Originally seen on Planetizen.com, this article by Steven Snell tugs on my heart strings. How can we create a humane (or, as the article refers to it, a human(e)) city? What does it mean to be a human(e) environment?
Read the article here: http://www.planetizen.com/node/87396?utm_source=newswire&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news-07212016
Not to begin yet another blog post with an apology, but I truly am sorry for not posting more often!
Since graduating with my Master’s in City and Regional Planning, I’ve been working as a planner for the Baltimore-based landscape architecture firm, Mahan Rykiel Associates. In addition, my husband and I are looking at a house down the street from my new office. Should all go as planned (there have been a few hiccups), we’ll be in there next month! In short, life has been great!
Although I don’t have much planning content at the moment—especially not written—I would like to share some of the work I’m doing with Mahan Rykiel.
One of the main projects that I’m working on is an Economic Development Strategic Plan for the City of Lancaster, PA. You can read about the project on the website of our client, the Lancaster City Alliance. In case you haven’t been to Lancaster, or haven’t been in some years (as was the case with myself), I highly recommend a visit soon! The city is in such a great place that this plan, being produced more than 15 years after their previous Economic Development Strategy (1998), is being shaped from a “position of advantage.” Believe me, that’s not just some cheesy line, this city is really something to see! Rather than a reactive, symptom-based plan, this will be a proactive, asset-based strategy that builds on existing strengths in the city!
One of the things that I find most refreshing about Lancaster is the lack of chain stores. Though it does, at times, limit the ability of local residents to meet their daily needs (where to buy underwear!?), it provides visitors and residents alike with unique products and experiences. Furthermore, it enhances the city’s identity as an authentic place, built from diverse backgrounds and a rich heritage.
I credit this success to the strong, energetic spirit of Lancaster’s creatives, young professionals, investors, and business entrepreneurs. There are some terrific dialogues taking place, center on great ideas and inspiring collaboration.
I just got back from my third trip up there; and am still feeling enthusiastic after our Thursday evening public meeting! As a planner, I have never been in a public meeting where the tone remained almost completely positive throughout, where there appeared to be total agreement on many of the points brought up, and where the community truly saw and embraced the potential. I was able to visit a few of our study areas during this most recent trip. Below are some of the (many) photos that I took while up there! Enjoy!
Juxtaposition of cables, wires, church steeple, and moon in the morning sky
The Southern Market Center building, Queen Street
Green window boxes along Queen Street
Wayfinding signs become attractive from the back with the imposed City logo design
Commissioned Sculpture outside of the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (PCAD)
A neighborhood park in Lancaster, PA
Curved alleys are scatter throughout Oldtown in Lancaster, PA
The Cork Factory Hotel, Urban Place along New Holland Avenue/Pike
Economic Development Strategic Plan Public Meeting, mapping activity
Economic Development Strategic Plan Public Meeting, mapping activity
El Jardin, Florist along East King Street in Lancaster City
Street in Lancaster, PA
Pub facade in Lancaster City
Downtown Lancaster, Duke Street
Green window on Duke Street in Lancaster City
An arts initiative places painted pianos throughout the City of Lancaster
Lancaster City Central Market Day
The project is looking at some of the major commercial corridors in the city—Prince and Queen Streets, New Holland Avenue, Harrisburg Avenue, South Duke Street, East King Street, Manor Street and West King Street, and the downtown area. The photos above are limited, mostly, to the corridors we visited this past week (New Holland Avenue and East King Street) and to the downtown area simply because that’s where I went walking yesterday morning!
While this project is still in the early stages, I encourage people to follow along! Search twitter and other sites for #BuildingOnStrength to see what’s happening!
Also, if you happen to be from Lancaster, please take a moment to complete this survey (there is a version en Español).
Background: I’m an urban and regional planning student considering a new framework for planning and designing our cities….
I’ve broken human communities into 4 layers:
Each layer has 2 sectors:
Habitat describes all physical things that are either (1) built or (2) natural
Biota includes (1) wildlife (e.g. flora, fauna, microbes, fungi, etc.) and (2) humankind
Society is made up of our (1) communities and (2) institutions (i.e. social norms)
BUT….
Cycles describes “things” that are moving, and the act of moving them. BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW TO BREAK DOWN “CYCLES” INTO TWO COMPONENT SECTORS…
I’ve had a couple ideas in the past……
or something else? I’m having a super hard time and would really appreciate any input!
Essentially, it would need to cover resources as commodities (when left alone, a resource would be a part of habitat, only when it’s harvested would it be a part of cycles); energy; waste; water; trade; industry; economic activity (“economy” used to be a part of cycles, where industry and jobs would be categorized; although I currently have “economy” as a part of institutions…)
Prior to submitting this piece, my blog had a total of 38 posts. When I searched my University’s library catalog for the availability of Janine Benyus’ book, Biomimicry. It was in stock; the LCC: T173.8 .B45 2002. Now, surely these were just coincidental; but why would I get so excited about these numbers?
Over 3.8 billion- that’s how many years of experience our planet, Earth, has spent on research and development.[1] Quite a resume, wouldn’t you think? Biomimicry 3.8 Institute certainly thinks so. On their “about” page, Biomimicry 3.8 Institute explains:
The “3.8” in our name refers to the more than 3.8 billion years that life has been adapting and evolving to changing conditions on the planet since the very first life forms emerged. If you think about it, that’s a staggering and, in many ways, unfathomable amount of R&D which humankind can learn from, actively apply, and use to innovate for a better world.
Although Benyus’ book was supposedly in-stock, I could not find it on the shelves of my library. I am already fairly familiar with the idea of Biomimicry, however, so I decided I would instead just do some research online. I found this great TED talk:
Janine Benyus: The promise of biomimicry | Video on TED.com.
The concept of Biomimicry was explored for Unit 4 of my research: Learning from Nature. More on this subject soon!
References:
[1] BBC, History of life on Earth. Retrieved March 3, 2013 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/history_of_the_earth
For my waterfront development course this past semester (3rd semester of graduate school and I still have a 4.0 GPA by the way- sorry, I just have to brag!), our final assignment was to study a topic relating to waterfront development and how it might have implications for Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. While most of my classmates analyzed current waterfront proposals, I actually focused my research on how those developments may be adversely impacted by (poor) water quality. The poster assignment was to be displayed during our Super Jury event, our final critique. My poster was heavily graphics-oriented, while my paper was more informative (I’ll be sharing that soon, be sure to check back!). The poster also highlights a current Baltimore waterfront proposal hoping to soon be approved. Unlike the developments that my classmates considered, this project intends to clean the water and improve Baltimore’s Harbor. I am so excited about the project proposed by Dan Naor and Baltimore Marine Centers, I hope it’s approved shortly!
Megan Griffith, Morgan State University Waterfront Development Course, ENST 738
treehuggingurbanist 