ENGAGE: Central Station West Oakland
California College of the Arts, Fall 2011
Mondays 12-3pm, Oakland campus
COURSE DESCRIPTION
West Oakland is a neighborhood with a rich history and a troubled past. How might the neighborhood's future be informed by its history? Can public history and public art contribute to a dialogue on urban transformation? We will begin by studying West Oakland's history for its unique features, such as being the terminus of the first transcontinental railroad, destination for internal US migration of people of color, birthplace of both the Pullman Porters and the Black Panthers, and more. This history will also be contextualized within the American post-War history of urban spatial inequality. Our research into West Oakland's past will then inform a project to be sited at the 1912 Central Station at 16th and Wood Streets. Sponsored by non-profit developer Bridge Housing, we will propose and execute an event, exhibition, or other piece—of the students' conceptualization and design—to be sited at the station.
Central Station and Bridge Housing
Central Station, a 1912 Beaux Arts train station, closed in 1989 due to damage following the Loma Prieta earthquake. Since that time the building has been a canvas for graffiti artists and a site for other underground arts. Bridge Housing, a non-profit low- and middle-income housing developer, is the current owner of the building. Bridge Housing is working with an Oakland City committee to determine the station's future uses as a public space. In the interim, Bridge Housing would like to host events that will educate the public about the station's history and bring attention to this beautiful and neglected building. Students in the class will work on projects that will be showcased in an end-of-semester event hosted by Bridge Housing at Central Station.
All course materials may be found on moodle.cca.edu