UPTOWN
FRUITVALE
城市性的临界值
上城和弗鲁特韦尔的结构，活力与透明度
UMBRALES DE URBANIDAD
Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
Estructura, Vitalidad y Transparencia en Uptown y Fruitvale
THRESHOLDS OF URBANITY
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan LA 241 Research Methods in Environmental Design Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION RESEARCH QUESTION METHODS + DATA RESULTS + CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
INTRODUCTION Is there a threshold value of urbanity? The polycentric quality of the Bay Area calls into question what makes a place urban and what are the limitations of that definition. Merriam Webster references fashionable and somewhat formal conduct as a determinant of urbane qualities. When asked to define the thresholds of urbanity, a select group of UC Berkeley Professors pointed to residential density, continuous occupancy, land use, street and block pattern, access to transit, neighborhood retail and the design of the public realm. From this discussion, our group was particularly interested in investigating whether access to urban infrastructure alone was enough to render a place urban. The movement for Transit Oriented Developments presumes that access to public transportation will urbanize the surrounding neighborhoods. If access to public transportation helps foster urbanity and urbanity exists along a spectrum, what makes a place more urban than the other? What are the most determinant variables for urbanity? We selected two neighborhoods, Uptown and Fruitvale in Oakland for our study. Both of them are close to BART and were annexed to the City of Oakland due to the migration of people from San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
threshold
thresh·old \ˈthresh-ˌhōld, ˈthre-ˌshōld\ noun The point or level at which something begins or changes.
urbanity
ur·ban·i·ty \ˌər-ˈba-nə-tē\ noun
:the quality or state of being urbane. plural: urbane acts or conduct
urbane
ur·bane \ˌər-ˈbān\ adjective :polite and confident :fashionable and somewhat formal.
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
Merriam Webster
urban
(urbanus)
ur·ban \ˈər-bən\
adjective :of, relating to, characteristic of, or constituting a CITY.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
BACKGROUND UPTOWN Uptown Oakland or The Uptown is a neighborhood in Downtown Oakland, California. Its boundaries are ill-defined, but most definitions include the area between 27th Street to the north, San Pablo Avenue to the west, City Center to the south, and Harrison St to the east. The area near 19th Street and Broadway had been Oakland's main shopping district in the mid-20th century. Like many inner city neighborhoods in the US, Uptown was affected by the migration of people to suburban areas. However, in recent years, Uptown has experienced significant revitalization. The Oakland Redevelopment Agency specifically planned an ambitious development program to create the Uptown neighborhood as an entertainment/retail district. It purchased parcels and properties in the area and contracted with private developers to formulate and enact a development plan, recruit retail and entertainment businesses to the site. According to the Oakland City Planning Commission, the Uptown district is characterized by small scale ground floor commercial spaces under upper story residential units, as well as freestanding modern buildings such as the Broadway/Grand mixeduse building, small restaurants, and automotive service businesses. Residential buildings along and behind the commercial area include two-story Victorian houses and apartments, as well as newer condominium buildings. The neighborhood's architecture is characterized by stucco buildings with glass transoms and tile roof details; brick with wood details, wood shiplap and shingle walls with composite roofs, and other early-to-mid-20th Century materials. 1
Oakland City Planning Commission, Staff Report Case File Number CMDV12-171, October 3, 2012, http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/ceda/documents/agenda/oak037928.pdf Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
1
FRUITVALE Fruitvale (formerly, 'Brays' and 'Fruit Vale') is a neighborhood in east Oakland, California. It is located about two miles southeast of Lake Merritt and is home to Oakland's largest Latino and Indigenous population, with Latinos and Indigenous comprising 49.5% of Fruitvale's population. The Fruitvale shopping district is located along International Boulevard (formerly East 14th Street), from Fruitvale Avenue to 38th Avenue and is one of the major commercial areas of Oakland. The area is home to many Latino and Indigenous businesses and hosts several annual cultural events, including a Cinco de Mayo parade and a Dia De Los Muertos festival. On the San Leandro side, to the south, was the Fruitvale Theater. The main destinations around 35th Avenue and E 14th St. are the Foodvale Market, a two story department store, the post office, and a number of other businesses. St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church and High School are a block or two east of E 14th St. north of 35th Avenue are a major attraction for the Catholic Latino community. In 2004, the City of Oakland’ s Unity Council opened the Fruitvale Transit Village. The "Fruitvale Village" was developed in accordance to Transit Oriented Development principles showcasing a mixture of retail and housing integrated with public transportation. Unlike Uptown, this was developed with public monies. The project is heralded as a model of Transit Oriented Developments.2
The Unity Council, Fruitvale Transit Village Overview & History, accessed December 10th, 2015, http://www.unitycouncil.org/fruitvale-village/
2
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
RESEARCH QUESTION Assuming both Uptown and Fruitvale are urban areas, and urbanity exists along a spectrum, is one site more urban the other? Independent of a number of constant variables, is one district - Uptown or Fruitvale - more urban than the other?
Constant variables - BART accessibility, City of Oakland, mixed land use, population density, historic disctrict Independent variables
Structure - building heights, block size, parcel size, block cover, density of open space, canopy cover, awnings, physical canopies
Vitality - length of stay in public space, number of users, types of activities performed, pedestrian traffic, vehicular traffic
Transparency - dimension of storefronts
Sense - mental maps
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
HYPOTHESIS Fruitvale is more urban than Uptown because it is finer grained, more transparent, sensible and animated. Transparency It stands for the degree of visibility of process occurring in the place to users. In other words, it is the degree to which one can actually see what's going.
Sense The degree of fit between the physical city (form) and the way people recognize and organize it in their minds.
Structure How the object is placed in the space considering its relation to the observer and to other objects, as the object is not seen isolated from surroundings but as a part of all environmental components. Kevin Lynch Vitality Lively and animated character.
Merriam Webster
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA Our study combined a number of research methods to get an understanding of the structure, vitality, transparency, and sense of both Uptown and Fruitvale to provide data for site comparisons. We used four major methods to gather data: census data research - census data was used to identify constant variables to support comparison between the two sites. site measurement - site dimensions in terms of building height, width, door openings, and canopies were used to document structural characteristics for comparison between the two sites. site observation - public life and traffic surveys were conducted to measure activity and vitality in the two sites. In addition, photographs were taken to document specific moments of public space usage characteristic of each site. intercept surveys - at each site, 25 intercept surveys were administered in 3 languages (English, Spanish, and Chinese), addressing perceptions and elements of urbanity, including structure, vitality, transparency, and sense. Mental maps were collected from respondents.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
RESEARCH METHODS + RESULTS
METHODS CENSUS DATA MEASUREMENT OBSERVATION INTERCEPT SURVEY
CENSUS DATA 1. population density 2. residential density 3. home ownership 4. ethnicity 5. age distribution
MEASUREMENT 6. building survey 7. street enclosure survey
OBSERVATION 8. public space survey 9. pedestrian survey 10. traffic survey 11. photography
INTERCEPT SURVEY 12. mental maps exercise 13. structure questionnaire 14. vitality questionnaire
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
RESEARCH METHODS + RESULTS
TESTING INDEPENDENT VARIABLES structure vitality transparency sense Using four major methods, census data research, physical measurement, observation, and intercept surveys, we tested four elements of our hypothesis structure, vitality, transparency, and sense.
structure 6. measurement - building survey 7. measurement - street enclosure survey 11. observation - photography 13. intercept survey - structure questionnaire
vitality 8. public space survey 9. pedestrian survey 10. traffic survey 11. photography
transparency 6. measurement - building survey
TESTING CONSTANT VARIABLES
sense 12. intercept surveys - mental maps exercise
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
CENSUS DATA
Both Uptown and Fruitvale have similar population densities, age distributions, and both represent diverse populations. However, residential density and rates of home ownership are higher in Fruitvale. Household sizes are also larger in Fruitvale.
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
population density
home ownership
UPTOWN
90%
FRUITVALE
50%
24990
occupied housing
age distribution
residential density FRUITVALE
40%
20%
7437 per acre
ethnicity
65+
56-64
35-49
25-34
20-24
Fruitvale
0% 18+
15447
<18
UPTOWN
Uptown
housing with minors
0%
per acre
owner occupied
22300
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
MEASUREMENT building survey
Lot and building sizes are generally smaller in Fruitvale. Buildings in Uptown reach heights up to 100' whereas most buildings in Fruitvale are less than 4 stories. There are also more frequent and single-door entrances in Fruitvale, leading directly into shops and residences. Although there are more surface parking lots in Fruitvale, they are tucked away behind a continuous facade of buildings along the main commercial street. In this way, surface parking lots do not interrupt the continuity of fine-grained urban structures along important retail and public space corridors.
UPTOWN
17th ST
19th ST
THOMAS L BERKLEY
TELEGRAPH AVE
PLAZA
SURFACE PARKING
0
200â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 50
TELEGRAPH AVE
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
17th ST
19th ST
ENTRANCES
100
METHODS + DATA
FRUITVALE
A FRUIT V
LE AVE
37TH AVE.
INTERNATIONAL BLVD
PLAZA
SURFACE PARKING
50
100
200â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
37TH AVE
FRUITVALE AVE
0
INTERNATIONAL BLVD
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
MEASUREMENT street enclosure survey
There is a greater degree of street-level enclosure in Fruitvale. Sycamore trees line the streets in an alternating pattern creating a significantly dense overhead canopy for pedestrians users. In addition, there is a consistent occurence of physical awnings coming off of individual ground-floor shops that relate to the scale of pedestriands and provide temporary shelter.
international Blvd, Fruitvale District, Oakland, CA
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
UPTOWN
UPTOWN
FRUITVALE
UPTOWN
FRUITVALE
UPTOWN
FRUITVALE
FRUITVALE
17th St & International Blvd
34th Ave & International Blvd
17th St & International Blvd
34th Ave & International Blvd
17thSt &&Telegraph Ave. 17th International Blvd
34thAve Ave & & International International Blvd 34th Blvd
18th St & International Blvd
Pulbic Market & International Blvd
18thSt & &Telegraph Ave. 18th International Blvd
PulbicMarket Market & & International Public InternationalBlvd Blvd
18th St & International Blvd
Pulbic Market & International Blvd
19thSt &&Telegraph Ave. 19th International Blvd
33th 33rdAve Ave&&International InternationalBlvd Blvd
19th St & International Blvd
33th Ave & International Blvd
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
OBSERVATION public space survey Telegraph Ave & 19th St 4:19 PM, Tuesday Oct 14, 2015
UPTOWN + FRUITVALE PUBLIC SPACE ACITIVITES
Telegraph & 19th Date &Time
walking Number users sitting in public space standing total eating/drinking talking with one another people-watching electronic device children playing Activities skateboarding biking commerce accompanied by pet(s) smoking
4:19 PM, Tuesday 7 1 16 24 √ √ √ √
Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park 5:15 PM, Tuesday 3 5 10 18 √ √ √
√ √ √
20 feet
UPTOWN Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park
Fruitvale Plaza 4:12 PM, Friday 29 22 20 71 √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
5:15 PM, Tuesday Oct 14, 2015
20 feet
teenagers after school people watching chatting woman with dog people watching
Fox Theater
Length of Stay in Public Space: During a 30 minutes obervation, 9 people sat under the palm tree.The length of stay ranges from 2 minutes to 35 minutes.
In Fruitvale, more people were observed using public space and participating in a larger number of activities, including people walking, skateboarding, and children playing. Diagrammed on the right is activity in Fruitvale Plaza, which connects BART directly with International Blvd.
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
Fruitvale Public Market Plaza
Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park
5:15 PM, Tuesday Oct 14, 2015
4:12 PM, Friday Oct 17, 2015
20 feet
FRUITVALE
Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park 5:15 PM, Tuesday Oct 14, 2015
Telegraph Ave & 19th St 4:19 PM, Tuesday Oct 14, 2015
20 feet
chatting woman with dog people watching
20 feet
sit against bldg, people watching/chatting > 1hour people watching >30mins
chatting woman with dog
20 feet food vendor
waiting for bus
skateboarding
people watching
teenagers smoking
people watching, >15mins
teenagers smoking
fenced vacant plot
fenced vacant plot
retail tent
Fruitvale Public Market Food Court food vendor
alone man sitting on the lawn walking dog
woman with dog
Fox Theate
alone man sitting on the lawn dog Length ofwalking Stay in Public Space: Excluding people in the northwest food court, over 80% people are passers-by or waiting for buses. 6-10 middle age Latino men tend to sit against the building for at least one hour.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
OBSERVATION pedestrian + traffic surveys
0
50
100
UPTOWN
236 TELEGRAPH AVE
street traffic
524
280 pedestrians per hour
In both Fruitvale and Uptown, large amounts of pedestrian and vehicular traffic were observed. On average, Fruitvale experienced larger rates of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. In general, pedestrian in Fruitvale included a more age-diverse population, with a higher distribution of pedestrians less than 14 years old and greater than 40 years old.
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
200â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
METHODS + DATA
0
50
100
200â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
FRUITVALE
392
592
Pedestrians/hr
368
INTERNATIONAL BLVD
street traffic
pedestrians per hour
Vehicle Distribution
Age Distribution
65+
40-64
20-39
15-19
0-14
Vehicles/hr
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
OBSERVATION photography UPTOWN structure
vitality
transparency
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
FRUITVALE structure
vitality
transparency
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
INTERCEPT SURVEY mental maps exercise
UPTOWN
"I think the center is the park." "I look at them and I can't tell how big are the buildings."
＂我一点也不喜欢这里。＂
"I like everything here."
"I just take BART to Oaksterdam and back."
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
"This used be a German Catholic neighborhood. Then we got here (Mexicans). But now it's more mixed... Cambodians and even gringos."
FRUITVALE
"Watch out for your stuff."
"La Iglesia Santa Isabel!" "We 'live' here at the Senior Center." Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
METHODS + DATA
INTERCEPT SURVEY structure, vitality, and urbanity questionnaire
PLACE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF RESIDENCE
Berkeley
Oakland
UPTOWN
San Francisco
Alameda
Castro Valley Hayward San Diego, CA
San Diego, CA
PLACE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF RESIDENCE Concord Martinez
Richmond
Brooklyn, NY
Pittsburgh, PA
FRUITVALE
Berkeley
Lafayette
Oakland San Francisco
Alameda
Guangzhou, China
Antioc, CA Brooklyn, NY Pittsburgh, PA Guangzhou, China
Hayward
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
METHODS + DATA
The largest discrepancy in respondents perception was in Structure. Respondents perceived the size of buildings and storefornts to be smaller in Fruitvale. Respondents marginally visit Fruitvale more often, stay loner in Uptown and think the sidewalks are marginally more crowded in Fruitvale. When asked to point blank to rank how urban each respective location from very low to very high, Fruitvale scored higher than Uptown. In addition, when asked which place is more urban more respondents answered Fruitvale. Respondents from both locations were fairly similar. They had a similar gender breakdown, average age and income. Although, Uptown respondents were slightly higher on the income breakdown. More respondents from Uptown had grown up in a suburban environment; whereas, more respondents from Fruitvale had grown up in a city. This might affect their perception of structure at the studied locations. Overall, the people we intercepted in Fruitvale came from farther away. This confirms Fruitvale's higher urbanity level. An urban area is an identifiable node of activity that attracts people from surrounding and far away areas.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
RESULTS + CONCLUSION Fruitvale is marginally more urban than Uptown confirming our assumption that urbanity exists along a spectrum. Measurements and survey responses show that the largest discrepancy between these two places is structural in character, suggesting this is the most determinant variable. Transparency, Sense and Vitality are informed by structure. These results are particularly interesting given each site's geographic location. Uptown is a couple blocks north of Oakland's downtown; whereas, Fruitvale is a couple miles Southeast from center. One could assume that proximity to the center would be the largest determinant variable. However, there is also a time horizon associated to this significance. Uptown's renaissance is more recent and still underway. Improvements in the Fruitvale district were done a decade ago. Fruitvale is generally considered a more established neighborhood that has been continuously occupied and activated. It would be interesting to track how the structure and perception of these two districts changes in relation to the planned investments for the Uptown neighborhood. It is important to note that respondents' perception of urbanity might also be influenced by their environment of origin. In light of these preliminary findings it would be useful to follow up on the correlation between people's perception of urbanity and the place they grew up in.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
RESULTS SUMMARY
The results show that Fruitvale is generally finer-grained in comparison to Uptown. In terms of building dimensions, number of entrances, and respondents' perception, Fruitvale is considered to be smaller in scale. Based on obeservational surveys, Fruitvale has higher levels of vitality given the greater number of users, lenght of stay, activities performed in public space and traffic volumes.
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
structure
finer-grained structure in Fruitvale
6. measurement - building survey 7. measurement - street enclosure survey 11. observation - photography 13. intercept survey - structure questionnaire
smaller lots and buildings in Fruitvale greater degree of canopy enclosure in Fruitvale finer grained dimensions in Fruitvale perceived smaller building and storefront sizes in Fruitvale
vitality
greater vitality in Fruitvale
8. public space survey 9. pedestrian survey 10. traffic survey 11. photography
higher variety of uses observed in Fruitvale greater number of pedestrians in Fruitvale greater number of vehicles in Fruitvale higher density of public space users in Fruitvale
transparency
greater transparency in Fruitvale
6. measurement - building survey
more frequent and smaller ground floor entrances in Fruitvale
sense
unique sense
12. intercept surveys - mental maps exercise
both Uptown and Fruitvale have unique qualities
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
RECOMMENDATIONS The structural discrepancies between Fruitvale and Uptown along with the marginal differences in perception of urbanity suggests that Fruitvale's structure can be used as a guideline for urban design. Following are some of the ways in which Fruitvale's spatial configuration differs from Uptown's. On the ground, recent street improvements to International Boulevard are most apparent. The dearth of street trees in Uptown makes the street appear wider, harder to cross and at times desolate. Trees also help signal the importance of a segment of the commercial street. There was more open space available in Uptown but as reported in the mental maps it was disconnected from the 'center' of the district. Fruitvale Plaza on the other hand connected the BART station with the major commercial strip. As we suspected in our hypothesis, scale matters. The finer grain of parcels and buildings together with the continuity of building frontages gives Fruitvale a more urban character.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
DESIGN APPLICATIONS a. Building/Storefront
28ft 25ft
30ft 24ft
32ft
1. Storefront size should be between 25 - 30 feet. 2. Storefront style should match the architectural style of the building. 3. A storefront extension helps attract people and activates the sidewalk. 4. The extended store/cafe/restaurant also increases the transparency of the building. Uses and activities can be seen from the street and vice versa. This helps blur the divide between indoor and outdoor spaces. This helps activate both realms.
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
DESIGN APPLICATIONS b. Open Space
1. Any element in the urban environment with the right height (15-18 in) can be used as a seating element. 2. Putting seats in public space encourages activies increases users' length of stay and types of activities conducted outside. This also helps increase people's perception of safety. Just like Jane Jacobs suggested "eyes on the street" make streets safer.ď&#x20AC;ą 2. Signage can foster a sense of community and cultural identity. This also helps increase the 'sense' of a place. Signage makes it easier for people to orient themselves geographically and in relation to important nodes.
ď&#x20AC;ą Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Random House, 1961.
Micaela Bazo, Stephanie Lin and Xiuxian Zhan
DESIGN APPLICATIONS c. Canopy/Street Enclosure
1. Tree species and age/size needs to be well considered. In Fruitvale, medium sized Sycamores were chosen for sidewalks and medians. Also, Sycamores are deciduous trees that allow sunlight in the winter months. In the summer they form a dense canopy that shelters pedestrians from the sun and creates a sense of street enclosure. 2. Alternate tree plantings gives a much denser forest feeling. Tree spacing in Fruitvale is 30 feet, which allows the tree crown to extend above the 2-3 story buildings. 3. Awning heights should be less than 10 feet tall to match the human scale. 4. Awning design should match the architectural style of the building. Awnings also help temporally negotiate the boundaries between private and public space. As mentioned before this makes retail locations more desirable and are correlated to higher foot traffic volumes
FRUITVALE FRUITVALE
8'
UPTOW UPTO
10'
34th 34th Ave Ave & International & International Blvd Blvd
Thresholds of Urbanity: Structure, Vitality and Transparency in Uptown and Fruitvale
17th 17th St St & Intern & Inte