Part One: Field Research
Jenn and I have similar interests within the subject of the built environment. We chose to form a partnership because we easily paralleled our ideas and expectations into one research topic. The site we found in Seattle to use as a basis for comparison was Rainier Beach. Specifically, the intersection of Rainier and Henderson proved to have quite an amount of activity. The first major observation we had related to transportation; as pedestrians moved across streets almost all of them eventually got on a bus. This is a unique aspect of Seattle because the Public Transportation services are thoroughly provided. The second observation we made was the avoidance of the students that were just released from school. Few elderly people or families strolled at this time, but those that were tended to avoid close interaction with the rambunctious or maybe intimidating pupils. From these small observations, we will translate a similar question of how individuals interact within a community within Amsterdam.
Part Two: Research Question
With the form and function of the built environment in mind, Jenn and I are going to strive to answer our research question. From our Seattle observations, we determined there is a distinct relationship between individuals and their environment. The subject of our observations in Amsterdam is the form, function, and policy of public housing. Thus our succinct research question is: How does public housing impact the relations of its residents in Amsterdam?
Within this question, however, are others leading to its solution. For instance, in order to understand an Amsterdam resident’s opinions on public housing policy, we need to know a great deal on Dutch policies. Also, in order to determine the opinions given as anything other than “normal,” we need to know what is considered “normal.” In other words, are the daily interactions variable or somewhat consistent?
Other questions are simply prompted by curiosity…
What are the different forms of public housing?
Does public housing lead to higher levels of crime?
What kind of crime commonly occurs?
How does public policy shape the use of the buildings?
How do the residents interact?
Possible ways to conduct this type of research are surveys or interviews. Jenn and I will discuss the pros and cons to different research methods and decide on the most effective way to accomplish this research.
