Yesterday, I discussed the potential zone restructuring in the Montgomery County zoning rewrite. The series continues today with an overview of our thoughts on the mixed-use and commercial areas of the county.
This week, we continue the series looking at Montgomery County’s zoning code rewrite. Montgomery has 120 zones, more than double the number of any other county in the region, and creating an untenable situation.
guest post: Mary Dolan
The hot and humid weather has brought on a problem for the cucumbers and squash vines in the garden. Powdery Mildew, a common problem in this area, has attacked the plants causing the leaves to whiten and die. Some gardeners simply do not plant squash any more due to the heartbreak this disease can cause.
Since we are trying to solve these problems organically, we searched for an answer to our problem and found milk. Yes, spraying a 1 part skim milk to 9 parts water on all leaf surfaces once a week (after removing all infected leaves) is supposed to retard the spreadof the disease. Also, increasing air circulation by removing leaves and/or staking the plants should help.
The MRO vegetable garden is thriving, despite record high heat and a watering restriction.
We’ve had a small harvest of herbs and greens and are watching the potatoes, beets, and peppers stretch out.
The garden also has a web page where you can see a video of staff gardeners talking about their goals for the garden.
A landscape or city is legible when it conveys information about itself. A place is most legible when it conveys information without the obvious devices of communication. Legibility is a kind of follow-your-nose sense that allows you to understand a place from both macro and micro signals.
Manhattan is legible though a grid punctuated by landmarks.
Miami Beach is ever-oriented between ocean and bay.
Most Greek villages run from a port, up the hill to a fort or church that takes the high ground.
The ebb and flow of commercial activity and social life in these places can be anticipated. You can figure out where the main shopping streets are and where people go to relax.
Legibility works in different dimensions–from an … Continue reading
Metro’s recent fare increase has some people wondering whether it makes economic sense to continue riding the rails. Base fares on Metrorail have increased by $0.20 to $1.95, and $0.25 to $0.45 for Metrobus. A second fare increase is planned for rush hour commuters at stations with heavy ridership traffic.
So is Metro still the smart economic choice for your daily commute? Yes, absolutely, without a doubt. According to Greater Greater Washington, once you factor in the cost of gas, maintenance, and parking the decision becomes a financial no-brainer. A daily rider who drives and parks at Shady Grove Station to commute to Metro Center will realize 50% savings over a driver.
Obviously, there are a few other factors … Continue reading
I like the concept of Jolie-Laide: Beauty and the Beast. While Montgomery County undoubtedly has a burdensome share of beastly buildings, some so crystallize the product of their time that they rise above. Taken head-on it is not much to look at, but obliquely the minimally monikered (sorry) Silver Spring’s “Garage 2”, at the intersection of Fenton Street and Cameron Street, is a civic building with moments of majesty that reminds me of Peter Behrens 1909 Tubinenfabrik in Berlin.
For your delectation:
Right around the corner from the parking garage I showed yesterday is a very nice integration of retail into a parking garage. It is difficult to say if the result was intentional or serendipitous and I think the success relies in part on the proximity of the surrounding buildings. But I appreciate what looks like design intent made manifest.
The sharp contrast between the stark bright(ish) white and the shock of red establishes a nice hierarchy and rhythm for that side facade, while the tower anchors the corner and announces there is something there.
What you wouldn’t know from the pictures, however, is that the door on the longer facade is somewhat of a side door, entering into a … Continue reading
A lot of attention has been paid recently to parking. The National Building Museum has an exhibit that closes in a couple of weeks. Herzog and DeMeuron has their new disco garage in Miami, 1111 Lincoln Road. Trenton, NJ, has a new scheme afoot.
Last month the International Parking Institute announced their 2010 design awards (bigger pictures available on ArchDaily). Among the winners is part of the recent expansion of the Towson Town Center Mall north of Baltimore. And while the street activation there is probably mostly still indoors, the project shows a successful integration of retail and parking.
The primary facade, as it were, holds the corner of Dulaney Valley Road and Fairmount Avenue, on what used to … Continue reading
Facade-ism. Facade-omy. Building facades are harder to design than they look. Especially with bigger buildings. Look around you.
There are always of course excellent examples. The National Gallery of Art, West Wing, designed by the fabulous John Russel Pope, is a beautiful building.
DC architect Phil Esocoff also does a nice job with attractive facade design.
There are far more stinkers, however. For design, I prefer smaller buildings. Like small gardens or landscapes, there is usually room for only one organizing principle and its elegant elaboration. The rowhouse is a good urban example of this and the DC area has a wealth of fetching specimens in Alexandria, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and of course Capitol Hill. Another local architect, Amy … Continue reading
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