Airstream trailers have their origins in the 1930s. Their product reached a peak of popularity in the late 1960s. They a characterized by aerodynamic form and sheet metal skin. In the past decade there has been a resurgence in their popularity because of their vintage appeal and simple mid-century modern design.

Enthusiast have even gone beyond refurbishing these vintage trailers to complete interior redesigns. One such remodeled airstreams will be on display in Fresno for the January Art Hop. A Fresno client hired ABLE + BAKER DESIGN to design and build their Airstream dream.

1968 Airstream Ambassador
Remodel Exhibit
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Art Hop
First Thursday
January 7th 2010, 5-8
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1724 Broadway Ave.
across from the Rainbow Ballroom
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It is worth venturing out on a chilly January evening for this unique retro experience. The Airsteam will be outside in the parkinglot between 1724 Broadway and Tokyo Gardens. For a full rundown of Art Hop events see FresnoArts

Below are some plans and photos followed by some words from the design/builder.

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Josh Ganshorn Bio:

Josh has spent his whole life drawing, painting and making things. In the early 1990’s Josh was an unemployed, unknown artist in need of work. A good friend’s father generously offered him a job at his construction company, Yosemite Lumber Construction. Carpentry came naturally to him, and he worked on and off throughout the decade, mostly as a way to support his artistic habits. Eventually he moved on, and relocated from Fresno to the Bay Area. He continued doing construction and honing his woodworking skills, and eventually started his own company. In Berkeley, he joined a small, but well established woodworking co-op. In addition to the founder, who began the shop in 1973, his partners there included award winning furniture makers and design instructors, who were very generous with their knowledge and skills. His personal company, Able + Baker Design, continues to evolve. More recently he has been allowed to take on jobs that require a more artistic aesthetic, combining the many years he spent as an artist with the skills he developed as a craftsman and business owner.

The Airstream Project:

In early 2009 a friend asked if he was interested in converting a 1968 Airstream travel trailer into a more usable space. After coming up with a budget and a plan, he agreed to do the work. At the end of the summer, Josh headed out to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he picked up the Airstream, and made his way back to the shop in Berkeley. The plan was to open up the interior of the cluttered Airstream as much as possible, while retaining a little space to socialize and get a little work done. It was his goal to try to retain some of the original 60’s RV aesthetic, while adding his own sense of style and design. It also happened that the weekend he returned to Berkeley they were celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Moon landing in nearby Alameda. There, on permanent display, he discovered another 1968 Airstream that was used as a quarantine facility for the Astronauts returning from the Moon. Josh began to think about people’s idea of the future, but from a 60’s perspective, when some believed we’d be driving flying cars by now, and Disney’s Tomorrowland set the stage.

Josh typically begins a design with his most fantastic and extreme ideas, and then continues to scale it back to something more practical and understated (and budget friendly). Certain restrictions influenced some decisions, such as the client’s request to have as much open space as possible, while still wanting a desk, a fridge, a bath, and a place to take a nap. Other ideas were strictly superfluous, but these are the things people seem to remember, rather than my use of space, color, proportion or the actual craftsmanship or engineering. That’s why, despite easily quantifiable or practical applications, people still like art.

Below is the talk I gave at the Boomerang Reception held on 12/20/2009 at the CSUF Smitcamp Alumni House. I was the first speaker of the evening. The other speakers were Mayor Ashley Swearengin, CSUF President Dr. John Welty, FUSD Superintendent Michael Hansen, and FPU President Merrill Ewert. It was an honor to be included with such a prestigious list and take part in trying to attract talented professionals to boomerang back to Fresno. There was over 100 potential boomerangs in attendance.

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Welcome back to Fresno. My name is Kiel Famellos-Schmidt. I am here this evening representing Creative Fresno as the vice chair to the board of directors. And you were greeted at the door by our membership director, Andy Hansen-Smith.

Creative professionals are in the business of new ideas. This includes artists, architects, designers, scientists, among others. Another term used is “knowledge workers,” who make their living developing or using knowledge. Creative Fresno’s mission is to engage creative professionals to create a stronger community.

To that end we have numerous projects that encourage the lifestyle our constituency desires. Our mural project that has paid artists to create over a dozen murals downtown. We brought the global phenomena, Pecha Kucha Night, to Fresno to showcase the work of local designers. We organize monthly Blenders to connect creatives. We host an online listserv, MindHub.org, for creative discussions. In October, we held our second annual music festival of 40 local bands. We also partner with other organizations to create events like this Boomerang Reception that we are at today.

All of this is united by a membership of creatives that all have interesting stories. I’ll share a piece of my story about how I boomeranged back to Fresno after being educated at UC Berkeley and working in San Francisco, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Sri Lanka.

Three years ago, this week, I moved back to Fresno after two months of volunteer service in Sri Lanka. It was not long after the devastating tsunami that hit the island nation as well as an ongoing civil war. I spent my time amongst the tea lined hills of a town called Nawalapitya, to design an orphanage and community center to help fill the needs of a devastated people.

It was during my work in this beautiful but embattled landscape that I came to a realization. All of these challenges that I was trying to fight around the world, poverty, homelessness, unsustainable growth, access to resources, and access to quality and healthy housing. They all existed in my hometown. Not only did they exist in quantity, but I was intimately familiar with them from my childhood and young adult life.

I did not move back for the satisfaction of being a big fish in a small pond. It was not my family asking me to move back, they wished me to explore the best opportunity wherever it happened to be. I chose to move back to Fresno because I believe I’m uniquely suited to make an impact here, more than anywhere else in the world.

In these three short years, the impacts of my efforts can already be seen:
I joined Creative Fresno and organized the Pecha Kucha Night. The event’s 1 year anniversary this January 11th is entitled Benchmarks and Milestones. We built awareness of local design talent and introduced many creatives, who now regularly collaborate.

I founded and curate archop, a quarterly architectural exhibit and lecture series, accompanied by a built environment news and opinion website, archop.org. The exhibit in its third year, the website one year old. We’ve reached over 12,000 fresnans, who now know more about architecture and quality design.

26 other citizens and I co-authored the City and County of Fresno 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. The plans first year goal of moving 100 chronic homeless individuals into housing has been met under the Swearingin administration

And most recently in November, with my partner Shaunt Yemenjian, starting up an architecture and urban design firm called Spacio Design with offices in downtown Fresno and Los Angeles. We have projects of various scales from Los Angeles to Hawaii. And we are taking advantage of new technologies and our city’s low overhead to be competitive with a global reach.

If you have the skills and passion to make Fresno a better place, I want to personally invite you back.

I now have the pleasure of introducing this city’s passionate and diligent mayor. Recently she was one of five mayors invited to Washington DC to attend President Obama’s job summit. Ensuring that our city has access to all the resources it needs

During her campaign for mayor, Ashley had given a response to a question that rang true for me. The question from a well respected architect, Paul Halajian, was “How can we get the talent here that we need?” Her answer was that the best and the brightest will be attracted because this is a rare place where young, intelligent people can lead and shape the future of this entire region. That is why I am here.

Please join me in welcoming Fresno Mayor, Ashley Swearengin.

10am-2pm Saturday 12/19/09 – Sunday 12/20/09 Fulton & Divisadero

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As some downtown buildings just begin construction and others get a new lease on life, the Iron Bird Lofts opens its doors.
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I ran into developer, Reza Assemi, Wednesday morning on my way back from the Bank of Italy press conference. He was busy giving direction to the concrete sub-contractor at Broadway Lofts. However, he did take the time to talk to me about Broadway Lofts (more about that later) and the open house of Iron Bird Lofts.
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Some of the units have passed final inspection and others are scheduled to have tenants move in on the 1st of January. The landscaping is also shaping up. Reza said he want’s to welcome prospective renter in to experience and possible move in to their newest creation.

Saturday and Sunday 10pm-2pm the gates will be open and leasing agents will be on hand to get you living downtown. While we chatted, Reza fielded a phone call in which he requested there be lots of signs, banners, and balloons.
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Iron Bird Lofts consists of 16 three-story row houses, 48 lofts and 16 two-bedroom flats, ranging from 900 sq. ft. to 1,600 sq. ft. The architect for the project is Warren Thompson FAIA and the landscape designer is Jennifer Feaster.

It was another warm Saturday morning in Fresno. Tower District residents walked, biked, and drove to a 3rd in a string of community meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to craft a Streetscape Master Plan that will guide City of Fresno infrastructure investment in the district.

Meeting #1

Saturday, July 25, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Visioning Workshop to develop design alternatives

Video & Critique

Meeting #2

Tuesday, July 28, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m: Workshop to develop the design concepts

Designs, critique, discussions (1, 2)

Meeting #3

Saturday, September 27, 11:00am-1:00pm: Workshop on specific elements and details

When I arrived to The Landmark at 11am, I locked my bike the the patio railing because there was no bike rack nearby. As I walked in the meeting was calling to order. Many of the faces were familiar from previous meetings and daily life in the neighborhood.

I settled into a table near the back, joined by friends Travis, Ed and Adam. We were ready to get to work and start a collaborative design process. All we needed was a brief update about the latest design, outline of the meetings goals, and some instructions of the task at hand. 15-20 minutes would have been a reasonable time for that.

However, was not the case. From 11 until several minutes after 12 the group was talked to. Those that held the mic included: Director of Tower District Marketing Committee, Bill Kuebler; Council member Blong Xiong; consulting architect and planner, Mark Steele; City of Fresno traffic engineer, Brian Jones; and consulting architect and planner, Diego Velasco. Everyone at our table was frustrated by the slow start and several escaped to the Landmark bar for a drink to kill the time.

The most informative of the 5 speakers was Brian Jones, traffic engineer with the City of Fresno. He spoke about the narrowing Wishon to 2 lanes and using narrowed lanes and sidewalk bulb outs to make divers feel less safe driving fast. In other words using design and drivers’ natural reactions in order to create more bicycle and pedestrian friendly traffic patterns. Very cool stuff, but some residents had a hard time believing that bikes and cars could use the same lane.

The important items to know about the updated design is that the much discussed traffic circles have been removed and the pilot project to implement the design has been selected as the strip of Olive between Wishon and Maroa.

design workshop

Our task for the meeting was to select preferences in street furniture. We were given a matrix of furniture to select. This included: paving, bike racks, seating, planters, trash cans, lighting, kiosks, etc.

Our table often circled one option that best fit our preference but wrote out notes that they should be commissioned from local artists and designers. Other than some of the photos of the existing, nothing seemed to call out as authentic to the Tower.

In the few minutes we had left we noted on the plan where we believed this street furniture should be placed. If more than 35-40 minutes had been devoted to the design workshop, we would have been able to make more thorough design decisions.

I had also expected that we as a group would have some part in selecting what the first pilot project would be. It seems that decision was made between the Tower District Market and the city. Work on the pilot project is expected to begin as early as January of 2010.

While I have been frustrated with the process, I see that there has been a lot of hard work going into the Tower District Streetscape Master Pland. And it is comforting to see that the design is improving and that the pilot project will actually get built.

other outcomes

One encouraging outcome from these meeting is that a group of residents has organized to repair the lights strung over olive. They are taking $10 donations for lightbulbs and selling $25 t-shirts with a cool design.

So if you’d like to see Tower shine a little brighter, then pitch in at least $10. I’m sure Flo will comment here and let you know how to donate and where to buy t-shirts.

A third community meeting will be held this Saturday for the Tower District Streetscape Master Plan project.

Visioning Workshop to develop design alternatives
Saturday, September 26th
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
The Landmark Restaurant

The first meeting involved a series of group visioning and design exercises led by Mark Steele and Diego Velasco. CSUF professor and practicing design anthropologist Hank Delcore PhD and I, co-wrote a critique of the methods used by M.W. Steele Group.

A few days later was the second meeting M.W. Steele Group presented the conceptual design of the new streetscape. There where strong design moves such as reinforcing an existing pedestrian corridor from Fern between the Post Office and Dollar Tree to the Restaurants on the North end of Fulton. However, what got the most attention and passionate debate were two proposed traffic circles at Wishon & Olive and Van Ness & Olive.

It was Fresno’s Blogosphere that this discussion took place. Find those discussions here:
The Anthro Guys, Gustav’s Groupie, Fresno Beehive, Business Street Online, The Fresnan

From the amount of contentious attention among the community and emails between a Tower committee led by Bill Kuebler, I predict the traffic circles will not be in this second draft of the plan. However, I have not seen any updated designs yet.

Below is the announcement of the 3rd meeting that was emailed out to everyone that had attended one or both of the other meetings.

Now, come see the results of everyone’s efforts and join us in discussions relative to the draft conceptual plan as we focus our attention on the specific elements and details contributing to the creation of an overall final streetscape plan and… implementation!

Saturday, September 26th
11:00 am – 1:00 pm:
Visioning Workshop to develop design alternatives

NEW MEETING LOCATION!
Meeting will take place at The Landmark Restaurant (644 E. Olive Avenue) Located on the southwest corner of the intersection of East Olive Avenue and North Broadway).

For more information,
call 497-8362

The City of Fresno contact for this endeavor is:
Will Tackett, Planner III
Planning and Development Dept.
(559) 621-8063

I encourage all Tower residents and regular visitors to attend this meeting. Your input is valuable. I’m not sure what the format will be this time. However, make sure you focus on the details. What happens at each corner? How is the street furniture placed? How will the proposed changes alter the way you experience the street (i.e. walking, driving, biking, sitting, dining, entertainment)? Look at the boundaries of the project area, how does it connect with the rest of the Tower District? How can the design be improved?

Also the city will be moving forward with a pilot project from this streetscape master plan. Surveying of Olive’s topography has already begun. Be sure to voice what you feel is the best place to start, whether it is the most prototypical and/or will make the greatest impact.

And please report back here for discussion.

20 years ago the American Institute of Architects San Joaquin Chapter began hosting a family friendly sandcastle competition. At the time the AIASJ president was William Hobbs AIA. The 1st chairman of the “Sand Committee” was Skip Carlstrom, AIA, CSI. Skip recounts that the AIASJ which represents architects and firms withing Fresno, Kings and Tulare Counties “wanted to hold a function that portrayed the talent and expertise of each of these firms and to do so in a fun manner that the public would also enjoy.”

The event for it’s first seven years (1989-1996) was held on a beach at Millerton Lake. Sand more suitable for building sand castles was trucked in and dumped in piles on the beach for architects and their teams to sculpt. Teams were ofter multidisciplinary, including: landscape architects, interior designers, engineers, contractors, and building material suppliers.

The event drew 2,000-3,000 spectators according to Skip. Families came and spent a day on the beach watching the teams toil away. One year, the competition began supplying a kids pile for children to play in. It was first sponsored by the Fresno chapter of NAWIC. The kids pile became a kid tested, mother approved tradition of the competition, provided to this date.

After a year in which several dump trucks got stuck on the beach unloading th 12+ tons of sand, the event began searching for a new, more accessible home. It spent one year at a golf course, then settled in for several years in a parkinglot at River Park. Every year, as many as 12 teams compete, sand is sculpted and awards are given by guest judges and public voting.

For its 20th year, the competition goes into the heart of Fresno for the first time. It will be held at Roeding Park between Storyland and the Chaffee Zoo. Come celebrate and have fun with us. There will be music, raffles, a giant sandbox to play in and nearby family fun at Storyland, Playland and the Zoo. This event is free but normal park admission applies.

AIASJ 20th Annual Sandcastle Competition
Saturaday, September 12th 8am-12pm
Roeding Park between Storyland and the Zoo

Fresno to Welcome The Fultonia Live/Work Village

Fresno, CA – Nestled in an area between downtown Fresno and the Tower District will be The Fultonia Live/Work Village, a mixed-use development that offers 39 units of quality, moderately-priced housing and 10 commercial spaces.

Project design and information

Those who don’t wish to pay substantial sums of money for premium housing may find a home at The Fultonia Live/Work Village. The redevelopment, in an area that is being proposed as the SOTOW District, or South of Tower, also gives professionals and entrepreneurs the chance to invest in live/work units to reduce travel to and from work.

Developer TFS Investments, LLC, is about to begin construction on the project, at the site of what originally was a 39-unit low-income apartment complex along with 10 retail/office spaces located along Fulton Street that has fallen into disrepair. The goal is to take that same property and redevelop it entirely, and breathe new life into it as well as encourage the rest of the blighted neighborhood to make improvements as well.

“For the Fultonia project, providing quality, affordable housing is our number one focus,” said Terance Frazier, owner of TFS Investments. “At TFS Investments, we are doing the right thing and developing a bustling community where there wasn’t one before.”

Project manager is Tyco General, Inc., which has experience in managing numerous types of commercial construction projects.

The finished results will be a bright, colorful complex of buildings, complete with palm trees, banners and apartment balconies. The storefronts will house such businesses as retail shops, offices and small restaurants, and a large central courtyard plaza will be a place to gather and enjoy sunny days.

“Terance and TFS Investments has a bold vision for affordable housing that will not only help families who need assistance, but will provide investment and energy in

communities that need it most,” said Preston Prince, executive director of the Housing Authorities of the City and County of Fresno.

TFS Investments owner Terance Frazier, Fresno City Council President Cynthia Sterling, and Executive Director of the Housing Authorities of the City and County of Fresno Preston Prince, will take part in a press conference this Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the site, located at 532-614 Fulton St. in Fresno, 93721, to kick off construction on the project.

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TFS Investments, LLC is one of central California’s leading real estate investment firms. TFS Investments is also known as an experienced commercial and residential real estate developer. Some of the company’s current projects include a twenty acre development in Pflugerville, Texas, the development of 120 acres in southeast Fresno and a nine acre development in central Fresno.

Tyco General, Inc. is a full service Design/Build general contracting firm and has been serving California since 1998. It has been involved in many types of commercial construction projects.

place: future location of archop park

time: april 17th 4:30pm – 6:30pm

who: community members

reason: redesign of existing park

At the corner of San Pablo & Belmont is a clean but stark triangle of concrete and gravel quietly winding under the rush of the 180.

This is a park. However, it’s not a park in the sense of the feelings that word can evoke. There are not children playing, no one socializing, no one getting some sun or sleeping under a tree. There is no one engaged in a playful sport. There is no where to sit but the ground.

This is a left over space. It is the remainder of the 180 slicing through neighborhoods, the Fulton Lowell to the South and Tower District o the North. At the junction of these neighborhoods and amount of traffic, this site has great potential.

Working in partnership with the Hank Delcore PhD and the Institute of Public Anthropology of CSUF we seek to gather community input. Nothing has been designed yet, so this is an opportunity for you to help craft this park to suit your needs.

So come down to the park, do some drawing, talk about the landscape of your dreams and have fun. We will provide refreshments and plenty of paper and markers.

This is also National Architecture Week. Today topic being inclusiveness, it is no accident in the scheduling of this date for the design workshop. We would like to get the community included in the designing of Fresno revitalized. Join us in reinventing and activating this urban park.

A special thanks to the City of Fresno PARCS Department and City Manager’s Office.