New Thesis Project: Robsonstrasse
So I’ve figured out my new thesis subject: A redesign of ROBSON St., particularly the blocks between the Library and Broughton, to make it a proper and grand centre to the city of Vancouver. Some may think that I chose this new subject so that I could sit on the street all summer with a sketchbook picking up hot tourists… they might be right. I don’t like Robson so much, probably because it is so corporate, that there isn’t a place to sit, and that everybody gets crammed onto too thin of sidewalks. My intention is to look at more pedestrianized street like those in Europe.
I don’t like Robson so much, probably because it is so corporate, that there isn’t a place to sit, and that everybody gets crammed onto too thin of sidewalks. My intention is to look at more pedestrianized street like those in Europe.
So as a favour so that I can do a better project and make Robson a better place can you guys give me some ideas on what Robson St needs or could do without.
(Last project Whistler Village, BJ let me know that Whistler needs more Black people. So I designed a statue of Kanye West posing in front of a statue of Rosa Parks, Also designed a statue of White legislators debating Black history month)
Avatars
Yay for avatars.... I've been trying to make a drunk tintin for a While, but the redshirt variety will do nicely for now. I don't know why, but Tintin has always been one of the characters that I see as mself, maybe it was because he was the nice-guy, youngish Bogart/ Indiana Jones. Speaking of which, lets put up a pic of Ol' Humphry for good measure. Oh, and should also go for another good flick for my room mate Maria, "Z" from 1969 (Social Democrats, being killed by the military, now thats a concept I can beleive in), and lets also throw in the Blues Brothers, as I can always believe in them.
and as for my personal passion of streets and things, lets through in a detail from Edward Hopper's Early Sunday Morning (My favorite painting).
Kevin Falcon wants to fuck with Translink
So who's gonna get control of this system anyway?
In addition to his push towards a doubled freeway system, our local Minister of Transport wants to go ahead and change the structure of the Largest local body ($1+ Billion per year) in Greater Vancouver t be directly appointed by the Province.
I have argued that there is too much of a democratic deficit in the body as it stands (since they are not actually directly elected and have no real juristictional power) , but this is getting on the side of ridiculous.
What are your thoughts?
(Note to the geeks the system in the map is of the 1999 Plan which still messed up from the original 1996 and 1976 Livable regions plans shows Broadway as the Central Expansion... and if you notice RAV is very far away..., but that is another post all together.)
What Do You Call Soul Food?
I'm of the types, that calls the local food that people would eat instead of eating home cooked is the soulfood. So, for me in Vancouver, that means Pho, Sushi, Dim Sum, and suprisingly good dollar pizza (I hear it is nowhere near as prevalent elsewhere). Mind you, that could be a direct result of a direct lack of concentrated black restraurants and shops in Vancouver, let alone population. So, with that in mind, what is Vancouver's "Soul Food". Should I be looking harder for Grits and Collard Greens, or does this go beyond cultural boundaries...?
I guess a less theoretical question would be this... what is the best, cheapest, meaningful food in Vancouver that you can't live without?
Under New Management: B-Town
This will be a series of postings, comments, rants, ramblings, and images about issues of the design, politics, music, arts, and foods that both makes up and drives the Urban Condition.
As for me, I am B-Town, an urban designer at UBC's School of Community and Regional Planning In Vancouver. My defining distractions are conjoined penchants for quality food, entertaining and dubious films, and blues, soul, & funk. So far the closest I've come to mixing all of these effectively has been with "the Blues Brothers" (1981) and "Block Party" (2006), and mixed with a bowl of Vancouver's own Asian oriented soulfood, Pho.
Other Urban Geeks, should feel free to strike up debates and conversation on the comments section... My goal is to periodically put out a subject or current issue to be hashed out by all of us afflicted with the urban condition. You know shit like, what's below.
So, Welcome to the Urban Condition, its all in how you live it.
I don’t like Robson so much, probably because it is so corporate, that there isn’t a place to sit, and that everybody gets crammed onto too thin of sidewalks. My intention is to look at more pedestrianized street like those in Europe.
So who's gonna get control of this system anyway?
