The intersection of Market and 6th Streets, in the heart of the Mid-Market neighborhood, has long had its share of difficulties. Crime, vandalism, homelessness and persistent retail vacancies have left the intersection avoided by locals and tourists alike. However, new restaurants and tech companies are slowly moving in, bringing with them a new and dynamic environment. Join SPUR, URBAN SPACEship and an assemblage of local businesses as we close down a portion of 6th Street and work to activate this important component of San Francisco’s core.

Co-presented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority.

Market/6th, noon-6pm this sat 18.05.13. free and open to the public.

I had been planning to go to a SPUR event tomorrow on Innovative Urban Cartography. it’s free for SPUR members, or $20 for non-members. 654 Mission Street, SF. 6-7pm:

Cartography has its historic roots in the transfer of physical landforms to paper. But in the 21st century, the craft of mapping has taken a digital slant. Today, maps can illustrate nodes of geotagged tweets, the most photographed landmarks on Flickr or the daily exodus of San Francisco residents to their offices in Silicon Valley. But what do these new maps show us about our way of life? Join three innovators in urban cartography, computer programmer and mapmaker Eric Fischer, transportation planner Brian Stokle and Stamen Design founder and CEO Eric Rodenbeck, for a look at the future of mapping in the digital age. 

but then I just found out about another urban planning/design event in SF on the impacts of urban prototyping. it’s at the same time as the SPUR event. -____-;;; free for everyone. 925 Mission Street, Suite 109, SF. 6-7:30pm:

Urban Prototyping [UP] uses rapidly prototyped design, art, and technology projects to improve cities. Large-scale UP Festivals around the world bring together thousands of people each year to create, discuss, and experience a better future for their city…

For this panel, we’re bringing together leaders in city government and public design helping drive this exciting intersection of urban development, creativity, and civic engagement. San Francisco’s Chief Innovation Officer, Jay Nath, and Pavement to Parks Project Manager, Kay Cheng, will be joined by practitioners Matthew Passmore of Rebar, and two UP San Francisco Team Members – Thomas Deckert of Glowing Crosswalk and John M. Francis of Street Stage.

i guess i’ll change my plans and go to the latter, since i’m not that much of a map nerd..

(mon-thurs)

lol ya you’d think I’d already been doing this, but usually I get lazy once or twice a week and take BART instead.

I’ve also been feeling calmer and more content(?) this week. maybe because i’ve started doing yoga again recently? or the bicycling to work? or other factors..

anyway, happy friday!

There’s a Community Design Workshop for Latham Square Plaza tomorrow (saturday) afternoon 12-4pm—the little corner where Telegraph Ave. and Broadway split off in Downtown Oakland; I didn’t even know there was a name of it. it’s for a pilot project to reclaim pedestrian/public space.

after that in SF is the Chinese New Year parade! 5:15-8pm. you can get off BART at montgomery and follow the route from there. “One million expected to attend” (22.02.13). I don’t remember ever going to the CNY parade in SF although my mom says i’ve been once when I was little, so i’m kinda excited. :D tong yun fuw!