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Design
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WORK SAMPLES

urban design
Cal Poly, SLO, bscrp 2006
transit-oriented design
SPUR member & volunteer
CEQA bicycling revitalization
PARK(ING) Day collaborator
community workshops &
outreach
APA Newsletter contributor
personable technologically curious
collaborative understanding
fair
softball player team-oriented
disciplined positive arts & crafts
AUTOCAD 2009 Sketch-up visual simulations
ADOBE suite CS4
general plan updates livable streets initiative
mixed-use & infill
SUSANNA DIAZ - Work Samples
{ susanna.diaz@gmail.com }
{ 242 Linden } • { SF, Ca, 94102 } • { 805.704.5335 }
I am highly interested in a creative environment for a blossoming career in urban
design, planning, and exhibit design. I thrive with casual but strong, disciplined,
focused design intentions from project team members. The words on the left are some
descriptors of myself and what I find interesting in planning and beyond, and hopefully
this rings true with the reader of these samples.
Three years of working in a collaborative environment in RRM Design Group, a multi-
disciplinary firm with landscape architects, exhibit designers, engineers, and architects
have exposed me to numerous projects and solutions. I am an advocate of alternative
transportation and innovative park spaces, and I enjoy being involved with an urban
design project from the beginning and throughout the completion. Some of my best
planning experiences are when I am reaching out to the community at certain stages of
a project.
The following are samples of the various projects I have worked on in the past few
years. I have handled graphics such as Opportunity & Constraints maps, Illustrative
Site Plans, and workshop exhibits. I have experience in working on Design Guidelines,
Master Plans, and also some EIR work. I have learned to adjust accordingly to the
array of project managers in this field, and I welcome various iterations only when the
budget allows. I find it important to stay on trends in the graphic and technical side of
planning, such as Prop 1-C funding, in order to have a fulfilling career in planning.
With that said, here are some samples, all compiled with the use of Adobe InDesign CS4...
i
FORT BRAGG MILL SITE SPECIFIC PLAN

One of the major projects I worked on at RRM included collaborating with a large
team of planners, architects, engineers, and sub-consultants for the Fort Bragg
Mill Site Specific Plan. Duties during this project included being responsible for the
many images, maps, data files, and work products from interoffice colleagues and
subconsultants, including CD+A. I also assisted by creating graphics for, and attending
the community workshop held in January 2009. For the second workshop in May
2009, I created a visual preference survey using the CPS program and also created the
summary output for the voting exercise.

Programs Used
AutoCAD 2009
Adobe Illustrator CS2
Adobe InDesign CS2
Adobe Photoshop CS2
CPS Survey

1
 REDONDO
FORT BRAGG
BEACH
MILL PIER
SITE SPECIFIC PLAN
TRANSFORMATIVE REDONDO BEACH PIER &
INTERNATIONAL BOARDWALK
AND INTERNATIONAL BOARDWALK
IMPROVEMENTS-OPTION B
NEW ENTRY PLAZA NEW SERVICE PARKING
& GATEWAY ARCH

NEW RESTAURANT WITH

OUTDOOR DINING
NEW RAMP DOWN TO EXISTING ELEVATOR
Delzano’s
BOARDWALK by the Sea
RENOVATE EXISTING PARK
Another one of my projects at RRM included collaborating with a landscape architect
WIDEN EXISTING BOARDWALK AND NEW SURFACE for the Redondo Beach Pier and International Boardwalk. Duties during this project
NEW MULTI-USE PATH & LANDSCAPING included creating and Opportunities & Constraints map, as well as two different design
proposals, the Moderate, and the Transformatve Option, left.
NEW CAFE DINING ON BOARDWALK

RENOVATE EXISTING PARK WITH NEW WATER FEATURE This project proves I work well under pressure. With limited time and budget, I was
RENOVATE EXISTING RESTROOMS & STAIRS able to deliver several graphic boards to the client and fix a flare-up problem with the
printing company in Southern California.
NEW INFORMATION GRAPHICS

NEW SITE FURNITURE & LIGHTING Programs Used

REDUCE EXISTING PARKING, (38) SPACES

NOTCH EXISTING PARKING STRUCTURE AutoCAD 2009

TO DAYLIGHT BIKE PATH

NEW Kincaid’s
Quality Seafood
Fish Market
NEW RESTAURANT 6,000 SF
Adobe InDesign CS2
LEASEHOLDS TWO-STORY, 60’ X 120’

Adobe Photoshop CS2

EXISTING BUILDING AND PARKING

NEW Google Earth, Satellite imagery

OVERLOOKS
NEW NEW PARKING, 51 SPACES
PAVILION
NEW RESTAURANT, 6,000 SF
NEW SITE FURNITURE TWO-STORY, 50’ x 120’
AND LIGHTING
NEW RESTAURANT, 8,050 SF
TWO-STORY, 70’ X 115’
WIDEN
EXISTING BOARDWALK NEW ELEVATOR

NEW POLICE SUBSTATION

Old Tony’s NEW ENTRY PLAZA &

S. CATA LINA AVEN UE

GATEWAY ARCH
NEW FACADE NEW SIGNAGE ELEMENT
IMPROVEMENTS
NEW PIER Kilkenny’s
NEW LANDSCAPE
RAILINGS El Torito WITH WATER FEATURES
Redondo Coffee

NEW PIER NEW BOULEVARD

& Bait
New Tony’s
Fish Market
LIGHTING PLANTING
NEW GATEWAY
NEW PIER SURFACE NEW
ARCH
WALKWAY
NEW PLAZA
& SHOWERS
NEW STREET LIGHTING
NEW
MULTI-USE PATH DRAFT
NOVEMBER 5, 2007
N

100 0 50 150

Scale: 1” =50’
22
 SKYWAY PARK PLAZA
Workshop Summaries 

RRM Design Group

10 Liberty Ship Way, Ste.10
Skyway Corridor Plan
Sausalito, CA 94965
Public Workshop #1: Evaluating Segment Alternatives and
Gateway Park/Plaza Alternatives
P: (415) 331-8282
September 30, 2008 At RRM, Dave Javid and I worked on Skyway Corridor Plan and potential Gateway Plaza.
F: (415) 331-8298
www.rrmdesign.com Workshop Results Summary We were the subconsultant team for traffic consultant W-Trans. During this project, I
worked directly with Dave and Steve Weinberger to create street sections, graphic park
layouts (on the next page), and developed this workshop summary. The rest of the
summary is located on the website of the City of Skyway.
I. Introduction

On Thursday September 18, the first public workshop for the Skyway Corridor Plan was
held in the Town Hall of the Town of Paradise. This streetscape improvement project is a
Other workshop summaries I have written are located on some of these city websites,
collaboration of BCAG, the Town of Paradise, W-trans, and RRM Design Group. At the click to follow the link:
workshop, a total of approximately 30 participants signed in and the group was formed
mostly of residents, business owners, and local property owners. Some participants
were representing nearby town of Magalia and the Upper Ridge Coordinating Council. -Burton Chace Park, Marina Del Rey, Ca
The purpose of this initial workshop was to obtain public input for the potential
streetscape design of the 2.8 mile stretch of Skyway Corridor. The workshop consisted
of two phases, the first being a power point presentation by W-Trans and RRM on the -Mendocino Ave Corridor, Santa Rosa, Ca - click here
background of the project, the four road segments of Skyway with alternative road
sections, and the three alternatives of the propose Gateway Park/Plaza. The second
phase of the workshop encouraged participants to vote on their preferred alternative -Missouri Flat Workshop, Missouri Flat, Ca
street section, Gateway park/plaza concept, and their most preferred circulation of
Foster Road. The duration of the workshop also allowed participants to fill out the
comprehensive report card handed out at the workshop entry. Programs Used During These Projects
This report summarizes the outcome of the voting exercise and the report card exercise
noting areas of commonalities and differences in levels of support. The second section Microsoft Word
of the report describes the street segment alternatives, and the third describes the
Foster Road circulation options, and the fourth section describes the Park/Plaza Adobe InDesign CS2
alternatives, and the fifth section discusses the findings.

II. Segment Alternative Street Sections

Adobe Photoshop CS2

The nearly three mile portion of Skyway is represented in four segments that stretch Adobe Illustrator CS2
from Neal Road to the south to Wagstaff Road to the north. The southern three
segments, Segments A, B, and C are prominently commercial uses, with Segment B AutoCAD 2009
encompassing the Paradise Central business District, which is known as the downtown
portion of Paradise. Segment D, from Bille Road to Wagstaff Road, is more rural, but has
some commercial abutting Skyway. Voting results in their entirety are attached to this Google Earth, Satellite imagery
document. The following is a summary of the support from both the report card and
voting exercises.

Segment A- Neal Road to Pearson. A majority, 63%, supports Alternative A.1.

This alternative places a 5’ bike lane and a 5’sidewalk on each side of the street. Also
come with four 12’ travel lanes, two in each direction, and a 12’ center turning lane.

COMMUNITY | PUBLIC SAFETY | RECREATION | EDUCATION | URBAN

ARCHITECTS | ENGINEERS | LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS | PLANNERS | SURVEYORS | WWW.RRMDESIGN.COM
A California Corporation | Victor Montgomery, Architect #C11090 | Jerry Michael, PE #36895, LS #6276 | Jeff Ferber, LA #2844
3
 SKYWAY
FORT BRAGG PARKMILL
PLAZASITE SPECIFIC PLAN
Elliott Road
Illustrative Alternative Plans 
Pearson Road

Foster Road
ay
yw
Sk
ad The Illustrative Park Layouts which the public voted. I found it important to place a key
o
ea
lR north location for everyone to understand the location at hand.
N

KEY MAP
Programs Used During The Project
Adobe InDesign CS2
Adobe Photoshop CS2
Adobe Illustrator CS2
ALTERNATIVE I : EXISTING CIRCULATION

AutoCAD 2009
Google Earth, Satellite imagery

ALTERNATIVE 2 : FOSTER ROAD ONE-WAY

Legend
Turf Area Special Paving at
Pedestrian Crossing
Plaza
Benches/Seating
Gazebo/Bandstand
Pedestrian Path
Trellis Structure
Water Feature

ALTERNATIVE 3: FOSTER ROAD CLOSURE

September 18, 2008

44
SKYWAY CORRIDOR PLAN | GATEWAY PLAZA/PARK ALTERNATIVES
 STREETSC APES
MARINA DEL REY
Design Guidelines
B. Arterials
Via Marina and Fiji Way

Guidelines
While at RRM, I worked with Donald Sibbett and Chika Kurotaki to help develop
the Design Guidelines for Marina Del Rey. This document is probably one the most
Driveways
graphically pleasing and easy to use set of guidelines to hit the markets. This project
1. To minimize curb cuts and
became a lobor of love due to the task of having the document in Microsoft Word
turning movements on Boulevards, and interchange it with InDesign. Always use the most upgraded versions of both to
minimize construction of new
driveways and encourage maximize efficiency.
common access drives to serve
more than one project.
Programs Used During The Project
Sidewalks
1. Where feasible provide a Microsoft Word
landscape strip between the
sidewalk and travel lanes to
buffer pedestrians from moving
Adobe InDesign CS2
vehicles.
2. Ensure above grade hydrants, Adobe Photoshop CS2
utilities and sign posts are not
placed in the pedestrian path on
sidewalks.

Crosswalks
1. Use accent paving at
Via Marina will be a landscaped arterial dened by owering intersections to distinguish
canopy trees in its medians. Pedestrian activity will be crosswalks.
encouraged through sidewalks, planting strips that separate 2. Stamp street names in all
sidewalk from street, and landscape setbacks. Curb extensions crosswalk curbs for pedestrian
will be installed at intersections where there is on street orientation.
parking to minimize pedestrian crossing time. Bike use of via
Bike Lanes
Marina will be as a Class III bikeway.
1. Provide striped bike lanes and
Fiji Way will continue to be wide enough to navigate boat bike route signs on both sides of
Via Marina and the west side of
trailers and trucks. Pedestrian activity will be encouraged Fiji Way.
through sidewalk planting strips that separate sidewalks
from street, and landscape setbacks. Where on street parking Multi-Use Path
provided, curb extensions will be installed at the pedestrian
1. Provide a multi-use path on the
crossing and bike intersections to minimize crossing time. Bike east side of Fiji Way bordering the
use will be encouraged by providing a multi-use path along the Ballona Wetlands.
Ballona Wetlands border.

Final Document 05.09 3-7 5

 BOOK REVIEW

Contemporary Urbanism in Brazil: NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION

Beyond Brasilia
Edited by Vicente del Rio and William Siembieda
Reviewed by Susanna Diaz

Much has happened in the urban development of Brazil

since 1960, when the building of Brasilia as the country’s As a way to learn more about urban development and also get familiar with working
new capital captured the imagination of architects and urban with an newsletter editor, I wrote a review on Comtemporary Urbanism in Brazil: Beyond
designers around the world. While no similarly grand design
Brasilia. This copendium of case studies is a lobour of love from one of my previous
gesture has been made in Brazil since 1960, there have been
professors, Vicente del Rio, from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. This is the first article I had
equally important interventions in many of the country’s
major cities since then. Beyond Brasilia effectively surveys
published, and I hope to create more in the future.
contemporary Brazilian urbanism and how it shaped eight
of the country’s capital cities in the last two decades of the The review was also entirely published on Planetizen, and here is the link.
twentieth century.
Brazil is South America’s largest country, occupying nearly
half the continent; and with a population of 187 million, is
the fifth most populous country (and the fourth most populous
democracy) in the world. Brazil’s architects and planners have
contributed much to urban design with sculptured buildings,
streetscapes, and transit designs that continue to inspire
colleagues around the world.
This compendium of 12 case studies (written by 18 authors
and edited by Vicente del Rio, a native Brazilian, and William
Siembieda—both professors at California Polytechnic
University, San Luis Obispo) describes the forces that created
the urban living environments experienced in Brazil today.
The cities examined—which range in population from 1.5 to
11 million—are Belém, Brasilia, Curitiba, Palmas, Porto
Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Sao Paulo.

Brasilia, Ministries Esplanade and National Congress Building. Source:

Wikimedia Commons. Photo by Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz, with permission.
6
(continued on next page)

Northern News 7 September 2009

FORT
EUREKA
BRAGG
DESIGN
MILL
GUIDELINES
SITE SPECIFIC PLAN

As a test, I used ArcGIS to create separate district maps for the City of Eureka. This
poster of districts never went to the client, but I was able to use this powerful mapping
program with the ArcCatalog quite coherently.

Program Used

ArcGIS 9

7
END OF THE SAMPLES

Hope you enjoyed the samples, and to the left are a few more snippets. I hope to hear
from you sometime soon.

Cheers,
Susanna Diaz