14 February 2015

Theme 1: Background of the “field”

All the efforts to define the what, why, theories, scope, scale, and how of urban design seems to me to come down to place-making.  It all centers around and leads to attempting to make better places and make places better – better for the uses, for the users, and for the community.  The real question to me is - what really works?  What design principles create quality places that are used and liked?  What are the universal principles coming out of all the theories actually work, whether they are the current trend or not, and why do they work.  What design ideas don’t work, no matter how fantastic they look on paper, and why don’t they work.  What is going to work in different places and situations?  How can we apply, as William Hosley, (Placemaking – History, Practice, & Philosophy), quotes Wendell Berry, “The concept of solving for pattern is the process of finding solutions that solve multiple problems while minimizing the creation of new problems.”

 In the article “Roles and Challenges of Urban Design,” Ali Madanipour states, “The role of urban design is to add flesh to the bones of broad visions and general policy statements; it offers the chance of imagining what the future might look like” (2006).  I have been looking at the Oregon Trail Parkway Plan for Boise Avenue in Boise, Idaho.  The vision of the plan is the “Oregon Trail Parkway will celebrate Boise’s heritage, improve pedestrian access, and enhance the surrounding neighborhood” (2001).  The ‘flesh’ of the design includes 7’ tall Cor-ten steel obelisk monuments placed in landscaped triangle parks and other micro-park areas. 

The parks are to be connected by a linear park and tree-lined avenue with limited vehicle access.  Historic signage and lighting, repaired sidewalks and pathways for pedestrians and bicycles, underground utilities, and brick pavers at intersections as village entrances were also part of the design.  Some of these have been implemented (the triangle parks, monuments, and pathways) and others are in the process (linear park) or not at all (underground utilities, brick pavers, limited vehicle access). 

So, does the design work? Has a ‘place’ been created?  Only somewhat in as far as it has been implemented.  The monuments and parks are visually noticeable and attractive as individual mini-places but there is no sense of overall connection along the avenue as a historical or community place.  I will make some guesses why it is not working.  The majority of Boise Ave. (east of Broadway Ave.) has been widened to accommodate more traffic rather than restrict vehicle access. 

A sidewalk and a bicycle lane were added but neighborhood destinations are over a mile apart along a busy street.  The bicycle connection to the foothills is great but a walk along a busy street is not appealing. 

The other section of Boise Ave. (west of Broadway Ave.) has not been widened but improvements have not been completed. 

The sidewalks and trees along the street, the triangle parks, and walking distance are nice.  But the utility lines are still above ground and there is no bike path on a street with more vehicular traffic than is really safe for bicyclists in the street.  And none of the village entrance markers or unifying elements such as historic signage and lighting have been installed.  

But I think the biggest issue is how limited this plan is because it was conceived by neighborhood associations without the knowledge, experience, and guidance of a professional urban designer.  They did well enough but as “’unknowing’ urban designers” (Urban Design Today) they did not understand the value of professional design in creating good urban design.  Nor did the decision making agencies (also ’unknowing’ urban designers”) who made decisions counter to the design vision of enhancing the surrounding communities.

References

Carmona, M., Health, T., Oc, T. and Tiesdell, S. (2003). Urban Design Today, Public Places - Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design. Oxford: Architectural Press.

Hosley, W. (2013). Placemaking – History, Practice, & Philosophy. (video). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com       /watch?v=W22BOuPD5Oo

Madanipour, A. (2006). Roles and Challenges of Urban Design. Journal of Urban Design 11:2, 173-193.