Observations from Down Under

Posted on | March 28, 2010 | No Comments

This post finds me on a 22-hour return flight from Sydney, Australia to Indianapolis.  The reason: a 12-day traveling venture to the cities and states of New South Wales (originating in Sydney), Victoria (originating in Melbourne), and Tasmania (originating in Hobart). Since most of you bloggers don’t know much background about my personal experiences, or hobbies, I will let you know that traveling is one of my greatest passions in life, equal to that of art, wine, and chocolate (insert very happy face). I have been afforded several, or should I say many, expansive travel opportunities in my life. However, I would like to tell you specifically about this most recent trip I have taken and the many urban design elements and characteristics I have found particularly interesting in my most recent travels to Australia.

I would like to begin my discussion about giving you my overall opinion of the city of Sydney, including its architecture and culture.  Sydney is a very bustling city, much like that of New York or Chicago, housing an extremely young population. Nightlife activities are apparent everywhere, with all streets being extremely well lit and the public transportation moving until the wee-hours of the night. Activity never stops. Literally. There are always people walking, talking, and moving about. It’s a city of constant movement. Diverse sets of cultural influences are evident including those from the Chinese, Thai, Japanese, American, and European cultures. Excluding the distinction of China Town, one can find all of these cultural influences intermixed across the streets of the entire city. Public transportation is very accessible and easy to use. Besides the heavy rail system that runs primarily underground, one can hop on and off a inter-city looped monorail and a relatively short, linear light rail system that runs from the downtown to the west side of the city’s suburbs.

One of the ‘grooviest’ places I found on my last day in Sydney, while riding the light rail, is the Fish Market. The Fish Market consists of all types of seafood. Here one can grab some lunch, as we did, or purchase the main course for your evening meal. When observing, many families meet here for lunch. Most of them gathering and buying food for everyone to share, not just their own personal meal. They will sit, eat, and drink until everyone is full, often making several trips back into the heart of the market to get refills of crab legs, fish, or sushi rolls among many other things. Here is a link to a video about the Sydney Fish Market: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRTOEW6de5U

I found that this Fish market also has other foods besides seafood. In fact after our meal, I purchased a small container of homemade Greek yogurt with fresh berries- it was absolutely delicious! Perfectly full of delicious crab tail, I ate the cool yogurt on my ride back to Sydney’s city-center while seated on the light rail and enjoying my view out the window.

During my last few days of my Australian adventure, we hopped on the plane from Melbourne to Hobart, Tasmania. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a short wave of rain and very cold weather, making the decision to dig out my winter coat that I had packed for such an extreme circumstance very easy. In order to see and do as many things as possible during our short stay, is was recommended to us to travel the island of Tasmania by car. Therefore, an hour after our flight had touched ground, I was in the front seat of a Nissan Tiida (which is actually the left side of the car in Australia- they travel like their European counterparts) with a map in my lap, camera in hand, and my head looking curiously about outside the window.

Among the many beaches, national parks, wineries, animals, reptiles, and restaurants that I encountered in Tasmania (thanks to the independent wheels of the Tiida) nothing compares to the weekly farmer’s market in downtown Hobart, the Salmanaca Market.

Here over 300 stallholders have a space at the Salmanaca Market. This market is said to be one of the top attractions in all of Tasmania! This market has been running for thirty years and is said by the residents to be the most authentic market experience in all of Australia. In Hobart, shipping remains a very important business; waterfront access allows residents and visitors to enjoy activities and events such as Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race and the Bi-Annual Wooden Boats festival. The port is also extremely popular with cruise ships and pleasure boats, which dock in the heart of the city. Hobart welcomes these watercrafts into their city center with wine, food, and culture. And on Saturday, everyone, literally-everyone, comes center stage to the Salmanaca Market.

Market Overview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beb_GXxbC0U

Hobart, City Overview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyUWlyv6cqA&feature=related

In my travel experiences, I have been to several farmers’ markets. However, nothing compares to the Salmanca Market. After assessing my experience of this event, I wanted to explain some of the elements I find to be crucial components of a successful public market, using the Salmanaca Market as an example:

Variety of Goods

A variety of foods, from coffee to breakfast sandwiches, to baked goods, such as muffins and bread were sold by local residents. Other items being sold included clothes, food, pottery, wood carving, and jewelry. All of the goods that were being sold were made and grown by the local residents of Hobart. Go to this website for a complete listing of the vendors and their goods: http://www.salamanca.com.au/thumbs/thumbs600/thumbs/index.htm

Smell

In my last blog post, I talked about the spaces created between buildings. This post also allowed me to consider the components that create and define a particular space. One of these components I believe is the sense of smell, through our olfactory sense that helps us to determine the quality of a space. The quality of air helps us to perceive the enclosure of a space. For example, in a market, the quality of air greatly affects our perception of the enclosure. Stalls, with their variety of aromas, add to the variety of senses that are perceived. In the Salamanca Market, one can smell the food being cooked at restaurants, cafes, coffee being brewed, wood stain, and even a fishy odor coming from the nearby harbor.

Music & Audio

Local street vendors were playing live music with the harmonica and guitar. Another particular local organization performed their bagpipes.

Street Performers Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9XQm9Srbdw&feature=related

The many stalls, overhead drapes and tents, and people become the enclosing agents of the market. With the absence of the automobile, one can better hear the sounds of these local musicians and street performers. The audio factory perception is increased in the market setting due to objects and people being placed so close together.

Pedestrian Comfort

The lack of the automobile also allows the pedestrian to be very comfortable in this environment. People can walk within the street, dancing around the hundreds of stalls without ever seeing or avoiding an automobile. The only thing they may have to watch out for is a wagon carrying goods to be re-stocked, or a mom pushing a baby stroller.

Personal, immediate space is lost in the market space and comes into being through a more crowded area. It is like standing in a small, crowded room during a lively cocktail party. The real dimensions of space that are created in the market are created from human enclosure.  The colors, activity, and food are what add to the overall experience of space.

Street and Sidewalk Activity

Many restaurants have an ideal location in relation to the Saturday market. Most of their tables are located outside on the sidewalk, allowing customers to have a direct view for watching the market take place. Placing the tables and chairs outside on the sidewalk not only allows for people watching, but also allows the street and sidewalk to become activated.  Placing the tables and chairs on the outside edge of the market space creates a very comfortable area outside the primary area of activity; it allows for a sense of respite and calmness. The tables’ umbrellas also give pedestrian comfort and provide a sense of enclosure and intimacy; unlike the hub of activity occurring in the market where buying and selling is happening.

Enclosing Agents

The street walls, created by the surrounding buildings and trees, are secondary enclosing agent to the larger market area both vertically and horizontally. They can be harsh or soft in nature; the buildings are harsh, whereas the trees’ foliage provides a soft background and overhead inclusion.

These elements I believe can be universal components of farmers markets, which we as designers, can use as catalysts for the programming and design of public markets and spaces. And now for me, I am now back in the states, already planning my next traveling adventure.

Historic Preservation: When the past may no longer be your future

Posted on | March 28, 2010 | No Comments

The MUD program is currently taking on the task of documenting the historic structures, landmarks, and resources within the East Washington Street corridor in cooperation with the Masters of Historic Preservation program at Ball State University.  The history of the East Washington Street corridor has been largely influenced by the evolution of transportation, and the area between East Washington and the railroad tracks has been continually carved through generations of industry and commerce.  There are a few buildings that are architecturally significant or hold some cultural value, but for the most part it is a museum of relics.  As urban designers that will soon be practicing in an economy and culture that is in a state of transformation, we must be aware of the value of historic and cultural resources, and the extent to which they may also contribute to efforts of regeneration in urban areas.  While it is important to keep this in mind, we must also not allow ourselves to fall into the mindset of  “preserving for preservations sake”.

I spent 5 years in Lexington, Kentucky, receiving my undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Kentucky.  Lexington has some of the most well maintained historic neighborhoods and buildings in the United States, and has made significant efforts to protect these resources by utilizing the national and state registers and enacting local regulations.  I suppose I took for granted the fact that I was living and studying amongst something special, and so valued by the community.  So it was an adjustment to say the least, to go from late 18^th century neighborhoods, buildings, and monuments to surveying dilapidated housing and industrial buildings, some barely old enough to be deemed historic (50 years).  As we walked around people were coming out of their homes and asking us what we were doing.  We replied that we were students surveying historic resources.  The responses we received were emphatically opposed to what were doing, and they were quick to point out other areas of the city that we should go if were concerned with history.  It seems that they would rather be displaced and relinquish their homes for the sake of improving their community, safety, and economic climate.  It was at this point that I asked myself if I was doing the right thing by advocating the protection of something that was perceived as a barrier to prosperity.

Just because a building is old enough to be considered ‘historic’, it does not mean that it is contributing to the culture or economy of a place.  Attempting to preserve every structure or neighborhood that technically could be would be doing this area and the community a major injustice.  They deserve advancement and a high quality of life just as much as the people that live on historic Massachusetts Avenue.   Sometimes things do need to be renewed through the process of redevelopment, and in my opinion much of the East Washington Street corridor meets this criteria both physically and culturally.

On the other hand there is the opportunity to adaptively reuse some of the industrial structures along the corridor, such as the P.R. Mallory Paper Factory building and several other 1930’s and 40’s industrial buildings.  Adaptive reuse presents the opportunity to harness the energy and materials that went into producing a structure, and apply them to a new application.  This may often times require substantial alterations and retrofitting, but this also allows us to modernize the building with utilities and other energy efficient features.  A prime example of this strategy right here in Indianapolis is the Keep Indianapolis Beautiful headquarters in Fountain Square.  Ratio architects were commissioned to breathe new life into an abandoned warehouse that occupied a brownfield site, a widespread condition on East Washington Street.  The building now serves as modern offices and warehouse, and is LEED Gold certified for energy and resource efficiency.  If this technique is applied to the buildings on East Washington Street that still maintain structural and historical integrity, then they will be contributing to the culture, prosperity and sustainability of the community.  Another valuable asset are the post-war neighborhoods to the north of East Washington Street.  The houses come in a variety of architectural styles, sizes, and conditions, and cover several square miles of the traditional grid pattern of Indianapolis.  The argument for this area, or any single structure, to be designated on the national register is weak at best.  On the other hand, local protections could spur the large-scale rehabilitation of many of the houses and improve the quality of the neighborhood as a whole by providing tax incentives and other credits, making rehabilitation the wise economic choice over rebuilding.  This would provide a tremendous redevelopment catalyst and ample housing stock as the corridor undergoes a massive transformation.

Indy Connect: Making My Dreams Come True

Posted on | March 14, 2010 | No Comments

Hi everybody!  Now is an exciting time for Indianapolis because Central Indiana finally has its own transportation initiative: Indy Connect!  Indy Connect is proposing improvements to the bus system (IndyGo), pedestrian and biking system, and introducing two new mass transit rail lines!  I am osmosing with joy as I type!

The reason I am so excited about this proposal is the light rail: it will increase neighborhood density to a livable standard, provide transportation to people who HATE driving (me) and who can’t afford a car, improve development standards in and around the transit stops, and revitalize the economic, political, and social status of this city; basically improving the quality of life.  Sorry, that was a mouthful.

I love mass rail transit.  In fact, I have spent the last two years developing (as a student) Transit Oriented Developments in Indianapolis along the two proposed rail lines: the Commuter Nickel Plate Line running North/South and the Light Rail Washington Corridor running East/West.  Actually, this entire class (that’s what this blog is, in case no one told you) has done extensive analysis and design work on the East Washington Corridor.

In case you don’t believe me, here are some projects I have been apart of the last two years.

What these projects are trying to convey is that Indianapolis, joined with the right kind of designs, can support rail transit.  To support Transit Oriented Development the surrounding area needs roughly 10,000 total residents and 10,000 total jobs.  If Indianapolis is serious about developing TOD’s they will need to embrace certain trends and support key components:

Trends

• Nationwide Automobile Traffic Congestion
• Negative feelings towards Suburbs and Strip Developments
• Positive feelings for quality urban lifestyle
• A separation between walkable areas and auto traffic
• National support for Smart Growth
• Changes in family structure
• New focus in Federal Policies

Components

• Walkable design with pedestrians as the highest priority
• Train station as a prominent feature of the town center
• A mixture of uses in close proximity including office, residential, retail, and civic uses
• High density, high-quality development within 10-minute walking circle surrounding the train station
• Collector support transit systems including trolleys, streetcars, light rail, and buses, trams…
• Designed to include the easy use of bicycles, scooters, and rollerblades as daily support transportation systems
• Reduced and managed parking inside 10-minute walking circle around town center/train station

What Indy Connect needs most is residents and citizens giving their input and support for these projects, trends and components.  They’ve actually setup meetings around Indianapolis to get the of Hoosiers around Metropolitan area of Indianapolis, and the are

March 16th, 2010

7:00 PM
Avon Town Hall
6570 E. US Hwy. 36

March 17th, 2010

7:00 PM
Julia Carson Govt. Center
300 E. Fall Creek Pkwy. N.

March 18th, 2010

6:00 PM
Lebanon Public Library
104 E. Washington St., Lebanon

March 20th, 2010

9:30 AM
The Monon Center – Carmel
1235 Central Park Dr. E., Carmel

March 22nd, 2010

7:00 PM
Fortville Community Center
400 W. Church, Fortville

March 23rd, 2010

Noon
Sterrett Senior Center
8950 Otis Avenue, Indianapolis

March 23rd, 2010

7:00 PM
Morgan Co. Admin. Building
180 S. Main St. Martinsville

March 24th, 2010

7:00 PM
Hamilton County Government Center
One Hamilton Square, Noblesville

March 24th, 2010

7:00 PM
Wayne Branch Library
198 S. Girls School Rd., Indianapolis

So I urge anyone reading this in Indianapolis and around the world: support local mass transit initiatives, use the current mass transit provided, encourage TOD’s, and make my dreams come true.

Building|Spaces|Building

Posted on | March 1, 2010 | No Comments

Spaces between Buildings

Are spaces shaped by buildings? Or are buildings shaped by spaces?

The space that is created around built structures is rarely considered more important than the buildings that create it. As urban designers we have to find a balance between the two elements, buildings and spaces, because they are both critical to living an urban life. In my opinion, a building is as successful as its designed environment; and its designed environment is only as successful as the buildings that envelope it. The two most work cohesively, through good design, to be thought of as significant or noteworthy. However, what about the relationship to the needs and wants of the people who will use the space? For the most part, the visible structure of a city- its buildings, parks, monuments, streets and squares- reflects the real values of its people. One can design a great building or space, but what if it goes against the values and needs of that community?

I thought that this excerpt taken from the book “Urban Space,” by Jere Stuart French is a very interesting book as it talks about how we have come to develop a sense of space, and how it differs between the United States and other countries.

“Success to many of us is readily equated to personal space- a piece of land of our own. What belongs to everybody seems to belong to no one. A frontier society, fearful of intruders, rigorously protective of private property and independent choices cannot easily adapt to an open, give-and-take urban structure, more common to Europe or the Middle East. Therefore, the American city has grown and developed through most of the twentieth century without any real sense or even acceptance by the people who occupy it. For example, zoning is primarily an American device for keeping commercial, industrial, and residential areas from mixing together, supposedly to protect each other. However, results tend to provide an even greater degree of isolation, separation, and mixed densities.”  page 2

Urban spaces can tell us much about the quality of life enjoyed by its people, evident all over the world and throughout history. Some spaces are clearly the fruit of a community’s aspirations. Munich, Germany has many great examples of spaces that are enjoyed by its people. In this city, many indoor spaces that you often see take place in the interior of the building in the United States are located outside in Munich, creating very active and lively open spaces. Most restaurants, pubs, and breweries spill over the buildings’ footprints and onto the streetscape or park. These spaces become semi-public places for watching as well as partaking, such as a beer garden in Munich’s central park. Other spaces are the result of the local government, such as Moscow, Russia. Here very little public interaction and liveliness occur. The built environment does not relate to its users.

Currently in my design studio, I am designing an open space for the community where several former industrial warehouses are located. The design I am proposing is inspired and reflected from the existing building fabric, comprising of several vacant structures that I intend to be adaptively re-used into new purposes. For example, one particular building is programmed to be re-used into artist studios and lofts. Another building is programmed to become a brewery, another an art gallery where the artists can display and sell their pieces. Besides the interior program of the built structures, the exterior environment or landscape begins to reflect these programmed elements.

Here one can find large gathering areas for a farmer’s market, a large video screen for watching movies, concerts, and videos, as well as an extended area for a sculpture park. Another former building is proposed for re-use, to be converted into a coffee shop and wi-fi location, just a step away from the local public transit station. This light rail transportation system will stop around the central plaza of the design, creating high traffic and activity within the heart of this area. Here, a former smokestack creates an iconic element within the central plaza and station, giving the transit stop and this open space an instant identity that will make it unique from other proposed stops in the area.  This design was developed while keeping in mind the local community, its needs, and its wishes.

As I mentioned earlier, urban spaces reflect the character of life and people native to an area. But what about ambiguous spaces- spaces that does not fall into the categories of public areas nor buildings, but somewhere in between? What about those spaces that are created directly from the values of a particular community? In this video

http://vimeo.com/3728245Ted Dewan at euroGel 2006

you will see how one person initiates a need to create spaces that will slow automobile traffic on the neighborhood street to create a safer environment for children to play. After several of these “spaces” are created, the local community begins to support each other unlike ever before, as they realize that they have formed a common mission and goal, created as a direct reflection of the values and opinions of the total community.

This is a great example of how the space and environment are shaped by people for a purpose. There are no buildings involved in the process, but it still seeks to illustrate that not all spaces are a direct result of a building’s design. However, the reflection of community values is what makes the spaces powerful and significant.

Experience

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | No Comments

Recently, as a field work project for class, the students of the MUD program conducted a pedestrian, bike, and bus ridership study along three major intersections along East Washington.  I was placed at Rural Street, in which we stood and counted and observed the non-vehicular traffic happenings for two hours. To my surprise there were an outstanding number of pedestrians and bicyclists. Considering previous analysis and observation of the poor walking environment I expected there to be little to no activity but instead found myself having a hard time keeping up the counts.

Many communities are built around the car with garages as the front entrance to a home.  In communities such as this the battle is much greater because it must address the American lifestyle, as I mentioned in my last blog. However, in this community, the pedestrians are already there.

This observation study reminded me of Allan Jacobs’ and his ‘great street’ studies in which he traveled observing various streets to determine what characteristics create a ‘great street’.  As I was counting the pedestrians I realized the amount of pedestrian traffic and its importance in the community. This led me to take the opportunity to better observe the street environment first hand.

As a pedestrian experiencing the streetscape environment first hand during the field study I felt uncomfortable and unsafe. This is not the feelings that are typically evoked from a ‘Great Street’.  The sidewalks were much to narrow walking next to vehicles speeding past at speeds of 40-50, as I’m sure many were above the speed limit.  As Allan Jacobs defines the various aspects that create a ‘Great Street’, he mentions that a street should allow for places for people to walk with some leisure. A street is a place where people of a community should have the opportunity to meet.  As Jacobs’ said, “It’s on foot that you see people’s faces and statures and that you meet and experience them.” This opportunity is lost with the dominance of the car along East Washington.

Also, Jacobs’ said, “…it’s on foot that one can be most intimately involved with the urban environment; with stores, houses, the natural environment, and with people.” Along this street these opportunities were obstructed or nonexistent.  The vacant lots and parking lots separating me from businesses created bland views and obstacles. And there was little to no landscaping; no tree lines or even flower planters in sight.

These have been just a few of my observations from our field study. From here I want to compile my observations and information to compare East Washington with the principles set aside by Allan Jacobs in his book, Great Streets. The pedestrian environment is already there, so my suggestion is to give them the priority they deserve. My suggestion for East Washington is to create a ‘great street’, starting with forcing the auto to move at the pedestrian’s pace.

_Growth_Identity

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | No Comments

Seventy-five percent of European populations currently live in urban areas. Fifty-percent of Americans currently live in urban areas. With growing populations, cities have begun to expand and converge creating multi-city cities called conurbations. With the growth and convergence of cities there will be an ever-increasing need for cities to maintain their cultural identity in order to compete nationally and internationally as a successful and intriguing city to visit or inhabit. 

 I have a hope for the future that my generation as well as generations to follow will value diversity and uniqueness over commonality and sameness. What makes a preserved urban neighborhood so much more interesting than a suburban neighborhood? It is the character that changes from one house to the next, the quality of craftsmanship and the street character that excites our eyes and senses. As a person who grew up in the suburbs, I can honestly say that I believe suburban residents have a misconception that urban life is much harsher and that there are fewer amenities. There seems to be a belief that the people that lived in these houses or buildings that were built 50 to 100 years ago were a different species of human and so the buildings are viewed as useless and obsolete. (Unless I’m terribly mistaken, I believe we have the same number of fingers and toes as people who lived 100 years ago.)

Maintain Culture and Identity 

The buildings that have been able to survive urban plight are decreasing by the year, causing a greater need for people to move back to the core of cities sooner rather than later. There has to be a careful consideration for the residents still residing in those areas. They have the most knowledge to what went wrong and what the neighborhoods are capable of becoming. Specific opportunity locations need to be weary of the current daily structure of the remaining neighborhood residents while still creating opportunity to draw in potential residents. While conducting a pedestrian traffic count, it became evident that budget friendly places such as dollar stores, low end retail and grocery, and advance check services are vital to certain socioeconomic groups of society. A careful balance of maintaining the existing and attracting “New Blood” to the neighborhoods has to be met. 

Creative Decisions

This is where we as urban designers, planners, policy-makers, developers, etc need to be creative and ingenious about how to redevelop opportunity sites to change the perception of the place while still maintaining the urban village. How do we maintain and innovate? Cities and urban villages should plan for infill, leisure, well-being strategies, green technologies, cultural empowerment, integrated technologies, new infrastructure and natural resources in the “open canvases” of our blighted urban neighborhoods. The book “City Comforts; How to build an urban village” by David Sucher is a great place to start for basic concepts to create urban village livability. Chapter three gives three main principles to guide development and growth. ONE – Build to the sidewalks/property lines. TWO – Make the building front permeable. THREE – Prohibit parking lots in front of buildings. (This includes fast food!) Check it out for great basic concepts that make a world of a difference in our urban villages. Book two I would recommend as a designer, is “Creative City; Dynamics, Innovations, Actions” by Maurizio Carta. This book also breaks down its concepts to three topics, Cooperation, Culture and Communication. It is full of interesting statics, and creative strategies for middle cities as well as interesting case studies. Identifying new innovative ideas for the urban villages that create strengthens culture and identity will allow these neighborhoods to be successful. 

Downtown

When the surrounding historic neighborhoods of Indianapolis begin to function more as an urban neighborhood, maybe the downtown can start to function more as a city for the urbanist rather than for the suburbanist. Downtown Indianapolis, while making vast improvements over the past 20 years, still caters to the suburbanite, few out-of-towners and to the conventioneer. While it is understandable that downtown allows travelers a sense of familiarity by providing chain restaurants and a suburban-like mall, it allows far less exploration and identity. When Indianapolis can function as an identity of its own and a rich, vivacious culture, we will see successful growth and a healthy downtown.

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | No Comments

Do YOU Think the Automobile is Equal Access for All?

It has been said to me, “Why do we need mass transit basically everyone has a car now.”  This may seem true to many people, but I do not think this is as true as many people believe.  People are forced to go out into environments that do not consider the pedestrian.  They walk over large snow banks to avoid walking right next to 45 mph traffic.  Just today I saw an older lady with a walker slowly trying to cross over a curb by picking up her walker over a snow bank and then try to cross snow without the aid of a walker.  This women I am sure would love to have a sidewalk so she can walk to the grocery store to pick up necessities.  If there happens to be a sidewalk on the street many do not extend to buildings which are pushed back off the streets to accommodate parking.  Therefore the pedestrian is forced to cross the parking lot which is design for cars not pedestrian once again putting themselves at a greater risk.  These are just people able to walk; those that use wheel chairs or motorized chairs barely have any access to stores if they do not travel by vehicle. The street curbs and entrances to stores do not accommodate easy access while crossing intersections or reaching storefronts from the sidewalk.  Our streets which is every cities largest open space has been stolen by the car.  My hope is people can start to look outside of their vehicle and take back this amenity. Residence need to demand Multi-modal Street which will create a pleasant pedestrian environment and serve everyone.

Finishing …

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | No Comments

Finishing…

If you were to close your eyes and have someone read to you the following blurb …“8 miles of dedicated/protected pedestrian and biking paths located downtown,” where would you think this is located?

For outsiders, I think, Indianapolis, Indiana would not be at the top of the list. It might be the bottom rungs on the hypothetical pedestrian friendly ladder of success. In actuality, it IS Indianapolis. And it is now considered to be a progressive city in terms of dedicated pedestrian movement, and its still in the beginning stages. As Ball State University is located in Downtown Indianapolis, acting as our urban laboratory, it provides graduate level students the opportunity to study a true downtown atmosphere.

Indianapolis currently has many great things ‘in the works’, and is slowly gaining grounds in becoming a great city once again. There are many avenues in which Indianapolis is succeeding in, however I’m not going to bore you by pretending that I am a knowledgeable in all of these or how exactly they help the city.

What I want to talk about is rather simple in terms of big picture ideas. Implementing, on the other hand, is a whole other beast to tackle. I’m talking about dedicated bicycle and pedestrian friendly path system that links major attractions/districts in the downtown area. The Indianapolis Cultural District is just this. An 8 mile trail that links Indianapolis’ major sports and entertainment venues, cultural, arts, heritage districts and linking into city and county parks system. The physical trail is a dedicated width throughout the entire system, taking back traffic lanes in order to fully function with consistency throughout the city. Intersections are designed and detailed in order to slow traffic and initiate safe travel through and on the trail. It is a serious movement towards a sustainability but more importantly the health and vitality of its inhabitants.

“the trail is the epitome of quality of life” –Greg Fehribach (Attorney/ Consultant Accessible Design Projects)

In recent news, the Cultural District received $20.5 million in federal stimulus money in order to further project the success of the ongoing trail system in terms of economic, social and physical improvements. These improvements, and projected improvements, have already spurred commitment to new construction around the trail system. The stimulus monies given is to finish the 4.5 miles of the trail, but then what?

This is all great and dandy in terms what the trail currently is. What about what it COULD be. Lets think a minute about what and who the trail services, or maybe what and who it should/could service. This trail system is just the beginning. The Cultural Trail is the ‘spine’ or ‘catalyst’ for the direction Indianapolis is leaning in.

For example, let us dabble in a little imagination on East Washington and how it connects to downtown. Already considered a major thoroughfare by IndyConnect, the East Washington corridor is only catering towards the inefficient and power sucking automobile. What about the persons that cannot afford to buy/operate a vehicle? What about those that want to better the environment by choosing to use alternative modes of transportation? These people are forced to walk/bike the treacherous sidewalks that may or may not be fully connected. A simple way (in idea stage) to solve these concerns would be to implement something like the Cultural Trail on East Washington allowing the masses to choose better and more accessible modes of transportation. We could then couple it with a larger people moving option such as Light Rail, which will give a faster and more direct route to further destinations. This entire system then has the possibility to run from 465 all the through downtown and move westward to destinations such as the hospital and sporting venues. This system then connects back to the already installed Cultural Trail therefore extending its service and abilities to Indianapolis residents.

I think that it is important to note that the Cultural Trail is an absolutely great way to spur growth in Indianapolis, however it’s only the beginning. Not to mention, European cities and even other American cities have been completing projects like this for many years. So, while Indianapolis is ‘progressive’ in some terms, they are really only playing catchup. Lets consider completing larger chunks of trails at once, and offering more than a bike and pedestrian trail. Lets exponentially continue to be bold Indianapolis. You’ve proven to have successful ideas again and again, but let us now weave EVERYTHING together.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100217/BUSINESS/100217007/Stimulus-funds-to-boost-Cultural-Trail

http://www.indyculturaltrail.org/174.html

maybe they do care?

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | No Comments

In my previous blog, I briefly mentioned a downtown revitalization plan that I’m helping with at work, and how several people, even before the planning process started, expressed negative feelings towards planning and the idea of doing anything with their downtown.  Since then, we’ve held the first Community Visioning Workshop.  About two weeks before the workshop, we contacted local newspapers and tv stations and had them run ads and announcements, the mayor posted fliers all over downtown, and claims to have personally invited anyone and everyone he saw in passing.  So we were hoping for a really big turnout. 

We had 14 people show up. 

In 2008, there was an estimated 3,235 people that lived in this city… so .43 percent of the city showed up?  That doesn’t seem very promising.  However, the people that came showed up with a lot of things to say.  Most of them were actually business owners along what is left of Main Street.

Typically, the way we run a first visioning workshop is to have them participate in a S.W.O.T. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) exercise.  A few of us got together at work and decided that having them focus on “weaknesses” and “threats” might not be a good idea – since we knew how negative most of the city already thinks.  We decided to try a L.A.N.D. exercise (liabilities, assets, needs and dreams).  It is basically the same process and focus, but has more of a positive spin.

The public responded really well to the exercise.  They came up with long lists of the positive aspects of their community – such as their desire to recreate a retail district and come up with new festivals and events to bring outsiders in.  A lot of their dreams were pretty far-fetched, but that was the point.  It got them thinking and helped them come up with more feasible ideas. 

Several people that are well-known in the community expressed interest in creating a committee or group that will organize small projects. 

The next meeting is with the mayor’s roundtable to discuss and go over goals and objectives before the second visioning workshop (alternatives) is held.

So even though only 14 people showed up, they proved there is more interest and concern for the well-being of their community than I first anticipated….with the exception of the guy that got up and said, “this is a bunch of BS” on his way out the door.  It will be exciting to see if their enthusiasm will be seen in what they come up with for their alternatives and preferred alternatives in April.

Neighborhood Idenity & Branding

Posted on | February 28, 2010 | No Comments

For February’s post I’ll be focusing on branding and identity as they relate to a neighborhood or district.  Specifically I’ll explain what branding is, how something can be branded, the benefits neighborhoods and districts receive from branding and finally experience I’ve had in the past couple of years branding projects.

WHAT IS BRANDING?

Branding simply put is giving an identity to something.  This can be anything from a company or individual branding to a neighborhood or district.  For purposes of simplicity and my interests this blog will primarily focus on neighborhood and district identity.  The purpose of branding a district can be broken down into these three key points as explained by a lecture from Indianapolis Downtown INC.  The three steps this group utilized when branding the cultural districts in Indianapolis are the following:

• To differentiate each district
• Brand that can be used easily and consistently
• Brand that can be used by the district, businesses within the district and partner organizations.

HOW TO BRAND?

Branding can be done in several different ways.  The three key points listed above is a first step.  In addition to these one can create what is known as “address streets” which are those mixed-use shopping streets that are activated 24 hours a day.  This gives an identity not only to the neighborhood this street is located in but to the street in general as well.  Creating “address streets” allows people to use this street as a landmark.  A person can say, “I live over in Broadripple” and one can quickly picture the atmosphere of the area because of the brand associated with Broadripple whether it be a log, tag line or both.  Niches are also used to create identity to an area.  Niches are similar to small districts located within a city that are known for a certain culture they create.  Mass Ave in Indy could be considered not only a cultural district but also a niche area that people can identify with as a district different than any other in Indianapolis.

Creating address streets and niches are more physical elements of a city that are used to brand, other “graphic” ways to brand include the creation of a logo and tag line.  Again, this is most applicable to Indianapolis in the branding that occurred for the cultural districts.  Each district has its own logo and tag line that it is associated with and people can easily identify.

BENEFITS:

A major benefit of creating a brand is the atmosphere that can be created from the brand.  All of the cultural districts in Indianapolis have an atmosphere that is unique unto them.  This makes not only local people but visitors to Indianapolis as well want to visit these districts to understand what type of culture is created there.  This is a huge advertising opportunity for new development and housing to take place in these districts.  It gets the name and the area ‘known.’  Also these districts are typically safer too because once more people live and are in the area there are more “eyes on the street” as Jane Jacobs explains in her book Death and Life of Great American Cities.

EXPERIENCE:

Over the past couple of years I’ve had a few experiences with branding my projects.  Two deal primarily with branding Washington Street in Indianapolis as the National Road and creating this street as an “address street” (explained above) where people recognize the type of development that occurs in this area.  This had directly affected two of my projects.

1. The Nickel Plate Rail Line Transit Stop at Washington Street and College- a project I worked on during my undergraduate studies in Urban Planning at Ball State.
2. East Washington Street Redevelopment- Just a few blocks down from the transit stop mentioned above is my current studio project that looks at the redevelopment of the East Washington Corridor.  This, too, has branding implications on the concept that this development is located along the “National Road.”

Another branding experience that has happened relatively recently was the branding my group did for the ULI Urban Design Competition site during February of this year.  This involved creating a logo, district identity as an arts district, and tag line for the East Village in San Diego, CA.

Lastly, but probably the most involved branding I’ve worked on for the past few years is my personal branding of myself.  This has been through my resume and references design, portfolio design (both print and online), business card design, and the general type of work quality I provide.

Overall, the key point that I take from branding and the lessons I’ve learned is that it is important for a brand to provide a consistent message that lines up with a company’s or neighborhood’s actions.  Sending a consistent message is the best way to brand oneself or at a larger scale neighborhood, district or an entire company.

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