Hmm 2.13.24
Azhar, Jasim, et al. “Perception of urban leftover spaces: A comparative study of built environment and non-built environment participants.” Architecture, vol. 2, no. 2, 7 Apr. 2022, pp. 231–244, https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture2020013.
This article revealed people have emotional reactions to urban leftover spaces. This study investigated perceptions of these spaces, and how they might be transformed to benefit communities. Relevant to my research in determining something similar.
Brandt, Anita Bartholin. “Reclaiming No-Man’s Land: A Case Study in the Utilization of Expressway Land-Scraps.” Reclaiming No-Man’s Land: A Case Study in the Utilization of Expressway Land-Scraps, M.I.T., M.I.T. Press, 1984, pp. 5–87.
Was a direct case study looking at something similar to what I think I could do in the area of NWA. Investigated potential uses of developing interstitial, and space above interstate systems in cities. Changing the way we perceive space to be utilized or not.
Brown, Jeffrey R., et al. “Planning for cars in cities: Planners, engineers, and freeways in the 20th century.” Journal of the American Planning Association, vol. 75, no. 2, 27 Mar. 2009, pp. 161–177, https://doi.org/10.1080/01944360802640016.
A historical lens to view one of my questions in. How were interstate systems designed, and what could the future of them look like? How do they grow, or not? Relevant due to questioning of reducing car related infrastructure by developing permanent tactical sites to discourage growth of car infrastructure.
Gössling, Stefan. “Why cities need to take road space from cars - and how this could be done.” Journal of Urban Design, vol. 25, no. 4, 18 Feb. 2020, pp. 443–448, https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2020.1727318.
Gave some insight into the psychology of car culture and how campaigning for a more active transportation culture could be developed in the United States. Rebuttals points by including already car dependent cities have no infrastructure to support not having cars. Understands this would be a top down approach to fixing any issues.
Kobayashi, Kazuo. Skyscrapers in Context, Tokyo Institute of Technology, M.I.T. Press, 1988.
Mildly relevant to whatever way I take my capstone. Revolves around the way in which spaces and more specifically skyscrapers are perceived in everyday life. Can influence ideas about utilizing forgotten spaces in cities.
Mohamed Anuar, Mohamed Ikhwan, and Raziah Ahmad. “Elevated highways and its lost spaces: a review of Kuala Lumpur’s seldom seen.” Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, vol. 2, no. 6, 7 Nov. 2017, p. 279, https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v2i6.966.
Relevancy due to the fact of understanding how spaces under highways are used informally by communities. Questions the viability and success of creating habitable spaces under these places to redefine what highways mean for Kuala Lumpur. Similarly what I’m wondering about for America/NWA.
Qiao, Yong-Kang, et al. “Planning an adaptive reuse development of underutilized urban underground infrastructures: A case study of qingdao, China.” Underground Space, vol. 14, Feb. 2024, pp. 18–33, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.undsp.2023.05.005.
Interesting approach to infrastructure that isn’t typically seen in America. Learned a new term, UUI, Urban Underground Infrastructures. Gave me precedent for how some cities use their forgotten spaces.
Here's where I stand...
I will say after New York, I still would love to figure out how to make a capstone about skyscrapers, but I'm not entirely sure what direction to take that. They're just insane and looking at the Midtown skyline from SOM's office in 7 World Trade Center actually made my eyes water.
Anyway, I truly do think it would be interesting pursuing this idea about under utilized space in urban, context. The leftover pieces of planning and development that are essentially forgotten about and not meant to be remembered.
After researching some this weekend, I'm realizing something though about my topic. Either I need to figure out how to get so ridiculously specific about my topic, or I need to reframe my topic again. That does beg another question, I really am not sure where my question/topic stands.
Right now this has been the general thought process from the first week of school until now.
How can well designed "undesigned" spaces change/benefit community identity and sense of place? to...
How should we utilize under-utilized space for our benefit in urban contexts? to...
Does developing forgotten urban spaces (more specifically interstate interstitial spaces) add aesthetic and cultural value, while humanize urban spaces by indirectly creating safer environments for people to inhabit?
This is seeming to get into the theoretical side of design architecturally and urban planning wise. One thing I wasn't even considering about this topic was the reality of air pollution surrounding sites with heavy car traffic. That's something big to tackle, but the case study in Boston suggested mechanical ventilation in an outside condition, similar to parking garages with little natural ventilation.
Besides that, I was wondering if potentially getting regionally specific would be a solution to my problem. Some case studies I've read about tackling a similar issue to my question were all focused on areas like Boston, Kuala Lumpur, and Quindao. So maybe looking at this problem through the lens of Northwest Arkansas, a seemingly idyllic place to live and move to, could create criteria for me to base my question.
Could it be that developing permanent interstitial spaces in interstate interchanges in Northwest Arkansas actually promote large scale public transportation networks, and reduce dependence on using largescale highways to move people within the region? Additionally, could this practice help promote safer and more human environments in relation to cars and pedestrian traffic.
I understand realities of Northwest Arkansas's geography, there's potential for it to not be so ideal for larger networks of public transportation. Mountains and hills limit space for trains.
But there's clearly a market for intercity travel based off the Greenway connecting all of NWA.
I also understand this entire project is again, hypothetical, as I'm so sure the USDOT wouldn't allow structures anywhere near these kinds of roads. Also to rehash, air pollution once more.
But I did some investigating anyway, and found some interesting data.
I think it's crazy that not only multiple Vol Walker's could fit into the 49/N Fulbright Expressway interchange, but the football stadium!
Makes me wonder about how we space plan, or at least in the past.
Also, have known about this elementary school in Dayton, Ohio for a minute.
While I'm not advocating for 5 to 10-year-olds to frolic in a oversized roundabout, I think this is an interesting strategy for maximizing space in cities. Maybe my question isn't so much using under utilized spaces, but densification.
Reading your article, I appreciate your process of narrowing down your search. I also laughed whenever you called Fayetteville "idyllic," coming from a local. As for a more serious note, I would worry that the seemingly "wasted" space of the interstate is not wasted. It allows for more time to merge (maybe not on the curves) which I feel is necessary on the safety measure.
ReplyDeleteI love how you're spatially comparing fay jones to the interstate systems, I think at least for me it really helps digest the scale in question. The research you're doing seems to be really effective so far!
ReplyDeleteWill: quick suggestions:
ReplyDeleteLook at the chapter by Erick Villagomez, "Claiming Residual spaces in the heterogeneous city" in the book Insurgent Public Space. Also, read "Flood Control Freakology: Los Angeles River Watershed" by David Fletcher in the book Projective Ecologies. Lastly, check out the book Infrastructural City by Kazys Varnelis. It's about infra in L.A. There's more to say about this another time as this topic intersects with my own research.