geodesign-in-practice

Turning Red Fields into Green Fields in Los Angeles
It's All Connected
Geodesign is about holistic design and communication. It is
about easily linking seemingly disparate data into a cohesive
graphic language that can tell a story far more powerful than
its individual parts. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the
story of how something as humble and democratic as a park
could help reverse the country's economic malaise.
Michael Messner, a Wall Street fund manager and cofounder of
the Speedwell Foundation, proposed Red Fields to Green Fields
(R2G), a plan for turning distressed properties (red fields) into
parks (green fields). His argument is simple—remove the glut of
overbuilt and foreclosed properties and redeploy that capital out
of underperforming real estate and into green space. It would
stabilize property values, strengthen banks, and create jobs. As
Messner puts it, "Tearing down can create wealth. Land without
buildings should be considered an asset by our financial system."
He goes on to point out that the benefits are far more than
financial.
In essence, parks benefit the "triple bottom line" by improving
economic, social, and environmental health of communities. From
New York City's Central Park to the City of Boulder's greenbelt,
history has shown that parks and open space tend to increase
ArcMap, 2000 Census
data, and land use
data from both Esri
and the Southern
California Association
of Governments
(SCAG) were used to
identify three areas
that were both parkpoor
and economically
disadvantaged (outlined
in black).
(From Dakotah Bertsch,
Michael Boucher, Eran
James, and Abby Jones.
Red Fields to Green
Fields Los Angeles,
Pomona: California State
Polytechnic University 606
Design Studio, used with
permission.)
nearby property values; attract tourists and residents who
contribute to local commerce; increase public health by providing
opportunities for physical recreation and mental relaxation; and
perform vital environmental services, such as treating storm water,
reducing heat island effects, and improving air quality.
Geodesign in Practice: Designing a Better World
J10221
Turning Red Fields into Green Fields in Los Angeles
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