Individual Study Plan Chuhan Zheng

Individual Study Plan Chuhan Zheng 1021035 Cmmunity Envirnment and Planning 13 Cllege f Built Envirnment June 2013

Table f Cntents Letter f Intrductin.3 Visual Map f Curse Plan.. 5 Curse Descriptin 6 Internship.14 Study Abrad.16 Senir Prject.17 2

Letter f Intrductin This individual study plan (ISP) is the planning dcument fr my undergraduate prgram, Cmmunity Envirnment and Planning (CEP). It describes my educatinal path and gals fr tw years with CEP, recrding my aspiratin, endeavr, and accmplishments. It cntains fur majr sectins: descriptin fr curses I tk in tw years, internship experiences, study abrad experiences, and plan fr senir prject tpic. This ISP is first created in fall f 2011 when I entered CEP and was revised cnstantly ver the time. Befre ging t Kanas in Xinjiang prvince in summer f 2011, my educatinal gal was t strive fr bth histry and envirnment prtectin in China thrugh urban planning and design. The first incentive fr this plan was derived as early as when I was 12 after experiencing a cmpletely disrdered develpment f my hmetwn Jingzhu, a small city that used t be famus fr its gd histric preservatin. But the trip t Xinjiang made me realize that nly prtect the visible things is nt enugh. Lcal residents came t the natinal park, giving up their livestck and nmadic life, and starting the cmmercial business with visitr like ffering hrse riding and huse visiting. Althugh there was great planning and strict envirnment prtecting plicy, under the cver f envirnment preservatin the lcal culture and traditin are still slwly disappearing, irreversibly and eternally. Preservatin shuld nt nly include physical frm, but als the invisible identity and living style. Only with nmads can the grassland stay alive and authentic. Frm this experience, I started t be very interested in the rles f public educatin and cmmunity engagement culd play in planning and preservatin. Tgether with skills f urban planning and plicy-making, I want t increase public awareness f histry and envirnment prtectin and drive peple t actively prtect their wn culture and histry thrugh preserving the architecture and land. T be able t wrk in this field, I believe a high level knwledge f urban planning and envirnment is necessary. I shuld be able t knw that in what way culd human live harmniusly with the lcal envirnment and at the same time respecting and preserving the lcal culture. I shuld als knw abut many cases f planning all ver the wrld especially in China as references when facing different 3

circumstances. Thus a strng skill f ding individual research is needed. Mrever, I need t be able t nt nly cmplete the planning wrk by myself but als with a team. A strng cmmunicatin skill is needed s I culd express ideas t bth cwrkers and custmers. In rder t achieve all these gals, firstly and mst imprtantly, a slid knwledge f urban planning and envirnmental studies must be develped thrugh taking curses at schl and self-explratin in spare time. Basic knwledge f plicy-making, scilgy, anthrplgy, management and cmmunicatin shuld als be develped thrugh taking a variety f curses. At least tw internships and ne individual research in related area shuld be dne in rder t apply my knwledge t sme real wrking experiences. I shuld als get invlved in sme scial activities planning fr practicing my cmmunicatin skills. My first step after graduating is t get a jb related t my field f interest. Turism planning wuld be a great start since it invlves bth cultural preservatin and envirnmental prtectin. Mrever I wuld als have a chance t educate peple and publicize the ideas f living well will the natural and ur ancestrʼs treasures. I hpe t pursue a master degree in urban planning after wrking fr a perid f time and ensuring my directin f career. Eventually I wuld g back t China and d whatever I can t prtect the balance between peple and envirnment, preserving culture and nature. Kanas Lake, Xinjiang, China, Sept. 2011 4

Visual Map f Curse Plan 5

Curse Descriptin In this sectin, I list all the classes I have taken in 2 years fr 7 quarters frm 2011 t 2013 and briefly describe hw these curses culd be helpful t my educatinal gal. Each curse is marked with its categry and als linked t the curse descriptin given by the universityʼs curse catalg. Accrding t graduatin requirements f CEP, 6 CEP cre curses (CEP 301, 302, 303, 460, 461, 462), 1 internship curse (CEP 446), 4 retreat curses (CEP 300), 2 senir prject preparatin classes (CEP 490, 491), 25 credits f methds curses and 5 credits f diversity curse must be taken. The gvernance practicum curse (CEP 400) is required fr each quarter since fall 2012. I was waived fr CEP 400, 460, 300 and 490 fr fall quarter 2012 due t study abrad. I was als waived fr CEP 400 fr winter quarter 2013 due t issue f ver credit limit. The methd curses are defined as curses that prvide ways f knwing, ways f thinking, r ways f ding fr students. They must be upper divisin curses. Accrding t CEP ISP criteria dcument, the apprpriate methds curses include: qualitative (interviews, bservatins) and quantitative (surveys, statistics) methds; research design methds; design and visual analysis and cmmunicatin; methds f symblic r discursive interpretatin r analysis; critical thery; cmputer applicatins (including GIS) and mdeling; grup dynamics and methds f facilitatin and leadership; ethics and philsphy; thery and methds f rganizatinal change; prcesses f cmmunicatin; specialized writing; and s n. The diversity shuld be at least 5 credits curses that, accrding t CEP ISP criteria dcument, critically analyze and address issue f scial difference in ur sciety. This culd be curse that explicitly addresses scial cnstructs r experiences f race, ethnicity, culture r ther frms f difference within American sciety, r a curse that examines issues frm a perspective different than that f dminant US cultures. Quick Link: AUTUMN 2011 WINTER 2012 SPRING 2012 SUMMER 2012 AUTUMN 2012 WINTER 2013 SPRING 2013 6

AUTUMN 2011 CEP 301 The Idea f Cmmunity (Cre curse, 5 crs) This is a philsphy class intrducing different ideas abut what cmmunity is accrding t different philsphers in different histric perid. Thrugh the class I learned abut hw a cmmunity is frmed, and why peple gathered and lived tgether thrugh studying different philsphical ideas f different philsphers. These thughts and knwledge helped me build up the idelgy basis f the cmmunity that I will design in the future. CEP 300 CEP Retreat (Cre curse, 1 cr) Thrugh this fall retreat, I knew mre abut peple in this 2013 class wh I wuld spend the future tw years with. Mrever, by learning mre abut CEP it self, it helped me t develp the bjectives I want t achieve during this tw years CEP prgram, and the strategies I might need t use. URBDP 498 Planning as a prfessin (Methds curse, 1 cr) Thrugh listening t different guest speakers frm different areas f planning talking abut their experience and careers, I knew mre pssibilities and ptins as being a planner in the futures and als felt mre cnfident abut entering this field. ANTH 406 Envirnment and Sciety in China (Methds curse, 5 crs) Thrugh the instructin class accrding t prfessr Harrel's experiences in China and abundant readings abut different develpment aspects related t China, I knew mre abut my hme cuntry's cntext related t envirnmental issues frm an academic side. It helped me t have a different view n China's envirnmental issues and plicies, which wuld be helpful t my future careers in China. Q SCI 381 Intrductin t prbability and statistics (5 crs) The understanding f basic statistics culd help me wrk with the data cllecting and analyzing fr ding research. It is an imprtant skill skill fr a planner t learn abut the lcal backgrund and decide the way f planning. 7

WINTER 2012 CEP 302 Envirnmental Respnse (Cre curse, 5 crs) Thrugh this curse, I learned mre knwledge abut glbal warming and what strategies are peple using in rder t be adapted t the envirnmental changes. I learned skills f reading the different climate mdels and als basic GIS skills that helps me t make maps, which wuld be very useful t my research in future. The grup wrking n envirnmental paper and presentatin als helped me build up skills f wrking with a team as well as rle f leading. ARCH 210 Design Drawing (Methds curses, 4 crs) This intrductin class t architecture drawing enabled me t be mre familiar with knwledge f architecture graphics. Thrugh ding 5 different prjects by using different drawing skills, I became cnfident t d free-hand drawing and perspective drawing f architecture and sites. L ARCH 362 Designing Urban Landscapes: Thery and Plitics (Methds curses, 3 crs) Thrugh this first landscape architecture and urban planning related class I am taking, I had a general idea f what the landscape architecture is abut and als sme urban designing knwledge. This was a very imprtant staring pint fr my urban planning careers and after taking the class. I felt mre cnfident abut ding career in landscape architecture and urban planning. It als helped me develp sme new ideas f the directin f future career. 8

SPRING 2012 CEP 303 Scial Structures and Prcesses (Cre curses, 5 crs) Thrugh learning the relatinships between cmmunity and envirnment by real cases, and wrking n lake city prject with team members, I develped better understanding abut the prcess f cmmunity planning and different methds f wrking with public n urban planning issues. ESRM 479 Restratin Design (ESRM minr requirement, 5crs) Thrugh learning the design prcess in ecsystem restratin thrugh real cases, I learned practical skills f restratin and designing methds, which wuld help me with building up a mre slid urban planning knwledge. Mrever wrking with a team and figuring ut the designing prblems strengthened my cmmunicatins skills, which wuld help me wrk with bth clleagues and custmers in future. CEP 498 Digital Design (Methds curses, 5 crs) By taking this class, I learned five different sftware, Phtshp, illustratr, InDesign, Sketchup and ArcMap GIS, which wuld all be helpful t my future research when analyzing, displaying and frmatting data. They wuld als be very helpful fr my upcming internship and senir prject. 9

SUMMER 2012 ESRM 250 Intrductin t GIS (ESRM minr requirements, 5 crs) By studying the thery f GIS in detail and practice different functin by ding the assignment, my GIS skill has been significantly imprved. I became being able t d the map analysis, data classificatin, 3D map mdeling and s n accrding t research need. The GIS skill culd be very useful while I am ding my n independent study in the future relating t map creating and data analysis. ESRM 320 Marketing and Management frm a Sustainability perspective (ESRM minr requirements, 5crs) This class taught me the basic cncepts f marketing and management in envirnmental field, which will be helpful if I wrk in a private firm in the future. Mrever, thrugh reading and writing a paper n sustainable reprts frm three big fd cmpanies, I understd hw firms in current century are valuing and cnsidering abut "being green" and what actins they have made in rder t be mre sustainable as required. ARCH 151 Appreciatin f Architecture II (Methds curse, 3 crs) This class taught the characteristics f architecture styles frm renaissance t mdern 21st century by using famus and representative architecture. The knwledge f architecture helped me develp my appreciatin f beauty, and it made my study abrad experience mre meaningful and interesting by being able t recgnize and think n nly the appearance f a beautiful building, but als mre abut its histry and architectural style in Eurpe. 10

AUTUMN 2012 In autumn quarter f 2012, I attended the CHID-Berlin prgram fr entire quarter ten weeks frm September t December. Syllabus and detailed instructin methds culd be fund n CHID Website Germany: Histrical memry, Germany Unificatin, and the Future f the Eurpean Unin as well as the curse website. I have als cmpsed a blg recrding the living and traveling experience in Germany, please see HERE. Curses ffered were: JSIS A 494 Frm Bnn t Berlin and Brussels: Plitical Transfrmatins in Germany and its rle in the EU (Diversity Curse, 5 crs) By learning the majr transfrmatin in Germany since 1945 especially during the divisin and later unificatin f East and West Germany, this class gave me very different understanding f German plitics, ecnmy, culture and architecture that I never knew. It was especially interesting when I learn this histry frm a German prfessr, with a grup f American students, as a native Chinese. These three culture backgrunds all have different understanding tward the same histry based n their wn perspectives, which made me realized hw histry culd be very subjective, but still true fr all. CHID 471 Memrializing the Past and Present in Berlin (5 crs) This curse fcused n different way f memrializatin in Berlin fr its histry, especially abut the Jews. By visiting different types f museums and mnument in the city and taking lectures abut effrts and intentins behind these differences, I grew a better understanding f hw physical frms are imprtant t preserve a cityʼs culture and histry and hw urban design culd affect pepleʼs perceptin n specific issues. JSIS 499 Independent Research Prject (5 crs) My independent studyʼs tpic is The Past and Present: Plitical Influences and Identity Change Behind the Develpment f Pariser Platz. I wanted t understand hw the meanings f a mnument culd be changed by plitical and citizenʼs need, and hw culd its imprtance been preserved thrugh time, which in anther wrd, keeping alive and activated. Fr mre details abut my reflectin f this study abrad experience, please see the Study Abrad chapter n page 16. 11

WINTER 2013 CEP 461 Ethics and Identity (Cre curses, 5 crs) The study f persnal, scietal and envirnmental planning ethics helped me t rethink abut my career gal f preserving culture and histry while ding urban design and planning. Learning different philsphersʼ theries allwed me t rethink abut my way f thinking and develp a better understanding f pepleʼs relatinship. CEP 446 Internship (Cre curses, 5 crs) Reviewing the internship I did during summer and summarizing the skills and knwledge I learned frm the internship. The discussin and sharing ur experiences in class enabled me t hear thersʼ stries and things they have learned frm their internship, which are smetimes very helpful t me. Having a better understanding f what I have learned frm my internship als helped me t apply the knwledge t my senir prject. URBDP 474 Site Planning (Methds curse, 3 crs) Thrugh the class, I learned hw t make the urban area mre cnvenient, cmfrtable and lively fr the residents thrugh creating residential and cmmercial plan myself. Mrever, since turism planning is als a ptential directin f my career, learning the recreatin design might give me ideas abut hw t make peple enjy the place they are living and traveling t and at the same time prtect the lcal eclgy and culture. ARCH 452 Histry f Architecture in Seattle and Envirnments (Methds curse, 3 crs) This class gave me general histry f Seattle architecture and city develpment. It was helpful t my senir prject t have a general idea f hw the architecture style in Seattle was transfrmed and what were the main issues that influenced the city's develpment. ESRM 429 Water Seminar (ESRM minr requirement, 1 cr) Water is crucial resurce t future develpment. Thrugh listening t speakers frm varius wrking field, I knew mre abut mdern strategies f water preservatin and utilizatin. 12

SPRING 2013 CEP 462 Envirnment and Cmmunity (Cre curses, 5 crs) This class f merging all the prir knwledge and skills will help me steady all I learned frm tw year in CEP prgram and preparing fr wrking in the urban planning field. It is als the final step helps me t ensure my directin f career and building up a strng skill fr that. ARCH 410 Intrductin t Architectural Phtgraphy (Methds Credits, 3 crs) This class, by teaching hw t use film camera t take phts fr architecture, gave me knwledge n hw t take a prfessinal pht fr buildings and landscape, which I believe wuld be helpful fr me t include my wn phtgraphy wrk in future prject in rder t shw my ideas. Mrever, I am persnally als interested in phtgraphy and planning t build up an album n Flickr fr future phtgraphy prject references. ART H 494 Paris: Architecture and Urbanism (Methds Credits, 3 crs) This class cvers the architectural histry f Paris frm its pre-rman rigins thrugh twenty-first century, intrducing the urbanizatin prcess and architectural style transitin in details. It was especially attractive t me because Paris as ne f the mst develped and beautiful cities in the wrld has a very advanced undergrund sewerage system and distinctive city characteristics. I am interested in learning hw did this city preserve its buildings and natural envirnment while embracing the mdern elements. This wuld be helpful as references t my future wrk back t China in histric preservatin field. 13

Internship Guangdng Urban & Rural Planning and Design Institute July 2012 September 2012 Respnsibilities: Wrk title: Planner Assistant. Respnsibilities include: thesis writing, cases researching and analyzing, dcument and image editing, mainly invlved in three prjects which are "Research f Guangdng City Develpment Strategies based n Cmmunity Culture", "Investigatin f Singapre Urban Develpment Reprt", and "Guangdng Greenway Planning and Practices". Reflectins: I regard this internship as a great chance t see hw Chinese planners are wrking, and hw the gvernmental rganizatin is wrking with the public. In general, Chinese planning department is mre tp-dwn wrking system which public invlvement is rare and usually nt an imprtant part f decisin making. As a public department, part f this instituteʼs wrk is directly assigned by the lcal gvernment, and in this case, nrmally is cunseling fr new-cming city develpment plicies. The ther imprtant part f wrk fr the institute is the cntract wrk f urban planning frm gvernment r private cmpanies. Fr the ne mnth wrking with the institute, I realized that my educatin and traveling experience abrad are very valuable ffering different cases studies and bringing develped planning ideas frm the western cuntries. My sftware skills, including CAD, GIS and Phtshp, really needed t be imprved and slidified by ding mre practices. My writing kills als need t be changed in rder t meet the gvernmental dcument style. Due t unexpected wrk amunt, which I had t wrking during weekend, I did nt get a chance t d independent research in lcal villages as planned. Hwever, the papers and researches I read during wrking gave me a lt f infrmatin abut China's current city develpment. This knwledge might be useful in future while ding my senir prject. 14

SCIDpda - IDEA Space April 2013 Present Respnsibilities: Wrk title: Marketing and Fundraising Intern fr Chinatwn Histric Alley Partnership (CHAP) prject. Respnsibilities include: creating marketing materials fr nging fundraising events and effrts, reaching ut frmer residents and brader cmmunity t help build dnr base, building relatinship with ther alley revitalizatin rganizatin such as Alley Net Wrk in Pineer Square, creating brchure fr business attractin specific t alleys, creating and maintaining email list fr vlunteers and dnr, updating the rganizatinʼs blg regularly. Reflectins: SCIDpda, Seattle Chinatwn Internatinal District Preservatin and Develpment authrity, is a neighbrhd-based cmmunity nn-prfit rganizatin, aiming t preserve, prmte and develp the Seattleʼs Chinatwn Internatinal District. The IDEA Space is the design and resurce center that belngs t the pda that serves as a catalyst fr spurring dialgues and mbilizing cmmunity members t participate in the decisins and will shape the neighbrhd. The CHAP prject is an alley revitalizatin effrt taking space in Cantn and Maynard alley Seattle Chinatwn Internatinal District, rganizing alley events and renvatin design that will help t bring peple back t these histric alleys. This internship perfectly meets my academic gals f histric preservatin and public educatin, and allws me t explre mre abut the hw nn-prfit rganizatin wrks with bth gvernment and cmmunity. It is a great learning experience fr me t wrk with a cmmunity-riented rganizatin like this because I think this prcess f public engagement is what is missing in current planning wrk in China. Peple d nt feel they d have pwer t change the envirnment they are living in and d nt knw hw t get invlved in this prcess. By wrking with IDEA Space, I am leaning many very useful and effective methds f gathering the public and distributing infrmatin abut ur prject. The psitin as marketing and fundraising is als a very fresh experience t me since it is my first time ding this type f wrk. I have pprtunity t practice my digital design skills and able t meet with many different peple frm the neighbrhd and ther rganizatin. This has imprved my cmmunicatin techniques and made mre cnnectins with peple in planning field. The alley revitalizatin prject later has been develped as the subject f my senir prject. 15

Study Abrad In autumn quarter f 2012, I attended the CHID-Berlin prgram fr entire quarter ten weeks frm September t December. I always want t g t Germany fr its cmplex histry. I am really interested in hw the culture and histry are preserved while at the same time intrducing new elements t the city. Mrever persnally I am als very interested in the Germany's histry especially the time arund middle ages but never had a chance t learn abut it. This was a perfect prgram fr giving me a chance t learn mre abut Germany and Eurpe, and t satisfy bth persnal curisity and diversity curse requirement. It was als a very special pprtunity t learn abut a different culture based n experiencing this city thrugh field trips as well as understanding Eurpean issues frm a different perspective with American classmates. Living in Berlin fr tw mnth gave me many surprises. Frm planning perspective, I never realize hw histry culd have such big influences n the city develpment and design. I culd see buildings with different styles frm divisin perid n East and West that remind peple abut that part f histry everyday. The palaces frm Prussian time have als been well preserved and exhibited that shw anther part f histry f this city. Museums and mnuments related t WW2 are scattered in the city, telling stries frm different perspectives in different way. Walking arund tdayʼs Berlin, signs abut the war and the divisin culd be seen here and there. I admire frm heart hw Germans embrace all these parts f their histry and live with them. Althugh discussin abut ways f memrial in this generatin has been kept ging, the idea f dnʼt frget and keep mving in general hasnʼt changed. Berlin has grwn in an rganic way that it recrds the traces f histry and grws with residents f this city. I think this is what a city shuld be like. The histry is kept, and peple building new things based n that. It is always a prcess f accumulatin. This study abrad experience als allwed me t travel t 14 cities in Eurpe. It was very revealing and inspiring t explre different living and architectural styles. Frm past internship and class prject experiences, I realize the imprtance f visiting and feeling different cities since all these experiences will later becme useful resurces and references fr new planning and design. Only by ging n-site and living with lcal peple can I learn the mst authentic knwledge abut cityʼs layut, histry and culture. Mrever, I als fund ut traveling t be an attitude f living, an idea f always keep walking, explring and enjying the new findings. It is als abut a rmantic prcess f guessing and realizing. Even the time was shrt, I still went t Flrence fr ne day. At the mment I was standing n the Dum f Flrence Cathedral and watching the sun set bathed this city f the new urban planning and Renaissance rigin, the satisfy stayed lng and sweet. Fr mre details abut the prgram and curses set up, please see Autumn 2012 sectin n page 11. 16

Senir Prject T develp t the final decisin n ding my senir prject abut alley revitalizatin, there were mainly three phases. At the beginning, since my field f interest is the urban planning and cultural preservatin in China, I was planning t d my senir prject related t Chinese village planning, develpment and preservatin with my current mentr, prfessr Daniel Abramsn. In winter quarter f 2012, I was cnnected with an urban planning graduate student, Jennifer Tippins, wh is interested in village-based cultural turism planning in China. S, Kailin, wh is the ther CEP student, and I wrked with her fr that winter and spring quarter n ding the pre-phase literature studies n her research tpic: the traditinal landscape system in Sichuan - Linpan. By helping her prepare her research, I als learned a lt f knwledge abut China's landscape architecture preservatin and many practical research methds, which will help me t prepare and develp my research. Later during my internship in Guangzhu, I was thinking abut ding a field research n the land use f a rural village clsed t Guangzhu. Hwever, due t unexpected wrklad during internship, the plan f independent research has failed. Then, while I was studying abrad in Germany and thinking abut my senir prject prpsal, I started with an idea f creating smething that is functinal t public and culd last lng even after I graduate. Eventually I wrte my prpsal abut creating a walking tur fr histric buildings in Chinatwn Internatinal District. The riginal site f neighbrhd was ne f the earliest develped neighbrhd in Seattle almst funded the same time with the pineer square neighbrhd in 1960s. There are many architectures and sites within the neighbrhd have many interesting and mysterius hidden stries behind. If the public culd knw mre abut them, there culd be ptential mre dnatins t the preservatin and renvatin f these histric buildings and sites. I chse this neighbrhd as my site because I feel mre cnnected as an Asian and I am als very curius abut hw the Asian culture has been merged and changed with American culture thrugh time. Hwever, at the end f winter quarter, thrugh Jennifer Tippins, I was cnnected t the SCIDpda and the alley revitalizatin prject. I applied fr the internship psitin and gt in. If bth in the same neighbrhd, I was thinking, why nt develp a prject frm this internship since I will be very familiar with the alley revitalizatin prcess and having access t mre infrmatin thrugh internship. The gal f creating smething useful fr public didnʼt changed. S at the end, I decided t create a mdel fr alley revitalizatin prcess, using figures and graphics t shw the public in shrt amunt f time abut what revitalizatin is and hw they culd be a part f this prcess. The mdel will be built based n experience f Cantn Alley revitalizatin and the final mdel will be psted n my e-prtfli fr public access. 17