Excavating L.A. : urban design futures of new transit
Name
859599831-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
38.37 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
6746b822c2520cb7286e391418aa810d
Author(s)
Mizuhara, Midori
Advisor(s)
Brent Ryan.
Alternative Title
Excavating Los Angeles : urban design futures of new transit
Date Issued
2013
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
After decades of planning, recent voter approved tax initiatives have enabled Los Angeles to expand its mass transit infrastructure. Fast tracked construction projects of subway and light rail lines will connect areas of the city for the first time since the early 20th century streetcar era. Increasing levels of population growth currently challenge LAs low density, horizontal, suburban form to fold inward and build upon itself in new ways and the city has embraced transit oriented development (TOD) as a strategy for accommodating this new growth at higher densities. This moment provides a unique opportunity for architects, urban designers, and planners to rethink large scale urban design projects in LA and generate urban forms that reflect the identity of the city, as opposed to importing outside models. This thesis explores urban design futures through the lens of the TOD and aims to create an LA-specific model. In a city that is defined by multiple layers of massive infrastructural systems, designers need to think about how projects fit into larger-scale systems in order to mediate these systems and find design opportunities within them. What are the LA-specific urban design goals that should guide new transit oriented development? How can this scale of urban design project leverage large-scale infrastructure systems and landscape elements to enhance the public realm, mediate the environment, and create an intermediate symbolic orienting structure for the city? This thesis research explores these questions through three forms of inquiry: theory, mapping and design. Theory research aims to understand what is meant by "LA urbanism" and creates a framework by which to understand future project within. Mapping research generates a design agenda and attitude about the project. Design research tests this agenda through a new LA-specific TOD strategy through both site specific and prototypical design processes.
Description
Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2013.
Pages 136-137 blank. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-135).
Subjects
Urban Studies and Planning.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
M.I.T. theses are protected by
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Persistent DSpace Link
