October
26,
2010
By:
Cooper-Hewitt N. from New York, NY
I think that one of the best things the Beltline Project is doing is actually reaching out to the community at large. They have booths at most of the summer neighborhood fairs promoting their meetings. Their study groups are open to the public and provide a forum for stakeholders to add input. Their website is simply www.beltline.org. I was speaking with one of the Beltline organizers at the Reynoldstown Whellbarrow Festival and they are looking for teachers to help develop projects to engage the community. I have to admit that my school is pretty far removed out in the suburbs, but I would love to collaborate with some of you ITP folks on anything involving lessons for your students.
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October
25,
2010
By:
Josaine R. from Ozone Park, NY
Depending on the age level of the students, Box City is a great way to introduce students to city codes. You can contact your city to get a copy of the city building codes for reference. In the Box City lesson, students learn about codes and create their own city, following the building codes. It's great for them to see and understand why you would not want to build a school right next to an industrial building. CUBE, the Center for Understanding the Built Environment is a great resource for Box City. Babs https://www.cubekc.org/
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October
22,
2010
By:
Brittain V. from Washington , DC
Elizabeth, in reference to African American business districts - the area around Broad Street and Bayou Road is coming back. There's the Community Book Center, A Petite Creole Plantation - which is a Bed & Breakfast, Jordan's Learning Village, Mchardy's Chicken, a barber and beauty shop along with several other business that have reopened in this predominantly African American area of the city. Today, the design of the brick-lined street serves as the centerpiece of a tight-knit community struggling to return near the New Orleans Fair Grounds.
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October
22,
2010
By:
Jacqueline T. from New Orleans, LA
Vanity Fair, May 2008, has a feature article on architect William McDonough-" a prophet of the sustainablity and clean-technology movement" which inspires hope for the future with his "Cradle to Cradle" design manifesto and movement to reverse the Industrial Revolution's system of manufacturing, consuming, and junk heaping. According to McDonough, "If everybody used as many resources as the average American, we would require six planets." The cost of fuel might be the tipping point for a willingness to shift paradigms of sustainability.
McDonough is redesigning design!! Recommended reading for new possibilities that takes one beyond the fear factor of the moment!
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October
17,
2010
By:
Stephen S. from Saint Paul, MN
I came across a simple interactive site for elementary students related to urban planning. Unfortunately I didn't save the site address and am now having a very difficult time finding it again or anything similar. Anyone have any locations they could suggest? Thanks
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October
17,
2010
By:
Cooper-Hewitt N. from New York, NY
I am not too familiar with NYC. I have only been there twice. What exactly is High Line Down? I googled it, but I'm not sure that I completely understand the concept.
As for Times Square, I find it visually overstimulating but interesting. When I was there over the summer, it definitely was a fun place to be. In the midst of it all there was what I am assuming was a homeless man kicking back, taking it easy.
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October
17,
2010
By:
Cooper-Hewitt N. from New York, NY
What, according to the PPS (Projects for Public Spaces) are the eleven principles for creating great public places? You can find out by looking at their site: https://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/casesforplaces/11steps, however to "triangulate", to take just one of them, is to get people into a space by lining up a minimum of three significant amenities or activators: phone, bench, cofee-maker, for example, or on a bigger scale, library, children's playground, bus stop. Hence if you want to draw a crowd, first make sure there is a dynamic interplay of elements in the site. PPS is a New York based non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and reinvigorating our public spaces, and to questioning the way "big design" interventions often ignore the way we humans actually behave.
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October
17,
2010
By:
Cooper-Hewitt N. from New York, NY
This website is a good resource. There is also a special link for teachers https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/visiting/96.aspx that may also be useful.
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July
30,
2010
By:
Josaine R. from Ozone Park, NY
I agree with an above post about "going green" being an attitude first. I think children these days are brought up to in a very disposable minded society. I do see the benefits of plastic, but plastic commodities and packaging have become almost indispensable. And ironically, plastics have really not been in existence for all that long.
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