A Field Guide to Sprawl 08

A Field Guide to Sprawl text by Dolores Hayden, photographs by Jim Wark November 14 - December 20, 2008

"Words such as city, suburb, and countryside no longer describe the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Most Americans inhabit sprawling metropolitan regions layered with tracts, strips, office parks, and highways. Sprawl is defined here as a process of careless land use, visible in constant new construction at the fringes coupled with lack of investment in older downtowns and suburbs." - Dolores Hayden From November 14 to December 20, the Center Art Gallery at Calvin College is pleased to present A Field Guide to Sprawl - text by Dolores Hayden, Photographs by Jim Wark. Based on Hayden’s book (published in 2004), the exhibition chronicles built forms that are a part of the American landscape, and forces viewers to understand and confront sprawl. In conjunction with this exhibition, the Calvin College Department of Art and Art History presents an exhibition of new development plans at the (106) South Division Gallery entitled Beyond Sprawl – New Development in Grand Rapids. The exhibition is up from November 7-26 and features many examples of urban redevelopment, as well as greenfield and infill development projects that seek to reconnect community and move beyond sprawl. Listen to an interview with Michigan Now's Chris McCarus at Rapid Growth. Exhibition Sponsors Bazzani Associates Bear Manor Properties, LLC Inner City Christian Federation Nederveld, Inc. American Institute of Architects, Grand Valley Chapter Programs All for the Taking: 21st-Century Urban Renewal – Film Screening and Discussion led by Gail Heffner and Mark Mulder Thursday, November 6, 4pm @ Spoelhof 150 The Nuts and Bolts of Building a Better City: The Essentials Panel Discussion led by Gail Heffner - Suzanne Schulz (City Planning Department), Rosalynn Bliss (Grand Rapids City Council), and Andy Bowman (Grand Valley Metro Council) Tuesday, November 11, 12noon @ Ladies Literary Club
Keynote Lecture by John Norquist, President and CEO, Congress For The New Urbanism Friday, November 14, 7:30pm @ Commons Lecture Hall
Cities in the 21st century: Engaging Citizens in Zoning Decisions Presentation and Discussion by Carol Townsend (United Growth for Kent County) Tuesday, November 18, 12noon @ Ladies Literary Club The Greening of Grand Rapids: Community Initiatives Panel Discussion led by Dave Warners - Steve Faber (Newberry Place), Rachel Hood (West Michigan Environmental Action Council), and Barry and Heather Van Dyke (Bear Manor Properties) Tuesday, November 25, 12noon @ Ladies Literary Club Getting from Here to There: Transit Alternatives for the 21st Century Calvin Environmental Assessment Program (CEAP) Poster Session Kevin Wisselink (The Rapid), Thomas Tilma (Planning Consultant & Calvin College Instructor), Jay Hoekstra (Grand Valley Metro Council), and Dave Bulkowski (Disability Advocates) Thursday, December 4, 4pm @ Spoelhof 150 (refreshments at 3:30pm)
Support From: Department of Art and Art History Office of Community Engagement Philosophy Department Sociology Department - Urban Studies
A Field Guide to Sprawl Organized by the Hudson River Museum, Text by Dolores Hayden Photographs by Jim Wark