by Lara Serbin | Oct 9, 2013 | Architecture, Blog, Graphics, Planning
Historic Buckeye is starting to shape up in so many ways. Buckeye Main Street Coalition will be working on the Alley along Benbow Veterans Park. This alley is top of the hit list for 2013-2016 Design Initiatives because it is at the epicenter for the latest revitalization efforts. The alley is the artery for Café 25:35 and Benbow Veterans Park which both recently completed new construction efforts. Pedestrians flock to both of these attractions. BMSC wants to see more of this forward moving activity along the main street in Buckeye. The activity is already motivating shop keepers like Sharon Torres of Buckeye Valley News to transform their building facades as well. The ball is rolling and gaining speed.
Lara Serbin, photo credit: Sharon Torres, Buckeye Valley News
Torres is currently remodeling the interior of Buckeye Valley News so she can offer Wi Fi, books to read, vintage type writers to play with and a lounge for teens. The interior smelled of fresh paint from the metal shelving being painted next to turn of the century printing presses.
Painted super graphics on the outside of Buckeye Valley News could have huge potential for all pedestrians to feel they have just found a special place on their way to meet a friend for lunch. Torres mentioned how she liked band entertainment in the allies of Denver, Colorado. Sounds like a road trip. There could be outdoor seating, colorful graphics, green and mutli-purpose zones. The super art above is from Barrio Café in Phoenix, Arizona. The art community have taken over the buildings in Phoenix with murals. I have been there several time to take photos. I like how the artistas have a group signature. Torres and many other Buckeye stakeholders would like to see rodeo and historic images of Buckeye. We have to start somewhere and the alley is a good place.
This is a weeded gap entry to the skeletal remains of the old O’Malley Building. I have to say I felt fearful standing under the buckling building today and watching the pigeon find a landing place on the trusses. Boarded up squares are storefront windows facing 4th Street, which is a prominent main street perpendicular to Monroe Avenue. This lot is at the intersection of two infamous Avenues of Buckeye.
Torres has lots of ideas for this desolate lot that she sometimes visits being that it is next door to the Buckeye Valley News. Torres and I both believe in saving as much as we can of downtown Buckeye. Every piece of metal panel, rotted wood and peeled paint has value for future use. Torres would like to see the lot turned into a farmers market. Her ideas were inspirational to me today. It is good to have a friend who understands the value of history and the character it can add for future generations.
by Lara Serbin | Sep 6, 2013 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Collaboration, Graphics, Planning
I took one of those personality tests this week. Only because it was required by my Executive Forum group that I belong too. I really hate those things. I didn’t like my results when I read through them probably because they were so right on the MONEY. My review makes me sound like some superficial name dropper who wants to please everybody. I am such a people pleaser at my core. I am an outfielder. I take time to catch the ball. But I do like to be part of a team. I actually prefer to be managed. This is so true. Just tell me what to do. If I am in a management role I will inspire others to action. I do have to be careful not to overpraise people. My reason for being is Aesthetics. Period. Are you so surprised? A girl in the outfield who wants everything to look pretty. I really saw my strengths in yesterday’s design review meeting. *why is this in italics?*
I am the Design Chairperson for Buckeye Main Street Coalition. Yesterday we all met to review some remodel plans for one of the historic buildings along Monroe. There are the more domineering members of the group who immediately analyzed the square footage of the new remodel. I could see myself sitting and taking this in. I didn’t have any comments right away. We all feel comfortable with one another. We all agreed that the smartest response was to retain the historic nature of the front façade.
I had my role of buff tracing paper and my pencils ready. Tracing paper is invaluable because you can lay it over a photo or façade and sketch any changes over it. You can see through it. You can lay many layers over the photo to keep evolving the idea. My pens were not allowing me to sketch fast enough and I didn’t have a black Prisma pencil so I used Kelp Green. I started to zone out while everyone was talking. I loved that moment sitting there with my team helping them put down on paper what it was they were thinking. We had gone over this project through emails months ago but meeting face to face was so much more effective. This sketching and listening is my reason for being. I want to do this more. I could sketch like that everyday. It is not the same sketching by myself at my light table. I like listening to my team because they have been in their position for decades and know what to do. Some of them have gone to church services in the building. The thing I like the most about my team is the speed they make decisions.
It was good to know that even though I will never be the pitcher I do add to the team standing in the outfield with my nerdy LLBean canvas bag.
by Lara Serbin | Aug 30, 2013 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Collaboration, Graphics
Whether you know you do it or not, wherever you go anywhere your eyes look for color balance. This week, I picked out some gems from my library to show color balance in my past travels.
The top floor of the Seattle Public Library has great balance of color. For me, this balance is about complimentary colors playing with one another. The light powder puff blue window system makes the fiery red carpet tiles look redder. I love the depth of the pattern on the carpet, it draws the eye into the dark shadows and light accents on the flowers. The base of the column is matching the carpet and the dark furniture grounds the whole scene.
Tomato doll hangs inside the Owl Sprit in Port Townsend, Washington State. The interior of this place is a good balance of earthy and cool colors. I know if the interior was black and white ONLY the soft tortilla tacos with beans and rice would definitely NOT be as good. The interior colors, home made food and patchouli hippy vibe make this my all time favorite place to eat. Ever….for all time. Period. Done.
Color balance in the desert is hard to see because most colors are diluted by the intense sunlight. When it is overcast or early in the morning colors in the desert can really pop. Lily and I visited Cosanti, an artistic bell making studio designed by Paolo Soleri last June. I loved all the dusty turquoise and bronze colors against the sand colored structures that remind me of Luke Skywalker’s aunt and uncle’s home in Tatooine. *can’t believe I just looked that up for you*
This graphic billboard was a visual relief in the tightly packed city of New York. It is a masterful example of how the dirty white and brick buildings sandwich the punchy art. This particular sky blue color works well because it is a crossover color which means it is a color most often found in nature. The bright white jumps out against the gray base below. “…the human eye sees white as a brilliant color. For that reason it works well for contrast, in signage, at point-of-purchase, in packaging, or any other usage where it will catch the eye.” – Leatrice Eiseman author of Pantone Guide to Communicating with Color.
Jeffrey wanted to show you his car photos. I chose this one out of the stash because the white is so snappy against all the green turf and red gravel. There is a lot of color on everyone’s clothing which doesn’t give the eye anywhere to rest. Try to imagine this Morgan in terra cotta! Cars definitely add interest when you are driving on a graphite freeway with sky blue overhead.
I hope you have a fun weekend!
Lara Serbin
