Albuquerque's
Environmental StoryAlbuquerque's
Environmental StoryScientists and artists train themselves to be meticulously observant of details. Play a game in which one person uses 1-10 adjectives to describe the shape/texture/patterns of an object visible to others. Class members try to guess the object.
List five nouns that come to mind when thinking about the environment Share the lists and group the words in a chart like the one below.
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Natural |
Built |
Human |
|
trees |
fire hydrant |
multi ethnic population |
|
park |
park |
park |
|
etc. |
etc. |
etc. |
Which of the words belong in more than one category? Why?
How do your lists show a broad understanding of the all aspects of environment?
Set up a chart listing in one column all the utilities and services we use in our home and other buildings. In another column, show how they get to buildings. Take a neighborhood walk to verify which of these services are conducted underground, which are along the street, and which are above the street.
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Utility or Service |
Location of Conduit |
||
|
Underground |
Along the Street |
Above the Street |
|
What does the word infrastructure mean? What does it include?
What determines whether utilities will be transmitted underground or above the street?
What is the general condition of the infrastructure in Albuquerque?
What explanation(s) can be given for infrastructure problems faced by the city in recent years?
Take a walk to a busy street near your school. Note all the elements of the streetscape: street furniture (street lights, fire hydrants, bus benches, street signs); types of buildings; business signs; vehicles; plants and animals; street vendors; pedestrians, etc. Draw a map of the streetscape you saw and include the various elements.
Include what colors you see and where they are found.
Describe the different windows/doors/roofs you see.
What different kinds of human activity do you see?
Which of these elements do you like? Which do you dislike? Why?
Design a community center for your neighborhood. Include some of the following elements:
Materials for the structure
Function(s) the building fulfill
Aesthetic design - lines, shapes, forms, colors, textures, patterns, scale
Practical, social and psychological needs of the people in the neighborhood
If there is a community center in your neighborhood, visit it. How does it compare to the ideal center that you are designing?
Construct a timeline of the major architectural styles found in Albuquerque and the periods in which they flourished. Include these areas:
Predominant styles
Circumstances under which each was introduced
Trends in architecture in the last 20 years
Write a report on one of the major architectural styles found in Albuquerque.
Where, when and how was this architectural style developed?
What are its characteristics?
How popular is this style at the present time in Albuquerque?
In other parts of the country?
What do you like about this style?
Dislike?
Borrow a camera and hunt for outstanding examples of each of the five or six predominant architectural styles in Albuquerque. Take a series of photographs of each, highlighting their most distinctive features. Write captions. Display in an exhibit in the classroom or school corridors.
What kind of wolves might be considered in building a house in Albuquerque Bernalillo County? Flooding, heating, and cooling costs, weathering, etc.? What building materials and design might each of the little pigs use? What environmental message might be included in the story?
How many different major types of architecture features can you see?
Which styles have special appeal to you?
Which kind(s) of architecture best express Albuquerque's identity?
Which of the old buildings should be saved and restored?
Why has the KiMo been preserved? What is Art Deco? Use this art form in a design to show that you understand the form.
Which of the newly constructed buildings add to the Downtown's attractiveness? Which do not? Discuss different opinions.
Draw up a set of criteria to evaluate whether a building is designed to interact favorably with Albuquerque's climate.
Take a walk and evaluate the houses, stores, office buildings and public buildings for how well they achieve climate controlling capabilities.
How appropriate are the size, shape and orientation of the structure?
What kind of landscaping is used?
Does the building have covered walkways or portals? Are there other features that provide shelter from heat, cold and wind?
What materials are used for construction? How well do they provide insulation from heat and cold?
Walk along an active street downtown. Consider the pedestrians on this street as travelers.
What activities do you see them engaged in?
How do you think this transportation system is working? Can you list ways to improve it?
What other parts of the city lend themselves well to pedestrian travel. To walking for exercise? To walking for aesthetic pleasure?
Walk up and down Central Avenue from First to Eighth Street. Keep a list of things, places and people you see. Organize your list into categories such as: exciting, interesting, not interesting.
What qualities about the sights you see make them fit into the above categories?
If you could change this section of Central Avenue, what aspects would you keep? What would you add? Explain.
Does this section of Central give the impression of diversity or homogeneity? Of affluence or of economic struggle? Of a rising or declining area?
Walk down several alleys of downtown. Record the graffiti you see.
What do people talk about when they write on walls?
Can the writing be grouped into categories of similar topics?
Why do people write on public property?
How might the urge to ruin public property be channeled in a constructive way?
Discuss downtown and its history, its current use and appearance and its future. Read books about Albuquerque's history or talk with someone at the Museum of Albuquerque or at the Historical Society about downtown's past. Set up a three column chart. In the first column, list the ways downtown was used in the past. Include names of some businesses formerly located there. In the second column, list the ways the area is presently used. In the third column, suggest ways you think downtown should be used.
What plans are currently under consideration for downtown revitalization?
What do you think of these plans?
How could your suggestions be included in future plans for the area?
What kinds of new retail businesses might succeed?
Write a letter to the Mayor telling what you like about Albuquerque's physical environment, both natural and built. You can email him at mayor@cabq.gov. Mention any public or private buildings or amenities you consider attractive and any parts of the open space system you enjoy. Include the improvements you would like to see which could make Albuquerque a better place to live.
(Up to Section II, Back to Eye Opener Worksheet 2A, On to Eye Opener Worksheet 2B)