Some Research of the History and Culture of Marin City
This week we did some research about society and the history of Marin City. I seldom did much research about the history of a site in studios before. However, this research provided me with a new aspect of Marin City.
In the 20th century, many people migrated from all over the US, attracted by the jobs of Marinship. And then with the population growth, the Marin City was founded. However, the shipyard was shut down, after World War II, many of the African American shipyard laborers stayed at Marin City either by choice or due to various racial discriminatory laws limiting housing opportunities in other parts of Marin County. African Americans soon became the core of the community while the majority of guest laborers departed at the end of the war. That’s the first change in society.
During this area, the Golden Gate village was built and Marin City has rewarded an award of excellence of design as it meets the site’s topography and dramatic situation.
A flea market held on the weekends opened and became one of the largest outdoor markets in the Bay Area. We searched on social media about how people in Marin City think about the flea market. Many people think that they love the flea market much more than the modern Golden Gate Shopping Center. The culture was the key factor in this situation. Many people miss the old days when a whole family went to a flea market and got to know people in the neighborhood better. It makes me think about the importance of culture in our design. Trying to adapt to the life of local people is crucial because they are the main characters that experience our design every day.
In the 1980s, the diversity of the community increased, which is known as the second displacement of Marin City. Until now, the Marin City is still the only sizable African-America community in Marin.
Looking into history, we found that Marin City has a history of innovation and enjoyed a diverse society where the community created a kind of culture themselves.
Today, we also talked about our next steps to the project. We need to choose an animal and do some research about its behaviors, habitats, etc. Design a habitat for it and also try to find make the interaction between it and people. I think the project is quite interesting as we start from a small point, a kind of animal, then try to understand it and connect it with people’s experience. I am really looking forward to it :D
