Design for People by Nubes Chen

DESIGN FOR PEOPLE

NUBES CHEN

WHO IS THE COMMUNITY

PROJECT: PICO RIVERA SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

DISTRICT, LOS ANGELES

Each urban project changes the social fabric and economic dynamics of the existing community. Understanding the expectations and concerns of community members from the past, present, and future is essentially important to managing the changes of the community.

ABOUT THE PROJECT:

Impacted by flooding issues, the City of Pico Rivera has to relocate the historic Sports Arena and a new Sports and Entertainment District is planned at an existing industrial center which will completely repurpose the area. The main challenge is to get the support of industrial players and build a new community.

The project aims to design a plan that will smoothly transition the current economy, revive the community memories, and connect Pico Rivera to a broader community.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES ARE:

• Adopt a locally sensitive plan

• Encourage collaboration of multiple stakeholders

• Ensure long-term vibrancy

WHO IS THE COMMUNITY

“RESIDENTS” ON THE SITE MEMORIES

Warehouse Wholesale Manufacturing

65% of industrial companies on this site are wholesalers or warehouses.

45% of the businesses involve design work. Most of the businesses are in food or furniture industry

26% of the memory posts riverbed.

ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Street activities and small plazas

• Unique/artistic/colorful placemaking

*By analyzing more than 400 historic photos that the community posted on-line shows that food places and parks are

OF PICO RIVERA1

THE BROADER COMMUNITY

posts involve playing in the parks and

“We want: placemaking

49% of the population in LA County is Hispanic.2

ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS: The community has an appetite for a new sports arena that is modern but also reflects Pico Rivera’s history and unique identity.

are the most important memory anchors about Pico Rivera. Data Source: 1.Facebook Pico Rivera Historic Photos 2.Census Bureau 2020

PLANNING STRATEGY

Phase I

Industrial players

Roof-sharing Program

Phase II

Parking Lots Activation Program

Phase III

Mixed-use Industrial Incubation Program

Pico Rivera community

Pico Rivera lovers

Public education: “how much do you know about flooding”

Visioning: “How do you want to use the space?”

Survey: Love Notes to Pico Rivera!

Programming: Bimonthly event calendar

“May I use your roof?”

“May I use your parking lots? Let’s trade space”

“Let’s think about the business creatively!”

GROUND-TO-ROOF INTERVENTION

ROOF-TO-GROUND INTERVENTION

SPACE ACTIVATION

THE CITY OF RIPPLES

• Cultural identity: the urban design concept is a combination of the cultural symbols like Mariachi plaza and Pico Rivera Memorial Sports Arena, and ripples of river which Pico Rivera has a unique bond with.

• Economic sustainability: the project will keep 65% of the job on site and ensure smooth economic transition by adapting current businesses

WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE

PROJECT: LA CHINATOWN BROADWAY PLACEKEEPING PROJECT, LOS ANGELES

Every place has its community, and every community has their language. While planning policies define the norms of urban design, communities have different definitions of “clean” and “chaotic”, “safe” and “dangerous”, “historic” and “modern”. Every project requires a unique design dictionary.

PROJECT PROFILE:

Los Angeles’s Chinatown is a home for various ethnic communities, many of whom face the challenges of economic downturn and gentrification. The fragmentation of the communities make collective efforts harder.

The project is aimed to advocate a culturally sensitive development of the historic commercial corridor to augment the character of LA Chinatown, encourage community interaction, and enhance the economic and social sustainability.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES ARE:

• Celebrate the shared culture and build solidarity

• Alleviate the tension between preservation and development

• Integrate design solutions with planning policies and social efforts

NOT JUST CHINESE1

Phillipe HingKongChowBenevolentAssociation

LungKongTinYeeAssociation

F.SeeOn LouieFamilyAssociationLim’sFamily GeePoyKuoAssociation

C.Wong

ChewPhoenixBakery Yuen KowKongBenevolentAssociation

L.A.NewChinatownCorpLeeOnDongBenevolentAssociation FongLunAssociation YingOnAssociation

BingKongTongAssociation

HopSingTongBenevolentAssociation QuonBros.GrandStar ChineseConfuciusTempleofLosAngeles GeeTuckSamTuck Association

ChineseChamberofCommerce

SouthernCaliforniaYeeFamilyAssociation

MayflowerSeafoodRestaurant OceanPacific Pho87 LienHoaDeli&SeafoodMarketEasternInternationalBank PhoenixImports BetabelCo.

K.G.LouieCo.

QuanKwongYeeFamily

268FashionInc. SaigonDeli GoldenGiftsTradingCo. TinBo&Co 88Gifts

ChinatownServiceCenter ChineseFriends HongNingCo,Inc LuckyDeli CathayBank Queen’sBakery GoldenDragonRestaurant HongKongBBQ ImportBazaarWonderBakery PhoenixInn FooChow WonKok YangChow

JinHingJeweler

HoiYeungSeafoodCo KBCBakery JEnterprises Rainbow CheamLyHem Cindy’sShop AlterationsAlterationandDryClean BestWay YHYTradincInc. YanLeeFashion Kawaii GoldlandJewelry

SouthernCaliforniaTeoChewAssociationPhoSaigon PCTGinseng&Herbs HongCosmetic101 ManCheongGinseng&HerbsInc JadetimeEGift HopWoo KimHungBakery HongKongImportCo. B&LFashionKimHengJewelry MetroPlazaHotel Fu-ShingFengShui&Gifts

NOT JUST STOREFRONTS2

In 1960s, Mai and her family escape from China to Vietnam

In 1978, Mai and her family got on a refuge boat to escape the political persecution.

Mai Tu is a 34-year-long local jeweler in Chinatown.

AND BROADWAY

HOW DOES THE COMMUNITY PERCEIVE THE SPACE?3

“Beloved”

“Touristy”

“Unnoticed”

“Unwelcome”

Parking

Vacant Buildings

Unbuilt Lots

The boat capsized but Mai got rescued and shipped to Norway and her parents to Malaysia.

“I like them. I usually go there for...”

“They are for the community!”

“They are nice but a little bit touristy.”

“They seem popular...”

“I don’t know them.”

“I think they are not open to the public.”

“They are gentrifiers with fake Asian facade.”

“I don’t feel welcomed there.”

“Who use these parking lots? ”

“Why do we need so much parking?”

“It used to be a grocery store.”

“Can the City move us there if we get evicted?”

“Why can’t they develop these lots first?”

“It’s not safe there.”

HOW ACTIVE ARE THESE SPACES OVER A DAY?4

Active Inactive

In 1983, they reunioned in LA Chinatown and Mai started her own jewelry business in 1990

In 2020, Mai got evicted to Dynasty Center. Since then Mai becomes an community activist and contually fights against gentrification in Chinatown

GO “STREET-STROLLING”

ALLEY MAKING DEVELOPMENT

Alley is an important part of Asian culture. Traditionally, shopping in Asia always happens on streets and alleys. Even to today, Chinese people still call shopping as “street-strolling” Preserving and creating more alleys is the key to an experience-based development that offers a unique and authentic Chinatown vibe. There are a lot of potential alleys along Broadway. Therefore, the plan focuses on the “street-strolling” experience and suggests connecting the main street and cross streets with indoor and outdoor alleys. Preservation and new development should be based on the street and alley network to support a well-connected street life.

ALLEY MAKING STRATEGY

MAIN STREET CROSS STREETS

STREETS

Main Street

Cross Street Alley

Open Space

Cultural Preservation Zone

Existing Building

Proposed development

揚州飯店 YANG CHOW

YANG CHOW 揚州飯店 YANG CHOW

MAIN STREET

CROSS STREETS

ALLEYS

ALLEYS

永富恆參茸藥材行 Young Fu Heng Herb Co.

揚州飯店 YANG CHOW

揚州飯店 YANG CHOW

PLANNING TOOL: CULTURAL DISTRICT

BEFORE AFTER

FROM DAILY TO CEREMONIAL

ALLEY-MAKING DEVELOPMENT-MEDIUM

SOCIAL TOOL: BUSINESS COOPERATIVE

BEFORE AFTER

ALLEY-MAKING DEVELOPMENT-LARGE

SOCIAL TOOL: COMMUNITY LAND TRUST

BEFORE AFTER

HOW TO WORK TOGETHER

PROJECT: ELYRIA CANYON PARK COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN PROJECT, LOS ANGELES

The community always has the most knowledge of the site and often time knows the best what is needed in a project. Therefore, the best way of design is working with the experts.

PROJECT PROFILE:

Elyria Canyon is a hidden park surrounded by neighborhoods of various income levels and ethnic backgrounds. Community Nature Connection (CNC), a local organization operates the park and strives to increase public access to the park by working with the underserved communities.

The project aims to work with the community to identify the main focus of the operation of the park, design the park, and develop CNC volunteers’ capacity of collaborative design and community engagement.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES ARE:

• Mutual learning between project team and the community

• Creative engagement and collaborative design methods

• Serve the long-term operation goal of CNC

COLLABORATIVE DESIGN

WE KNOW ABOUT THE SITE

WE PLAN FOR THE SITE

WORKSHOP 1: MAP YOUR PERCEPTION

STEP1: WHO/WHAT DO YOU SEE?

STEP2: MAP YOUR FIVE SENSES

WORKSHOP 2: DESIGN BUFFET

STEP1: SHOP AND DESIGN YOUR PARK

STEP2: OOPS, NOT ENOUGH BUDGET

SITE DESIGN

PARK DESIGN

LEGEND

THE RED BARN

DESIGN LIBRARY

Minor entrance Minor

Low-difficulty trail

Medium-difficulty trail

PLANTING LIST

California Poppy

California Fuchsia

California Lilac

Black Walnut Tree

Bush Monkey Flower

Common Yarrow

WHAT IS THE PERSONALITY

PROJECT: THE EDGY QUARTER IN LITTLE TOKYO, LOS ANGELES

Places have their own personalities and attract their own audience. Sometimes the best way to revitalize a place is to discover and augment its character. Even features commonly assumed undesirable have their value, attractiveness, and power.

PROJECT PROFILE:

The project is located at the edge of the historic Little Tokyo, neighboring Old Chinatown, Art District, and Boyle Heights. While the site has long born a negative tag of darkness, it has also offered a shelter for people who dance in the dark.

Darkness and light, they always coexist. The project is intended to create a secret celebration venue for people who see the shadow in the light and who chase light in the darkness.

THE KEY PRINCIPLES ARE:

• Maintain the duality of day and night, “good” and “evil”

• Encourage the fusion of immigration roots and progressive culture

THE EDGY QUARTER FOR THE NIGHT-BLOOMING FLOWERS

HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

PROJECT 1: YUZI PARK, GUILIN, CHINA

PROJECT 2: CULTURAL GOLDEN TRIANGLE DISTRICT, BEIJING, CHINA

How can the project contribute to employment? How profitable the project is? How can the project be implemented and operated in the long run? Ultimately, we need to think about it practically.

PROJECT 1 PROFILE:

Yuzi Park is an undeveloped natural resort. After years’ of investment into local art with little return, the client needed to capitalize the natural and art resources and resume the tourism of Guilin city. The project aims to propose a plan that makes the site marketable and a new cultural landmark of Guilin.

PROJECT 2 PROFILE:

Golden Triangle District is the cultural center of Beijing. The substantially high density of historic resources and outdated amenities make the area lag behind in economic vibrancy. The project aims to transform the cultural advantage of the area into economic value. The strategy is to deeply work with multiple stakeholders and create economic opportunities by innovating planning tools and operation models while maintaining the historic essence.

YUZI PARK

Guilin

Liuzhou

Nanning

Foshan

Dongguan

Changsha

Chengdu

Guangzhou Shenzhen

Zhongshan Beijing Shanghai

Tianjin

Chongqing

Wuhan

Nanjing

Suzhou

Hangzhou Ningbo

The Land-Campsite

The Forest-Treehouse

The Starry Night-Theater

The Universe-VR Art Show

Rock Resort

Zen Retreat

Art Studio

Convention Center

Moonhill Art Center

Moonshadow Lake

Moon Life Center

Hot Spring Village

Art Cave

Daydream Fairyland

Hidden Tribe

Diet Therapy Center

Senior Center

Native Garden

GOLDEN TRIANGLE DISTRICT

FOUR INITIATIVES

Memory Museum

Collect historic stories and community memories of the area, create public art and community exhibitions, and post stories online.

Economic Revitalization

Develop theater, art trade, and publishing industries. Support the commercialization of art and complete the ecosystem.

Historic Community

Activate community life and enhance “Hutong” experience by creating unique cultural space and supporting traditional artists.

Cultural Consumption

Promote cultural consumption through infusing cultural scenes, co-branding with historic landmarks, and membership program.

Cultural innovation center

Central Axis of Beijing

Cultural Core

EXEMPLARY PROJECTS

Working with the city, the project designed several public-private collaboration model, selected suitable partners, and pushed forward the implementation of several exemplary projects.

Concerts in Historic Buildings - “The Echo of History”

Zhizhu Temple is selected as the site for concerts of traditional and fusion music. The concert has now become a iconic cultural experience in Beijing and is held regularly.

Theater Incubation Center- “The Theater Factory”

Nanyang-Gongxiangji is a mixed-use theater incubation center that include a historic theater, studio space, hotel and cultural retails. Renovated and managed by a progressive developer, the project is a now an incubator for innovative plays that inherit and expand the traditional genre.

Community Cultural Center- “The Flow of Hutong Life”

Mei Hou Si Shi is a community center owned by the city and managed by a culture operator. The project innovated a public-private partnership in public space management. The center connects traditional artists and the community and has developed many self-organized art clubs.

• EAST LA FOOD GUIDE: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/41efc5670275478db121f0948bee57cf/

• NEW CHINATOWN = NO CHINATOWN? : https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/2e21a5eb76ec4ccd84992e039af748d5