Montlake Cut

Our group chose to do our urban studies method assignment on the Montlake Cut. I was a little aprehensive when I first arrived at the site, and I wasn't really sure how to start. To make it look like I was actually doing something, I began taking pictures from up on the bridge, but I felt like the pictures I was taking had no focus or relevancy. Then a really huge yaght began making its way towards the bridge, so I hurried down the stairs to the lower level to try and take some pictures of it. As the boat passed, I longboarded down the sidewalk following it taking more pictures.


By this time I had gotten pretty tired, and decided to sit down on a bench to rest. I sat there and began looking at some of the notes from last wednesday's lecture to get some ideas of where to start. Colin arrived shortly after, and it was at this point that I actually began exploring some research methods that I think have some definite potential. We sat on that bench for a good 25 minutes looking at the area around us trying to make sense of it. The brainstorming started out a little slow, but slowly we started to build momentum and really began to explore the intentions that went into designing this unique area.

We then decided that it would then be helpful to look at everything from a different perspective, so we walked up the stairs to the bridge. Looking down on the Montlake Cut a second time was much more enlightening having analyzed it from below. There were a lot of valuable insights that I think we gained from switching perspectives. Here is a short video clip of the Montlake Cut from the bridge (this video is also available by subscribing to my videopodcast).


I only spent an hour taking in this urban setting, but it really got me excited about what I will be able to accomplish in Amsterdam when I have much more time to explore these methods more fully.