University of Southern California School of Architecture
faculty: :
contact:
Namrata
Betigiri, M.ArchPP
Christoph Kapeller
kapeller@usc.edu
Los Angeles has long been the capitol of suburban sprawl. The current study investigates the history of the city development since the World War II. It further explores opportunities for urban residential densification within the existing residential limits. The object of the research study is to investigate densification strategies that do not diminish a “dream” that attracts people to southern California.
THE GOAL OF THE STUDY IS TO:
Develop architectural and urban design strategies to allow livable and
sustainable urban environment of 100 to 200 persons per acre within various
ecologies of the Los Angeles metropolitan areas.
1. Discuss the relevancy and viability of urban densification versus sprawl
(pros and cons).
2. Investigate historic growth and density patterns within the Los Angeles
metropolitan area up to the present.
3. Discuss population growth forecasts for the area for the next 25 years
and projected demographic and geographic changes.
4. Investigate reasons for southern California population growth (past,
present and future). What constitutes of American
west? What makes southern California attractive?
Compare with other metropolitan areas nationally
and worldwide.
5. Discuss relationship of densification vs. population expectation of
southern California lifestyle. What element of
densification is compatible? How can metropolitan
areas be more populated without giving up on aspirations
and expectation of an increased population.
6. Discuss current strategies for densification; include adaptive reuse,
smart growth, new urbanism, sustainable design,
etc.
7. Prepare case studies: design prototypes for four or more ecologies
for densification of urban environment. Discuss
changes to zoning restrictions to allow case studies.
8. Conclusion.
CONTRIBUTION:
So far, the research involves collection of data about population growth
of Los Angeles from 19th century to 2000 through various resources, census
records and mapping the data into a digital format. It includes an accumulation
of data, which relates to census tracts/blocks in maps or figures and
finally making a documentation of the growth pattern for every 10 years
for northern as well as southern Los Angeles. The data is still in the
process of a compilation. For now, it is just a referential accumulation
from various sources mainly being web resources.
http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/research/
census2000/
http://www.losangelesalmanac.com/
http://www.geodat.cdun.edu\LA_1.html/
http://www.navigatela.lacity.org/
http://www.tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapmaker/
http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/maps/
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/docs/data/0700/791/
maps/cu_5gif/
http://planning.co.la.cs.us/gp_update/
drp_gp_maps.html/
http://cityplanning.lacity.org/
http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/sw/changes/
anthropogenic/population/
