The statement “Watts is LA” is to remind the city, region, nation and world that Watts is not an isolated island but an integral part of the cultural, intellectual, and economic fabric of Los Angeles. Watts, the inner city African-American neighborhood, shot to national prominence when six days of intense rioting over perceived police racism destroyed much of this area of Los Angeles.
The project by Constructs will be focused on Central Avenue, an urban artery that stretches for over 15 miles. It is the heart of the area known as Carson, and it is also known for its historical significance. As you pass through various neighborhoods, the character and qualities of Central Avenue are constantly changing.
The improvement objectives are:
• Revitalization of the business district
• Strong sense of shopping identity
• Streetscape for the commercial façade
• Upgrade the appearance of entrance to this area
• Improve the quality of its physical environment
The following Design Objectives capture the aesthetic goals of the urban situation:
1. Unified Rhythm - visual pleasure
2. Street Rhythm - existing structural line
3. Scale - adjusting the size
4. Horizontal and Vertical Harmony - to create a human scale.
Kumasi Façade Improvement
The form and layout of towns and cities is more than a backdrop for the urban life. The way in which we design buildings, neighborhoods and districts has a direct impact on the urban experience. These in turn impact upon the urban form by promoting more compact, mixed and integrated neighborhoods.
Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana, in West Africa. It has a rich Asante culture. All the early European visitors to the area noted the distinct Asante architectural style.
In the urban development project for Kumasi by Constructs, the main reconstruction is via the notion of “streetscaping” because people respond to beauty in cities. They choose to walk from one destination to another along favored routes. Constructs finds that that the areas showing signs of wear and tear or neglect can often be repaired with modest investments in landscaping, lighting and street furniture.
Streetscaping solutions in Kumasi will include:
1. Royal Palms at 20-meter intervals and other lower height trees in between to address the human scale.
2. New bus shelters.
3. Street furniture, garbage bins and kiosks.
4. Ground Entry markers
5. Banners and Signage
Joe Addo, CEO of constructs, believes that decentralization may be necessary to relieve the city from its pressure of congestion in the central areas. In short term, beautification using local materials, services of unemployed youth, ideas from design professionals and schools are expected to revitalize this great city and bring fresh enthusiasm to its residents.
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