Capitalism Is Alive & Well?

Our everyday urban spaces are purposed for a variety of activities and users.  Commerce, sitting, birds, sculpture, transportation, plants and people are just some of the components on display at the plaza at the southwest corner of 2^nd Ave and Spring St in downtown Seattle.  

On a recent cold, weekday holiday afternoon, activity was confined primarily to the plaza’s periphery: coffee drinkers clustered around a table, commuters waiting at street’s edge for their bus, or, for some unlucky souls, dozens of stories above the plaza, busily typing away in their cubicles and lamenting their not getting the day off. 

While the plaza was essentially barren at least in some part due to the temperature, it was still rich in commentary on the urban experience.  The stark juxtaposition of the space’s private-public nature through bold signage was what immediately drew us in.  While tempting to blame the space’s desolation entirely on temperature, one could argue that blatant mixing of messages to LINGER! and BUY STUFF! may in fact be confusing and off-putting to users, leading them elsewhere to relax where the pressure to consume is reduced.

Upon further examination we discovered just how much the adjacent businesses have dictated the character of the space.  Tables are only large enough to accommodate conversation punctuated by a sandwich or a few coffees.  It is difficult to imagine this plaza being the site of a picnic lunch or barbeque because of the furniture’s limitations.  Similarly, the variety of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in attractive containers pay homage to the chic flower shop located at the plaza’s south edge.

Our evaluation of the sharing of public and private interests within a single space would be more complete if we were to investigate again in more amenable weather.  Perhaps then the space would be transformed and fully active, but at this moment in time, the shared space seems superfluous.  

- James Day & Graham Golbuff

A Bifurcated Dichotomy

Ian Garnier, Patrick Pirtle, Joel Miller

Downtown Seattle encompasses the intermixing of residents and visitors. From Western Avenue through Belltown and beyond, the role of visitor and resident interchange between those who feel they belong, and the visitor passing through. Our groups' observations were taken over several afternoons downtown, from the waterfront to Interstate 5, and found several instances of the resident/visitor paradigm. First, homeless population in Seattle takes on both the role of resident and visitor. Among the posh developments of Belltown, the homeless are made to feel like visitors,
kept on the move through unfriendly design elements. At the same time, they display their "residency" by inhabiting the space that visitors do not, such as under the Viaduct and along the waterfront. Second, businesses that cater to tourism welcome visitors as residents, providing incentives for these visitors to stay such as dedicated parking in downtown. By doing this, it shows residents to move along, much like the design elements do to those hoping to linger in Belltown. Likewise, signs of downtown reflect this sentiment. Wayfinding assistance is given to those unfamiliar with the City’s layout. This assistance conceals the City’s attitude towards its residents, who are treated as visitors, prohibited from all but moving along its sidewalks. Visitors see the City through new eyes; exploring and capturing the sites residents take for granted. The final and most interesting notion of the resident/visitor relationship is local advertisements directed at the residents. These signs beckon residents to become the visitor, experiencing those new areas with new eyes while moving in, throughout, and back home again.

Treatment to the Chaos

Treatment to the chaos in Downtown Seattle

Project: Freeway Park

Location: Boundary North by Union and on the south by Spring Street. East to First Hill, west to the Seattle's financial center.

Observation time: 01/ 18, 2013, Friday, 10:00-12:00am

Participants: Dian (Nikky) Zhang, Xiaoyang Zhu, Yuan (Evan) Lin.

Observation:
1. Context: The park locates in the center of downtown Seattle. The !-5 Freeway and The 8th Ave go through the park. There is a large city-owned parking lot underneath the park. And the boundary is defined by Washington State Convention and Trade Center.
2. Activities: There are 2 main open spaces and many pedestrian made of concrete. in this park. the activities include waling, jogging, gathering, passing through and getting into the building.
3. Plants: In order to reduce the pollution from the freeway, the designer selected some native evergreen shrubs and trees which have a high ability to resist the toxic dirt and noise. There are some other colorful plants to indicate seasonal change.
4. Texture: The artificial part in this park is purely grey concrete, with some obvious red movable chair. Some of the plants would turn yellow and hard, which makes a big contrast between hard and soft. Aesthetically, the interact of each material is well presented.
5. Plans create the space: Most of the plants grow high and dense to enclose the road and define the boundary, while there are also some individual trees with beautiful appearance standing on a wide and flat grass field.

Conclusion:
Freeway Park is a wise design treating the complex context around. The freeway and other streets through the park can also be regarded as a mimic aspect of nature. The project blurs the boundary of what is natural process and what is urban.

Art in the Open

Our group focused on the topic of art and nature in the city, and for two different views, we looked at Gas Works Park and Olympic Sculpture Park. The concept of the shared city applies to these two sites in multiple ways. As open public spaces, they provide dedicated spaces for enjoying the outdoors, and they are both situated on waterfront locations that allow for picturesque views of the surrounding city. Unlike traditional parks that cater to recreational or sports activities, these parks give free access to art and seem more like outdoor museums that encourage contemplation, inspiring or challenging the visitor to reconsider how we interact with art and what counts as art. Both parks exemplify a generous ideal for public spaces, whether allowing a public space for the Seattle Art Museum to share some of their sculptural holdings with the public or transforming what was once a utilitarian space into an open space, redefining the idea of the public park in the process. While the newer, dynamically designed Olympic Sculpture Park displays its various sponsors and patronage in several locations throughout the park, as well as warning signs for restricted actions, Gas Works Park evokes a more natural and historical image.

Gas Works Park has blurry boundaries in terms of nature and art, combining characteristics of man-made and natural entities. As we entered the park, we saw a colorful playground, decayed pipes, sculpture and huge mound. Since Gas Works Park is surrounded by dense conifers, grass and other plants, we felt like we were in nature. That huge mound, though natural-looking, is artificial, with a constructed pathway and decorative sundial on the top. Looking at the whole view from the top of the mound, we noticed that the pipes act as a symbol of the park, sharing its identity and history. The colorful building offers a recreation space for children while providing shelter for the homeless and behind the building are picnic tables. Gas Works Park is a good place for families, couples, students, bicyclers, photographers, dogs, birds, and plants since it provides beautiful views and connects both artwork and visitors to nature.

By: Eyun Jennifer Kim & Michelle Kang

Public Art/Public Claim

  

Team: Mickala Loeffelbein, Kathryn Christensen, Chris Morris
Location: Seattle, WA

Our group chose to investigate numerous examples of formal and informal

pieces of public art found throughout Seattle. Artists take claim of urban spaces in a way that

many people usually do not. Because of this, public art is not only a way that Seattleites share

the city, but also a way for artists to add new interest to Seattle. We define formal art as work

that the City of Seattle was a part of, and informal art as purely citizen-driven creations. The

formal pieces pictured are The Blue Trees and Children’s Art Tiles in Westlake Center, and The

View from the Canoe images near the Justice Center. Although all three are successful at

transforming the spaces they are in, they tend to look like “art-bandaids” applied to ugly or

uninteresting areas of the city. Our informal pieces, however, exemplify how organic,

spontaneous artwork enhances the urban setting. The Gum Wall in Post Alley, Ghost Bike in

the U District, and graffiti found around Seattle reflect the creativity of people who inhabit the

city. When Seattleites take a claim over public space like this, they add their stories and

experiences to the urban fabric. The Ghost Bike, a bike painted white, chained to a post on the

intersection of NE Campus Parkway and University Way, is a memorial to a rider who was hit by

a car at that spot. By installing the Ghost Bike, the artist transformed the intersection into a

memorial for the rider. The Gum Wall and graffiti are unique pieces with varying contributors,

but both achieve the same goal of beautifying blank city walls. After observing all these sites,

we conclude that informal installations are more successful than formal ones when it comes to

city sharing. Government-issued art is not always reflective of Seattle.

On a Dark and Stormy Saturday Afternoon...

Matt S, Schell L, Seth D

Although we explored Seattle on a Saturday afternoon (1/19/2013, 1:30-4 pm), it was too cold for many people to be out and about. This limited us to looking for ways spaces were being shared without human interaction. We’re confident our pictures are quality examples of “city sharing”.

The weather in Seattle has a very direct effect on the utilization of its public spaces. The tendency for overcast weather means parks and recreational areas are subject to different uses. The climate here introduces an interesting method of sharing the city.

The first location was a mountain bike park under I-5, near the southbound exit 168. Originally used by homeless people, volunteers transformed the space into a place to ride without needing to drive out of the city. We noticed that it was clearly still used as sleeping place for some. This means the space beneath the freeway is used for sleeping and mountain biking.

We continued on to Capitol Hill, where we found a construction site bordering Carl Anderson Park. The entire perimeter of the park had a two story solid wall around it, on which was a mural of graffiti-style artwork. Since the site neighbors the park and several blocks of housing, the artwork helped mitigate the unpleasantness of being next to a large-scale construction site.

We took an obligatory picture of the Jimi Hendrix statue. We also found the Elvis Presley statue tucked away in a hotel lobby area. Although the location was probably public space, it struck us how hidden Elvis was compared to Jimi even though both were life-size bronze statues.

As we kept searching around Capitol Hill, we found a bike shop using the sidewalk to store some of its inventory. We wonder if they have ever been reprimanded for using public space for private property.

On the walk back to the car, we saw some BMX’ers using the plaza in front of Seattle Central Community College to practice riding. No one seemed to mind since it was a Saturday and the brick structures were perfect size for a skilled BMX rider.

Public City Parks at Night

     These photos were taken as night set in and just after it had rained rain. The photos were taken at Kobe Terrace Park in the International District neighborhood. The park is relatively small and nestled in between the bustle of the city, surrounded by I-5, local apartments and just a few blocks from Jackson Street. Due to the time, there were not very many people, but there were some traveling through on bikes, on foot or with their dogs (though none too keen on being a part of the photo background).

     City Sharing can aptly be attributed to this park, where locals and passersby use the park as a way to briefly escape from the city environment. The park is open to the public, but also fits nicely with the surrounding buildings to give the appearance of a private place as well. Unlike Central Park's motive to minimize the city impact, the park seems to incorporate it, perhaps even forced to do so with its given size; using a cul-de-sac on one end and a bike route and parking lot on the other for entry and exit. In addition, the views are so constructed as to not block out the city, but to draw it into view as one takes a seat at one of the benches.

     Kobe Terrace Park has a community garden as well, the view of which was not so clear during the night. This garden represents the blurring of city and country, industry and nature. Lastly, the park during the night, though visibly surrounded by the city, had a distinct separation which allows the observer to, for a short moment, get an outsider's look into the city as a culmination of human cohabitation and daily interactions.


By: Markus Surratt

Portions of Public Parks

Lindsay Sauerlender

Harminder Dhaliwal

Adrian Servetnick

                 

Our group went to two locations in Downtown Seattle on January 17^th during mid afternoon. The first was Westlake Park, which was not as busy as we had expected, but there was an interesting dynamic among the different types of people. In Photo 1, you can see the large group of, if not homeless, then malcontents gathered in the corner of the square by the bus stop. Other than this group, the only other people sharing the square were the three police officers patrolling the park (Photo 2). Also in this photo you can see a large arch and stage, which was constructed as a means to facilitate entertainment to the public. It is interesting that, despite the openness of the square, any and all people in the area are grouped to the corners and sides. The art (blue trees), lights, and benches in Photo 3 demonstrate the effort made to appeal to public enjoyment of the park. These benches also serve as a resting place for shoppers in the area. The second location we visited was Victor Steinbrueck Park. In these photos you can see how the park was designed with a seating area to showcase the views of the water (as well as the recent addition of the Great Wheel). The canopy here provides a necessary shelter for people to share in the frequent Seattle rain (Photo 4).  Photos 5 and 6 were taken a bit farther away from the water, but they demonstrate the appeal to tourists with the cement benches that, in addition to providing seating (Photo 5), are also used for community business when they are filled with the wares of vendors (Photo 6).

"Public" Public and "Private" Public

In urban design, an open space could be defined as public or private that can be shared by several users within the area. We focused on two spaces in International District that practices the idea of “city sharing.” Our investigation of “public” public space started around 1 o’clock in the afternoon in Hing Hay Park on King Street. Although this park is very open to the users, the boundaries are definitive as it is bounded by adjacent buildings and sidewalks. This idea emerged when we saw multiple chess boards for diverse ethnicity set in the stone bench, inviting people to share this public space. The park is used for different recreational activities such as playing chess with a friend or going to the night market which is held there occasionally.

Hing Hay Park

On the other hand, the “private” public space occurs along four surrounding office buildings on S Weller Street and 5th Ave creating a fortified courtyard ideally for workers. The progression of the courtyard serves three groups of occupants; semi-private courtyard for the workers, public outdoor seating at Starbucks and Tully’s for workers and passerby, and public transit center for commuters. The boundaries between these three spaces are blurred as each space blends into another creating a transition among the different users.

S Weller St and 5th Ave, near International District Metro station

In contrast of these two areas, the design for Hing Hay Park incorporates cultural diversity into its park elements while the fortified courtyard merges businesses and outdoor sculptures. These “city sharing” spaces are structured differently because it aims to attract distinct user groups within the city.

by: 

CHANG, WEI-CHENG

KARIONO, LAURA

TRUONG, HONG

Nord and Post Alleys: The Transformative Nature of Seattle’s Urban Pathways

Alleyways in most cities, and especially cities like Seattle, constitute a percentage of space that is more often than not under used.  Nord and Post Alleys are examples of this space transformed into usable, shared environments.

On a cold and foggy Saturday afternoon we observed these two alleyways.  The contrast of uses and the signs of use are evident through the photos.

These alleys not only provide themselves to the public for use, but also actively invite the public to do so.  Apart from merely providing space, they demonstrate their dynamic nature by inviting users to spend time in them.  In this way, these alleys provide various opportunities for interaction and allow citizens to be both participants and creators of a public urban life in Seattle’s neighborhoods.  

These alleys engage people by drawing upon the appeal of the iconic Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square. Post Alley has been developed over the years to support tourism.  It has become a strong model of the commercial and economic potential of alleyways. Nord Alley appears to cater to local residents.  It provides a space for artistic display and social connection.  In these alleys there are shops and restaurants at which to browse and performers that draw crowds provoking conversation allowing visitors to participate as patrons of local artisans.  People become creators of urban life in various ways; from making a personal contribution to the Gum Wall, admiring local artwork, or just grabbing a bite to eat. 

People appear to be unfazed by the limited amount of space and actually seem to enjoy it. Accidental bumps can become chance encounters and develop into a greater social interaction.

Julie Coronado, Elena Umanskaya, and Dan Fitting