05/20/15
Here is a link to the animation I created of the proposed park in Lumion: https://youtu.be/ncaVQ2V6XXU

Comments

The video really gave good perspectives of the park.

Your video gave a very nice perspective of the park and everything really seems to fit in great as a whole. The only thing I'd focus a little more on is the pass ways for people, it'd be nice if there was more.

Since a bike already ran along the proposed pocket park I did not find it necessary to incorporate more walk ways. Chatting with an landscape architect he told me to experiment with different ways to make pathways making the park feel more natural. That is why I have path ways that change from concrete to rock to grass. But, I understand your concern about elderly citizen however, I feel that the exciting bike path gives them the mobility they need through the park.

Thank you! I really suggest you check out the rendering program Lumion!

The video was very well done, also your park is beautiful. There was only one thing that I thought to comment on, even though honestly, it's sort of petty. But there was a part where you had glass panels somewhere and I was wondering what the purpose of it was?

I really enjoyed the way you encorporated natural shading structures as well as incredible transition spaces. The thought that went into your planting areas is undeniable and I think the overall park is very well done, combining multiple elements into a cohesive, creative space.

The animation was helpful in bringing your park to life. It was a unique way of presenting your park. I also really enjoyed the fact that you included a farmer's market area. This makes the park a central area for the community and is a unique feature that definitely separates your park from the rest of the other submissions.

Hi Tbostic! I very much like your site, and wanted to give some in-depth feedback towards its design. I really love how you incorporated native plants into the area, being that greenery is important for both sustainable design and keeping an area alive and approachable. I also noticed the very, very large size of your site, being that you were able to include a market, entertainment area (amphitheater), and a garden. Earlier in the Collect Info phase, you claimed the total area was, "14374 square feet". I was able to locate exactly where your proposed site would be installed (where N 15th St meets E Poplar Ave.), and according to Google Earth, the total area of your site is roughly around 28,000 square feet. Wasn't the original ruling set for sites no larger than 14,500 square feet? Besides the area discrepancy, I also noticed how there weren't any demographics within your project. Do you feel demographics do a good job of projecting realistic standards for your site and how it will be maintained? Being in Northern Las Vegas, isn't this pivotal? Given Northern Las Vegas's financial troubles, where will the money needed to build and maintain such a large park come from? And granted the low income rates, will public bartering be practical? After all, there is a marketplace only around 3,000 feet away from the proposed site. I really feel the attempt to unite a disgruntled community via a green space is truly brilliant, but because of the site's secluded location and financial problems, would it have been more realistic to instead provide a relaxing space where visitors won't be inadvertently pressured to tend to a garden/marketplace? I'm afraid that when visitors visit the park, they're aware they have to enter a decision-making scenario that includes them using the garden/marketplace or not, which will most likely engender subtle stress, despite the amenity's honest intentions (check out this awesome TED talk on the "paradox of choice" http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice?languag...). Although the intentions behind integrating both a garden as well as a minuscule marketplace are great, do you feel the surrounding inhabitants will divide their valuable attention towards maintaining such a large park? It seems as though the park is trying to accomplish more than just accommodating visitors in a relaxing manner, but represent a social solution for a troubled community, which is immensely lovely, but the execution may need more work. How would you address this? Do you feel your project is fine the way it is? Again, awesome job with the video and overall presentation. Keep it up!

Whoops! I forgot to mention the literal formatting of the park! I really appreciate the land use, how it is all broken up into 3 parts (which may or may not exceed the area limit mentioned in my previous comment). I noticed how most of the seating, the small tables with four chairs, are not protected from sun exposure. Being in Nevada, I would assume there are blistering temperatures, which is especially bad for developing children as well as the elderly. How would you approach this? One thing I must note is the elaborate fountain design, which I really like! But I must ask, what purpose do the small pools serve? You never mentioned their intended purpose earlier, and I'm worried that they may potentially act as hazards around small children or unsuspecting passerby during the night (since there is no lighting). Another thing I noticed, is what happened to the electric towers in the pre-existing lot? Were they moved elsewhere? If so, how?