Las Vegas Strip (I)

I followed my wife to a work junket in Las Vegas recently (where randomly enough, Ben Mezrich spoke and later ate steak at my dinner table), and I took a break to wander up and down the city's famous Strip. Architects and brainy types love Vegas because of the purity of its simulacra, its uber-meta-ness. I kinda agree. Vegas is so proudly...artificial. No one goes to Las Vegas because of anything inherent to its geography, besides maybe the hot weather. Las Vegas might as well exist at the bottom of the sea next to Rapture—as long as you could still fly there from LA in less than an hour, I doubt anyone would care. People go to Vegas because it's Vegas, and there's no place else like it.

That's why I've always been confused by the mind-boggling width of the Strip itself, which at around ten lanes seems to be stubbornly preoccupied with almighty transport as its main function—on paper. It's as if the city planners are still in denial about what the Strip really is: a huge adult amusement park and pedestrian haven for tourists from all over the world, all strolling up and down nursing their yard-long margaritas dangling from souvenir lanyards. Amusement parks don't have freeways running through them. So why not make the Strip feel more like the Disneyland of Sin that it is? See it narrowed!

NS:LA in MAS Context architectural journal

Got a lovely package in the mail last week: the latest issue of MAS Context, the architectural & urban design journal created by Iker Gil and co. at MAS Studio architects in Chicago, Illinois! This issue is entitled "PUBLIC."



In addition to my NS:LA spreads, this issue is chock-full of really great, thought-provoking material about how public spaces can represent so many possibilities to local communities. Really awesome stuff. One of my favorites has to be this gorgeous photo essay on Shanghai's older, more multi-functional streets, where village activities spill out onto thoroughfares. I had the pleasure of witnessing scenes like this when I was traveling there back in college:



The issue available to read online, but do yourself a favor and order a printed copy of the real deal to get the full effect. It's a bundle of inspiration you'll want to keep nearby for spontaneous reference.

Order MAS Context: PUBLIC on Lulu

the geography of somewhere group exhibit in echo park: pix!

Those are my prints (on the left) from the Geography of Somewhere exhibit back in July 2010. More on my photostream.

pacific coast highway, santa monica

My wife, who grew up near the sleepy beach towns of Jamaica, asks me every time we drive along PCH: who decided to put a freeway next to the ocean? Blemishing the very thing that makes California so famous? We Angelenos have grown used to the mayhem that happens along this famously fast stretch of road, and not just certain Ferrari Enzos sliced in half by crazed millionaires and careening jaunts by drunk neo-Nazi celebrities — crashes on PCH are a regular part of our morning commute. The road is another classic example of the Angelene Paradox: almost daily violence and road rage, but in an idyllic setting. Part of me wishes we could do a better job of living up to our laid-back reputation, but I know better. Hawaii has its traffic jams, for instance. Crime happens in the Bahamas. No place perfectly aligns with its ideal image. But couldn't we, you know, maybe try a little? See it narrowed!

"narrow" is to "streets" as "micro" is to

lawns. Microlawns, another photo blog of mine you may find amusing. It's still urban portraiture, but it's less critique and more absurdist snark. ^_^

Denton, Texas traffic engineer: "The cyclist should consider actuating the pedestrian push button."

Amazing quote from the Head Traffic Engineer in Denton, Texas that pretty much sums up the infrastructural corner we've painted ourselves into. Behind all the technical smoke-and-mirror excuses lies a simple unwillingness to question the wisdom of initial urban design mistakes made long ago.

"It is worth noting that there are no known published national, TxDOT or regional metro policies/standards/guidelines/etc concerning what a "safer" timing is for a bicyclist at a signalized intersection. There are substantial timing and traffic mix/volume variations at every intersection in Denton, further complicating a determination of what a "safer" timing might be that would not only be beneficial to a cyclist but also be defendable in the event of litigation.

"the geography of somewhere" group exhibit in echo park

Sorry about the lack of posts lately--I had some writing deadlines to take care of, which sucked away all my time. But if you wanna catch up, meet me in Echo Park where I'll be showing Narrow Streets photos in a group art exhibit. Woo hoo!

Fellow artists include Carlos Reynoso, Christopher Bibby, and Joseph Powers Bowman. Should-be-could-be fun!

The show opens tomorrow (July 9) and runs until July 28 at the Echo Park Curiosity Shop ("Echo Curio") at 1519 Sunset Blvd in Echo Park. More show details.