Public Interest Design Case Study

Project Overview: This research project involved the assessment of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of proxy, a public project, on the surrounding community.

When an earthquake damaged San Francisco’s Central Freeway and left a series of abandoned lots in the Hayes Valley neighborhood, local residents banded together to demand temporary solutions to activate the unused lots. Envelope A+D entered the picture with their concept for a collection of retail and food vendors in temporary structures made of shipping containers called proxy. proxy has been one in a series of initiatives that has significantly changed the nature of the neighborhood over the last ten years.

Research Methods: For several weeks we observed site users and documented visits, interactions, and activities through photography and on-site surveys. We also conducted interviews with various stakeholders to determine their involvement, intentions, and receptions of the project.

Site Use Patterns: Research revealed that there was a strong relationship between proxy and the public park adjacent to the site.

Flexibility: There were many layers of flexibility built into the project that allow the project to grow and adapt as a direct result of the needs of the community.

Content Machine: The architect described proxy as a 'content machine,' which refers to its experimental nature. proxy allows the necessary flexibility for vendors to test low fidelity products and services, refine them, and ultimately integrate them into permanent additions at vendors' brick and mortar locations.

Reporting: We quickly found that we had to balance the interests of multiple stakeholders who each provided a unique perspective to our research and each expected to use research findings for their own distinct purposes.

The research design and implementation was a collaboration with fellow UTSOA student Alexandra Krippner with advisory support from UTSOA’s Dr. Steven Moore.