“That’s a walk in the park!” Most of us are familiar with this expression which is used to describe something that is very easy to do. Ironically, a walk to a park may actually not be a walk in the park for a variety of reasons. For example, there may not be a park within walking distance (typically defined as a half-mile) from one’s home. There may also be physical and social barriers that often make walking to parks challenging and undesirable, such as a lack of infrastructure like sidewalks and crosswalks, traffic safety concerns like speeding vehicles, and crime issue like the presence of gangs. Continue Reading A Walk to the Park
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How the Spectrum of Light can be used in Landscape Architecture
Originally published in the author’s own blog under the title of “Spectrum of Light.”
Light is not often the first thing that one thinks of when considering the built environment, but in fact, as to the photographer, light is a primary ingredient to the success of any site design. In contrast to other professions that utilize light, the impact of light on the built environment is constantly in flux. In its complexity there are three types of light: continuous, absorptive and emissive. In the science of the light spectrum, the fact is that light behaves like a wave and is defined by its wavelength frequency. Simply put, light of different wavelengths is perceived as different colors.Continue Reading How the Spectrum of Light can be used in Landscape Architecture
Nature for Neighborhoods
Have you heard of “nature-deficit disorder“? Coined by author and journalist Richard Louv, the term refers to possible negative consequences to individual health and the social fabric as children stay more time indoors and away from physical contact with the natural world. Continue Reading Nature for Neighborhoods
How to Achieve Walkable Transit Service in San Diego!
At last week’s State of the City address, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer enthusiastically stated, “I want to radically overhaul the system itself. The bureaucracy has been set up to empower anti-housing forces that delay or deny projects at every turn… We need to build more housing near employment centers and transit.”
Continue Reading How to Achieve Walkable Transit Service in San Diego!
On Rapid Re-Housing the Homeless in San Diego
Her face smudged with grime, eyes distant, unfocused not bitter, she’s homeless just staring out the window trying to get warm in the early morning.
To those who are homeless, there are a few simple assumptions we accept:Continue Reading On Rapid Re-Housing the Homeless in San Diego
How the state can address California’s housing crisis
With a new Governor, California’s next legislative session with likely look for a different approach to addressing the incessant affordable housing crisis in the state. The carrots-and-sticks approach in the last couple of years has yielded new statewide revenues for homeless and affordable housing and has made local cities more accountable in their housing production.Continue Reading How the state can address California’s housing crisis
Presents for Plannerds: 2018 Edition
Let me begin with a confession. I almost decided not to continue my annual update of Presents for Plannerds which I started in 2013. As my family knows, I have never been much of a shopper, but I thought it would be fun to compile a list of gift ideas for my fellow planners and those who may want to give us presents for Christmas. So I updated the list in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. But as December approached this year, Continue Reading Presents for Plannerds: 2018 Edition
Bring It! How to bring your best design to every project every time?
This title is a broad and a difficult question but it is one that creatives are forced to face every time they take on a new project. There is always excitement and fear when the canvas is blank and the fewer imposed constraints there are the more challenging it is. My colleague Donna Barry and I, both Design Directors in our respective Gensler offices, were invited to present and moderate a workshop that we entitled ‘Bring It’ at a recent regional firm conference.Continue Reading Bring It! How to bring your best design to every project every time?
Looking Ahead to 2019: Events for Planners
Can you believe that it is October already? With 2019 arriving in less than three months, I would like to highlight twelve events that planners, architects, and landscape architects can look forward to in the new year. Continue Reading Looking Ahead to 2019: Events for Planners
Data-Driven Park Planning
Where are new parks most needed? What types of park amenities does a community need more of? Which sports are most popular in a city or neighborhood? How many residents are within a half-mile of a park? If a new park is built at a certain location, how many more youths would be served? These are the types of questions that decision-makers are increasingly asking so that they can make informed-decisions to better allocate limited resources for parks and recreation. Continue Reading Data-Driven Park Planning