Class Activity: Street Design Exercise

Lecture
Author

Dr. James Doss-Gollin

Published

Tue., Oct. 8

Activity Overview

In this activity, students will work in small groups to analyze an existing street design in a familiar location and visualize it using digital tools. This hands-on exercise will build skills for Project 2 by practicing measurement, observation, and digital modeling.

Activity Outline

Step 1: Form Groups

  • Form groups of 3 students each. Ensure each group has access to a laptop or tablet with internet access.
  • You should not work with anyone who was part of your group for Project 1.

Step 2: Select a Location

  • Choose a starting point, such as one group member’s home address or another familiar area.
  • Ensure the location is a public street with accessible images and measurements on Google Maps or Google Earth.

Step 3: Measure the Street

  1. Open Google Maps or Google Earth and navigate to the selected street location.
  2. Use the Measure Distance tool to measure the width of the street, sidewalks, and any notable features (e.g., bike lanes, parking).
  3. Record measurements and any other relevant features or observations about the street layout.

Step 4: Map the Status Quo in Streetmix

  1. Go to Streetmix and create a new project.
  2. Create an account using your Rice email address. Only one group member needs to do this.
  3. Based on your measurements, recreate the street’s current layout as accurately as possible in Streetmix.
    • Add elements like lanes, sidewalks, parking, and any other features.
    • Adjust widths and spacing to match your measurements.
  4. Save your design and be prepared to share with the class.

Wrap-Up and Discussion

Each group will briefly present:

  • The location they chose and why.
  • Their street’s layout and notable features.
  • Any initial ideas for potential improvements.

Please prepare a short (~2 slides) presentation to share with the class.

Reflection Questions:

  • What limitations or challenges did you encounter in measuring and modeling the street?
  • What immediate ideas for improvement come to mind, based on the current layout?

This activity will serve as a foundation for thinking critically about urban design and help in developing improvement ideas for the main project.

Project 2

With remaining time, please read Project 2 instructions and discuss your preferred project area with your group.