Reading 6_Opportunity Urbanism_Due Feb 28

This reading is more specific to Houston because it is a report conducted for the city. But, considering the work you are doing in your Community Blog, this will be helpful to you to think about the framework, information they gather and observations they make. It is quite long, but many graphics, so it won’t take more than an hour or so to read. Read the entire paper/report. After you have done this, please read in reread the chapter title pages on pages 7, 16, 19, 27, 49, 63, and 77. Then, consider cities you have read about in the report, traveled to in your travels, lived in, and know about through other reading sources. What do you think about the idea presented towards Opportunity Cities - these American Cities of the future? Do you find validity in the arguments towards this definition? How does this impact the way you think about cities in America and their future in a competitive global market? -Prof. Torres-MacDonald

Reading 5_ProgrammingTheUrbanSurface_Due Feb 21

Alex Wall, in "Programming Urban Space" provides excellent subject for reconsideration of context, the city and urban space. There are two particular areas that will be the focus on this topic. On the 2nd page of the pdf reading (located in your Blackboard course under the Readings icon on the home page (or course content page)), you will find the following noted by Wall of Victor Gruen back at a 1955 conference:"Architecture today cannot concern itself only with that one set of structures that happen to stand upright and be hollow "buildings" in the conventional sense. It must concern itself with all man-made elements that form our environments: with roads and highways, with signs and posters, with outdoor spaces as created by structures, and with cityscape and landscape." Re-examine the reading and look up some of the work listed on pages 4-6 to get a better understanding of Wall's observations. Then reread the "Surface Strategies" noted by Wall on pages 7 and 8 of the pdf reading. From this, express your viewpoint about: these 'surface strategies' and what you believe at this point in your education is the most relevant consideration of design in the urban landscape - what do you think architects and community and urban designers should be considering? I believe we are at a juncture in this discussion. It is one that has more actively taken place in the last 15 years and calls on us to question what the future 'shape' of the city. -Prof. Torres-MacDonald

Reading 4_ FromObjectToField_Due Feb 14

Complete the reading and submit to the course blog and assignment link in response to the following: This reading is more difficult and takes more time to complete. Read carefully, Allen’s definition of the ‘field’ and make sure you understand how he dissects this through exploring works. Note the discussion of the Mosque in Cordoba, Spain. Note his dissection of Renzo Piano’s articulation of the joint as ‘design energy’ that “proceeds outward to condition the form of the whole”; and Kenneth Frampton’s observation towards the ‘ontological construct’ as he notes the move “towards a refusal of representation” that he shares with Frampton. And, what I consider perhaps as most relevant – he points out the following: “By remaining attentive to detailed conditions that determine the connection of one part to another, by understanding construction as a ‘sequence of events’, it becomes possible to imagine an architecture that fluidly and sensitively to local difference while maintaining overall stability. Later he goes on to explore the work of Craig Reynolds, artificial life theorist, in creating a program to simulate the flocking pattern of birds. In Waldrop’s observation of this, as well, he notes, “What is striking about these rules is that none of them said “Form a flock”…the rules were entirely local, referring only to what an individual boid could do and see in its own vicinity. If a flock was going to form at all, it would have to do (so) from the bottom up, as an emergent phenomenon. And yet, flocks did form, every time.” In this case, the flock is defined as a field phenomenon that comes from precise and simple local conditions. It is this local condition that I want you to strongly consider. Allen later notes that “above all, it is necessary to recognize the complex interplay of indeterminacy and order at work in the city " – What do you think about the Stan Allen's working concepts of field conditions as it applies to cities? (which in part also stems from Jeff Kipnis and Stanford Kwinter) Do you agree or disagree with these observations and why? Can you support your viewpoint with an example? How do you see the change in the city to be most relevant to you as a designer? -Prof. Torres-MacDonald

Reading 3_DefiningPlace_DueFeb7

Consider the many definitions of place expressed in this reading. How do you define place and what portion of this reading perhaps reinforces your opinion or what portion struck you most notably and why? Prof. Torres-MacDonald

Reading_2_Kevin Lynch – Image of the City_5 Elements_DueJan31

This reading is a bit longer and takes some time to go through, but you may be familiar with it or have read it in a previous class. It is a basic reading for urban design. Consider Kevin Lynch’s 5 elements and make sure you understand each element from the reading. Then use them to describe a place you know. For example, you would use each element, and then tell us where that element occurs in the place you are describing. It can be a neighborhood, a campus, a town, a city. Understand that all of these elements can be translated in scale. District in a city is clearly larger than district on the ttu campus, or in an area of a city. What’s most important about this assignment is that you consider the elements and consider how these apply to environments you have experienced. This enables you to become more aware of your surroundings and some basic urban vocabularies that apply. Prof. Torres-MacDonald

Reading 1_PrideOfPlace_Due Jan 24

Complete the reading and respond - In Pride of Place, Kent discusses the understanding and work of Projects for Public space from a humanist perspective - how people actually use public spaces and what attracts or repels them. Think about public space you have enjoyed or disliked and tell us, one) what and where it is, and two) what you attracted you and/or repelled you to the space, then 3) take a position about this - what do you believe is the architect/urban designers responsibility to the user and context when designing these spaces? Follow up this post with a submission to your Assignment in Blackboard. Prof. Torres-MacDonald

Introductions_Due Jan 24_6pm

Hello. This is associate professor, MaryAlice Torres-MacDonald and I'm teaching your course this semester. The first blog assignment is to introduce yourself to me and to your peers in the class. I'll start, and you will respond to this posting with your introduction. Please end your blog entry with your name, since many of you have blog user names that do not match your actual name. Also, remember that every assignment that you do on this blog has to be followed up by posting it in Blackboard under the Assignment tab to the correct assignment so it can be graded. Just to tell you a bit about myself. Many of you know that I direct the Houston Program and have been doing this since 2004. I have to say, I love it. I think I get amazing students here and I love seeing them grow to learn from the city and really love it. If you don't live in an urban setting at some point in your life (and no, the suburbs are not an urban setting), you are missing out on an experience that is incredibly relevant to your profession. Before I came to Houston, I was in Lubbock teaching and serving as the Chair of the college. I did my undergraduate work at UT Austin (don't hold it against me, I just couldn't imagine being so far from home at that time in my life)...and my graduate work at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I've worked in both the private sector and the public sector and enjoy both teaching and learning. Professionally, I am involved in downtown revitalization, urban design and community design. In particular, I work with cities in developing ideas for long-term change that is both positive and sensitive to their authentic identity. Now, I work mostly with smaller communities (usually under 50,000 in population) and I find that most of my work lately involves facilitation of planning and goal setting meetings, or working with committees to teach them about design and their community. I also do volunteer design services to assist communities that often don't have resources to pay for services. I grew up in Houston and in a big family working in our family restaurant. I mention this because in my early years, I thought I missed out on so much having to work through middle school and high school, but what I learned were skills that I later used in practice and in working with the public. I guess sometimes it takes years to see the real benefit of things we do in our past. In my spare time ? (not sure what that really is, but I do carve some out), I like to spend time with my family, go on walks, listen to music, play the guitar (I've played for many years, but I still sound like I've been playing for about a year!...but I still love it), and my latest of the last couple of years is Bikram Yoga (hot yoga), which is fast becoming my favorite of all because it is the only time I really completely clear out the cobwebs! Welcome to Community Design & Development Resources. I look forward to the semester with you all and I look forward to reading your introductions! Now, respond to my post, but don't forget to also put it in the assignments tab in blackboard so it can be graded. Prof. Torres-MacDonald