[Re]Imagining Paradise
Alyson Liang | Studio Stacey White | Cal Poly SLO
I would like to express my special gratitude to Professor Stacey White, my classmates, my husband Tyler Garvin and everyone who has generously helped us in the past six months to push this project further. I truly hope that [Re]imagine Paradise will inspire Paradise residents to return and rebuild their lovely home. And this project would not happen if we did not have help from:
Mario Esola Amir Hajrasouliha Keith Humphrey Bob Linscheid Edwin Liu Kent MacDonald Margot Macdonald Bill Siembieda Sandy Stannard Jesse Vestermark Russell White Paradise Residents
Studio Sponsors
Acknowledgements
WRNS Studios Cal Poly Student Affairs BNIM Architects mode associates Chico State University Kijeong Jeon Rouben Mohiuddin Debra Larsen Seema Sehrawat Rachel Simmons Melody Stapleton State of California Seth Doulton, Treasurers’ Office Fiona Ma, State Treasurer Eric Shaw, Office of Emergency Services Danna Stapleton, Lieutenant Governor’s Office Cal Poly David Askay Mark Cabrinha
Abby Armer Charles Brooks Melissa Boutelle Lowell Forward Melissa Schuster Tama Czarnecki Olivia Taylor Other Lief Mckay Melanie Mills Byron Mouton Brian Tanner Auburn Rural Studio John Willbanks Phyllis Wong Wagonner and Ball
[
Chapter 1: Introduction
]
1 Introduction
Introduction Legend has it that the town of Paradise, California, gets its name from a mill crew delivering a load of lumber on an unusually warm summer’s day. Exhausted, they came into the shade of the lush pine forests and sat on the blanket of soft needles underneath them. Satiated by the environment, one of the men exclaimed, “Boys, this is paradise!” For anyone who has traveled Skyway Road, it is easy to see why the name stuck. The majestic natural beauty of the canyon and the surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountains instill a humbling sense of awe in all who visit the area. Upon the mountain and away from the noise of the city, visitors to Paradise, and residents alike, are very fond of the small town. The tall pine trees around the houses provided privacy and a close connection to nature; the various public events throughout the year created a strong relationship amongst the community. Because of this strong community bond, the town recovered quickly after the 2008 Humboldt Fire and Camp Fire. The Paradise community has proven to be indisputably resilient. When Paradise residents were awakened by panicked knocking on their doors on November 8th, 2018, they had no idea that they were facing the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the history of California. Wildfires were an ever-present reality in the area. Because of this, some residents decided to stay behind to protect their homes and businesses. However, the black smoke soon covered the sky and ashes engulfed the entire town. By the time people realized that they had to evacuate, the smoke had blocked all the sunlight, and it seemed like dusk rather than dawn. Stumbling and struggling to see and breathe, Paradise residents tried to flee out of town as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, some of them ended up on disconnected roads, or stuck in stand-still traffic, and escaped on foot. The fire scorched approximately 153,000 acres of land, killed 86 people, and took 17 days before it was doused by heavy
rainfall and extinguished. Lots of conversations about loss arose after the fire, and the lessons gained from this tragedy should not be forgotten. Historically, humans have tended not to change their lifestyles or technologies until something catastrophic happened. For example, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the subsequent fire changed the city’s understanding of housing. The dense wooden structures were a tinderbox waiting for a match that, once ignited, would burn down a quarter of the city. This horrifying natural disaster sparked discussion of improving earthquake engineering design, urban planning, and fireproofing for buildings. Similarly, there is so much that we can learn from the Camp Fire, and there is so much we can do to prevent the next wildfire in Paradise and other communities like it. After losing over 90% of its structures, Paradise has a second chance to be planned and built with contemporary knowledge and technology. The streets can be repaved to have sidewalks and bike lanes, commercial buildings can be closer to each other, and a wildland-urban interface zone can be created to provide defensible space and create a more physically resilient condition. Paradise also has a chance to be proactive and solve other issues, including creating a town that is energy, water, and waste regenerative. This is an opportunity for Paradise to become the first Zero Net Energy town in California, paving the way for what is possible by evolving into an ideal mountain town. The heartbreaking tragedy of the past not only shaped Paradise’s history, but also becomes a chance to reimagine the town to be more resilient socially, economically, and physically.
1 Introduction
Executive Summary
Design Process and Project Phases
Twenty-six thousand people were displaced due to the Camp Fire. One thousand families are still searching for housing six months after the fire. In order for the town’s residents to return home, Paradise needs to be rebuilt in a timely manner. A group of third-year architecture students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo intended to bring inspiration to Paradise residents by designing sustainable, fire-resistant, community-oriented buildings. Based on research and feedback from multiple rounds of community meetings, a new town concept plan with individual building designs has been tailored to revitalize Paradise and to act as a catalyst for further investment. Through mentoring and peer-review of designs from professional firms, the projects can be developed more fully to bring Paradise residents hope that there will be a home to which they can return.
From January through June, the workflow for the (re)imagining Paradise project in was designed around human-centered design thinking. The process, created by the founders of the firm Ideo, is a method of solving complex problems. It is an iterative design process grounded in first building understanding, then giving all parties involved a chance to explore divergent ideas and thoughts before finally focusing on converging solutions to address specific community needs. The 23-week long process was organized as follows with key presentations noted by date:
January 17, 2019
Researching and Building Understanding (and Empathy) - 4 weeks (2 weeks prior to the course) Urban / Concept Planning (Defining Issues) - 2 Weeks
February 22,2019
Catalytic Project Conceptual Design (Creating Solutions/ Prototyping/Testing) - 3 Weeks Merged Catalytic Project Conceptual Design (Creating Solutions/Prototyping/Testing) - 3 weeks Supplementary Research and Tours of Cities (Revising Empathy/Issues) - 3 weeks
April 19, 2019
Catalytic Project Schematic Design (Creating Solutions/ Prototyping/Testing) - 2 weeks
June 3, 2019
Catalytic Project and Concept Plan Design Development) - 8 weeks
[
Chapter 2: Community Overview
]
2
History
Dates of Significance
The history of Paradise dates back to 1848 when gold was first discovered along the American River. This attracted many of the early settlers of Paradise. The largest gold nugget, weighing 54 pounds, was found in Magalia, an adjacent town to the North. This inspired the Gold Nugget Days Festival which is celebrated annually in April.
Pre-1800: Land is inhabited by the Maidu Tribes
Community Overview
To respond to the growing population in search of gold, infrastructure was built reactively to support the families settling in Paradise. A post office, school, church and lumber mills were built by 1880. Then a new round of settlers came to Paradise in order to established agriculture which had quickly become a part town’s new identity. More infrastructure like the Magalia Reservoir and the Paradise Irrigation District were created to support the irrigation needs of local agriculture. In 1889, they celebrated the Paradise Harvest Festival in honor of their agricultural prowess which has evolved into The Johnny Appleseed Days which are celebrated today. From 1950 to the mid-1960s the population quadrupled to 20,000 people in just over a decade at which point Paradise was incorporated as a town. The rapid swelling of the population resulted in a town with low density, sprawl, limited infrastructure, and discontinuous streets. Unbeknownst to the people of the time; these growing pains would manifest and exponentiate the devastation of the wildfires to come.
1850
1849: Gold is first discovered in the American River and attracts the first settlers; they search along Feather River and finally settle in Butte County 1860-1879: First town infrastructure is built including a school, post office, and a church 1880: Logging and livestock become main economic sectors; population reaches 301
1900
1904: Railway system is established; settlers from the Eastern United States travel to California and develop agriculture in Butte County 1916: Farming flourishes due to the construction of Magalia Reservoir and the establishment of Paradise Irrigation District 1937: The first Paradise fair is held
1950
1955: “Paradise� is given its name. Population of Paradise reaches approximately 5,000 1966: Population reaches 20,000 1979: Paradise is incorporated as an official town covering approximately 18 square miles
2000
2000: Population reaches 26,400 2008: The Humboldt Fire stretches over 22,800 acres between Chico and Paradise; 9500 residents are evacuated from their homes and 66 homes are destroyed
2050
2018: Camp Fire, the deadliest California wildfire to date, strikes Paradise and Chico area. 10,000 structures burned down
Tall Pines Entertainment Center Bowling Alley
2
Culture and Community Assets
Gold Nugget Museum Historical Roots of the Town
Religious Buildings and Events Community Gathers for a Baptism
Paradise Performing Arts Center Plays
Table Mountain Masonic Lodge Events like Bikers Against Child Abuse
Paradise Performing Arts Center Musicals
Community Overview
The culture of Paradise revolves around its history, community, and outdoor environment. The many assets of Paradise create its culture. Their greatest assets are its festivals and events, Recreation Center, Performing Arts Center, the many outdoor activities available to residents, and most importantly their strong community ties. All of these make Paradise a beloved home to its residents. The town’s major festivals are the Gold Nugget Days, Johnny Appleseed Days, and the Chocolate Festival. Gold Nugget Days celebrate the beginnings of Paradise as a gold mining town where nearby in Magalia the largest gold nugget was found. The first two days of the festival feature a parade, a Miss Gold Nugget Pageant, a children’s costume contest, a donkey derby, and a crafts fair among many other fun activities. Johnny Appleseed Days celebrate its history of agriculture. It is a two-day festival during which there is local entertainment, vendors, artisans, and most importantly apple pies. The residents of Paradise bake a thousand apple pies for this event. The Chocolate Fest is a fun day to celebrate all things chocolate. Among the events during this day are the “fun run” called the Chocolate Chase, a bike ride called Tour ‘de Chocolate, the Chocolate Cuisine Challenge, and the royal coronation of the Chocolate Fest Queen and King. These three festivals bring the community together to celebrate their town, history, and people, and community celebrations is one of the town’s strongest assets. The other most important asset the town has is its natural environment. Paradise is recognized for its dynamic surroundings, with vistas of pine and oak forests, rivers, and mountains. Being there is like living and breathing nature. During the summer months, there are swimming spots and rivers right outside of town. There are many hikes and trails like the Paradise Flume Trail to the east
Aquatic Park Lake
Bille Park
Bille Park’s Beautiful Outdoor Venue
Paradise Flume Trail Trail Outside Paradise to the East
Paradise Memorial Trail
Miocene Flume Canal Swimming spot, Mini Waterfalls
of town and the Paradise Memorial Trailway, which is located right along the middle of town. In the winter months when it snows, a short drive southwest allows residents to ski and snowboard. In town, they have parks like Billie Park, which has beautiful landscaping, a gazebo, and a lake that makes it a great place to go for the day. It is also a great venue for events like weddings and birthdays. There is Terry Ashe Park, as well, where the Paradise Recreation Center is located. The Recreation Center is utilized for birthdays and events, and during the winter the skating rink opens. The natural landscape and available outdoor activities make being active in sports and outdoors a great part of the lives of the people of Paradise.
2
All of these assets, the festivals, nature and outdoor activities, and civic centers, create the culture and lifestyle of Paradise. These are the reasons people settled in Paradise and they are the reasons people choose to retire there. It is what makes its people feel proud and passionate about their town.
Community Overview
Paradise Chocolate Festival Chocolate Royale Coronation
Gold Nugget Days parade
Johnny Appleseed Day
Paradise Chocolate Festival
Gold Nugget Day
Johnny Appleseed Day Food Venues
Paradise Recreation Center Swimming Pool
Paradise Recreation Center Kids After School Program
Paradise Recreation Center Dance Classes
Paradise Recreation Center ice skating Rink
Adult Fitness programs
Kids and Teens Sports
Assets of Paradise Green Spaces
Paradise, CA 2
3000’
Hiking/Trails
Green Space
1500’
Vital Civic Assets Grocery
Community Overview
Library School Firestation Courthouse Hospital Post Office
Social Centers Recreation Senior Living Church Synagogue
Cultural Endeavors Apple Orchard Gold Nugget History Museum Theaters
Bike Paths Bike Route Streams
2
Economic
Community Overview
Similar to many rural towns scattered across the United States, Paradise had a very localized economy. As a town with a majorly aging population, Paradise employs 10,024 people out of a total population of 26,396 people. Based on an index in which the U.S. average cost of living is 100 (an index > 100 means it is more expensive compared to the U.S. average), California is 169, and Paradise is 111. Housing is the biggest factor in the cost of living in Paradise. The median property value is $205,500, which is higher than the U.S. ($193,500), but lower than California ($442,400). As a comparatively affordable town in the State of California, it is no surprise that some former Chico residents would want to retire to the town. In fact, the top three industries of healthcare and social assistance (25.8%; 2,589 people), retail trade (13.2%; 1,319 people), and educational services (8.4%; 844 people) complement its aging population. The healthcare and social assistance category consists of registered nurses; nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides; and personal care aides. This category is the fifth highest paying industry in Paradise; employees earn a median annual income of $32,483. The retail trade category consists of retail salespersons, first-line supervisors of retail sales workers, and cashiers. The educational services category consists of elementary and middle school teachers, post-secondary teachers, and teacher assistants. This category is the fourth highest paying industry in Paradise; employees earn a median annual income of $33,496. Additionally, as a rural town, Paradise has a high number of residents working in the industry categories of agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting (251 people), healthcare and social assistance (2,589 people), and utilities (123 people), which, according to the census, is high comparatively for a town its size. The highest paying industries in Paradise by annual median earnings are utilities ($67,667), real estate, rentals and leasing ($52,130), and finance and insurance ($50,679).
The lowest paying industries are arts, entertainment, and recreation ($9.453); accommodation and food services ($11.538); and administrative, support, and waste management services ($20,424). ,Occupationally, the most common jobs of Paradise residents are administrative (11.4%; 1,145 people), management (10.3%; 1,033 people), and sales (9.6%; 960 people). From there, Paradise has an unusually high number of residents working in the occupation categories of health technicians (450 people); personal care and service (728 people); and farming, fishing, and forestry (101 people). The highest paying jobs by annual median earnings are life, physical, and social science employees ($79,955), firefighting supervisors ($71,625), and legal employees ($63,247). The lowest paying jobs are in food and serving ($13,072), arts and recreation ($14,561), and personal care and service ($15,405). Unfortunately, due to its isolated location with limited localized economic opportunity, Paradise did have a stagnant economy before the Camp Fire. Its unemployment rate of the time was 4.6%, whereas the national rate is 3.9%. University students were not returning to Paradise after graduation, which led to the increasingly aging workforce. Additionally, many residents did not work in Paradise and would instead commute every day to Chico in order to compete in the job market.
Population by Occupation Data from U.S. Census Bureau, updated in May, 2017
Educational services 7.6%
Construction 7.9%
Others 20.5%
Manufacturing 3.5% Administrative, support, waste management services 3.6%
Retail trade 13.5%
Professional,scientific, technical services 4.2% Public administration 5.5%
Accommodation, food services 6.9%
Health care and social assistance 26.8%
Population by Education Data from U.S. Census Bureau, updated in May, 2017
Grade school 2.7%
Others 7.7%
Some high school 5.8%
Degree master 2.4%
High school grad only 32%
Degree 4 years 23.3%
Degree 2 years 16.2%
Some college 9.9%
Cost of Living
The cost of living indices are based on a US average of 100. An amount below 100 means Paradise is cheaper than the US average. A cost of living index above 100 means Paradise, California is more expensive. updated in September, 2018 293
300
U.S. average California
250
Paradise
200 169 150
147
136 111
100
98
107
100
107102
93
96
101104
50
0
Overall
Grocery
Health
Housing
Utilities Transportation
Misc.
economic, workforce, and educational development of the town will determine the demographics of the “new� Paradise.
2
Prior and Anticipatory Demographics
Community Overview
Before the Camp Fire, Paradise was home to a population of 26,400 people, from which 98.9% are US citizens. As of 2017, 2.39% of Paradise, CA residents were born outside of the country. The ethnic composition of the population of Paradise, California, is composed of 23,300 White alone residents (88.3%), 1,640 Hispanic or Latino residents (6.21%), 834 Two or More Races residents (3.15%), 308 American Indian and Alaska Native alone residents (1.17%), 269 Asian alone residents (1.02%), 53 Black or African American alone residents (0.2%), 0 Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone residents (0%), and 0 Some Other Race alone residents (0%). Given its demographics, the most common foreign languages spoken in Paradise are Spanish or Spanish Creole (703 speakers), German (167 speakers), and Chinese (88 speakers). Due to the disproportionally large young and old populations in Paradise, the median age of all people in Paradise was 49.2. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 49, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 58. Paradise was majorly a town with young families and retired couples. Consequently, the town was home to a large population of veterans with over 1,039 Vietnam, 299 Korean, and 217 Gulf War veterans.
Prior Population
Target Population
<18
<65
<18
<65
18-24 18-24
Looking forward, the demographics of the town will change dramatically as people begin to repopulate the area. In fact, according to a survey from Urban Design Associates, only 51% of residents plan on returning to Paradise. Furthermore, only 36% say that they intend to have their children return to school in Paradise. Through conversation with displaced Paradise residents, many have expressed that retired residents have decided that it is not worth the wait to rebuild in Paradise and have instead moved elsewhere. Many generational families likely will return to Paradise since their families have resided there for centuries. As for the influx of people wanting to re-populate Paradise, the overall
25-44
45-64
45-64
25-44
planing: interface 10% - 20% Resiliency _02 Site Understanding [Slope Analysis] town >20% • Wildland-urban
_02 Site Understanding
Topography Analysis
2
Analysis Ecosystem UnderstandingTopography Topography Analysis Topography Analysis
Community Overview
Paradise is a town in Butte County, California, located at 35.7596º Topography N, 121.6219º Analysis W. Paradise is located to the east of Chico and north of Sacramento in the Sierra Nevada foothills in a lush green environment among pine and oak forests. It is located on a ridge in the foothills that has elevations ranging from 2,000 to 2,800 feet above sea level. The land in Paradise is rugged, resembling a plateau surrounded by canyons that becomes increasingly hilly. Its topography ranges from being extremely walkable to non-buildable with slopes ranging between 0% up to greater than 20%. Paradise has only a few main roads due to its unique topography. Soils in Paradise are well drained and of a reddish brown loam. Paradiso, originally formed from volcanic rock, is the most common soil found in the town. Pre Camp Fire land use types in Paradise ranged from commercial zoning to residential, industrial, public service, and agricultural. Uses were separated horizontally, with the primary commercial zones being along Skyway and Clark. Paradise is a grassland chaparral and mixed conifer habitat biome. This type of biome, along with the climate of Paradise, allows for the town to be covered in a heavy green canopy, creating a wooded sense of place. There are many natural assets in and around Paradise, such as the water features within Butte County surrounding Paradise—Feather River and Butte Creek, that contribute to the rich diversity in vegetation and wildlife. There are also many protected areas within the county such as Plumas National Forest, Butte Sink National Wildlife Refuge, and Lassen National Forest, which contribute to the beauty and preservation of the natural assets surrounding the town.
• Multiple wide planing: interface 10% - 20% Resiliency [Slope Analysis] egress town >20% • Slope Analysis •• Wildland-urban Multiple wide Simple and planing: interface 5% - -10% 10% 20% Resiliency egress roads town >20% •• straight Wildland-urban Multiple wide ••planing: Simple and Condensed 5% - -10% egress roads 10% 20% interface •• straight Wildland-urban commercial zone wide •• Multiple Simple and 2% 5% Condensed 5% - -10% 10% 20% interface egress straight roads zone •• commercial Multiple wide Simple and 2% 5% • Condensed 5% - 10% egress straight roads commercial zone 0% 2% • Simple and 2% 5% • Condensed 5% - 10% straight roads commercial zone 0% 2% 2% - 5% • Condensed commercial zone 0% 2% 2% -- 5% 0% - 2% 0% - 2%
Native vegetation in Paradise includes tall foothill ponderosa pines, California black or blue oaks, western redbud, lupine, flannelbush, buckeye, California buckwheat, common whiteleaf manzanita, California fuschia, deergrass, and coyote brush. Most of these native plants require well-drained soils, are drought tolerant, and are able to withstand the hot, dry summers of Paradise. The type of wildlife found in Paradise can range from snakes (king snakes, rattlesnakes, gopher snakes, garter snakes, and striped racer snakes), opossums, bats, squirrels, fox, racoons, mountain lions, western bluebirds, yellow warblers, bobcats, coyotes, and bears.
Temperature by hour
Wind roses mph
N
17.2 15.5
N
mph
NW 12 AM
6 PM
12 PM
6 AM
12 AM
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
C
F
42.00
107.6
36.99
98.58
31.98
89.56
26.97
80.55
21.96
71.53
16.95
62.51
11.94
53.49
6.93
44.47
1.92
35.45
-3.09
26.44
-8.10
17.42
13.8 12.1
28.9
NE
17.4 E
W
7.02
23.1
3.62
5.32
1.92
20.3 W
0.10 S
Summer
17.5
E
14.5
mph
N
28.9
11.6
26.0 23.1
8.81
Dry Bulb Temperature - Hourly
2
20.3 17.5
5.95
SE
SW S
W
E
14.5
3.08
11.6
0.22
5.95
8.81
3.08 0.22
Aunual
Sun path with topography
8.72
26.0
S
Winter
Psychrometric chart
Community Overview
Humidity Ratio [kg water/ kg air] 110 kJ/kg 90% 80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
0.03
100 kJ/kg
Hours 82.00<= 73.80
0.025 30%
90 kJ/kg
65.60 57.40 80 kJ/kg
49.20 41.00
0.02
32.80
Lit
t
u le B
er
m
m
Su
k
ree
C tte
70 kJ/kg
24.60
N
E
e stic
l
So
16.40
Fea t
her
8.65% Comfort zone
8.20
Rive
60 kJ/kg
20%
<=0.00
r
0.015 50 kJ/kg
er
int W
W
40 kJ/kg
ice
lst
So
0.01 30 kJ/kg
S
10%
20 kJ/kg 0.005
10 kJ/kg
Paradise has a heating dominated Mediterranean climate that consists of hot summers and wet, cool winters. The predominant wind direction comes from the northeast along the ridge and under some conditions is strong. Average summer temperatures for June, July, and August are in the 90º’s F range with June having an average high and low of 84º/60 º, July with 92º/66º, and August with an average high and low of 90º/64º. Fall temperatures average around 70º F. September has an average high and low of 85º/61º F, while October has an average of 74º/53º F, and November has 60º/44º F average high and low temperatures. Average winter temperatures reach as low as 36º F. December has an average high and low temperature of 53º/39º F, while January has averages of 54º/39º F, and February has averages of 57º/41º F. The temperature averages 68º F in the spring. The average high and low in March is 61º/43º F, while April averages 66º/47º F, and May averages 76º/53º F. The town experiences snowfall in the winter as well. Paradise averages approximately three inches of snowfall per year and 58 inches of rain on average per year, which is greater than the average rainfall for California at 22 inches annually.
0 kJ/kg -10 kJ/kg
-20°C -20 (-4°F) -15°C -15 (5°F) Operative Temperature
Air quality
-10°C -10 (14°F)
-5°C -5 (23°F)
0°C 0 (32°F)
5°C 5 (41°F)
10°C 10 (50°F)
15°C 15 (59°F)
20°C 20 (68°F)
25°C 25 (77°F)
30°C 30 (86°F)
35°C 35 (95°F)
40°C 40 (104°F)
50°C 50 (122°F)
Average precipitation by month Precipitation (in)
AIR QUALITY INDEX (AQI)
21 17
45°C 45 (113°F)
(0-50) GOOD | LITTLE TO NO RISK (51-100) MODERATE |
MODERATE HEALTH CONCERN
(101-150) UNHEALTHY | FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS
12
Snow Rain
10.5
10
9.6
9.1 8
8
6.9
6 4.1
4 2 0
3.1 1.9 1.1 JAN
0.4
0.3
FEB
MAR
0.7 APR
MAY
JUN
0.1
0.2
JUL
AUG
0.8 SEP
0.4 OCT
NOV
DEC
Due to the nature of this climate, good passive design strategies to utilize in Paradise are natural ventilation and cooling, direct solar heat gain, solar shading on the south, and minimizing north glazing. Other strategies to consider are utilizing thermal mass, implementing the use of solar pv panels on rooftops for energy production, planting native vegetation that is low water maintenance and fire resistant, and using green roofs for rainwater collection.
2
Taking advantage of the strong northeast wind would require a design that incorporates opposite inlet and outlet air openings into the building designs. Inlet openings should be oriented perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction and outlet openings should be oriented opposite the inlet openings to provide for natural cross ventilation. Elongating the building forms along the east and west directions will minimize solar heat gain and allow for cooling.
Community Overview
Utilizing a green roof in building design would provide for both roof insulation and lower air temperatures and also would provide for water retention. Implementing a green roof into building design requires anywhere between 2.5 inches to 39 inches in thickness for the proper structure and roofing material implementation depending on the intensity of the roof garden. Designing for daylighting requires considerations in building form, shading, and glazing area. Buildings with a narrow floor plate and elongated east and west faces can maximize glazing to light interior spaces while minimizing solar heat gain on the north and south faces. Incorporating high ceilings and windows will also optimize interior lighting. To design for solar shading on the south face, exterior horizontal louvers and horizontal overhangs can be used. Shading should be size as â&#x2026;&#x201C; the size of the glazing on that face in order for it to work effectively.
Carbon TrackÂŽ Intelligent Energy Management
Good landscaping strategies to implement into this mountainside community are preserving native species, landscaping with fire resilient species, preserving natural drainage patterns on site, protecting and preserving healthy soils, and locating and managing vegetation to mitigate potential fire hazards and prevent unnecessary grading or stripping of vegetation. Planting trees on the east and west faces of buildings cools the ground around the buildings as well as air temperatures and provides for shading. With landscaping a site, it is important to consider effective defensible space, which requires proper management of vegetation around buildings. Areas within 30 feet of buildings must be planted with vegetation that cannot easily ignite and should be routinely maintained. Canopies of mature trees should not be within 10 feet of a building to avoid the risk of ignition. Choosing to landscape with plants that are low growing and have a high moisture content such as herbaceous non woody plants and succulents within 3 feet of a building will help to mitigate the risk of fire spreading due to vegetation. Designed by Cat Comm. Data from Martin Jauch & Rolf Rober.
[
Chapter 3: Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
]
The Camp Fire 3 Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
All cities grapple with responding to threats. In California, natural threats include tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding or fires and in some cases a mix of all these. Towns in locations in High Fire Hazard Zones are primarily contending with the threat of wildland sourced fires. These fires can be caused by natural sources such as lightning, human-caused or infrastructure-based. The more accessible the natural setting, the more likely that humans play a role, intentional or not, in enhancing these natural threats. In Paradise, there were two fires in 2008 that necessitated evacuation, caused damage to property (buildings and vehicles), and played a role in influencing the natural surroundings that created the deadly conditions of the 2018 fire. Post 2008, PG&E provided maintenance along the ridge where they removed mature trees surrounding the above ground utility lines Once these mature trees had been removed, the underbrush was able to grow exponentially, and PG&E did not continue with their maintenance regimen. The Camp Fire of Butte County, California, began on November 8, 2018, and was not fully contained until the 25th of November. During that time, the fire swept through the town of Paradise and the surrounding wilderness. The fire led to 85 civilian fatalities and 12 people injured. By the time of containment,153,300 acres and nearly 19,000 structures had burned, depleting the town of most of its resources, including fresh water. The fire created $16.5 billion in damage, over $4 billion of which was not insured. The Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and the deadliest fire in the United States since the Cloquet Fire of 1918. Further investigations since this time determined that under-maintained electrical transmission lines ignited fires in two locations (Pulga and Concow/
Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle Businesses burn in downtown Paradise during Camp Fire in Butte County, Calif.. on Thursday, November 8, 2018.
Rim Roads) to create the deadly fire. These initial starts combined with â&#x20AC;&#x153;idealâ&#x20AC;? fire conditions to create the extraordinarily fast moving and hot burning fire. Winds were blowing down the ridge at 40 - 50 mph, relative humidity was extraordinarily low (11%), and the ignition points were met with poorly maintained underbrush that acted as perfect fuel for the fire. Interestingly enough, the underbrush was thriving due to maintenance practices caused by the 2008 fires, which also were found to be caused by PG&E.
Defining and Implementing Recovery 3
Recovery in the wake of disaster is a multifaceted challenge reliant on the ability of community members and aid organizations to cooperate toward shared goals. Many entities can be involved in both short- and long-term recovery, including residents/community members themselves, volunteer and civic organizations, faith-based organizations, schools, businesses, academic institutions, and governmental agencies.
Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
After the Camp Fire, the first steps toward recovery were taken by community members themselves, who set up an encampment in the parking lot of a Walmart in Chico, California. Later, FEMA began passing out motel room vouchers and the Red Cross and local church congregations established ten shelters. Finding access to shelter and food, along with medical care for the injured, should always be the first response after a disaster, as meeting these basic needs is the catalyst that helps those impacted regain their sense of safety and may allow them to process the trauma they have faced. The effects of disasters like the Camp Fire on mental health range based on personal experience. Residents of Paradise experienced a myriad of traumas including sustaining serious injuries; enduring near-death experiences; losing loved ones; witnessing devastation among friends, family, neighbors, and the greater community; and experiencing the irreparable loss of possessions and property. In their article on the psychological impact of natural disasters in adults, Anka A. Vujanovic and Matthew W. Gallagher state that “individuals directly impacted by natural disasters may be feel a strong sense of grief, panic, loss, fear, and sadness.” In Paradise, professionals came in to help with the psychological effects of the tremendous loss, but notably community members uplifted and supported one another in their recovery. “Maintaining a connection to others in the aftermath of disaster can be healing for individuals and the community. Avoiding isolation and increasing social support is an important factor in building
Photo: Marc Albert Camp Fire victims fill the pews of Paradise Alliance Church.
resilience” (Vujanovic and Gallagher). As these basic needs of physical and psychological health were addressed, the community also began to focus on long-term recovery with the Paradise LongTerm Recovery Working Group. While Paradise is a community destroyed by disaster, it is also a community with a desire to rebuild. FEMA notes the need to plan for long-term recovery, or “ the need to re-establish a healthy, functioning community that will sustain itself over time.” It outlines 13 important steps to long-term recovery:
Assessing the Need Any recovery assessment focuses on establishing the “long-term impact of damages sustained by a community,” looking specifically at the housing, infrastructure, environment, and economy sectors. In Paradise, the immediate needs that were identified included site clean-up, infrastructure improvement, and funding sources for the rebuild. Meeting these needs is seen as the precursor to rebuilding a new, more resilient Paradise. Selecting a Leader and Outlining a Long Term Community Recovery Program FEMA states that leadership is a critical step in recovery, noting “a good leader will serve as a beacon for community and government involvement and will convey the importance of the recovery process to local, state, and federal officials.” To help with the long-term recovery, a number of supporting organizations listed joined with the Town of Paradise and Urban Design Associates (UDA) to create a Long Term Recovery Plan.
3 Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
Securing Outside Support Because of the nature of disaster, recovery facilitated solely through one organization is impossible. Creating partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private and non-governmental organizations, can make the recovery process more effective. The Town of Paradise found partnerships with several public and private agencies across the spectrum of needs it identified. These include organizations that focus on economic development, schools and youth, utilities, arts and culture, academia, and housing. Because support from these agencies must be coordinated, frequent meetings at a range of scales have been held, and the input from all groups has been noted in order to best create a plan that meets the desires of the town. A fund has been formed, titled Butte Strong, which focuses on addressing long-term recovery needs. Further work is yet to be done to engage support beyond this source, including funds from PG&E, the State of California, the federal government, and other sources. UDA hosted several outreach meetings to engage the community, and their desires for the future of Paradise after the devastation of the Camp Fire have been heard. Establishing a Public Information Campaign The long-term success of a recovery program is largely determined by the extent of community involvement. A public information campaign helps get community members involved and focused on long-term planning for the community. This can be a challenge when the long-term circumstances of community members may be unclear. Residents are scattered across the country, but with an anticipated 51% of residents planning to return to the town to rebuild, sharing information to involve the community is critical and allows the community to take back ownership of their town. The Town of Paradise has since hired an agency, Blue Flamingo, to help with communication.
Reaching a Consensus Paradise is currently at this stage, where stakeholders are making decisions that will allow the long-term recovery program to move forward. While stakeholders may be diverse, and there may be tensions between different groups, these groups can be continuously re-oriented toward common goals that better the community and town as a whole. Paradise has many steps ahead, and the recovery process likely will not end for many years. The Paradise community has strong leaders and community members that are dedicated to rebuilding, and their progress thus far in establishing a plan illustrates their willingness and excitement moving forward toward a more resilient town. Marcy Douglas, city administrator of Northwood, North Dakota, a community of 1,000 that was leveled by a category 4 tornado, believes that the recovery mindset was vital to the rebuilding of her city, explaining, “If you respond to a disaster with recovery in mind, recovery will happen” (Douglas as quoted by Becker, 7).
Photo: Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group People who lost their homes in the Camp Fire stand in line to talk to a FEMA representative in the parking lot of the Walmart in Oroville on Nov. 14.
Wildland Urban Interface
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In California, the number of housing units in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) has gone up from 3.3 million units in 1990 to 4.4 million in 2010 (Cal Fire). WUIs are communities surrounded by natural areas at risk of wildland fires. Roughly 50% of Butte County, California, and the entire town of Paradise are characterized by Cal Fire as being located in a very high fire hazard severity zone. However, the purpose of the WUI standard is meant to inform communities on materials for buildings that can preserve life. The State Fire Marshal states that protecting a building from a wildfire requires two things: 1) removing flammable materials from around the building, with fuel modification to 100 feet (or the property line), and 2) constructing the building of fire-resistive materials.
Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
Zone 1(0’-30’) 1. Tree branches 2. Shrubs 3. Dead plants grass and weeds 4. Prune/remove plants and shrubs near windows 5. Overhanging vegetation from roof/chimney 6. Under deck vegetation Zone 2 (30’-100’) 7. Horizontal space between shrub and trees 8. Lawns trimmed to 4” 9. Remove fallen branches 10. Remove all branches below 6’ above ground from tree 11. Fire resistant accessory structures and fencing Construct the building of fire resistive materials. 1. Roof coverings
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Fire resistive wall and ceiling-floor assemblies Non combustible or fire resistant decking Fire doors Tempered glass Non combustible wall finish materials and cladding Fire dampers, enclosed under floor areas Shield gutters, fire and non-fire related hardware, electrical appliances and devices
For reconstruction there is an opportunity to leverage existing on-site resources and improve fire resistivity in the newly built structures. Materials listed such as solid wood and cross laminated timber are now recognized nationally (and by code) as sustainable methods deemed to have a very appropriate performance in a fire (up to 90 minutes). Unlike steel, solid wood and CLT remains structurally stable in a fire up to 400 degrees due to creating a charred layer.
Economic Resiliency Creating a place with economic resiliency ensures that it can recover after economic downturns and also have a financial base to aid in natural disaster recovery. Planning for and inviting diversity of business and industry enhances resiliency and also helps create income for a town or city. Prior to the Camp Fire, the Town of Paradise was in fiscal decline, which has created hurdles for rebuilding efforts. Moving forward, Paradise is working to design a more vibrant town that provides for its residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most basic needs and creates diverse livelihood and employment opportunities for the residents to enjoy. Building this type of economy will provide residents with head-of-household jobs that provide financial security for families and individuals alike.
Resiliency 3
Resiliency is defined as the ability of a place, and all aspects that makes that place unique, to recover after a disaster. This broad idea of resiliency is broken down into three major categories: social, economic, and physical. In order for design to fully support its user population, it should seek to provide resilience in all three of these categories. The intersection of different types of resiliency compounds the ability of the environment to prevent and recover from disaster.
Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
Social Resiliency A socially resilient place has a strong sense of community that is developed through community events, classes, and architecture that fosters congregation. Paradise was able to maintain this type of community through several different churches as well as popular community events. Such a community is able to come back together in the aftermath of a disaster in order to organize and create a recovery plan.
01
02
03
+
=
04
=
Diverse Livelihoods
Support Mechanisms
Supported Pivoting
Long term Livelihood
Various industries for job opportunity.
Systems to catch people if they fall.
People can adapt to changes.
Translates to savings + secure income.
05
06
07
+ Community Support
Secure individuals leads to secure communities.
+ Create Trust
Citizens can trust each other and their government.
08
= Give People Platforms
Community Identity
Let people be heard and speak out.
Trusting communities form unique identities.
Physical Resiliency Of special importance to the Town of Paradise and other communities that reside in the Wildland Urban Interface is physical resiliency. This form of resiliency focuses on designing a built environment that is defensible against disaster. In Paradise, this involves designing buildings composed of fire resistive or noncombustible materials. Other considerations include the local availability and embodied energy of materials. Paradise must also redesign its communications, water, and energy infrastructure to sustain its anticipated future population. To build a strong foundation for new residents and future generations, these new or renovated water and energy infrastructures should be regenerative.
In 2007, Make It Right Foundation, committed to build 150 sustainable houses in the Lower Ninth Ward designed by award-winning architects around the world, including Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne and etc. Houses are built on every other parcel and reflect the traditional New Orleans architecture style.
Learning from Others 3 Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
New Orleans The Ninth Ward, which was funded by the Make It Right Foundation, is an example of architecture that failed to properly address the community it was serving. These houses failed to account for the environment of New Orleans, they didn’t fit into the surrounding neighborhood, and they weren’t built in a way to help prevent major damage to them if another hurricane were to hit. However, Musicians’ Village exemplifies a successful Post-Katrina development. This neighborhood stuck to the traditional style of architecture found in the area and kept the prices of these homes at an affordable rate so families could move in and have property with which they could accrue wealth. While visiting Waggoner and Ball, they presented some of their projects in New Orleans and how these projects address the very prominent issue of flooding. Their projects also had a large focus on contributing to the beautification of the neighborhoods in which they were situated while still conforming to culture of the areas. Urban Build, which is program run through Tulane University, allows students to fully design and build houses in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. These houses are then sold at market rate for the neighborhood which they are built in. The purpose of these projects is meant to help bring up the value of the surrounding neighborhood and to attract people into moving into them to help revitalize them culturally. Programs like this show the importance of not only designing a project that fits into the surrounding community, but one that actively contributes to the community culturally. It has to improve the community as a whole and help make it a desirable place to live in. Newburn, Alabama Musician’s Village’s houses are close together and built around the community center.
3
The town of Newbern and the Rural Studio also provided some insight on how to properly design projects that feel like part of the communities they’re serving while remaining architecturally stimulating. All these projects achieved a balance between modernity and modesty, giving them a unique feeling of innovation and comfort. A lot of these projects used similar building materials found in other existing projects in the community but combined them with a more modern and contemporary take on architecture. The importance of finding a balance between this drive as an architect to create a visually and experientially stunning project and a project that appropriately addresses the needs and feeling of the surrounding town is tough. However, finding that middle ground is essential to a successful project.
Lion’s Park
Atlanta
Safe House Museum
Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
In Atlanta, BNIM had a design charrette session that provided a lot of valuable information. While they echoed some of the lessons stated above, they also stressed the importance of having a project respond to its immediate surroundings either by using a building to frame certain views or move and highlight important features of the site. They also focused a lot on how the facade of a building can really impact how people at the street level experience it, because this is the only way people will experience the project. While it may look good from a bird’s-eye view, if the project feels massive or domineering, it won’t feel welcoming.
Newbern Fire Station
The whole trip was an extremely helpful experience being able to collaborate briefly with professional architects and pick apart successful and unsuccessful projects. These projects and people had a lot of valuable lessons that are essential to being able to design a project that appropriately responds to and addresses the people and community it is meant to serve. The whole trip was an extremely helpful experience being able to collaborate briefly with professional architects and pick apart successful and unsuccessful projects. These projects and people had a lot of valuable lessons that are essential to being able to design a project that appropriately responds to and addresses the people and community it is meant to serve.
3 Resiliency and Disaster Recovery
[
Chapter 4: Visions and Goals
]
Outreach and Common Themes
4 Vision and Goals
Before establishing a set of goals and objectives for the (re)imagining Paradise project, it was necessary to extend beyond tertiary resources to real and interpersonal interactions. The first three weeks of studio were primarily concerned with research of the Town of Paradise and Butte County. The data was then compiled into a series of assessments that were displayed during the different outreach sessions with Chico and former Paradise residents. These reports included resiliency palettes, precedent studies, asset maps, and informational posters regarding Paradise’s demographics, climate, history, etc. The outreach was divided into multiple sessions that allowed diverse interaction with audiences ranging from Chico State students and faculty, Paradise residents, and disaster recovery organizations. These sessions served more as forms of interactive listening meetings to gain feedback and develop a personal understanding of Paradise before proceeding with a recovery plan. In order to achieve this, different activities took place within the meetings such as interactive boards where attendees were able to mark assessment reports, a “how might we” station where people could brainstorm and write on sticky notes, and one-on-one interviews where Paradise residents shared their personal experiences as “Day in the Life” descriptions. There were many recurring topics discussed during these listening meetings. Faculty of Chico State, for example, addressed that Paradise was a “bedroom” community, a town many went to for retirement. Among the different audiences with whom students met during these sessions, many agreed that Paradise needed better fire safety and evacuation routes through both an improved network of roads and increased communication among residents. However, many also expressed Paradise’s strengths such as proximity to nature, its small town culture, the spirit of the people within the community, and its access to healthcare. Finally, there was discussion about the future of Paradise where opportunities for an improved wastewater system, more businesses, a walkable downtown, a safer street network, and more were imagined.
How Might We…Brainstorming and Outcomes
4
In the initial phase of re-imagining Paradise, gathering information and opinions beyond online resources took priority. The second week of studio - the week prior to the first trip to Paradise - concerned itself primarily with empathetic listening and preparing to better listen to the needs of Paradise residents without the hindrance of personal biases. In small groups, students shared research from the prior week about the town. During the in-class activity, a variety of researched information turned into educated assumptions about both the current state of the town and possible future needs of future residents, which then became a set of concise insight statements that took a more specific stance on the themes discussed. Without providing direct solutions, these insight statements acted as building blocks to propel the class’s initial design efforts forward.
Vision and Goals
For the next few class sessions, the studio walls were engulfed in multi-colored sticky notes and desks were covered in unused post-its with remnants of past iterative ideas. General themes gathered during the first activity session written on large post-its—such as transportation, sense of community, lifestyle, and city planning—were lined up along the top of each wall with enough room below to hold a plethora of sticky notes with ideas as to how to tend to these themes. During the final step of this activity, the insight statements and proposed ideas were rephrased as “How Might We” questions. In reframing ideas and challenges into questions, a more direct and creative way of seeking innovative solutions by breaking down problems into themes, focused issues, and commonalities ensued. Because this project tackles a large issue, gaining insight through interpersonal activities with displaced residents of Paradise proved to be a crucial step in the class’s overall approach to re-imagining a more resilient urban forest. The third week of the double quarter welcomed the first class trip to Paradise and Chico
where we were able to speak with college faculty, practicing engineers, and displaced adult and child former residents. The “How Might We” activity followed the class to Butte County in the form of a station where students engaged in dialogue with individuals who are passionate about the future of their town. Although the previous few weeks were dedicated to in-depth research about Paradise and its residents pre-and-post fire, speaking directly with people who experienced the fire and are still dealing with the loss proved to contribute to and further develop the objective assessments that were initially brought along on the trip. The iterative processes that came with the in-class activity instilled confidence in the research and insights developed through both that research and the class discussions that concerned themselves with sustainability, flexibility of spaces, an urban core, and walkability amongst a multitude of other topics. While different groups in class focused their attention on varying topics, common themes found in each group’s brainstorming sessions made it evident that certain topics such as architectural resiliency, designing with understanding, re-urbanization, and walkability were main areas of concern that should be tactfully addressed through project designs. In the case of pedestrian movement through the town, research shed light on the effects Paradise’s rural sprawl had on its residents. This prior research instilled unwavering confidence in the statement, “Make Paradise more walkable through articulating more pedestrian-friendly roads.” However, with a lack of realization regarding how pedestrians could experience walking through the town with the sprawl on its existing topography, learning about the experiential quality of being a pedestrian in Paradise during conversations with
former adult and high school residents shed light on how to re-approach this design question. The initial research phase posed the question: “How might we make Paradise more walkable?” With the knowledge generated through community outreach sessions conducted in Chico and Paradise, it became evident that walkability and the implementation of arbitrary pedestrian walkways are not exactly synonymous. Instead, walkability was articulated as an issue that could be addressed and mediated through re-evaluating, re-organizing, and reestablishing a denser mixed-use downtown. Comments from adults and high school students alike articulated that distance between points of interest in the town made walking to and from work or school to a cafe difficult due to the distance and slopes between the locations exceeding the range of pedestrian comfortability. While posing these “how might we” questions did not yield direct design solutions, they greatly contributed to the development of designs and ideas. These insightful conversations shared between the class and the community of Paradise allowed students to step back from the objectivity of online research and facilitate their design conversations by integrating both objective assessments and gained personal insight to further develop projects with the wellbeing of Paradise and its residents in mind.
4 Vision and Goals
Community Vision and Goals Through in-class efforts, community outreach sessions, and lessons from industry professionals helping to rebuild Paradise, articulating the generated goals and visions of the community became a medium to further class design efforts overall. Fueled by personal and online research, the class as a whole developed a series of goals to augment the basic assumptions of the project, which were to design a town that: -Is economically, socially and physically resilient; -Attracts new residents to Paradise; -Attracts students to return to the area after attending college in other areas; -Allows citizens to age in place; -Is resource regenerative (water, energy, wastewater).
4 Vision and Goals
Along with generating insight from personal interactions with the Paradise community members, students were able to reference the corresponding work of Urban Design Associates (UDA), the architectural firm leading the redesigning efforts for the town. In UDA’s “Community Recovery Plan” (April 19, 2019), authors discuss their agenda, elaborating on what they heard through their own community outreach activities and how that translates into their long-term community recovery plan. Despite not working directly with UDA, being able to both speak with and listen to Paradise residents for design insight allowed the class goals and those of the firm to have some levels of synonymy. In their document, UDA noted the population of attendees of community outreach meetings held in the county. As stated in their long-term community recovery plan, of the over 1,000 people who attended community meetings, 78% were Paradise residents. With such a high percentage of the population in attendance having a direct association with the town, it became evident that engaging with and listening to the community would be crucial in understanding how best to design for a new resilient Paradise that would respect traditions while fostering change that would allow for a thriving future community. In their published report, UDA identified that when asked, 51% of Paradise residents surveyed said they would return to the town after it was rebuilt, while 34% were adamant about not returning. This leaves 15% of residents surveyed
still undecided at the time. The portion of the UDA report that presents this data sheds light on a primary concern that fueled a lot of the goals established in class. Although a lot of time in class was spent learning about the cultural assets that made Paradise a town treasured by its community, acknowledging the significant percentage of people that would not return to Paradise informed the need to assess why and find design solutions to make Paradise more attractive to future residents. During the first community outreach session at Chico State University, hearing from the school faculty and local engineers informed the class that Paradise is considered a “bedroom community” (i.e., a community that serves as a place to sleep as opposed to one that provides a thriving job economy which individuals have to seek elsewhere). In treating this as a priority, the group projects in this studio course collaborate in that they are located in the proposed downtown. With the implementation of a diversity of building typologies and programs within this mixed-use urban center, there is, then, a simultaneous proposal for a multitude of retail and varying employment opportunities that could contribute to an economically thriving community. In terms of promoting physical resiliency, UDA proposes to make Paradise greener by investing in sustainable design. While that is the premise of this studio’s concern ras well, egarding physical quality of the buildings, these group projects address the challenges Paradise faces from their lack of regenerative resources. Among the nine projects designed in class, there are proposals for a diversity of rainwater catchment systems with beneficial uses for recycled water, an anaerobic digester to turn waste into energy, and opportunities for people to learn about and experience, through both education and use, fire-resilient building materials.
needs as well as creating a close community. On the other hand, projects like Musicians’ Village focused on shared community spaces, units constructed specifically for the acoustical needs of musicians, as well amenities for practice spaces. These affordable houses also were close in proximity, which created a density that influenced a tighter sense of community for nearby residents. Relating back to Paradise, although not all residents will be able to afford rebuilding or returning to the town after the fire, affordable housing projects focused on the specific needs of residents will encourage people to move to Paradise and, in turn, create a sense of community.
Creating A Replicable Model
4 Vision and Goals
As evident in the California Climate Adaptation Strategy from 2009, climate change will continue to affect Northern California with lower precipitation levels and a dryer future, resulting in a greater risk for wildfires. By 2050, average temperatures will rise an additional 1.8-5.4 °F with inland areas, like Paradise, warmer than coastal regions. Climate change will be affecting the future of California for years to come, and with $2.5 trillion in real estate assets at risk due to extreme weather conditions (including wildfires), the consequences are dire. Last November, Paradise was the victim of these extreme weather conditions and it’s only a matter of time until another town, like Colfax, Nevada City, or Kings Beach, are next. These towns are small, like Paradise, and possess similar rugged terrains, with tall trees and thick brush, in addition to little defensible space or green buffers between the towns and nature. These characteristics, combined with windy weather, could create a deadly combination for wildfires to strike. In order to prevent or reduce current risks for wildfires in Northern California, a replicable model should be created. A replicable model is a model that can be re-created or produced again based on positive or successful results, and Paradise could set the standard with how towns in California respond to wildfires. These standards should include a detailed short-term and long-term recovery plan as well as procedures for how local and state partnerships can aid in the rebuilding process. To be successful, this model should focus on recovery planning and affordable housing, physical, economic and social resiliency, as well as an integration of architecture within the local community context. In terms of recovery planning and affordable housing, many lessons were learned while examining the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. On the one hand, housing projects like the Ninth Ward failed by not addressing residents’
In addition, physical, economic, and social resiliency are key in creating a replicable model for towns like Paradise to overcome tragedies such as wildfires. In terms of physical resiliency, new construction projects should use fire resilient materials, such as fiber cement or terracotta, and city officials should identify structures that are currently at risk. When Paradise burned, the fire spread more rapidly from roof to roof than it did from vegetation or trees, demonstrating why fire resilient materials were needed. With social resiliency, a community of residents who trust each other and can provide support in times of crisis are more likely to recover. By finding ways to integrate current and new residents that have dealt with similar tragedies, community relationships will strengthen and result in increased trust. Lastly, creating a replicable model for towns recovering from wildfires involves contextual integration of site, place, and community identity. Observing the Rural Studio in Hale County, Alabama, it was evident that the students considered themselves residents of the town and the reason their projects integrated so well with the natural surroundings, from materiality to space use, was because the structures were designed for the specific needs of clients and incorporated local and recycled materials. The Rural Studio gave a modern spin to southern architecture while respecting the local aesthetic, which enabled the countless structures they built over the years to seamlessly fit within the town and rural fabric of Hale County. The Camp Fire makes clear that a replicable model, composed of recovery planning and affordable housing, resiliency, and contextual site integration, is needed for towns like Paradise to thrive after a similar tragedy. This replicable model should be rooted in preserving a community’s identity while using modern technology and innovation to encourage sustainable practices that will better a given town or city. By creating a model like this, towns at risk may be able to prevent or diminish damages from natural disasters and stay protected for years to come.
[
Chapter 5: Constructing A Downtown
]
General Plan Update Constructing A Downtown
5
The New Proposed Paradise Plan aims to create a more navigable, fireresponsive, and self-sustaining future for Paradise. The density of the town has been spread out radially from the central downtown villages (East Village and West Village), which are generally zoned as commercial mixed use. Immediately adjacent to these villages are residential zones of medium density with lower density the farther they sit from the downtown villages. The two main N-S roads are Skyway Road, Clarke Road, and Pentz Road, which have been maintained as the main town entrances and exits. The main existing E-W roads, Wagstaff Road and Billie Road, have been maintained as the major E-W roads with the addition of Elliot Road, which has been extended to meet and continue past Pentz Road. The new town includes infrastructure placement that will promote a selfsustaining town. This means including facilities that make use of Paradiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural resources to create more locally sourced water, energy, and building materials. A CLT (cross laminated timber) plant is included in the plan as well as a utility zone near the West Village, which will house a water treatment facility for rainwater recycling and an anaerobic digester for energy production. Specific proposed projects are located in the West Village and East Village as well as on Skyway Road and within neighborhood centers near the West Village. A total of four cultural centers, over 408,000 square feet of added community space, nearly 400 housing units, over 450,000 square feet of commercial space, and a projected 750+ new jobs exist within these proposed projects.
Street (located on Almond Street), vehicular-accessible streets, and pedestrianonly streets. The main street and vehicular-accessible streets will include a bike lane each way as well as a vehicular lane each way. Main street also will include a center left-turn lane. Many of the blocks in the existing downtown area are currently split by E-W running mid-block alleys accessible to vehicles. The current downtown plan employs one of these on each of the nine blocks and has reclaimed them as pedestrian-only mid-block alleys to further promote the walkability of the downtown. Transit The new plan proposes to expand the bus transit in Paradise with more routes and increased service. Aside from the expansion of existing routes, a new downtown-specific route will be added and will include multiple stops on Skyway adjacent to the West border of the West Village. No stops are planned to exist within either of the villages, including the transit center. This is intended to maximize the accessibility of the downtown to Paradise residents without
Constructing A Downtown
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Community Land-use The new town plan is organized into the following zones: Residential (of varying density), Commercial, Institutional, and Green Space. Much of the plan is labeled as medium-density housing to accommodate the 15,000 dwelling units needed to house an expected population of approximately 30,000. Two commercial downtown villages (West Village and East Village) have been proposed to sit along Pearson Road, a secondary road running between Skyway and Clarke, two of the major thru N-S roads. These Villages would consist mostly of mixed-use zoning and become the retail hubs for the town, providing places for shopping and enjoying entertainment as well as living and working. This zoning also responds to the topography and location of dry brush. While the entirety of Paradise sits on a generally consistent 3% slope, the town is bordered with steeper, undevelopable topography. The steeper topography has been zoned as green space, with low-density housing as the next closest zone to allow for ease of evacuation. Infrastructure (Roads, Water and Wastewater, Rainwater, Solid waste, Energy) Paradise, California, before the Camp Fire essentially was comprised of two main roads and a series of winding cul-de-sacs that navigated through private residences. The new plan categorizes all roads as main, secondary, and bike roads. To improve navigability, all cul-de-sacs have been reoriented into secondary roads (red) that run perpendicular to main roads (blue). These roads are organized to support multi-modal transportation including bus, bike, and vehicular travel. Bike lanes run parallel to all main roads as well as some secondary roads running E-W near the proposed downtown villages. Three different types of roads are proposed for the new downtown: the main
Center and the Commons (Center for Safety and Well-Being), utilize the trail as integral to their design and programming. In these projects, the Yellowstone Kelly Heritage Trail becomes an integration of the Recreation Center’s green roof while the Commons activates the trail with their programs. Parks and Greenways Many people have been attracted to, visited, and moved to Paradise due to the close proximity of accessible nature . Within the Downtown plan, the existing Paradise Community Park becomes important as the Memorial Trail runs through the park and allows for an increase in community events and gatherings. Walkability From the Downtown plan, each block consists of one horizontal alley that becomes a pedestrian-only lane through the dense multi-use zoning. Within each pedestrian-only street, the zoning allows community and commercial mix-use buildings to exist on each block and allow pedestrians to experience a safer commute on foot. Constructing A Downtown
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congesting the inside of the downtown. The proposed downtown was modeled to be self-sustaining and renewable in its energy and water consumption and production. Two blocks below the southwestern corner of the West Village lies the proposed Utility Zone, which will house a proposed water treatment facility and anaerobic digester. The water treatment facility will take advantage of the abundance of rainfall in Paradise to collect rainwater and convert it to usable water for the entire town to use. The anaerobic digester will be used to create energy by processing waste that is delivered to the facility by truck, hence the close proximity to the town center. Transit The new plan proposes to expand bus transit in Paradise with more routes and increased service. Aside from the expansion of existing routes, a new downtown-specific route will be added and will include multiple stops on Skyway Road adjacent to the west border of the West Village. No stops are planned to exist within either of the villages, including the transit center. This is intended to maximize the accessibility of the downtown to Paradise residents without congesting the interior of the downtown. Trails The Paradise Memorial Trail is the main existing trailhead that follows a historical railroad. In 2018, the Paradise Memorial trail was renamed to Yellowstone Kelly Heritage Trail to honor Luther Sage “Yellowstone” Kelly, a historic American hero that settled permanently in Paradise after the Philippine–American War. This trail is an important component of the Downtown Plan as it promotes walkability and bike-ability for residents. Two proposed projects, the Paradise Recreation
COMMERCIAL MIXED USE
HOSPITALITY
OFFICE MIXED USE
PARKING
INFRASTRUCTURE
The West Village
MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDEN
CONSERVATION/ OPEN SPACE
Community Commercial
Constructing A Downtown
5
Layout One of the main goals with the West Village was to create a layout that would encourage walkability and allow the people of Paradise to get to places in an effective manner by grouping the commercial mixed use by the downtown area and community parcels around it. The West Village is ultimately designed to bring a new main street (Almond Street) to Paradise. This new main street will include retail space, commercial offices, and housing, all of which is intended to increase walkability and vibrancy. The West Village begins from Skyway Road to Black Olive Drive, and from First Street to Pearson Road. The lots above First Street are envisioned to become a medical campus. Community buildings and commercial mixed-use buildings will weave through the entire West Village, with the existing Paradise Park as a green buffer to the residential area. The West Village is expected to transition into a pedestrian-friendly, walkable area with concentrated parking structures in several locations and with other structures of two to three stories built to the sidewalk. The downtown area will be a concentrated combination of community based and mixed-use buildings. Streetscape and Connections During the design of the West Village, heavy consideration has been placed on promoting a walkable environment with an emphasis on public transportation. One particular goal of the downtown plan is the reduction of the automobile dependence. As such, in the design of all streets, bike lanes and bus lanes have been included, with widened sidewalks to encourage pedestrians to get around town without automotive use.
Since previously there were only two main roads, Skyway Road and Clark Road, the West Village will now be designed to allow for both vertical navigation with Almond Street, Black Olive Drive, and Foster Road and horizontal navigation with Birch Street, Pearson Road, Cedar Street, and Fir Street. Since these streets are situated within the part of town that will contain the densest human traffic, pedestrian walkways have also been designed across the West Village between the roads that run horizontally to promote walking around the town. Skyway Road also will be widened to increase safety, public transit, and safe bicycle circulation along this important thoroughfare. Overall, the newly built neighborhood of the West Village is designed to foster social, economic, and physical resiliency for the next generation of Paradise.
Constructing A Downtown
5
Architectural Character and Massing Within the West Village, most commercial mixed use spaces will vary between two to three stories while parcels with community associated buildings will be around three stories tall. The materials used within the town will most likely be glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) to create a town that fits the personality of Paradise with a material that isn’t too flashy in color, style, or price. GFRC offers a wide variety of colors, so if certain businesses want to erect a building in line with their specific style they will be able to do so while simultaneously allowing for one important factor: GFRC will encourage physical resilience since it is fire resistant. Built to Thrive (Responding to climatic conditions, economic conditions, and resiliency) Because Paradise is a smaller town, a denser, suburban-type downtown might benefit its development and encourage economic growth as well as community growth. In short, the aim is creating a downtown that allows for the town’s residents and visitors to gather and support its businesses. In order to fulfill the requirement of architecture 2030, most of the community buildings in this plan will implement daylighting and natural ventilation strategies to minimize energy use throughout the buildings. With high precipitation levels throughout the concept plan of Paradise, an anaerobic digester is envisioned to be in the outskirt area of downtown as an energy supplier. According to the downtown zoning concept plan, most buildings are mixed use with an emphasis on providing gathering spaces for Paradise community members and therefore the concept plan is expected to increase job opportunities as well as the town’s capability to generate enough revenue to thrive economically. The town of Paradise is anticipated to attract various demographic groups with its economic and social potential. The medical village will be placed in the northern portion of the downtown area with the intention to boost the emergency services of the town.
Social, economic, and physical resiliency were the three foci of this project in hopes that the future community of Paradise will thrive. It was imperative to understand the economic pace of the town prior to the fire, create new opportunities for businesses to be successful, and increase residents’ involvement with the overall economic status of the town. While acknowledging and preserving nature and prior vegetation was a goal while we moved forward in the redesign process, being mindful of specific species that are fire resistant was the other path on which we are focused in order to promote physical resiliency. In regards to social resiliency, it is understandable that the Camp Fire caused a lot of trauma, which has made it difficult for some residents to feel safe and comfortable returning. The hope is that the redesigning process will give former Paradise residents the opportunity to work alongside the design process, to be involved and to create a town that could heal some of their scars and encourage their return to Paradise.
[
Chapter 6: The Built Environment
]
Potential Projects
The Built Environment
6
Initial brainstorming of potentially catalytic projects to be invested in early phases of the rebuilding process were as follows. • Animal Shelter • Aquarium • Bath House • Bicycle Recreation • Camp Fire Memorial • Community Center • Community College Campus (Nursing, Medical, Technical Education (IT), Vocational, etc.) • Courthouse • Elementary School • Emergency Response • Entrepeneurship Center • Exploratorium • Fire Station • Food Bank • Golf Center • High School • Homeless Shelter • Hospital • Hotel • Hotel • Indoor Farmer’s Market • Library • Mailing Center • Maker Space • Mental Health Recovery Center
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Middle School Museum Nature Discovery Center Performing Arts Center Performing Arts Center Planetarium Police Station Preschool Public Safety Recreation Center Retail Senior Center Skatepark Teen Center YMCA
Further iterations based on peer community comparisons and from community members themselves further reduced the list in a more focused manner for further study. • Community Center • Community College Fire Training Center • Community College Vocational Training Center • Courthouse • Emergency Response and Fire Logistics • Entrepreneurship Center • Exploratorium • High School • Library • Medical Service Center • Nature Center • Public Safety (Fire and Police) • Recreation Center • Retail / Restaurant • Wellness Center
community and be a public amenity anyone can use. Project Outcomes â&#x20AC;˘ Exceeds Architecture 2030 Benchmark for Energy Use â&#x20AC;˘ On-site waste treatment â&#x20AC;˘ Electricity Generation â&#x20AC;˘ Rainwater catchment and re-use system â&#x20AC;˘ Energy cost $0.52 per sq. ft. â&#x20AC;˘ Energy Use Intensity : 18.4 kBTU/ft2/yr
Designing Resiliently
Project Goal The goal of the Paradise Recreation Center is to integrate existing Paradise residents with new residents moving to Paradise through recreation, encouraging social interaction within the community. Population Served The Rec Center will serve current Paradise residents and new families moving to Paradise, including retirees, entrepreneurs, and children of all ages. This project will be a central social hub and offer a place for new relationships to be formed with the community that it serves. Whether residents come after work, bring their families on weekends, or meet up with friends before going downtown, this project allows a range of social experiences for individuals as well as groups. This will allow Paradise to become an even more social resilient
The Built Environment
6
Project Brief The Paradise Recreation Center fits into the broader context and goals of Paradise by bridging a disconnect between existing Paradise residents and new families who are moving to Paradise, primarily for new industries, vocational schools, community college, etc. The rebuilding process of Paradise will take time and a social hub is needed for the community to heal, grow and come together. The Paradise Rec Center is designed to be built in two phases, depending on available funding, and will serve residents of all ages with a leisure and lap pool, double gym with an indoor track above, fitness studios, cardio fitness and weight training areas, as well as a central lobby and cafe. In addition to the lobby, a central courtyard and occupiable green roof allow socio-petal and sociofugal opportunities for occupants to enjoy the rich surroundings of Paradise. The green roof also provides an extension of the nearby Paradise memorial park so residents may seamlessly transition from one green space to the next.
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Many new faces in Paradise during the rebuilding process...
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
Come to the new REC Center to exercise and meet new faces!
The Built Environment
6
Through recreation, new relationships and friendships will form...
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
Resulting in an even more social resilient community!
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
PARADISE RECREATION CENTER
The Built Environment
6
Site Plan
FILTER ROOM/MECH 2210 SF NATATORIUM 15380 SF
ELEV. 270 SF POOL STORAGE 600 SF
MECH. 1920 SF LIFEGUARD OFFICE 690 SF
The Built Environment
Laundry 420 SF Storage 550 SF
6
First Floor 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
ELEV. 270 SF
MECHANICAL 1230 SF
The Built Environment
6
Second Floor 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
ELEV. 270 SF
The Built Environment
6
Third Floor Floor & Roof 1/16” = 1’ - 0”
The Built Environment
6
Lobby on East Wing
The Built Environment
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Central Court Yard
The Built Environment
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South Facade and Entrance
The Built Environment
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West Accessible Roof
The Built Environment
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Basketball Court and Eating Area
The Built Environment
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East Cardio Fitness Space
The Built Environment
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Natatorium with A 6-lane Lap Pool & a Leisure Pool The Built Environment
6
Office Space
_03 Project Development [EUI] 3/11/2019
ď&#x201A;Ź
Summer
2030 Baseline
ABOUT YOUR BUILDING
Building Name
Rec center
Country
United States
City | State/Prov.
Paradise
Postal Code
95967
Optional Degree Days ď &#x161;
_03 Project Development [Luminance]
Target EUI is 13 based on a 70% reduction
9: 00 AM
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California
BASELINE 43 EUI 100 Zero Score
ď&#x192;&#x2014; *
CDD 1533
TARGET 13 EUI 30 Zero Score 100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
Existing Building BUILDING SUMMARY
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BUILDING USE DETAILS
In order to provide you with an appropriate comparison for your building, we need to know how spaces in this building will be used. If your building has multiple uses, add them below. ď &#x161; Commercial Add Another Use
LOCATION
Paradise, CA
95967
USES
Fitness Center
60,000 sq.ft (100.0%)
RESULTS
Residential ď&#x192;&#x2014;
Selected Use Type(s):
Fitness Center
ď&#x192;&#x2014;
TARGET
0%
70%
N/A
Zero Score
100
30
N/A
Site EUI (kBtu/ft²/yr)
43
13
N/A
Source EUI (kBtu/ft²/yr)
97
30
N/A
Total GHG Emissions (metric tons COâ&#x201A;&#x201A;e/yr)
179
54
N/A
metric
12: 00 PM
YOUR BUILDING
BASELINE
EUI % Reduction from Baseline
imperial
3: 00 PM
print ď&#x20AC;Ż
_03 Project Development [Radiation Analysis] The Built Environment
6
Winter
RESULTS
*
HDD 2950
New construction
ď&#x201A;&#x20AC;
Fall
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_03 Project Development [Water+Energy]
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[
Chapter 7: The Future
]
or may even desire to locate further from downtown, a general fund should be established to fiscally incentivize concentration near the town core that gradually moves outward. Concentrated growth will help create a complete appearance in downtown which can then be built out from there. By focusing on the center and working outward, Paradise may rebound more quickly and may be served more affordably by utilities and services. A Kickstarter campaign for this effort could include CALReUSE and Proposition 1 (amongst others).
Where do We Go from Here? If it’s not Paradise, then it’s New Orleans. If it’s not New Orleans, then it’s the Gulf of Texas. If it’s not the Gulf of Texas, then it’s anywhere else in the world. There is no way to mitigate the amount of damage and destruction the people of Paradise have been through, but there are countless examples when humans have tried to fight against nature, and nature always wins. Through research, experimentation, and trips to Paradise and similarly affected cities, this studio has attempted to understand how to work with, instead of against, nature, in order to build socially, physically, and economically resilient cities that can withstand natural disasters. In order to do this, it is inherent that future projects be strategic in how they are built, where they are built, and with what they are built. Moving forward, the hope is that this project can serve as a map for future design of towns.
The Future
7
Vacant Property Given the varied sources of funding for the rebuilding of Paradise, there is a likelihood that there were will be undeveloped parcels in previously complete neighborhoods. Care should be taken to ensure that density goals are achieved and not undermined during the development process. As rebuilding occurs, there also will likely be vacant properties interspersed among others. A plan should be developed, through consultation with property owners, to maintain these properties over the course of their evolution. Some strategies to be considered when managing this potential issue are as follows: • Focus on the Core: Where possible, redevelopment efforts should be focused on the proposed downtown core and built concentrically outward. While individual property owners may want to rebuild on their existing property
• Park Space and Community Gardens: As an interim use, once remediated, vacant lots should be considered as part of the larger open space network of the community. The town may consider identifying strategic parcels as neighborhoods serving pocket parks or community gardens. Thoughtful maintenance of these properties will turn potential “missing teeth” into assets. •
Land Bank: It may be necessary for Paradise to land-bank vacant properties. By acquiring strategic properties, the town may be better able to control development and take on appropriate maintenance. In this way, the community can better control the rate and type of development in different parts of the town, expedite development of certain types in certain areas of the town, and partner with academic institutions or other nonprofits on development.
Focusing on Long-Term Economic Viability Social, economic, and physical resiliency are key to the re-imagination of Paradise. Following a way to spur social resiliency, it is also important create economic resiliency. The proposed future plan for Paradise includes a medical campus, which will provide countless job opportunities, basic access to healthcare, and educational opportunities. Not only will a medical campus help foster social resiliency, then, but also the medical campus will create a flourishing and strong economy in Paradise, California. Lebanon, Oregon, developed a similar community based around health care. Following Lebanon’s example, Paradise can incorporate economic resiliency to strengthen the town as a whole.
Developing (the next) Recovery Plan Strategic Investments Prior to the fire, the town of Paradise lacked a developed wastewater treatment system and complete road network. In order to properly rebuild Paradise with a viable, walkable downto wn, the implementation of a well-built infrastructure must come first. After these two crucial investments, similar projects should then begin to be built around a centralized downtown. The downtown will include mixeduse housing, retail spaces, public services, and other commercial mixed-use projects to create a diverse urban center. It will have a strictly pedestrian path to encourage walking as the primary mode of travel instead of vehicles, and it will be easily navigable. Through strategic investment, the centralized downtown will support a flourishing community.
The Future
7
In order to rebuild a town after such a devastating event, a sense of community needs to be re-established. The tight knit community in Paradise is inspiring and essential to both its identity and success as a town. Residents of Paradise engage in festivals together and celebrate its rich history, regardless of their backgrounds or differing personal perspectives. Rohn Grotenhuis and Gretchen Holy from BNIM suggest that the first building type in which a re-imagined Paradise should invest should be one of a civic nature, like a school. A school allows a place for community meetings, it may incentivize people to return, and it can be easily converted to serve whatever programmatic needs must be met. This necessary investment will spur social resiliency first and foremost.
Incentivizing Rebuilding Right A challenge of this project has been the inherent need and want from Paradise residents who â&#x20AC;&#x153;just want to go home.â&#x20AC;? Given the sensitive nature of this project, it has been of the utmost importance to attempt to understand the pain former residents have been and continue to go through. Architects are meant to serve the community, and to do this, empathy is key. So, while the temptation to return and rebuild quickly in Paradise is understandable, this project aimed to display how re-building right can lead to long-term success for the town. Since 1999, there have been 13 large wildfires within the footprint of the Camp Fire. A long history of wildfires necessitates the need for design that acknowledges such a natural environment, not one that ignores it only to suffer the consequences later. Specifically, there is a need for better infrastructure to be put in place before any rebuilding can happen. Also, choosing to build out of sustainable materials that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fight with the fire (like cross-laminated timber) will create physically resilient buildings. In addition, prior to the fire, Paradise did not have a centralized downtown or walkability. The fire provides a unique opportunity to redesign the town in way that improves the lives of those who live there and encourages a new generation to be involved in the community.
former residents to return home and will attract others to relocate to Paradise. To help with rebuilding and designing, a staffed local office that provides free/ low-cost design services (likely by students) can be set up. It should follow the successful examples of URBANBuild at Tulane University and Rural Studio from Auburn University. The design office could also offer free on-site building workshops for DIY builders. More research into, and the execution of, a fire-resilient building palette that provides material suggestions for future builds in Paradise is likewise a potential next step. Easy access to this resource will encourage conscious and resilient re-building.
Next Steps While this studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary focus was on the architectural and urban planning needs of Paradise, other steps must be taken before new buildings or a centralized downtown can be developed. As mentioned above, investment in infrastructure is critical to the future success of Paradise. A new wastewater system, road network, and energy production will create a stable foundation upon which the town can rebuild. Providing water catchment systems for future builds provides an alternative water source to back up the main water supply and creates more sustainable and self-sufficient projects. Backing this framework will ensure that Paradise can grow as a selfsustaining town that is resilient in the face of disaster and tragedy.
The Future
7
As Paradise looks to rebuild, a series of surveys must first be initiated. This surveying can be done by students from Cal Poly, Chico State, Sacramento State, etc. Not only will students learn from hands-on experience, but also the survey will be of no cost to Paradise residents. Paired with surveying, brownfield sites should be identified in order to receive state investment from the Cal Reuse funds. These funds will help to push forward the re-building of the town and the construction of civic projects. Investment in key building typologies, like the high school and medical campus, and a centralized downtown, will serve as catalysts for change and will spur regrowth in the town of Paradise. For the medical campus specifically, bringing together key organizations like Butte Community College, Western University of Health Sciences, and Adventist Health Care will help start the conversation about establishing such a campus. Alongside this, the development of sustainable and affordable housing will allow
With time and well thought out planning, new construction and urban planning that is focused on creating social, economic, and physical resiliency will help to re-imagine a thriving Town of Paradise. And as Paradise rebuilds, it should serve as a model and learning opportunity for others on successful disaster recovery and what steps can be taken now to create more resilient towns of the future.
residential address, not a work address, some residents may live in Paradise and work somewhere else • “Paradise, CA.” Data USA, 2019, datausa.io/profile/geo/paradise-ca/. Prior and Anticipatory Demographics • “Paradise, CA.” Data USA, 2019, datausa.io/profile/geo/paradise-ca/. • UDA. “Paradise, California.” Paradise, California, 2019, makeitparadise.org/. • U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics **Census data is tagged to residential address, not a work address, some residents may live in Paradise and work somewhere else
Bibliography and Footnotes Chapter 1: Introduction • Introduction: McDonald, L. H. (2000). This Paradise we call home. Paradise, CA: Gold Nugget Museum. • California, S. O. (n.d.). California Statewide Fire Map. Retrieved from http:// cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=2277 • Rural Studio and the Architecture of Decency, Dean and Hursley, Introduction (1-13) • http://www.ontheridge.com/paradise.html • http://www.usacitiesonline.com/cacountyparadise.htm#history • https://www.townofparadise.com/index.php/visitors/about-paradise Chapter 2: Community Overview History • http://www.ontheridge.com/paradise.html • http://www.usacitiesonline.com/cacountyparadise.htm#history • https://www.townofparadise.com/index.php/visitors/about-paradise Culture and Community Assets • https://www.paradiseprpd.com/index.html • https://www.townofparadise.com/index.php/9-uncategorised/93-goldnugget-days • http://www.paradisechamber.com/johnny-appleseed-days • http://www.seecalifornia.com/festivals/paradise-johnny-appleseed-days. html • http://chocolatefest.us/ Economics • U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics **Census data is tagged to
Ecosystem Understanding • Climate Consultant • “Paradiso Series.” USDA, October 2006. Web. 16 May 2019. https://soilseries. sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/P/PARADISO.html. • “About Paradise.” Town Of Paradise. Web. 16 May 2019. https://www. townofparadise.com/index.php/visitors/about-paradise. • “Climate Paradise - California.” U.S. Climate Data. Web. 16 May 2019. https:// www.usclimatedata.com/climate/paradise/california/united-states/ usca0836 • “Butte Valley Wildlife Area.” California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 31 October 2018. Web. May 16. 2019. https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/ Places-to-Visit/Butte-Valley-WA. • California Native Plant Society. Web. 16 May 2019. loc-39.7596,121.6219(Paradise, California). • “Mountainside Settlements.” Architecture 2030 Palette. Web. 17 May 2019. http://2030palette.org/mountainside-settlements/ • “Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas.” Living With Fire. Web. 17 May 2019. https://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/ files/nr/2017/sp1701.pdf • “Building.” Architecture 2030 Palette. Web. 17 May 2019. http://2030palette. org/building/ Chapter 3: Resiliency and Disaster Recovery The Camp Fire • Alexander, Alexander, Kurtis. “Six Months after the Camp Fire, a Devastated Community Looks to Rebuild.” The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 May 2019, projects.sfchronicle.com/2019/rebuilding-paradise/. • California, State of. “California Statewide Fire Map.” Camp Fire General Information, cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_ id=2277. • Jr., Cleve R. Wootson. “The Deadliest, Most Destructive Wildfire in California’s History Has Finally Been Contained.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26 Nov. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11/25/ camp-fire-deadliest-wildfire-californias-history-has-beencontained/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5ad8627dc61d.
• Wiley, Michelle. “6 Months After Paradise Burned, Trauma Endures For Kids And Adults.” NPR, NPR, 11 May 2019, www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721834022/6months-after-paradise-burned-trauma-endures-for-kids-and-adults. • Kurtis. “Six Months after the Camp Fire, a Devastated Community Looks to Rebuild.” The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 May 2019, projects.sfchronicle.com/2019/rebuilding-paradise/. • California, State of. “California Statewide Fire Map.” Camp Fire General Information, cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_ id=2277. • Jr., Cleve R. Wootson. “The Deadliest, Most Destructive Wildfire in California’s History Has Finally Been Contained.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 26 Nov. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11/25/ camp-fire-deadliest-wildfire-californias-history-has-beencontained/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5ad8627dc61d. • Wiley, Michelle. “6 Months After Paradise Burned, Trauma Endures For Kids And Adults.” NPR, NPR, 11 May 2019, www.npr.org/2019/05/11/721834022/6months-after-paradise-burned-trauma-endures-for-kids-and-adults. • Defining and Implementing Recovery • Becker, Christine. “Disaster Recovery: A Local Government ResponsibilityChristine.” ICMA, ICMA, Mar. 2009, icma.org/sites/default/ files/4718_.pdf. • “Community Recovery Plan.” Make It Paradise, UDA, 18 Apr. 2019, issuu.com/ makeitparadise/docs/2350pres190418_final_rev_. • https://calfire-forestry.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/ i n d ex . h t m l? i d = 5 3 0 6 c c 8 c f 3 8 c 4 2 5 2 8 3 0 a 3 8 d 4 6 7 d 3 37 2 8 & ex te n t = 13547810.5486%2C4824920.1673%2C-13518764.4778%2C4841526.1117% 2C102100 • “Long-Term Community Recovery Planning Process: A Self Help Guide.” Fema.gov, FEMA, Dec. 2005, www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/20130726-1538-20490-8825/selfhelp.pdf. • Vujanovic, Anka A, and Matthew W Gallagher. “Psychological Impact of Natural Disasters in Adults.” Psychological Impact of Natural Disasters in Adults - University of Houston, University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, 12 Sept. 2017, www.uh.edu/class/news/archive/2017/ august-september/natural-disasters-impact-adults/. Wildland Urban Interface • http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_prevention/fire_prevention_wildland_codes • https://makeitparadise.org/brochure • Defensible Space: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/pds/fire_resistant. html • Fire Resistive HomesL http://www.energy-design-tools.aud.ucla.edu/ FIRES.html Chapter 4: Vision and Goals • Design Thinking: https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_urges_designers_
to_think_big?language=en Chapter 5: Paradise (re) Imagined • Happy City, Montgomery, The Mayor and the City as Happiness Project (1-43) • Retrofitting Suburbia, Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs, Dunham-Jones, Williamson, Chapter 4 (59-94) • Suburban Remix, Creating the Next Generation of Urban Places, Beske and Dixon, Chapter 2 (33-81) • The Image of the City, Lynch, Chapter 4 (91-117) • The Rise of the Creative Class, Florida, (280-303) • The Walkable City, Speck, The Ten Steps of Walkability (65-72) Chapter 7: The Future • California Recycle and Underutilized Sites (CALReUSE Program): https:// www.treasurer.ca.gov/cpcfa/calreuse.as • California Wildfires Statewide Recovery Recourses: http://wildfirerecovery. org/ • California Action Plan for Disaster Recovery: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/ community-development/disaster-recovery-programs/cdbg-dr/docs/ HCD-CDBG-DR-AP-01Nov18-Full-English.pdf • Paradise Recovery Plan: https://makeitparadise.org/ • Town of Paradise, Butte County Recovers: http://wildfirerecovery.org/
Design Iterations
Section 1
Section 2
Butte College Paradise Campus Floor Plans
Section 3
Green Roof
provides insulation and extends the park to the recreation center
Rain Water Collection
blocks undesired solar heat gain from western sunlight
Use cool outside air as air supply to prevent odor recirculation
generate electricity
refracts and diffuse daylight into the interior space
Thick West Wall Outside Air System
Solar Panels
Light Tube
Collect and recycle water on site to approach net zero
Underground
use the thermal mass of the ground to matain interal heat gain
Green Wall
for evaporation cooling and improve indoor air quality
4 Iteration - Illumenance Study & Rendering
Lighting Design Arch 342: Spring 2019 ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS INTEGRATION 3.3
Alyson Liang | Studio Stacey White
3rd Iteration - Suspended Lights:
Daytime Rendering
Luminaire Selection: Holophane 250W coated MH light (EN250MH00X8/LEN250MHOOXG ENDURALUME V/ENDURALUME LOW PROFILE) Amount: 40 Resulting LPD: 1.03 w/ft2 Integration with daylight: Parallel to southern daylight Sensor: PIR
Nighttime Rendering
Reflection:
In this lighting lab, I learned that I would use a lot less lights, if I use suspended metal halide lights instead of LED troffer lights. However, the LED lights use a lot less energy than the metal halide lights. And their lives are longer. My space is a double basketball court gym that is used for recreation for the majority of time but sometimes also hold community events. The artificial lights need to be at least 20 ft above ground and provide enough illumenance for basketball practice. Considering the overall energy consumption and difficulty of changing the lights, I prefer installing the LED troffer lights in this space I choose PIR as the sensor for this space, because the gym is an open and big space with high ceiling. And the temperature difference between the exercising people and background space can be easily detected.
Wall Section
Wall Elevation