Fwd: Meeting

[Emmanuel Soriano]

Hey Guys,

Below is Greg's feedback.

Best,

Eman

Begin forwarded message:

From: Greg Morrow <gdmo...@gmail.com>

Date: May 22, 2010 8:54:59 AM PDT

To: Emmanuel Soriano <e.so...@ucla.edu>

Subject: Re: Meeting

I think you got bogged down with secondary things and lost sight of the big picture last time. What are the key things that drive your scenario? It seems to me you started out with an idea of a Disney "off campus" (which sounds you are returning to that in #1 below). This makes sense since your target market is Disney workers looking for a more affordable, yet proximate, place to live. What would something like a dispersed "campus" be like and how could it drive the development of the area? Inevitably, if the HSR station comes to Norwalk, there will also be pressure on it to be the lower-cost alternative for tourists, since it's only 10 minutes to Disney by rail. You might also think about how this second set of forces (in addition to Disney workers) might intersect with your proposal.

I did a project a while back with Electronic Arts (EA), who were looking for a place to locate their Montreal campus (which had a wide range of requirements -- work space, living quarters, cafes, basketball courts, etc). Instead of creating a single "campus", the idea was to break it apart and embed the different pieces within a broader urban neighborhood. New infrastructural interventions were stitched into parts of the existing urban fabric that we felt could be re-used. In this case, it was a new network of streets connected a series of open spaces at different scales. In that way, the idea of the EA "campus" was able to drive a larger urban design strategy.

I could see a similar approach in your case (though not necessarily a similar proposal). Certainly there are going to be residential units, but think about the other things that Disney workers might want -- bars & restaurants, public spaces, practice spaces?, and so on. We can never fully predict what the market will demand but you can imagine different possibilities. The key is not to think about it programmatically but to think typologically. What kind of generic building forms might support some of the things that might come with adding these new residential units. The emphasis here should be on the urban form, i.e. generic forms & patterns, rather than architectural i.e. designing individual buildings. How might different typologies plug into a broader infrastructural intervention to structure a new neighborhood?

Particular places might be nodes that structure your area (supported by some infrastructural intervention, which could be the "artificial landscape" idea or as simple as a grid of streets), and the residential components might simply be the "fabric" (as it is in most neighborhoods). You might think about what typology that residential fabric might be (are they highrises? townhouses? single-family? perimeter block flats? some new typology or hybrid?), but the key isn't the character/design of the dorm units per se (so I wouldn't get too cutesy about making dorm units = shipping containers as per #2 below, which might be a bit too architectural, if not already done), but rather the character of the urban form -- you aren't designing buildings, you are imaging how the urban form might play out in response to a series of conjectures (demand for Disney worker housing due to the HSR catalyst). What is the relationship of the different parts? How do they relate to the HSR station? How do they relate to open spaces, etc? What are the infrastructural interventions? Give us some idea of what kind of 3D massing you see (is it condensed around the station, with a large swath of open space? is it a network of small-scale blocks? etc)

Not sure if this helps or not -- there are limits to what words can do (your words in describing your intent and my words in providing suggestions). But if you have any sketches of diagrams that you want to send me before Tues, I can give you some feedback.

-GM
 

On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Emmanuel Soriano <e.so...@ucla.edu> wrote:

Hi Greg,

Here are some ideas that Mike articulated after we talked about how we are basically taking a much bigger picture approach to the final assignment.

Thanks,

Emmanuel

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mike Coons <mdc...@gmail.com>

Date: May 20, 2010 10:32:45 PM PDT

To: m4...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: Meeting

Reply-To: m4...@googlegroups.com

One last note: the example of OMA's Almere is probably not too strong — Rem had, in many and specific ways, prescribed its entire development cycle.  Still, the scale is right, as is the variability — multiple architects, multiple uses.  

On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 10:13 PM, Mike Coons <mdc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Talking points (anyone/everyone else should add):

1) return to the original conceit: norwalk as a community dedicated to young disney workers.

2) identify specific areas around the station for development — not exactly what will be there, but simply where are the areas.  New, simple diagram that has just the areas we see as developable.  Should lead to a further diagram that talks about how the freight lot might be a good initial intervention for housing (perhaps because it creates a link to South Whittier's existing community, while [possibly] retail/entertainment on the other side of Imperial makes a more reasonable connection to existing amenities ... I'm not sure, but we should be.  One idea: we could argue for a dorm unit based on the dimensions of a shipping container — i know it's being done to death right now, but there's a connection to existing use (fantastical, true, but that seems to be what we're missing ... just spitballing here).

 

3) initially the typological study may be an investigation of the housing form — is there a unique, dorm-like situation that we can argue for on the basis of the interests, demographics, desires of the twenty-somethings we're allegedly serving?  However ... number 4

4) crucial to our program should the infrastructural element of the bridge/topography connecting those areas we've already highlighted as primed for development.  I've been imagining something like the Ramble in central park (references to the picturesque, a precursor, in many ways, to landscape urbanism) — more topologically dynamic than the High Line .  Other references: Tom Sawyer's island at Disneyland — it's the one place that I can remember from going to Disney as a kid that seemed a little wild, a little outside control, even a little sinister.  

5) If we can establish that infrastructural spine (scoliotic ... nothing straight and narrow here), then we can argue that the remaining sites can plug into the topography in myriad ways — even those sites already developed in an early phase may adapt to meet the increased and evolving use of the infrastructural pathway.  Maybe a hotel meets the path above (a la the Standard and the High Line ... although those two don't actually connect), or maybe a kind of subterranean, nocturnal world develops beneath, accessible from above, but indulging the less cartoonish interests of the inhabitants ... maybe both.  This kind of adaptability is part of OMA's Almere project and is the goal of Stan Allen acolytes everywhere.

Just some quick thoughts.  I'll try to add more tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

MC

On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 9:58 PM, Mike Coons <mdc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Shit, sorry, that send with some random keystroke.  I'm going to finish my thoughts and then send again.

On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 9:58 PM, Mike Coons <mdc...@gmail.com> wrote:

That's a pretty solid excuse there, Chen.  Good luck.  Eman.  I'll keep trying to move things tomorrow, but I have to work until 2 and then drive my wife to the airport at 3:30, so it's not looking too good.  

I would suggest that these are some of our talking points (and anyone/everyone else should add):

1) return to the original conceit: norwalk as a community dedicated to young disney workers.

2) identify specific areas around the station for development — not exactly what will be there, but what are the areas.  New diagram that has just the areas we see as developable.  Should lead to a further diagram that talks about how the freight lot might be a good initial intervention for housing (perhaps because it creates a link to South Whittier's existing community, while [possibly] retail/entertainment on the other side of Imperial makes a more reasonable connection to 

 

3) initially the typological study may be an investigation of the housing form — is there a unique, dorm-like situation that we can argue for on the basis of the interests, demographics, desires of the twenty-somethings we're allegedly serving?  However ...

3) crucial to our program is the infrastructural element of the bridge/topography connecting those areas we've already highlighted as primed for development.  I've been imagining something like the Ramble in central park (references to the picturesq

On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 9:24 PM, Emmanuel Soriano <e.so...@ucla.edu> wrote:

No prob, Mike. 

I can make it to the the 3:00pm appointment.  And, if necessary, I could probably make it to the 4pm appointment. 

If no one else can make it, I can meet with Greg and then relay the conversation to you all.  I think we have a good idea about where we need to go from here; big beautiful picture.

-Eman

 

On May 20, 2010, at 9:12 PM, Mike Coons wrote:

I really don't think I can make.  I tried to move some things around this afternoon, but I haven't had much luck.  anyone else available?

On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 8:38 PM, <e.so...@ucla.edu> wrote:

Hi guys,

Are we going to meet up with Greg tomorrow?

Best,
Eman
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Emmanuel Soriano

Student

Master of Urban Planning

School of Public Affairs

UCLA

e.so...@ucla.edu

Emmanuel Soriano

Student

Master of Urban Planning

School of Public Affairs

UCLA

e.so...@ucla.edu

[陈振羽]

Hi guys.. it's a sketch,  from my understanding about our discussion.

[Emmanuel Soriano]

Hi Guys,

I hope the meeting went well today.  Sorry I couldn't be there.  Just to get the gears working; what were the main points from today's meeting? And, what should I get started on?

Thanks,

Eman

On May 24, 2010, at 12:16 AM, 陈振羽 wrote:

Hi guys.. it's a sketch,  from my understanding about our discussion.

<bb.jpeg>

[Dan Caroselli]

Mike,

Here's a really rough sketch I was using to figure out how it would all work in the station area. Basically, the raised portion near the tracks is over parking garages. The red is retail, though I'm not sure about that yet. I imagine some more retail around the plazas at the edges. I was thinking the upper portion would be like a food court, with outdoor seating on the bridge sections (in pink), but I don't know how much I like the idea of a raised food court--too mall-like. The blue circles are the ticket kiosks. The red corner part in the transition from my part to yours is a supermarket.

As for the bridge system, I imagine it being based on hexagons or octagons and being held together in threes and then supported by tree-like columns. This would then also be used (with perforated hexagons) for shade structures as well. 

My big questions before I proceed is whether you agree with having the area around the tracks raised (it really helps for parking needs) and how I should treat the raised part. Also, the transition from my part to yours--what do you think?

Eman,

It's gonna be tough tough to bring you up to speed, so don't worry about doing anything for tomorrow. We went over everything in detail yesterday and defined our immediate project area as only the station and the lower right quadrant, with some retail areas directly across imperial from the station. Basically, the disney kids are living in a campus-like setting to the bottom right that's arranged like a stadium.

[Dan Caroselli]

This is great, chen. 

When I re-do my sketch, I'll make sure the bridges look more like your stitch/lightning-bolt shape.

[Emmanuel Soriano]

Looks/sounds great.  In the meantime, I'll get myself familiar with the sketches.  We'll talk more tomorrow.

Thanks,

Eman

<Sketchysketch.jpg>

Emmanuel Soriano

soria...@gmail.com

[Aaron Baseman]

Do u guys need a new version of what I did last week with the obvious changes that need to be made?

Aaron Baseman

[陈振羽]

this is 1st phase area, 2020.

[Dan Caroselli]

One thing for everyone--at our meeting, we wanted to make sure that we no longer refer to this station as the Norwalk Station. The majority of our initial 2020 building will be in Santa Fe Springs. If anyone has an idea of what to call it, offer it up. We're thinking something to do with tri-cities or "the intersection" or something like that. But for now, let's just call it the station area or Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs.

Chen, looks awesome. When mike comes up with his drawings for the disney campus we can have you do some of those drawings that match his ideas. I think these will work great for showing the "process" of coming up with our designs. 

Eman, you can start editing down our previous information into only the relevant info for our story (basically, that the station area is at the convergence of three cities and multiple interests, that the area is mostly industrial land with residential surrounding, that the area is half way between disneyland and downtown, AND most important--if you can do some research to find average rents in anaheim and norwalk and santa fe springs and south whittier so we can extrapolate what this area's rents might be. Also, keep researching the disney employees if you can.. I'm thinking Anaheim might have some of that info somewhere. I asked my dad who used to work for disney and he said that the company works hard to keep info about employees secret.)

Aaron, we will definitely need an accurate 2050 rendering. Focus on the bridges, and try to show them as being built of modular pieces if that's possible. Or at least irregular shapes. And have them connecting all of the buildings in the rendering. Also, make sure you keep some open space in the bottom right quadrant or do something else to show that it is a campus-like area.

[Dan Caroselli]

all--here's the aerial from bing with the areas whited out where the first phase will take place. I just realized this is A LOT of space to work with. I think we should eliminate the top right industrial space and trim down the campus area (at the bottom right). If I take out the top right area the pathways won't have that distinctive "lightning bolt" shape that we all like. What do you guys think?

[陈振羽]

I think... yes, it's a little large, but we have almost 10years (2020)?

 

在 2010-5-24，下午3:37， Dan Caroselli 写道：

all--here's the aerial from bing with the areas whited out where the first phase will take place. I just realized this is A LOT of space to work with. I think we should eliminate the top right industrial space and trim down the campus area (at the bottom right). If I take out the top right area the pathways won't have that distinctive "lightning bolt" shape that we all like. What do you guys think?

On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 2:49 PM, Dan Caroselli <dan.ca...@gmail.com> wrote:

One thing for everyone--at our meeting, we wanted to make sure that we no longer refer to this station as the Norwalk Station. The majority of our initial 2020 building will be in Santa Fe Springs. If anyone has an idea of what to call it, offer it up. We're thinking something to do with tri-cities or "the intersection" or something like that. But for now, let's just call it the station area or Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs.

Chen, looks awesome. When mike comes up with his drawings for the disney campus we can have you do some of those drawings that match his ideas. I think these will work great for showing the "process" of coming up with our designs. 

Eman, you can start editing down our previous information into only the relevant info for our story (basically, that the station area is at the convergence of three cities and multiple interests, that the area is mostly industrial land with residential surrounding, that the area is half way between disneyland and downtown, AND most important--if you can do some research to find average rents in anaheim and norwalk and santa fe springs and south whittier so we can extrapolate what this area's rents might be. Also, keep researching the disney employees if you can.. I'm thinking Anaheim might have some of that info somewhere. I asked my dad who used to work for disney and he said that the company works hard to keep info about employees secret.)

Aaron, we will definitely need an accurate 2050 rendering. Focus on the bridges, and try to show them as being built of modular pieces if that's possible. Or at least irregular shapes. And have them connecting all of the buildings in the rendering. Also, make sure you keep some open space in the bottom right quadrant or do something else to show that it is a campus-like area.

On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 12:41 PM, 陈振羽 <chenzhe...@gmail.com> wrote:

this is 1st phase area, 2020.

<DSC_0185-1.jpeg>

<phase1parcels.jpg>

[Mike Coons]

Shit, Dan, I thought I replied to this email earlier this afternoon but I guess it didn't go through.  Yes, I think the raised portion is a fine move and makes plenty of sense for what we're trying to accomplish.  I just saw your other sketch and think it looks great.  You've allotted less housing in that initial quadrant than I thought we'd planned on, but we can work that out more tomorrow.  Sorry for being incommunicado. 

m