Arch 504 Urban Design Seminar University of Idaho
ken williams, architect
Kasama Polakit, Phd
May 14, 2015
Module 6
Moving Forward
Reflective Writing Assignment
Part Two
The Ever-changing Metanarrative
Metanarratives - “ What is discourse? Poststructuralism understands discourse as something like the cultural manifestations of the trafficking of thought, distributed into various topical foci.” (Groat & Wang, p. 193 ) Discourse in how we communicate. As planners and architects we are slowly understanding that importance of historical narrative as a means of interpreting the contemporary world’s fluidities of economy, hierarchy and stru
cture. Urban Design shall always be in a continual state of flux.
cture. Urban Design shall always be in a continual state of flux.
This last assignment presents the challenge of `ground.’ Not geography in a finite sense, rather to the depth and breadth where studies have inspired thought. This may be considered `reflective writing,’ this post shall be more a personal conjecture, an essay of where Urban Design may move towards, a Narrative. A meagre attempt to understand. To provide order, these thoughts shall be broken into three topics :
- Definition of Problem.
- What can be observed & understood.
- Practical implementation and Solution
Critical to these concepts is that of Narrative. How to communicate thoughts and ideas.
Defining the Problem May Be The Problem.
Decision making relies on a several motivational factors which play into that process. In a recent sociological study, attempting to determine what makes one either a `traditionalist’ or a `progressive,’ researchers have identified five motivational factors: Comfort, Security, Experience, Fairness, and Equality. As individuals, our thought processes incorporate all five considerations in the decision making paradigm. When a person is young, the paradigm of optimism discounts experience, something not accrued, and places lower import on security. Youth tends to concern itself with fairness and equality. As the population ages, the paradigm shifts from the importance of fairness & equality to that of comfort & security, factoring in accruing experience.
Problems are also solved, on a collective (governmental ) basis, through the matrix of the five motivational factors. At times, solutions are responsible. Other occasions, solutions to problems are unsatisfactory, or create unconsidered problems through ill considered solutions.
Only by responsible definition of a Problem can we arrive at responsible solutions
What can be observed & understood.
Designing between the Lines
To state an accurate Problem, in the classical sense, is the first step in a rational process. The second is to observe, to test, to challenge. This allows an objective observer to understand cause. This also allows the differentiation of marginal, nominal and effective solutions. One cannot solve modern problems with archaic solutions. Do so, and the risk is greater, partial solutions and potential creation of more problems. Three examples: two Urban problems and one architectural solution.
The first `Broad-stroke’ example: World involvement in the Middle East.
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| Samuel P. Huntington 2004 World Economic Forum |
Over the course of the past two hundred years, countries have consolidated, vied for power and developed a conventional means of dealing with transitions of power. More often than not, responses are found in military interventions. Traditional responses, based on past experiences.
Twenty one years ago, Samuel P. Huntington redefined how western nations should consider responses to an ever connected world. A political scientist who taught at Columbia and Harvard, Huntington chose to look at the world, not as countries & blocks of countries, but rather `civilizations.’ By understanding this concept, countries could anticipate where different `civilizations’ rubbed up against each other, creating seismic political events which impacted generations of peoples. Issues such as the recent Balkan Wars, and the current violence and loss of civil authority in the Middle East. There is not one `Christian’ world of the West, nor one `Muslim’ world in the Middle East. There are societally structural issues between the Sunni and Shia civilizational fractures which permeate that region.
Western involvement in this area simply provided the match to the civilizational tinderbox.
Western issues, through a poorly defined problem, have created a `tar baby’. Where the world shall be stuck for generations to come. Had Western leaders the insight of properly defining Middle Eastern through responsible interpretation, much of what has transpired and shall, may have been avoided.
A prime example of an ill-defined problem.
The second `Broad-stroke’ Urban Design Problem - Social Unrest in American urban settings.
Anecdotal, nine years ago, the world’s economies plummeted. Modern business practices, implementation of contemporary technologies, and a growing separation of wealth have lead to social strife in larger population centers. Manifestations of these may be found in:
- Racial fall-out from the OJ Simpson trial and resulting social unrest.
- Public response to the Trayvon Martin Shooting
- The 2011-2012 Occupy Movement
- Riots in (2014) Ferguson, Missouri and (2015) Baltimore, Maryland
While the general public, national, state & local officials; and politicians wrangle over causation; social scientists are coming to understand underlying social cause within our urban landscape. Issues of race, economic disparity, loss of governmental services, migration of means from inner cities, deterioration of infrastructure all are factors in the deterioration of the Urban Design conditions. What is slowly coming into consideration is the underlying foundation for these conditions, the decline of a socially responsible environment within our urban settings. Michael Gould-Martofsky attempts to address these in his recent book, The Occupiers. While documenting the Occupy Movement, recent events have underscored his conclusions that deteriorating Urban Design conditions are a major cause. While contemporary pundits consider the social unrest the product of race, they do not `read between the lines’ to understand the true issues and definitions of problem.
If anything, incorporating deteriorating urban conditions into the definition of current social problems, allows Urban Designers to participate in more successful solutions within our urban landscapes. This should be a future challenge Urban Designers should face. Other challenges need to curb the cancerous growth of suburban landscapes, migration of populations which abandon & ignore social problems, sequester wealth within secure enclaves, and further on-going urban deterioration.
Often problems are diluted by partial observations, with needs which exist on many different planes. This example identifies that Urban Design is a component of solutions.
The third - `Narrow-scope’ Architectural Solution - Consider the Yurt.
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Traditional Low-impact Yurt
Exhibit 2
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Whitefish Lake, like most of Northwestern Montana lakes, is surrounded by bedrock and marginal veneers of duff, checker-boarded with early subdivisions of land. Legacies. As populations grow, demands are created which protect water quality, creating coercive situations of regulation and definition. It is not uncommon for a property owner to hold property, which through regulation, definition and interpretation, becomes untenable. Recently, I have been working on such a problem west of Bitterroot Lake. I am also familiar with a property, whose owner, I have come to appreciate greatly.
The Owner is extremely sensitive to a modest inherited lot, a fraction of an acre. The lot offers extreme slope, and has been deemed not capable of supporting a common septic system by County authorities. This infers no permanent home. The lot also enjoys a legacy of a past outhouse, still on-site, and water drawn from the Lake. This is common.
Later definitions and regulations have defined a problem. Herein, the Owner has invested considerable thought, defined the problem in a logical, considered manner., arriving at a brilliant solution. Environmental sensitivity extends beyond, to that of spirituality, to memories of growing up as a child on the lake, to celebration of parents passed on. Considerations for the forest the property enjoys.
Understanding the problem has lead to pursuit of a non traditional structure, a yurt. Yurts are Mongolian, in origin, light on the land, transportable, low impact. Searches have lead to acquisition of one nearby, which has withstood the rigors of Montana winters. It affords a Clivus Multrum toilet, and is efficiently acclimated with a wood stove. In an era of technically efficient systems, energy via solar collectors, and demands for electrical service may be extended through illumination to low voltage devices. The yin and yang of technologies. More importantly, for regulatory purposes, it may be relocated, affords seasonal accommodation without demand for a permanent structure's foundations. This solution is elegant, as it meets the discrete definitions prescribed by regulation and ordinance, protecting the environment, allowing use. This celebrates the Owner's life through simplicity, spirituality, efficiencies and sustainable environment.
This example is that of a problem which is well defined, with a comprehensive design response. Elegance exists when one simplistic solution answers a multitude of problems.
Learning by Doing
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The Big Mountain and Railroad Station
Whitefish's focal points for business and economy
Exhibit 3a
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Whitefish's Central Avenue, looking South
Exhibit 3b
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- Kevin Lynch inspired community, mapping, understanding uses, borders, edges, and functions. (refer to initial mapping exercises 19 Feb 2015 post )
- Edward Relph’s work underlined celebrations of place, of time, people. (refer to initial mapping exercises 4 Mar 2015 post )
- Leon Krier, Andrés Duany , and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk’s appreciation for traditional architectural themes, shapes and New Urbanism. ( 26 Mar 2015 post )
- Christopher Alexander’s concepts of patterns, an inter-relationships.
- Peter Calthorpe’s work on walkable communities, transit nodes and arterial connections.
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Historic Whitefish Depot
Exhibit 4
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Viaduct - Highway which leads to the Mountain
Exhibit 5
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The semester started with re-interpreting my community with Lynch, mapping, exploring, re-interpreting. Over the past four months, these others have added to `the pot.’ This past week culminated in walking through Whitefish again. Beginning at the north end of Whitefish, at the landmark Depot ( Exhibit 4 ) the intent was to anticipate where the community needed to grow. This could determine where future Urban Design considerations should occur. Two transportation elements create edges - the railroad to the north, and the highway viaduct which bridges the tracks ( Exhibit 5.)
Employing the concept of Urban Design nodes within a five minute walk, it was determined that a person could travel south, along Central Avenue ( Exhibit 3.) in approximately eight to ten minutes, reaching the river valley. In Lynch’s day, there would have been sketches. In this era, digital images. At each major intersection, opposing corners were digitally documented. Streetscapes were documented as well. These included landmarks, such as Montana’s only
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`Parkitecture' Style Commercial/Office
Exhibit 6
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Frank Lloyd Wright building and ancillary spaces ( Parking, Parks and Playgrounds ) One observation which was reinforced,is the vibrancy of design without the homogeneity of `Pattern Books” through interpretation of `Parkitecture,” a western style of traditional motif. (Exhibits 5 & 6.)
Halfway down Central Avenue, commercial space transitions to a residential neighborhood which has morphed into small offices. Farther south, a residential neighborhood which is in decline. Preliminary considerations are that:
- Growth to the West of the Commercial District shall be limited by the heavily trafficked Baker Street
- Issues of immediate parking exist for the existing Commercial District
- Any growth to the south needs to be provided with readily accessible parking which occurs beyond Central Avenue, limited vehicular impact to this axis.
- Developing a Mixed Use Performance overlay in this area could foster indigenous planning phenomena currently being implemented. (New Urbanism approach )
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`Parkitecture' Style Commercial/VRBO
Exhibit 7
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Whitefish Circulation
Exhibit 8
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Exhibit 8 schematically identifies traffic implications and commercial axis. Exhibit 9 schematically documents this walk. Based on observation, an extension of Central Avenue’s commercial district could be implemented. In this area, changes have occurred. Any new design and development can accomplish a number of things which allow mixed uses to maintain currency with the way society changes with technical times.
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Five minute walk criteria
Location of Mixed Use `New Urbanism' node
Exhibit 9
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Exhibits 10 & 11 illustrate a non coercive change in zoning. Prior to 1995, secondary accommodations in Residential zones were disallowed. That zoning definition was amended to allow tertiary accommodations - casacitas, mother-in-law suites, caretakers, and/or guest accommodations. Exhibit 10 illustrates the post 1995 phenomena. Throughout the residential landscape, garages and rear yards have been populated with secondary accommodations. These have increased demand on city services. They have also allowed property values to rise, and taken the edge off of seasonal accommodation. Exhibit 7 has appears to be a commonplace commercial building, with one important distinction. The Upper Floor suites are not intended as long term housing, nor a hotel. They are distinct as they are intended to exploit a recent development, on-line, non-mainstream housing. These shall be managed under the currency of a `Vacation Rental By Owner’ (VRBO.) A contemporary movement fueled by at the Internet, VRBO’s implementation shall have a dramatic impact on traditional hospitality accommodation.
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Pre-zoning Accessory Housing
West side of Lupfer Avenue
Exhibit 10
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According to the Lyn Akey, President of Glacier Bank, this bank alone, has lent money on four hundred eighty nine (489) VRBO projects in the Flathead Valley. This number is greater than the largest two hotels in Whitefish combined. There are financial impacts. More important, the location is downtown, adjacent to the commercial core, reducing vehicular need, sprawl, and insuring the community is walkable. As Urban Design movements progress, an important aspect of consideration needs to accommodate changes in how the business of society changes.
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Modern Accessory Housing
West of Baker Avenue
Exhibit 11
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The city study identified places where change may occur. It also identified features which will foster growth while protecting the Central Business District. Exhibit 9 is a simple sketch of an identifiable area to develop a Design for. AN adjacent area, off Second Street drops as the street enters the river valley. Structures in this area are older, somewhat run down. A multiple use structure here, could provide modest commercial space. It could also provide municipal parking which is immediately adjacent to the redevelopment area, encouraging people to access the southern portion of town, altering its interest and use. Currently the south end of town closes up shop around six pm.
This practical exercise has been beneficial. It has allowed me to celebrate much of the studies which have transpired over the past four months. Early planning concepts have matured into the current movements. Better still, changes in how other places within our world approach land use have been identified, and hopefully shall migrate down to more traditional planning worlds that is Whitefish, Montana.
Summary
This last writing has explored issues which confront Urban Design -
- the importance of defining problems.
- how cultural & societal issues are creating contemporary demands
- potential, practical implementation of Urban Design Approaches
The latter section has considered how we can use Urban Design concepts, to readily communicate potential growth. In this instance, at a very local, home-grown application. Pursuaint to the Introduction, it is hoped the Metanarrative has educated, informed and drawn the reader along, flow to.
Sources
Groat, Linda & Wang, David. Architectural Research Methods. 2nd Ed. Hoboken, NJ. Wiley.2013. Print
Samuel P. Huntington. (2015, May 5). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:43, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samuel_P._Huntington&oldid=660893295
Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations?, in "Foreign Affairs", vol. 72, no. 3, Summer 1993, pp. 22–49
Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1996 ISBN 0-684-84441-9
Huntington, Samuel P. (ed.), The Clash of Civilizations?: The Debate, New York, Foreign Affairs, 1996 ISBN 0-87609-164-8
O. J. Simpson murder case. (2015, May 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:20, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=O._J._Simpson_murder_case&oldid=662098181
Ferguson unrest. (2015, May 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:30, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ferguson_unrest&oldid=661917686
015 Baltimore protests. (2015, May 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:31, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2015_Baltimore_protests&oldid=662341408
Gould-Martofsky, Michael. The Occupiers - The Making of the 99 Percent Movement. NY,NY. OUP, 3 Feb 2015. Print
VRBO source - Lyn Akey, Glacier Bank interview 12 April 2015 4:15-4:45
Shooting of Trayvon Martin. (2015, May 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:23, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin&oldid=661913723
Occupy movement. (2015, May 6). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:26, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Occupy_movement&oldid=661143779
Gould-Martofsky, Michael. The Occupiers - The Making of the 99 Percent Movement. NY,NY. OUP, 3 Feb 2015. Print
Clivus Multrum. (2014, December 30). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:45, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clivus_Multrum&oldid=640276599
Yurt. (2015, May 5). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:47, May 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yurt&oldid=660888813
Whitefish, Montana images & illustrations by ken williams, architect 12 May 2015
