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Remember classes where the teacher bored you to tears with
things like making you do fractions over and over again on paper instead of
using practical examples like making you halve a favorite recipe? Lessons are all around us, but often school
favors the theoretical over the useful. This
wasn't so for the students in UT's 10 week design/build studio this summer. Instead of designing for an imaginary place
these academic students are paired with community members to create something
real. Instead of a drawing on a computer
screen the students leave with blisters on their hands and the community is
left with something tangible.
Last year students designed and built a moveable tool shed
for our southern neighbors at Holly Neighbors Helping Neighbors.
This year our neighborhood was lucky to be selected for a
project and an obvious place to create something was...you guessed it...our park!
In early June, Coleman Coker and Laura Edwards from the UT
School of Architecture's Center for Sustainable Development met with the
neighborhood association to present the idea and the project rapidly grew from
there.
One of the main goals for the
Public Interest Design practicum is community engagement so logically the next
step was for us to meet the students.
On a warm Texas evening we met with the students who instead
of being equipped with note pads came armed with smart phones that they set on
the picnic table between us to record the conversation. Together we had a very honest conversation
about the park's history and its future.
We discussed past crimes, illegal dumping, housing buyouts, floods,
young neighbors desires for a cool playground and more. The students left with more information then
they probably imagined was possible when it comes to a little piece of land
with lawn and pecan trees but also with a sense of how important this community
space is to neighbors.
They digested the information and several weeks later sent
very detailed plans to the neighborhood for planned kiosks. When many neighbors first heard that they
were planning kiosks we imagined that they'd create a post with some cork board
tacked to it and maybe a shelter but the plans we got were for architectural
pieces of public art with an interpretive connection.
In all there were three groups, three designs, and three
kiosks created. The designs were tweaked
by the Parks and Recreation Department but stayed true to the students initial
vision.
Human Kiosk -
Highlights human intervention with the creek by drawing the eye towards the
transition from the creek with natural sides to the concrete channel. Students interviewed community members who
frequent the Conely-Guerrero Senior Activity Center and incorporated their
memories into the piece.
the design
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the reality
Canopy Kiosk - Provides
a space to recline and relax while staring into the trees' canopy. Middle school students provided poems and
thoughts about the park in English and Spanish that were etched into the wooden
slats.
the design
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the reality
Riparian Restoration
Kiosk - Draws the eye toward the creek which due to urban flow patterns
cuts deeply into the landscape and isn't easily seen. It highlights some of the native plants being
used in the restoration and the wildlife that it supports.
the design
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the reality
Once the students had the greenlight from the Parks and
Recreation Department and our group they started to order materials, cut, haul,
screw, weld and more. They spent many
HOT hours in the park patiently building their pieces while answering questions
from curious passer-bys and doing it only for their class requirement and the
occasional popsicle or slice of pizza from one of us.
Before we knew it the summer was almost over and on August
14, 2013 we came together to learn more about the students vision, thank each
other and break bread. Click here to see
more photos of the entire process.
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THANK YOU to the professors and students for making a
difference while learning. We look forward to seeing you in the park!
