Congratulations John Algood

This came in the mail from the competition committee. Way to go, John!

Final

Gus Garcia

setting for the theater

'setting the stage' for the theater image.

I changed the orientation because it is impossible to find people looking in the other direction.

2 of 2

this is to replace the second one in the last entry...it was too light.

rendering of diagrams

playing around with techniques...solid or not solid? remember this will be along the rendered plan...jury is out

(please ignore the color samples along the sides)

colors are not set...

showing progress

i'm trying to get all of the photoshop work for the sections done before we head down to san anton. here is the tree lined ped. ave. still needs additions of people -- etc.

A couple options for the cemetery callout image (G.20b)

Title Block

Some thoughts for Title Blocks (G1)
These are all pictures from the site. I think the middle one is kind of crappy, and I can definitely explore another option for that one if we all think these are good.

Title/Header Suggestion

Here's my thought on the top bar (T.1/G.1) - I think the official header (Ecotone) should be top left, along with subheader (Nature of the Site, Building Community, el futuro) and introductory text. I've included sample text (from the paper-in-progress). The fonts/colors/sizes can definitely change (bring on the comments), but I like how it establishes a clean, professional feel. This leaves G.1, currently Andy's space, open for a nice image/rendering. It should size proportionately with the space taken up by the header/text section, and possibly carry a small caption in the bottom corner (i.e. "native grassland," "kids running in front of car," etc.).

With all of the images coming together for these boards, it's nice to have the title establish the white space. That is to say, we will be able to add much to the board without it feeling "too busy."

Let me know if this works for you guys. If all is well, then I can begin putting together introductory statements for the three boards.

prep scene

I was pretty much a corpse last night and could only look around for stock images. Here is the 'crew' for the garden in living color (we will put it through the works this weekend so it matches the others). Just an update of what is happening in the southern branch office.

plan

comments on the look.

Questions

- David, you mentioned incorporating more examples of the different path materials into the statement - do you (or anyone else) have ideas?
- I think it would be useful to include a short paragraph in the paper about "universality" - examples of how we're designing for all shapes and sizes, disabilities, and safety. I can think of the amphitheater's design, the raised plant beds of the community garden, and potentially the path materials (wheelchair friendly) - what other elements exemplify this?

That is all for now.

garden

yer blues

here are a few blues. I think we need them.

Section Orchard Path

So I'm nearing the completion of the first section though the orchard, and its subsequent path. Here is the rendering. The graphics call out the variety of Ecotones that the section deals with --- which i'm going to have to add more only have the urban one called out right now. --- the idea is to collage the various ecosystems and the edges of these collages become important to indicate which ecotones are sharp and which are flat (more gradual). How bout it???? --- what do you think of the text style as well as the leaders?

garden ladies

Still learning photo shop - will try to make this better, but i started.

Fragments

The individual elements of the piece are starting to come together. The following sections are rough and yearning for comment (headings are for my organization only). Also, I just decided to revisit the competition website for the list of goals (which I'll try to acknowledge in the final draft):

- Provide unique design ideas that highlight the community, the environment, and cultural and social awareness.
- Develop opportunities to work with non-profit, governmental and community organizations.
- Impact the community in a positive way, inspire momentum for community activism, and provoke continued architectural discourse.
- Provide opportunities for residents and community members to participate in and attend:
- Recreational activities (organized and individual)
- Performances (drama, dance, singing and musical concerts, poetry)
- Exhibitions (visual art, photography, fashion)
- Private events and other outdoor activities organized by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department.

Introduction. The Gus Garcia Park Competition seeks a design that not only provides a healthy environment and necessary program elements, but also initializes ­social and cultural enrichment through the fosterage of community activities. Both the community and the natural environment of the site stand to gain from a reciprocal bond, and Ecotone is a multi-phase design through which the potential of this mutuality is realized.

An ecotone is by definition the area of intersection between two ecological communities, or ecosystems. These transitional areas can be as sharp and dramatic as a river’s edge, or gradual, as an orchard tapers into grassland. The composition of ecotones is thus dependent on the distribution of ecosystems, and in the case of Gus Garcia Park, the site features a variety of outstanding ecological communities, including a river, forest, and native grasslands. Ecotones have become constitutive of this design, because of their illustrative properties - not only do they represent the natural diversity of the site, but they reveal the stark contrast between the natural environment and the urban environment, which carries its own diverseness.

Paths. Ecotone regards the path system enormously important – as opposed to incorporating a uniform material generically routed throughout the site, it thoughtfully traces some ecotones while bisecting others, and varies in its composition. A gravel trail winding through the native grasses produces smaller, foot-worn paths that snake into the trees. This variety of material acts as a subtle introduction to the diversity of the site.

Community Garden. Soil analysis has concluded that a large portion of the site is congenial to agriculture, and therefore a large area has been designated for the purposes of implementing a community garden. A collection of plots, subscribed by individuals and families on an annual basis, will bring community members together in the context of the natural environment, and there are successful precedents of this in the Austin area. This community garden represents the fundamental mutuality that can come to define Gus Garcia Park.