Arch 381 Documentation

design pro ess
ph si a ode s
presentation boards
o unit apping
o unit engage ent too s
uantitati e ana sis
do u entation
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UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND PLANNING
DESIGN PROCESS
In August of 2014, Hugo Cabrera, a former
KU architecture student, approached
the KU School of Architecture, Design
and Planning to see what interest, if any,
architecture students from KU would have
in assisting the Argentine Neighborhood
Development Association (ANDA) in
their planning efforts for the Argentine
neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas.
With the support of Wyandotte County
o unit based design ethods
Commissioner Ann Brandau-Murguia,
the architecture service-learning course
Designing Sustainable Futures, lead by
Professor Matt Kleinmann, developed
proposals for two highway underpasses
in the Argentine neighborhood.
The architecture students began the
semester working together in three groups
of four in a workshop format to research,
design, and prototype concepts for how
to approach the underpasses. Site visits
with Hugo and Ann afforded the students
opportunities to meet real 'clients' while
simultaneously exploring case studies
of what was possible by researching
examples from around the country.
the highest form of sustainability is community ownership
Framed in the context of a complete
streets and sustainable sites initiative, the
goal of the class was to develop unique
proposals for the Argentine Community that
supported universal design goals of better
site maintenance, drainage, and function.
At the same time, the students were
tasked to consider how the community
might be invited into the process in
order to foster designs that empowered
the Argentine neighborhood residents
to re-imagine public spaces in their
community. Rather than just organizing
the designs around environmentally
sustainable concepts, students were
challenged to approach the project
from a triple-bottom-line (environment,
economic, and social) approach by
understanding that the highest form of
sustainability is community ownership.
The students employed different
community engagement design methods,
including the AEIOU Framework and
Elito Method, to initially approach
the design. They began by recording
site conditions, then building physical
models that represented the actual scale
of the underpasses. They used their
observations in an objective manner to
begin synthesizing real site constraints
that they could respond to through
design. Once their concepts were
formalized, they were asked to visually
represent their proposals through artistic
renderings, physical models, and an
overall project narrative. These proposals
were refined through iterations and
reviews with KU Architecture faculty.
Following their designs, the ANDA
recommended both that the Argentine
Neighborhood Association and the
Wyandotte County Commissioners be
presented with their work. The class
took that as an opportunity to meet with
local residents and better understand
what issues considered in their designs
were most relevant to them for their
communities. Through the development
of Community Engagement Tools, the
students were able to develop frameworks
for responses to be recorded, both
quantitatively and qualitatively, in order
to better represent the outcomes of the
semester. Finally, their work was compiled
into this document, of which they were
asked to represent their semester in an
accessible format for future consideration.
5

DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND PLANNING
D E SI GN M E T H OD OL OGY
argentine neighborhood underpass
One of the major issues introduced to
the students was the concept of greater
accessibility. The underpasses were
dividing lines within the neighborhood,
and with the new Walmart opened,
accessibility to fresh food became a
priority for the ANDA to support. The
proposed master plan included bike lanes
and public spaces for pedestrians to
utilize, however the connection across the
underpasses was still an obstacle, and
was one the students were challenged
to address with their designs. In keeping
with the course's service-learning
aspects, the goal was not so much to
propose any one 'solution', but present
the ANDA and the neighborhood with
potential visions for a more sustainable
(and in this case walkable) community.
a essibi it
6 7

Observation Judgment Value Concept / Sketch Key Metaphor
What did you see, read,
or hear?
Must be fact based
(documented).
What is your opinion about the observation?
Be clear: why does it matter?
What values are ultimately at work?
What's at stake, what's motivating it?
How might a designer address this?
Visualize a form that conveys its value.
What is the hook of the story?
Tagline, something to refer back to.
Mo Family Demographics
(Single Mothers)
Low SES indicators for users Cheaper housing, School, (Walmart)
Jack Dead End Sidewalk Impedes access, indicates lack of development Unnecessary, changing perception. (Child safety)
Lucinda Sliding Mud on the
sidewalk
Potentially dangerous, erodes infrastructure Deferred maintenance (sustainability, improvement)
Tao Railroads / Cut off Landlocked. Cuts off resources to city amenities City development (Accessible resources nearby)
Chris Flooding / Water
Management
More efficient (sustainable) ways. Accessibility Outdated system (no combined sewer, sustainability)
Jeshua Dog Park (informal
amenities)
Public space, promotes healthiness. Personal interactions Necessary, not recognized formally (safe, public forum)
Falley Mothers under trees
(Shade)
Protection, safety, public interaction, comfort Wait for kids (comfort, rest, social cohesion)
Marlee 1 Bus Stop on NW of site Access to transit, no other facilities. Demand? Difficult location (more transit opportunities)
Falley Lack of crosswalks Safety, protecting children, Car centric planning (community values, accessibility)
Jeshua Extended underpass
infrastructure
Potential use, Width of highway / excess engineering. (existing
opportunity)
Kevin Nodes but no landmarks Nothing to draw people through the area, places to linger Nothing there previously. (more social interactions. Guided
pathway. Designed for)
Kevin Lack of visual aesthetic
diversity
Inviting to community, visually stimulates, safer Design vs. Engineering (connect art to community. Provide
community identity. Cultural history.)
LaTeisha Lack of artificial lighting
in underpass
Night time safety, seasonal hours for school children Not SOP. Added cost. (more safe, more inviting, local
identity)
Tao Upcoming Gas Station
site
Economic development, increases car traffic (crosswalks?) Terrain. Proximity to highway. (proximity could be an asset.
<could take away from public space. Food policies>)
Kevin Lack of seating
(manhole)
No nodes. City might not want people there. (public space, community
cohesion).
Marlee Slanted underpasses
(south more so)
Floods sidewalks (stormwater management). Topography, cost? (slope as creative constraint).
Ryman Different conditions (N
or S)
Character, different users Different parts of the city. School vs. major thoroughfare
(exit/entrance vs underpass, different programmatic use).
AEIOU Framework
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 2:22 PM
Observation Judgment Value Concept / Sketch Key Metaphor
What did you see, read,
or hear?
Must be fact based
(documented).
What is your opinion about the observation?
Be clear: why does it matter?
What values are ultimately at work?
What's at stake, what's motivating it?
How might a designer address this?
Visualize a form that conveys its value.
What is the hook of the story?
Tagline, something to refer back to.
Mo Family Demographics
(Single Mothers)
Low SES indicators for users Cheaper housing, School, (Walmart)
Jack Dead End Sidewalk Impedes access, indicates lack of development Unnecessary, changing perception. (Child safety)
Lucinda Sliding Mud on the
sidewalk
Potentially dangerous, erodes infrastructure Deferred maintenance (sustainability, improvement)
Tao Railroads / Cut off Landlocked. Cuts off resources to city amenities City development (Accessible resources nearby)
Chris Flooding / Water
Management
More efficient (sustainable) ways. Accessibility Outdated system (no combined sewer, sustainability)
Jeshua Dog Park (informal
amenities)
Public space, promotes healthiness. Personal interactions Necessary, not recognized formally (safe, public forum)
Falley Mothers under trees
(Shade)
Protection, safety, public interaction, comfort Wait for kids (comfort, rest, social cohesion)
Marlee 1 Bus Stop on NW of site Access to transit, no other facilities. Demand? Difficult location (more transit opportunities)
Falley Lack of crosswalks Safety, protecting children, Car centric planning (community values, accessibility)
Jeshua Extended underpass
infrastructure
Potential use, Width of highway / excess engineering. (existing
opportunity)
Kevin Nodes but no landmarks Nothing to draw people through the area, places to linger Nothing there previously. (more social interactions. Guided
pathway. Designed for)
Kevin Lack of visual aesthetic
diversity
Inviting to community, visually stimulates, safer Design vs. Engineering (connect art to community. Provide
community identity. Cultural history.)
LaTeisha Lack of artificial lighting
in underpass
Night time safety, seasonal hours for school children Not SOP. Added cost. (more safe, more inviting, local
identity)
Tao Upcoming Gas Station
site
Economic development, increases car traffic (crosswalks?) Terrain. Proximity to highway. (proximity could be an asset.
<could take away from public space. Food policies>)
Kevin Lack of seating
(manhole)
No nodes. City might not want people there. (public space, community
cohesion).
(south more so)
Floods sidewalks (stormwater management). Topography, cost? (slope as creative constraint).
or S)
Character, different users Different parts of the city. School vs. major thoroughfare
(exit/entrance vs underpass, different programmatic use).
AEIOU Framework
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 2:22 PM
Following up on their AEIOU Frameworks,
the students worked in class to develop
a database of design prompts that
were diagrammed and processed as an
inventory for them to refer to throughout
the semester. The goal of the diagrams
was to clearly communicate in a visual
manner complicated design challenges
to which their proposals would hope
to respond, grounded in reality.
Upon initial site visits, students were
asked to document their expereinces
in an objective manner by collecting
their 'AEIOU' data and sharing it in
class sessions. The goal of the AEIOU
process is to take concrete measures
of reality and begin to understand
their importance and ways in which
to respond through diagramming the
issues and providing clear concepts with
which to address the particular issue.
ACTIVITIES
ENVIRONMENTS
OBJECTS
USERS
INTERACTIONS
e ito ethod
aeiou ra e or
8 9

obser ation udg ent a ue
the sidewalk
ends abruptly
What did you see or hear?
Based upon facts
What is your opinion on it?
Why does it matter?
What's at stake?
What's motivating this condition?
it impedes
access and may
indicate a lack
of development
it creates an
unsafe perception,
especially for kids.
(manhole) coh
(south more so)
Floods sidewalks (stormwater management). To
or S)
Character, different users Dif
(ex
s et h the onstraint
10 11

We began our semester with a visit to
the North of Argentine, Kansas where
we were greeted by our guide Hugo
Cabrera, a local architect and board
member of the Argentine Neighborhood
Development Association, Hugo provided
us with his insight into the neighborhood
and how growing up in the city and his
experiences made him want to better his
community and give back as an architect.
site isit
PHYSICAL MODELS
Upon visiting the site, we encountered a
sidewalk that abruptly ended and picked
back up on the other side of the underpass.
Hugo described the problems he's noticed;
dead-end sidewalks, muddy embankments,
and the lack of lighting under or around
the underpass. As we continued to walk
and examine the decaying space under
the bridge, we saw the dangers of the
narrow streets, unexpected closeness
and no visible crosswalks. As our class
crossed the street to a back road to the
south underpass, Hugo explained how the
immediate area was unused and caused
continuous problems throughout the years.
The end of the road met a busy street
where drivers were getting off of the
demonstrating safety, lighting and sustainability
could be helpful to respond positively to conflicts.
highway, with no crosswalks and one stop
sign. As we followed Hugo down the slope
to the underpass he told us about how
all of the neighborhood children walked
through the underpass despite the lack
of perceived safety from automobiles.
The runoff sloped onto the sidewalk and
the underpass was poorly lit. During the
rainy and snowy seasons most of the
residents have to walk up the slippery
slope to stay away from the street. At the
end of our tour Hugo gave more details
of common problems around Argentine
and how demonstrating safety, lighting
and sustainability could be helpful
to respond positively to conflicts.
After touring the site as a class we went
to the north and south underpasses and
started to take measurements of the
components that we would be using in
inputting into our digital models. As a
class, we were divided into three groups
of four and organized by categories of:
research, drawing, graphics, and building.
During our digital modeling with Sketch
Up we used the exact measurements
of the bridge and topography; after
getting the underpasses built we scaled
the measurements to a 1/4 scale.
With the Sketch Up model, we were able
to scale down to a workable size that
let groups show their main ideas and
structures. The underpass structure was
constructed separately in pieces so that
it could be cut using a laser cutter with
chipboard. Once the pieces were cut and
cleaned we constructed the models step by
step to create scaled underpass models.
Once our models were constructed and
sized correctly, we included some of our
main ideas to showcase our designs in a
tangible way. All the groups incorporated
lighting into the models to demonstrate
real life environmental graphics. With the
ability to physically touch and see the
model in presentations, they expressed
a representation of the real thing.
12 13

PH Y SI C A L M OD E L S
orth and outh rgentine nderpasses
As the class continued the tour we were able to see how over the years with continuous runoff and no maintenance of the underpass
that it was starting to decay. On the south-side underpass we saw more soil erosion, which the neighborhood children have to pass
everyday to walk to school.
Sketches were made with exact
dimensions that were measured
by hand so that the class could
recreate the underpass and
surrounding topography with
digital modeling tools.
Sketch Up software was used to
match the digital models to exact
measurements from the site.
Linework was exported down
to 1/4 in. = 1'-0" for drawings
to be sent to the laser cutter.
All groups were instructed to
use the laser cutter to make the
models and construct them mainly
from chipboard and MDF wood.
The laser cutter became a very
useful tool over time to help piece
together our models in sections.
14 15

mid-review
design critique
of group ideas
and models with
ku architecture
professors
final design
presentation
with county
commissioner ann
brandau-murguia
and other anda
board members
neighborhood
presentation
using community
engagement tools
and physical models
with the argentine
neighborhood assoc.
model
photographs
highlighting the
underpass designs
16 17

group
group group
Over the course of the semester, we
learned many things, including Sketch Up
and group presentation skills. Throughout
the semester, representing our ideas
has become increasingly important. The
models served as necessary tools in our
presentations; not only were we able to
show our ideas, but the viewers could also
better understand the design intent. The
strength of our presentations benefited
from the model's ability to realistically
demonstrate sustainable concepts.
on usion
18 19

PRE SE N T A T I ON B OA RD S
RAILROAD ART CAPSULE
Our site is located in the
Argentine neighborhood of
Kansas City, Kansas. This
low-income area is landlocked
between a major highway and
“the second largest rail yard in
the country; second only to
Chicago”.
-Anne Murguia.
The north underpass is a crucial
connecting point for the East
Argentine Neighborhood and local
businesses.
LOCATION
PUBLIC ART SPACE SIDEWALK
To encourage community
engagement, our design allows
for a public art space that is
capsulated beneath the
underpass. This space will provide
shelter from the elements,
lighting, and seating in a safe and
artistic environment.
Local school children will be able
to paint or draw their own works of
art and hang them on the railroad
art display.
The current sidewal is unfinished
so we propose a walkway that
splits into two paths. One path
will be for pedestrian traffic while
the other path will allow for slow
movement through the art space.
Both will be connected to the
original unfinished sidewal .
“Our intention is to design a capsule of space in this community in which people become
involved with local art, take pride in Argentine’s rich railroad history, and feel a sense of
security while exploring their own hometown.” -Group CTRL
Chris Dixon
Tao Xingzhe
Ryman Kinney
Lucinda LaCour
ARGENTINE, KANSAS CITY
BIKE LANE WATER MANAGMENT
A generous 5 ft. bike lane will be
highlighted in green to allow for
safety and comfort while biking.
A bike rack will be provided so that
people can stop, park, and enjoy
the art.
LIGHTING
Lighting will come
from the ceiling
rail ties. They will
be LED lights that
are energy
efficient and
customizable.
15’
7’
7’
65’
SEATING
Seating will be
comprised of
reclaimed rail
ties.
PUBLIC ART
Art will be
provided by local
school children.
Water management will be based
on a low impact design. Natural
sloping terrain will corral excess
water into a landscaped rock
garden. This will slow the flow of
the water before it enters the road
and walkway. The rock garden will
act as a swale to store excess
water in times of heavy rain to
prevent flooding and mud buildup.
20 21

22 23

Plug-and-Play
By LaTeisha, Falley, Moe, and Kevin
Location: Argentine Kansas City, Kansas
Underpass: On Ruby Ave.
Main Purpose: Middle school and neighbor hood connector, on
and off ramp from highway
Mission Statement: To provide a safe and inviting passage for
school students and other residents.
Light and Safety
Lighting the space
will be a key
saftey feature.
Depending on
the weather or
the time of year,
the existing space
is very dark and
uninviting. By
adding simple
lights to the top
of the columns, it
will provide a safe
and lit walkway for
students.
To make the
plexiglass wall more
noticeable, we
added LED lights
to the bottom of
the wall. The lights
on the ground will
bring attention to
the height of an
average student.
This will give drivers
more awareness
of students and
overall provide
more safety.
To give the pedestrians more safety, we
provided a plexiglass wall as a buffer between
the walk ways and the cars. To bring the scale
of the underpass down to human size, we
designed the wall to be four feet tall. This will
also bring the drivers attention to the level of
the students without blocking their view.
In order to make this space a safe walk for
the students, there should be a school zone
si wit a as i li t. t wo ld o l o erate
during the hours in which the students are
walking to and from school. This is an easy
a d effe tive wa to war t e traffi of t e
area that there are school kids in the area.
Art and Community
To give the space a more social and artistic
aspect, we’ve designed a “plug-in” art
system. By using tiles in a grid like system it
gives plenty of possibilities for the art that is
displayed. The students could get involved
and put up their own artwork, or one big
mural could be designed by a single artist.
The existing sidewalk is two feet wide, which is
not very much room. In order t provide more
space, we suggest extending the sidewalk to
five feet wide. Also we added a “boardwalk”
walk way behind the columns. This gives a
more playful feel to the space as well as
seating that was not previously present.
By using an
aluminum grid
structure, the
system would be
weather proof and
could be used year
round. This also
gives the freedom
to change the art
whenever deemed
necessary. This
will also provide
a social aspect
to the space for
everyone to enjoy.
By elevation the
second walkway, it
gives a better route
to take during the
rainy season. The
retaining wall on
the ramp will also
help move the
water away from
the underpass and
to the other side of
the street, where
there is lower
terrain to drain the
water properly.
24 25

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND PLANNINGDESIGNING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
In keeping with the notion that design can
invite the participation of a community
into the process, the students were next
tasked to provide creative avenues for area
residents to provide input that could be
clearly defined. Rather than a traditional
planning or architectural community
engagement process, the goal of this
exercise was for students to realize that by
constructing their community engagement
tools as educational resources that were
both fun and interactive, they could elicit
much greater responses than projects
such as this usually receive. By giving
voice to the community through design,
their intent was to demonstrate both
quantitative and qualitative metrics in
order to document the tacit knowledge
and desires of the community, through
which future projects might build upon.
pro iding a ra e or
26 27

Community engagement workshops are
essential tools for any designer, architect,
or builder. To address the needs of actual
users, designers need to work with the
community around them in order to
better understand them. Meeting with
the Argentine Neighborhood Association
in Kansas City, KS, it was important
for us to speak with the community
and get feedback through community
engagement framework tools (CETs).
apping argentine
COMMUNITY MAPPING
These tools helped us communicate with
everyone who wanted their voice heard.
Our CET method is a type of "Behavioral
Mapping". Behavioral Mapping is used
to observe actions of people in the area.
We took this idea and modified it to help
us better understand Argentine. We
wanted to know where there was a need
for crosswalks, sidewalks, environmental
improvements, lighting, and public social
spaces. In order to get quality information
from the community, we took a big map of
Argentine and four icons representing the
issues we wanted the community to focus
on and identify where needs could be
addressed. By meeting with the community
and seeing where they put the icons, we
people correlated safety to quality
sidewalks and more crosswalks.
were also able to talk with them and have
small conversations on what they meant
or intended using the map and pins.
What we found is that people correlated
safety to quality sidewalks and more
crosswalks. The community would like to
see more sidewalks and see improvements
on the sidewalks than they already have.
Having more crosswalks around would
make it safer for people to cross busy
streets without fear of cars being an
issue. Some would like to see overall
environmental improvements around
the area, like cleaning up shrubbery and
tree limbs. For public amenities, some
would like to see more seating around
bus stops and schools because a lot
of people wait around those areas.
Overall, our community engagement
workshop was a success in that
it helped us get a better sense of
the Argentine community and what
concerns they had for their city.
28 29

C OM M UN I T Y M A PPI N G
The hammer and
screwdriver icon
symbolizes Environmental
Improvements. Most people
when shown this took
it to mean fixing roads,
trimming trees, adding
trees/shrubbery, and other
things similar to those.
The park bench icon
symbolizes Public
Amenities. This could be
a social space, or simply
a few benches for people
to sit, relax, and gather.
Citizens seem to like the
idea of more social spaces
around the Argentine area.
The light bulb icon
represents Creative
Lighting. People were
encouraged to place
these where they felt that
there was a dark area in
need of light. This could
be simple street lights to
creative sidewalk lighting.
The Crosswalk icon
represents safety. It
was placed anywhere
the residents felt the
need for crosswalks or
sidewalks mostly. Some
citizens expressed
concern about the already
existing sidewalks.
en iron enta i pro e ents reati e ighting
ross a s side a s pub i a enities
30 31

parti ipator design through apping
Community members identified their neighborhoods and pointed to what was important to them.
Parents of the school children
explain where crosswalks would
be the most utilized for the kids.
Community members discuss
their ideas about how they would
include more lighting to the area.
32 33

seating
Area between South 44th and South
41 street near Metropolitan Ave.
side a s
ross a s
South 38th Street From Powell
Ave to Metropolitan Ave.
en iron enta
i pro e ents
35th Street between Metropolitan
Ave and Powell Ave.
ighting
Clopper Field Park near South 34th Street
34 35

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
Weighted Matrix: referred to as "Budget
Board", it was used to identify what the
Argentine community valued highest out
of a pre-selected set of visuals. What
an adjusted-weighted matrix does is
use the data gathered from participants
placing a set of 5 different numbered
values given into their desired concept(s).
Then calculate the results and graph
what the community wanted most.
oo s sed
The adjusted-weighted matrix is effective
in this context because it effectively
engages each resident to prioritize their
most valued concept. The results collected
from the tool can be transfered into a
easy to read graph for later reference.
the main priority of residents was found to
be "improving the safety of public spaces"
The graffiti board is an effective community
engagement tool because of its simple
design and deployment reversibility in any
room or context. Thus documenting any
practical ideas the community has in a
safe and relaxed form can be achieved.
Non-Weighted Matrix: outlined
specific design elements pertaining
to the Argentine underpasses.
By placing one sticker every
participant receives into each
category we find which element is
favored most out of all displayed.
The following 2 pages provide
the results gathered, where each
rectangle represents one vote and
the number of votes received.
Graffiti Board: gave residents an open
canvas to freely write or comment on
a particular topic, i.e. their favorite
existing place in Argentine, and anything
they thought could be improved
physically. What this did was casually
and qualitatively display the thoughts
and ideas of residents anonymously.
36 37

Q UA N T I T A T I V E A N A L Y SI S
Colored LED
Colored Lighting
Simple LED
Normal Lighting
hat ighting st e is the ost isua appea ing to ou
hat or o transportation is ost i portant to ou
Bus Stops
Guarded Bike Lanes
Colored Bike Lanes
Crosswalks
1 2 4 53
1 2 4 53
Plexi Glass Wall
Art Galleries
Community
Art Project
Murals
hat or o art insta ations ou d ou see being su ess u
hat or o sustainabi it is ost interesting to ou
1 2 4 53
Solar Panels
Wind Turbines
Water Management
Systems
Recycling Programs
1 2 4 53
38 39

Through the use of sticky notes,
residents placed their thoughts in the
allocated spaces of the board.
After collection and review, the
community indicated an appreciation
for their new library and parks the most,
as well as showing a great deal of
interest in public space for the area.
As we talked to them, they also showed
a concern about safety in the area. As
multiple residents responded with the same
answer, one can see clear preferences.
ne south bran h ibrar
e erson par
a art
ega par
rub par
stee d
i es
a orite part o argentine is
A majority of the responses from the
community sought improvements in public
spaces like parks, playgrounds, etc.
They also want to see the neighborhood
attain more commercial development.
Residents showed a very positive
attitude towards its overall future
development and quality of life.
Based on the responses from the
representing residents, building or
better management of existing building
stock and preventative maintenance
means community improvement.
i ou d i e to see argentine i pro e upon
i pro e ents
genera par i pro e ents
ore restaurants
ore businesses
i ing e pt bui dings
ore p a grounds
ni er housing
8
40 41

udget board in a tion
We chose to use a weighted matrix
to collect data on how the community
valued certain aspects of sustainability
based upon our proposed projects. We
found that Wyandotte County spent over
29%
21%
18%
16%
16%
Chart Title
esu ts
We gave everyone at the Argentine
community '$1 million' in paper money.
The money was created in five different
denominations, 100k, 150k, 200k, 250k,
and 300k. There were no restrictions on
the amount of money per category which
allowed the community members to weight
each category with their desired amount.
We found that 'Safety' was the most
important aspect with about $6.9
million dollars being allotted. What we
personally found interesting was how
highly the community weighted Visually
Appealing. They allotted about 29%
of the total $60 million to the category.
What was also interesting was the
very close weight of 'Accessibility' and
'Environmentally Friendliness', with only
a $50,000 difference between the two.
a et
i ion
isua ppea ing
i iono unit pa e
i ion
essibi it
i ion
n iron enta riend
i ion
(Above) Our Budget Board
(Below) Residents spending
their $1 million dollars each
$60 million on Public Works in 2013.
This process was utilized to allow the
citizens of Argentine to spend that
money on the community features
that they felt were most important.
Environment
Accessibility
Community Space
Visually Appealing
Safety
42 43

Community engagement tools are an
important element to the design process
because they connect the designer with
the user on an empathetic level. If the
designer is able to engage the community
in a transparent, open, and inviting
environment, then they will be able to
We utilized white boards
with prompts to enable
community member's
voices to be heard.
better design a space to serve their needs.
Often, it is easier said than done engaging
members of an audience to voice what
they want to see in a design context,
where people sometimes have trouble
conveying their desires with words or
need a push to express their thoughts.
With this in mind, our group decided
on photographic documentation as our
Community Engagement Tool. This
involved us photographing each team's
presentation, the audiences' reactions,
and the community engagement tools.
As a prompt, we wrote brief questions
on dry erase boards and had the
community members write down their
responses and have their photos taken.
We wanted to gain qualitative data
that would capture their physical and
emotional responses to our designs.
This form of CET is also called "Design
Sometimes people have trouble conveying their desires
with words or need a push to express their thoughts.
Ethnography," which is the study of
people in their natural settings in order
to better understand the users, their
lives, their language, and their behavior.
We used photography as our study tool,
as well as informal interviews through
the community question boards.
We ran into a few obstacles throughout
the process, such as community members
feeling camera shy or not knowing how
to best answer certain questions.
For future recommendation, questions
should have a clear framework
and be less open ended in order
to better gauge responses.
Overall, we felt successful in our
documentation of the community
meeting. We received plenty of positive
responses to our designs and were
able to capture many moments from
the entire meeting. Some qualities that
community members valued the most
were safety, inclusion, and a feeling of
communal connection to their neighbors.
Through this process, we gained a better
understanding of the Argentine community
and their desires. This is a positive
element to the future of our designs.
DOCUMENTATION
44 45

D OC UM E N T A T I ON
Documentation is a crucial element in
the community engagement design
process. It is a way of visually representing
the opinions of the community. For
our community engagement tool,
we chose to document both the
opinions of the participants as well
as the participants themselves.
We did this by encouraging participants
to write out their opinions on one of our
community question boards. They were
then asked to pose for a photograph.
This process recorded their opinion
while providing important qualitiative
data. In addition to this, the process
also broke down the barrier between
designers and the community. By
representing the community visually,
it allows for an emotional connection
between designers and communities.
do u entation pro ess
Participants chose a community
question board from the
following to answer.
"To me, sustainability means..."
"To me, the underpass serves as..."
"To me, community means..."
"What does my community mean to me?"
"What does my community mean to me?"
Community members wrote
their answers on the board.
Photographs were taken of each
participant holding their board.
46 47

"safe place to
walk, shop enjoy
the parks."
"family oriented
friendly people ."
"friendly
neighbors, safety,
communication,
cleanliness."
hat does
o unit ean to e
hat does o unit ean to e
"family, friends, fun, fellowship, and enjoyment."
48 49

hat does o unit ean to e
"Our home."
to e o unit eans
"I was born and raised in argentine.
It's a good community for business and raising a family!"
50 51

GROUPS
Lucinda LaCour
Tao Xingzhe
Chris Dixon
Ryman Kinney
Jeshua Monarres
YuCheng Long
Jack Joers
Marlee Schuld
LaTeisha Lee
Kevin Hundelt
Moe Alsinan
Jordan Falley
group
group
group
LaTeisha Lee
Jordan Falley
Ryman Kinney
YuCheng Long
Tao Xingzhe
Chris Dixon
Jack Joers
Kevin Hundelt
Marlee Schuld
Lucinda LaCour
Jeshua Monarres
Moe Alsinan
o unit apping
uantitati e ana sis
do u entation
52 53

Arch 381 Documentation

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