Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A story begins.
A blog is a good way to tell a story. And there's a story here. It's about connection. It won't be the sexiest story you've ever read, but it will be a good one. And I may throw in just enough appeal to keep you reading. You never know. So read on.
It started about 1833 and found it's way to my heart while I was in graduate school in 2006. But before I tell the 1833 story from 2006, I want to share what happened in the meantime.
In the fall of 2002 my kids and I moved to Bellhingham, WA and I began working in a little village called Fairhaven. It was there I met Ken Imus, the founding father of Fairhaven, and began building my name in the architecture and planning world. It was there I learned about the power of history to anchor people to place. And it was there I began to understand the power of the village to create community.
It was there I learned that "we see in the historic landscape a set of practices that make for good communities today--limited setbacks, dense development, urban infill, walkable communities, and mixed-use buildings". (Dr. Gary Daynes, Westminster College, SLC, Utah) And it was there I began to understand the importance of attachment and connection in place making and community building.
In Fairhaven I learned about blurred edges, corners, 'every side a front side', and pathways. More importantly, I learned how these elements and attention to detail can work together to make a place and build a community. Walkability and sustainability, such popular words these days, were real in Fairhaven. This was a place you could walk to whatever you needed. And this was a place people wanted to be. I did.
Working in Fairhaven I watched people stroll the streets holding ice cream cones. They wandered hand in hand with each other and their children. Dad's carried their little ones on their shoulders. People walked their dogs and rode their bikes. They smiled and said hello. Everyone seemed content in Fairhaven.
Maybe it was just that I was content and so the world seemed content in this place. Either way, a light went on in my mind. And my world was changed forever. These people were attached and connected to their place and to each other. This was a community. By design.
I learned basic place making from Ken Imus and Fairhaven. People all want the same things: food, water, shade from the sun, (more sun in WA), something to sit on, and each other. Throw in a few fun things to do, some great architecture, good books, interesting things to look at, and whala, you have a place people want to be.
Ken scoured the world for interesting things to look at and decorated his buildings with them. What I didn't understand was that Ken was creating attachment to his village. People fell in love with the charm of the place, the feel of Fairhaven. And actually verbalized it just that way.
They attached because there was something to attach to and they connected to each other because they could. And community happened.
As I tell this story, I'll share pictures along the way. What I hope is that by using Fairhaven as a model and my 1833 story from 2006, we will begin to understand what we have lost and how we can correct what went wrong. Ken Imus started with a ghost town, abandoned buildings, and vacant lots. And he made a beautiful, wonderful place that people love to be in together and can walk around in together. For whatever they need. Walkability and sustainability. Go figure.
Community is about connection. And community happens naturally when places are designed for people to connect to and be with each other.
In the fall of 2002 my kids and I moved to Bellhingham, WA and I began working in a little village called Fairhaven. It was there I met Ken Imus, the founding father of Fairhaven, and began building my name in the architecture and planning world. It was there I learned about the power of history to anchor people to place. And it was there I began to understand the power of the village to create community.
It was there I learned that "we see in the historic landscape a set of practices that make for good communities today--limited setbacks, dense development, urban infill, walkable communities, and mixed-use buildings". (Dr. Gary Daynes, Westminster College, SLC, Utah) And it was there I began to understand the importance of attachment and connection in place making and community building.
In Fairhaven I learned about blurred edges, corners, 'every side a front side', and pathways. More importantly, I learned how these elements and attention to detail can work together to make a place and build a community. Walkability and sustainability, such popular words these days, were real in Fairhaven. This was a place you could walk to whatever you needed. And this was a place people wanted to be. I did.
Working in Fairhaven I watched people stroll the streets holding ice cream cones. They wandered hand in hand with each other and their children. Dad's carried their little ones on their shoulders. People walked their dogs and rode their bikes. They smiled and said hello. Everyone seemed content in Fairhaven.
Maybe it was just that I was content and so the world seemed content in this place. Either way, a light went on in my mind. And my world was changed forever. These people were attached and connected to their place and to each other. This was a community. By design.
I learned basic place making from Ken Imus and Fairhaven. People all want the same things: food, water, shade from the sun, (more sun in WA), something to sit on, and each other. Throw in a few fun things to do, some great architecture, good books, interesting things to look at, and whala, you have a place people want to be.
Ken scoured the world for interesting things to look at and decorated his buildings with them. What I didn't understand was that Ken was creating attachment to his village. People fell in love with the charm of the place, the feel of Fairhaven. And actually verbalized it just that way.
They attached because there was something to attach to and they connected to each other because they could. And community happened.
As I tell this story, I'll share pictures along the way. What I hope is that by using Fairhaven as a model and my 1833 story from 2006, we will begin to understand what we have lost and how we can correct what went wrong. Ken Imus started with a ghost town, abandoned buildings, and vacant lots. And he made a beautiful, wonderful place that people love to be in together and can walk around in together. For whatever they need. Walkability and sustainability. Go figure.
Community is about connection. And community happens naturally when places are designed for people to connect to and be with each other.
I think if you give this story a chance, you'll find it appealing. What's better than a stroll with loved ones at sunset on a neighborhood street packed with shops and places to eat and little, white lights sparkling in the trees? Pretty sexy, right?
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