I Think We Should Collectively Write An Article!!!
- Thread starter ChitchIII
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I have no problem with this. Put something on paper and show us what you've got. Also keep in mind to use proper citations when citing facts. This way it'll be crediatible and no just an opinion.
Kennedy.... are you open to this being a community piece? Will you be ok with edits from you piers?
I don't mind if he takes full credit any way..... I just want to make sure the article is written in the direction we all collectively agree upon, with a tone that is precise and to the point and all while educating the public to the issues at hand.
If the Back Bay Association (which I think fills its role very well) can be as powerful as they are, we as a community (The ArchBoston Association? or something like that) need to start being progressively more organized, project a larger public voice and really try sway public opinion much like a Lobbyist Organization. We could make ties with AIA, CMAA and other pro development organizations.
Anyone here a decent Web Developer?
If the Back Bay Association (which I think fills its role very well) can be as powerful as they are, we as a community (The ArchBoston Association? or something like that) need to start being progressively more organized, project a larger public voice and really try sway public opinion much like a Lobbyist Organization. We could make ties with AIA, CMAA and other pro development organizations.
Anyone here a decent Web Developer?
kennedy
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Let me put it this way, I'll write a draft. If the edits are to the point where my original draft is still recognizable within the final edition, I'll still only take credit as a contributor. To the colleges, I'll only say I contributed to an article that was published in a mainstream newspaper. The article would still be titled as written by the "archBoston.org Community" as many of the ideas I'd write about are ones that I've either learned or stolen from you guys.
If it offends anyone that I'd like to use this in college applications, I respect that and I will make no mention of it.
If it offends anyone that I'd like to use this in college applications, I respect that and I will make no mention of it.
kennedy
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No, but I've heard that creating a webpage on Shutterfly is quite simple. I have no idea whether or not it is free, but it would certainly be much easier to put pictures up. It also incorporates a forum, or we could just link it here. I don't know how much it costs to make a professional website, but I assume it is quite expensive (isn't hosting an issue)?
Also, how can this website produce income? If we created an organization (I like the aBA), some form of funding would most likely be necessary.
Jane Jetson
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Don't get me wrong - I love Boston and choose to make it my home. I believe that is has the potential to be a great city, but I do think it needs a little tough love to realize it.
It will never be NY (nor should it), but why can't it excel in its own way? Boston's greatest days shouldn't be in the past (i.e. Tea Party/Freedom Trail), but in the future.
Harvard/Allston is the obvious choice for this topic if we're to stay focused on a single case.
Beton Brut
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Okay...
I've been bummed about Shreve's, and needed a bit of a break. I went to some concerts, did some drinking, read a bit. I saw friends, rapped about life, the important and the trivial.
There are lots of good ideas in this thread, but thinking that I'm the one to lead anything but a troop of baboons isn't one of them. We don't need a leader -- we only need a commitment to purposeful action. The knowledge and tools to affect real change are already present.
I said in the Shreve's thread that I'm the sworn enemy of bad design and ill-conceived public policy. An article could call attention to these issues, but only grass-roots involvement by committed individuals in the public sphere (BRA and MBTA meetings, neighborhood charrettes, etc) will bring about the sorts of changes that a dense urban environment like Boston needs to prosper.
The fight to save Shreve's was ArchBoston's first step into the larger world, into the cauldron of big business and public policy, as it is doled out here in Boston. There were first meetings for some of us. Smart conversations. Good stuff. And for all our efforts, we lost. Maybe losing can be our teacher. Undesired outcomes are the fingerprints of bad ideas and processes.
We say we love democracy in America, but most people would rather watch Celebrity Rehab than go to a zoning meeting. We know more about Jennifer Aniston's ass than our Congressman's position on public transportation. We've infantilized generations of our poor, and house them in brick file-cabinets. My cynicism is a product of observations in my own neighborhood. Maybe I'm a jerk for using a broad brush.
I think we can all agree that things need to change.
The change that many Americans have yearned for kicks off in January. But who thinks the government is gonna solve our problems? We need to be the authors of solutions, block by block, in Cambridge and Charlton and Cohassett and Chicopee -- wherever we live. If Obama is to have a successful presidency, folks like us need to have a hand in it.
Maybe I'm not so cynical after all...
I've learned a tremendous amount of useful things on this board. Reading, thinking, interacting, provoking. At best, this place is like a good pub, without the risk of getting a knuckle salad if you say the wrong thing. And maybe that's all it needs to be.
But if some of us aspire to more, then there are ample opportunities in our own neighborhoods to make a difference. If you're excited about the built environment, you're ahead of your neighbors. Educate them. The littered vacant lot or dodgy house in your neighborhood is infinitely more important than a tower proposal downtown.
Away from the keyboards and into the streets!
I've been bummed about Shreve's, and needed a bit of a break. I went to some concerts, did some drinking, read a bit. I saw friends, rapped about life, the important and the trivial.
There are lots of good ideas in this thread, but thinking that I'm the one to lead anything but a troop of baboons isn't one of them. We don't need a leader -- we only need a commitment to purposeful action. The knowledge and tools to affect real change are already present.
I said in the Shreve's thread that I'm the sworn enemy of bad design and ill-conceived public policy. An article could call attention to these issues, but only grass-roots involvement by committed individuals in the public sphere (BRA and MBTA meetings, neighborhood charrettes, etc) will bring about the sorts of changes that a dense urban environment like Boston needs to prosper.
The fight to save Shreve's was ArchBoston's first step into the larger world, into the cauldron of big business and public policy, as it is doled out here in Boston. There were first meetings for some of us. Smart conversations. Good stuff. And for all our efforts, we lost. Maybe losing can be our teacher. Undesired outcomes are the fingerprints of bad ideas and processes.
We say we love democracy in America, but most people would rather watch Celebrity Rehab than go to a zoning meeting. We know more about Jennifer Aniston's ass than our Congressman's position on public transportation. We've infantilized generations of our poor, and house them in brick file-cabinets. My cynicism is a product of observations in my own neighborhood. Maybe I'm a jerk for using a broad brush.
I think we can all agree that things need to change.
The change that many Americans have yearned for kicks off in January. But who thinks the government is gonna solve our problems? We need to be the authors of solutions, block by block, in Cambridge and Charlton and Cohassett and Chicopee -- wherever we live. If Obama is to have a successful presidency, folks like us need to have a hand in it.
Maybe I'm not so cynical after all...
I've learned a tremendous amount of useful things on this board. Reading, thinking, interacting, provoking. At best, this place is like a good pub, without the risk of getting a knuckle salad if you say the wrong thing. And maybe that's all it needs to be.
But if some of us aspire to more, then there are ample opportunities in our own neighborhoods to make a difference. If you're excited about the built environment, you're ahead of your neighbors. Educate them. The littered vacant lot or dodgy house in your neighborhood is infinitely more important than a tower proposal downtown.
Away from the keyboards and into the streets!
Last edited:
I've got to believe that Berkelee & Suffolk are the bests canidates for this article.
kennedy
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Beton, that was a good rant. I'd say you should just submit that as a letter to an editor.
Chitch, I'm going to finish my outline today/tonight, and I'll private message it to you. I have a feeling it's not quite in the format that you want/expect, but at least it'll be a something we can get a start from. If you like the outline, I'll go ahead and make a draft.
Chitch, I'm going to finish my outline today/tonight, and I'll private message it to you. I have a feeling it's not quite in the format that you want/expect, but at least it'll be a something we can get a start from. If you like the outline, I'll go ahead and make a draft.
Beton Brut
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Ranting is easy. Doing requires effort.
People, make no mistake, this is a fight for what our city and region can and should be. In a fight, an open hand won't help you much. You've gotta make a fist.
Another quote from this turkey applies to pelhamhall's sad assessment of Fan Pier.
People, make no mistake, this is a fight for what our city and region can and should be. In a fight, an open hand won't help you much. You've gotta make a fist.
Another quote from this turkey applies to pelhamhall's sad assessment of Fan Pier.
C
Chessplayer
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A reworking and combination of Ablarc's two photo essays in this thread would say pretty much everything I'd want Boston's leaders and populace to internalize - the Seaport angle makes it relevant to present development:
http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1924
http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1924
JimboJones
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I like the idea of something about colleges and their contributions to the city, and the town/gown fight between NIMBYs who pay property taxes and colleges who pay none but contribute otherwise. And/or, hospitals.
kennedy
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Urban Architecture's Role in the Growth and Culture of a City
This is the prompt I presented myself for writing this article, and so for me to answer it I need to ask myself a few new questions. Also remember, this is only an outline. I wanted to make sure I was heading in a direction agreeable to the rest of the board, before jumping all the way into a draft.
What is Urban Architecture?
Most importantly, Urban Architecture and Design is not solely relative to aesthetics. That is the number one misconception people seem to have- ?architecture makes stuff look good?. It needs to work well, too! The design of any new urban development must meet three requirements.
Number One-it evolves from the current design precedent. The design must either be categorized as landmark or background, or somewhere in between. If a proposed structure breaks all the rules-on height, style, materials, use-it can be classified a landmark (see: Apple Store, Boylston St.). If it follows most rules, but breaks on one or two topics, it can be considered background variety. Either way, it is healthy to the neighborhood to have contrasts of styles against a certain background. Of course, there cannot be so many buildings that break away from the precedent that they all become landmarks, rather, the design precedent changes.
Number Two-again to variety, but of use. This applies more to the neighborhood than the development itself. If a neighborhood decides to build offices 99% of the time, it will become barren between the hours of 9 and 5, and at night as well. The same goes for residential and commercial, too much of one thing is never good. Variety infuses life of every sort into a neighborhood, compare it to diversifying an investments portfolio. Is the housing market rough? No worries, there are retail institutions and corporate institutions, maybe a hospital, maybe a university-it helps the neighborhood and the city toward the overall goal of economic growth.
Number Three-perhaps the most important, how conducive a development is to the sacred urban art of walking. In a city, pedestrianism must be the number one priority (this also plays into sustainability). Driving is great, but in a city, it should be nearly unnecessary due to mass transit and development. By having a variety of uses, and a friendly sidewalk atmosphere, no building is too imposing.
These three aspects define a development as urban design, and must be taken into consideration whenever critiquing a proposed project.
What is Culture?
Culture, though a very in depth and complex matter, can be looked at very simply and easily. It is the summation of a city's institutions, people, and economy. The institutions are all the businesses, organizations, and government. The people in the city drive the institutions (who provide jobs), which drives the economy of the city even further. These interrelated cultural components are the identity of a city, and what will cause growth and prosperity.
How does Urban Architecture relate to Culture?
The three points about Urban Architecture relate directly to each of the three parts of a city?s culture. When developers propose structures that follow the guidelines of good urban design, they facilitate the growth of people, institutions, and economy in the region. With more developments, more people move in. More institutions are started, or grow, due to this influx of people, and this causes the economy to boom. All of this is sparked with proper urban developments. Some of the new or growing institutions will need to expand, and create new developments. It is vital that these organizations are able to do so (see: Harvard?s Allston Campus)-so long as they follow the urban design guidelines. By allowing new developments in each neighborhood, the residents will see growth in wealth, in culture, and in the quality of living. Development is vital to a city; it is the skeleton on which an urban area will grow.
This is the prompt I presented myself for writing this article, and so for me to answer it I need to ask myself a few new questions. Also remember, this is only an outline. I wanted to make sure I was heading in a direction agreeable to the rest of the board, before jumping all the way into a draft.
What is Urban Architecture?
Most importantly, Urban Architecture and Design is not solely relative to aesthetics. That is the number one misconception people seem to have- ?architecture makes stuff look good?. It needs to work well, too! The design of any new urban development must meet three requirements.
Number One-it evolves from the current design precedent. The design must either be categorized as landmark or background, or somewhere in between. If a proposed structure breaks all the rules-on height, style, materials, use-it can be classified a landmark (see: Apple Store, Boylston St.). If it follows most rules, but breaks on one or two topics, it can be considered background variety. Either way, it is healthy to the neighborhood to have contrasts of styles against a certain background. Of course, there cannot be so many buildings that break away from the precedent that they all become landmarks, rather, the design precedent changes.
Number Two-again to variety, but of use. This applies more to the neighborhood than the development itself. If a neighborhood decides to build offices 99% of the time, it will become barren between the hours of 9 and 5, and at night as well. The same goes for residential and commercial, too much of one thing is never good. Variety infuses life of every sort into a neighborhood, compare it to diversifying an investments portfolio. Is the housing market rough? No worries, there are retail institutions and corporate institutions, maybe a hospital, maybe a university-it helps the neighborhood and the city toward the overall goal of economic growth.
Number Three-perhaps the most important, how conducive a development is to the sacred urban art of walking. In a city, pedestrianism must be the number one priority (this also plays into sustainability). Driving is great, but in a city, it should be nearly unnecessary due to mass transit and development. By having a variety of uses, and a friendly sidewalk atmosphere, no building is too imposing.
These three aspects define a development as urban design, and must be taken into consideration whenever critiquing a proposed project.
What is Culture?
Culture, though a very in depth and complex matter, can be looked at very simply and easily. It is the summation of a city's institutions, people, and economy. The institutions are all the businesses, organizations, and government. The people in the city drive the institutions (who provide jobs), which drives the economy of the city even further. These interrelated cultural components are the identity of a city, and what will cause growth and prosperity.
How does Urban Architecture relate to Culture?
The three points about Urban Architecture relate directly to each of the three parts of a city?s culture. When developers propose structures that follow the guidelines of good urban design, they facilitate the growth of people, institutions, and economy in the region. With more developments, more people move in. More institutions are started, or grow, due to this influx of people, and this causes the economy to boom. All of this is sparked with proper urban developments. Some of the new or growing institutions will need to expand, and create new developments. It is vital that these organizations are able to do so (see: Harvard?s Allston Campus)-so long as they follow the urban design guidelines. By allowing new developments in each neighborhood, the residents will see growth in wealth, in culture, and in the quality of living. Development is vital to a city; it is the skeleton on which an urban area will grow.