Tag Archive | "landscape architecture"

archop park: Make A Difference Day


Saturday was a very active day in the Lowell Neighborhood.

Hundreds of volunteers met up at Lowell Elementary School to kick of HandsOn Central California’s Make A Difference Day. This is an annual event that focuses local volunteers on one neighborhood with the hope of making a big difference. Mayor Ashley Swearengin was on hand to release the volunteers into the neighborhood.

archop park AKA San Pablo Family Park was one on several locations that volunteers worked at. From 9am to noon 30+ volunteers planted desert willow trees, and daffodil bulbs. We cleaned up garbage, broken glass and even some dirty needles. Other projects at the park include tree trimming, repainting the graffiti covered chessboard and setting up a bike race track.

Volunteers came from Heald College, Fresno City College, HandsOn, and Twitter. Donations came from Intermountain Nursery, H&E Nursery, and A-1 Feed Store.
Below are photos taken by myself and James Collier

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archop park trees


We got our first donation for archop park!

.
desertwillow1 It is very exciting that the endeavor to revitalize a Central Fresno park that began in March is becoming real. The story of how we got to the first donation is as interesting as the donation itself.

I had made the decision to propose building the park incrementally rather than all at once like Extreme Makeover: Park Edition as originally planned. While this does draw out the process, it also makes it more attainable.

James Collier approached archop about HandsOn Central California doing a Make a Difference Day at the park on October 24th. Now we had man power. So the challenge became, where do we start and what materials will we need?

desertwillow3Trees are a good start. We had developed concepts for plantings at the park with landscape architect Design Lab 252.

Those concepts are to make sustainable plant choices i.e. low maintenance and drought tolerant. We also wanted to change the atmosphere of the park. Currently, all the plant life is at the perimeter. Sounds of the road and freeway inundate the park. We want plant life within the park and to introduce nature sounds.

We propose placing a strip of trees in the break between the freeway ramps. This is one of the few locations that gets full sun. We also consulted with Fresno State professor of Biology and bird specialist Madhusudan Katti for trees that fit our parameters (low water, attractive to birds and wildlife).

valleyoakWe took Madhu’s recommendations to Intermountain Nursery in Prather. They specialize in drought tolerant native plants. After making our pitch to the nursery, we got our first park donation.

Owner, Ray Laclergue, gladly offered us five Desert Willow trees. Which are small with a beautiful flower. And 3 Valley Oak trees. They grow very large and can survive our intense summers.

With flowers and acorns from the trees, the park will be enlivened with bugs, birds and squirrels evoking a park feeling in this urban triangle.

ValleyOakBelow is a view of the proposed changes to the park. A basketball court is in the foreground the trees are in the background. Thee trees we will be planting now are small (3-5 feet) but will grow over the years to fill the space nicely.

And a reminder, fall is the season to plant trees. If there is a hole in your landscaping, consider filling it with a native tree. Take a visit to Intermountain Nursery. Support this archop sponsor helping us improve the built environment in the San Joaquin Valley.

park trees

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archop park: monument sign


We have been working in collaboration with graphic designer Floyd Sanchez of Anti Laboratories. The goal being the development of archop park wayfinding and place making signage.

monument sign4a

Above is the conceptual design of monument signage that we propose locating at the major entries to the park. The form is inspired by the gateway signage to Kearney Boulevard. The gateway was built in 1933 designed by architect Charles Franklin.
Signage and sense of entry are powerfully tools in evoking a sense of place and community. These new gateway signs will provide park users with that.

artarchfin2Additionally, this for this design we draw on our experience working with sheet metal, specifically stainless steel on the art & architecture installation. The design of the fin shown would be stainless steel formed using a plasma cutter. While a striking design move with interesting shadow play, it also has an important purpose. Signage is often a magnet for graffiti and vandalism. By the words being voids, no spray paint can cover up the meaning. Also stainless steel is a rigid material with various options for cleaning.

monument sign4bOther signage throughout the park denoting spaces and uses, will employ a similar graffiti and vandalism resistant strategy. It is our hope that this strategy will have minimal maintenance costs and stand the test of time.

Comments are welcome.

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a young architect


I get lots of lawn care flyers at my door. These flyers for the most part are copies of hand written originals. Others where created in the computer and include clip art of a lawnmower or other yard care icon.

When I got home yesterday, there was a new flyer jutting out of my mail slot. When I unrolled it, I was pleasantly surprised.

yard care

This flyer is obviously drawn by Juan’s son or daughter. It is my favorite and intrigues me because it shows a curiosity about architecture and landscape, it also demonstrates an understanding of how people interact with space and the concept of perspective (the men in the background are drawn smaller than in the foreground). These are concept many architecture students struggle with.

In my experience doing community and participatory design workshops I’ve found that many have the raw talent needed for architecture or design. But often it is not nurtured along.

Any one can be an architect, not to say everyone can be an architect, but an architect can be found anywhere. The hand that drew this is the hand of a future architect.

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archop park: stage design


Below is a first draft of a design for a new stage at archop park. It is a teardrop shaped concrete platform that is elevated 3 steps (18-21 inches). The existing park is in need of both some changes in elevation aswell as a central gathering place. This stage would fill that role.

stage perspective

This stage can be used by groups for music or other performances, anything the kids’ imaginations can conjure, a place to sit along the steps, it can also be used by skateboarders. The way the stage is shaped allows it to be used in two directions. A narrower 25 foot stage faces the grass and to the neighborhood beyond. A wider 40 foot stage faces into a roughly 50 foot by 90 foot open space in the park under the freeway.

stage plan1

Below is a photo I took this Saturday when I was at the park with Fresno City College students, Byron and Noam. We were there to take measurements and do some sound experiments to test the sound seat design. The stage as designed would be constructed over the paved circle at the left side of the photo.

park before 082309

This is a draft design so feel free to make suggestions.

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archop park: sound seat


Last week we focused on the design of archop park. We made some good progress. As the designs become visualized, I’ll post them here. We’ll also be taking them back to the community and the PARCS Department for further input.

sound seat

One of the community requirement was nice places to sit with a good view of the park. For instance, this is a space where a parent or grandparent could relax and watch their kids play.

These seats and under the freeway, so shelter from sun or weather is not necessary. However, one of the site conditions is a large amount of noise constantly coming from the freeway above. That noise isn’t as noticeable if you’re involved in an active sport or play. Though, when sitting quietly or trying to have a conversation, the noise is distracting and irritating. So shelter from sound becomes the challenge.

The design posted here attempts to quite the freeway noise with a strategically placement of a sound panel. The panel absorbs the sound from above and creates a more pleasant sitting experience. The angle is adjustable depending on the prevalent angle of freeway noise.

The materials of this Sound Seat are reclaimed wood and galvanized light gauge steel channel, and Tectum sound board. We plan the benches to be scrap chunk of granite from local quarries.

This design is still conceptual and will be refined depending upon community input, structural calculations, and materials donated.

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1st draft of Tower District streetscape design


For those of you unable to attend, M. W. Steele Group presented the following 1st draft of the Tower District streetscape master plan to the community meeting Tuesday night for feed back. Click on the images to zoom in.

conceptual map introducing the zipper concept

tower streetscape-02-plan

tower streetscape-03-detail

tower streetscape-04-views

I’ve decided just to post the plans here and not issue an opinion. Feel free to discuss here and I’ll try to answer any questions you have. On a side note, there is an essay I wrote about the Tower District and public space in 2005 that was a finalist for the Berkeley Prize. The full version isn’t online but check out the abstract.

For opinions and discussions focused mainly on the proposed traffic circles see:

The Anthro Guys
Gustav’s Groupie
Fresno Beehive

Related posts:
Tower District Streetscape Plan
Q & A with Diego Velasco
Tower District Streetscape charrette video
Critique: Tower District Streetscape Design Charrette

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Critique: Tower District Streetscape Design Charrette


bikes smHank Delcore, Ph.D., and Kiel Famellos-Schmidt
also found at http://theanthroguys.com

Saturday from 10am to 2pm, about a hundred Tower District residents and business owners gathered for a design charrette put on by the City of Fresno planning department and MW Steele Group. Steele has the contract for planning a redesigned Tower District streetscape as part of the Tower District Specific Plan. Saturday’s event was a day of community input, with Steele returning this Tuesday night to present some design alternatives.

Blong smWe laud City Councilman Blong Xiong, the city, various Tower District advocates, and the Steele Group for putting on this event. Mark Steele and his team listened, took some hard questions, and were willing to engage in some good give and take.

As professionals in participatory design and community design methods, we also noted some things about the program that can inhibit the quality of community input and seriously limit the degree of real community participation in the design process. This critique is intended to increase the quality of design charrettes and community input in Fresno as well as raise awareness about the potential of participatory design.

Expert focus of the event
mark 2smThe organizers stated that the day was all about the participants, but in practice, the more consistent emphasis was on the expert status of the architects/planners vis a vis the participants. After an introductory presentation on the distinctiveness of the Tower by two long-time Tower advocates, Mark Steele took the stage and talked mostly about his firm and their approach to the project. He presented his goals for the project, despite acknowledging that the day was about understanding our goals and aspirations. His associate, Diego Velasco, followed with the firm’s views of the strengths and challenges of the Tower District – again, topics that the charrette was supposed to probe. Expert statements are not the best way to begin an event meant to foster community participation in the planning and design process.

table 12smIt wasn’t until 11:15am that the twelve tables of participants were unleashed on the first design drill. By that time, some participants had already turned their attention away from the stage and were fingering the maps, stickers and other supplies on the tables. An hour is too long for facilitators to dominate the stage at a four hour event. The long lead-in both cut down the time for participants by a quarter, and set a strong expert-focused – not participant-focused – tone.

Diversity
The tower district is a very diverse place. It is called home by many including: African American, Asian, Caucasian, Latino, young and old, the progressive community, and the GBLTQ community. Economically, there is a mix of home owners and renters, working class through upper class and even homeless. As well, Tower is a destination for those throughout Fresno and beyond in search of unique cultural, entertainment and dining experiences.

The participants at the charrette were overwhelmingly white and weighted toward local property and business owners; the average age looked to be about 50. Conspicuously absent were youths and Latinos, two large and important resident/user groups in the Tower. Tower visitors from other neighborhoods were also missing. Those who attended are important, but they are already the most likely people to have their voices and preferences heard in this process, and they have a partial view of issues at stake in the streetscape. For example, there were probably relatively fewer public transportation users among the participants than some other Tower constituencies, an important point when it comes to redesigning bus stops and associated features like sidewalks and bike racks.

Jay presents table 11's results for Design Drill B: Mapping the Tower Existing Conditions

Jay presents results of Design Drill B: Mapping the Tower Existing Conditions for table 11

Tight format, short time
For each design drill, the participants had 15 minutes to work through complex issues, like recommending placement of street furniture and other features all across the Tower District business core. Each exercise time was followed by 30 minutes of often repetitive presentations from each table to the entire group. The design charrette had us wrestling with important and potentially highly creative design issues, but the format was too tight.
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Constrained approach to community participation
Finally, with the design alternatives meeting coming up Tuesday, we wonder how much of Saturday’s charrette can really be incorporated into the process. Again, we agree that Mark Steele and his colleagues (and by extension the city) are sincerely trying to listen. But it’s hard to believe that Steele and company didn’t already have some designs in mind or drawn up before the charrette. If not, then they would have to work day and night from Saturday afternoon till Tuesday night to synthesize ideas from a hundred participants and come up with some design alternative to present – and even then, this time frame is probably too tight. Surely they are working with the charrette data right now, but they also probably had some designs already laid on and ready for their return to Fresno Tuesday night. This raises the question: how much community input can really be incorporated when the goals, strengths, challenges and preliminary design work have all already been done before the community is consulted? (In fairness, Mark has said that the design alternatives they will present Tuesday night will not be very detailed; we’re sincerely curious about the firm’s process for analyzing charrette data and incorporating it into their designs.)

What We Would Do
In our experience, facilitating dozens of participatory design charrettes, as well as observation of other charrettes and research of best practices, here’s how a truly participatory design charrette might look:

Participant focus
At one point Saturday, Mark Steele said, “today we’re gonna make you into streetscape designers.” In other words, the experts were ready to teach us how to do something of what they do. But a community design event shouldn’t be about transferring knowledge about design practice from experts to community members. Instead, we start from the principle that everyone is a designer already, without expert help. In other words, we all have design ideas and practices related to our surroundings, including our streetscapes. A community design charrette should be aimed at unlocking the design insights we already have (or could have, in the right context), and making those insights available to professional designers. Professional designers apply their experience and expertise to produce the actual design, inspired by community input.

In practice, a participant focus means that you deemphasize the role of expert or facilitator. No long and potentially intimidating statements of who has what degree or affiliation or expertise; instead, you dive right into the participatory design exercises and maximize the time that the participants have at center stage.

Recruitment means diversity
If you open the event up to “concerned citizens and business owners,” you tend to get a self-selected group of the usual suspects, as we saw on Saturday. Instead, we recommend targeted recruitment among all user groups to ensure a diversity of participants in the design process. This of course takes more work upfront in recruiting and screening. The result is much more useful data that can more accurately influence the design process.

Loosen up the format, take your time
Getting true participation takes time and flexibility. We would have recommended a series of three participatory design charrettes, with smaller yet more diverse participants, and more creative exercises involving, perhaps, larger scale prototyping and methods drawn from theatre and the arts — this is after all the Tower! (Diego said that they considered a skit-making exercise but time constraints precluded it.) Participants could act out common Tower interactions with streetscape props. Examples we bounced around included: the bus stop, the sidewalk café, the tower rat hangout, bar hopping, Rogue, etc. This would give the designers data about our culture and spatial needs. Using audio and visual recording, can capture both the data and the process through which it was produced for later analysis.

Another method we thought would be useful is to have different tables focus on different areas of the project area. With twelve tables of participants at the event all focused on the same design drills never more focused than the entire project area, a lot of redundant results were produced. The area is easily broken into six overlapping parts. Each area is then worked on by two tables. This would get all of the project area equal focus. At Hank’s table and the three tables Kiel facilitated, we noticed input was light at the edges. Also at the 1”=30’ scale aerial photo that was the last of the design drills, it was hard to definitively place streetscape elements and furniture represented by stickers in our tool pallet that included: sidewalk cafes, potted plants, streetlights, handicap ramps, benches, bike racks, etc.

Some of these measures would increase costs at the event level. However, we have Fresno-area expertise to accomplish participatory design and planning work and the savings from keeping the work local would more than pay for the changes we suggest.

True participation
Let’s face it, whenever we create something, we become wedded to it: we want to defend it, sometimes not even consciously. From talking with Mark, and Diego, observing how the community was prompted, and the tight timeline, it seems much of the design is already in place. Community consultation should take place before any designer digs into a project or puts pencil to paper.

While we value and honor the expertise of MW Steele Group and the work done by the City of Fresno and the Tower community, this is our honest assessment of the design charrette process and how it could be improved upon. Please attend the next meeting Tuesday, July 28th 7-9pm at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theatre, where the design alternatives will be presented.

Related posts
Tower District Streetscape Plan
Q & A with Diego Velasco
Tower District Streetscape charrette video
Bored in Fresno? Become an Anthropologist
ArcHop Construction Proceeds

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Tower District Streetscape charrette video


Video courtesy of Business Street Online.

related posts: Tower District Streetscape Plan and Q&A with Diego Velasco

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Q&A with Diego Velasco


This Saturday 10am – 2pm at Roger Rockas Dinner Theatre there is a community design charrette for the Tower District Streetscape Plan. The architecture and planning firm coordinating the design charrette is M. W. Steele Group along with assistance from members of the Tower District Marketing Committee, Tower District Design Review Committee and City of Fresno Planning Department.

Diego Velasco Assoc. AIA, LEED AP
with the M. W. Steele Group will be conducting the process tomorrow. Below he answers our questions regarding the upcoming community design charrette:

KS: What can community members expect at the community meeting? I assume this is a design charrette type setup. What kind of activities will we be doing?

DV: Folks can expect to have a fun time. We have prepared a series of “design drills” to help engage participants and walk them through the steps that we, as designers, often take in the design process. We will start the workshop with a powerpoint presentation that will highlight the fundamentals of streetscape design and key streetscape elements. Our first exercise will be a classic brainstorming session to get the juices flowing and give folks an opportunity to express their ideas, visions, and concerns. The next “drill” will be a mapping of the tower district, where we will ask everyone to identify some of the key existing conditions of the area, and finally, in the last exercise we will roll up our sleeves and get to work, proposing ideas and potential designs for the three streets we have been asked to consider: olive, fern and wishon. To assist stakeholders in this, we have prepared a series of icon stickers that depict streetscape elements (such as benches, trees, waste bins, etc.) and some cutouts of potential streetscape designs (such as bike lanes, sidewalk cafes, pop-outs, etc.). We will also have color markers and trace paper for the more adventurous, and plenty of opportunities for folks to write comments or ideas (if they prefer more anonymity).

KS: What are your goals for the outcome of the meeting? What would make it a success?

DV: We often say that as the urban design consultant we are really only the conductor, and the stakeholders are the orchestra. The quality of the music that results is highly dependent on the energy and efforts of the orchestra. We do not approach a project as an opportunity to impose our ideas, but rather, believe our role is primarily to demonstrate to folks the range of possibilities and common practices, so that they can decide what works best in their neighborhood. Our hope is that people will come out of this feeling energized and enthusiastic about the future potential of the Tower and ready to implement some of the good ideas.

KS: What is the time line after the meeting?

DV: We will take all the information gathered at the first workshop and synthesize it into a set of guiding principles, which we will use to guide our design proposals. We then will return to the community on Tuesday evening for a second workshop, where we will show some design alternatives and get deeper into the specifics of the streetscape elements and design. We hope to get a good direction as to a preferred alternative or a combination of preferred options, and will take that back to our office and develop the design in greater detail. We have tentatively scheduled a third workshop at the end of August, beginning of September, to come back to the public and present a draft streetscape design plan for comment. Beyond that, the schedule is in the hands of the City of Fresno Planning Department.

KS: Being from San Diego, what strategies will you use to ensure the final design is authentic to Fresno?

DV: The most important strategy is always to listen, listen, listen. We have several projects in our portfolio that are outside of San Diego (including the El Dorado Park Plan here in Fresno). We have found that the best way to ensure authenticity and preserve a local flavor is to research as much as possible about the area, engage meaningfully with the community, and be willing to make revisions when we don’t get it right. One idea we have come away with is that we need to engage the local arts community to help incorporate public art in the streetscape design. This may be a good way to highlight the unique “funkiness” of the Tower.

KS: What is the product that you’ll be delivering to the City of Fresno?

DV: We never fully know what the product will be until we have completed the workshops. However, in general we will complete a streetscape plan that will include a summary of the ideas and concerns expressed in the workshops, a design plan for each of the three street segments in our project area, a series of perspective “vignettes” or renderings depicting the key concepts, a palette of streetscape elements appropriate for the area, some discussion about streetscape best practices and references.

KS: What are some projects in your resume that are similar to the Tower District Streetscape Plan?

DV: We have designed some major avenues in the City of National City, we also prepared streetscape designs for the San Diego Naval Training Center Reuse and Precise Plan and for the Yokohl Ranch Town Center Design Guidelines.


Like Diego said , so please attend the workshop Saturday, July 25, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Roger Rockas Dinner Theatre (1226 N. Wishon just North of Olive Ave.) Bring your energy, bring your ideas.

Diego’s bio from http://mwsteele.com:

Diego brings a broad view of architecture to MW Steele Group since joining the firm in 2007. With degrees in city planning and urban planning, he approaches design as an all inclusive process. As an integral part of our urban design and planning practice, he has opportunity to include architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and planning to some degree in each project. This connective way of thinking makes him flexible, and diverse in his skills. Diego’s ability to conceptualize projects, whether detailed and technical or more broad in nature makes him an asset to any project team.

Diego has worked in private practice as well as with municipal planning and development agencies, giving him an understanding of both sides of the planning process. He is technically adept with graphic software programs as well as being an exceptional artist in hand drawing. Diego’s talents have been recognized with several honors and design awards.

Diego Graduated from the University of Washington with a Master’s degree in Urban Design in 2006 and the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1999.

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Tower District Streetscape Plan


Today an announcement was made regarding the future of the Tower District Streetscape and upcoming community design charrette.

The announcement was posted on the Tower Exchange by Will Tackett with the City of Fresno Planning and Development Department. A mailer was also sent to all residences and businesses within the Tower Districts boundaries (Shields to 180, Fruit to Blackstone). The announcement is below:

Community Charrette – Tower District Streetscape Capital Improvement

We’re renovating Olive Avenue and neighboring streets, and we need your input!

The City has allocated funds for the creation of a Streetscape Plan for the commercial area of the Tower District. The plan will include improvements such as
• New Sidewalks
• Bike Racks
• Lighting
• Trees
• Public Art
….and anything else we come up with!

Our plan will be developed by everyone attending the community meetings, and we want to include your opinions and ideas, so please put these dates on your calendar.

Let’s get together and create a great community plan!

Saturday, July 25, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Visioning Workshop to develop design alternatives
Tuesday, July 28, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m: Workshop to select a preferred alternative and develop the design concepts

Both meetings will take place at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theatre (1226 N. Wishon).

For more information,
call 497-8362

M. W. Steele Group is the architecture and planning firm from San Diego that was selected for the project through an RFP process in September of 2008. They will be coordinating the design charrette along with members of the Tower District Marketing Committee and Tower District Design Review Committee.

Phase map of Tower District improvements per City of Fresno RFP, September 2008

Phase map of Tower District improvements per City of Fresno RFP, September 2008


All available Tower residents and regulars should attend this meeting and give your input. This post will be updated with experiences at the meeting.

disclaimer: I am a Tower District resident, property owner and membe of the Tower District Design Review Committee.

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urban agriculture


I’ve been hearing/reading alot about BLDGBLOG lately. So today I poked my head in the check out their site. Today’s post is titled “London Yields, Harvested” It was in reference to an event called “London Yields: Getting Urban Agriculture off the Ground” a kind of workshop covering how to get urban agriculture in London.

03-picture-010So here I am in Fresno, California. Above the soil capable of growing a great diversity of plants. In a climate with one of the longest growing seasons outside the tropics. About the harvest the corn growing in my front yard. And I think if London can get moving on urban agriculture, then Fresno can.

So where do we start?

The first thing BLDGBLOG mentioned was “become public policy”. This is a big one for Fresno because every one of our community gardens seems to be met with resistance from police or code enforcement in the City of Fresno.

There also needs to be the organization and popular support. Fresno Metro Ministries has some recomendations.

00-picture-012What do you think? Could be an urban farmer? Do you have a sunny spot and a few hours a week to tend?

And an important question would yo take a hands on class that I’m going to teach next spring about urban agriculture?


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archop park as-built drawings


community members describing their illustrations

Several times over the last few weeks I’ve been asked “how’s the park going?” This question has helped me realize two things. First, that there is a community buzz about this park, people want to see it come to fruition. And second, that since we announced the community drawing workshop at the park on April 17th, I’ve been silent about the park.

Here is a run down of what has happened from that workshop until now:

The workshop went well. There were several families, community leaders, and a dozen children of varying ages that participated. We made drawings of “our ideal park”. This exercise both engaged community members giving them a voice and helped us get an idea of what would draw different user groups into the park. It also helped me exercise my underused Spanish skills. To coordinate the workshop I was joined by Hank Delcore and Elfego Franco with the Institute of Public Anthropology at CSUF. And a big thanks to Terri Uyeki for bringing supplies and Shaunt Yemenjian for photographing the process.

We have assembled a very talented Pro-bono design team:

designlab 252 landscape architect

Borrelli & Associates electrical engineer

Parrish Hansen Inc structural engineer

Anti Laboratories graphic designer

The design team has met twice and developed a conceptual design. The concept is to create a park with out the standardized or prefabricated park accessories. We will use repurposed materials that is sculptural in form. The park will provide the amenities the community desires and offers a cohesive visual treat to the passerby.

A few weeks back I received the CAD drawings of how the park of San Pablo & Belmont as built. The project had originally been done by civil engineer, Keith Campbell of AECOM

These drawings, called as-builts, saved us allot of time because we don’t have to start the drawings from scratch and verify the existing conditions. We can use these as-builts as or base drawings for the redeveloped design.

screenshot1I was able to bring this CAD drawing into SketchUp in order to study the sun angles and shade patterns that the 180 freeway overpasses create on the ground.

screenshot-model2

As the design develops it will be posted here. Of course budget issues make this more relevant. archop park as planned will be entirely funded by private donation. If you wish to make a financial or material donation of any amount please contact us.

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Fresnan blogs about landscape


Via twitter the I found this post about landscape. I’m interested hearing fresnans talking about architecture, design equity, and the current archop topic landscape.

The Fresnan is a leading indie blogger.

So Fresnans, what are underused unkept landscapes in your routine? How could they be improved?

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archop park: community design workshop


place: future location of archop park

time: april 17th 4:30pm – 6:30pm

who: community members

reason: redesign of existing park

underused park with freeway above

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.

archop park existing

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.

two homeless individuals walk Belmont

two homeless individuals walk Belmont

2 people sit in the sun

2 people sit in the sun

Park & Belmont

Park & Belmont

neighborhood view of park

neighborhood view of park

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AIA San Joaquin