The Globus Design Associates Blog

Design Extends to Street Scapes

The town where my office is located recently added some lighting, benches, trash receptacles and planters to its new sidewalks. It appears to be a well-intentioned effort to make the business area more attractive and welcoming.  Unfortunately, the execution could have benefited from some design input.

Location, location location

New park bench and planter facing guard rail in front of stream. 

When seated on the new bench, ones view to the stream (not shown) is blocked by the guard rail. 

Safety

Considering that the guard rails have been erected to prevent cars from crashing into the stream below, one wonders about the logic of installing seating for people inches from speeding cars and trucks and orienting it so that one cannot see approaching danger.

Scale

This small town is a pedestrian friendly town boasting greater than average bicycle traffic due to the lack of school busses servicing the local schools.  Children on bicycles walk and ride their bicycles while depending upon the sidewalks to keep them off the streets.  Hopefully, groups of them will not be forced to circumvent the new planters and benches by walking in the street.  Smaller scale planters and waste receptacles could have alleviated the concern.

opportunity

If a portion of the money spend to improve the town was allocated to design services, the project's outcome could have exceeded the intention if not eliminated some potential long term costs.

Waterfowl Festival Exhibits Good City Event Design

Planning for the day when Americans gather around a table featuring a fowl seems like an appropriate time to look at the plan of another fowl based event, the annual Waterfowl Festival held Nov. 11-13 in Easton, MD.  The town wide event is a marvel of event design.

Cars are prohibited in the center of town. Photo: Suzan Globus

The fine arts are exhibited in secure venues.  Photo: Suzan Globus

Free busses take festival goers to and from off-site venues.  Photo: Suzan Globus

Where vendors, Photo: Suzan Globus

and competitors exhibit.  Photo: Suzan Globus

Regional food is plentiful.  Photo: Suzan Globus

Local non-profit organizations are given the opportunity to provide food. Photo: Suzan Globus

Several groups of musicians provided a variety of entertainment.  Photo: Suzan Globus

Judging from the people and dogs, it is a successful event for the town. The people and the dogs deserve another post.  Until then, Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Green Art Museum Anchors LoDo

Before leaving Denver, I visited MCA Denver, the museum of contemporary art, located on a remediated brownfield site two blocks from Union Station in LoDo.  This non-collecting museum -they take sustainability seriously in their mission- is housed in a 27,000 square foot LEED Gold certified building. The design of the building, "supports rather than defines the museum's mission" to quote the museum's literature.  This less-is-more approach to architecture in a field of iconic examples of contemporary museum architecture seems to suit this organization well. 

Image from www.mcadenver.org 

Additional features of the building interiors were noteworthy:

Natural light floods transitional spaces.

Children's learning spaces are segregated from exhibit spaces and easily maintained.

An open shelf library encourages exploration.

The green roof garden uses native plants.

 

I was also impressed with the message conveyed by the museum's admissions policy during  the Energy Effects exhibit, exploring the relationship between energy and aesthetics.  If a person walked, took public transportation or rode their bike to the museum, they were given a reduced admission fee. What a simple, smart way to remind us that each of us can take small actions to contribute to a healthy environment.

Green City Initiatives - Lessons from Denver

During a quick trip to Denver, CO, I was impressed by some simple sustainability programs that make the city more accessible and enjoyable.

Leaving the Newark terminals behind. Photo: Suzan Globus

Landing in Denver. Photo: Suzan Globus

Although Denver is home to some progressive interior design like the multi-use lobby of The Jet Hotel

The Jet Hotel lobby.  Photo: Suzan Globus

which transforms into the Jet Bar at night when the draperies get fastened to the columns,

The Jet Bar.  Photo: Suzan Globus

I was more interested in city planning than facilities.  Here is what makes green Denver work well:

1. A pedestrian mall that transverses a mile long retail district.  Free service on hybrid, accessible buses that run frequently 20 hours a day. Photo: Suzan Globus

2. Public art installations, adequate lighting and lush landscaping make the mall a pleasant place to be.  Photo: Suzan Globus

3. Street performers. I didn't get a chance to ask this musician if his performance was subsidized by the city. Photo: Suzan Globus

  4. Ample, well located bike racks.  Photo: Suzan Globus

5. Bikes available to rent and return to various spots around the city including the train station.  Rates range from a dollar an hour to five dollars a day.  Photo: Suzan Globus

6. Public buses with front mounted bike racks to accommodate cyclists. Photo: Suzan Globus