Nathaniel Being Sketchy

So I'm working on a few storyboards or at the very least sketches for what I feel the video will/should look like. I'll be meeting with my partner (who has been a busy bee posting on here vigorously) Carolyn this Thursday and we'll discuss what the video should look like and other specs on the piece.

Stay tuned!

Full Circle

So, in sum, Riverside's process for a housing element looked like this...

California State Law requires:

• Identify sites for all economic levels
• Remove constraints
• Assist in development for very low, low and moderate incomes
• Conserve and improve existing housing
• Promote housing opportunities for all persons

Community involvement:

• Community Visioning
• General Plan Outreach
• Public Review
• HUD Review

Then:

• Conduct a Housing Need Assessment
• Research Housing Opportunities
• Create a Housing Plan

A Look At Planning Process

I found this video on planning process and, although it pertains to the Development Plan for Dublin, Ireland, I still think it does a good job of going through the process of planning. I particularly like the personal quotes in the beginning, which is something I imagined as we were discussing the multiple viewpoints and varying definitions of "housing". Beyond my rather pedestrian preference for swirling zoom-ins of maps and architectural models, the animation is really useful in simplifying concepts. While I realize we are creating art and not necessarily a how-to video, this is really useful for understanding the process picture.

A Collective Vision of Housing's Final Phase

This is an enthusiastic, collective perspective of the final product when planning for housing -- a home. I like the high energy and the all-hands-on-deck concept.

The Flying House

This vintage animated Winsor McCay film circa 1921 is sublime. The deadpan faces of the protagonists are phenomenal.

What Kind of Film Really Explains Planning?

As Nathaniel and I embark on the actual creation of the film project, I thought I would share some interesting footage that I've unearthed in my research.

This is a really cool short that is irresistible vintage black and white with fantastic graphics and music as well as a very posh speaker. While I love the feel of this film, I think it smacks of the more authoritarian planning pardigm.

Art VULUPS Making an Impression

Art by Leora Lutz

I came across an article by Leora Lutz at Movement 365 on the Art VULUPS civic dialog session on August 5. Not only did she articulate beautifully the concept of Art VULUPS, her personal observations on "geographic identity" were particularly reminiscent of what I have been trying to convey about the personal nature of housing. She writes:

"We are by nature, defined by where we live, where we have been or where we are from. Sometimes this is our personal own way of explaining to others who we are, and conversely it is a way that others may perceive us." -- Leora Lutz

Read the rest of the article, Public Art in Conjunction With City Planning, here. Ms. Lutz is an eloquent artist as well. I thought her nebuous map (above) was a pretty uncanny illustration of where we are in our art making process right now. See more of her work at www.leoralutz.com.

Public Comment

Since one the main goals of the project is "to raise public awareness about the importance of sound planning practices and sustainability", our team brought along an invitation to the public to comment on our topic at the civic dialog session on August 5. We solicited a definition for "housing".

Public comments included:

Housing is ...

"A place that inspires and supports community but allows for privacy"

"A place to hang one's hat"

What do you think? What is housing? What is sustainable housing?

First Civic Dialog Session

Art by Rachael Dzikonski

On Thursday, August 5, Nathaniel and I met at the Riverside Community Arts Association Gallery for an informal roundtable discussion during the Riverside Art Walk. Art VULUPS had all fifteen teams of artists and planners "congregate in a public setting to discuss preliminary results of their collaboration in the art making process of pieces that convey basic land use and planning and sustainability concepts". Other teams were meeting at the Riverside Art Museum, the Mission Inn Museum and at the UCR California Museum of Photography.

We met with Mitra Mehta and Rachael Dzikonski, the Healthy Communities team and, Rusty Bailey, City of Riverside council member, moderated the discussion. I was grateful to hear comments on our topic since it is so complex and personal and, I realized that the healthy communities topic shares our unique concern for personal values, choice and identity -- potent perspectives that challenge planners. During our discussion, though, I wondered if I am focusing too much on planning theory concepts and not enough on practicing planning. In the beginning of this project, I knew I wanted to make planning for housing very accessible, very human to the artist but in our talk, one participant suggested that we could just take the artist through the planning process as it happens in the office... Now why didn't I think of that?

We were fortunate to have enough time so Rusty motivated us to do some brainstorming about our perspective projects. It was really inspiring to hear Nathaniel just start thinking about visuals he wanted to capture in the video and to hear Racheal's ideas about conveying their topic in ceramic.

And even though the discussion was really beneficial in helping us articulate our process and our ideas in a public, I am happy to return to writing. I tend to get too nervous and chatty when I speak publicly so, I am grateful for an opportunity to let my thoughts flow calmly here.

Free Space -- A Planner's Dream

While I am no video artist, I must admit that I thought it would be interesting to seek out the definition of "sustainable housing" from the general public, planners and artists -- a la Jay Leno or Conan O'Brien. I figured that the final product would be good entertainment and probably educational. But I didn't think it would amount to "art".

To this Nathaniel eloquently replied, "Why wouldn't that be art? ...

'Art is a free space where you can do anything you want.' - Chris Burden"

Ahhh. My mind opened even more to this process. Free space where you can do anything you want ... a planner's dream.

Needless to say, we arrived very quickly at the decision to do the video project.

What is Sustainable Housing?

Some definitions:

According to the Brundtland Commission, sustainable development is development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Source

In 2005, the United Nations discussed the "interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars" of sustainable development as economic development, social development, and environmental protection." Source

Stephen Wheeler defines a sustainable city's features as: "compact, efficient land use; less automobile use, yet better access; efficient resource use; less pollution and waste; the restoration of natural systems; good housing and living environments; a healthy social ecology; a sustainable economy; community participation and involvement; and preservation of local culture and wisdom." Source

What medium do we want?

I saw the last post. I was told that I was brought on because I have done video art in the past and it was expressed that variety was desired for the show. I may be more comfortable with a simple painting or illustration. We'll see what Miguel wants.

Can't wait to see the flier :)

Birthing the Concept

Art source: www.webmastergrade.com


So Nathaniel is finding planning "genuinely interesting", which is pretty satisfying for me. I really didn't know how deep to get into the complexities of planning but, I wanted to respond to his ideas and give him, hopefully, enough to really make the process meaningful.

But we are both ready to really get into the developing a concept.

Nathaniel: Probably something that revolves around the public interacting with the planning of a housing development? Just shooting in le dark.

Carolyn: I like the idea of including the public interaction with a proposed housing development. I think what would make this really interesting would be to make it a sustainable housing development -- which would really highlight what sustainable development is and looks like. It would also be great way to see how the public responds to it.

Are you still thinking video as the medium?