A Study of the Villages of Mariemont and Fairfax
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UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date:___________________ I, _________________________________________________________, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in: It is entitled: This work and its defense approved by: Chair: _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Understanding the Relationships in Community Space: A Study of the Villages of Mariemont and Fairfax A thesis submitted to Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF COMMUITY PLANNING in the School of Planning of the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning 2009 by Emily Heintzelman Thesis Committee: Chair-Mayhar Arefi PhD. Second Faculty Member- Frank Russell, A.I.A. Abstract It is a planner’s role to not only address the problems of a city, but to try to understand the city and its many components. Addressing these problems requires an in-depth awareness of the neighborhoods, communities and other cultural elements, which make up the city. Therefore, in its general sense, the purpose of this thesis is to understand a community setting in a deeper, more holistic fashion. This was completed though comparing the Villages of Mariemont and Fairfax in Ohio. There were several reasons as to why the Villages of Mariemont and Fairfax were chosen for this study, the overall theme being the differences present between the two communities, even though they reside in the same region. Thus, another purpose behind the study is to determine and analyze the nuances of the differences and thoroughly investigate the relationships present within the communities. To gain a deeper understanding of the two communities, Henri Lefebvre’s Triad of space is used to examine the mental (conceived), physical (perceived) and social (lived) facets that exist within a community space. Also, a framework for discovering both the perceived and lived layers were developed through synthesizing methods of observation and analysis as described by Kevin Lynch, Grady Clay, and Allen Jacobs. Through analyzing the relationships present in the conceived, perceived and lives layers of space, as well as the manner in which the layers of space interrelate, community themes and profiles are discovered and explored within each of the communities studied. Table of Contents !# !! !$ !# !$! !$ !$" !( !$# " !$% " " "$ " !"& " " "' $ & $ ! && $ " ' $ $ '$ $ % ( $ & ( $! (" $!! ! $" " $"! ' $"# " List of Images Image 1: Scenes from Mariemont and Fairfax _11 Image 2: Scenes from Mariemont_12 Image 3:Scenes From Fairfax_13 Image 4: Sketches of Perspectivist Fixes Image 5: Mariemont and Fairfax Within Cincinnati_56 Image 6: Mariemont and Fairfax_57 Image 7: Zoning Map of Fairfax_58 Image 8: Zoning Map of Mariemont_59 Image 9: Path from Fairfax into Mariemont_64 Image 10:Fairfax into Mariemont; Fairfax_65 Image 11:Fairfax into Mariemont; Fairfax_65 Image 12:Fairfax into Mariemont; Fairfax_66 Image 13: Fairfax into Mariemont; Mariemont_67 Image 14: Fairfax into Mariemont; Mariemont 68 Image 15. Photographs From Livingood’s Journal_73 Image 16. Illustration by John Nolen_76 Image 17: Example of the Events Taking Place Within Mariemont 82 Image 18: Landmarks Within Mariemont_ 93 Image 19: Landmarks Within Mariemont_95 Image 20: View into Mariemont(right) View from Mariemont(left)_96 Image 21: Landscaping within Mariemont_97,98 Image 22: Repetition of Forms_ 99 Image 23:Marials and Embellishments_100 Image 24: Village Square_102 Image 25:Landmarks and Fairfax_103 Image 26:Fairfax Community Boundaries_104 Image 27: Materials and Embellishments_106 Image 28: Landscaping in the Commercial Areas _108 Image 29: Landscaping in the Residential Areas_109 Image 30: Business District_111 Image 31: A Portion of Fairfax Elementary/Mariemont Highschool Carnival Image 32: Records of Events Taking Place in Mariemont_115 Image 32: Records of Events Taking Place in Mariemont_117 Image 33: Fairfax Community Garage Sale_120 Image 34: Fairfax Community Garage Sale_121 Image 35: Residential Housing in Mariemont_126 Image 36: Private Lawns with Landscaping(Tulips)_126 Image 37: Residential Housing in Marimont_126 Image 38: Attached Housing in Mariemont_126 Image 39: Residential Housing in Mariemont_126 Image 40: Residential Housing in Mariemont_126 Image 41: Backyard_127 Image 42: Backyard_127 Image 43 and 44: Landscaping Seen From the Streets of Mariemont_128 Image 45: Landscaping Along Mariemont’s Community Boundaries_128 Image 46: Landscaping on Mariement’s Community Boundaries_129 Image 47: Landscaping on the Concourse_130 Image 48: Mariemont School: Home to Many Community Events_131 Image 49: Place for Community Meeting and Church_131 Image 50: Private Landscaping with Flowers and Easter Decorations in the Form of Signage and Fake Flowers_132 Image 51: Easter Decorations in the Form of an Inflatable Easter Bunny_132 Image 52: Housing with Moderately Kept Landscaping_132 Image 53: Housing with Un-kept Landscaping_132 Image 54: Detailed Landscaping_133 Image 55: Detailed Landscaping and Well Kept Housing_133 Image 56: Interesting Details on a House Façade_133 Image 57: Fence Surrounds Property_133 Image 58: Property on the South Side of Fairfax with Eclectic Landscaping_134 Image 59: Residential Street on the South Side of Fairfax_134 Image 60: Residential Landscaping on the South Side of Fairfax_134 Image 61: Condominiums on the South Side of Fairfax_134 Image 62-65: Landscaping and Commercials Facades Within the Mixed Commercial Area_136 Image 66: Street Segment with Streetscape Improvements_136 Image 67: Empty Storefronts_136 Image 68-72: Residential Landscaping within the Mixed Areas of Landscaping_137 Image 73: Public/Landscaped Space in Fairfax_138 Image 74-75: Fairfax Baseball Field_138 Image 76: Facilities at Fairfax Baseball Field_138 Image 77: Fairfax Community Center_139 Image 78: Fairfax Municipal Building_139 Image 79: Fairfax Elementary_139 Image 80: Fairfax Presbyterian Church_139 Image 81-82: House of God_140 Image 83: Fairfax Church of Nazarene_140 Image 84: EDW C. Gehlert American Legion_140 Image 85: Mariemont High School/ Fairfax Elementary Carnival Signage_141 Image 86: Signage in Private Lawns_141 Image 87: “For Sale” Signage_141 Image 88: “Sold” Signage_141 Image 89-91: Community Meetings and Recreational Events in Designated Spaces_142 Image 92: Signage in Mixed Areas_142 Image 93: Signage Related to School Messaging_143 Image 94: Signage on Mariemont High School_143 Image 95: Signage on Community Church_144 Image 96-97: School Signage on Private Property_145 Image 98-100: Event Signage_145 Image 101: Clustering of “For Sale” Signage and American Flags_146 Image 102: Clustering of “For Sale” and Event Signage_146 Image 103: Handmade Signage for the Community Garage Sale_147 Image 104: Empty Storefront Signage_147 Image 105: Neighborhood Crime Watch Signage_147 Image 106: Event Signage_148 Image 107: Sign with School Messaging and Event Signage and School_148 Image 108: Homemade Signage for Community Garage Sale_149 Image 109: Unkept Landscaping with School Signage_150 List of Charts Chart 1: Breakdown of the Conceived, Perceived, and Lived Layers of Space _19 Chart 2: Overarching Methodological Framework Diagram_49 Chart 3: Methodological Framework of the Layers of Space_50.51 Chart 4: Classification of Clues found within the Lived Layer of Space_52 Chart 5: Detailed Overview of the Methodological Framework_53 Chart 6: Demographic Information_61 Chart 7: Demographic Information_62 Chart 8: Summery of Clues Found Within the Layers of Space_154 Chart 9: Summery of Clues Found Within the Lived Layer of Space_155 Chart 10: Intensity/Maintenance of Clues in Each Area of Lived Space_156 Chart 11: Community Themes and Happenings Within the Layers of Space_158 Chart 12: Interrelation of Community Themes in Mariemont_174 Chart 13: Interrelation of Community Themes in Fairfax_181 Chapter 1: Introduction It is a planner’s role to not only address the problems of a city, but to try to understand the city and its many components. Addressing these problems requires an in-depth awareness of the neighborhoods, communities and other cultural elements, which make up the city. From a design point of view, it is easy for people to look at cities with a superficial eye, seeing things as they appear on the surface without understanding everything that went into the making of a community. While first impressions can be important, they do not necessarily tell the whole story when it comes to fully comprehending a community. Ali Madanipour stated in his articles, Ambiguities of Urban Design, that a major misconception is to think of urban design as just a study of the visuals of a community. He then stated “The way out of this confusion is to realize that visual qualities are but one element among the spatial qualities of the built environment” (Madanipour 1982, 370). Rossi indicated in his book, Architecture of the City, that if we do not study all of the urban artifacts “we come up with theories that are artificial” (Rossi.1982, 372). Therefore, in its most general sense, the purpose of this thesis is to understand a community setting in