Introduction
Neighborhood study is the examination of the amenities, living conditions and the general environment of a residential estate from a critical perspective. Sheepshead Bay is a residential neighborhood in Brooklyn in New York. The neighborhood features low and medium rise residential apartments ideal for families. The most outstanding feature in the neighborhood is the bay where fishing activities and water transport facilities are available. The critical review of the neighborhood will be tempered by concepts of architectural design and the effects of their interaction with the environment. These are concepts defined by David woods and Gary Hack in their respective books. Although there are inherent problems in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, the neighborhood is still has sufficient social amenities to attract families. This paper will exemplify this through an analysis of the demographics, and the social amenities in the neighborhood.
Description
Mitchell’s 3 Points
A planner as a doctor is a premise that holds that planners should endeavor to be like doctors that nay other profession. This is because doctors operate under comparatively regulatory and exacting clinical regimes. This implies that the actions that doctors take in different circumstances are not just defined by their knowledge and expertise in the field but also by professional standards and regulations that govern their practice. By behaving like doctors, planners will structure their work within the boundaries of regulations. This will improve the quality of work and will also protect the clients from unscrupulous planners.
On the other hand, a planner as an eventualist is a premise that ascribes to the concept of eventualism. This concept gives importance to the eventual value of something that is developed over a long period of time rather than the immediate value of the said thing. In acting like an eventualist, a planner is more interested in the long term results of his work and the value they accrue as opposed to the short term value. This is important because most planning projects require a long period of time, over which implementation is carried out before the value of the project can be apparent or determined. Therefore, it is important for the planner to have the foresight of an eventualist so that such value can be realized through patience.
A planner as a detective borrows from the character traits of detectives in law enforcement. Detectives have a keen eye for detail. They are able to see that which other people may be blind to. A detective is not disadvantaged by tunnel vision because they focus on a wide range of things. This helps them anticipate various things during their work. Detectives are also relentless in the pursuit for result, as defined by the scope of their assignments. Such character traits whether innate or inculcated into a planner are very important. This is because a planner should be able to anticipate any eventualities in a project and have ready solutions. A planner should also be able to visualize a project in many more perspectives than others (Hack 300).
Interaction between social and political architecture
Social architecture is the deliberate creation of an environment that inspires a desired set of social behaviors that lead to a set of goals or goals. Social architects modify human behavior by designing workshops and programs that involve the community members to improve the safety and living conditions of their communities and the impact their communities have on the environment. Political architecture is the design of political systems within a community. Political architects aspire to create political systems that serve to unite the people towards common goals. Political architecture in a neighborhood determines the success of the social architecture. It can either galvanize the people towards achieving goals outlined in the social architecture or inspire people into rebellion.
Interaction between built architecture, environmental architecture
Built architecture is the design of physical buildings and other structures. Environmental architecture is the design of land forms and landscapes in order to improve the aesthetic value of the environment. The two forms of architecture interact in that they complement one another. The aesthetic value created by buildings in build architecture influences the aesthetic value of the environment. Buildings that are constructed in beautiful surroundings are not only good to live in but also improve on the appearance of the environment. Such buildings also attract more value not just because of the nature of their designs but also because of the surroundings (Hollnagel, Leveson & Woods 98).
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn is a quiet and calm neighborhood. The climate is cool with the frequent draught that sweeps from the water body adjacent making the air humid and cool. The breeze from the ocean makes the neighborhood cooler during the summer season and warmer during the winter season. The buildings in the neighborhood are low rise with the occasional seven story apartment building. It is less dense and quieter compare to adjacent neighborhoods. It also has more shopping, dining and housing options.
I would want to live in this neighborhood because it is quiet and hence appropriate for raising a family. The variety of housing options means I can relocate my family as it expands. The bay that gives the neighborhood its name provides boating services. This means that the range of family activities is wide. Additionally, the varied ethnic identities in the neighborhood coexist peacefully.
Anyone raising a family would definitely want to live in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. As has been fructified earlier, the housing is ample and the neighborhood is calm and quiet. The neighborhood also hosts a commercial strip where many amenities can be sourced for the comfort of the family. People who also admire a quiet life away from the hustle and bustle of noisy neighborhoods would fancy Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.
The place is inhabited by people from different ethnicities, nationalities and race. One will find Ukrainian and Turkish immigrants in the neighborhood. Most of the inhabitants of the neighborhood are people with families. Most of the people are of the ageing demographic bracket. These are people who work in adjacent towns and return to the neighborhood to be with their families. In this respect, there are children of the said families and they attend schools adjacent to the neighborhood. Fishing is one of the activities that take place in the bay. The same fishing vessels also offer water transport facilities. The commercial strip in the neighborhood offers business facilities with traders flocking the area to sell and make purchases ( Mooney 1).
One of the biggest issues in the neighborhood is parking. It is not always available. This problem can be solved by erecting storey private parking spaces. These would be appealing to the residents because in addition to the parking space, they also guarantee the security of the vehicles. Another issue is the reliability of city services like the picking up and eventual disposal of garbage. The local representatives can petition the city officials to deliver better services, better yet; the neighborhood can solicit private contractors to offer the services.
Works cited
Hack, Gary. Local Planning: Contemporary Principles and Practice. Washington, D.C: International City/County Management Association, 2009. Print.
Hollnagel, Erik , Leveson, Nancy, Woods, David. Resilience Engineering: Concepts and Precepts. New York. Ashgate Publishing. 2012. Print.
Mooney, Jake. Calm and Clamor, in Equal Measure. The New York Times. 20 May. 2011. Web. 4 March. 2014.
