Design Expectations
Peter Callaghan has an article today identifying two cases of what he describes as “good examples of bad urban design”: the Foss Waterway Towers and the Multicare Steam Plant.
Add in the Proctor Safeway wall and you’ve three controversial projects that have requested some deviation from City regulations in order to redevelop. While the question of what makes good design can be (and has been) discussed at length, there seems to be a couple assumptions in each of the projects.
1) The developers assume they can change the regulations to allow a project that they feel will improve the area.
2) The public assumes they should have a right to alter the project to make it fit their own vision of the area.
By encouraging both of these assumptions, the projects become a mash of checkbox design. Should developers expect to be allowed to tailor regulations to allow progressive projects? Should the public expect to be able to redesign these projects on the fly at community meetings?
Previous discussions:
Safeway Wall Discussion in the Forums
6 comments
G grubedoo February 12, 2008
Do the survey.
Do it … Do it.
We need more grocery store choices downtown or in the hilltop area.
M Marguerite February 12, 2008
Done!
It was easy, maybe 5 minutes.
I feel like I got something important done today!
C Crenshaw Sepulveda February 12, 2008
My application for a home loan was easier to fill out than this survey. The SAT was easier for me than this survey. I swear there was a question asking what percentage of post consumer recycled paper do you want your bags to be made of and would you buy locally grown vegan corn flakes made in Tukwilla? Forget the surveys, we all know what a coop is. For crying out loud they have two of them in Olympia. Surveys, we need a coop and all we get is surveys. Anyone that puts together a survey like this one makes me wonder if they are capable of running a coop and if we’d actually see one in operation in Tacoma. I hate to say this, (actually I don’t) but I think well have a Trader Joe’s in downtown Tacoma long before this coop sees a grand opening. What next, focus groups? Hire some Seattle consultant?
S Sassy McButterpants February 13, 2008
Now Crenshaw, it’s late at night, maybe a hot toddy, a good book, and a cuddle from Mrs. Sepulveda will take the edge off this evening!
It’s just market research! That’s very consciencious of them, I think. But I mostly only eat mass produced processed preservative filled crap so I support them in spirit only.
Go coop!
D dTor February 13, 2008
Wow! My two favorite commentors having a nice tete-a-tete. Thanks, Crenshaw and Sassy, you’ve both put a smile on my face. Gotta agree with Sassy, however, as my vegan spirit doesn’t always win out over my gotta-eat-on-the-run lifestyle. The co-op gets my support in spirit only too….
J jamie from thriceallamerican February 13, 2008
For those with a “gotta-eat-on-the-run lifestyle”, there are actually questions on the survey regarding sale of prepared foods. If that might appeal to your lifestyle, but you’d like to eat local and/or organic, it’s probably worth filling out the survey.
(However, I was frustrated with the geographical preference question. The whole Central Tacoma area got lumped in with Hilltop. How can I selfishly lobby for the coop being on Sixth Ave if my first choice also includes the MLK area?)