** How to Put the Community at Ease? **
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How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Aug 13 2008 at 3:49pm by Welcome to the Discussion about ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL. We would like to know what you think about the series. Answer this question or post one of your own.
When developers come into a community, what can be done to put a community at ease?
- Sundance Channel
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RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Aug 14 2008 at 4:59pm by As a student at the University of North Texas....we actually bond with the community and incorporate them into our university through different programs we offer to the community. We have different education classes as well to teach or educate the community on current issues. -
RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Aug 20 2008 at 10:20pm by That's good you mentioned that, because as I watched the premiere I was amazed that NOT ONE of the students thought to visit the site to get a feel for the site/neighbourhood, or it's residents. What kind of architects will they be? And judging from that one resident who kept calling the last house built by the previous students "ugly", the students need to get the residents' input somewhat if their presence and/or designs are to be embraced by the community at large. They appear to be more concerned with having their design chosen than whether the design fits into the community and instills a sense of pride among its residents. RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Aug 21 2008 at 4:44pm by Fit into the community? how do you define what is community? It is not some form that has been (re)defined as a vernacular. It is not a vernacular that at one time was inovative and responded to the physical and social context. Community is based on reinforcing the positive and honest and exposing the deconstructive so it does not continue. Architecture needs to be a practice of "now" and simultaneuosly learn from and develop the past. I agree that the exsting residents need to be exposed to opportunities that architecture can offer. If they are not included then they feel blindsided. Lets be sophisticated in our designs and gather the lessons of the past and enrich the new through sensitivity. america used to be a place of desire and enginuity, and it still can be. keep talking
RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Oct 7 2008 at 7:01pm by Perhaps you don't realize that thousands of hours were taped of these students, and the end product was only a total of 3 hours long. Naturally, you're not going to be able to capture every detail of the design process - which only accounted for 2 episodes anyhow! And those 2 episodes accounted for the entire semester. Had the film crew/producers included even 5 minutes on students mulling around Central City, I'm sure you'd be complaining about how the students failed to meet everybody that lives in the area, as well. From first-hand knowledge, I know that these students spent an appropriately proportional amount of time on analyzing the neighborhood and understanding it - architecturally (or lack thereof - Central City isn't exactly New Orleans' finest beacon of architecture) and by meeting members of the community.
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RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Sep 22 2008 at 2:05am by Well, in my experience, the majority of developers that come into minority neighborhoods to develop homes (the last 50 years) are pimps and liars and woefully unqualified to be doing the work [at all]. They're there because of the money (to be made)-- not because they (as developers) care about the people or businesses in that community. That is not, however, an indictment of this particular project. I don't know enough about the parties connected with this particular project to affirm or pronounce their effectiveness.
But that bias aside, it seems the students (and faculty and developer) here got off on the wrong foot because they (seemingly) didn't go out of their way to work with the community and to explain AND EDUCATE (the community) why what they were proposing (and eventually building) was good for the community's future.
On the other hand, Americans are slow to move away from their traditional (Victorian) tastes. Change (of any kind) frightens a lot of people-- regardless of background and economic status. But as I stated in my post on these boards re: Race, http://www.sundancechannel.com/discussions/Post/390367394, CONTEXT DOES MATTER.
If you're going to propose something that is very different from the existing context, you need to be able to articulate why you think it will be advantageous (for the user and/or community) going forward. Merely saying it looks cooler, or it's different, or it's what they are doing in X town isn't an answer.
But that doesn't mean we, as designers/planners should be foolish devotees to styles AND approaches OF THE PAST. (I really like the designs the students have come up with. As an architect, I think they're terrific.) But you have to make the case to the community why you are suggesting moving past a literal replication of the past. Why modern and not shotgun (as the residents know it)?
So indeed, move FORWARD with better expectations for our communities, better approaches, better technology and methods. Mindless regurgitating of styles of the past is not the solution to successful rebuilding of damaged communities.
As planners and architects (and students) it's OUR responsibility to convey to communities/clients just why what you are proposing will suit and SERVE the users/community GOING FORWARD -- not just looking to the past. You can address the history and context (and comfort) of the past, but you should design for the future well being of that user, home owner, for that community, so that those structures don't become obsolete by the time they first walk through the door.
Explain the benefits to the USERS/Community the WHY and WHAT of what you are doing. By NOT communicating with the COMMUNITY ON A CONSISTENT basis, you are setting yourself up for mistrust w/ the people you claim to be serving. If your motivation is to (first) serve yourself (for some other motivation-- like awards, money and notoriety), it will be apparent to your "clients".
Remind New Orleans residents that, at one time, the art form of JAZZ was looked upon as something weird, non-conforming, out of context (with traditional and classical music). Often, "modern" architecture is viewed the way Jazz was viewed when it first started to be heard. The designers (and developers) have to make the case for what they are proposing. If you lie about it (and your true motivations), people will see right through you (and you would then deserve to fail.)
It also would have been helpful if the people involved in the project weren't mostly white (-- at least as portrayed in the TV series). Latino, Black and Asian architectural students, consultants AND PROFESSORS do exist in the world. Maybe Tulane needs to re-assess if they need to do more outreach for design students (and staff) from different backgrounds and cultures. As well-intentioned as the Students & Faculty/Advisors were, they are naive (or arrogant) if they think that their (albeit unintended) cultural biases don't influence how they approach and interact with the NOLA community.
OBVIOUSLY --whether the Student & Faculty members acknowledge or admit it-- their attitudes rubbed the local community the wrong way. (And they need to ask themselves why that is.) Blaming the NOLA residents for not understanding you and your designs is not the entire truth nor the correct answer. And that is something the Faculty/Advisors and students SHOULD AND COULD have been better prepared to deal with.
- Signed
African American Licensed Architect in Chicago-
RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Sep 22 2008 at 9:38pm by Why not let the people that have to look at the house everyday have a vote on the design to use from those that met the qualifications. A vote from people who be willing to live at the address. At the very least that would encourage the students to really consider the people and the place that they are designing for and to try and please them and not just themselves. If the students could rise to that challenge then it seems the build would be met with much less resistance. RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Oct 7 2008 at 8:28pm by First off, I would like to say how moved and motivated I am by this series. I, myself, am a Tulane University grad. That being said, I feel a strong connection to this city, the community, and giving back. I think this show, this program, the school is doing a wonderful thing. I think the idea is symbiotic, the students benefit while the community does as well. This community not only needs this exposure to show the American people how much still needs to be done, and to show the tenacity of the students, and the integrity of the people of the lower 9th ward.
Per the post previous to mine, I think it is a brilliant idea to bring in those who have lived in this community their entire lives in on the vote of the home being built. From Tess's interview, it is evident how strongly the community feels about Tulane's endeavor; it can only help the initiative. I love this series, the idea, the concept, the students, and the community.
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RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Oct 8 2008 at 12:35am by Hello Green TV,
My middleschool, Hermosa Montesori, here in Tucson, AZ, has been planning to build an eco-friendly Environmental Lab inside a teacher's, Randy A. Young's, property inbetween Benson and Vail, AZ. This Environmental Lab will be used for absolutely anything and everything possible, a summer camp, a day camp, a place for learning purposes, or just for community parties.
We are planning to use composting toilets, to use the fertilizer to fertilize the surrounding plants in our area to thrive, sturdy, natural tents, so it will last for a long time, but still be made out of eco-friendly substances, and a solar powered lab, to prevent more carbon dioxide releasing itself in the atmosphere. We need help raising money to buy the materials, and we also need help in finding the best ecofriendly materials to use for our big project.
Our plan is to use this Environmental Lab to raise money for charities and programs to save Mother Earth and its creatures. We are determined to make this successful, all we need is a little boost to get started, and you can help us by either giving us ideas for our materials or our fundraising, which is very important, or giving us funds, which is extremely important to us and our community. We would love for you to get envolved, so, please, feel free to join us in our journey of success!
A Hermosa Montesori student,
Grace A. Gardner
RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Oct 9 2008 at 7:36am by 1) The community (and I) think this ultra-modern stuff does not meld with the character of the surrounding homes.
2) I'm a Realtor, I know how upset people get when a weird-looking house or townhouse gets built next door or across from their charming arts&crafts-type home.
3) Why are these instructors teaching these students to cram their bizarre creations down the throats of the existing residents?
4) When you choose to build ultra-modern, then it should be in an enclave with others of the same character.
5) Why didn't the immediate nghbrs have a vote?
6) If I were to choose one of the designs (which I would build where it did NOT disrupt the feel of an existing nghbrhd), I would have chosen Kim's design. The lovely use of a porch running down the side of the house, which expands the feel & visual sqftg.
7) As a Realtor, I am often disgusted by houses that are built on corner lots, yet do not take advantage of being on a corner.
8) Are the residents supposed to be grateful at this attempt to destroy the NewOrleans ambiance? even derelict areas want new construction so have some resemblance to existing homes.
9) Why was everyone so dismissive at idea of building a more typical shotgun or bungalow? Are they not creative enough to make it clever?
10) Since when is a flat roof acceptable for lower-income housing when they cost so much more to repair?
11) The community is clearly not at ease with these designs, and yet you continue in that area?
12) I love the show, makes me wish I had gone that route when I was younger.
13) Kim, you got shafted, your design was best.... that "S" shape was not better than yours.
Lindy in Houston
RE: How to Put the Community at Ease? Posted on Oct 22 2008 at 12:10am by I am working on something Totaly different. That is Sailability or Comunity recreation using totaly accessable dinghys from Access Dinghy 2/7 Bungaleen Court Dandenong Victoria Austrailia. I know this is totaly forgien to you architects. That also applies to Native Americans who have been denied there tradition of Community involvement taking care of mother earth and the water to help the tribe. No wonder Tribal Chairman Marshall McKay of the Rumsey Tribe wrote an article in the Sacramento Bee 3 October 2008 that his tribe that runs Cache Creek Casino giving away One Hundred Million a year is cash rich but tradition poor with SIXTY Per Cent of the Tribal Members on Drug&Alchol abuse programs. This also applies to the Soboba Luiseno` tribe in Riverside County.
Here is your challenge! How about designing a dock and clubhouse that is able to stand off the grid fully accesable to our 100000 wounded warriors and their families to enjoy the sport of sailing. Help me to take over the largest lake "DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE" (3.3 BILLION acre feet and have the True Native Americans get their tradition Back including the Cherokees(Osiyo),Tsvonga(met the father Junipero Sierra and their land taken away. Maybe, you can show all of us how to manage 150,000 square iles of recreation area with even wheel chair access.
http://indiansailabilityams.biz/
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