Finley, Dawn2012-09-052012-09-052012-09-052012-09-052012-052012-09-05May 2012Benzon, Courtney. "Face Down/Ground Up: Activating the Sixth Facade and Amplifying Public Space." (2012) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/64610">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/64610</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/64610This thesis condenses open public space on an urban site in order to create an animated environment for public use. Maximizing use of an open lot in Sao Paulo, Brazil, an elevated concrete plate layers the site into a covered plaza below with sport and recreation program above. By lifting a programmable ground surface above street level, the project maintains the ground plane as an extension of the urban surroundings. The underside of the elevated plate becomes a horizontal elevation, or sixth façade, which is the new public interface of the project. Essentially a double-sided surface that is formally manipulated, the elevated structure both defines and unifies the two zones, mediating between them while creating different conditions and atmospheres, each with their own potential to invite public activity.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.ArchitecturePublic spaceGround planeConcreteOutdoor recreationSao Paulo, BrazilElevated platformThesis2012-09-05123456789/ETD-2012-05-50