Temporary Landscapes: Physically Distanced, Socially Together
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Abstract
Temporary landscapes are where things happen, the
bread and butter of urban life. Social, political, and
economic battles have been waged in the open spaces
of our cities. This is where change starts and grows. Even
now, during a time when daily life is filled with Zoom
meetings, Black Lives Matter marches are happening.
Another breed of protesters stormed the capital. While
the morality of these actions are in question, things are
constantly happening in the temporary which effect
how we remember and use spaces. The scope of this
design thesis is to understand how to leverage temporary
spaces during a different type of social unrest- infectious
disease. This design looks at the phasing of temporary
space, the arrangement of elements which impact
and encourage participation in social distancing, and
the social aspect of placing temporary landscapes. It
will examine a temporary landscape the size of several
parking spaces. The research methodology will include
an analysis of temporary landscapes, current landscape
habits (ex. pedestrians walk on the right side of the
sidewalk and congregate at intersections), and social
distancing best practices. These patterns will be used
to identify pain points where social distancing is not
followed and inform theoretical models of circulation
and use of small spaces. A successful design will
encourage social distancing while creating a usable
outdoor space during a time when public outdoor space
is a critical asset for mental and physical well-being.