Hybrid Landscapes

In reading about Walter Hood’s approach to urban design, I agree with his point of view suggesting creating places that are designed around peoples activities and not what we think their activities should be. Hood stated that only putting these “community gardens” was like putting a bandaid on bigger issues. Issues that involve socioeconomic and cultural factors in the community do not always represent needing a community garden to solve issues of greenspaces in some communities. I think community gardens can be beneficial however, what if a particular community can not maintain the garden or even what to contribute to that. Many people in lower socieconomic classes are living paycheck to paycheck working forty or so hours a week. People want something fast, convenient and usuable for them. I think if communit gardens are going to be discussed, implementing amenities that the community will actually want to use and maintain is the right move.

In the “Beyond Nomenclature” reading, Hood’s philosophy of “hybrid landscapes” to me was the perfect take on revitalization of parks and involving the needs of the community into the landscape. The Garden Park in Jackson, Wyoming is a good example of a “hybrid landscape.” In the location of this park, nearby parks often have repeated uses, so this new park proposal had a variety of uses for the landscape while also using local materials. Many times precedents from other locations and geographic settings are used for parks and are often tried to be repeated just because it's a newer park. In the last reading about social diversity, a good point was brought out stating, “certain physical/locational forms and patterns are believed associated with social diversity.”

Undesirable locations are often left for underprivileged communities which makes it harder to leave an area. For instance, communities on the wrong side of train tracks is often the least desirable location.