Our project involves the redesign of the alley located between the Auburn Avenue Theater and Auburn Arts and Culture Center and the surrounding landscape area to provide the community with functional spaces that relates to the programmatic components of adjacent businesses. Envisioned is a revitalization action plan that would produce a model for public gathering, public art and other programmed uses and contribute to the revitalization of downtown Auburn.
The goal of this project was to provide the City of Auburn with a designed plan for
a central alleyway in their downtown. Our partners at the city asked us to consider
different ways to activate the space: how to establish character and placemaking,
as well as to provide social and environmental functions. We established several
objectives for the design after our first meeting. Our goals included the creation
of an alleyway space that fits its historical downtown context while providing
flexible outdoor space that could be used for arts-related programming, as well as
provide space for sitting, eating, and gathering. In addition, we hoped to add green
space to Auburn’s downtown and manage stormwater runoff through Low Impact
Development (LID) practices.
As students, our personal goals were to complete this project in a professional
way and to provide Auburn with a design that could be built. To help us craft as
professional a project as possible, we enlisted the help of two landscape architects
to act as our mentors and guide us through the professional process of a landscape
architecture firm. This process entailed a period of analysis where we located our
site within the context of Auburn’s history, geography, transportation systems,
and local businesses. The analysis then informed three concept designs, which we
presented to the city at our first meeting. Based on their feedback, we combined
aspects of the concepts they liked most into a single design. Their feedback on that
design informed our final design. After finalizing the design, we worked to create
compelling images, diagrams, and research to help the city promote this design to
stakeholders and raise funding for its construction. By the end of the quarter, we
provided the city with a comprehensive report containing a critical analysis of the
site, a schematic design, design details, and strategies for implementation.
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
Livable City Year Contact Info
Teri Thomson Randall
Program Manager
terir@uw.edu
206.221.9240
University Faculty Contact
Jeff Hou
Built Environment
Faculty Advisor
jhou@u.washington.edu
206.543.7225
Local Government / Community Contact
Julie Kreuger