Along with the previously observed site at Elysian Fields Avenue, the intersection of Franklin St. and Chartres presents a temporal boundary within the neighborhood. The perceived boundary is observed through physical and perceptual alterations in scale. Franklin Street widens as it meets St Roch, and as one encounters the intersection, aural and visual changes occur. The acoustic properties of direct and reflected sound are altered as one passes from a narrow street like Chartres into a wider intersection at Franklin. The open intersection allows direct sound to travel farther, while the wider separation of structures lengthens the intervals between primary and reflected sound. As with the site at Elysian Fields, alterations in visual perception occur at this intersection. A forced perspective is created while peering from the broad intersection at Franklin and Chartres to the narrow streets heading north. These changes in scale and perception create boundaries that allow people to define space and place. On a small scale, these boundaries may separate one block from another or act as visual cues that help people navigate through the neighborhood. On a larger scale, the sum of these boundaries define the overall neighborhood and establish it’s place within the region.
The observations for this sight visit were recorded in short intervals over a relatively short time span. Every four minutes, for approximately two hours, I recorded observations regarding light, sound, temperature, movement and human activity. Because these intervals were short, many micro temporal changes could be observed and recorded. These small nuances may not have been easily observed if the recording interval was once every hour. On an hourly scale, subtle changes may have been overlooked, and my observations would only present a generalized picture of the temporal changes throughout the day. For example, within several minutes of my observation, I watched many bicyclists passing through the intersection of Chartres and Franklin. If I had only taken a snapshot once an hour, I may have not noticed how many cyclists actually use this street. The same may have been overlooked if I were recording temperature. The overall temperature may only fluctuate within several degrees throughout the entire day. By observing short intervals, I was able to observe that the temperature fluctuates up and down very briefly in response to quick moving clouds that block the sun intermittently. By observing short intervals, one can really understand that every site is constantly in flux at all times.
Through these observations, I am able to say that understanding micro and macro temporal changes is extremely important when trying to understand a site. Without observing micro and macro changes, one cannot truly understand the complexity of any site. For example, one may conclude that a house facing east will receive morning sunlight. Inherently this conclusion may be true because the sun rises from east to west, but this assumption does not take into account factors that may influence sunlight that actually reaches the home. If for instance, the home is adjacent to a five-story building, the early morning light may be blocked and the house only receives direct sunlight during mid-day. One must take into account both micro and macro temporal changes to truly understand a site.

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