MICHELLE CULABA S E L E C T E D W O R K S 2 012 - 2 016
CONTENT 01 /
COUNCIL CREST PAVILION
01-02
02 /
DANCER’S STUDIO
03-04
03 /
GAME BOARD
05-06
04 /
FUSED GLASS LIGHT
07-08
05 /
RED DRESS 09-10
06 /
JELLYFISH SCULPTURE 11-12
07 /
PITTSBURGH PARKS 13-14
08 /
PERSONAL SKETCHES & ARTWORK
15-16
JELLYFISH SCULPTURE
Personal Project, 2015
Constructed of reused pin-making backs, the jellyfish sculpture is intended to be fun and playful, while celebrating the mechanical nature of its constructed elements. Treating each pin as an individual structural unit, I experimented with different structural patterns and found the sturdiest to be a triangle.
FUSED GLASS LIGHT Personal Project, 2014 Fused glass is a great way to explore layering and positive and negative space. Through the layering and fusing of individual elements, you can create these new objects with depth and complexity, while the spaces void of material contribute equally to the character of the peice. This particular peice was made for a light fixture, so it was also an experiment in translucence and the ways in which light could interact with the materials.
GAMEBOARD Personal Project, 2012 Originating with interest in a design that is compact and dynamic, this game board is two-sided: checker board on one side, tic tac toe on the other, with a compartment in the middle holding game peices for both. The compartment in the middle is accessed by sliding off the tic tac toe board. While building the gameboard, I was interested in the potential of the material’s tactile quality becoming part of the game playing experience for these two hands-on board games. This project was a woodworking excercise in careful craftsmanship and detail.
CAROLINE’S DRESS Personal Project, 2013 I have always thought one of the most authentic forms of self expression is the clothing and adornment we wear on our bodies. This dress was inspired by the melancholy surrounding winters in the Pacific Northwest. The elements of nature take on a sort of closeness in the winter months, embodied by an incredible range of greens and greys. The vivid red of the dress takes on a new intesity in such conditions.
PITTSBURGH PARKS: ANALYSIS & PLANNING
PARKS & WALKSHED DISTRIBUTION
City of Pittsburgh Planning Department Professional Project, 2012 In 2012 the City of Pittsburgh was developing a new comprehensive citywide plan, including a significant focus on the use and management of parks and open spaces within the city. As park of the team researching and developing proposals for the comprehensive plan, I studied the distribution and access of parks within the city, looking for gaps in the park system and opportunities to spread equitable access. Although Pittsburgh had plenty of park land in the city, for example in 2012 ranking 3rd in the country for park acreage per capita, the distribution and quality of parks was not always equitable. Equal park access was a priority not only for the health benefits of parks, but also benefits such as the “green premium,” or increase in property values and other monetary advantages for homes in close proximity to high quality regional and community parks. Through my research I identified the highest need area to be a part of the city commonly known as the “Hill District.” This area is made up of four neighborhoods, all of which are on average high-density and low-income. Some investment and restructring of the park system could greatly improve park equity for the Hill District. Fortunately, Pittsburgh has a unique opportunity in its park system to utilize some of the many vacant and distressed propeties under city domain which are currently burdening certain neighborhoods.
NEIGHBORHOODS: Crawford-Roberts Middle Hill Upper Hill Terrace Village
1/4
MILE
1/2
MILE
PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO WALK 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE TO
Studies people arePARK willing to walk 1/4-1/2 REACH Ashow NEIGHBORHOOD mile to reach a neighborhood park. They will
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES: EQUITABLE ACCESS Pittsburgh contains approx. 30,000 vacant lots, many of which belong to the City. There is an opportunity to develop pocket parks or small neighborhood parks in the gap area. City map with park types and walksheds
EXPAND SITES Potential for high quality neighborhood parks on the perimeter of gap area to be expanded into community or regional parks.
VACANT LOTS Pittsburgh contains approx. 30,000 vacant lots, many of which belong to the City. There is an opportunity to develop pocket parks or small neighborhood parks in the gap area.
PARK LAND PER CAPITA AVERAGE
PARTNERSHIP A more affordable option may involve partnering with community groups, schools or local businesses to develop semi-public park areas.
ALTERNATIVE
PITTSBURGH
8.1
10.2
According to the Trust for Public Land, out of the top 100 populated cities, Pittsburgh is 3rd in park acreage per capita (10.1 acres/1k residents) amongst cities of similar density (intermediate-high density)
SITES Develop parks in alternative sites such as rights-of-way, using similar programs such as the Plaza Program in New York as a model.
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME Pittsburgh
$49,809
Crawford-Roberts
$16,276
Middle Hill
$25,025
Upper Hill
$34,880
Terrace Village
$11,884
COUNCIL CREST PAVILION Portland State University Design Studio 1 Summer 2015
Horizon Council Crest park sits on top of the tallest hill in Portland, overlooking rivers, city skyline, bridges and mountains. The horizon up there is broad and layered. Despite the park’s geographic appeal, it lacks facilities and therefore receives little use. The goal in this project was to create a pavilion that would take advantage of the layered and varying views in different directions, while acting as an extension of the horizon that is present throughout the park. The pavilion does not have a strong orientation one way, so as to encourage attention to the background views to the north and south and the foreground views to the east. Undesirable views of a massive cell tower to the west are hidden by the pavilion. Passage A non-functioning water tower present on the site is deconstructed and turned into a sculptural divider lining the pathway up through the park to the pavilion. The ribboning steel divider is intended to mimic the Willamette river which flows through Portland and can be seen prominently from the park. The steel divider originates within a reflecting pool inside the center of the pavilion then flows down through the park, acting as a physical artifact of the views in the far distance and bringing awareness to one’s passage through the park.
RIVER
HORIZON
VIEWS
SITE: COUNCIL CREST PARK SE PORTLAND, OR
PERSONAL DRAWINGS & ARTWORK Observations and Explorations, 2013-present