Kahn, Andrea
From CollabLandWiki
David Prom, Jean Beaupre, Laura Zimmerman, Steph Falkers
Contents |
Site Matters
 By Andrea Kahn |
Defining Urban Sites
Kahn argues that they are two different types of urban spaces
- The first is a bounded space, where everything is contained in its proper place with obvious boundaries
- The second is a looser and more porous site, which offers undefined boundaries and variation of scale
Kahn further encourages designers to design loosely with multiple overlapping boundaries and spaces. "Urban sites are dynamic rather than static, porous rather than contained, "messy" like da Vinci's Milan sketch rather than "neat" like the ideal plan of Palmanuova."
 da Vinci's sketch swilrs with the movements of many trajectories crisscrossing an unbounded space |
 Heavy dark lines enclosing fortifications reinforce the reading of a city figure afloat in empty space |
Representing Urban Sites
- A designers drawings reveal how the designer is thinking not what they are thinking about.
- "That in the most profound sense, representation is not about depicting reality, but about making knowledge."
- Each site has a unique condition that needs to be revealed not only through facts and figures, but through the designers analysis and generation of ideas. An example of this would be a parti. While site drawings and models are important, knowledge of the site is actually derived from conceptual representations.
- The way that a site map is done or constructed manipulates the way that reality is revealed through the representation. No matter how you approach your interpretation there is no wrong way to evaluate the site.
- "Site representations construct site knowledge; they make site concepts manifest design."
Five Concepts for Urban Design
These five terms conceptualize sites in meaningful ways for urban design. "Generic concepts only allow for generic site thinking"
Mobile Ground
- All different interests and agents must be considered when designing, due to the diversity of a site. Such as, the direct context, the multiple players (workers, residents, politicians, preservationists, and ecologists), and the context demographics. Each of these pose different needs to a site.
- Mobile ground is a place where the activity around can be diverse and dynamic. There is no set in stone, specific use for the defined space. This reminds designers that the site is subject to change at any time.
Site Reach
- Site reach can be defined as measuring the extent, range, and level of interactions between a localized place and its urban surroundings.
- There are defined spaces but there are interconnected uses to the defined spaces. For example there is no physical barrier between defined spaces allowing for interconnected activities to take place.
Site Construction
- Site Construction can be defined as a study process that gives a better understanding of the site through consciously selective viewing.
- The way that you approach the site analysis will be reflected in the rest of your design.
- With organizing the site information (politically, economically, formally, historically, spatially, etc.), should be easily revealed, and should map out for itself.
Unbound Sites
- Though a site has its boundaries you cannot avoid the site's surroundings, which can be incorporated to create aesthetic views and permeability
- By blending boundaries you can create a more porous environment which will encourage free movement within
Urban Constellation
- Urban Constellation can be defined as blurring the line between context and site by demarcating site interactions across multiple fields of urban operation.
- the countless interactions between the forces is how its formed
- Combining the knowledge of the local place with the knowledge of the greater place you reinforce the understanding of the site as its constructed
Defining the Indefinite
- everything that you put in connects back to your design from your site analysis
- "For urban design what matters is gaining understanding of the city in the site"
