Collage: A Creative Call to Arms for City Transformation: Los Angeles River Edition

Urban Transformation;Creative Collaboration;Natural Resources and Environment

Superfisky, KatTrumpey, Joseph ;

University of Michigan

关键词: Urban Transformation;    Creative Collaboration;    Natural Resources and Environment;   

Others  :  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/99555/katsuperfisky_COLLAGE_graduatemanifesto_AUG2013_SNREsubmission.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

The Los Angeles River is a highly significant waterway that flowsapproximately 51-miles through the second largest urban region in theUnited States, into two of the world’s busiest ports, and outlets into theworld’s largest body of water: the Pacific Ocean (LARRMP 2007). After aseries of devastating floods in the early 1900s, the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers channelized the River in concrete for flood-control measures,drastically altering the ecological function and aesthetic appearance ofthe River (LARRMP 2007). Efforts to re-envision and ;;revitalize’ the LosAngeles River into something other than a drainage ditch have ensued sincethe 1970s, and included the creation of both a county-wide and city-wideMaster Plan (in 1996 and 2007 respectively), which have determined anoverall ;;vision’ for the future of the River and provided a comprehensiveset of specific recommendations for how to achieve it (LARRMP 2007).Regardless of such increased attention and intention, the Los AngelesRiver remains in relatively the same state it did 80 years ago, beggingthe questions ;;what is inhibiting such a city transformation fromoccurring?’ and ;;what can be done to more effectively transform parts ofcities, like the Los Angeles River?’ Through a combination of personalobservation and analysis conducted in Los Angeles, as well as case studyand published literature research, this thesis investigates and identifiesissues associated with large-scale urban transformation initiatives (usingthe Los Angeles River revitalization as a context), and provides apossible framework for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of suchefforts by facilitating a more inclusive, innovative, and cohesiveapproach to addressing urban transformation initiatives.