Hey guys, I have to write a 20 page paper for one of my classes, Design and Politics, and its due in like under two weeks. Unfortunately, I don't even have a topic yet, and have no idea where to start looking. I was wondering if any of you guys know of an interesting political and architecturally related issue that I could write the paper on? Could be something going on in Houston or anywhere else in the US. I just need to be able to find a lot of articles and information on it so I can write those full 20 pages. For my first paper for the class, I actually wrote about the Seattle SuperSonics' issues with their aged KeyArena and how they could not secure funding from the local government for a new arena, and thus will most probably be moving out of the city. That is something along the lines of a topic that is suitable for the class, local or national politics intertwined with public building projects or architecture. If you guys have anything in mind, I would really appreciate it. And if you know of some good links/resources on the topic you suggest, please let me know those too! Thanks in advance!
Houston's lack of historical preservation protections due to the heavy political/$$$ influence of developers.
The Dynamo are trying to secure a new stadium. If the other topics mentioned don't interest you, that might be a good one. You can discuss how the team tried to get a stadium in San Jose and the differences in the positions taken by the cities and the ownership group. I'm not sure you could stretch that into 20 pages, though.
Heh, thanks for the suggestions, but can you guys expand on the topic a bit? Maybe explain in a sentence or so what exactly its about? I'm not from Houston, I'm actually at UVA so I don't really know about these issues. Also, would I be able to write 20 pages on these issues? Thanks
THE Houston design & politics story is zoning or our lack of it. 1. Pro - provides for dynamic development based solely on economic benefit. It's capitalism expressed through urban planning. It rapidly moves affordable housing down the income chain as upper income families continually move to newer, better conditions leaving still viable housing for lower income families. Almost anyone with a steady income can afford housing and can theoretically capture equity. 2. Negs - Suburban sprawl of rapidly expanding housing, it's definitely an environmental negative with greater and greater area's covered by impervious surfaces, reduced natural environments and requires large amounts of energy and drive time because of inefficient densities and inefficient land use organization. It's a debate with no definitive answer. It's unique to Houston partly because of our entrepreneurial tradition and partly because we have a near inexhaustible supply of easily develop-able, flat land, an economy that trends positively in even tough times because energy is a necessity, very few fresh water supply problems and very liberal extra territorial jurisdiction and annexation laws in the State of Texas. It's a paper that just writes itself. Look into The Urban Land Institute, they will have a ton of resource material.
This is going to sound really a-holish, but do your own g'damn work. It seriously irks me when people come to a BBS and ask for help writing or researching a paper. Seriously, I equate this with intellectual dishonesty. Coming up with your own ideas and doing your own research are part of the assignment. OK, off the high horse.
