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Summer Courses 2017

This class introduces students to the concept of public space, its role in the city’s social and political relations, and the tools for intervening in public spaces. What role do public spaces play in a democracy? How do people present themselves, see each other, and interact in these spaces? What are the rules of behavior, and how are they enforced? Who belongs there? Is a mall or a coffee shop a public space? Does it matter if everyone is looking down at their screens? How can physical design or programmed activities change the character of public spaces? This class will explore these issues in two ways. First, we will use foundational readings and exemplary case studies as a basis for class discussions on how public spaces have been theorized, created, and studied. Second, we will use Seattle spaces as our own case studies for students to practice looking at, inhabiting, and intervening in public space for their own creative projects.

PublicSpace_PublicLife

 

Digital Design tools–2D or 3–are an important part of a planner’s toolkit. Clearly communicating ideas to clients, the public at large, and with managers is all made easier through the production of attractive, effective handouts, flyers, and posters. The same principles, techniques, and tools can be applied to the presentation of GIS data in the form of clear and attractive maps. Intro to Digital Design is a practice based course that introduces the student to Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, ESRI ArcGIS, and Google Sketchup in order to build the necessary skills to produce effective visual communication tools in the form of maps, fliers, and reports.