E d d i e M e y e r h o l z landscape architecture
P O R T F O L I O
Introduction My path to Landscape Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona is far from typical. My range of experience includes soil science fieldwork, computer and server administration, and residential landscape design. The culmination & diversity of this experience has been a catalyst for my progress in the MLA program so far. My goals are to use my new skills in landscape architecture and planning to create environmental awareness, promote social & environmental justice, and to explore new perspectives toward landscape and civic stewardship. My Portfolio illustrates my practice in the following subject areas: Social Justice Environmental Justice Transportation and connectivity GIS Analysis Research and Analysis Installation art Emotional Connection
Abstract Alphabet, Eddie Meyerholz, LA5581 Visual Communication for Design, Flores, Fall 2019, Cal Poly Pomona
Examples of my residential Landscape designs can be found at www.eddiemeyerholz.com Eddie Meyerholz: emeyerholz@cpp.edu
Abstract Alphabet Layout
Social Justice - Analysis
Disadvantaged Areas in Southern California Counties included: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego, Imperial
The following mapping projects highlight various aspects of our social inventory. Disadvantaged communities are typically identified by the following measureable attributes: Poverty, unemployment, language isolation, lack of extended education, & higher percentage of minority racial or ethnic groups. We used many of these attributes to calculate an overall Social Justice Score.
San Bernardino
Windrose Diagram showing the social attributes that make up the overall Social Justice Score
Los Angeles
Urban Los Angeles-Poverty
Riverside Orange
San Diego
Imperial
Pacic Beach
North Park
La Mesa
Balboa Park
Downtown Logan Heights
Los Angeles: Poorest areas today compared to historic Redlined Districts
Each circle indicates a different Studio 606 project with it’s associated Social Justice Score rating.
Urban San Diego-Poverty
Composite showing disadvantaged areas dened by Poverty, Unemployment, Education, & Language Isolation Data Sources: EnviroScreen 3.0, 2018 https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-living-atlas/announcements/redlining-data-now-in-arcgis-living-atlas/
Social Justice - Media
Uncharted Territory
STRUGGLE
of their worries For the homeless, finding a place to sleep is the least
PERSERVERANCE
The following projects use different forms of reporting to describe the challenges and the stories that are unique to disadvantaged communities. A research report about the relationship between public art and marginalized community. One of those communities is barrio logan, that has a history of discrimination and civil rights activism.
PRIDE
Chicano Park | Barrio Logan, San Diego
Chicano Muralism, which grew out of the Civil Rights Movement, tells a story of community struggle, perseverance, and pride. Barrio Logan in San Diego is a predominantly Mexican immigrant community that has been deeply affected by marginalization and discrimination since before the 1950’s. The 1960’s brought encroachment from the I-5 freeway expansion and the Coronado bridge construction, both of which bisected the neighborhood and displaced residents. In addition, the neighborhood was rezoned for industrial use, allowing polluting industries like naval shipbuilding and junkyards to exist.
Murals and the relationship between public art and community marginalization Eddie Meyerholz emeyerholz@cpp.edu URP 4230, Cal Poly Pomona Spring 2020
Abstract:
Public art is often linked to gentrification, which is one of the primary culprits of displacement in minority communities. This study takes a closer look at the history of Chicano art in the Latin community of Barrio Logan, San Diego. The research explores the history of murals linked to social movements and the expression of public art in minority communities. The research also investigates the connections between public art and gentrification, specifically highlighting how public art is created within marginalized communities, and how some public art can negatively affect those same communities. My research is based on qualitative methods, observation, articles, and book reviews. Secondary research seeks examples of ways that marginalized communities can grow and develop while avoiding gentrification and displacement. The results indicate a strong relationship between community‐based art and identity, while preserving community integrity. The research also found that non community‐based art (or corporate sponsored art) can be a precursor to gentrification which causes displacement of minority communities. Findings from secondary research identify new types of community‐based art that does not attract gentrification.
“The murals depict images of Mexican pre-Columbian gods, myths and legendary icons, botanical elements, animal imagery, the Mexican colonial experience, revolutionary struggles, cultural and spiritual reafrmation through the arts, Chicano achievements, identity and bicultural duality as symbolized in the search for the indigenous self, Mexican and Chicano cultural heroes and heroines such as La Adelita, Cesar Chavez, Father Miguel Hidalgo, Che Guevara, Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, and scenes based on contemporary Chicano civil rights history.”
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ces. ts in that we design & organize public outdoor spa Homelessness is a concern for Landscape Architec st 5‐10 r the la en ove e’ve se e that w ide spik ationw Homelessness is not a new phenomenon, but the n utdoor spaces that can accommodate homeless is a years is like nothing we’ve seen before. Designing o e of the most critical challenge’s ith. On faced w t been ave no itects h pe Arch challenge that most Landsca arks, medians, overpasses, stream corridors, and is to reconsider how we design public spaces like p nity to help policy makers consider the spatial, pportu es an o ge com challen om this But fr urban forests. homelessness in American cities. Where can ons of ifestati cal man nd ethi infrastructural, legal, fiscal, a here is that balance between open‐space for day, w people sleep or use the restroom, at what times of recreation and open‐space to live? adership challenges for Landscape Architects to These types of questions represent the design & le sent their daily struggle. Add to that struggle, y repre ets, the the stre live on e who or thos address, but f dinances that outlaw sleeping on the streets city or iolating ed for v r arrest those that have been fined o . Between 2007 and 2009, Boise, Idaho’s ounded and in public spaces, their problems become comp anet Bell and Robert Martin for violating the city’s criminal justice system cited, fined, and sentenced J
Editorial story on homeless issues
Chicano Park is a place that is uniquely San Diego. It’s situated at the base of the Coronado Bridge, which is one of San Diego’s most visually iconic features spanning from downtown to nearby Coronado Island. It’s also a few blocks from the Bay so you can feel the cooling effect from the ocean nearby. While sitting in the park, the familiar and steady hum of trafc from overhead freeways fades off into the distance. But what makes the park unique are the masses of murals that brighten up the cold concrete underbelly of the bridge. The obscure location of the park may fall off most peoples radar, but the murals tell a cultural story that is a signicant part of San Diego’s history and identity. Muralism was not only a creative outlet in Chicano Park, but also a link to its Mexican heritage in the face of struggle and hardship. The murals consist of images of indigenous people, farm and factory workers, labor leaders and other inuential community members. They express a sense of importance, empowerment, and dignity for the community of Barrio Logan, but also for the much larger Chicano Rights Movement. Source: Rosen, Martin D., “Chicano Park and the Chicano Park Murals: Barrio Logan, City of San Diego, California.” The Public Historian. 23.4 (2001): 91. Web.
In 1973, the Barrio was faced with more hardship when their city-designated site for a proposed community park was being bulldozed for a new California Highway Patrol substation. This not only sparked a protest but an act of deance, where community members banded together to stop the construction of the substation and began to build their own park in its place. The community took a stand and this activism is what eventually forced the city to acknowledge Barrio Logan’s need for a park. This park is Chicano Park. The resilience of the Barrio Logan residents, their perserverance, and their activism is what led to the creation of the park. The community is still sharing their story today. As of 2017, Chicano Park became a National Historic Landmark. Eddie Meyerholz LA 4771 | Wendy Gilmartin | Fall 2020 | Cal Poly Pomona
Connectivity and Transportation We were fortunate to be able to work on an urban redevelopment project for the City of Covina. Utilizing a future plan layed out in there Downtown Site Specific Plan, we redeveloped portions of downtown to improve pedestrian and community connectivity to and from public transportation. The following proposal is for “The Kelby Park Corridor” that would connect Kelby Park and senior center to a planned TOD development, to the adjacent neighborhoods, and to the MetroLink station and old town Covina.
Case Studies: Connections with Purpose Study on perceptions of walkability and the use of greenspace The study explores the factors that influence the frequency of greenspace use, including the perception of walkability, proximity, and mode of travel in the city of Tucson Arizona. The objectives are to promote policies that will help achieve public health goals due to increased walking and exercise. Greenspace can be any vegetated space from parks, sport fields, golf courses, school fields, or gardens and they can vary substantially in size, vegetation cover, environmental quality, proximity to public transport, facilities and services” (Perception article) Walkability, which is defined as “the extent to which the urban environment is pedestrian friendly Study based on Walkability Model In summary, the walkability model measures nine characteristics of the built environment: connectivity, land-use, density, traffic-safety, surveillance, experience, parking, greenspace and community. (Zuniga- Teran, Orr, Gimblett, Chalfoun, Marsh et al., 2016; ZunigaTeran et al., 2017) The models indicate that if residents perceive that their neighborhood has high levels of community, they are more likely to visit greenspace weekly, and less likely to visit greenspace infrequently, such as every month or only every year. A second significant finding is that perceptions of traffic safety – or availability of sidewalks, crosswalks, and other design elements that provide pedestrians safety from traffic injury – were associated with irregular visitation to greenspace. Third, mode of transportation… We also sought to investigate whether the mode of transportation influenced frequency of greenspace visitation. We found that residents who walk to greenspace were 3.556 times more likely to go daily as opposed to residents who don’t. We also found that a respondent was 2.590 times more likely to only visit greenspace monthly if they drove to greenspace. Source: “Exploring the influence of neighborhood walkability on the frequency of use of greenspace,” Adriana A. Zuniga-Terana, , Philip Stokerb, Randy H. Gimblettc, Barron J. Orrc, Stuart E. Marshc, David P. Guertinc, Nader V. Chalfound
TOD Case Studies Station Area Plans are conceptual or specific plans for the areas along transit stations or along transit corridors. There is some variation in what these plans contain, but they all lay out the basics, including zoning, design standards, parking requirements and information about transit access and bike and pedestrian Detailed station area plans help leverage the potential of transit-oriented development circulation. Highland Gardens Village, downtown Denver Neighborhood revitalizations utilizing Community Development Corporations (CDC’s) in San Diego’s Barrio Logan, Chicago’s Lake-Pulaski neighborhood, and Oakland’s Fruitvale BART station. station. The Fruitvale BART station in Oakland, a large mixed-income TOD project, grew out of community resistance to BART’s plan to build a parking garage between the BART station and the Latino neighborhood’s commercial center, which the community worried would hasten the decline of the already distressed neighborhood. The Spanish-speaking Unity Council became the developer, working with a variety of federal and local partners to build the project. neighborhood. There are also some lessons learned: In each of the examples discussed above there were effective public-private-nonprofit partnerships, effective leadership, public involvement, creative financing, quality design and pollution, and enhance the economic construction and -- perhaps most and environmental sustainability of a importantly -- perseverance. The Rosslyn Ballston Corridor in Arlington, VA, VA, illustrates how TOD can accommodate tremendous development in a livable community that provides benefits to both new and existing residents. All of these examples illustrate how TOD can be used to catalyze neighborhood revitalization, ensure affordability, leverage public and private investment, provide more choices for residents, increase transit ridership, reduce traffic Source: “Encouraging Transit Oriented Development: Case Studies that Work,” Produced by Reconnecting America on behalf of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Pedestrian and Bike Networks The Principles of Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks derived from the Dutch Crow (Centre for Research and Contract Standardization in Civil and Traffic Engineering) allows us to create pedestrian and bike networks that are effective. The principles are exemplary of the case studies that follow. Cohesion – How connected is the network in terms of its concentration of destinations and routes? Directness – Does the network provide direct and convenient access to destinations? Accessibility – How well does the network accommodate travel for all users, regardless of age or ability? Alternatives – Are there a number of different route choices available within the network? Safety and Security – Does the network provide routes that minimize risk of injury, danger, and crime? Comfort – Does the network appeal to a broad range of age and ability levels and is consideration given to user amenities? Indianapolis Cultural Trail- Indianapolis, IN (Pilot 2007, Opening 2013) (RIGHT) Leaders in Indianapolis wanted to make it easier for people to visit the city’s cultural districts, which were disconnected from the heart of downtown and didn’t get the attention they merited. In a city with a successful trail system but no on-street bicycle facilities, leaders envisioned a bicycle and pedestrian trail through the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Through a public-private partnership, the city constructed an eight-mile trail network that forms a loop around downtown with spurs to connect Indianapolis’ five cultural districts and neighborhoods, as well as the city’s greenway system. A community foundation conducted hundreds of meetings to garner support. The Big Four Railroad Bridge links the cities of Louisville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Originally constructed in 1895 and updated again in 1929, the entire bridge spans 2,525 feet across the Ohio River. The bridge was reimagined as a linkage for pedestrians and bicyclists, giving them an alternative to crossing the Interstate 65 Bridge which had no pedestrian accommodations. The project was designed to promote economic development for both cities by creating a pedestrian linkage between the two historic downtowns that honored the area’s unique cultural heritage. This new network connection plays an important part in proposals for nearby pedestrian and bicycle network expansions, including the Louisville Loops, an envisioned 100-mile loop around the metropolitan area.
Source: “Case Studies in Delivering Safe, Comfortable, and Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks,” Dept of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, December 2015
Who’s On Board 2016: What Today’s Riders Teach Us About Transit That Works The documented survey does two important things: It identifies the different types of riders that use transit AND it identifies patterns of transit use, as well as conditions needed to improve ridership Three common patterns of transit use are occasional riders who take transit once in a while for specialized reasons, commuters who take transit regularly but only for work, and all-purpose riders who take transit regularly for multiple purposes. Occasional riders make up about half the sample, commuters one seventh, and all-purpose riders a third. The proportion of each segment,however, varies greatly by city. Occasional riders are the largest group of riders in cities with poor transit. As transit access increases, allpurpose ridership grows. Using survey responses, we find that walkability is critical to transit. The majority of transit riders typically walk to transit –– and 80 percent of all-purpose riders walk to transit (compared to just over half of commuters and occasional riders. Growing Transit Ridership Increases in all-purpose ridership are an important sign that transit is serving multiple needs, and the data suggest a clear policy framework for growing all-purpose transit ridership. Policymakers can grow all-purpose transit ridership by enabling more people to walk to useful transit. To expand transit ridership… For Policymakers: 1. Concentrate development around transit corridors, and make the walk to transit safe, easy, and pleasant. 2. Concentrate transit improvements in walkable places with large numbers of residents and destinations. 3. Pay special attention to increasing frequency and reducing transit travel time. For Local Governments: 1. Use zoning to concentrate development around transit corridors and encourage dense, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. 2. Improve street and sidewalk connectivity in poorly connected neighborhoods and use subdivision regulations to require well-connected street grids in new development. (Connectivity makes it easier to reach transit on foot.) About the Research The goal of this study was to better understand the behavior, needs, and attitudes of transit riders across a range of U.S. cities. We began by talking with transit riders themselves, holding focus groups in Raleigh, Denver, and New York City. Next, we conducted an online survey of transit riders in 17 regions. Respondents were recruited through an online sample provider, Research Now. Source: Transit Center | www.transitcenter.org
Project Fire Walk: Art Installation The fabric panels explore the use of color and movement to create an experiential abstracted fire landscape that brings attention to the growing California wildfire crisis. Our objectives To create an experiential and immersive experience using color that incites an emotional response. To create an installation that explores the experience of color and color combinations on those who view it To keep a sense of place and use the axial sight lines and surrounding mountains to connect our installation to our California landscape and growing California wildfire crisis. Goals: To use colors (red, orange, and yellow) and movement to create an abstracted fire landscape, bringing attention to our surrounding environment and the growing wildfire crisis. An installation that is large in scale (immersive experience) Use colors that bring a certain emotional reaction (bright colors=excitement)
Project Fire Walk: An ephemeral experience of color Our project goal was to create a large scale, immersive, and interactive experience. When discussing color combination possibilities and location scouting, our idea began to shift. While walking down the large hallway from building 7 to the cafeteria, we felt compelled by the axial sight lines. The San Gabriel mountain range and native california landscape in the far off distance inspired us to begin thinking about using color combinations to create abstracted landscape experiences. We decided to use color and movement to create an experiential abstracted fire landscape, staying true to our initial objective of creating an immersive colorful experience while merging it with a larger climate crisis that is deeply emerged in our California landscape today. After studying images of wildfires and other fire themed art installations, we chose to use red, yellow, and orange, colors that people generally associate with fire, as our main color panels. The use of a translucent fabric allowed us to play with the effects of sunlight and the color mixing when layering different color combinations.
Section
Plan
Detail
Landscapes of Memory
D E S E R T
Graphics that translate formidable landscapes from my youth, utilizing inventory analysis, qualitative expressions, and Graphic Design. The Desert Site includes areas around the Salton Sea and the Algodones Dunes.
D I V I D E
landscape memories shaped by air, water, re Camping in the desert from my earliest memories
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ic acif
1970’s
One of my favorite places to camp was at the Imperial Sand Dunes, also know as the Algodones Dunes. Highway 78 split the dunes into Northern and Southern sections, of which the Southern end was used for off-road recreation. My parents told me that North end of the dunes were preserved, and thus closed off to camping and off-road vehicles. As a kid I never thought much about it, but as the years progressed I learned that there was controversy between recreation enthusiasts and environmentalists in regards to who should have access to the dunes. This divided landscape was one of my earliest memories of environmental awareness & perspective.
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Plat
16 FT
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Preserved Wilderness Area
Majestic
dunes and the windswept desert floor of Creosote bush mounds were two of the most striking features of this landscape. The dunes & mounds are indicative of how this area was formed & transformed by blowing sand and dust. Co
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ac Chocolate Mountains
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Salton Sea
Ca na l
1980’s
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Off-Road Recreation Area
A lg od on es D un es
4 FT
A river runs through it...
Explore, explore, freedom to explore! I covered A LOT of desert territory as a kid, the desert was vast and seemed endless.
S an A nd re
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and drains to the Salton Sea
lg od es D un es
The Canal system is a modern day water corridor, as well, a reminder of the Colorado River that flooded its banks in 1905, forming the Salton Sea. As my exploration boundaries grew, so did my awareness of an area I had spent so much time exploring and learning about. Today, the Salton Sea has developed into an environmental disaster. What was once a thriving plant and animal habitat is now suffering.
River
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Geothermal Pressure-Mud Volcanoes
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au Imperial Valley Farmland ac
2000’s
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Geothermal Pressure-Geothermal Facility with Mud Volcanoes
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San Andreas Strike-Slip Fault at Salton Sea
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32 FT
1990’s
From planview, the Colorado River divides the landscape, However, being immersed in rivers watershed gave me insight into why the natural resource is important. It’s abundant water supply was an oasis to an otherwise extreme desert environment of hot & dry. The canal’s were a great place to swim, cool off and occasionally fish, but it was evident even as a young kid, that most of the water was intended for someone else.
he
We visited sites near the Salton Sea like the obsidian rock outcrops, and the mud volcanoes.
lla Ca na l
All-American Canal
MEXICO
It’s not your fault
I still visit the desert as an adult and I’m still as fascinated today as I was when I first experienced it.
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16 FT
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Preserved Wilderness Area
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Plat
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San Andreas Fault The opposing movement between the two Plates are causing the Salton Sea to elongate. The movement creates friction pressure & heat buildup that results in the geothermal features
32 FT
Strike-Slip/Transform Fault
Present
Off-Road Recreation Area
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Perception 60 MI
Eddie Meyerholz LA771 Landscape Awareness & LA5581 Visual Communication for Design Fall 2019, Cal Poly Pomona
The best word to describe how my perception has evolved is stewardship. Drawing from my experiences growing up in such a unique and amazing environment, my greatest perception today is intertwined with my feeling of responsibility. Finding balance in places that are divided is what drives me.
160 FT
2010’s
The San Andreas fault bisects the Imperial Valley and part of the Salton Sea. I’m not sure when I made the connection between the earthquakes that I experienced growing up San Diego, and the unusual desert geomorphology that I saw first-hand. I developed a keen ke sense of awareness of different types of rock material and their physical properties. I started collecting rocks as ea early as I can remember, and became skilled at identifying different types and formations.
As a young adult my interest in Off-Road recreation waned and I became more intersted in the dynamics of the natural environment that I grew up in.
The Never Ending Portfolio Eddie Meyerholz Candidate for Master’s of Landscape Architecture Cal Poly Pomona