spatial gaps in landscape architecture a Story of undocumented immigrants in apopka, florida
Caro Rubio Master of Landscape Architecture
u.s. immigration history
anti-sanctuary states with high agricultural cash receipts
precedent Study: nuevo amanecer - woodburn, oregon
“relax preconceived notions” and “strengthen residents’ pride of ownership” - Carol Mayer-Reed
Planted buffers for privacy Playscape areas for children Vegetable/Herb Garden for families ’Paseo’ walking path for residents’ afternoon walk
It was extremely important for residents to have their own personal space in their frontyards. Homes have no backdoors to emphasize importance of the frontward spaces of the community. Frontyards connect to the sidewalk to encourage public interaction amongst the community members. Larger social areas were implemented as extroverted spaces. The three neighborhoods surround a paved plaza and two parks. There is a space for families to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers.
research problem
The landscape architecture profession thrives from nurseries and their worker’s undocumented labor. Undocumented immigrants are workers and family members of communities contributing to our larger society. Pre-conceived notions of undocumented immigrants are rooted in white supremacy (Perea, 2020). This reality forces them to live in a perpetual state of oxymoron, in a place that constantly uses them for their essential labor and simultaneously disposes their needs. Landscape architects are missing undocumented people’s perspectives and needs in the built environment.
research question
How can landscape architecture expand its understanding and respond to the needs of undocumented immigrants in unincorporated mobile home parks?
RESEARCH QUESTION TOPIC
SUB-QUESTION/S
LITERATURE REVIEW
How can landscape architecture expand its
expand its understanding Which theories support
Design for Ecological
understanding and respond to the needs of
and respond to
understanding and
Democracy - Randolph T. Hester
undocumented immigrants in unincorporated mobile
the needs
responding to the
home parks?
needs of undocumented
Environmental Justice as a
immigrants?
Justification - Hyejung Chang
Equity, Environment, Participation - Katherine Melcher
research question TOPIC
SUB-QUESTION/S
LITERATURE REVIEW
How can landscape architecture expand its
undocumented
How are undocumented
Legal Spatial Consciousness -
understanding and respond to the needs of
immigrants
immigrants’ experience
Andrea Flores, et al.
undocumented immigrants in unincorporated
different than
mobile home parks?
documented ones
Transbodied Spaces: Home
in the landscape?
experiences of Undocumented Mexicans - Tasoulla Hadjiyanni
Portable housing for Mexican migrant workers - Janet Corzo
research question TOPIC
SUB-QUESTION/S
METHOD
How can landscape architecture expand its
unincorporated mobile
How are mobile home
Stakeholder Engagement:
understanding and respond to the needs of
home parks
parks unincorporated
Farmworkers Association of
undocumented immigrants in unincorporated
from city limits? How
Florida (FWAF)
mobile home parks?
does it affect the undocumented
Interviews with Undocumented
community? How do
Community
undocumented people live in unincorporated
Apopka City & Unincorporated
mobile home parks?
Mobile Home Park Analysis: Geographic Information Systems
STUDY AREA: aPOPKA, fLORIDA
3,577 IN 1960 54,873 IN 2020
Displacement of nurseries
2014 PLANT NURSERIES 1
2
3
2016 CONSTRUCTION
2021 ROAD
apopka city analysis https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17845
CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PLANT NURSERIES
mobile home parks
FIFTY PLANT NURSERIES
plant nurseries
INACCESSIBLE TO NORTH APOPKA
public transit
E. SE
MOR
E. SEMORAN BLVD: A LATINX CULTURAL HUB
The main colors used throughout the architecture of the Latinx businesses located in E. Semoran Boulevard include green and orange. These colors emphasize the presence of a large Latinx community in Apopka.
AN B
LVD.
community and stakeholder engagement
JANUARY TO APRIL
JANUARY
APRIL
FEBRUARY TO MARCH
nursery workers
age
years
values
housing type
positive landscape
SINGLE MOBILE HOME/ MOBILE HOME PARK 60+
24 Rural Living (Peri-Urban)
50 - 60
20
DRIVING TO: 20 TO 30 MINUTES
Hard Work
Community Centers
Religious Faith 40 - 50
21
Community Care Nature Parks
Mutual Respect Family & Children Following Rules
Bicycle Trails
Social Justice 40 -50
16 WALKING TO: 20 TO 30 MINUTES
APARTMENT COMPLEX
30 - 40
City Center Living
15 Structurally Sound Living
positive landscape
negative social barriers
negative landscape
UNINCORPORATED MOBILE HOME PARK
Rural Living (Peri-Urban)
DRIVING TO: 20 TO 30 MINUTES
Community Centers
COMFORT Unicorporated Mobile Housing
WORK Pesticide Exposure in Nurseries
LIVE
Urban sprawl displacing nurseries
Extreme Heat in Nurseries
Economic Barrier in Accessing City
No Showers in Nurseries
Water
Recreation Complexes SAFETY Home & Vehicle Burglary Drug Activity near Neighborhood Vehicle Accidents
Nature Parks
MOBILITY No Government Aid/Poverty No Time/No Forgiveness Labor Abuse/Neglect Hyper-Surveillance
Bicycle Trails
Fresh Food Insecurity HEALTH Higher Exposure to Pesticides
WALKING TO: 20 TO 30 MINUTES
Higher Exposure to COVID Higher Exposure to Heat
City Center Living
Driving Anxiety Social Discrimination/Exclusion FamilySeparation/Loss Social Isolation due COVID/Location Lack of Cultural/Ancestral Knowledge
Structurally Sound Living
Poor Mental Health: Depression & PTSD
LIVE Little to No Paved Walkways No Neighborhood Lighting
Harvesting Micro-climate Planting Privacy
Lot Deterioration/Mobile Park Negligence Overcrowded and Uncomfortable
Road Safety
Water Valve Shut-off in Mobile Home Park Foul Smell from Septic Tank Leaking Pipes in Mobile Homes
Attendance & Community Participation
Design Universal Design
COMMUTE Cycling
Extreme Heat in Mobile Homes COMMUTE Lack of Public Transit Affecting Work
Greywater
Multi-Modal Access
Walking Rideshare
Lack of Walkability to Parks & Businesses
Public
No Bicycle Paths
Transit
PLAY Lack Recreational/Play Areas No Communal Areas for Cultural & Religious Festivities
PLAY Community
Playscape
Engagement
Design Community
Cultural
Design
Enrichment
Therapeutic Design
negative landscape
design guidelines framework
GUIDELINES
UNINCORPORATED MOBILE HOME PARK WORK Pesticide Exposure in Nurseries
LIVE LIVE
Extreme Heat in Nurseries
Water Water
No Showers in Nurseries
LIVE
Community Community Greywater Greywater
Harvesting Harvesting
Gardens Gardens
Guideline #1
Introspective Introspective
Guideline #3
Sensory Gardens Sensory Gardens LIVE Little to No Paved Walkways No Neighborhood Lighting
Micro-climate Micro-climate Planting Planting
Canopy Trees Canopy Trees
Privacy Privacy
Design Design
Hedging && Hedging
Road Safety Road Safety
Universal Universal Design Design
Traffi c Calming Traffi c Calming Elements Elements
Lot Deterioration/Mobile Park Negligence Overcrowded and Uncomfortable Water Valve Shut-off in Mobile Home Park Foul Smell from Septic Tank Leaking Pipes in Mobile Homes
Attendance & Community Participation
Multi-Modal Multi-Modal Access Access
Religious Festivities
Walking Walking Rideshare Rideshare Public Public Transit Transit
No Bicycle Paths
No Communal Areas for Cultural &
COMMUTE Cycling Cycling
Lack of Walkability to Parks & Businesses PLAY Lack Recreational/Play Areas
Guideline #7
COMMUTE COMMUTE
Extreme Heat in Mobile Homes COMMUTE Lack of Public Transit Affecting Work
Guideline #5
Streetscape Streetscape Design Design Multi-Functional Multi-Functional Design Design
PLAY PLAY Community Community Engagement Engagement Cultural Cultural Enrichment Enrichment
Nature‘Paseo’ ‘Paseo’ Nature
Guideline #2
BicyclePaths Paths Bicycle Parking& & Parking Gathering Gathering SchoolBuses Buses School Gathering Gathering
PLAY Playscape Playscape Design Design Community Community Design Design Therapeutic Therapeutic Design Design
Soccer Fields Soccer Fields Play Structures Play Structures
Guideline #4 Guideline #6
Cultural Plaza Cultural Plaza CommunityCenter Center && Community
Guideline #8
APOPKA CITY LIMITS
MOBILE HOMES
UNINCORPORATED MOBILE HOME PARKS
“Anti-mobile home sentiment is due to the low status generally accorded to trailers and “trailer people” in years past.. mobile homes have been pushed into bleak, unincorporated fields outside of city limits” - Kneeland from “Tin Cans on Wheels” to the “Mobile Home”
john land apopka expressway APOPKA CITY LIMITS
MOBILE HOMES
UNINCORPORATED MOBILE HOME PARKS FROM APOPKA CITY LIMITS INCORPORATED MOBILE HOME PARKS WITHIN APOPKA CITY LIMITS
mobile home park ‘a’
40
AN GE R A 0 5
GE
20
E AG E NG RA
M E M A KE R
0
Agreements were made with the Locations and names community anonymizedtotoexclude protectmobile identityhome park names and addresses
HO
“About a year ago, someone broke into my home. It was someone outside of our neighborhood”
“The mobile home park shuts off our water valves in the afternoon. My husband can’t shower because there is no water available”
-3
UNINCORPORATED MOBILE HOME PARK IN APOPKA
PLANT N
UR
SE RY
RK WO
Privacy Fence
ER
Main Road Vehicular Streets Pedestrian Pathways Mobile Homes Tree Canopy
Developed
Leasing Office
opportunity to play safely & authentically
Vacant Lots Utilities
Undeveloped
COMMUNITY O RG IZE AN R
“There is no infrastructure in place for people to take ownership of the road using their bodies, like to cycle with a bicycle or walk”
mobile home park analysis
opportunity to live & commute comfortably I wish I had somewhere to play with my friends, this road will have to do!
road for vehicles: children vulnerable to vehicle accidents
unprotected ENTRANCE: homes VULNERABLE TO CRIME trees close proximity to hardscape: root heave in concrete
exposed pipes for easy access to shut off water valves: no water in mobile homes in the afternoon ABOVE GROUND wastewater and SEPTIC: FOUL SMELL
opportunity to use resources safely no buffer zone: unattractive view
opportunity to play safely & authentically
open view to barre land: neighbors have open views to each other’s lots
“I want to ride my bike but my parents don’t think it is safe”
barre open land: children are not allowed in this area
IZE AN R
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #1: Implement canopied and planted buffers in entryways and around premises to increase neighborhood safety
Increasing neighborhood safety will: Reduce undocumented people’s anxiety of external hyper-vigilance Discourage criminal drug activity near neighborhood Protect neighborhood from home and vehicle burglaries
ZONE 1A
ZONE 1B
BLOCKED BLOCKED FOR PRIVACY VIEW BUFFERED ENTRYWAY PROVIDES CANOPIED PROTECTION
VEHICLE CIRCULATION SEPARATE PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
LIVE
COMMUTE
PLAY
LAYERED PLANTING BUFFERS
“About a year ago, someone broke into my home. It was someone outside of our neighborhood”
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #2: Implement multi-modal parking, curbless walkways and bike trails to increase commuting options
Increasing commute options will: Decrease community’s anxiety from driving personal vehicles while undocumented Increase undocumented people’s ability to participate in civic and work activity Build trust between undocumented community and the city/county jurisdiction
SCHOOL BUS & COMMUNITY BUS PARKING
FORMAL ‘RAITERO’ CARPOOL PARKING
“My parents have to take a risk to go to work and drive me to college. There is no transportation for us”
OP
EN
VE
HIC
LE
AC C
ES
S
CURBLESS WALKWAYS
CONNECTED PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
LIVE
COMMUTE
PLAY
PLAY PLANTED BUFFERS BETWEEN LOTS
ES
D ERE
LAY
N ZO FER
F
BU
“Children like to play outside our home. Since we don’t have enough space, they play on the road”
CURBLESS WALKWAYS ALLOW MOBILE HOME ARRIVAL & PROTECT PEDESTRIANS
ZONE 2B
ZONE 2A
COMMUTE
ZONE 1A
LIVE
PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #3: Implement canopied buffers between lots to increase privacy and shade for families
Increasing lot privacy & shade will: Protect children when they play on mobile home lots Reduce undocumented people’s anxiety of internal hyper-vigilance Promote ownership of mobile home and pride of the space surrounding it
LIVE
“Gardening is a beautiful experience. It helps me spend time with my family. I like to teach my children how to plant vegetables“ ITY
XIM RO
EP
OS CL
AYS VAL ANS
PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #4: Implement community gardens and greenhouses to increase conviviality among neighborhood community
Increasing community-based activity will: Reduce mental health related conditions associated to family loss and separation Encourage social inclusion, integration and belonging with other neighborhood members Encourage hands on education and learning activities to pass down ancestral knowledge to children
COMMUTE
PLAY
PLAY
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #5: Implement a community center with bathrooms and showers as part of neighborhood facilities to increase improve undocumented community’s health
Increasing community health will: Encourage partnerships with non-profit organizations offering mental health services Encourage hygiene to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and pesticide exposure to workers and families Provide other sanitation opportunities to dwellers outside of their mobile homes
ES
E
ER LAY
ON RZ
FFE
U DB
OFFICE / COMMUNITY ROOMS
RESTROOMS / SHOWERS
ZONE 1B
COMMUTE
ZONE 1A
LIVE
OP
EN
VE
HIC
LE
AC C
ES
S
PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
LIVE
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #6: Implement outdoor communal areas for cultural and religious festivities to strengthen cultural preservation among undocumented community
strengthening cultural preservation will: Restore cultural values and promote relationships with the larger Latinx community Encourage traditional and cultural knowledge to be passed down to family members Allow cultural exchange of goods and services, such as traditional foods between neighbors
ES
OMS
FFE
U DB
ERE
LAY
ON RZ
ZONE 1C
ZONE 1B
ZONE 1A
WERS
PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
COMMUTE
PLAY
PLAY
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #7: Implement a water harvesting system to recharge the city aquifer, aquifer, and irrigate the neighborhood’s landscape, greenhouse and community gardens
Increasing natural resources will: Provide a stronger sense of place and connection to the mobile home park as a home Increase pride in their surrounding natural environment and resources Increase the value of mobile home housing in a city
ES
D ERE
LAY
WATER HARVESTING CISTERN
N ZO FER
F
BU
ZONE3B
COMMUTE
ZONE3A
LIVE
LIVE
MOBILE HOME park GUIDELINE #8: Implement sport fields and play areas for children and teenagers to be active
encouraging physical activity will: Enhances children’s relationships with one another Keeps teenagers engaged and occupied in playing sports Promotes endurance and health
R
FFE
BU
ZONE1A
BLOCKED VIEW
PE
DE
ST
RIA
NA CC
ES
S
PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION
COMMUTE
PLAY