table of contents - the City of Easton

Building J
Artist Support Space
Building J is a large (8170 SF) one-story brick masonry building with a
distinctive raised clerestory gabled roof of timber planks on wood trusses
supported by wood columns. This expansive, low building is extremely deep,
but the clerestory structure brings natural daylight into the space. One-third
of the main floor is slab on grade; two-thirds of the floor is wood frame over
a partial basement.
Given Building J’s architectural characteristics, as well as its proximity to the
outdoor public space of the Event Space and Piazza, and to the artist live/
work space of Building K, this structure is an optimal location for support
functions related to the arts. For example, large-scale artworks could be
produced here and large-scale equipment such as pottery kilns, glassblowing
furnaces, or metalworking / fabrication space can be housed here. Although
there are many possibilities for Building J, the planning team has resisted overprogramming
this space. Instead it is envisioned as an organic space that will
be created by the artists for the artists; they will determine its ultimate use or
its many uses over time.
Building K
Artist Live/Work Space
Building K is a four-story brick masonry building with distinctive 12-over-12
arched windows. Similar to Building J, this building features a gable roof
with clerestory monitor that architecturally pairs it with its neighbor. The floors
throughout are wood decking on wood floor planks supported by wood beams
and columns.
The height and depth of this building, as well as the repetition of fenestration
and the interior timber structure, make this building an ideal candidate for
division into residential units, specifically live/work space for artists.
The conceptual design of Building K utilizes a skip-floor corridor to maximize
the square footage of the living space. The units are envisioned with open
floor plans with living space below and sleeping lofts above. Services extend
from the central circulation spine aligned with the roof monitor above, which is
ideal for passive ventilation. Emergency egress is provided by new open stair
towers added to the exterior of each end of the structure.
The rustic nature of Building K lends itself to keeping the interior spaces raw
– not imposing a particular aesthetic but instead allowing the artists to create
their own spaces.