Street is not only the carrier of urban traffic function, but also the place where urban residents
live and socialize. It is the display window of urban historical and cultural memory and the
booster of contemporary urban vitality. Street is one of the most important spaces in the city.
However, with the develop of urbanism, street design emphasizes its circulation function more
and more and ignores the street as a place of space, which causes more and more contradictions
and problems. Based on the current situation, I aim to find the elements and principles contributing
to a great street, which become the foundation for me to redesign the University Ave.

During my investigation, I found there is too much space of the Ave dedicated to cars. In other words,
cars are dominant in this urban public space. They are carriers of transportation and economic goods.
But streets are not only served for these purposes. They should be designed for pedestrians and social
life and nonhuman species as well. At the meanwhile, it’s a highly commercial street especially from
NE 41 St to NE 50 St. Streetscape designs also often prioritize commercial activity, like retail and
business opportunities. However, streetscape designs that cater to commerce may clash with the needs
of noncommercial users, raising questions about who the public space is truly for. This project aims to
design a street considering multiple users’ requirements and ecological services and biodiversity as well.

The main aim of my design is to improve the quality of public space on University Ave. I identified 12 poor
qualities of existing conditions and put forward 4 main goals for my design--safe, vibrant, green and
smart. Based on these, I proposed a fully pedestrianized street for University Avenue. I have studied the
geological, hydrological and ecological history of the university district and even the entire Seattle area,
and incorporated them into my landscape design. Lastly, you will see a variety of walking experiences
along the Ave.