and display their
goods. Smells of fruit, flowers, and fresh food fill the air.
:: The trolley paces by in a rhythmic pattern, carrying people to and from the
terminal offshore.
:: Vines of hibiscus and white roses climb metal latticework, providing a
screened threshold between the commerce of the market and the leisure of the
promenade.
I cultivate a white rose
In July as in January
For the sincere friend
Who gives me his hand frankly
And for the cruel person who tears
out the heart with which I live
I cultivate neither nettles not thorns:
I cultivate a white rose.
José Martí, “Cultivo una Rosa Blanca”
02 : the view from shore
The promenade carves into the existing pier, marking the beginning of a curve
that extends out to the terminal offshore.
:: Pieces of the existing pier have been carved out and extend the boundary of
the space, recalling the monolithic Malecón sea wall of Havana. Rather than a
boardwalk that hugs the shoreline, the promenade runs perpendicular away from
shore, not only to connect to the terminal, but in a symbolic gesture of reaching.
:: The line of curved wooden boardwalk sweeps out to sea, creating a collective
view to the west, sunset. It allows people to occupy the water’s edge, dangling
feet over the edge or jumping into the waves.
02 : the view from shore
The promenade carves into the existing pier, marking the beginning of a curve
that extends out to the terminal offshore.
The sunsets: forget it, no competition. Nothing could
compare to the sight of that glowing red disk being
swallowed by the turquoise sea and the tangerine light
bathing everything, making all of creation glow as if from
waves, splashing against the wall of the Malecón, splashing,
leaping over it to ood the road, lapping, lapping, lapping
endlessly, eternally. Even in the worst of storms the waves
were always a lover’s caress, an untiring embrace, an endless
shower of kisses.
Carlos Eire, Waiting for Snow in Havana
:: Pieces of the existing pier have been carved out and extend the boundary of
the space, recalling the monolithic Malecón sea wall of Havana. Rather than a
boardwalk that hugs the shoreline, the promenade runs perpendicular away from
shore, not only to connect to the terminal, but in a symbolic gesture of reaching.
:: The line of curved wooden boardwalk sweeps out to sea, creating a collective
view to the west, sunset. It allows people to occupy the water’s edge, dangling
feet over the edge or jumping into the waves.
03 : a place for occasion
The cafe overlooking a plaza caps the pier. Architecture becomes a stage, a
setting for occasions.
03 : a place for occasion
:: The cafe is about the everyday experience, for the morning espresso or the
evening mojito. Situated on the elevated promenade, it acts as a walk up counter
on the side of pedestrian movement. The other side attaches to an enclosed
space, creating an environment of stasis that is about viewing the plaza below or
looking out to sea.
:: The plaza is a setting for occasion--festivals and concerts--both planned and
spontaneous. A ramp wraps the space allowing access to the promenade level
but also serves to focus attention on the center, where anything from a formal
quinceañera or an impromptu musical performance can take place.
The cafe overlooking a plaza caps the pier. Architecture becomes a stage, a
setting for occasions.
:: The cafe is about the everyday experience, for the morning espresso or the
evening mojito. Situated on the elevated promenade, it acts as a walk up counter
on the side of pedestrian movement. The other side attaches to an enclosed
space, creating an environment of stasis that is about viewing the plaza below or
looking out to sea.
:: The plaza is a setting for occasion--festivals and concerts--both planned and
spontaneous. A ramp wraps the space allowing access to the promenade level
but also serves to focus attention on the center, where anything from a formal
quinceañera or an impromptu musical performance can take place.
Coffee must be as strong as love, as black as ink and as hot
as the devil.
Blanche de Baralt, 1931
“Make sure we have enough coffee ready to brew,” he tells
them while he looks over the glass case facing the street,
taking a visual inventory of the variety of cigars displayed:
H. Upmanns, check. Cohibas, check. Behind him, rows of
premeasured coffee grounds are laid out in front of the
espresso machine. The guarapo crusher is pressing away
at stalks of sugarcane with the sound of the crackling re,
lling pitcher after pitcher to ensure the staff need only to
pour the sweet yellow-green nectar over ice.
Carlos Frias, Take Me With You
04 : across sea and land
A softly curving bridge stretches across the sea. The eye follows its sweeping
arc as it leaves the pier and connects to the terminal in the distance.
:: The curve not only mediates the angle of the existing pier to a north-south
orientation more appropriate for the airport runway, but its position begins to
encapsulate views to the east and to the west, sunrise and sunset.
04 : across sea and land
A softly curving bridge stretches across the sea. The eye follows its sweeping
arc as it leaves the pier and connects to the terminal in the distance.
:: The curve not only mediates the angle of the existing pier to a north-south
orientation more appropriate for the airport runway, but its position begins to
encapsulate views to the east and to the west, sunrise and sunset.
:: Built as an inhabitable truss, the trolley runs beneath the pedestrian path,
which is covered in areas with bright canvas overhead and vine-covered metal
work to shade the walkway.
:: Built as an inhabitable truss, the trolley runs beneath the pedestrian path,
which is covered in areas with bright canvas overhead and vine-covered metal
work to shade the walkway.
05 : arrival and departure
The airport and ferry terminal longs to recapture the spirit of travel and exchange
that once existed across the Straits of Florida.
:: Pulled away from shore to reach necessary water depths, the terminal and
runway mark a significant trajectory across the ocean, extending man’s reach
even further; a symbolic gesture of an attempt to re-link the two nations.
05 : arrival and departure
The airport and ferry terminal longs to recapture the spirit of travel and exchange
that once existed across the Straits of Florida.
:: Pulled away from shore to reach necessary water depths, the terminal and
runway mark a significant trajectory across the ocean, extending man’s reach
even further; a symbolic gesture of an attempt to re-link the two nations.
:: Passengers arrive and depart on airplanes and ferries, recognizing the
connection of water and sky between the U.S. and Cuba. The departure lounges
of the air terminal line the eastern edge, sharing a roof line that extends across
the open-air plaza and ferry terminal.
:: Passengers arrive and depart on airplanes and ferries, recognizing the
connection of water and sky between the U.S. and Cuba. The departure lounges
of the air terminal line the eastern edge, sharing a roof line that extends across
the open-air plaza and ferry terminal.
06 : a view toward home
A tension exists in the heart of the exile; he is longing to return home. His eyes
are fixed on something that is far off in the distance.
:: The public plaza extends, reaching beyond the departure lounges and waiting
gates of the terminal. Skeletal frames continue the line of the terminal, drawing
one’s gaze further to the west, to Cuba.
:: What does it mean to sit and watch the sunset? For many Cuban-Americans,
this is a connection to home, knowing that their relatives 90 miles across the
ocean may be watching the same sun set.
:: The ethereal nature of sunrise and sunset evokes a sense of temporality about
the present, a threshold marking the passing or the beginning of the day. If the
sunrise is about the promise of a new day, then sunset captures a sense of
longing for tomorrow. A hope for a brighter future.
06 : a view toward home
A tension exists in the heart of the exile; he is longing to return home. His eyes
are fixed on something that is far off in the distance.
:: The public plaza extends, reaching beyond the departure lounges and waiting
gates of the terminal. Skeletal frames continue the line of the terminal, drawing
one’s gaze further to the west, to Cuba.
:: What does it mean to sit and watch the sunset? For many Cuban-Americans,
this is a connection to home, knowing that their relatives 90 miles across the
ocean may be watching the same sun set.
:: The ethereal nature of sunrise and sunset evokes a sense of temporality about
the present, a threshold marking the passing or the beginning of the day. If the
sunrise is about the promise of a new day, then sunset captures a sense of
longing for tomorrow. A hope for a brighter future.
Tony and I boarded the plane at sunset, looking over our
shoulders. We could see our family off in the distance,
through the glass. Not darkly, but clearly, even in twilight.
The last thing I saw before I died that day was my mother
waving her cane and my father standing next to her, with
his hands in his pockets.
Carlos Eire, Waiting for Snow in Havana
How far we all come. How far we all come away from ourselves. So far, so much between, you
can never go home again. You can go home, it’s good to go home, but you can never really get
all the way home again in your life.
James Agee, A Death in the Family
Inevitably a return to Cuba, for the exile, can only reside in memory. The Cuba to which they
long to return, is in many ways, gone. Instead, the exile is seeking freedom to own space, to act
willfully and carve memories into it. In essence, the mark of exile, once overcome, may become
simply a part of the past. As one Cuban exile eloquently writes, the mark of exile is nothing more
than a “luminous scar.” (Learning to Die in Miami, Carlos Eire)