Despite its small size (0.2 acres), the redesign of the International Children’s Park requires us to examine a broad range of issues, including design for specific populations, understanding needs and preferences by different age groups and intergenerational uses, addressing problems facing a typical urban park, limited resources, involving and enpowering community stakeholders in the design process, and reexamining the notion and activities of ‘play’ and children’s environment in a neighborhood open space. The nature of the project requires us to take an approach different from typical design studios. While working as designers, our primary responsibility in this studio is to engage the local community and uncover the cultural nuances of in the community. The end products of this studio include not only the design alternatives but also a critical awareness and understanding of the role of neighborhood open space in serving and building a community. Course Objectives > To examine critically the concept of cultural landscape Assignments & Program Activities > Case studies -- UW students will develop case studies of (1) children’s parks, parks designed for elderly users, and parks for specific ethnic population, in order to inform the design of an intergenerational and intercultural park and open space, and (2) design games, to familiarize with methods of engaging users and workshop participants. > ‘Play’ stories – The UW+WILD collaboration will begin with students sharing stories of their childhood spent in parks, playgrounds, streets, etc. > Site analysis – ‘Asking the Site’ – UW and WILD students will collaborate on producing an “analysis” of the Children’s Park site. The analysis will begin by asking a series of questions about the site. It’s then the team’s responsibility to come up with answers to those questions. > Intergenerational Design Workshop – In order to understand the potential multi- and inter-generation uses of the park and engage more community residents in the design process, a workshop will be conducted with participation of UW and WILD students as well as adult residents in the community. We will collaborate with the Adult ESL class for the workshop. > Oral history using photovoice – In order to better understand the lives of local residents, UW and WILD students will conduct interviews with adult residens as well as children in the neighborhood. The photovoice method will be used to facilitate the interview process. The process involves distributing disposable cameras to the residents and asking them to take pictures of particular subjects. Follow-up interviews with the residents will be conducted using the photos taken by the residents. > Schematic design collaboration – Each UW+WILD team will collaborate to produce a schematic design for the park. A schematic design is a preliminary design that include general layout of the site and program features without the development of specific details. UW and WILD students in each team will provide equal inputs into their design. > Schematic design alternatives – The end products of the studio will include alternative versions of the park design as proposed by the different UW+WILD teams. The goal of the alternatives is inform the subsequent development of the park design by providing a variety of ideas and design possibilities. > Community Open House – A community open house will be held at the end of the quarter to present the alternative designs to the community at large and solicit their feedback. The community will have a chance to ‘vote’ on the design alternatives. The vote count will inform the subsequent development of the park design in terms of community preferences.
|
|---|