Seattle Dogs and Insurgent Space

Mackenzie Waller

Domesticated dogs are an embodiment of both culture and nature. In an urban setting, the domesticated dog becomes a centerpiece in the power and politics of manipulating the landscape. A less studied area of urban spaces fall on the border between the human/dog sphere. These are places that fall outside the boundary of these more standardized, structured spaces, and are important because they demonstrate ways that users (dog-owners) modify spaces and push legal boundaries in order to serve their needs.

The most important aspect of exploring the impact of loose space and insurgent space is to address its impact on public opinion. These spaces are often the site of behavior that is outside that which is recognized as ‘acceptable’. At times these activities have been deemed illegal, adding to a negative public opinion. This exposure to diversity allows for shifts in public opinions. Some examples of these types of insurgent spaces are shown here and they often have a much more powerful impact on public opinion than the legally sanctioned methods of programming activities.

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Marginalized- a DIY skatepark

A community treasure forged from the will of individuals, yet it is hidden from the public eye. Marginal Way Skatepark resides under an overpass in the industrial neighborhood of SODO. Removed from residential neighborhoods, covered by an on-ramp, and flanked by rail tracks and a trucking route, it is an unlikely place for a community asset. Fed up with the city’s unpredictability, the DIY skatepark on Marginal Way was built by volunteer labor and public contributions. In the wake of the demolition of the Seattle Center Skatepark, boarders in Seattle rallied together to appropriate their own park in the margins of Seattle’s urban framework.

This unlikely location though, is what makes Marginal Way a viable space. Free of public scrutiny, the setting provides a loose site to build the park without fear of it being ripped out from under them again. The inconspicuous site had existed as a haphazard site of prostitution, illegal dumping, illicit drug use, and homeless camps. During most of the day it remained vacant and unused. Though the intervention to construct a skatepark would alter its composition, it does not inhibit continued transgressional behavior. It remains loose and unpredictable. The diversity of encounters now range from riders and junkies, to concerts and kids.

Michael Lewis

University Heights Center for Community

Josho Somine
LARCH 598
Winter 2009
Final Site Assessment

Site Summary
The University Heights Center for Community (UHCC) occupies a full city block north and west of NE 50th St. and University Way NE in Seattle. A large old building, formerly an elementary school, occupies the center of the block, and is surrounded by parking lots and a variety of small open spaces. The building facilities are managed by a nonprofit organization, and several other organizations rent spaces inside. Some additional rooms are available for classes and events.
The spatial and temporal uses outside the building are similarly diverse. Paved parking makes up about 2/3 of all the open space, and has multiple tenants with jurisdiction over certain sections of the lots. One large lot is turned over to the district Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings, which is heavily attended year-round. The site also contains 2 playgrounds, one private and one public, a community garden, a small enclosed lawn, and a public entrance plaza. (See site diagram and context diagram for details of the layout.)
The Center’s stated focus is “our local community, children, arts and education, and continuing education” , and they encourage a changeable variety of tenant organizations and activities. (See current list in Appendix A) Although there is an effort to be welcoming, there is also some conflict implicit with the “seedier” aspects of the adjoining neighborhood, which is reflected in an abundance of fencing and regulatory signage all around the site.

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Rush. Rush. Wait...

Jenny Hampton

Within the urban landscape, there are often unplanned spaces where people have to wait for the next event to occur. These spaces can be incorporated into the everyday routine of people, or occur at certain times of the day, week, month, or year. These waiting spaces can consist of small groups often forming a larger group that eventually takes up a space in the city.

Waiting spaces are fluidity built upon everyday and develop differently over time. For example, at brunch spots in certain neighborhoods in the city, crowds of people can stand on the sidewalk around the hours of 10-2 on the weekend making a community of people, however any other time of day these city sidewalks would be just ordinary sidewalks.

Waiting spaces also take on a particular form. Some spaces can be shaped in a more sporadic nature, creating clusters and circles with no particular order. Whereas other waiting spaces are formed in a more linear approach, giving a controlled sense to the act of waiting.

Lastly, waiting spaces interrupt movement patterns throughout the city. Groups of people waiting act as yield signs throughout the city sidewalks, where people have to navigate through a temporarily occupied space to reach their destination. People can make a decision to join, pass-through or avoid a group of people creating a space by waiting.

Bridging Gaps

Lea Anne Burke

In the process of connecting A to B, the vast network of roads and bridges are an integral part of daily life. Looking ahead to where you are going sometimes leads to overlooking where you are. While during the planning and construction phases, the spaces under bridges may not be intentionally, or intensively, planned. Nature abhors a vacuum and unplanned use quickly occurs. For this assignment, I have chosen to look at art created underneath bridges. Accessibility, visibility, square footage of unprogrammed space, and type of bridge construction can dictate types of art that can occur there. It can be sanctioned coordinated community projects, installations by individual artists, or the quick dashes of graffiti.

The University District has examples of all three types of art, all underneath University Bridge, between the Burke-Gillman trail and Campus Parkway. The sites are highly visible, easily accessible and have fair to high levels of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle traffic. There is street graffiti, a large mural, and a sculptural installation. These pieces claim and define the character of the sites. They evoke reactions. What does it mean? Who made it? Should I be scared? Do I like it? Whatever the answers, they have served their purpose and asked the questions.