Reading about community

Chapter 5: Housing and Community

This reading helped me understand the complex process of building neighborhoods and communities, and why so many suburban neighborhoods are built the way they are. It also suggests that the larger a community is the less unified people are in them.

One thing I tried to understand while reading this is how communities affect the people in them. The researchers found that members of the community will try to the behavior they see around them, whether it is positive or negative.

The chapter explains in detail how community development regulations affect the building of housing. The strict regulations can protect the quality of a neighborhood, but it can also contribute “to problems of housing affordability and to the reduction of personal freedom to make use of one’s own property.” I don’t think I could live in a neighborhood that controls what color or style my house could be, what kind of fence I could have, or even what the shed looks like. Factors of these homes and yards are sometimes held to a standard that it locks out middle and lower income families.

Also, houses and neighborhoods are built to be further and further apart, which wastes resources. Power lines and other utilities have to stretch further distances, making those communities more expensive.

That brings us to the idea of New Urbanism, which seems like it might be a way to build stronger communities. It says that a neighborhood should be no longer than a 10-minute walk, which gives it a human scale. There should be different family types, income levels, and lifestyles. This means that families can grow and change and still remain in the same neighborhood. Also, having stores and public transportation available in the community means that residents don’t have to leave get those things.

Case Study: Community

Cloyne Court Hotel (Berkeley, California)

• Student housing Coop located on the University of California at Berkeley
• Opened 1904 by John Galen Howard
• Originally designed with 32 suites, each with its own stairway
• Fireproof walls and doors, which allowed the hotel to house refugees from the 1923 Berkeley fire
• Was owned as a hotel by James and Margaret Pierce for 42 years
• Used by university professors at one time
• 1946-USCA (University Students Cooperative Association) bought the house
• 1972-62 female students moved in making it Co-ed
• 1976-renovations allowed it to house 151 students
• Called the "Animal House" because of parties and drug use
• National Historic register #92001718
  
  
  Community aspects:

• 14 balconies overlook the courtyard, which allows residents to interact outside of private space
• Went from a hotel to a home for faculty and their families to a student coop
• Rivalries with surrounding fraternities (Beta Theta Pi)
• Muraled walls created by members
• Members promote individualism and self-expression
• Hold community service days
• Members of the Coop manage the community collectively
• The "U" shape structure encloses the residents from the rest of the campus
• Hold shows and concerts the bring the community togetherSources:

http://www.berkeleyheritage.com/berkeley_landmarks/cloyne_court.html

http://berkeleystudentcooperative.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17&Itemid=62

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Carolina Theatre-Greensboro (Greensboro, NC)

• Opened 1927 as a 2,200 vaudeville theater
• At the time, considered to be the best between D.C. and Atlanta
• Holds films, performances, musicians, ballet, seminars, meetings, receptions and other public events
• On the National Resister of Historic Places
• popularity started to diminish in the 1960's due to suburban theaters
• United Arts Council raised money multiple times to keep the structure aliveCommunity Aspects:

• Interior designed in Greek fashion to give a fantastical experience
• Cost is affordable bringing people from all walks of life together
• "Going to the theater signifies participation in social life of the city" (Associates, 24)
• People arrive early and stay late in order to socialize, snack, and observe
• Builds up the neighborhood by bringing people to nearby businesses
• During the silent era, the audience would have sing-alongs
• Attracts 65,000 people downtown each year
• Exterior lighting-"At night provides unexpected warmth, a welcome haven in the dark city" (Specter Chapter 7)
• Stadium, balcony, and orchestra seating allows everyone to a good view, unifying the audience

Sources:

http://www.carolinatheatre.com/

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Pen Pals: Clairissa Anderson, Ino Loloci

Scenes of Discourse

This is a composition created in photoshop for visual communication. I had to make the image give an uncomfortable feeling, while using industrial imagery.

What's it all about?

photo credit

Our writing exercise today asked us to consider what our studio project means. What impact will this installation have on people that come to see it?

I think the point of this project is to acknowledge everyone in design, especially a demographic that would normally be over looked in our profession; those without shelter. We have to figure out how to make someone that doesn't have a home feel comfortable, both physically and emotionally. Things we have to think about are what will they be doing in the structure (in my group's case, sleeping) and how to make that experience better.

Its interesting to contrast this project with our last project from last semester, which was a residential kitchen for a celebrity. Although there are major differences between the two projects, the overall goal is the same. As designers we want to create a positive interior experience for the user.

EUC Rendering

This is a rendering done for Visual Communication of a public space on campus. I tried to experiment with adding shadows and contrast. I can now look back at work I did last semester and notice ways to improve things, which shows me that I'm continuously learning.

Experiencing the sleeping pod

An interior architecture student, Bob, was rushing to make it to class on time, about to make his way into the Gatewood lobby.

He was approaching the elevator when he noticed five makeshift shelters, all set up on display by fellow IARC students. Though Bob was in a hurry, he couldn’t help but want to go inside the little homes.

The last one he walked up to really caught his eye. It seemed to almost look like a pod intended for sleeping. He was attracted to the gentle and flowing curves of the structure.

Bob climbed inside the cocoon-like space and appreciated the cushion of the floor, which was created with foam. It even had a pillow built in to rest his head. He noticed that the structure had a flap to pull down, creating a private space. He pulled the door down, making the shelter dark and perfect for sleeping. One end of the pod had been made into a plastic window, in order to let just a bit of light in.

A sense of tranquility came over Bob due to the soft textures inside the space. There were no distracting or out of place features in the pod, such as fabrics with patterns or odd shapes. This environment did not invigorate Bob; it comforted him and helped him fall asleep.

Makeshift shelter

Our first studio project of the semester is underway and already sparking a lot of ideas from the class. In a small group we are to create a makeshift shelter for someone in Greensboro, using only found materials and objects. Young, Brittany, and Shane are in my group and we are focusing on a shelter for sleeping.

This project comes at a time when thousands of people have lost their homes in Haiti and are therefore having to create their own makeshift shelters. I love the fact that studio this semester will be focusing on and considering everyone in the world when it comes to design. Most people in the world don't have access to a designer, and I want to design for them. Suzanne shared a quote with us in class, "Earthquakes don't kill people, buildings kill people." This points out how important our jobs are, and that design and architecture make a huge difference on the world.

The next step we are taking in our project is the collection of our materials. We are all individually looking for scraps and we will meet together soon to find some more. We are inspired by the idea of a cocoon or pod to sleep in, as this space needs to comfortable, cozy, warm, and dark. After we find what we have to work with we can come up with a more concrete design.

image source

Jeff Corwin Project

These are the final drawings for the kitchen project in studio. We were assigned a celebrity and floorplan and asked to create a residential kitchen for them. Jeff Corwin was a very interesting choice because he is passionate about many things. As a biologist is is passionate about the environment, as well as traveling and cooking. I wanted to incorporate all of these characteristics in his space and make it a functioning kitchen for him and his family.

Kitchen logo

Our So You Think You Can Draw for this week was to create a logo representing the concept of our residential kitchens. I wanted to get the idea of transition, curved shapes and fluidity, inspired by Coastal Wetlands.

Concept Composite

The concept for my residential kitchen is Coastal Wetlands, inspired by where Jeff Corwin comes from.