My (Brief) Adventures in Grad School

Now we're at the end of the semester, and though I love school and love learning, I’ve decided not to continue right now. Throughout our Planning History & Theory course, we discussed the prominent thinkers of our field, some of whom arrived at planning through architecture (Kevin Lynch) or landscape architecture (Ian McHarg or Ann Whiston Spirn), but many of whom did not have a formal planning or design education. Leaving school means that I'm joining the likes of Jane Jacobs, William Whyte, and Lewis Mumford as a formally un-trained planner. For now anyway.

It’s not easy for me to give up this dream. I worked really hard to get to this spot, thought I boded my time well and made the necessary arrangements, but the truth is my kids are so young and school challenges my ability to be the mom I want to be. That’s it. They need me, and I want to be there for them. We have young kids for a limited season of our lives.

I knew it’d be a challenge, though figured my reduced work hours will simply fill up with school, and that my family would barely notice.  In truth, commuting and participating in class takes 10 hours a week, but doing the homework, then projects, takes a lot more. Every night after we clean up dinner and get the girls in bed, I rush to my home office to finish work or homework, and later crawl into bed utterly exhausted. No meal planning, no working out, bare minimum of house and marriage maintenance. Basic self-care is ignored. For example, I work right up to the moment I need to leave for school, then groan upon realizing that I need to pack a snack, go to the bathroom, and get some water for my commute (“UGH so annoying that I need to eat!!”).

I have a finite amount of time and energy to give,
and these lil' ladies are edging out the competition.

On weekends I block a chunk of time to get my work done while Dave manages the girls. My workload usually spills over this time, so the rest of my weekend is spent jockeying between duties. I really like my professor and the content of my course, but barely keep up with the reading. I feel that I’m checking a box in every area of my life – as a wife, mom, employee, and student – to move onto the next task. At school, I breeze in for two class meetings per week (when work deadlines don’t dictate otherwise), while my peers are a cohort, a unit fully immersed in academic camaraderie. Okay, maybe that’s just my perception, but still.

It took me a few months to realize: this is not how I want to live my life. I don’t want to be a constantly frazzled mom willing her toddler and preschooler to clock major weekend naps to afford homework time. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes being frazzled is expected, and  I love when they nap, but I don’t want the success of my projects to hinge on that. Our girls are in daycare all week; I want to be with my kids and husband on the weekends.

Life is busy, hands down. But it doesn’t have to be this busy. I need to temper the insane workload. My passion to learn – and the option to go to grad school – will always be there. But my little kids, with their tiny voices and ridiculous mismatched outfits and living room dance parties, will not.

Assignment 4: Oral Presentation

Our final solo project was an oral presentation. Similar to previous class assignments, the boundaries were loose and creative solutions welcome.

Active space is a happy place.

I continued to explore my 'urban design peeps' - Camillo Sitte, Jane Jacobs, Kevin Lynch, William Whyte, Jan Gehl, and Ann Whiston Spirn, and this 20 minute presentation allowed me to control the message a bit better than my visual presentation.

To fulfill my creative track, I used a presentation technique called Pecha Kucha, which is 20 slides on screen for 20 seconds each. Pecha Kucha (Japanese for “chatter”) was developed by two architects living in Tokyo as a creative means to prohibit PowerPoint’s inherent wordiness. Each slide consists of a photo or graphic without text. The fast pacing of slide transition and lack of ubiquitous (and loathed!) PowerPoint bullets makes for a dynamic use of the tool that places more emphasis on the presenter’s delivery. I’d successfully used this format once professionally, and looked forward to using it again.

Ahhh! This mind map captures the high points of each of the urban design thinkers.
I referred to this constantly as I created my presentation.

My intended audience was a public meeting with the goal of presenting the urban design philosophies regarding successful streetscapes, parks, or plazas. I also presented their backgrounds and observation techniques. To follow, I created a visual preference survey to inspire peers' thinking about these key design elements, then apply them to a range of images. While I loved Pecha Kucha, it does go by fast. The biggest challenge was to keep pace while covering all content. Here is the presentation with my notes (final notes are underlined - after my first dry run, I had to seriously edit!)
I'm lucky in that I have access to sophisticated hardware at work called Keypoint, which allows the audience to vote on or rank items, with immediate feedback. Each classmate had a 'remote' and voted on the images in my slides. Most of my peers hadn’t used the system before, but quickly got the hang. I found the activity high energy and the format was a good conversation starter. One helpful piece of feedback was that some of my slides seem to have a 'right' answer, but in a public meeting, there shouldn't be right or wrong, the content is truly a matter of preference. Also, the format is helpful for folks to understand where there opinion stacks up to their neighbors, and allows an anonymous forum to weigh in.  Here is the survey, with responses tallied.

Assignment 3: Great Urban Design Thinking

Our first solo project was a visual presentation, aligned with our identified track (mine was creative). My presentation explored perspectives of prominent urban designers and design critics, starting with Camillo Sitte in 1800s Europe through Jan Gehl, a practicing consultant around the globe.
My initial concept was to illustrate the core philosophies and ideals of these thinkers in the form of a conceptual map. something illustrative and hopefully humorous.

The map will explore spatial and temporal relationships, historic urban design theory and observation, scale, relationship, and boundaries. Maps and personal geographies are a big inspiration. They are prominent in the urban planning practice, however, pop culture has given rise to the creative, inspired map – a somewhat loose term, such as Saul Steinberg’s satirical View of the World from 9^th Avenue (1976). Two favorite artists, no relation to the planning world, are Maira Kalman and Paula Scher, both of whom have developed artistic, editorial maps of places and concepts.

Saul Steinberg's 1976 New Yorker cover

The ability to create and interpret maps is critical to a successful planner. They visually convey spatial or technical information, regulatory boundaries (a zoning map, for example), systems, inter-related elements, and natural and built features of a place. 

Jane Jacobs' eyes on the street, as illustrated by Matte Stephens.

 Based on my professor's feedback on my proposal, I scaled back ambitions. For example, I'd originally intended to present the fundamentals of six people's philosophies, then evaluate good and bad examples of urban design in my hometown through a visual preference survey (where folks weigh in on a range of photos). The evaluation component turned out to be way too lofty (and not entirely useful), so I abandoned it before I even stepped outside with a camera. Instead, I focused efforts on the artwork. This project needed to be a standalone, not a personal presentation per se; the visual preference survey wouldn't exactly work, as that tool is best used as a conversation starter.

An edge, as defined by Kevin Lynch, can be a cliff or other geologic divide (credit: David Fleck).

Intend in my creative track to explore new media, I tried my hand at Prezi. Prezi is an online alternative to PowerPoint, and it allows for scaling, zooming, panning, sound, and motion, which provide a vibrant quality. I needed to explore this media first; my husband had warned me that using too many bells and whistles or technical bugs could derail my project. I wanted to use the software judiciously while exploring what it could do that the ubiquitous PowerPoint can't.

Notoriously optimistic about time, I'd also intended to gather the philosophies and sketch out a fictional town built from these philosophies, which would serve as my artwork for Prezi: Sitte Square, White Plaza, Jacobs Village, Gehlpenhagen (those familiar with their thinking will understand my neighborhood naming). Again, after reading, taking notes, and deciding on the main points to illustrate, I realized that drawing this mini-world would be time-intensive in a way that I couldn't afford. So I decided to scan some of my my own drawings and find the rest online.

I narrowed down the subjects to Camillo Sitte, Kevin Lynch, Jane Jacobs, William Whyte, and Jan Gehl. I'd wanted to include Ann Whiston Spirn, but again, realized I'd bitten off more than I could chew (sorry, Ann!).

The high points of my reading, as illustrated in a web that helped organize my thoughts. 

A sketch of mine, to illustrate Sitte's proclivity for haphazard development over time.

My Prezi can be viewed below or here. It ended up being quite different from my original vision, but I was happy with the medium and the artwork used. At UMass, I projected on the wall in a communal room and looped it continuously. Peer indicated they'd like to know the presentation's clear beginning and ending. Although there is no defined narrative, I agree that when approaching a loop, it's helpful to orient and know what you're looking at, how long the sequence is, and what you might've missed. A handful of peers inquired about where I found the artwork, and were inspired that I didn't simply type in phrases in Google Images. I use a few favorite resources, including Etsy, Society 6, Poster Cabaret, and of course, Google.

Assignment 2: Camillo Sitte

Early in the semester, we conducted a group assignment reporting on the work of Camillo Sitte. The chapter on Sitte was randomly assigned by Professor Mark Hamin, and turned out to be a perfect foundation for my interest in urban design and design philosophies. After all, Sitte is known as the "Father of Urban Design". Working with three classmates, I extracted the following highlights from our primary text, City Reader (Routledge Urban Series).

Sitte (pronounced ZIT-eh) was a Viennese architect and art historian.

Sitte criticized architecture and planning that prioritized math and pragmatism over artistic integrity. Human-scale elements and reminders of the past were greatly valued. He cherished ancient cities and felt planning had much to draw from their organic, functional, and beautiful development.

Disenchanted with the emerging "impersonality" of architecture, Sitte emphasized the aesthetic, artistic character
of ancient cities, such as Athens, Greece (art by Richard Sheppard). 

According to Sitte, successful open spaces provide a sense of peace, inspiration, harmony, and happiness. Sitte argued that lines of sight and a distinct link to the history of a place matter. Incorporating distinct local characteristics into development was one way to achieve this.

Sketch of the Acropolis, a veritable "complex jumble of features" (art by Calvin Durham).

Through careful observation - sitting, watching people, and sketching - Sitte noted that the most beloved and well-used spaces were created over time by the people. They had a "complex jumble of features",  and were never designed fully by a single entity.  

Lines of sight and proportional relationships to the built environment matter (art by Andre Voyy).

In his lifetime, Sitte did not receive significant appreciation in his native city, Vienna, Austria. However, his philosophy resonated with many emerging European architects and planners after his death, and his perspective inspired New Urbanism, an urban design movement defined and coined in America in the 1980s.

The Creative Track

Our course syllabus required we pursue one of the following tracks to embody: the academic track, the professional track, or the creative track. I have a BFA; which one do you think I picked?

The creative track was the obvious choice for me. I'm a visual person, with a strong background in illustration and design, an affinity for writing, and a desire to identify creative methods to engage the public. Exploring Planning History and Theory as a graphic, interactive, grass-roots, and multi-faceted discipline is my gut instinct. 

Like some of the planners I researched,
I love people-watching and sketching. There is a
place for illustrators - people who see and draw -
in the planning world.

We had a few presentations to our peers throughout the semester, including a visual and an oral presentation. These seemed like perfect laboratories to explore new media. Done correctly, the material would spark energy and create a content-rich experience for my peers. Done poorly, it'd be a technical flop!

The skills I set out to develop, per my Planner Spheres and Hierarchies diagram, were Good Communicator, Confident, and Strategic. To be a confident, eloquent planning communicator was one of my – if not primary – goals of pursuing grad school. Developing my voice, knowing content thoroughly, and presenting to diverse audiences with conviction is a key professional goal. At work, I don't want to be afraid that peers or meeting attendees will ask a question I don’t know the answer to. Conversely, I want to ask the right questions to spark thoughtful dialogue and creative solutions. I love creating products that people enjoy reading or viewing - stuff that adds value, engages in meaningful ways, and promotes contribution, not static, not tired plans that sit on a shelf.

The attributes I focused on were Flexible (open to new tools, technologies, and ways of thinking), and Visionary (forward thinking, yet rooted in reality). These embody the planners’ spirit, rather than learned skills. However, building confidence in these skills fosters the attributes.

I’d like to steer my planning practice towards the intersection of urban design with environmental and social sustainability. Focusing on the work of urban design experts Kevin Lynch, Jan Gehl, and William Whyte seemed the most appropriate. Mark suggested I expand my research to include Jan Jacobs, Ann Whiston Spirn, and possibly Ian McHarg.

Assignment 1: Planner Spheres and Hierarchies

Early in the semester, we were asked to define Planner Spheres and Hierarchies. What's that, you ask? We, too, raised our collective grad student eyebrows. Professor Mark provided this bit of guidance:

"Plan to turn in a schematic, thematic, diagrammatic representation of planners' spheres and hierarchies, i.e. your visual representation of planners' key knowledge, skills, and values (what planners need and/or ought to know, to be able to do, and to evaluate?)"

I'm a visual thinker, and I enjoy putting pen to paper. Once home, I listed out my initial thoughts:

My strategy was to consider the best planners I know. What skills do they embody? What traits or skills make them successful? Two planning peers that I think of the most during my workday are former colleagues. They are partners of a planning consulting firm I worked for in Seattle, WA - the founding partner and a "rising star" partner. The founder had this innate ability to cull through a project's input and nail down appropriate strategic solutions that seemed.... right. The rising star is a professional powerhouse who has a knack for connecting to (and winning over) the public. They taught me a ton about the planning world, and about being a consultant. The list above is my best attempt at laying out their qualities.

This sketch led me to type up key points:

A key question about the planning profession that I've rolled around for years now, is this - Is a planning degree necessary to be a great planner? Of the two people whose planning philosophies I keep in my back pocket, one of them does not have a planning degree, and the other has an architecture background. Throughout our semester in Planning History & Theory, we discussed notable planning folk throughout history, some of whom have professional training in the field, and others who arrived at planning from community activism, sociology, art history, and beyond.

To me, knowledge can be gleaned in a classroom or in the field, by doing. Is one better than the other? In many ways, no formal training is a great way to challenge the widely-accepted norms, to evolve the practice for better. Therefore, I feel attributes (aka values) and skills slightly outweigh knowledge. They are inherent qualities - such as analytic, inclusive, and flexible - while knowledge can be more readily acquired.

My graphic representation of Planners' Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes

I wanted to illustrate knowledge as a solid foundation; good to have but less intertwined than skills and attributes. Mark's feedback indicated that my schematic successfully demonstrates the relationships between the entities, though a bit static. Below is the same content, with a grid or gradient that flows between for more dynamic interchanges.

Same graphic, with a more dynamic framework

Back to School...For Me!

To introduce how I arrived at Professor Mark Hamin's Planning History & Theory course, below is a blog post from September:

Our family each started a big, new thing last week: my toddler began a new daycare, my four year old began a new pre-k program, my husband began a new job as a vice principal, and I started grad school.

Why am I doing grad school? I have a young family, my husband and I both have fulfilling jobs, and let’s be honest, I don’t have a ton of free time. Oh, and there is no inheritance from Grandma to pay the tuition bills. I get comments from the peanut gallery all the time.

The truth is, I’ve wanted to go back to school for nine years. I took the GREs in 2005, secured a job in my targeted field of urban planning, and committed to working for two years to gain experience. But a funny thing happened on the way to grad school: I really loved my job as a planning consultant, and didn’t see the purpose in going to school to get the exact job I had. This was pre-marriage, when I was footloose and fancy free. Looking back, I had a disposable income that would’ve covered tuition nicely. But I didn’t go then, so that’s that!

I had a first day of school along with my four-year old.

A move and subsequent (epic!) job search revealed that I was often edged out by applicants with Masters degrees. I yearned not for the piece of paper, but for the education and specialized training. My background in fine arts is absolutely valuable to my job, but there are gaps that I want to fill, and things I want to do that I’m not yet equipped to.

My mom and mother-in-law pursued grad school when they had young kids. Both educators, they completed night school and did homework while cheering for their children at swim meets. They are inspiring women, who managed to be good students and attentive moms. I suspect doing this now, while my girls are not yet in elementary school, is slightly easier – I have more control over our schedules. What happens when we add Brownies, gymnastics, or swim team to the mix?

Is grad school convenient? Not at all. Is it worth it? I don’t know yet. I’m going to dip my toe in the water with one course, and see how it goes. My professor knows that I’m a working mom, with deadlines and small kids to care for. He’s assured me that he’s flexible, and that he, too, completed school when his two girls were small.

I’ve reduced my work hours by 25%, and went to orientation last week. I left very excited for this semester. My pencils are sharpened; I’m thirsty for knowledge!