atlanta | nbritton1's Blog

Built Environment Analysis: The People of the Environment

The Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter, the largest in the city of Atlanta, has faced threats of closure from city officials since its inception. Mayor Kasim Reed now spearheads the crusade to terminate its utilization, and the shelter may be closed within the coming months. Despite arguments made by city officials, the closure of the Peachtree-Pine shelter…

Image: Audio Tours

The availability of these tours marks an effort to catalyze more conscious interactions with the built environment. More than a cemetery, the recurrence of signage and these automated tours typifies Oakland as an outdoor museum. Here, visitors are meant to engage in the environment’s past, and utilize the green space as more than a graveyard.

Image: Monument

The monument stands at the end of a long cobblestone walkway, and impresses upon visitors for its height as they approach. To the right of the monument begins the expanse of Confederate gravestones, organized like those in Arlington. The Confederate flag is not included among the four hanging beside the monument.

Image: Gravesite

This grave is near the entrance to the cemetery, where the political and cultural figures of the city are buried. Its ornate, artistic style contributes to the tranquil atmosphere of the environment, more a place of solitude and beauty than a harsh reminder of death. This headstone also reveals a stratification of race even after…

Signage: Tree Tag

Most trees bear tags that identify their species. As the cemetery is a major source of green space in the city, these tags command a more conscious interaction with the built environment. These also characterize efforts of the cemetery to preserve and care for the natural environment of the space.

Signage: Historic Marker

The historic marker details the history of the cemetery, and its cultural significance to the city of Atlanta. The sign objectively characterizes the history and role of the cemetery, without any reaction to the segregation of races. There is a recurrent emphasis of the use of green space in the cemetery, as it was the…

Built Environment Description: Oakland Cemetery

The flora of Oakland Cemetery is juxtaposed by the desolation of its locale. Nearby structures are of the same neutral beige, and most are vacant or crumbling. The graveyard is bordered by a tall brick barricade, and mounted on the entrance gate is an iron semi-circle blazoned with the name of the cemetery. Immediately beside…

Picture Artifact: Train

The small train follows the cobblestone walkways of Atlantic Station, and boards beside the garden area populated by most of the families at the Station. The conductor would always pause and even encourage families take pictures of children on the train; matched by the cut-out below, pictures of enthusiastic and entertained children serve as advertisement…

Picture Artifact: Lofts

Above the stores at Atlantic Station, there are apartments with facades of the same brick as the stores beneath them. Accented with tall windows and balconies, they offer views of the nearby skyline; this creates a pretense of being in the city without being in the clamor of downtown. Entrances to the apartments are hidden…

Signage Artifact: Movie Nights

This sign is located in the garden area of Atlantic Station, where most of the families with younger children were concentrated. The entirety of the station was decorated with banners, ribbons, and pumpkins that advertised Halloween specialties and deals, and characterizes Atlantic Station’s emphasis on relevancy to consumers and their trends. The movie nights denote…