Wei-Hung Chen
Vertebrae W
Urban Orogeny, Cityscape Divides, Inclusive Inselberg
Los Angeles is a weirdly ad hoc tapestry of urban planning, a dynamic blend of architectural styles, diverse neighborhoods, and landscapes that establish it as a distinctive city on the global stage. Within this expansive urban landscape, the Wilshire Corridor takes center stage, playing a pivotal role in shaping the city's identity and weaving together the captivating story of its past.
Much like the evocative photography of Edward Ruscha, the transformation of the Wilshire Corridor becomes a powerful symbol of the ever-changing landscape of Los Angeles. As this corridor evolves, it echoes the dynamic shifts in the city's character, leaving an impression on its urban fabric and cultural identity.
In the influential work "Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies," Reyner Banham skillfully captures the corridor's evolution from a suburban landscape into a bustling urban center, mirroring the shifts in car culture and the emergence of vertical living. Complementing this exploration, "The City of Quartz" by Mike Davis delves deep into the corridor's intricate social and economic aspects, exposing the underlying power dynamics and unveiling the striking contrast between opulent and modest residences, thereby revealing the complex and inequitable nature of its urban fabric.
Indeed, the Wilshire Corridor's distinctive characteristics profoundly influence the city's overall fabric, yet beneath its surface lies a palpable imbalance stemming from the stark contrasts it encompasses. The visual separation, residential-commercial divisions, and the dominance of automobiles all contribute to exacerbating disparities within the community. Moreover, the coexistence of towering high-rises and more modest dwellings further perpetuates the prevailing sense of inequality.
Nevertheless, it is essential to recognize that the composition of the Wilshire Corridor is not a mere coincidence. It evolved due to zoning limitations and the course of urban planning, representing the changing footprint of this city. Yet, intriguingly, it unexpectedly serves as a foundational element for a linear city design, stretching from the serene Los Angeles National Cemetery to the illustrious Los Angeles Country Club. These two open-ground points naturally provide a conceptual framework, inspiring a deeper exploration of the corridor's role in shaping the city's spatial organization.
Hill, Beverly Hill, Holmby Hill
The Hills of Los Angeles exert an undeniable sway over urban planning. Amidst the predominantly flat metropolitan area, these majestic hills rise as distinct features, imparting a unique identity and an aura of landmark significance to the region and its inhabitants.
However, this captivating landscape also contributes to an uneven distribution of resources. Driven by the awareness of the imbalances existing on the Wilshire Corridor, this project seeks to address and consolidate these disparities. The perception of exclusivity associated with the hilly terrain accentuates the visual emphasis on social status, seemingly rendering it inaccessible to the general public and further deepening the divide between the affluent and the average population.
In response to these challenges, and project envisions a transformative path for a segment of Wilshire Boulevard, reshaping it from a mere corridor into a dynamic and vibrant "Vertebrae." This undertaking incorporates consolidation, elimination, skeletonization, and compensation, sculpting a new hill that warmly embraces the public, inviting them to reconsider their relationship with the environment and the urban spaces they inhabit. The conceptual ruptured vertebrae weave together continuous, elevated, and covered urban areas, dismantling the barriers of exclusivity and fostering an inclusive and thriving social milieu.
This dynamic "Vertebrae" reflects the Wilshire Corridor's progressive spirit, paving the way for a more harmonious and unified urban landscape where all residents can partake in the unfolding narrative of a shared and equitable future. Thus, while it may be a hill, it is of unparalleled significance, shaping the city's spatial organization and paving the path toward a more inclusive and vibrant Los Angeles.
The 40 Sections on Wilshire
The 40 Sections Diagram
The Vertebrae
Conceptual Rendering
Conceptual Rendering