Field Notes: Lake Union Park Opening, 11:00am-2:00pm

The Studio for Urban Projects will launch Field Notes: Observing Lake Union in conjunction with the grand opening of Lake Union Park in Seattle, Washington on September 25. Field Notes is an audio tour of the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop. The tour focuses on four sites along the Loop including Lake Union Park, Fairview Park, Gas Works Park and the mouth of the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

Field Notes explores the underlying ecology of Lake Union and its dramatic transformation through eras of geologic change, Native American stewardship, European settlement, commercial industry and large-scale infrastructural development as well as urban planning and park design. By experiencing the tour visitors will gain insight into the complex interplay between the lake’s natural ecology and the changing human values that have shaped Lake Union.

Each site incorporates an introductory piece narrated by the Studio for Urban Projects, indicated with a sign and call in number on the Loop trail. Within each site, observation points are marked with printed flags providing additional call in numbers. These points allow visitors to listen to a collage of voices gathered from interviews with local scholars, ecologists, historians, plant experts, foragers, residents, and designers among others. The observations focus on the specifics of the site and collectively speak to the lakes layered history.

In addition, a project hotline will allow Seattle residents and visitors to call in to offer their own expertise to the project. These contributions will be edited and published periodically for the duration of the project. The hotline allows the piece to continue to grow and benefit from the voices of community members.

Members from the Studio for Urban Projects will be on-site at the Lake Union Park opening from 11am to 2pm. Positioned near the main park entrance, Studio members will share information about the piece with visitors, hand out project maps and encourage visitors to share their insights on the Field Notes hotline.

Public Orchard: Canning & Preserving Workshop, 11:00am-2:00pm

The Public Orchard installation will be transformed into a workshop space for the course of the day. Here, participants will be introduced to one of the basic arts of self-sufficiency, canning and preserving. Stop by for all or part of the session as we can this summer’s bounty with chef Nicole LoBue. We will use water-bath canning methods to can seasonal orchard fruits from local farms. The workshop will demonstrate equipment, recipes and techniques to make preserves for the winter months ahead.

Nicole has been working in the food industry in New York and San Francisco since 1990. A dedicated student of herbal medicine, Nicole firmly follows the political and aesthetic culinary principles regarding the faithful use of ingredients that are healthful both for consumers and the environment.

Please RSVP to info@studioforurbanprojects.org to reserve your spot. Event takes place Public Orchard 2010 01SJ Biennial installation at South Hall (North Parking Lot) 435 South Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113

Public Orchard: Biodiesel Bus Tour, 10:30am-3:30pm

On Saturday September 18 we will tour San Jose’s urban orchards and local farms. Stops will include Emma Prusch Farm Park, Guadalupe Gardens Historic Orchard and Full Circle Farm. The day’s speakers will include Darrin Nordahl, the author of Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture; Linda McCabe, the Educational Coordinator of Guadalupe Gardens; Sharon McCray, President of Emma Prusch Farm Park Foundation; Amie Frisch, Director and Co-founder of Veggielution Community Farm at Emma Prusch; and Rebecca Jepsen, the Executive Director of Full Circle Farm.

The tour departs from the Public Orchard 2010 01SJ Biennial installation at South Hall (North Parking Lot), 435 South Market Street, San Jose, CA. We are grateful for the generous support of ZERO1 and the James Irvine Foundation for making this bus tour free of charge and open to the public.

Please e-mail rsvp@studioforurbanprojects.org to reserve your place. The bus tour is free of charge.

Public Orchard: Edible City Screening, 6:30pm

Please join us for a screening of Edible City. Edible City is a film-in-progress documenting the stories of a wide range of Bay Area visionaries that are engaged with the local food movement as a response to industrialized agriculture. Director Andrew Hasse will discuss his forthcoming film and preview a selection of compelling clips.

We will be serving Plum soda crafted by Nicole LoBue!

Public Orchard: Darrin Nordahl Talk, 5:30pm

Join us for a talk with author and activist Darrin Nordahl who will discuss the problems of food safety and security, obesity and poor nutrition– and how some US cities are encouraging the creation of edible landscapes on public or unutilized land to address these pressing issues.

Nordahl is the author of Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture (Island Press, 2009) and My Kind of Transit: Rethinking Public Transportation in America (University of Chicago Press, 2009). He is the city designer at the Davenport Design Center, formed in 2003 as a division of the Community & Economic Development Department of the City of Davenport, Iowa.  He has taught planning at the University of California at Berkeley.

Please RSVP to info@studioforurbanprojects.org to reserve your spot. Event takes place Public Orchard 2010 01SJ Biennial installation at South Hall (North Parking Lot) 435 South Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113.