A B&W Taste of What's to Come

It's been a good long while since I've added any new material, so I thought I'd post something until I can make a date with the large-size scanner. The below graphic is the black & white version of my Studio L1 presentation board for our Valencia Street Park project. The project is located between the parallels 19th and 20th Streets / Valencia and Linda Streets. Will add the color version soon!

Henry's Backyard - Section A

Finally, I've rendered Section A of my design for Henry's yard. Because a portion of the house juts into the backyard, my cut went right through the home. You can see part of the design right through the window. Hopefully, this view provides a better - or at least an additional - sense of the space as I have designed it.

Henry's Backyard - The Corpse Comes to Life

My dream is to be to Planning and Landscape Architecture what Anthony Bourdain is to cooking. Not very good, but wildly successful. And damn proud of it.

Without belaboring the point, I have finally gotten around to scanning in my color rendering of Henry's Backyard Plan. Don't worry, I had this done over a week ago; I am much more prolific than it seems. ;)




PS - Please forgive the oversized Scale and lack of North Arrow and Title Block. This is a barely-working document.

ACAD I Final Project - Henry's Backyard

My good friend, Henry, recently moved into his new house. He's got a good-sized backyard blessed with warm weather and good soil. What would make Henry's place much more of a home would be a backyard that functions as an extension of the house. To create an inviting space - for outdoor dining, entertaining, outdoor play and relaxation - would be fitting for such a pleasant environment. With my AutoCAD project, I have undertaken the task to develop a preliminary plan for the site. And don't worry - no, I didn't design in ACAD from scratch; I drew it all out by hand first.

Below, please find a board showing existing conditions followed by the preliminary plan - the first figure does not include explanatory text while the second one does include text.

Existing Conditions:




No Text:



With Text:

Trees: The New Sewers

Here's a cool little article out of Portland (where else?) expounding the virtues of LID and value of our urban forests. Check it out here:

Trees: The New Sewers

National Rainwater Collection Conference - Portland Sep. 27-29

ARCSA 2011 National Conference

September 27 – 29

Portland, Oregon

REGISTER NOW!

Speakers:

Kenny Kurtzman, Senior Partner, Booz & Company
Billy Kniffen, ARCSA Lead Instructor and Education Chair
and more

Session Topics Include:

• Research in Rainwater Catchment
• Agricultural Rainwater Systems
• Rainwater Harvesting and Low Impact Development
• Water Treatment for Potable Uses
• Stormwater Mitigation
• Rain Water Harvesting Education
• Codes and Standards
• Technical Tours to residential, large agricultural, municipal applications and more

Networking Opportunities - time is built into the conference agenda to encourage informal meeting with presenters and conference attendees. Hosted hospitality in the vendor hall, dinner at Skamania Lodge, food and beverage breaks with the vendors are great times to network with colleagues.

Sponsors and Exhibitors - Lots of vendor exhibit hall time - including hosted reception on Tuesday night

Rainwater Harvesting Training Opportunities:

• 100-Level Sept 24
• 200-Level Sept 25-26
• 300-Level presentations during Conference
• 300-Level Design & Construction Workshop Sept. 29 – Oct. 1

Poster Session to highlight new research as well as your most innovative and uniquely designed catchment system.

Registration is now open!

Visit our website www.arcsa.org for more information.

Two Hands and a Shovel: A Series

My friend, Henry, recently purchased a house in San Bruno, a suburban community just south of San Francisco. Located just minutes from San Francisco International Airport, the property sits on fill as the city expanded into San Francisco Bay. As such, the property is in an area with a high water table and requires a constantly running sump pump. These wetland-like conditions, while challenging, are not all disadvantageous. The soil is rich, with a good balance of sand, silt, and clay. The proportions are conducive to good drainage, yet will promote nutrient retention. Combine these soil characteristics with the area's warm Mediterranean climate - think San Francisco's SE neighborhoods - and you have a fertile plot the envy of one certain San Franciscan.



Next up: Initial site assessment. Existing conditions.

Tell Me I'm Not the First Person To Think of This - Ameliorating MUNI Rush Hour Congestion

Anyone who has spent an afternoon in the MUNI Downtown-Outbound subway can attest to the chaos that is MUNI's rush hour light rail service. Heading outbound, if you're at any stop following Montgomery, good luck getting on the first, second, or third train home. Don't even mention the inequity of seeing multiple two-car trains headed outbound - remember, this is rush hour when everyone's trying to get out of downtown! - while the slightest trickle of one-car trains is headed in your direction.

Now, here is my not-so-keen observation. The Downtown-Outbound logjam bulges at Montgomery Station and subsides at Castro Station. I haven't studied this statistically, but the eyeball test says that if MUNI could figure out how to even out these two mass rushes, the afternoon rush hour commute would go oh-so-smoothly.

So, what I propose is that MUNI run a dedicated surface bus line during rush hour that goes directly from Montgomery Station to Castro Station. No stops in between, from one end to the other. The bus-only lane on Mission Street is tailor-made for something like this. Of course, MUNI could create a new express lane, which could act as a "buspool" lane, where cars are excluded during rush hour. If MUNI hasn't already realized the nodes of major activity that are Montgomery and Castro Stations, then it is high time it tracked turnstile activity at their stations during these hours.

I am confident that this solution - and I refuse to believe I am the first to have thought of it - would improve rush hour MUNI riders' experience the world over.

Thoughts?

Landscape Graphics II Project - Final Plan & Section

It's been a long time since we last got down, so I thought I'd at least poke my head outta my hole (think Punxatawney Phil). At long last, my LG II class is over. Not that I didn't enjoy it; it just means that we finally made it through our final projects (yeah!). So, without further adieu, here are the plan and section graphics from my final project, a shared backyard between two neighbors in San Francisco's Glen Park neighborhood.

PS - Here's sending my new baby niece Sydney little baby kisses on her little pink cheeks!

Landscape Graphics II Project - Garden Images

Not the greatest layout nor the greatest scan job, but here goes. Below is my draft "Garden Images" assignment. Our task was to find design precedents for a residential garden in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco. Being the year 2011, it is high time we acknowledge the sanctity of water and the need to value every drop.

SF Watershed Planning Charrettes: Citywide Summary Report

At long last, the fruits of our labors - SFPUC Urban Watershed Management Program staff (yeah, that includes me!) and all the many passionate and concerned citizens of the great City of San Francisco - is here! Over 200 participants attended three community charrettes held from 2007 to 2009. Citizen input influenced heavily the SFPUC's subsequent exploration and analysis of green stormwater - or Low Impact Design-based - opportunities throughout the City's eight watershed basins.

In my brief time with the SFPUC UWMP, I enjoyed working closely with Rosey Jencks and Rachel Kraai to put this document together. I have to admit, though, I played a relatively minor role in the project. But I loved everything about the project and the process!

You can read and download San Francisco's "Watershed Planning Charrettes - Citywide Summary Report" on the SFPUC's website. You can find the document towards the bottom of the page.


PS - I love Leslie Webster's beautiful perspectives! The Northshore Basin one is here below.

Newest Living Wall in San Francisco

The Drew School, in collaboration with famed botanist-turned-designer Patrick Blanc, recently unveiled its living wall. This installation is the newest living wall in the City. Read more about it here:
Drew School's New Roots

World's Most Gorgeous Sewage Treatment Plant Will Be Put INSIDE An Office Building

The SFPUC (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission) continues to make noise with its soon-to-be headquarters.

Read HERE.

Living Machine Coming to SF in a Big Way!!

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), my former employer, is making big moves in sustainable water management. And here is the latest:
At its future home, 525 Golden Gate Avenue, the SFPUC is bringing Living Machine technology for on-site wastewater management and re-use. The SFPUC has commissioned Worrell Water Technologies of Charlottesville, VA to install the system. To read more about this awesome development, click HERE.

An Inner Sunset Treasure: Plum Trees in Bloom

Over these last couple of weeks, San Francisco has enjoyed some great weather. The City's plum trees, meanwhile, have grasped at the opportunity to formally announce their reawakening. Fresh from a winter slumber, these beautiful specimens are in their prime, showing off branches full of beautiful white and pink blossoms.

All this time, I've been kicking myself for driving through the Inner Sunset at a pace just slow enough to take in the views, but still too fast to properly digest and take in the beauty up close. So, finally, on a gray overcast day, I trekked out to 6th Avenue, Kirkham, and Irving, and I got my fill of the gorgeous blossoms. These trees don't have a whole lot to do with stormwater management per se, but they comprise a damn good-looking portion of our urban forest. Without further ado, feast your eyes on these seasonal beauties:

Just one more reason to slow down and take a walk

Another great reason to slow down and take a walk in our urban landscape: you get to notice all the little things around you. On my way to various parts of the City, I often zoom by in my auto, looking around only to avoid crazy idiotic drivers, pedestrians, and to see the traffic signals. When I'm driving, I miss out on the little things that are so amazing.

So, this past weekend, I took a walk down to Cole Valley, hoping to find some inspiration to punch out a couple of sketches. It's been over a month since my Landscape Graphics class concluded, and I'm not proud to admit that I haven't much kept at it. So, I figured on this beautiful Sunday, I'd take a walk and just get out there. As I reached the intersection of Twin Peaks Blvd and Clarendon Ave, I came across a truly spectacular sight: I saw an urban grove of Garrya elliptica, more commonly known as Coast silk tassel. If you've never seen this species, I think you'll be blown away by its beautiful dangling tassels. In a gentle SF breeze, it's amazing to watch them just sway.

I don't know for how long these trees have been in bloom, but I know that until this past Sunday, I'd never even realized these plants were there! Of course, most of the time I'm at this intersection, I'm going too fast to observe anything that's not also moving. So, I'm grateful that I decided to take a step back, slow my roll, and take the opportunity to take a walk in this wonderful city that I call home. As much as I complain about the abundance of asphalt and concrete in San Francisco, pockets of green treasure are here - we just have to open our eyes to them.

I'd like to share some of my joy with you:

Is Spring Upon Us?

On a walk back from Forest Hill Station, I peeped a cluster of the oh-so-fragrant pink flowers on our native Pink Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum glutinosum. Can this be a sign that Spring is soon upon us?!

If you spot one of these guys in your 'hood, I urge you to take a whiff of the flower. The fragrance is sweet, just as you'd expect from a currant.


Source: California Flora Nursery website

VIDEO - Slow the Flow: Make Your Landscape Act More Like A Sponge

Check out this new film made by Elizabeth Peppin for the CA Water Boards to show the impacts and opportunities associated with changing hydrology as a result of urbanization. SFPUC urban watershed planner Sarah Minick is among those featured in an interview. Check it out!

Slow the Flow: Make your landscape act more like a sponge from Greg Gearheart on Vimeo.

Vancouver, B.C. - Crown Street Sustainable Streetscape

An awesome project - yeah, up in the Pacific Northwest again - I just caught wind of:
The Crown Street Sustainable Streetscape project in Vancouver, B.C. This project incorporated community participation and sustainable stormwater management in retrofitting a dilapidated road that runs adjacent to one of the last salmon runs in Vancouver. The project includes native plant species, swales, and retention ponds for on-site stormwater filtration, infiltration, and peak flow reduction; narrowed and windy roads for traffic calming; and the creative reuse of construction materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

See photos and read more about Crown Street HERE.

Tanner Springs Park, Portland - pt. 2

Back again. So, you might be wondering: What the hell is all that?!
Well, it is in fact not some space-age Stone Henge, but rather a rainwater-culling apparatus. And the images are in chronological sequence. When rain falls, it hits the glass panels, it flows down the downspout/support, runs through the trench drain to the stairs, down the stairway runnel, and finally into the pond. A pump takes the pond water up through a UV filter, to the bubbler, where it trickles down the re-created spring, and returns to the pond. Lovely. =)

Tanner Springs Park, Portland - pt. 1

Wow, this park is pretty awesome. It's not too big, just the right intimate. Child friendly, sitting friendly, nature friendly. And what is really awesome - and you can see it in the last image here - how up close and personal one can get to water. Heck, you can touch the water, in the bubbler, in the recreated spring, or even in the murky-ish pond.

The one drawback of the place - from a planner's point of view, of course - is how vanilla, how whitebread the neighborhood feels. If you've ever walked around the neighborhood surrounding UIC in Chicago, you know the feeling I'm getting at. The whole place just feels too whitewashed. If you've read Jane Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities, you'd see the potential issues with having a neighborhood in which all the buildings are pretty much of the same age, same design, and same quality. In a nutshell, how do high-margin and low-margin enterprises co-exist peaceably when rents will be relatively constant? All in all, I do love Tanner Springs Park. Wish we had something comparable here in SF.

Enjoy.