MIDTERM

PORTFOLIO

Minh Le

ARCH 103

Spring 2013

OVERVIEW

2

1. Photomontage of San Francisco (pg.3 –8)

2. Kevin Lynch’s “The City Image” – based

study of AT&T Park (pg.9 -18)

3. The City Form – Node study of the

intersection between 9th Avenue and Irving

Street (pg.19 -25)

4. The Utopian Vision (pg. 26 -40)

Icebreaker : “San Francisco Within”

My concept is to create an overview

image of the city of San Francisco from

the local people’s perspective; It’d be

the image of the San Franciscan’s

interactions rather than the city

famous for its tourist attractions.

More specifically, I want to show my

own personal interactions with the

city.

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The three main ideas I want to show in

the photomontage are: The city of hidden

treasure and discovery, the city as small

community/ gathering spot, and the city

as the get away destination.

These interaction often overlap one

another; and to me, none of them is

considerably more significant than the

others. Therefore, I decide to cut the

images out in a similar size and lay them

over one another, as in to show their

equal importance and interaction with

each other.

4

The black and white print is the

result of the fear that some intense

color may dominate and attract all

attention to its image, throwing off

the idea of overall image.

But after the class critics, I realize

that color print is the risk I should

have taken. With a set of multi

images and contents, the color may

have help to convey the activity and

connection.

5

6

City of Hidden Treasure and Discovery

As the exploration process for this

assignment, I get introduced to the new

area I’d never set foot on, the Heron’s Head

Park in Bay View.

As an immigrant who have only live here

for 5 years, the city constantly amazes me

with new areas and attraction that not

many people know about. The Heron’s

Head park represents the hidden treasures

within the city, the small little haven

surrounded by the industrialized

community.

The Golden Gate Park, in the other hands,

is sometimes like another world to me.

Nature within the “man-made” world.

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City as Community Gathering

This city is a diverse community, yet, it has

its own way of bringing people together.

I really like these open semi-public areas

practically in every neighborhood throughout

the city.

These spots can be share by

community as the gathering

destinations, or can be also used

as one’s own personal spot.

These spaces somewhat slow

down the city rushing life, so

people can stop, and reflect and

interact with each other.

8

City as the Get Away Spot

Life and school sometimes can be really

stressful. At those moments, I always

want to be able to just get away from all

that and just be myself, just rest without

worrying about life’s complications.

Baseball has been the “medication” for my

“stress and depression” for a while. When I

think of SF, it’s somewhat incomplete

without talking about my relationship with

the city sport. It’s the common interests of

not just community, but of the whole city,

considerably. So I guess I can say that

baseball and AT&T Park is a way for me to

interact with the city and its people.

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“The City Image”

District

The AT&T Park is located at the

China Basin of the SOMA.

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Connection and Accessibility

Source: Google Map

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Landmark

AT&T Park doesn’t serve only

as the landmark for way-

finding purpose or district

attraction.

It also serves as an icon of the

city’s sport franchise. It is the

destination of community/ city

gathering. It houses history as

well as memories, and it is

interpreted differently by

different people.

It gives the neighborhood an

unique characteristic that is

loved by all people of the city.

Source: flickr.com

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Paths

Source: Google Map

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The paths along and surrounding

the AT&T Park are similarly

wide to be open for pedestrians.

During any event held at the

Ball Park, these big open space

will allow the big number of

people walking/ passing along or

gathering.

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Nodes

Willie Mays Plaza , in front

of the main gate entrance,

is the busiest node of the

site.

The wide, open space allow

the gathering of the large

number of people .

Source: flickr.com

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Two other major nodes

within the site are The

South Beach Park and

China Basin Park,

respectively North and

South side of AT&T Park,

are within walking

distant to the Ball Park.

These two parks are often used by

families and other people during

the day which the Ball Park is

inactive.

Source: flickr.com

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Edges

Edges between Pathway (Pedestrian walk,

vehicle road) and Node (Muni station)

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18

Some quick thought …

While studying further the area of AT&T Park, I realized that the

neighborhood seem to change from what I have been familiar with, and I

realize it is because of the off-season. The energy of the game goers make the

ball park area, arguably, more vital than any other areas in the city during the

season. But when baseball is not around, the area changes completely. It

suddenly becomes this quite neighborhood which occupied mostly by the

vehicles and public transportation. The number of urban actors now decreases,

and they are mostly office men and women of the surrounding. I wouldn’t

consider it a dead zone, since there are still interactions, but it is not vital as

it’s supposed to be.

Professor Lum has given some suggestions of the multi-functional building that

can enhance the beauty of the surroundings. I think this would be a great thing

to do, because the beautiful areas surrounded do not have to be in the state of

“restoration” as the ball park does. By bringing in the additional attraction, the

area can be vital all year round, and the business within the area can benefit

as well.

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Study of Node: 9th and Irving When I first get introduced to and

asked to define the vitality of the

city, the first thing I think of is the

somewhat famous, public area with

thousand and thousand of people.

However, after studying further the

Lynch’s notions of 5 city forms and

learning from classmate’ discoveries,

I realize that the vitality of the city

can grow from a smaller scale such

as within community.

And also since the AT&T Park

neighborhood is not quite “itself”

this time of the year, I decide to

explore the more personal area: the

intersection of 9th Avenue and

Irving Street.

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9th and Irving vs. 8th and Judah

9th Avenue & Irving Street

8th Avenue & Judah Street

To better understand the vitality of

the intersection of 9th and Irving, I

decide to compare it with the nearby

intersection, the 8th and Judah.

The comparisons are in terms of

public transportation, accessibility to

major area, type of building uses.

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Accessibility

9th and Irving (red circle) has direct

access to Golden Gate Park, UCSF

campus and facilities via public

transportation of light rail N and bus

line 44. It is also located 1 block away

from bus lines 71, 71L, 16X in the north

and 6, 43, 66 in the south.

8th and Judah (blue circle) locates in the

route of bus line 6 and 43, 1 block away

from the bus line 44, 66 and N car.

In conclusion, the intersection of 9th and

Irving is more active through the public

accessibility from and to major area

(UCSF, Golden Gate Park , and even

Ocean Beach)

Source: sfmta.com

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9th Ave. & Irving St.

8th Ave. & Judah St.

Service Provides

The majority of building types

around 9th and Irving is for small

local business (restaurant, retail,

coffee and drink, utility store).

While 8th and Judah includes

housing apartment complexes.

I come to realization that these

local business help create the

sense of community for this

neighborhood; where people can

gather at some specific coffee

shop, have a meal at a familiar

restaurant, or catch up at the

usual bakery … A sense of

community that unique and

within this specific neighborhood.

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With access to various services and

line on the route connect to major

areas, intersection of 9th Ave and

Irving St becomes the interest point

of the neighborhood.

At night, even if the nearby

intersections are quite “dead and

shut down”, the intersection is still

vital.

Node As Point of Interest

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Street Conversation

The public parklet provide the

node for passersby or just simply a

meeting spot for people to create a

sense of community.

It encourages people interaction

on the street. It creates the

conversation between paths,

pedestrian walk and vehicle road

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Flexible Use of Node

The parking lot on 9th Avenue

another important node near the

intersection because of its flexible use

during the weekend.

Every Sunday, its transforms into the

farmer market. This enhances the

sense of community, encourages

people interaction, hence develop the

notion of vitality.

Source: sfgate.com

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Utopian Neighborhood

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Concepts and Principals

•Open Space promotes community

gathering, hence vitality

•Engaging and suitable for all ages

•Pedestrian Path (or light traffic) is more

important than car’s road

•Close to major transportation for better

accessibility

•Flexible use of nodes, and possibly

pathways

•Local Business to create the

neighborhood’s personality

•Vista view from and to the landmark

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Open Space for Community

The open, public park serves as the

local landmark, as well as the

gathering space for the community.

More people will help create and

develop the vitality of the

neighborhood

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Engaging and Suitable for Everyone

There are various activities

provided for people of all ages.

Playground for kids, open grass

fields for family and their pets,

benches, seating area for elders, …

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Pedestrian Path and

Public Transportation Focus

Heavy traffic road is off of main grid, to

encourage pedestrian traffic.

Public transportation is also off main

grid, but located at the surrounding

blocks to provide easy access to the

main grid.

Pavements are 20-foot wide to create

comfortable room for pedestrian as well

as bikers.

No parking is allowed on street of the

main grid; designated parking space is

provided.

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Supporting Local Business

Local business (orange) surrounds the

public park to provide service for local

people.

Resident housing (peach) is at the back

of the neighborhood, supporting the

small businesses.

Public sservices (red) locate near the

main heavy road for convenience

access, also bring people into the

neighborhood attraction and local

business.

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Flexible Uses

Parking lot is at the center of

the public-shared buildings and

services to provide parking

space for main grid visit.

During weekends, specifically

Sunday, when most of those

services are closed, it can be

turned into neighborhood’s

Farmer Market.

Source: flickr.com

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Source: 365thingsaustin.com

Major Street, running

through the center of the

grid, can be used for the

annual Street Fair.

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Vista View and Accessible Points

Local landmark (Public Park) is

reachable from nodes of the off grid

intersections.

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The Slow Life of Community’s

Personal Public Space

Utopian Vision

“Slow Life” as in Experience in Slow

Pace/ Slow Motion, which refers to

the pedestrians (and possibly bikers)

beings.

“Slow Life” is built upon the activities

of walking and biking, which focuses

on people and their interaction to

each other; from which build up the

sense of community.

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After the first study , mentioned above,

some principals and concepts are

considered to support the idea of the

“Slow Life,” such as the flexible uses of

nodes/ path to hold community events,

or promoting pedestrian and bike over

car and heavy traffic, to supporting

small local business to build up the

notion of community gathering, …

Yet, to help make the idea stronger and

plausible, I still need to work on some

new concepts:

•Street and Sidewalk use

• Public space that attract people

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Street and Sidewalk Use

The alley at the South-West corner

of the main grid serve as the sitting

area/ gathering spot as well as the

direct access to the Public Park

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Parklet or public on-street

sitting area may encourage

people interaction and sense of

sociability within community.

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Open Space - Public Park

The Public Park is located at the local

point of the neighborhood and

surrounded by local business/ its

community.

The building block will be specifically

arranged to allow sunlight into the

park all day long, providing a warm,

welcoming space for people.

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Possible Approach Development

The most useful critic I get from

classmates and professor is that my

plan/ design seems to lack the

development on the notion of nodes and

their connection.

One possible approach and would be my

first move is to work and to create the

various node within the blocks, each

with its own characteristics. The

connection between these nodes would

greatly help support the idea of Slow Life

and people interaction.

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Few Words of Expectation

This first half, due to some personal issue, I feel like I

couldn’t stay as much focused on the work as I hoped at the

beginning of the semester.

Even though the work load is reasonable and expected as for

third semester design, yet, sometimes I couldn’t help but feel

overwhelmed. Fortunately, I have still been able to learn from

classmates; also the fact that Professor Lum commits to be

patient and supportive with the class studying pace and

struggles has helped me a lot on getting back on track.

The second half is always about speeding up and heading to the finish

line, but having to know what to expect and be prepared, I believe I can

keep up and finish this semester in which I will have no regret behind,

and positively with a BANG !