Plural Natures

The Los Angeles region is easily recognized for its plural natures. This type of nature includes 1) our diverse social composition, 2) vibrant landscapes which define the territory, and 3) political challenges that prompt us to ask the following questions: For ‘whom’ are public lands being designed and planned for? Who has access to them? This studio will interrogate the history of public lands and urban sites as they relate to the migration of ethnic communities into and out of the region. 

According to the UN, public spaces are “places which are accessible and enjoyable by all without a profit motive and take on various spatial forms, including parks, streets, sidewalks, markets, and playgrounds.”[1] Public spaces generate active areas for community to gather and share practices of everyday culture and life. The disparity lies in the fact that, although Los Angeles has miles of beaches, coastlines, and large natural preserved areas, higher income neighborhoods enjoy ten times more park space than low-income areas.[2] Additionally, there is opportunity in capturing the numerous ‘public land for private use’ legacies that persist throughout the County.  

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light the need for equitable and accessible public spaces for all to enjoy. In this way, public spaces should be considered as the ultimate infrastructure of care, as they address serious racial and economic disparities in both health and quality of life. The goal of this studio is to design an infrastructure of care suitable to the diverse array of migrant populations of Los Angeles. The dedicate project site will serve as a testing ground for repair and care. Here, the terms ‘repair’ and ‘care’ call for design interventions to change the frame around who is designing the space, allowing programs dedicated to sustainable use and cultural appropriation. 

As designers, we must position ourselves as citizens of the community which we are working to design with and for. Students will become familiar with community-driven design methods as a primary focus for the creative process. Students will implement storytelling as a critical component of their proposals by using alternative modes of representation (collage, comic, graphic novel, animation/film). Process is just as important as the plan that is developed.

[1] Definition extracted from sources: https://lapublic.space/ and  https://unhabitat.org/public-spaces-for-all

[2] Data extracted from Park Equity Toolkit for New Parks and Park Renovations in Los Angeles County