LA Vacancy: The Re-Shelling of Urban Voids by cconetta-nyit95

An Apparatus for Variable Site Architecture

LA Vacancy: The Re-shelling of Urban Voids Christopher Conetta Thesis Studio Research Thesis Studio Advisor Associate Professor Naomi Frangos School of Architecture and Design, New York Institute of Technology Arch 501/502 Fall Semester 2017 Spring Semester 2018

VARIABLE SITE ARCHITECTURE A city’s grain is marked by its patterns, peripheries,edges, nodes, centers, etc. That make up its various field conditions. Through evolutionary changes of growth and decay, or its unfinished “microworlds” a city makes and re-makes itself as a “macro field”-it’s grain in flux. Consider consistencies and interruptions, disturbances, and irregularities in the urban fabric created or caused by natural topography, man-made infrastructure, historical events, cultural framing, societal evolution, political governance, etc. Consider the idea of an apparatus, “tool, implement , equipment, a preparing” as a city’s scaffolding, from which we order our spaces, buildings, and events. Now consider an “organism” that encounters, pervades, inhabits, emerges, from and reacts to the topography, infrastructure, grain, history, and sociocultural constructs of its field. This studio will examine how urban typologies can function at different scales and sites by generating variable/inter-scaler solutions as diversified and expanded field conditions that promote growth within existing disparate urban situations

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CONTENTS PAGE 4 THEORETICAL INVESTIGATIONS: MAPPING AND FIELDS: 6 FIELD CONDITIONS 7 AGENCY OF MAPPING 8 MATT BUILDING 9 WHY SITE MATTERS READING LOS ANGELES: LA CLASHING STREET GRID OVERDRIVE:LA CONSTRUCTS THE FUTURE 1940-1990 LOS ANGELES: THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE FOUR ECOLOGIES SIDEWALKING NO MORE PLAY LOS ANGELES BOULEVARD MAKING TIME: ESSAYS ON THE NATURE OF LOS ANGELES ECOLOGY OF FEAR: LOS ANGELES AND THE IMAGINATION OF DISASTER

MAPPING LOS ANGELES-INFRASTRUCTURAL URBANISM: MIND MAP DIAGRAMS

COMPARATIVE URBAN ANALYSIS: NY/LA COMPARISON

SITE ANALYSIS: SITE CASE STUDIES IMAGES

10 12 13

6 7

PAGE THESIS STATEMENT: CINEMATIC INVESTIGATIONS METAPHOR FOR AN ORGANISM

54 56 58

PRECEDENTS: -SCHOUWSURGPLEIN -THE SHED -LE CORBUSIER CONTEMPORARY CITY -LE CORBUSIER UNITE Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;HABITATION -WEWORK

60 62 64 66 68 70 72

THESIS PROPOSAL: Design Factors Design Proposal Model Photos

74 76 84 94

18 19 20 22 23

24 26 27

32 34

8 9

BIBLIOGRAPHY: TEXT SOURCES IMAGE SOURCES

102 104 105

40 42

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THEORETICAL INVESTIGATIONS: MAPPING AND FIELDS: -FIELD CONDITIONS, Stan Allen -AGENCY OF MAPPING, James Corner -MATT BUILDING, Alison & Peter Smithson -WHY SITE MATTERS, Carol Burns & Andrea Khan

These passages by these authors helped in influencing my work by taking into consideration how my organism wont only affect my site, but the surrounding area such as was stated in “Why Site Matters” as well as the correct definition of mapping which helped decipher what I will map which was done by reading “Agency of Mapping”. As well as how my organism might evolve in the future similar to the Matt building.

FIELD CONDITIONS, Stan Allen QUOTE: All grids are field, but not all fields are grids. 1

RESPONSE: I find the quote interesting because Allen talks about the difference between a field and a grid. This quote means that whenever you seed a grid it is also a field. However there isn’t a grid in every field. I find this statement to be true, this is because I see that the field is a broader view of something rather than the grid which is a more specific view. For example a relatively easy example could be in a design project if you’re looking at the structural grid of a building then you’re looking at one of its fields. However if you’re looking at the program layout of the project then there might not necessarily be a grid there. Another example less obvious could be if one were to take all the parks and green spaces in New York City and connected them to each other it would form a grid even though it wouldn’t be an equal grid. However if you were to take all the subway lines in the city then it wouldn’t be a grid it would be a field. I feel as if grids are used to help design a project while fields aren’t. However your project should be part of the grids you used to design it along with being part of a field.

QUOTE: Postminimalism is marked by hesitation and ontological doubt where the minimalists are definitive; it is painterly and informal where the minimalists are restrained; it remains committed to tangible things and visibility where the minimalists are concerned with underlying structures and ideas. 1 RESPONSE: I find this passage interesting because Allen talks about the differences between postminimalists and minimalists. He talks about how the two styles are completely different from each other. How minimalists are focused on the main idea of things, follow a strict set of rules, and know exactly what to do. Postminimalists on the other hand are looser when it comes to rules. This is also seen when postminimalists would have rules for certain spots of a piece of artwork while minimalists would have rules that are for the entire piece of artwork. This is best scene when it comes to the use of different materials. This is because when working with multiple materials each material can not necessarily follow the same rules so instead each material has a rule that it must follow. Because of this it might be considered easier to work from a postminimalists standpoint rather than a minimalists standpoint when creating artwork that requires the artist to use different materials. Postminimalists are also more concerned with how it looks at the end rather than the main idea unlike the minimalists. Postminimalists were more concerned with the local form or part of a piece of art work while minimalists were more concerned with the overall piece of art. Another difference between minimalists and postminimalists is that unlike postminimalists, minimalists pieces of artwork are developed mainly I sequences, but are almost never developed in fields. Working in fields means that the relationship between figure and ground is redefined within a piece of artwork.

F AGENCY OF MAPPING, James Corner QUOTE: Unlike tracings, which propagate redundancies, mappings discover new world within past and present ones; they inaugurate new grounds upon the hidden traces of living context 2

QUOTE: And what already exists is more than just the physical attributes of terrain (topography, rivers, roads, buildings) but includes also the various hidden forces that underline the workings of a given place 2

RESPONSE: I find this statement very interesting because Corner is saying that a map is only a map when it’s drawn for the first time or if shows something new. So if you buy a street map of let’s say New York City it isn’t actually a map, instead it’s a tracing of a map because nothing new is on there. This also goes for when we discover new places like for example we are still mapping the ocean because there are still unknown parts that we are discovering every day. With this logic whenever we design a project we are in a sense mapping out our building in the early stages and the further we get into the design the design becomes less mapping and more tracing because in the early stages of the design everything is new and moving around however once we start figuring out the locations of the different programs the project becomes more trace rather than project because all the new things have been solved or “discovered”. Which is funny in a way because we are mapping out our design on trace paper in order to have the “trace” as a base to further map out. He also talks about how tracing are only from one point in time, while mapping can be of the past, the present and the future. For example if you had a tracing of New York City it would be of the most present time, however if it were a map it would show the growth of the city starting from when it was ruled by the Dutch and called New Amsterdam past the British rule and up to how it is seen presently and can even show the future of the city.

RESPONSE: I find this statement very interesting because Corner is saying that a tracings only shows physical features of an area like topography, rivers, roads, and buildings. While maps show much more than physical features. They show the unseen as well with things like the sun and when it shines brightest, the angles it shines at and during not only what time of day, but what time of the year as well. Wind and wind direction and in what direction the wind blows in during each month along with not only the wind speed, but how often the wind blows in that direction. Another thing that a map can show is not only of a natural element, but as an historical one as well. For example in Boston they can map out every location that an historical event happened from the Boston Tea Party to the Boston Massacre and to the Battle of Bunker Hill. Something else that a map can show are social issues as well. These can range from income and show areas of higher income and if there’s a grouping of income areas, along with the history of the different income areas to see if there is a trend. Another issue that be map is crime, and to see if areas have a higher crime rate than others along with the history of crime in different areas to see if there is a trend and if there’s a way to predict where the next area is and how to lower the crime rate. Still another aspect that could be mapped is the cultural background of residences and see the history of different areas and the different cultures that occupied the space in the past.

G MAT-BUILDING, Alison & Peter Smithson QUOTE: Extended to urbanism, this typology suggests two corresponding stories of the origin of the city. 3

RESPONSE: I found this interesting because Smithson is referring to the original two types of city planning. The Roman model and the Greek model. The Roman method of city planning and was called the Castra and was very symmetrical. It was based off the layout of their military bases and had a central meeting place with two roads cutting through it one going north-south and the other one going east-west. The second was the Greek method of city planning. This method was Polis method in this method the center of the city wasn’t planned like the Roman city planning method, instead the Greek method was more organic, this caused the roads to be more winding rather than straight. Also this meant that buildings would be placed as the city grew unlike the Romans where buildings already had a place set for them before they’re even built. Another difference between the Roman and Greek method of city planning was the use of spaces. The Roman method was more focused on what was actually there. The Greek method of city planning was more focused around the empty space that was the Agora or the marketplace. The Polis was also centered around the marketplace where everyone would gather and interact. The Greek method of city planning was also centered more on the people interacting with each other and focused more on the social life rather than the private life. This can be seen with the Mat-Building because the Mat-Building is centered around the marketplace and how people gather and interact with each other.

QUOTE: … the reconstruction of the Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona responds to the constant flux of demolition and rebuilding in historic center. 3

RESPONSE: I found this interesting because Smithson is talking about the Santa Canterina Market in Barcelona and how the architects Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue used pieces of the past to help with their design. They “inscribe new traces, and overlay new uses, without erasing the old” This was an incredibly smart idea done by the architects because they designed the market, but instead of taking everything down and starting off with a blank piece of canvas to design their building they instead used what was already there and what used to be there to help with their design. This is seen with how the marketplace was laid out along with factors that helped out the design. They use the different types of program and activities that are usually occurring in a busy city center. So often when it comes to designing buildings people rarely care about what used to stand there and want to design their own building, however it is extremely important that architects acknowledge the history of the site they’re building on along with the surrounding area. Especially in such a historically rich city such as Barcelona.

WHY SITE MATTERS , Carol Burns & Andrea Khan QUOTE: Each built project creates new forces within its own area and also modifies and influences systems that both reach beyond the site and operate within it 4

RESPONSE: This passage talks about how when a building or project is design it doesn’t just have an impact on the lot that its being built on, but it also has an impact on the surrounding area. Unfortunately this wasn’t always the way of thinking when it comes to designing building or other projects. People used to say “who cares about the surrounding area and the impact that our building has on it. This type of thinking is similar to the Tragedy of the Commons where everyone does whatever they want on their property because they can however they don’t take into consideration the consequences their actions would play on the surrounding environment. This is perfectly demonstrated how in 1952 Cleveland Cuyahoga River actually caught fire. The cause of this was that the river had become so polluted as the result of people not caring about the impact their building had on the surrounding area. Thankfully this fire helped lead to the Clean Water Act which regulated what is allowed to be dumped into the water and fines to those who violated it. People eventually learned that the lot in which they built on would have an effect on the surrounding area. It is crucial that when we design a building that we can’t just be concerned with the lot that the building is located on, but also the effect it will have not just on the surrounding natural environment, but on the people that live in the surrounding area and those that will be using the building if it isn’t done then we extremely damage the environment.

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READING LOS ANGELES: -LA CLASHING STREET GRID, Nathan Masters -OVERDRIVE:LA CONSTRUCTS THE FUTURE 19401990, Wim de Wit & Christopher James Alexander -LOS ANGELES: THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE FOUR ECOLOGIES, Reyner Banham -SIDEWALKING, David Ulin -NO MORE PLAY, Michael Maltzan -LOS ANGELES BOULEVARD, Doug Suisman -MAKING TIME: ESSAYS ON THE NATURE OF LOS ANGELES,William Fox -ECOLOGY OF FEAR: LOS ANGELES AND THE IMAGINATION OF DISASTER, Mike Davis

These passages talk about the history of L.A and the factors and reasons of why it is today. After reading these passages I’ve discovered potential problems in L.A that I’d confront and solve.

L.A CLASHING STREET GRID, Nathan Masters QUOTE : When the Americans conquered the city in 1847, one of their first tasks was to impose American cartographic standards on Hispanic settlement patterns.â&#x20AC;? 5

RESPONSE : Back when the Spanish first founded the city in 1781 he used something called the Law of the Indies to orient the city grid. In this law not only were the social centers of town were to be pointed at 45 degrees off the cardinal direction, but the political centers had to be as well. The law of the Indies were used in the development of more than 300 cities in the Spanish New World and has been an extremely influential document when it comes to city planning. However because of the way the LA River cuts through the city instead of 45 degrees off cardinal direction the city was oriented at 36 degrees. Once the US conquered the city however this form of city planning would change. Some sections of the city are oriented at 36 degrees like the original Spanish settlement, and some of the early US surveyors kept this. However at certain surveyors designed certain sections of the city to be oriented at 28 degrees north. Not only were the degrees of planning changed, but also the layout of blocks in the city. There are traces of how the Spanish laid it out, how Henry Hancock sectioned it into square tracts, and then how the US survey divided it into 36 one mile square sections within a 36 square mile perimeter. I think one of the problems with LA is that it has so many different variations of land division and city planning and the people who designed it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take into account the past. New York on the other hand especially Manhattan with the exception of the downtown area around Wall Street is a grid system. New York has a very well thought out grid system which makes it easy to navigate.

OVERDRIVE:LA CONSTRUCTS THE FUTURE 1940-1990 Wim de Wit & Christopher James Alexander QUOTE : But roadside culture did not end at the roads. Commuting quickly between home, work and play required a car-friendly environment. 7

RESPONSE : This passage talks about the shift in culture and how things were in the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Before that time people only would go out to get what they needed or if they were going somewhere. However during this change in culture where people would get in and drive just to drive or drive and find something along the way and go there. People started using car more often and thus a more car-friendly society came to be. Malls started to pop up around the country where all the stores would be located in one building/ complex surrounded by a large parking lot in order to accommodate for the large amount of people that would go. We can even see this in society now where people would go to the malls on a Saturday just to wonder or to go and hangout and has become a social event/ aspect of life. We can also see this change in the way building were designed. Buildings along the highway had to stand out in order for people to go there and spend money there. People started designing weird and unique buildings that would standout and attract people driving on the highway. Becoming a car friendly has had a negative impact however, we have been so focused on the car we have given it so much space and taken away so much space for not only the pedestrian, but also for modes of public transportation like trains and buses. The result of more people driving cars results not only in an increase in traffic, but also an increase in pollution which is a factor in climate change. 13

ECOLOGY 1 OF L.A (Surfurbia), Reyner Banham QUOTE : Los Angeles is the greatest City-on-the-Shore in the world; its only notable rival, in fact is Rio de Janeiro 6

RESPONSE : In chapter 2 of the book it talks about beach and surf culture of Los Angeles. It talks about how one of the first things people think of Los Angeles is the beaches and the only other city that is the same way is Rio de Janeiro. It talks about how beach communities like Venice and Huntington were formed because people would vacation there and ended up staying there because at the time it was easy to get to the city center of Los Angeles with one simple train ride. I find it interesting that it seems that everyone thinks that the waters of the coast of Los Angeles are warm, when in fact theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re extremely cold and that the waters off the coast of Long Island are much warmer. This is because the water that comes to Los Angeles are actually from the Northern Pacific and Alaska so the water is colder than the water which goes to New York which is from the Caribbean. There also seems to be a contrast in mentally between the beach areas of Los Angeles and that of New York. It seems as if the people of the Los Angeles beach areas arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t concerned with materials and are more concerned with physical appearance than the people of New York who are more concerned with fashion and the newest fashion trends. This could be that because of the contrast in weather the people of Los Angeles are dealing with warmer and nicer weather while the people of New York have to deal with a wide range of weather.

ECOLOGY 2 OF L.A (Foothills), Reyner Banham QUOTE : Indeed there is no native style of gardening in common practice at allâ&#x20AC;Ś 6

RESPONSE : This quote is in regards to the fact that in the city of L.A the local vegetation isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used in gardens at all. Instead it is all these foreign plants that are used in both public and private areas. I find this interesting because the city of L.A is a dessert and the only plants that can survive are ones with shallow roots in order to soak up the little rain that L.A receives. However because of the perfect sunny weather that L.A receives along with proper watering virtually any plant can thrive there. However in my opinion this is a negative because like so many other places throughout the country people choose plant based on what looks good instead of what actually belongs in the area and if any wildlife can benefit from it. This has caused a negative impact on my different species of wildlife like the Monarch Butterfly who is on the endanger species list because the plants that they need to survive (milkweed) are being removed and being replaced by non-native plants. These non-native plants also means that they consume more water than the native plants and since there are so many of these non-native plants it is one of the reasons why LA along with the rest of the state is facing its water crisis .I find this to be a reoccurring case with L.A their plants and their buildings arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t organic to their area/ history. Instead they impose their own will onto it and ends up hurting their surrounding environment because of it.

ECOLOGY 3 OF L.A ( The Plains of Id), Reyner Banham QUOTE : … ticky tacky houses clustered indistinguishable neighborhoods, slashed across endless freeways that have destroyed any community spirit that may have once existed… 6

RESPONSE : This is in regards to the fact that in the city of L.A there seems to be no distinction from one area of the city to another. Where all the houses and developments appear to be the same. The exception for this could be for an area like Beverly Hills because of the fame and fortune that the area has. However with most of the other areas in L.A one can cross through 3 different sections or neighborhoods and not realize they crossed through them it would seem like it was just one. One of the problems was that when construction of the freeways went up they cut right through neighborhoods displacing the residents. Unfortunately this isn’t just a L.A problem. This was done in Chicago in the 1950/60’s displacing its residence and placing them in public housing areas that became known as 2nd ghettos. This was also done with Robert Moses in the Bronx with the constriction of the Cross Bronx Expressway and Major Degean. Another example of this goes all the way back to original construction of the boulevard in Paris during the late 1700’s early 1800’s. At the time it can be done for the good of the public however if not done properly it can cause the life and spirit of a neighborhood to disappear and possibly not return. An example of good neighborhood spirt can be seen in Manhattan, here you can see that each of its neighborhoods has a unique spirit and its own heartbeat.

ECOLOGY 4 OF L.A (Autopia), Reyner Banham QUOTE : … that there appears to be no alternative means of movement and you cannot help using them 6

RESPONSE : This is in regards to the fact that in the city of L.A there seems to be no adequate means of public transportation whether it be subways, public buses, or even light rail seems to be difficult to near impossible to use effectively. This is because L.A unlike New York isn’t a walking or public transportation friendly city, instead of this L.A is a driving and car-friendly city. The freeways cut through L.A at multiple sections so everyone drives everywhere all the time. This causes there to not only be the classic terrible traffic situation that L.A has. Another adverse side effect that happens because everyone is using their car there is a lot of pollution and because L.A is situated between an ocean and mountains the pollution just hovers over the city creating its bad pollution problem. Another problem with the amount of freeways that are in L.A many people were displaced by the construction of them and many neighborhoods lost its spirit and have become neglected and abandoned. At the time it can be done for the good of the public however it was not done properly and it caused the life and spirit of a neighborhood to disappear and possibly never return. Another problem is that all major entertainment areas like the Staples Center, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and Dodger Stadium there are virtually no other means of getting there unless it’s by car. This is the exact opposite of New York City where you can get to any of the sporting stadiums/ arenas multiple ways via public transportation. 17

SIDEWALKING, David Ulin QUOTE : Many neighborhoods in Los Angeles and nearby cities have changed their name to distance themselves from areas with bad reputations. 8

RESPONSE : This passage talks about some places in the city of Los Angeles are trying to change the way people view that neighborhood simply by changing its name. This is a bad idea because simply changing the name of someplace doesn’t change its character or make the area safer. In order for that to happen people need to actively try and improve the neighborhood. If the community is leading the change then they would need the help of the government for things they can’t handle on their own whether it’s funding or workers and if the government is leading the change then they would need to work closely with the neighborhood in order for the change to be effective and that good change actually happens and the neighborhood doesn’t have a problem with it because they are actually better off. An example of an area that changed its name in hopes of changing its poor reputation is the area formerly known as Sepulveda, the area divided itself in two and called these two new areas Panorama City and North Hills. Other neighborhoods have broken their neighborhood into series of micro-neighborhoods. How can we truly help a neighborhood if we don’t know its name because we keep trying to change it in order to improve its reputation? We should be less worried about the name of a neighborhood and more concerned with how the people feel living there and what they think can help improve the neighborhood.

NO MORE PLAY, Michael Maltzan QUOTE : I enjoy the mental gymnastics of being surrounded by utter nothingness and having to deal with it. Being surrounded by parking lots- you are in a world that offers you almost nothing at all. There is no hand that reaches out to help you, so I feel like LA is emotionally realistic in a strange way. 9

RESPONSE : I find this quote interesting because it talks about the lack of public spaces, landmarks in Los Angeles. The result of this is that it can be easy to get lost in Los Angeles because there are no landmarks to help orientate yourself like there is in New York with its grid and tall skyscrapers to help people orientate themselves and navigate the city. One of the first things someone does when they leave the subway in New York is look for landmarks/ street signs to help orientate themselves and help them get from where they are to where they need to get to. Instead Los Angeles is covered with freeways, parking lots and abandoned lots. This makes it harder for people to orientate themselves and help them navigate the city. Part of this is because L.A has such a heavy car friendly culture that so much space has been given to the car and has really taken away from the pedestrian. The second part of the quote talks about how that feeling of the city not helping out is similar to life. This can be translated that since there arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t adequate public spaces itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harder for people to interact with each other and if someone is new and just moved to the city it will be harder to meet new people and therefore feel alone.

LOS ANGELES BOULEVARD, Doug Suisman QUOTE : … to diagnose the apparent lifelessness of the street, and concluded that the problem and opportunity lay in the street’s cross-section, both in width and height. 10

RESPONSE : I find this quote interesting because it talks about the problem with the fact that L.A is such a car friendly society. However the problem with L.A being such a car friendly is also the solution. The focus is on the Boulevards and how to make them more pedestrian friendly and serve as a public space. The theory is that there would be a public strip dividing the boulevard in two and on this strip there would be shops, parks on the edge of this strip and people would walk between them. This solution was modeled after Barcelona’s Ramblas however they decided to incorporate the culture of downtown L.A in it. They did this by adding palm trees, cafes, information kiosks, gardens, and fountains. This was extremely smart move done by the designers because they are taking a good idea and adding their own unique spin to it. The idea of having pedestrians located in the center of the boulevard with shops on either side is a smart idea because it allows more space for people in a society that values the car. Another aspect that was added was that there would be another street running under the boulevard and that’s where people who wanted to go to the pavilion would park their car. This is similar to what sections of Chicago has where there is an upper street and lower street for cars.

LOS ANGELES BOULEVARD, Doug Suisman QUOTE : … our boulevards ( like our aging fleet of jets) require structural rather than merely cosmetic attention 10

RESPONSE : This quote talks about how the boulevard is similar to the fuselage of a jet plane. The relation to this is that like the fuselage of a jet everything happens within the confines of the boulevard and how it’s designed is in an economic and technical requirement instead of a design aspect. Instead the boulevard needs to be treated in the cross section including everything that happens subsurface along with what happens “behind the scenes” of the boulevard in the alleys, parking areas, and the other elevations of the building, along with what happens in the surrounding neighborhoods of the boulevards. This is an important concept because one cannot only focus on one scale of the boulevard, however they must focus on all scales both large and small. When we focus on the larger scale we can see how everything relates to each other on a larger scale. When we focus on the smaller scales things become more intimate and in a sense that is the location in which a design is either made or broken. The boulevard for example when people walk down it and walk into a store they just get to the store and there is no real arrival into the store instead you just enter it. If something can be done so that the person experiences a sense of arrival between the boulevard and the store then it becomes a much more personal experience.

MAKING TIME: ESSAYS ON THE NATURE OF LOS ANGELES,William Fox QUOTE : This society which eliminates geographical distance reproduces distance internally as spectacular separation 11

RESPONSE : I find this quote to be extremely true and extremely relevant today. As we are physically closer together and as we can travel greater distances over a shorter period of time we have lost a sense of how to be social in person. This is largely due to the smartphone, while walking around people are looking at the phone in their hand rather than enjoying their surroundings. Even while something special is happening people experience it while looking through their phone instead of real life. It appears as if people have lost the ability to interact with each other face to face because they have grown accustom to interacting with each other through their phone. The smartphone has its upside with being able to have video calls with friends and family that are on the other side of the world along with being able to get news instantly. However when we can access the entire world through our phone our phone becomes our entire world. There is no problem with taking a picture to have a memory of, but when we end up spending more time taking and editing the picture then we are actually experiencing the event then we have a problem. The cell phone has become an extension of ourselves and people have lost their connection with nature and with connecting with strangers because of it. Just as Ray Oldenburg stated the third place in our lives is moving from a physical one to an increasingly more digital one.

ECOLOGY OF FEAR: LOS ANGELES AND THE IMAGINATION OF DISASTER, Mike Davis QUOTE : What generations of tourists and migrants had once admired as a real-life Garden of Eden was now buried under an estimated three billion tons of concrete 12

RESPONSE : This statement is in regards to how people have treated the city of L.A over the years. An area that was able to grow such a wide variety of plants because of the perfect weather was considered to be the Garden of Eden has been destroyed due to the negligence of the people how were developing the city. The destruction of this beautiful area from a once luscious landscape of orchards and rolling to a bleak landscape of factories and developments took less than 60 years to unfold. Essentially every natural aspect of the city has been destroyed by man’s touch. A perfect example of this is the L.A River, by the early 1900’s the river was used to dump sewage in from the cities expanding factories. However that wasn’t the end of its destruction the L.A River was notorious for flooding, so the city decided to pave over the entire river. These efforts weren’t unopposed Harlan Bartholomew and Frederick Law Olmsted ( who designed Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City) fought against this idea of paving over the L.A River and fought to preserve the Garden of Eden that L.A had. They fought that there should be a setback from the river so that people’s residences and stores won’t be flooded and that the environment along the river could be preserved. Unfortunately they were ignored and the river was paved over. This was done to help the industrial areas where many of them now sit abandoned. 23

MAPPING LOS ANGELES-INFRASTRUCTURAL URBANISM: -MIND MAP -DIAGRAMS

Here a mind map was drawn showing major factors as well as showing how everything is connected to each other. As well as different factors in L.A where mapped out and info about them

EVACUATIONS

WILD FIRES

ABANDONMENT BEACH EROSION

NATURAL DISASTERS CLIMATE CHANGE

POLLUTION

HIGHWAYS

DROUGHTS

CAR-FRIENDLY SOCIETY LACK OF PEDESTRIAN SPACE

POOR PUBLIC TRANSIT

PRESERVES

PUBLIC

TRAINS

NATURAL

TRANSPORTATION

CONVENIENT PROXIMITY

RELIGOUSLY

PRIDE

WALKABLE

CELAN

COMFORT & IMAGE

OWNERSHIP GOVERNMENT

SECURITY

SAFE

REDUCED CRIME

SOCIABILITY FRIEDNLY

PRIVATE

HOURS UPKEEP

RACE

WEALTH

RIVERS

GREEN

TRAPPED

HEALTHY ENVIORNMENT

MAN-MADE

SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC SPACE

MULTI-CULTURAL

DIVERSE

ACCESSIBLE

ACCESS

CONNECTED

THEFT

PARKS

UNITY

LEARNING

BEACHES

GANGS

CRIME

FIGHTS CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERIENCE

BUSES

PRIVATE

TOLERANCE

BROKENESS

BICYCLE

CAR

REPEL DIVISION

RISE IN TEMPERATURES HELP ENVIORNMENT

TRAFFIC

DEADSPACE

SEA LEVEL RISE

USES & ACTIVITIES

NEIGHBORLY INDIGENOUS

BELONGING FUN IDENTITY

SPECIAL

ATMOSPHERE

BETTER LIFE

CELEBRATORY

ECONOMY IMPROVEMENT

ATTRACT

REVITALIZE

All public space isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t successful. Here are four characteristics that make public space successful and how each can be achieved as well as how each factors effects each other. You can see that everything is connected and in some way or another everything has an effect on something else.

These maps show the comparison of the freeway system in L.A compared to the subway system of L.A. The freeway system is over 200 miles long while the subway system is only 100 miles long. Given this people relay on their car because it is easier to get from place to place. Which in turn is a reason that L.A has such a bad traffic problem because of the fact that everyone has to relay on the car to get around.

20,301

2,299

There are currently 22,600 vacant lots within the city of Los Angeles. Of those 20,301 or roughly 90% are privately owned while the other 2,299 roughly 10% is city owned 14. Originally many of these lots were under control of the California Redevelopment Agency (RDA) which helped spur redevelopment such as creating affordable housing as well as improving areas of the city. However in 2011 the RDA was de funded in order to help the state in its budget deficit. In response to this cities were allowed to have successor agencies that served the same role of the RDA, Los Angeles however decided not to have a successor agency. As a result of this multiple city agencies in Los Angeles own these vacant lots instead of there being a centralized agency. 16 This results in it being extremely difficult to access even basic information on these lots. The reason for this is because each city agency has its own way in marketing, selling, and leasing these lots. Many of these lots still sit abandoned because as areas get run down it eventually becomes more profitable to keep the lot abandoned rather than try to improve it.

6.3%

7.9%

The total acreage of L.A is 300,201. Of that only 7.9% is dedicated to the public which is roughly 23,798 acres. On the other hand out of the same 300,201 acres of the city 6.3% is dedicated to industrial use. This equates to roughly 19,046 acres is purposed for industrial use. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a good sign when there is almost more land dedicated for industrial use than for public use. Something has to change.

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26%

43%

26%

20%

54%

Originally majority of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6.3% of land that was dedicated to industrial use was used. However as time went on many of these industries left the area and these places eventually became abandoned. Now it is estimated that only 20-30% of these industrial areas are still being used for their original purpose while 26% have been redeveloped for other purposes. This means that between 43%-54% of these industrial areas still sit abandoned. 15

Many of these vacant lots both privately and publicly owned along with these industrial areas arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in the middle of nowhere. In fact many of them are close to not only the highways, but to the subway system as well as along the three boulevards that run from the beach to the downtown area. This creates the perfect opportunity for something to be done in these lots to help fix the problem that they cause.

COMPARATIVE URBAN ANALYSIS NY/LA COMPARISON

When looking at both the cities of Manhattan and Los Angeles there are many things that can be compared and contrasted especially how each city approaches public space.

Manhattan has an area of 14,611 acres, of these 2,778 acres roughly 19% of the city is dedicated for the public. Compared to Los Angeles which is almost 20 times larger than Manhattan yet when it comes to percentages of land dedicated for the public Manhattan has more than twice as much as Los Angeles does.

Not only does Manhattan have more percentage of acres dedicated to public use than Los Angles, but it is much easier to reach both by car and by subway. Manhattan has roughly 120 miles worth of avenues, while its subway system has 210 miles of track on the island with most of these stops occurring at or near these public spaces. While Los Angeles on the other hand is almost the exact opposite of Manhattan with their only being roughly 100 miles of subway track and roughly 200 miles worth of freeway. This means that it much easier to access these spaces in Manhattan than Los Angeles.

Taking a closer look at these spaces we can see how Manhattan approaches these spaces. Bryant Park for example is located at the heart of Midtown between Times Square and Grand Central Terminal. However the trees as well as the library that are around the perimeter of the park serve as a protective barrier around the organism in which a person can escape the busyness of Midtown. Bryant Park is also very easy to get to via subway with there being 13 subway stops within 1,400 feet.

Pershing Square on the other hand is also located in the heart of Los Angeles in the downtown area. However there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t this protective barrier around the organism that allows people an escape the busyness of the city. Another problem is that Pershing Square isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easy to get to via subway with there being only four subway stops within 1,400 feet.

Another example of how Manhattan approaches public space is with both Madison Square Park as well as Union Square. Just like Bryant Park both of these are located in a highly travel area and have a protective ring around the organism that allows for a person to escape from the city. They are also both easy to get to via subway with 7 stops within 1,400 feet of Madison Square Park and 9 subway stops within 1,400 feet of Union Square.

Another example of how LA approaches public space is Hollenbeck Park. Just as Pershing Square has no protective ring around the organism it neither does Hollenbeck Park. In fact an elevated highway runs right along the edge of the park. Hollenbeck Park is also isolated from the subway line with there being no stops within a 1,400 feet.

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SITE ANALYSIS: SITE CASE STUDIES IMAGES

When deciding a place to place my organism I chose spots along Venice, Washington, and Sunset Boulevards that had vacant lots. I chose these locations since these boulevards ran from the beach to the downtown area of Los Angeles. Each of these sites were also located near major highways which were the 405, 10, and 110.

This site was chosen because it is located at the intersection of the 405 freeway and Venice, and Washington Boulevards. The site is located in the area of both Culver City and Marvista. Both of these areas make an income that is higher than both the county and city average for household income with residents in Marvista generating $62,611 per year which ranks 135/265 in the city neighborhoods. While Culver City generates $70,774 per year which ranks 91/235 in the city neighborhoods.

Residential buildings in surrounding area

Commercial buildings in surrounding area

Institutional buildings in surrounding area

This site was chosen because it is located at the intersection of the 10 freeway and Venice, and Washington Boulevards. The site is located in the areas of Culver City, Palms, and Mid City. Culver City makes an income that is higher than both the county and city average for household income with residents generating $70,774 per year which ranks 91/235 in the city neighborhoods. Palmsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; annual income on the other hand is $50,684 which is above city average and below the county average and ranks 191/265 L.A neighborhoods. Mid-City unfortunately generates $43,711 which is equal to that of the city, but is also below county average and ranks 216/265 in L.A neighborhoods.

Residential buildings in surrounding area

Commercial buildings in surrounding area

Institutional buildings in surrounding area

Industrial buildings in surrounding area

This site was chosen because it is located at the end of Sunset Boulevard and is in close proximity not only to the 110 freeway, but to the major train hub located at Union Station. The site is located in the area of Chinatown and unfortunately the neighborhood is ranked the second worst in L.A neighborhoods with the annual income being only $22,754 which is below both the city and county average.

Residential buildings in surrounding area

Commercial buildings in surrounding area

Institutional buildings in surrounding area

Industrial buildings in surrounding area

THESIS STATEMENT: CINEMATIC INVESTIGATIONS METAPHOR FOR AN ORGANISM To help get a better understanding of our projects we took a look at movies and took scenes from them to analyze. A metaphor was also chosen to help get a better understanding of how our organism will work and react to certain situations.

Landscape urbanism, in the eyes of both James Corner and Alex Wall, is the organization and design of a city through its landscape. Objects in this urban field aren’t just buildings, but also include open spaces and infrastructure that help a city function. Programmatically, urban voids offer opportunities to be reconsidered for accommodating different functions. Ray Oldenburg’s idea of “third places” other than home and work, places importance on social life and interaction where people can go and exchange ideas in a leisurely way, and build relationships within a community. While his idea claims these spaces as commercial and more privately owned. Urban social exchange can be also powered by publicly accessible not for profit spaces. In Los Angeles this kind of third place is the beach which stretches along one edge as an isolated boundary. How can landscape urbanism be employed to distribute these vital third places across the city-field of Los Angeles, rather than isolating them or relying on consumerism?

Top: In the film La La Land during the opening scene people are stuck in traffic and start leaving their car to dance. We see the people leaving their protective shield of their car that can hold up to five people to dance on the highway in a bigger space with many people.

Bottom: In the film The Sandlot we see one of the main characters walking to his house. This may seem like an unimportant scene however we notice the culture of LA where the car is extremely important as well as their home which is important to them. So we see two important aspects of the lives of people right next to each other.

Top: In the film The Sandlot we see on multiple occasions this idea of a protective shield. In this scene we see it while the main character are at the pool with the building and accompanying wall as well as the grass serving as the barrier with the pool itself as the organism.

Bottom: In the film The Sandlot we see on multiple occasions this idea of a protective shield. In this scene we see it while the main character are at the sandlot with the protective barrier being the fence around the sandlot and the sandlot itself acting as the organism.

Top: A correlation can be seen between a hermit crab and a car because just as the shell protects the hermit crab the shell of a car is meant to protect the individual inside. There is also a correlation whereas the hermit crab grows it finds a bigger shell to suit its needs and as a family grows it finds a bigger car to suit their needs. Here we see the small hermit crab is equal to that of a car since they’re both small and don’t require much room.

Bottom: A correlation can be seen between multiple hermit crabs and a freeway because there are these different sized shells and crabs all look the same from far away, but up close they’re seen as individuals just like cars on the freeway.

Top: Here a connection is made between a medium sized hermit grab and that of a house. Since it is bigger than a car yet smaller than a park. The same elements are still there where the walls of the house act as the shell for the organism inside which are the people. There is also a correlation whereas the hermit crab grows it finds a bigger shell to suit its needs and as a family grows it finds a bigger house to suit their needs.

Bottom: Here is the connection between a large hermit crab and that of a park. These are both the largest that they can become. They still have the same elements with the ring of trees acting as the protective barrier for the grass field and people acting as the organism.

PRECEDENTS: -SCHOUWSURGPLEIN -THE SHED -LE CORBUSIER CONTEMPORARY CITY -LE CORBUSIER UNITE D’HABITATION -WEWORK To help better understand how different projects approached the same problem at an urban, building, as well as a business scale the Schouwsurgplein by West 8 done in 1996, The Shed done by Diller Scofido & Renfro scheduled to be completed in 2019, both Le Corbusier Contemporary City and Unite D’ Habitaion which was completed in 1952, along with the business called Wework were diagramed in order to gain a better understanding of these projects and to help with a possible solution.

The Schouwsurgplein is located in Rotterdam was designed by West 8 and was completed in 1996. What is unique about the project is that the space is actually elevated above the sidewalk and the rest of the street to serve as a stage for the city. Another factor that is important to the design of the Schouwsurgplein is in its location. Not only is it located in the heart of the theater district of Rotterdam, but is also located close by to one of its major train station making it easy to get to via public transportation. The open space itself is located on top of a parking a garage which makes it easily accessible by car as well. The space itself is made out three different type of material which serves multiple purposes that it can be used as such as a playground for kids, a concert venue along with a skate park.

The Shed is located on is island of Manhattan at the new Hudson Yards development area near 34th street. It was designed by Diller Scofidio & Renfro and is scheduled to be completed in 2019. This building is unique in the fact that part of the facade can expand which will double the size of the original building to help serve larger events that might be held there. When the building isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expanded the outdoor space can be used for other events.

Le Corbusier Contemporary City was his idea of the perfect city. It was able to hold up to 3 million people condensed into a relatively small area. The residents would live in apartment buildings that could hold over 1,000 residence. Each of these building wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be solely residential, but have the businesses where these people would work. Even though 3 million people would live in this city majority of the space was public green space with ones being located at each of these apartment buildings. This therefore would lead to the merger of the home, work, and play aspects of the human life causing people not needing to leave their building unless to visit someone. Another aspect of this city for 3 million people was that there would be major transportation hubs next to these apartments with the major one consisting of an airport being located at the center of the city. This meant that access to these towers would be easy. Around this city for 3 million people would be this â&#x20AC;&#x153;protective areaâ&#x20AC;? this area would be government owned and be filled with trees and wildlife that would be taken over and developed as the city would expand.

Le Corbusierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea of merging both work and play was done in his design of Unite Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Habitaion. This building was built in Marseille and was completed in 1952. Here he took the idea of the garden city and made it vertical similar to his apartment buildings in his city for 3 million people. The building was elevated on large pillars which allowed for there to be public space both on top of as well as below the building which sandwiched the residential aspect of the building. The commercial aspect of the building would be located on the roof of the building.

This idea of merging both home and work isn’t just and architectural idea, but a business one as well. The business Wework started in 2010 by Miguel McKelvey, Adam Neumann, and Rebekah Neumann. Their idea was to build a shared office space where the people would come together and become a community. As well as creating a homey atmosphere that makes the person fell comfortable and at home. The way it works is that there are different plans a person or company can pay. The cheapest allows the person to have a workplace in the common area this is called the “hot desk” however it won’t always be the same spot, the next plan is called the “Dedicated Desk” here the person has a dedicated desk for them. The next plan is called the “Private Office” plan here the person has a private office that can be locked and already has desk, chairs, and filing cabinets. The final plan is called the “custom build out” plan, here the company can have either a whole floor or building dedicated to them. As the type of plan improves the price gets more expensive. This types of plan creates the idea of the “me” with a company or person, but with the common working areas creates the “we” aspect of Wework.

THESIS PROPOSAL: Design Factors Design Proposal Model Photos

Examining Oldenburg’s idea of a necessary “third space” in the context of Los Angeles’ sprawled nature as a basin bound by mountains, there exists an opportunity to revamp the 22,600 vacant lots throughout the city as potential for social stimulus as publicly owned third places. As a response to the vacancy problem in Los Angeles, a network of different types of public spaces will be considered that can adjust in scale to fit the programmatic need of the neighboring community using the concept of landscape urbanism. These spaces will incorporate all three types of spaces, live, work and play and the ratio of each will change based on neighborhood use. Depending on the location of these lots there will be a different higharchy in program percentage. These spaces overall will be governed by the Los Angeles Parks Department this will create unity in governance in these lots which is currently lacking in Los Angeles. As a result of there being no single governing municipality over the lots and no accurate and singular location to retrieve information on these lots. These spaces will start off in these vacant lots, but as time goes on will bleed into the city fabric. The play spaces will serve as a connector between the live and the work spaces as well as the different types of live and work program. The work and live spaces will be a mix of both permanent and temporary offices and living spaces to not only accommodate for the businesses and people based in LA, but also be used for the businessman and businesswomen that are in the city temporarily for business. The incorporation and continued use of these spaces bleeding into the fabric of the city will be a new way in which cities can approach their urban voids.

Shown above is a map of the Los Angeles area showing its urban voids(black) in relation to its public spaces(white).The travel time of 15 minuets is also shown with a 15 minute walking radius shown as the smaller circle and a 15 minute driving radius shown as the larger circle. The four darker circles are specific site located throughout the city each with both similarities and differences that make them unique to each other, but also similar to each other.

This shows the four selected sites within Los Angeles. Each one has a different percentage of the live work and play aspect within the 15 minute walking radius as well as the conditions that these vacant lots face.

This circle is where the 10 freeway crosses over Venice and Washington blvd. Since these vacant lots are in a high work area the program would have less work program to it.

This circle is located in a heavy factory area in South L.A. Given this these vacant lots would focus on the play aspect so the factory workers have a place to go during their breaks and a place to meet after work.

This circle is located in Chinatown. Some of the vacant lots sit across from the California State Historical Park. Given this the public space of the park would bleed into these vacant lots and connect the two.

This circle is where the 405 freeway crosses over Venice and Washington blvd. These vacant lots are in a highly residential area and therefore the program would have less residential program to it. This site was the focus of the design intervention on how to deal with the vacant lot phenomenon.

Another aspect that was put into the design was that of the pollution problem that Los Angeles has. One of the reason why Los Angeles has such a bad pollution problem lies in its geography. Los Angles sits between the Pacific Ocean to its west and the San Gabriel to the east. Since the city is such a car heavy city when all the pollution goes into the air the breeze from the pacific ocean pushes it toward the mountain range where it gets trapped and cant escape.

The way in which this pollution problem will be combated is by having the public spaces consists of more trees and green spaces the further into the city where the pollution is heavier. Not only that but these public spaces would create a green shell that allows the occupants to escape the busy and polluted city by going to these green spaces of refuge.

This shows how the new approach to these vacant lots will change the fabric of the city. By incorporating the live work and play aspect into them based on the use of the surrounding area.

This shows the different variations of the intervention and how they would react to different situations and lot conditions. With this idea of the circle and the square and how they can relate to each other.

This is showing the vacant lots in the highway 405 site with walking radii of 10, 5, 2, and 1 minute walks and the type of program accessible within that walk

This is showing how the vacant lots in the highway 405 site has changed after the intervention was inserted and the new types of program that are accessible within the same 10, 5, 2, and 1 minute walk

This shows how the public third space (white) can shift in size based on programmatic need just as a hermit crab finds a new shell to accommodate in its increase in size.

This shows the relationship between the live spaces (light gray), work spaces (dark gray), and play spaces (white) on each of the different floors. The public space serves a connector not only at a building scale by connecting the live and work spaces, but also at a social scale by connecting the people that occupy each of the spaces. The idea of the circle and the square can still be seen by the way in which the public space acts at each level below, at, and above grade.

Shown are the basement, ground, and 2nd floor plan of the building. One can see how each of the four corners have this idea of a circle and a square, but also when the four corners come together the idea still remains.

These perspectives show the experience one would have at the different public space locations in these former vacant lots that have since been changed for the better.

These sections show how the intervention acts in the site by having the public space at three different datums, below, at, and above grade. One can also see how the public spaces below grade are still sable to get natural light either by light wells or being totally open.

Early study models showing how the public space can change in scale based on its need located in Chinatown. While there is also a centralized structure that remains constant through the change in scale.

Early study models showing how the public space can change in scale based on its need located at the end of Sunset blvd. along the Pacific Ocean.

Exploratory models showing how the three different types of spaces can interact with each other not only at different levels, but also in different shapes.

Exploratory study models showing how the live (light gray), work (dark gray), and play (glass) spaces and interact with each other and connected to each other both horizontally and vertically.

Exploratory models showing how the three different types of spaces can interact with each other while taking on different variations of the idea of the circle and the square.

Model showing the area of Los Angeles and how the new way of approaching these vacant lots and urban voids will activate them and help improve the city and become a place where people can gather and share their ideas.

A section model showing how the intervention will interact with not only the site it sits in, but to the surrounding neighborhood as well.

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A section model showing how the intervention will interact with not only the site it sits in, but to the surrounding neighborhood as well.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY: TEXT SOURCES IMAGE SOURCES

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Bibliography 1. Allen, Stan. “Field Conditions.” In Points and Lines: Diagrams and Projects for the City. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1985. 2. Corner, James. “The Agency of Mapping: Speculation, Critique and Invention.” In Mappings, edited by Denis E. Cosgrove. London: Reaktion, 1999. 3. Allen, Stan. “VIII_The Thick 2-D: Mat-Building in the Contemporary City.” In Case: Le Corbusier’s Venice Hospital and the Mat Building Revival, edited by Hashim Sakris. New York: Presetel, 2001. 4. Burns, Carol J., and Kahn, Andrea. Site Matters: Design Concepts, Histories, and Strategies. New York: Routledge, 2005. 5. Masters, Nathan, Why L.A Has Clashing Street Grids. https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/why-la-has-clashing-street-grids 6. Banham, Reyner, Los Angeles The Architecture of Four Ecologies. London: University of California Press, 2009 7. De Wit, Wim, Alexander James, Christopher, Overdrive: L.A Constructs the Future 1940-1990. Lodi: Getty Research Institute, 2013 8. Ulin, David, Sidewalking. Oakland: University of California, 2015 9. Maltzan, Michael, No More Play. Los Angeles: Hatie Cantz Verlag, 2011 10. Suisman, Doug, Los Angeles Boulevard: Eigh X-rays of the public: ORO Editions, 2014 11. Fox, William, Making Time: Essays on the Nature of Los Angeles. Emeryville: Avalon Publishing Group Inc, 2006 12. David, Mike, Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster. New York: Vintage Books, 1999 13. Berger, Alex, Drosscape : wasting land in urban America 1st ed. Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press, 2006 14. Elsa Mei Tung, Mark Glassoc, Israel Cruz, Vacant Lots and Park Equity in Los Angeles: The Problem is the Opportunity, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, 2016 15. Department of City Planning and the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City Of Los Angeles, Los Angeles’ Industrial land: Sustaining a dynamic city economy, 2007 16. Noa L. Clark, Robert C. Herr, Paul C. Levin, California’s Post Redevelopment Agency Landscape. https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/ news-and-insights/californias-post-redevelopment-agency-landscape.html

Image Source A. Los Angeles, photos by Chris Conetta January 2018 B. Los Angeles, photos by Chris Conetta C. The Shed, Photos by Chris Conetta December 2017 D. Wework, Photos by Chris Conetta February 2018 E. Allen, Stan. “Field Conditions.” In Points and Lines: Diagrams and Projects for the City. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1985. F. Corner, James. “The Agency of Mapping: Speculation, Critique and Invention.” In Mappings, edited by Denis E. Cosgrove. London: Reaktion, 1999 G. Allen, Stan. “VIII_The Thick 2-D: Mat-Building in the Contemporary City.” In Case: Le Corbusier’s Venice Hospital and the Mat Building Revival, edited by Hashim Sakris. New York: Presetel, 2001. H. Masters, Nathan, Why L.A Has Clashing Street Grids. https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/why-la-has-clashing-street-grids I. De Wit, Wim, Alexander James, Christopher, Overdrive: L.A Constructs the Future 1940-1990. Lodi: Getty Research Institute, 2013 J. Banham, Reyner, Los Angeles The Architecture of Four Ecologies. London: University of California Press, 2009 K.Suisman, Doug, Los Angeles Boulevard: Eigh X-rays of the public: ORO Editions, 2014 L. David, Mike, Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster. New York: Vintage Books, 1999 M. Google Maps N. http://www.west8.com/projects/schouwburgplein/ O. https://dsrny.com/project/the-shed P. Corbusier, Le. The City of to-Morrow and Its Planning. The Architectural Press, 1947. Q. AD Classics: Unite d’ Habitation / Le Corbusier.” ArchDaily, 5 Nov. 2010, www.archdaily.com/85971/ad-classics-unite-d-habitation-lecorbusier. R. Shayon, Sheila. “WeWork Maps Out Two-Pronged Growth Strategy.” Brandchannel: 7 June 2016, www.brandchannel.com/2016/06/07/ wework-growth-strategy-060716/.