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The Abstraction of Bunker Hill: Landscape and Architecture, 1930-2023

Abstract

The "forgotten" Bunker Hill neighborhood is an example of an upheaval community that has transformed the city of Los Angeles, California. The "lost" community represents the urban growth and urban blight in Los Angeles post-1940s. An example of city-wide redevelopment, Bunker Hill entered a new phase of land use, no longer a residential space but instead designed as a booming commercial center. The redevelopment of open space in this site is examined through two sites: a modern landscape plaza by Garret Eckbo and postmodern steps by Lawrence Halprin. These projects are examples of the city's attempts at revitalizing the western end of Downtown Los Angeles. The development program reflects the interworking of concrete, water, and movement; these elements display the ties a city creates to maintain connectivity and community. The visualization of changes in community and space works to address the elemental architectural units of the spatial space at a larger scale; the life cycle of the space demonstrates the significant shift in Los Angeles's identity. The city's focus is on public design structures that link human togetherness. The formation of the city lies in its foundation, reconstruction, and decay. The locations address public connection for continued development and growth as key factors can affect personhood and landscape.

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