The Node, a Superblock

Through a series of context diagrams, the project worked towards understanding the organization of transportation, a defining feature of the city was revealed. The San Fernando Valley has an overlying grid that superimposes a sense of banal to the suburban region, but moments, such as when the San Fernando road and the Golden State Freeway intersects the grid, become catalysts to anomalies in the grid.

The Node, A Superblock, is a project that creates an experience that is completely lacking in the city of Burbank and the San Fernando Valley in general. By utilizing a network of programmatic nodes interwoven using a series of ribbons that function mainly as transitional spaces, the block aims to become a destination where users can gather or spend time in a place that encourages public interaction.

Burbank is currently not a destination place, meaning people don’t think of it as a place they want to visit, it is mainly a place of mundane residences and generic experiences. In contrast, this project creates a series of programmatic nodes, ranging from a Japanese inspired tea garden to a zen node to generate unique experiences. Although there is a node of residences within the superblock, most of the site is geared towards creating a series of designated spaces to invite the public to come and enjoy what this superblock has to offer.