walking tour assignment part i (final)

WalkingTourAssignment

PartI

WalkingTourAssignment

BuiltEnvironment

•  Newlo9andapartmentconstruc=ontobringpeopleintothecityforpurposesotherthanwork

•  StreetVendorsaroundSanteeAlleyintheFashionDistrict•  HowwideBroadwayisandalloftheshopsonthefirstfloor

withrenovatedapartmentsabove

•  ThenumeroustheatersalongBroadway•  Therecyclingofoldbuildingsintoapartmentsandlo9s.

ImageofLACity•  LynchhadnotedthatpeoplewerefamiliarwithDowntownLosAngeles,not

becauseofresidence,butbecauseoftheirwork.Thisisbeginningtochangeasmanyoldbuildingsarebeingconvertedintoapartmentsandlo9saswellasnewbuildingsbeingconstructedsomorepeoplecanlivedowntown.AlsoLynchtalkedabouthowthereisthecentraldowntown,buttherearealsoseveralbasiccoresorci=es.Thisiss=lltrue,butthese"basiccores"arebecomingconnectedastheLosAngelesregiongrowsandinfillbecomesmoreprominent.In50yearstheimageofLosAngeleswillbemorefocusedondensityandinfillandthereflec=onbymanyasLosAngelesbeingspreadoutorspaciouswillnotbeascommon.50yearsagowhenLynchwrotethebook,PershingSquarewasmuchmoreprominentasalandmark,howevertodayasthecenterofdowntownhasmovedwestPershingSquareisnotasrecognizableofadistrictorlandmarkasitoncewas.Thesmogandairqualitywillcon=nuetobenotedin50yearsandwillmostlikelybemorecommonofaresponsewhenpeopleareaskedtodescribeLosAngeles.

Belowgradediningarea

JohnPaulCisneros

ASrac=veopenspaceawayfromstreet

JohnPaulCisneros

Publicmusiconsidewalk

JohnPaulCisneros

5NotableFeatures•  1.Theaccuracyandprecisionofthetheoriesputforthbythefilmwe

watchedtheclassbeforethefinal.Themostpronouncedfunc=onIobservedtakingplacewasthatpeoplewanttobeseenbyotherpeople.Consequently,thepublicspacesnearhigh‐trafficcorridors,e.g.,thestreet,weremuchmorevivaciousthanthoseareasthatweremoresecluded.

•  2.Theideaofpublicartnotnecessarilyhavingtobevisual,asseenbytheamphitheaterwevisited.Ithinkthereisalotofpoten=altheretocreatesomereallycoolvisual‐auditory‐sensorypublicart.

•  3.Thegoatswho“mowed”thegrassoftheparknearCaliforniaPlazaasarelatedformofcarbonsequestering.

•  4.Themildlackofwalkabilityofsomeareas,e.g.,anarrowsidewalkdirectlyabu\ngamajorrodewithoutanybarrieroftreesorsomethingofthelike.

•  5.Theamountofabove‐orbelow‐gradepublicspace.Thebelow‐gradespaceswerepar=cularlysurprisingwithLosAngeles’stemperateclimate.

JohnPaulCisneros

ImageoftheCity:Year2009

•  Withtheexcep=onofAngel’sLi9asaclearlydefined“Lynchianedge”separa=ngtwo“Lynchiandistricts,”thespaceindowntownLosAngelesproperseemedtobeconsolidatedspace.Par=cularlyinmanyofthebusinessparkswevisited,e.g.,CaliforniaPlaza,therewasaunifiedmovementofspace.Therewerefewunmistakablydefinedsepara=onsofownershiporuses,channels,andstrategicentrancepoints.Asaresult,itstrikesmethatgiventhedensity,physicaldiversity,andpatchworkofmanyofAmerica’surbancores,Lynch’sideasofpaths,nodes,andlandmarksnolongerareaspronouncedastheyoncewerecentralbusinessdistricts.However,hisideasofmajordistrictsandedges,Idobelieves=lldoholdweight,par=cularlyforaci=esasawhole.

JohnPaulCisneros

JessicaEshaghzadeh

PPD245ProfessorBanerjeeNovember12,2009

• AswecameacrossDisneyHall,thestructureofthebuildingreallystoodouttomethanthebuildingsIseeinmyeverydaylife.

• ThefountainandbenchesamusedmebecauseinLosAngelesyoudon’tusuallycomeacrossanatmospherelikethat.Itremindedmeofdifferentci=esinEurope.Itseemedlikethemaninthepicturewashavingaveryquietandpeacefullunch.

• AsIcameacrossthissculpture,Iwasstunnedtoseehowmodernandar=s=cthear=sthaddesignedit.Whatreallycapturedmyeyeishowunusualitis.

• Aswewalkedupthesestairs,itremindedmeofRodeoDr.inBeverlyHills.Itgavedowntownasenseofclassandsophis=cated.

• AswewalkedintothechurchthefirstthingIno=cedwerethestainedglasswindowthatlookedverysimilartothetempleIaSended.Eventhoughtthetworeligionsareconflic=ng,theylookedverysimilartooneanotherandgaveitaverydrama=clook.

• WhenLynchwrotehisbookondowntown,LosAngelesimage,itwaspresentedverysimple.LAhaschangedagreatdealfromwhatitwasdecadesago.Ibelieve,thebusinessdistricthasgrowntremendouslyandwillcon=nuetogrowgradually.Notonlyhasthebusinessdistrictgrown,butmanyfamilieshavemoveddowntodowntown,LAtoraiseafamily.DowntownisnotthesafestplacetolivebutsomeareasofdowntownhavegrowntobeaveryaSrac=veandsophis=catedplace.

Downtown,LosAngelesinfi9yyearswillbecomeacityofdreamsandsophis=ca=on.Asofnowdowntown’spopula=onisincreasingrapidlyandinaboutfi9yincreasethepopula=onwillincreaseevenmore.Thedevelopersaredoingafantas=cjobmakingdowntownasappealingasithasbecome.Infi9yyearsmoreandmoreapartmentbuildings,schools,parks,museums,hotels,etc.willbebuiltinmanyareasofdowntown.A9ertakingourtour,Irealizeddowntownhasgrownrapidlyandintoabeau=fulandveryappealingcity.A9eraSendingUSCforayearandahalf,Ihaveneverseentheareaswewalkedaroundandvisitedthatday.IcandefinitelysaythatI’veconsideredmovingtodowntownnextsemesterformylastsemesteratUSC.

•  5thingsthatstoodoutonthewalkingtour•  Buildingsandshopsclosetogether•  Varyingtypesofarchitecture•  Manysidewalkshadareasthatwereprivatelyowned

•  Thereweretreesandothertypesofvegeta=onalthoughscarce

•  Trafficisbusyduringtheday

•  IbelievethattheimageofLAcityhaschangedbyhavingmoreinthecitysincethe1950’s.Therearemorethingstodoandmorepointsofinterest.Theolderareaofdowntowniss=llintactbutisnotthefocalpointofthearea.LALiveandtheStaplesCenterismoreofafocalpoint.In50yearsIbelieveLAwillbemoreprogressive,alotsmarterandmorelivable.LAisprogressingandIbelieveitwillbeamuchsmartercityin50years.

LAWalkingTour

AmyConway

5ThingsthatStoodOut•  Nearalmosteverybuildingorclusterofbuildingstherewasahugepieceofpublicartthatcreated

aninteres=ngvisualandaSractedpeopleintothecourtyardsinbetweentheseskyscrapers.Theywereusuallybrightlycoloredordesignedoutofaninteres=ngmaterial,whichcaughttheeyeofpassers‐byatleastinourwalkingtourgroup.ItwasagreatideaforLosAngelestorequireeverydevelopmenttoallocateonepercentofitscosttothecrea=onofpublicart,sinceitaddsalotvisuallytothebuiltenvironment.

•  Ino=cedthattherewasn’tthatmuchgreenspaceonthesidewalks,butthenasyoucon=nuedwalking,therewouldbegreenspaceinthebuiltcourtyardsandtherewasevenahugeparkthatwasnexttoAngelFlight,whichIhadneverseenbefore.TheparkhadchildrenrunningallarounditanditwasaliSlehaventhatshowshowuniqueLosAngelesis,sincewecanhaveacommercialdevelopmentsiterightnextdoortoalusciousparkwithhugetreesandgorgeousgreengrass.

•  Ineverno=cedbeforehowmuchofLosAngelesislayeredandhowthereseemtobetwolevelstoalmosteverystreet.ItwasevidentbytheBiltmoreHotelwheretherewereraisedsidewalkstogetthepedestriansoffofthestreets.However,IhaveneverwalkedonthoseplaiormsbutIhavewalkedonthestreetswiththecars.Also,nearbytherewasasmallundergroundshoppingmallthatwasfilledwithrestaurantsanditdidnotseemthatmanypeopleventureddownundergroundtohavelunch.Theentrancetotheshoppingmallisnoteasilyrecognizedandmostpeoplejustseemtowalkrightpastit,whichIhavedoneforyears.Italsowasn’taveryinvi=ngspaceandseemsaliSleoddtobeventuringundergroundtogetfood.

5ThingsthatStoodOut•  OneofmyfavoriteplacesthatwesawonthetourwasthepartoftheCaliforniaPlazathat

stretchedbetweentheOmniHotelandtheBankoftheWestBuilding,whichhasagorgeousfountainandcourtyard.Thefountainwrapsdownintoaspiralwalkwayandcreatesagorgeousea=ngvenue.Thecourtyardnotonlyhadagorgeousaesthe=c,butalsomadeagreatpublicspacethatwascompletelypackedwithpeoplesi\ngandtalkingeventhoughitwaspastlunch=me.ItseemedthatalmosteverycourtyardorpublicareawithchairswasmostlyvacantwaswewalkedthroughthembesidestheCaliforniaPlaza,whichhadaniceloca=onthatwaseasytogettoandcreatedaniceenvironmenttositandchatoreatin.

•  TheBunkerHillStepswerebuiltbyLawrenceHalprinandweredesignedtolookliketheSpanishStepsinRome.However,thesestepsinLosAngelesareonlyusedtogoupanddownonandinRomethesestepswouldusuallyhavetonsofpeoplesi\ngonthempeoplewatching,ea=ngortalkingwithfriends.TheSpanishStepsinRomeareusedasagatheringplaceinsteadofaconnec=vepathfromoneplacetoanotherlikeintheBunkerHillStepsinLosAngeles.

ImageofLosAngelesToday•  The‘ImageofLACity’haschangedalotbecauseofthenewdevelopmentsinthedowntownarea,

butmostofthehistoricallandmarkshavestayedthesameandarejustbeingrefurbished.Therefore,Ifeelthatmostofthelandmarkshavenotchanged,butthatnewdis=nctlandmarkshavebeenadded,whichhelppeopletobeSergetaroundLosAngeles.However,IdobelievethatLosAngelesiscon=nuingtochangeandisintheprocessofredesigningitsbuiltenvironmentandmakingthedistrictsflowmoreintoeachotherandmoreaccessibletopedestrians,insteadofbeingdominatedbycars.IfeltlikewhenLynchwentonwalkingtourswithpeople,thepeoplehestudiedfeltdisorientedbecausetheyhadnotreallywalkedonthesidewalksandthatthecarsmostlydominatedthestreetsliketoday.However,Ifeelthatthereisachangehappeningwheresustainabilityisbecomingpopularandthatcommuni=esarebeingredevelopedtobepedestrianorientated,sothereisanincreaseinpedestriantraffic.However,thereneedstobemoreaccessibleplacesforthepedestriansandmakeconnec=vepathsforthemtoenterandexittheselandmarksanddistricts.Ifeelthatthedistrictsusedtohavedis=nctridgededges,buttodaytheseedgesarebeginningtofadeandbecomegreyarea,sinceLosAngelescannolongerbuildoutwardandthereforeisredevelopingthecurrentbuildenvironmentwithinfilldevelopment.Therefore,theedgesarebecomingblurredandthepathsarebeingredevelopedtoaccountforpedestriansaswellasmorelandmarksarebeingbuilttoaSractmorepeopleandmakethebuiltenvironmentmoreaSrac=vetopeople.Thedistrictswillalwaysbeprominentanddis=nct;however,theymaybegintoblendintoeachotherontheedges,butthiswilljusthelptoconnectallofthedifferentareastoeachothertomakeLosAngelesmoreofawholeinsteadofindividualcenters.

By Peter Koehler

By Peter Koehler

By Peter Koehler!

By Peter Koehler

Features that Stood Out to Me

•  The contrast between the old buildings and classic ambiance versus the new environment of the more modern downtown. !

•  The number of open lots that were dedicated to surface level parking, it seemed unusually high for a downtown. !

•  Santee Alley -- a makeshift built environment that reflected the vendors and the items being sold.!

•  The high number of vendors at street level, on the ground floor of high office buildings.!

•  The scale of the neighborhood. Wide streets, tall buildings, long avenues … downtown has an unmistakable grandiosity. !

By Peter Koehler!

The Image of Los Angeles. Past, Present, Future

Since Kevin Lynch wrote about the Image of Los Angeles in 1960, a few things have changed, although not all that much in the scheme of things. Lynch describes downtown as being a business center that people knew not through residence but by traveling to for work or shopping. Although that is still largely true today, it has been revitalized as a viable place to live with the expansion of high end condominium and apartment buildings in the neighborhood. Lynch also noted that Pershing square was the most strongest element of all, and that does not seem to be the case today. I figure it would likely be L.A. Live area or perhaps the Disney Hall area. !

“When asked to describe or symbolize the city as a whole, the subjects used certain words: ‘spread out.’ ‘spacious,’ ‘formless,’ ‘without centers.’” Descriptions of the subjects commutes became less vivid as they approached downtown -- it think that may be different today, as downtown has added a lot of interesting looking buildings and landmarks.

By Peter Koehler!

WalkingTourAssignment

Pictures

5ThingsThatStoodOutToMe1.  Picture1:Thetwowomenea=nglunchonstepsoutsidestoodout

tomebecauseitisnotseeno9eninLAanditisveryEuropean.Iliketheideaofea=nglunchthisway.

2.  Picture2:DisneyHallstoodouttomebecauseofthestructureofthebuildingandhowitwasbuild.Veryunusualandmodern.

3.  Picture3:Thecablecarthatisnolongeropera=ng:Ijustcouldnotbelievethattwopeoplediedfromthecablecarcrash.

4.  Picture4:LATimesBuilding:Itlookedlikeveryoldarchitecture.5.  Picture5:Art:Therewasarteverywherewewent.Fromaman

playingthesaxophone,towhatisshowninpicture5.

ImageoftheCity•  Inthebook,LunchstudieddowntownLA,andeversincehewrote

thebookabout50yearsago,itismorethanevidentthatdowntownhasundergonealotofchange,andIamsurethatthischangewillcon=nuehappeninginthenextfewdecades.ThenewdevelopmentsofDowntownhavemadeDowntownamoreaSrac=veplacetobe,withtheJewelery,Fashion,andBusinessdistricts.Thedistrictsareclearlyseparatedbyatmosphereandevenbysignsposted.Thedistrictsareverydis=nc=vefromoneanother,notonlyfromhowcleanordirtytheareais,butfromthepeoplethatarespendingtheir=meinthoseareas.IN50YEARS:Ithinkthatthemorereconstruc=onanddevelopmentthereis,themorepeoplewillwanttovisitandevenliveinDowntownLA.IthinkithasandslowlywillevenmorebegintoresembleNewYorkCity‐anareawhereacarisnotalwaysneeded,wherewalkingtoandfromades=na=onispossible.