The purpose of this project was for me to become familiar with the urban/rural culture where I live. This study consisted of five different components: the Figure-Ground Plan, Block Structure, Public Green Spaces, Buildings of Civic Significance and Photographs of Urban Buildings. The four drawings are each 1 mile x 1 mile in area with the central point being Monument Square in Leominster, Massachusetts. North is facing up.
Figure-Ground Plan
The figure ground plan shows all buildings and visible monuments in solid black. All open areas
(squares, parks, gardens, courtyards, plazas, streets, vacant land, parking lots, etc.) have remained entirely
white. Shorelines for bodies of water (oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.) as well as railroad tracks, where applicable, have been traced with a very thin black line.
(squares, parks, gardens, courtyards, plazas, streets, vacant land, parking lots, etc.) have remained entirely
white. Shorelines for bodies of water (oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.) as well as railroad tracks, where applicable, have been traced with a very thin black line.
Block Structure
For this drawing, the outline of all blocks have been traced using a thin black line. Every block has been outlined at its edges, i.e. the property line. Property lines are located at the edges of public Right-of-Ways, which can typically be found at the edges of sidewalks, fences, garden walls or even building faces in very urban conditions. Shorelines for bodies of water (oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.) as well as railroad tracks, where applicable, have been traced with a very thin black line.
A significantly thicker black line has been used to trace those block faces that define the primary urban spaces. Only the most significant public spaces have been outlined in this way, such as main streets, boulevards, squares/plazas, primary waterfronts and parks which are faced by urban block fronts.
Public Green Spaces
All landscaped primary public areas have been identified in solid green. This includes tree lines on primary avenues, boulevards, squares, public parks and landscaped waterfronts. Private property has NOT been included.
All landscaped primary public areas have been identified in solid green. This includes tree lines on primary avenues, boulevards, squares, public parks and landscaped waterfronts. Private property has NOT been included.
Buildings of Civic Significance
All buildings of special civic significance have been identified in solid red. Buildings of special civic significance include (but are not limited to) city halls, state capitols, government buildings, churches, chapels, schools, post offices, libraries, public markets, museums, theaters, operas, universities, monuments, fountains, police and fire stations, public hospitals, band shells, civic institutions, public pavilions, etc.
Photographs of Urban Buildings
Pictures of two different building types were taken; background and foreground. These photos needed to be relatively typical examples of local urban building traditions and, at the same time, represent the best of what the local building stock had to offer. The background building could be residential, commercial or mixed-use in nature. The foreground building had to be civic, sacred or institutional in nature.
This study was done during the Spring of 2009 for the course ARCH 434 Urban Studies taught by Professor Andrew von Maur. Descriptions for each facet of the study were taken and paraphrased from the assignment guidelines written by Professor von Maur.
Google Earth was used to create the 1 mile x 1 mile drawings. Coloring and tracing were done using Adobe Photoshop.
