Gabriel Barreras Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
Gabriel Barreras
5000 S. Centinela Avenue #240 | Los Angeles CA, 90066 213.703.1667 | gabriel.barreras@gmail.com | Portfolio: GABplanning.com
Education
University of Southern California May 2014
Masters of Planning, Urban Design and Transportation Graduate with Honors Los Angeles, CA
University of Southern California May 2006
Bachelors of International Relations Los Angeles, CA
Experience
Research Assistant, Web Development February 2014 - Present
University of Southern California, Department of Planning Los Angeles, CA • Developed website and social media integration for USC’s Director of Planning • Delivered site 2 months ahead of schedule and for 25% of projected cost
Community Planning & Design Intern May 2013 - April 2014
PlaceWorks, formerly The Planning Center DC&E Los Angeles, CA • Assist with General/Specific Plans, Zoning, Workshops, EIRs, and site analysis • Facilitate Endowment international design competition for farmworker housing • Develop interactive websites and outreach strategies for General Plan Updates
Transit Research & Outreach Assistant Sept - Jan 2013
USC-Metro Exposition Corridor Study Los Angeles, CA • Tracked ridership and travel behavior to identify future development priorities • Served as a primary contact and trainer for research participants
Program Coordinator May 2010 - Jun 2012
Human Rights Watch, Student Task Force Los Angeles, CA • Directed daily operations for educational program in 14 LA area high schools • Managed program strategy, finances, communications and web development • Advised Los Angeles, Santa Clarita and Santa Monica City Councils on adopting UN-based children’s rights policies
Assistant Research Consultant Mar 2010 - May 2010
United Nations Environment Programme Los Angeles, CA • Evaluated existing partnerships among UN agencies, policies and funds • Co-authored report of best practices promoting inter-agency cooperation
National Student Coordinator Oct 2007 - Oct 2009
Oxfam America Boston, MA • Managed content, outreach and communications at affiliated US universities • Trained 500 students annually in international policy, aid, and development • Served on global climate change team advising US Congress, G20, and the UN
Development & Program Coordinator Jul 2006 - Jun 2007
Infrastructure Research Fellow May 2005 - Aug 2005
Asian Youth Center San Gabriel, CA • Secured $600,000 in multi-year contracts; increased organizational budget 35% • Supervised 5 staff and 3 satellite sites in case management and programming US Department of Commerce, Freeman Fellowship Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam • Researched bilateral trade opportunities for national infrastructure projects • Developed presentations for international trade conferences
Skills
Analytical Site Analysis & Design General & Specific Plans Olympics and International Event Planning Transit-Oriented Development Traffic Impact Analysis/Modeling Financing Tools and Methods for Planning Web & Social Media Integration Software Adobe CS: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign AutoCAD SketchUp ArcGIS Mapping Synchro QuickBooks WordPress Dreamweaver/HTML Convio Email Marketing Thought Farmer Languages English / Spanish
Leadership & Awards
2014 Academic Excellence, “Duarte Gold Line Station” 2013 LA Section Award, California Planning Foundation CrisisMappers, GIS Emergency Mitigation Network VP, Associated Students of Planning & Development Member, 2013 USC Planning Accreditation Board Founder, USC Planning “Photo Squad“
Professional Memberships American Planning Association Urban Land Institute Young Leaders
Front/Back Covers: Rooftops of Montevideo, Uruguay, taken during a volunteer community redevelopment trip in 2004.
Contents Redevelopment of the Santa Monica Civic District...........04 Masters Comprehensive Exam: Housing Redevelopment........06 Port Redevelopment and Transit in Rio de Janeiro.....................08 SitLA: An Art Chair Park................................................................10 Integrated Planning and Web Design.....................................12
GIS and Mapping Strategies.................................................14 Publications and Marketing Design....................................16 References and Contact Info...............................................17
Redevelopment of the Santa Monica Civic District
Present-day Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
Santa Monica Civic Arts Village The goal of the Civic Arts Village is to re-establish Santa Monica as a local and regional capitol of artistic expression through connecting an Arts Pavilion and a renovated Performing Arts Center. Together, they offer diverse community workspaces, studios, and civic offices surrounding a central open space. This project was developed during my individual design studio at USC and focuses on historic preservation, redevelopment, and connectivity throughout Santa Monica’s Civic District and the larger City. Analyses include existing conditions, circulation, site plan concepts, and programming. Proposed Site Section
Hotel
04 | Gabriel Barreras
Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
Santa Monica Civic Arts Village Site Plan
Green and Open Space Connections
Vehicular and Transit Circulation
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Masters Comprehensive Exam: “The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs”
Aerial View of Jordan Downs (2010 Master Plan)
Existing Structures, built in 1943 and 1955
Current Pedestrian Sheds and Walkability
Proposed Greenspace/Watershed Recapture
Redevelopment of the Jordan Downs Community Housing Project in Watts, Los Angeles, CA This project excerpt represents a larger 25page proposal created for my final Masters Comprehensive Exam at USC. In only 6 days, all Masters of Planning candidates are given an unknown site in Los Angeles and challenged to individually synthesize over 1200 pages of planning and technical background reports into a comprehensive planning strategy and proposal. The final proposal must incorporate elements of design, transportation, sustainability, economic and social development. In 2014, the comprehensive exam site was the Jordan Downs Housing Community in Watts. Historically, one of the most low-income and neglected communities in Los Angeles, I proposed, “The Vanguard Village at Jordan Downs.” The Village is centered around a large promenade that hosts community workspaces, LEED-based training facilities, and an urban farm as methods to promote economic development. Other major design elements include weaving green and open space throughout the site and providing community facilities and transit modes that are accessible to residents and constituents in Jordan Downs and the larger Watts community. *Copies of the full 25-page proposal are available upon request.
06 | Gabriel Barreras
Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
South Gate
Phase 1
Watts
“Factory Site”
Phase 2
Community Center
Medical Facility
Metro Blue Line
Bus 117 to LAX (every 20 mins.)
Civic Buildings
Park
Dash Bus
Bus 254 (every 60 mins.)
Retail
School
Shuttle
Proposed Land Use
0
0.25 Miles
A Network of Community Facilities
Wilmington Ave
Bus 117 to LAX (every 20 mins.)
0
Path> Bike gional
Laurel Pl
Kalmia St
To LA Re
Juniper St
Croesus Ave
Freedom Park Playground
0.25
CC
P
Village Center
ce pa rks Wo
Nebrask
Blvd
P
David Starr Jordan High School
E 101st St “The Downs” Community Park
Ave
Job Resource Center
Industrial Site
Miles
Indiana
Tweedy Workspace
Gym
Ave
a Ave
P
eda St S Alam
Bike Circulation Surface Parking
Recreational Field E Century Blvd
Vanguard Greeway
Bus 254 (every 60 mins.)
P
Grocery and Retail
Village Promenade Mixed-Use -Retail
Shuttle (every 45 mins.)
Childcare, Workspace
Dash (every 20 mins.)
Village Garden
E 99th Pl
Grape St
Anzac Ave
Bandera St
Transit
P
idor
Residential
(Source: Jordan Downs Master Plan 2010)
Missouri
ht Corr
School Communtiy Garden
E 96th Pl
E 97th St Freedom Tree Way
Industrial
Village Center
Employment Retail
Hickory St
Open Space Community Space
Grape St
Anzac Ave
Land Use
ig da Fre Alame
Wilmington
Proposed Jordan Downs “Vanguard Village” Site Plan
Wisconsi
n Ave
J. Downs Wellnes Ctr.
E 102nd St
Gorman Ave
Kalmia St
E 103rd St
Weigand Ave
Industrial Site
Juniper St
Croesus Ave
Dillon Ave
Hickory St
Grape St
Anzac Ave
Bandera St
Park Plaza Mixed Use Housig-Retail
E 102nd St
Sequoia
Dr
Proposed Section of Vanguard Village Entrance and Promenade
| 07
Port Redevelopment and Transit in Rio de Janeiro
Neighborhood and Land Use Districts
Regional Transportation and Olympics Legacy Planning in Porto Maravilha On the north side of Rio de Janeiro’s historic downtown rests Porto Maravilha, a 1,236-acre district designated for major redevelopment leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games. The future site is slated to host major international resort hotels, luxury retail and dining, museums, and an arts district along a 6 km promenade. Transit plans include an international cruise ship terminal, subterranean freeways, light rail, regional bus rapid transit, and a regional passenger train station. For two semesters, I worked in a studio class at USC and on-site in Rio de Janeiro to analyze strategies in land use, transportation, economic development, cultural programming, and public art to enhance the redevelopment efforts. We performed public outreach to the assigned redevelopment agency (CDURP), local planning officials, law enforcement and international financiers. Our project paid particular focus to social equity, employment issues, and the inclusion of four favelas (slum neighborhoods) within the project site. Our class was fortunate to meet with the favela residents and include their concerns and insight as primary stakeholders. The final project included a white paper and presentation to the Director of CDURP and relevant stakeholders.
08 | Gabriel Barreras
Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
Public Facilities and Economic Development (CPAC) Zones
Major Transportation Nodes Studied
View of Porto Maravilha, facing north from favela Morro da Providencia
Morro da Providenica, one of four favelas on site
Proposed Regional Transit Connections
Cantagalo Favela
Morro da Providencia
Via Binario, a future subterranean expressway
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SitLA: An Art-Chair Park
Site Plan
Site Aerial
e Joh n Ais o St.
St
Judg
Located in the midst of Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo District, SitLA seeks to reclaim the neighborhood as a peaceful oasis that frames unique vistas of LA from rooftops and observation towers and provides a quiet refuge for pedestrians and residents. SitLA is the product of a group project in Fall 2012 of my Masters of Planning degree.
le mp Te E.
Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA
Gold Line Station Alameda St.
E. 1
st S t.
100 ft
l Ave
N
S. Centra
Inspired by LA’s creative and relaxed image, SitLA employs playful and artistic renditions of oversized chairs, movable furniture, and interactive sculptures on sliding tracks. Together, they form a mosaic-like landscape that is highly customizable, allowing visitors to adjust the park features based on their programming needs. SitLA is both an everyday retreat and a destination for key cultural events.
Figure Field
The SitLA project involved extensive site visits, analysis, local outreach, and the protection and integration of the Go For Broke Foundation Monument on site.
Go For Broke WWII Veterans’ Monument
Parcel Owners
Daily Traffic Volume PUBLICALLY OWNED
PUBLICALLY OWNED
#1 - City of Los Angeles #2 - City of Los Angeles, vacant land, parking #3 - City of Los Angeles, vacant land, parking #4 - City of Los Angeles, vacant land, parking #5 - City of Los Angeles #6 - City of Los Angeles #7 - City of Los Angeles #8 - City of Los Angeles #9 - City of Los Angeles
#1 - City of Los Angeles #2 - City of Los Angeles, vacant land, parking #3 - City of Los Angeles, vacant land, parking #4 - City of Los Angeles, vacant land, parking #5 -PRIVATELY City ofOWNED Los Angeles #10 - Kawasaki #6 - CityCo.of Los Angeles #11 - Kawasaki Co. #12 - Rita Sue Freeman Trust and Robin Ludmer #7 - City of Los Angeles #13 - Joy and Peace Investment, LLC. #14 - Emile and Susanna PeresAngeles Trust #8 - City of Los #15 - Anthony Sperl #9 - City #16 - Daimaru LLCof Los Angeles #17 - Mario Chang
PRIVATELY OWNED #10 - Kawasaki Co. #11 - Kawasaki Co. #12 - Rita Sue Freeman Trust and Robin Ludmer #13 - Joy and Peace Investment, LLC. #14 - Emile and Susanna Peres Trust #15 - Anthony Sperl #16 - Daimaru LLC #17 - Mario Chang
10 | Gabriel Barreras Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
Site Streetscape
Site Section 1
Site Section 2
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Integrated Planning and Web Design
Make TC Happen Landing Page
Make TC Happen Temple City, CA The Make TC Happen website concept is currently “in production” as an element of an updated Community Profile and General Plan for Temple City. This custom website was an individual design during my time at PlaceWorks, and is based on Dreamweaver/HTML coding in order to match the look and feel of Temple City’s current TC Connect magazine. The website’s content will include an overview of the General Plan Update process, as well as the draft General Plan text, implementation policies, and supporting technical reports. The website is set to launch in mid-2014.
Community Profile: Design
12 | Gabriel Barreras
Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
Community Profile: Infrastructure
WestminsterGP.org Landing Page
Westminster General Plan Update Westminster, CA WestminsterGP.org is a product of my graduate internship at PlaceWorks. I was personally responsible for all web development, coding, graphic design, and the training of staff internally to maintain the site. The site is a repository of downloadable public documents, past General Plans, and guides on the General Plan approval process. The website includes interactive elements such as surveys, a news alert subscription, and a “Get Involved� guide for interested stakeholders.
Get Involved
Online Surveys and News Alerts
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GIS and Mapping Strategies
Riverside, CA Overlay
Comparing Riverside Smart Code and Specific Plan Overlay Zones This map was created using ArcMAP during my graduate internship at PlaceWorks, in order to win a request for proposals to manage the planning and integration of a citywide Smart Code. This map took into consideration 16 Specific Plans and corridors.
Temple City Community Profile Outreach and Public Workshops In preparation of Temple City’s General Plan Update, I helped develop this map during my time at PlaceWorks as a board for community outreach. Using ArcMAP, it highlights pointsof-interest throughout the City and was accompanied by boards of community survey questions in both English and Chinese.
14 | Gabriel Barreras
Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
Temple City, CA Points-of-Interest
Traditional Health Facilities in Inglewood
Traditional and Non-traditional Facilities
Healthcare Access in Inglewood, California: A Planning Perspective These maps were created as part of a group project at USC to compare the number of traditional hospitals and medical facilities (left) to emerging and non-traditional clinics (right) in Inglewood, CA. These non-traditional health outlets included members of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, grocery stores with integrated community clinics, public schools with free clinic facilities, public parks, and major venues including The Forum. Our findings indicated that while Inglewood has fewer traditional medical facilities, these nontraditional outlets can foster an integrated network of health care facilities.
Neighborhood Edges and Barriers to Duarte’s Gold Line Station
Transit and Neighborhood Mobility in Duarte, California This particular map indicates barriers to active transportation and mobility within a quartermile and half-mile radius of the station. The darkened sub-districts indicate areas that should be prioritized for reconnection to the Duarte Station by addressing major barriers such as unlit underpasses or retaining walls. Part of a larger group report, the overall study analyzed the implementation of the Duarte Gold Line Metro Station with the existing neighborhoods and the City of Hope. The study included analyses of land use, current transportation demand, transit networks, and opportunities for economic development.
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Student Task Force Annual Report
Sample Publications and Marketing Human Rights Watch Student Task Force From 2010 to 2012, I oversaw the daily operations of the Student Task Force. Our mission was to provide youth with leadership training programs by bringing together high school students and educators from the Los Angeles area and empowering them to advocate for human rights issues, especially the rights of children. My final project was to create a publication chronicling the history of the organization, our campaigns, and our successful advocacy with many of the City and State government bodies in California. To access the full publication, please visit GABplanning.com Oxfam America Clubs 101
Oxfam America University and College Clubs From 2007 to 2009, I served as the National Student Coordinator for Oxfam America, managing the organization’s outreach to colleges and universities throughout the US. This publication was developed through a team effort to provide a foundation for all outreach methods and expectation of universities and their students.
16 | Gabriel Barreras
Urban Planning + Design Portfolio
References Eric C. Shen, P.E., PTP Director of Transportation Planning Port of Long Beach 4801 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach, CA 90815 Eric.Shen@polb.com 562.283.7180Â (office) 562.619.7293Â (mobile) Woodie Tescher Principal, PlaceWorks wtescher@placeworks.com 213.623.1443 Vinayak Bharne Director of Design Moule & Polyzoides vbharne@gmail.com 323.252.7145 Wendy Grant Associate Principal, PlaceWorks wgrant@placeworks.com 213.623.1443 Marlon Boarnet, PhD Director, Graduate Programs in Urban Planning University of Southern California boarnet@usc.edu 213.740.3696
Contact Gabriel Barreras 5000 S. Centinela Avenue #240 Los Angeles CA, 90066 213.703.1667 gabriel.barreras@gmail.com Online portfolio at GABplanning.com Writing samples available upon request. | 17
Gabriel Barreras 5000 S. Centinela Avenue #240 Los Angeles CA, 90066 213.703.1667 gabriel.barreras@gmail.com Online portfolio at GABplanning.com