OAKLAND MODEL CITIES

OAKLAND, CA
CITY EDGES

THE PROJECT WAS INITIATED UNDER A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AS PART OF ITS ‘CITY EDGES’ PROGRAM. THE DESIGN WAS EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN THE PRESCOTT AREA OF WEST OAKLAND AND DEVELOP DESIGN SOLUTIONS AS PART OF AN OVERALL URBAN DESIGN PLAN.

PROJECT GOALS

THE PLANS INVOLVED 70 CITY BLOCKS AND INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING ISSUES AS PART OF A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY STUDY- RECONCILING CONFLICTS BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING; DEVELOPING NEW LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING; REVITALIZING COMMERCIAL AREAS THROUGH DESIGN OF NEW FACILITIES; DEVELOP THE POTENTIAL, WHILE MINIMIZING THE VISUAL IMPACT OF THE WEST OAKLAND BART STATION; PRESERVE AND REHABILITATE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK; REROUTING TRAFFIC; DEVELOPING OPEN AND RECREATIONAL SPACES; AND INDUSTRIAL REHABILITATION.  

EXISTING CONDITIONS

THE BLOCKS ALONG THE ELEVATED TRANSIT LINE HAD BEEN A DECAYING COMMERCIAL STRIP AND HAD BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE AREA. 

PRINCIPLE BUILDING ELEMENTS

THE DESIGN OF SEVEN BLOCK COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED USING PANELED CONSTRUCTION OF JUST TWO BUILDING ELEMENTS: A 35 S.F. PANEL  AND A TRIANGLE FOR THE WALLS, ROOF AND FLOOR PANELS. THESE PRINCIPLE BUILDING ELEMENTS COULD BE INTERCHANGED TO PRODUCE VARIOUS ARCHITECTURAL AND SPACIAL  CONFIGURATIONS IN MODULES OF 15 LINEAR FEET. THE PROPOSED METHOD WOULD ALLOW NEW COMMERCIAL, RETAIL AND RESIDENTIAL SPACE TO BE DEVELOPED IN PHASES ALONG THE SEVEN BLOCKS

PEDESTRIAN PARK

THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF NEW COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SPACE ALONG SEVENTH STREET AND NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS ALONG EIGHTH STREET PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AN INTERIOR PEDESTRIAN PARK BETWEEN THE TWO AREAS. THE PARK WOULD PROVIDE A BUFFER FOR THE EYES AND EARS FROM THE ELEVATED TRANSIT LINE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, PROVIDE SOME MUCH NEEDED GREEN OPEN SPACE.

ALONG THE GREEN PATHWAY, NEW HOUSING WAS PROPOSED AS INFILL AMONG THE EXISTING HOMES WHICH ARE TO BE PRESERVED. THE NEW HOUSING WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE PARK FROM THE REAR SIDE OF THE ADJACENT STREET. THE PLAN ALSO PROPOSED ENTRANCES ALONG THE INTERIOR PARK AND STREET TO THE NEW COMMERCIAL STRIP.