Our team used observation to understand how people live, work, and play in this neighborhood. University Crossing is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood consisting of shops, restaurants, arts attractions and multifamily residential properties. To build context around this neighborhood, our team spent hours visiting local businesses, experiencing public art and murals, attending existing programming, and walking the University Crossing trail, a primary amenity adjacent to the Matilda Lot.

After building a baseline understanding of University Crossing, we focused on engaging specific groups including the UC PID Board of Directors, a local public school named Mockingbird Elementary, and public space experts such as the Better Block Foundation.

Through these interviews, we 1) identified future objectives for this neighborhood related to amenities like the University Crossing trail, 2) learned that Mockingbird Elementary families have ample green spaces to use that are more easily accessible than the Matilda Lot, and 3) established basic principles around belonging, safety, and use when transforming vacant public spaces.

A pivot point during our design research was when our team learned that the Matilda Lot was primarily used by the North Stonewall Terrace neighborhood, a small residential community that sat just outside the University Crossing community. We focused our research efforts on this audience specifically by spending 10 hours over 2 weekends canvassing the neighborhood and conducting 32 doorstep conversations. We also deployed a survey and received 46 responses.

Overall, we learned North Stonewall Terrace is highly engaged and cares deeply about the Matilda Lot as the primary audience. Within this group, there were three groups that use the land: dog owners, families with children, and general walkers. They were interested in improving the space, but like the current openness and flexibility. They also wanted to feel safe and welcome while using the land.