Gifts to the Street, a very brief recognition and study in urban planning.

Gifts to the Street

A very brief recognition and study in urban planning… or, The problem I have with Huntsville's newest art installation.

It doesn't take a long jog or walk here in the South to recognize when a shady bench has been installed for pedestrians, especially in the summer time.  This photo taken this morning, shows just such an installation in the City of Huntsville, AL (taken on a cold Fall morning).  Why it's put there when it's cold, I'm not sure.  Still sounds like a good idea though, though for a moment,  let's consider the problem with putting our backs to the street.

Someone undoubtedly had the good idea to do some planters, a bench and playfully colored awnings.  Looks great right?  Now, what is harder to see in this photo is the downtown street JUST on the other side of this canvas awning.  There is absolutely zero chance I'll be able to relax on this bench, knowing cars are zipping just behind me a few feet away.  So here's to who ever had the good idea to make an art installation; great idea, poor planning.  We want to at least see the Ford that mows us down, and before I get lambasted for my critical thinking, please read on…

Pedestrians have every right to feel safe from these fast moving metal boxes on wheels.  We do not do so well when taking them on, "Mano e Mano".  So if we were to design in several very easy fixes into our streetscapes, we could easily become a much more walkable town, see general health and mental well being surge.  I do not hold a PHD, though it doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize the benefits of healthy exercise such as walking to contribute to a community's good health and mental well being.

My proposal is to offer Pedestrians a more friendly bench, in the form of "Gifts to the street".  This is where the general edge your house or business stops being part of your property and falls more into the public realm.

In this picture, you can see a very old rock wall that denotes the edge of lawn, clearly defining the house's property and the public domain. The water service should give you an indication of the age of this streets cape   

What the above design gives pedestrians, is a place to sit that faces a sidewalk and the street.  There is a sidewalk with a grass border and street trees.  The street trees serve many functions.

1. Shade in the summer
2. Blocking wind in the winter, while allowing sun light through
3. A mental and physical barrier from the street

Further more, on street parking offers yet another layer of protection for pedestrians.  So taking cues from long ago, you can see a much more safer "Gift" to the street, than the art installation.  Though this rock wall looks weathered, you can dress this up as much as you would like.  Look around you neighborhood and see how pedestrian friendly it is designed.

sddrawings.com

Late Night Design

Working through difficult problems,

Why rush something good?

Often clients want and need something right away.  I have been going around the block several times to formulate a plan that will meet a client's needs in a floor plan, of course it has a deadline.   I'm sure every designer has the same problem.  What client's can do (and I think I have the best in the world) is to give us a little room to work the design over. Sometimes you just need to let an idea "stew" for a bit.  Usually we know you're due a drawing and when that hour is.  We feel the pressure to get the job done and keep you happy.  After all, you're paying our graphite bill.

Sometimes you just need  

to let an idea "stew" for a bit

Letting us work through a design is good for you and us.  The final product can be something we both can be proud of.  Let alone the devastation to a neighborhood should something ugly be built.  You're neighbors may never ask you over to the cook out, maybe that's a good thing.  Sometimes we just need to find inspiration, often from an unknown source.  In the case of my latest triumph over a design, it was a good long jog.  Getting out of the office and away from the computer / drafting board is healthy for any of us that wear the desk jockey hat.

I actually JUST had this conversation with my partner today.  We discussed how easy it is to over work ourselves in production mode, and not take care of the other aspects that make us a well rounded and balanced person.  I imagine any profession can be that way.  Designers, especially the great ones, are usually more introverted.  They express themselves through their ideas that are seen in a finished product.  This is not bad, it is a sign of high intelligence.  What it does though, is to create a shell, where the person is more comfortable at work and "plugging" away than interacting with the world at large.  Those brilliant minds I've seen who have unchained themselves.. are some of the happiest, most productive professionals.  Their designs and abilities have expanded ten-fold, certainly someone to admire.

So in essence, if you want an amazing product, give you guy/gal some room to do their thing.  You hired them for a reason, you knew they had the skills to bring you an amazing product.  And let us go for that jog, we'll work better and harder when we get back in.

sddrawings.com