Be sure to use google street view to observe the street qualities of East 8th Avenue, between Hillyard and Pearl Street in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Further instructions are attached below
ASSIGNMENT #3: URBAN DESIGN
Assignment #3 is meant to engage you as an active observer who has begun to build on an understanding of a city planner’s perspective. You should present your findings and solutions as a short memo (3 pages) using the “memo template” attached.
· Explore the urban corridor via “street view” on GoogleMaps or GoogleEarth.
· Observe the following urban corridors in Eugene, Oregon:
·
****E. 8th Avenue from Hilyard to Pearl Streets ****
· When observing, consider the urban design principles identified above, as well as in readings and lectures, and think about how they relate to site and building design. It might again be helpful for you to format a sheet with these principles to help guide your observation.
· Identify one or two principles listed on the next page and the ways in which they are used or neglected in your observation area.
· Then, using observational data, reflect on how the urban design of the area affected your experience and perceptions. What were the area’s positive aspects of design (think strengths and opportunities)? What could improve (think weaknesses and threats)?
PURPOSE
The purpose of this assignment is three-fold. You should be able to:
1. Practice clear, concise and technical memo writing style;
2. Think critically and analyze urban design issues in current day scenarios.
3. Learn to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and problems to provide action-oriented solutions as needed.
BACKGROUND
Design may have significant impacts on the visual and spatial character of a community, as well as on local and regional transportation systems and environmental conditions. Community appearance can improve by adopting detailed plans and processes that establish policies that address the physical design, scale, and form of a community as they relate to visual impacts of development. These features can be consistent with several or all of the following seven urban design principles:
1. Accessibility: Refers to the ability for residents of all levels of mobility to effectively, affordably, and safely reach destinations they value, such as workplaces, hospitals, homes, and shopping centers.
2. Sense of Place: People develop a “sense of place” through experience and knowledge of a particular area. A sense of place emerges through knowledge of the history, geography and geology of an area, its flora and fauna, the legends of a place, and a growing sense of the land and its history after living there for a time.
3. Public Space: A social space that is generally open and accessible to people, or is otherwise created for the purpose of supporting a wide variety of general public uses.
4. Human Scale: The size, texture and articulation of physical elements that match the size and proportions of human sight and speed. In other words, matching the design of a place to the ability of humans to integrate, access, and experience an urban setting.
5. Safety: Does the area demonstrate adequate safety measures? Is the safety of the area affected by neighboring areas or uses?
6. Sustainability: Is the area designed in a way that supports a diversity of uses and populations on a long-term timeframe?
7. Integration with Nature: Have natural systems or features been incorporated into the urban setting (such as trees or other vegetation, natural terrain, bioswales, etc.)?
These seven principles are not mutually exclusive; they may reinforce one another. For example, policies to address accessibility can also help to achieve sustainability goals. In addition, human scale and accessibility may both be considered in the design and size of a parking area. Overall, detailed planning processes that allow close attention to these types of qualities ensure a community’s special character.
Memo
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Overview / Purpose [choose one appropriate heading]
Use this section to explain the purpose of the memo and an overview of the document. For example: This memo summarizes the issues facing the University of Oregon in relation to climate change and the options for campus changes. In the following sections, I review climate issues relevant to the UO campus and the possible steps that can be taken. The final section presents three policy options for the University.
Context / Background [choose one appropriate heading]
Use this section to set the context or give the background for your boss or your audience. You may need to remind them of the task, background or how it relates to decisions they have to make. For example: At its June meeting, the UO Board of Trustees requested that the UO prepare a climate action plan. In response, the President appointed a Climate Action Team, and for the past several months this team has been working on this task…and so forth.
Information / Body / Analysis [choose one appropriate heading]
Present your information here and keep in mind some key rules:
· Keep it simple stupid (KISS): your goal is to summarize the highlights
· Your document should have a clear logic flow with connected points and themes
· Use paragraphs with a clear topic sentence for your main themes
· Use bullets and numbering when you are presenting lists (don’t replace paragraphs with bullets)
· Use references or other information to direct the reader to more detailed information
· Use selected charts or graphs if they do a better job of presenting complex information
Findings / Conclusions / Action Items [choose one appropriate heading]
This will vary a lot depending on the purpose, audience, and the task assigned to the memo writer. Information should be presented in a neutral or balanced manner with proper documentation of information. It is not an opinion or advocacy piece, but rather findings based on supporting evidence.
· No: Can you imagine a world where Oregon rivers are parched and the forests are burning…
· No: I think climate change is really important so the university should…
· Yes: Based on the information I have gathered, the major sources of university emissions are…
· Yes: The climate action team has identified several policy options for the university to consider…
Sources / Works Cited [choose one appropriate heading]
Use a standard reference system in your memo—either the author/date system (Daniels and Daniels 2003, 2-3) or a footnote system.[footnoteRef:
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] Include a reference list –OR–footnotes.[footnoteRef:2] Examples of both are listed below: [1: Daniels and Daniels. 2003. Environmental Planning Handbook. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association Press, pp. 2-3.] [2: Ibid, p.5]
Daniels and Daniels. 2003. Environmental Planning Handbook. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association Press.
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