Research Update
I think I’m going to try to keep this brief. Lily and I have made some changes regarding the focus of our research.
Our initial idea was to look at 3 or 4 different types of sites — each with different organizational structures and relationships to the public. We were going to compare and contrast how they used community interfacing to implement design projects and how that interfacing addressed issues of equity. And also how that community interfacing carried through into the maintenance and care of the site, beyond just initial design stages.
We are still doing that. But we were very lucky with our first two sites, Mosswood Park in Oakland and the Gill Tract in Albany. We found rich case studies to examine, and we decided to narrow our focus to just those two. I think I do prefer the “depth” rather than “breadth” approach this time.
At this point we have both attended community meetings at each site and have some handle on who the players and community-members are. There is so much to compare and contrast — from our our actual experiences as participants to what some of the issues are at each site, to the programs and goals of each meeting. Both seem to be places where there is a strong sense of community involvement and ownership.
Here is the abridged outline and some questions we started with. I approached some of the folks at the Gill Tract with them and thought I would use them to guide my thinking while I was there.
We are focusing on sites’ efforts to “engage” in collaborative design work with visitors, neighbors, or otherwise relevant publics.
Guiding Questions
1. How does the community engage with this site?
2. Who is that community? Has their role changed since the project’s realization?
3. Who are the stakeholders who have the final say about how problems are addressed or resources or allocated?
4. Where do resources to maintain this site come from?
Now that I have a better idea of at least one of those places, those questions seem a little general. But I would love some feedback about some direction we might now move into. And how ‘bout these questions? Are they worth keeping?
