EVAN WEINMAN
This figure-ground diagram depicts the River North Arts District (RINO) located within Denver, CO. RINO follows a strict organizational strategy comprised by a grid pattern with roads intersecting at right angles. However, at the eastern edge of RINO, Downing St. roads intersect at a 45 degree angle, creating a hard boundary separating the industrial/commercial district from the residential zone to the east. At the Western boarder, RINO is bound by a rail yard. Originally developed as an industrial district, RINO was gentrified by a group of eight artists in 2005 and is now recognized as one of the cultural hubs of the city of Denver.
This aerial view shows a city block in the RINO neighborhood of Denver, CO. The highlighted structure is a commercial building featuring a collaborative work space, a HomeAdvisor regional office, a parking garage, and a pizza shop, among other smaller businesses. Directly across the street from the building is the 38th/Blake light rail stop, which connects the Denver International Airport to Union Station in down town Denver. Also pictured are railroad tracks used by the Union Pacific and Rio Grande railroad companies to transport freight. Much of the surrounding area has long served as a warehouse district to support the rail road industry.
This drawing has been illustrated to show some of the noteworthy site characteristics at the intersection of Blake St. (horizontal) and 37th St. (vertical). The commercial building is flanked on both sides by transportation infrastructure. To the left is the transit stop--a local hub that many residents use to commute into the Business District of Denver and beyond. To the right is a pedestrian bridge built in 2016 to facilitate access accross the train tracks. The surrouinding sidewalks serve to support these more prominent pieces of infrastructure, however, the sidewalks are considered to be lacking in terms of walkability, safety, and maintenance. Toward the top of the illustration, a red line shows that the surrounding area was redlined by the City of Denver as a hazardous zone to live. However, with recent investments in infrastructure, a vibrant artist community, and a growing number of commercial business, the surrounding area has seen rapid gentrifaction over recent years and is now recognized as one of the most hip neighborhoods in the city.
The Actor Network Theory map focus its scope on the 38th/Blake St. light rail stop, built in 2016, to investigate what are perhaps unintended consequences of the light rail system. By focusing on a single stop and analyzing the impacts on the immediate community, it becomes clear that the recent investment in infrastructure coincides with a broader movement of new developments within the RINO neighborhood. This is a result of the recent gentrification that gained considerable momentum in 2005 when an artist residency decided to take advantage of the cheap realestate and industrial nature of the surrounding area.
DThis entourage is designed to show new possibilites for the site and address specific issues faced bythe RINO neighborhood. The daytime entourage is characterized by a smokey sunset and new solar panel road surface. Smoke filled skies have become increasingly common and severe throughout Colorado, with large ammounts of smoke becoming trapped in the Denver Metro area. The sky also serves to represent the contaminated condition of the railyard on site, which has seen over a century of industrial contamination and pollution. Counteracting the pollution in the sky is a sustainable ground surface. The solar panel road produces electricity in the exact area where the energy is needed, adjacent to the new high speed, electromagnetic train system.
The solar panels, improved greenspace, and living wall on the building indicate advanced levels of gentrification--a likely reality for the future of RINO. As gentrification continues to occure, the identity of the neighborhood will continue to morph. In order to counteract the changing identity, the NPR Story Corps trailer is seen as a way to document the lives and stories of the local residents. These histories could be used to help direct the growth and investment in the neighborhood and to generate cultural and political objectives within the community.
The solar panels, improved greenspace, and living wall on the building indicate advanced levels of gentrification--a likely reality for the future of RINO. As gentrification continues to occure, the identity of the neighborhood will continue to morph. In order to counteract the changing identity, the NPR Story Corps trailer is seen as a way to document the lives and stories of the local residents. These histories could be used to help direct the growth and investment in the neighborhood and to generate cultural and political objectives within the community.