Module Six Reflection

The perfect image of a sustainable, and well developed urban area has always been up for debate, with countless different theories and thoughts that have been formed over the years. Of all the different branches of urban design, there’s a select few that have stood the test of time.

Those three images of sustainability are the natural image, cultural image, and technical image. While these three images all strive for the same goal, how they get there varies widely. These sound like exactly what they are named. Natural Image focuses on tying together the natural and built environment, while helping protect our environment as much as possible. On the exact opposite end of the scale, the technical image focuses on a built environment that is the most cost effective and has all of the newest technology.  Regardless of the different debates, one can’t argue that these have had the most lasting impressions, with thousands of examples across the world. Many urban spaces, and even entire cities have been designed based on the factors of these three key elements. From my past experiences, it seems that the cultural image has the largest impact in many parts of the world. Regardless of where you go, all areas try to preserve the culture of that area. Something that is unique to a specific place. This summer while I was visiting China, there were countless cultural centers and culturally influences public spaces. As mentioned in past modules, the Tianjin cultural park is an area that depends on its ability to provide a cultural gathering for the public. Whether that be by allowing them space to practice common traditions for the locals, or providing a cultural museum to teach foreigners, it is clear that culture and old tradition was the largest influence in the design of this space. Another space we visited was Joy City Joy Park in Chengdu. This is a largely cultural influenced shopping mall which wishes to capture the culture of the newer generations. I think it’s great that a designer decided to capture the new and developing culture of a major city. Something that is new and adaptable instead of the very common route of enforcing ancient culture. While both are important to an area, I think it’s important to realize what the public is changing in to as time progresses. Having a very intricate green roof, this is an example of a space that tries to reach sustainability through multiple routes instead of just one.

Moving forward and sustainability are two terms which go hand in hand. We need one to have the other, and together they excel. Again, there are countless theories on the best way to move forward, but all wish to create a better sense of living for the public. Reading through the section lecture, this section really stood out to me in the way that people are wanting to change our everyday living. By far the most interesting is Cittaslow and their beliefs on better living. They believe that slowing down the everyday lives of the public in a city, the public will then be able to enjoy their everyday activities more, which in turn improves the human experience. This is something that I think very few people realize. A lot of the time the designers strive to change a city to the best, newest, most sustainable place. Yes this has been proven to work time and time again, but I find it fascinating that Cittaslow is aiming to change the users and how the use the space, instead of changing the space to match the users. The psychology of every day users has a massive influence on design, and why urban theory is such an important issue, but sadly many designers or organizations do not even take this into consideration.

Module Five Reflection

The readings and PowerPoints of Reflection 5 discuss a very wide variety of the different types of factors that play into the urban design we know today. There are both physical aspects and theoretical aspects that take a role in the final product that we see within our cities, and this can effect projects of all scales, from cities with millions of people to towns of mere thousands.

There are a variety of different things that designers and planners take into consideration when beginning design for a space. One of the largest things that plays into these roles is the physical zoning and building codes that effect an area and its built environment. These codes put rules and requirements behind almost all aspects of construction and planning, with a few goals in mind. Building and zoning codes are designed to create a sense of place, create predictable planning, and provide a high quality of design, among other things. While these may make design more difficult, they are crucial to successful design. Not only they benefit individual project design, they help bring an entire city together in a variety of different ways, which has many benefits on the public.

There is arguably an infinite list of ways to approach urban design, but over the years, there have been a select few that have proven to be more beneficial than others, each of which have an ultimate goal in mind. Some of these we relate to in our everyday lives. One large influence is the design of either Neighborhoods as a unit, or the traditional neighborhood that many of us have experienced in our childhood. While these both strive to create a more functioning urban space, they approach it in two very different ways. A neighborhood unit acts as one self-contained spaces which acts on its own and acts as a very desirable neighborhood. This could be looked at in a business standpoint, wanting to create a picture perfect space. Opposite of this, the traditional neighborhood layout takes a much more relaxed approach, with a well connected road system, as well as a variety of public spaces and amenities. This is a much more comfortable approach, creating a space which attracts people looking for a very ‘homey’ feeling home. Growing up, I lived in a traditional style neighborhood, with winding roads, public parks in multiple directions, and even a grocery store less than a five minute walk away. While I see how both of these can benefit a city, I personally find the traditional approach much more effective. This creates a space that can build its own personality or culture, where as a neighborhood unit is designed specifically to house as many people as possible, similar to dormitory living.

Urban design isn’t limited to only these approaches. This approach is something that caters to the users of the space, which is only a fraction of the considerations taken into account in the design world. Many large towns and cities look at design in the eyes of the planners and business men that play large roles in the development of a city. Many wealthy designers approach urban design from a mainly business standpoint, where they strive to create a space that acts mainly as an income for themselves or the city as a whole. This as well can be done in a variety of approaches, including designing an entire town as a whole, or simply adding piece by piece to a city to help tweak and improve certain aspects. While this is the case for many urban designers, I think while necessary in some cities which need a heavier income, in the grand scheme of things, this is a very poor way to design a city. Even as a successful income provider, it takes away some of the key elements that we aim for in design. Instead of focusing on the user, it’s focused on money, which could lose the interest of many of the users.

Module Four - The Representation of Space

Tianjin Cultural Park, Tianjin China

Tianjin Cultural Park in Tianjin China is an exceptional example of successful public design. This summer I was fortunate enough to be able to visit myself, and experience firsthand the space as I travelled through it. Completed in 2012, This park was designed by Atelier Dreiseitl, who has since joined the Ramboll Group. A variety of buildings immediately surrounding the park, including the theater house looking over the entire park, as well as a Public Library and Museum and Culture Center. The creators were striving to create a social place that appeals to and serves as a comfortable space for all users, old and young alike. As you walk through the site, there are several outdoor amphitheater like seating areas, as well as large open squares which are used for all events like popular exercises like rollerblading and aerobic like dancing lines. Not only does the site serve as a social circulation space, the large pond in the middle helps manage storm water runoff. Exploring the site, you can definitely see how the different spaces are used, and the successes that thee designers had in achieving their goal.

The designers attack storytelling by approaching the design with several key points in storytelling. They clearly had an end goal in mind, to create a space that serves for social interaction as well as circulation. They knew the audience they were aiming for, and they used a variety of beautiful visuals to help create a more lasting image. Knowing the crowd that they were aiming for helped them decide how to manipulate the space to help cater to the needs of the users, giving them the spaces like the open squares and amphitheater seating. Lastly, to create an image in everybody’s mind, they included a few massive visuals that act as landmarks for the space. These landmarks include the large runoff pond that the park is designed around, or the massive light tower that looks over the entire space.

Rollerblading and traditional dances are popular throughout the site

A Museum/Cultural Center, Library, and Theater House all surround the park

Zhangjiagang Town River

           

            Located in Suzhou, China, the reconstruction of Zhangjiagang Town River has brought a drastic change to the surrounding area. Before reconstruction, the river easily became extremely polluted, allowing for little to no access or use of the river by locals, and because of this, the river was looked to be in the way, instead of a source of life for the city. Along with this, the streets and sidewalks were congested and difficult to navigate. Designed by Botao Landscape, this space was designed with intentions to make the river useable, as well as make the surrounding space an enjoyable park for the users. To make the space comfortable, the designer tried to preserve local Jiyang culture in the design by including native plants, soft line work often found in traditional design, and a mix of popular materials found in the area. The new plan organized pedestrian circulation through the space, as well as a new layout for the streets immediate to the space, which helped clear up traffic also. The last issue that Batao was faced with, and possibly, the most important, was finding a way to clean the water, making it accessible to the locals. To do so, they designed a way to reroute some of the rain and sewage runoff, as well as creating a dredging system for the river. This space utilizes a variety of techniques and attractions to make the space as comfortable as it is functional. Throughout the site, one can find small retail spaces, several pavilions, and even old restored bridges that help keep the culture alive.

Aerial view of the renovated site

            Batao Landscape was faced with the challenge to clean up the river and help organize the city surrounding it, but in a way that doubles as a comfortable urban space. To do so, they used several of the main characteristics in storytelling. First, they started out having a clear intention already in their mind to clean up and organize the river and roads. Considering they wanted to do this in a very subtle way, they decided the potential users, and how to cater to their desires. With the future users being mainly the locals in the area, they wanted to keep as much of the culture as they could to make the space as comfortable as possible. They knew the audience, and to help improve the site, they combined this knowledge with the desire for landmarks, to help create some of the main features of the park. To keep the culture, they used popular materials found throughout the area to construct a large portion of this renovation. In addition to this, they restored many of the existing bridges, instead of replacing them entirely which helps the culture remain. The culture itself could be considered a landmark of the area, as it creates a much larger impact for the users of the site, and in turn makes the experience much more memorable. By having a clear intention, knowing the users, and incorporating landmarks, Batao successful renovated the area, creating a functional and comfortable space for all.

Transformation from concept to master plan

View over the river

Pavilion constructed in renovation that looks over the river

Kaukari Park, Chile

          Kaukari Park in Chile is a renovation project that serves to give a new image to the Copiapo River that runs through Copiapo, Chile. The main goal of this project is to create a scenic space that can be utilized by locals, helping them access the river. In addition to this, they wanted to help reduce pollution and create a space that can be widely used by all types of social groups. Completed in 2014 by the architects at Teodoro Fernandez Arquitectos, this project has accomplished exactly that. Including a variety of green spaces, pavilions and gathering spaces, this park has given a new face to the river and how the users view it. The open public spaces serve as an area that the public can use for exercise, social gatherings, as well as just simple circulation. In an effort to maintain the local culture, the architects decided to use a list of materials that are popular and common in the area, that also tie into the city’s past.

A pavilion found in Kaukari Park

            Kaukari Park is similar to the other two precedents presented here, in the fact that this too had a clear starting goal, as well as attempts to use visuals to help make a lasting impact. Although they have an idea of their users, this is not as strong of a case as presented in the other two. The clear first goal, was to turn an unused space into a comfortable urban space to serve as a gathering and circulation space, as well as give the public access to the previously polluted river. As the design progressed, they found a way to make the space both enjoyable as well as functional. The visuals of the park come from both the integration of native plants for green space, as well the ties to the culture, using common building materials found in the area, and tying back to the traditions of the area by giving the users spaces to exercise a variety of traditions.

Looking over the Copiapo River

Site map of Kaukari Park

Section looking through park

Aerial view of Kaukari Park

              All three examples show both good and not so good examples of design and storytelling. They all do their best to appeal to the users, they all act as a social gathering point for the cities they're located in, and they all serve a very logical, functional purpose on top of this. Whether it be storm water management or serving for water pollution reduction, these spaces help benefit the local area in a subtle way, by creating an enjoyable space to hide the functional purposes. The design intent of each example was clearly defined before construction began, which helped them produce the best possible space they could.

Sources:

 Tianjin Cultural Park- http://www.ramboll.com/projects/germany/tianjin-cultural-park

Zhangjiagang Town River Renovation - http://landarchs.com/the-amazing-zhangjiagang-town-river-reconstruction-ruction/

Kaukari Park - http://www.archdaily.com/629488/kaukari-urban-park-teodoro-fernandez-arquitectos

Module Three Reflection

           Urban Designers and significant theory thinkers come from all different backgrounds and professions, and all have very similar, yet can have very distant relations when it comes to their ideas and theories. The PowerPoint goes through and talks about the different theorists that have had a significant impact on the thought processes of design as we know it. It briefly touches on the different thoughts and ideas of these thinkers, and tells the background they have, and how they tie into design. These Urban Thinkers come from backgrounds of architects, writers, Professors, and of course, urbanists. It’s amazing that even though these people have such different backgrounds, they all aspire to reach similar goals; to create a better space for the public, regardless of the social groups that are involved, or where the city is located. As you read through the readings, they dive into more detail about the different thoughts of these urbanists. One of the articles that particularly stood out to me was “The Image of the Environment” and its comparison with “The City Image and its Elements” by Kevin Lynch. In “The Image of the Environment, it touches on some of the basic concepts that help users personally identify with a space, whether this be with local users, or a visitor who has never been to this space before. Lynch identifies this as the ‘legibility’ of a space or city. He defines legibility as how easily different parts of a space can be recognized and imagined as a whole space. He argues that this is one of the most important aspects that a city must have to make a lasting impression on the user. This so called legibility derives from a few different aspects of a successful image. To have a lasting impression, these designed places must have identity, structure, and meaning behind the design. I definitely agree that this is an important aspect for a memorable experience in a space. This summer in Tianjin, China, we visited a huge cultural square, something that I believe to be an extremely successful design. As I read through these readings, it helps put a reason behind why I enjoyed these spaces so much. This massive urban park had all three of these important keys, and they were executed in a very unique way. At the end of the square, outside the large central pond, was a theater house that overlooked the water, creating quite the image. In addition to this, the water was also home to a water show, where there would be music played throughout the park, and massive water jets would shoot water into the air. This created a very strong identity or the place, something that both locals and tourists can recognize as this cultural park. This park also had a very well organized layout, with structure as libraries, museums, and the theater house laid out around it, as well as squares and landmarks for the space. This layout made for a good structure to the space which made it quite easy to navigate through, making for a very comfortable experience. Lastly, with the different urban squares laid out among the park, it allowed for large groups of different social groups to gather and enjoy past times that they all love. This could be the elderly doing their aerobic dance exercises, the children exercising on rollerblades or with jump ropes, and a place to display different talents, among several other spaces. This put the cap on top, adding both a practical and emotional meaning to the space, which could be the most important for creating an impression in the user.

Module Two Reflection

For this module, the PowerPoint and reading touch a little more on how and why things are designed, and how people may react to these designs. There are countless theories as to the best route to take to design a successful place, but three specific theories were touched on in the PowerPoint. These include Societal Theories, Formal Theories, and Environmental Theories. Each has a very different focus from each other, but all strive for the same end goal, to create a useable and comfortable space. Societal theory, although has similarities, is much different than the other two mentioned. Societal focuses on design that best benefits the city in an economic standpoint, and how to create more income for the said city in which it’s located. While this is a necessary focal point, I think that it takes away from the experience of a place. While societal focuses on the benefit of the city, formal theories and environmental theories focuses on the design to best benefit the users that encounter the space. To me, Environmental theory, which focuses on creating a space that can be livable, letting the users live and grow, has the highest success rate when it comes to the opinions of the users. Relph talks about ideas of “insideness” and “outsideness” that users could feel while experiencing a space, and environmental theory tackles this the best, creating a place that the users feel the sense of insideness, and comfort in a familiar or unfamiliar place. For me, this is the most important aspect of a successful urban design. This summer I was lucky enough to visit Tianjin, China, and while we were there we visited a cultural park which a focal point that attracts people of all ages and races. It created spaces that each generation could feel comfortable and enjoy the activities that they love the most. Even though this was somewhere I never even knew existed going into it, it created an area that myself and the entire group felt comfortable exploring, whether it be walking around the traditional dancing squares, or enjoying the water show that was put on in the central pond. This was more impactful than other places that we visited, because it seemed like it tried to cater to the wants and needs of every individual that walked through the site. While still in China, in Changchun, we worked on a project located in Xinmin street, which held quite a bit of historical significance. Our project followed many traits of Formal theory practice. Along this street were several historical buildings that we were required to maintain for the future project. Walking through this street, it was amazing to see some of these buildings, and the design that went into them, but it held much less significance to me. Even though it was interesting to see, it did not cater to the peoples wants, it was more focused on the historical preservation, creating an image of the city, and even trying to create a tourist attraction to the city, which would fall back under societal theory practices.

                While all theories have their good and bad traits, everyone has had successful practices, as well as unsuccessful practices. Depending on the area and culture of a city, each practice may excel more than others. It’s up to the interpretation and opinion of the individual users to decide what is most successful, and which will benefit the city the most.

Module One Reflection

Module One Reflection

This introduction to Urban Design really helped give me an idea of the upcoming and background of urban design and urban theory. The beginning of the first PowerPoint begins explaining some of the history of urban design, mentioning precedents from thousands of years ago, places such as the Forbidden City in Beijing China, as well as several different Greek and Roman cities, and a more recent and close to home city, Washington D.C. Urban planning has always been around, but only recently was it named. It was first coined in 1956 at Harvard, in the upcoming of a new design program that they were implementing.

Diving a little deeper, these PowerPoints and readings explain what an urban designer is hoping to design. A successful design addresses several different issues which are important for use, and depending on the context, the importance of these issues may vary. Some of the most important issues to address include historic preservation, design for pedestrians, vitality and variety of use, cultural environment, environmental context, and architectural values. Having the right combination of each of these will allow for a good urban design. As mentioned, the context of the site can vary the different needs. Sites that have been around for several decades may have made an impact on the site. For example, Xinmin St. in Changchun, China, has several historical buildings that have not only impacted the site, but had been part of the culture of the site and surrounding area. Historic preservation is important for similar sites, as good design promotes culture, and removing these buildings could have a negative impact on the area and culture. Similar to this, designing for the pedestrians is extremely important, making a safe and enjoyable space attracts the very people who make the culture of the site, and attracting more people makes for more culture.

In the reading assigned with the first PowerPoint, Roles and Challenges of Urban Design, by Ali Madanipour, he discusses some of the challenges of designing for these different aspects of urban design, and how success in these areas can benefit the surrounding city. A well designed city plays first hand in some of the most important parts of a city. It can make it a more competitive city, shapes the future of the city, and even help develop a more uniform government. Urban design can improve the competitiveness of a city by providing areas that attract a wide variety of users. These areas are a necessity to a cities success, giving the city an attractiveness to outsiders and making it able to compete with surrounding cities, bringing in money into the economy. Touching back to China, in Shanghai, the city skyline acts as a tourist site, so in response to that, urban planners took advantage of this, creating a massive public space, allowing users to travel efficiently through the site, as well as almost framing the city skyline for the public. A successful design can also help shape the future of a city, both culturally and politically. Planning with government and political officials, designers can help create a space that will help push the public in the desired direction believed to be the best for the future of the city.

Urban design has a massive influence on all parts of a city, from the individual user, all the way up to the government officials that are behind the city scenes.

This is me

Hi all!
My names Dakota, I'm a fourth year Architecture major, with an Interior Design minor.
This last summer I was lucky enough to study abroad in China. It was a hell of an experience, and I would highly suggest anyone to gain that experience of a lifetime.
I've lived in Idaho all my life, growing up in Jerome, and moving here a few years ago to start school.
I'm excited and curious to see what senior year has in store!
You can get a hold of me at reed1892@vandals.uidaho.edu