Title:
Town and Gown District
Creator/Contributor:
Jamieson, Doug E., Illustrator
Date:
circa October 2008
Historical Note
UC Merced’s southernmost border, the Town and Gown District, is depicted in this hand drawn and painted rendering. It was
part of an eight piece set developed to capture the design and planning intentions embodied in UC Merced’s 2009 Long Range
Development Plan. The perspective of this image is facing west, with campus buildings on the right leading the eye towards
a sports arena in the distance and a performing arts center on the left within the University Community.
The overall intent of this rendering is to capture the notion that this street alignment will serve as the most public face
of the campus. As such, campus planners were inspired by Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, one of the most celebrated pedestrian
environments in the world. The wide median, and sidewalks are intended to become gathering places for people, farmers markets,
festival outdoor dining, art fairs and other pedestrian activities – making the area the cultural heart of the campus. Upon
seeing this image of this vibrant, prominent public space, one urban design observer memorably remarked that, “This is where
the revolution is going to happen.” The rendering depicts tall, deciduous, canopied street trees that flank either side
of the street. These will provide shade in the summer and let sunlight in during the winter. The trees are tall enough to
not block signage on the buildings but to still fit the large scale of the street.
The trees in the median are arranged as a series of formal bosquets that will create identity and shade. They will cluster
to allow for permanent and temporary structures for festive activities, such as the blue canopies depicted in this image.
The median and sidewalks are shown as consisting of primarily hardscape elements but campus planners noted that the median
would provide opportunities for foliage to accent this decidedly urban setting.
Medium:
watercolor
Language:
English
Copyright Note:
Copyrighted by University of California Merced, Physical Planning Design and Construction Archives. Transmission or reproduction
of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility
for any use rests exclusively with the user. For permissions to publish contact the University of California Merced, Physical
Planning Design and Construction Archives.