UI Archive – Cover Photos
Posted by Graeme Sharpe in Neighborhoods on Mar 6th, 2013 | 1 comment
We were updating our social media and produced some of our favorite images in wide format. Find the whole collection on this Flickr set or see some favorites in the gallery below. I wanted to share these photos because I thought they showed many sides of the city, its people and its places.
It will be fun to see how the city continues to change over the next few years. Indianapolis did not always have a canal district, a cultural trail, or even Monument Circle. What big thing will Indianapolis take on next?
These images are free for any personal or non-commercial, unmodified use (some rights...
What does a Complete Bridge look like?
Posted by Graeme Sharpe in Neighborhoods on Feb 19th, 2013 | 4 comments
What is a Complete Bridge? Well, if you are familiar with transportation issues, you have probably heard of the phrase “Complete Street.” A Complete Bridge takes this concept of a Complete Street and applies the same standards of safe accessibility for non-motorized transportation.
Complete Streets policies are an excellent way to ensure that our streetscapes reflect our social values, by giving designers a mandate for roadway user inclusion but not tying their hands with any mandated geometries. It is also a satisfying vindication of basic rights for anyone who gets honked at or has...
The Genius of Traditional Buildings
Posted by Graeme Sharpe in Neighborhoods on Jan 9th, 2013 | 32 comments
Have you ever been to an old downtown and marveled at the historic buildings? Have you ever wondered how they could create such beautiful buildings on such small budgets, compared to the placeless architecture we are told is barely affordable today?
The truth is that those multi-story, mixed-use buildings lining the street were built by a different culture. We are a different people now, and we demand different things from our built environment.
But that old American culture was a very clever one, and we can profit from studying what they did right, and how they did it. So here is their basic...
A Street has 2 Sides
Posted by Graeme Sharpe in Neighborhoods on Dec 19th, 2012 | 21 comments
Good urban design recognizes that the street has two sides. It doesn’t separate people on one side from shops on the other. Because in a world designed for automotive superiority, streets become barriers much too often.
In short, a good street encourages jaywalking.
Balconies: The Upside of Outside
Posted by Graeme Sharpe in Neighborhoods on Nov 19th, 2012 | 4 comments
The Balcony is one of my favorite architectural inventions. They are important both in terms of aesthetic character and function, as they can give buildings a special look or a special purpose. For example, the balconies on the Marina City or Aqua Tower in Chicago become their identity, either by being repetitive or being different, whereas the balconies of the French Quarter buildings in New Orleans become platforms for a street party almost independent of the buildings themselves.
Balconies are a blend of public and private space, giving people spatial separation but maintaining visibility...
