Reading Place

Masdar in Abu Dhabi

I just came across an interesting piece from the blog myurbanist on "reading the evolution of place." The author articulates his message through a brief analysis of eleven pairs of images of various places throughout the world, mostly cities.

Some of his commentary is insightful and strikes at the core of what this blog is trying to accomplish: establishing a new contextually sensitive discourse, systemic and holistic in scope, about sustainability and what it means for the future of the Los Angeles region.

Barrios of Caracas, Venezuela

"Today, we are driven by a new sustainability ethic, necessarily systemic in scope. Carbon-neutrality is the rage, and location efficiency, clean energy and the return of neighborhood are the watchwords of change. Formulas and metrics, and new regulatory systems attempt results, and show the quest to measure how close we are to achieving ideal forms of location and development.

But...context is key, and adaptation to a multi-environmental sense of place, associated imagery and sensation is an essential element of building design, urban development and innovation going forward. Creating beautiful buildings that are able to work for the environment, or crafting appropriate enabling regulations, should also be considered as part of a broader, holistic effort. There is no use in having architects, urban planners, developers and lawyers thinking in isolation about a better future."

Street in Valletta, Malta

His last point about a "broader, holistic effort" is usually directed at our understanding of the environment; a point mentioned to underscore the importance of thinking of the environment in its entirety, rather than as discrete systems. However, I think he's talking about something slightly different and less obvious - that in order for place to be legible in the "sustainable city," architects, urban planners, developers and lawyers need to think and work together. Sustainability is just as much about environmental outcomes as it is about process and collaboration. Without a sustainable practice for producing the sort of urbanism our cities and environment demand, we are never going to make progress toward carbon-neutrality, water independence or any other pressing environmental issue. This is true for Los Angeles just as much as it is for any other big city.

What will LA look like in 2030?

Rending: Michael Maltzan Architecture

Given constrained natural resources and accelerating ecological degradation, environmental sustainability is imperative but has yet to present itself on the urban landscape as a principle element affecting the de-centered growth of contemporary cities like Los Angeles. Nevertheless, in the absence of national leadership, cities are trailblazing new multi-scalar sustainability initiatives and greenhouse gas reduction strategies in order to stave off environmental disaster. The influence of these efforts on urban form is yet to be seen but some of ideas proposed by cityLAB-UCLA, Gensler and Michael Maltzan Architecture for what Los Angeles will look like in 2030 give us a glimpse of what a more socially and environmentally conscious urbanism may look like. Their proposals are part of Newsweek Magazine's series about the Future of Work.

Each of the three entrants framed their discussion of the future of LA around four parameters: home, work, commute and recreation. Each offering differing perspectives and intriguing renderings of a possible but as yet unrealized future. The dynamic interaction of natural systems, infrastructure, housing and people holds tremendous promise for the future of Los Angeles. Clearly there doesn't seem to be any shortage of good ideas. The key at this point is trying to figure out how we get from here to there.

CicLAvia - UPDATE - 10/10/10

The route is still basically the same, though a few changes through downtown are being made, but the date has been pushed back by nearly one month. The new date for Los Angeles' first ciclovia is October 10, 2010. Be sure to check for updates at CicLAvia's website.

LA River - The Spine of the City

There's been a lot of positive press about the LA River recently. GOOD and the LA Times ran stories recently discussing the EPA's decision to officially designate the LA River a "traditional navigable waterway," which apparently paves the way for federal money to be put toward restoring the river to a semi-natural condition. This is great news and a positive first step to undo the concrete channelization of the river and realize the potential of the waterway put forward by the LA River Master Plan.

And projects like the one on Elmer Avenue in Sun Valley (part of LA's Green Streets Initiative) will enable the naturalization of the LA River to occur by capturing and retaining stormwater on-site, reducing peak flow in the river channel during heavy storm events. Greening LA's streets also holds tremendous potential for reducing the city's reliance on distant sources of water. Local acquifers could be replenished through on-site stormwater retention techniques, making more water locally available for use. (note: about 19% of California's carbon dioxide emissions come from pumping and transporting water throughout the state).

Model of a proposal to redevelop an existing train yard into open space and housing.

A much bolder plan to naturalize a portion of the LA River was unveiled last month. Friends of the LA  River (FoLAR), together with a team of advisors, put together a proposal to turn 130 acres of industrial land into a verdant development with open space, housing, commercial and retail thoughtfully integrated into a lush riparian setting that reconnects the landscape with the existing fabric of the city. It's a bold proposal sure to draw fire and attention from all sides. At first glance, it appears to kiss the ring and pay homage to the easiest to achieve and least controversial principles of sustainability. A more critical assessment will have to wait until the details of the project become clearer but for now it's focus on water, neighborhood connectivity, transit, mixed-uses, recreation, open space and agriculture is comprehensive in scope and holistic in approach. A laudable project to be sure. There is plenty more to read here and I encourage you to do so. Become involved in the discussion by commenting on their site or this blog.