Context Analysis – Garfield Alley
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This site is an alley behind an abandoned commercial building in Garfield. Garfield is a diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh with a tremendous amount of strengths and challenges. The site strikes an intriguing ambiguity between public and private space.
Physical attributes -Large building on one side -Garage doors every 20 feet or so -More garage doors on other side -Division between commercial and residential -Over growth (shrubs) -Over growth (vines) -Brief moments of color amongst grey facade -Many pot holes -Boarded up windows -Chain link fence -Commercial lighting -utility meters -traffic bollards -emergency egress infrastructure -decaying organic materials (leaves) -litter -glass block windows -drain pipes -garbage bags -large puddles -abundant loose gravel -graffiti -lawn furniture
Social Attributes -Refuge -People Walking Together -People Leaving Work -People Parking -Neighbors sitting -Open space used by children to play -Children meeting each other after school -Place to draw -Place to intersect life and work -Provides a little known shortcut -Private Space that still sees a lot of foot traffic -Many windows looking at the same scenery, but not each other -Residences are fenced off and shielded -Occupants are Primarily Young -Occupants are primarily in pairs or groups -All local foot traffic -Little eye contact -conversation levels drop compared to main street -ambiguous as to whether it is private or public space |