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What makes Robert Moses tick?

Robert Moses is power hungry. He comes from a family that was active in civil service. His grandfather, Bernhard Cohen, advocated for more “breathing space” for slum inhabitants and called for more parks. His mother, Bella Moses, played an important role in his life. Bella was heavily involved in the Settlement House Movement to help immigrants. She approved of his decision to dedicate his life to public service. He planned on doing so by reforming the civil service system. However, his civil service reform failed because he didn’t have support from influential politicians. He didn’t stand a chance against the political machine that was Tammany Hall. Belle Moskowitz teaches him the ins and outs of government and he begins to amass his power when Governor Smith gives him a position in government.

Guggenheim Museum

Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned by Solomon Guggenheim and Hilla Rebay to design a building for The Museum on Nonobjective Painting. This museum housed the largest collection of Vassily Kandinsky paintings. Wright drew inspiration from Kandinsky paintings for this project. His design of The Guggenheim museum is a 3D interpretation of Kandinsky works.

I agree with Liana that the design of the building leads to wasted space in the center. While most museums organize their exhibit in one room, The Guggenheim allows for a linearity to an exhibit. The MoMA also organizes their exhibit similarly. The oldest works are on the top floors and the newest works are on the lower floors separated but their temporary collections. I also like how Wright intended for visitors to go to the top floor and work their way down the spiral. I think my favorite part is leaning over to ledge and looking up and down.

https://www.guggenheim.org/the-frank-lloyd-wright-building

MoMA

Insecurities: Tracing Displacement and Shelter (curated by Sean Anderson)

The basic necessities for human life are food, water, and shelter. This exhibit explores what is shelter, how the refugee crisis affects shelter, and the global response to the refugee crisis. The UN estimates that over 65 million people are refugees or internally displaced persons. This exhibition is organized into three categories: borders, shelters, and camp-cities.

Borders discusses how geographic boundaries are used to prevent entries. As a result, people try to slip in and out of the boarders from flimsy boats.

Shelter focuses on the living solutions offered to refugees. Many refugees live in camps for many years. Their shelter should reflect that impermanence but also permanent enough so that they can carry about their lives.

Camp-cities is about “temporary” refugee camps that have become cities.

How Should We Live? Propositions for the Modern Interior (curated by Juliet Kinchin)

The Wie wohnen? Die Wohnung (How should we live? The dwelling) best summarizes the exhibit. The poster features a huge ”X” over a picture of a posh sitting room and poses the question “how should we live?” This exhibit focuses on modernity. The late 1920’s to late 1950’s was marked by many volatile historical events. As a result, this period was marked by “an interest in exploring new materials, a rejection of historical precedents, and a simplification of forms by a reduction of ornament.” During the Great Depression, designers questioned what was necessary. Mies van der Rohe famously said, “less is more.” They tried to find ways to live more simply and economically and to create practical and aesthetically pleasing living environments. They were inspired by the idea that good design will improve the quality of life.

New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society is a white Beaux-art building. In my opinion, this building looks like a museum. At first glance, the Georgian red bricked Museum of the City of New York looked like one of the buildings at the Civic Center or St. Andrew's Church.

The entire film experience for New York Story was more ostentatious than that of Timescapes. The theater had plush seats, balcony seating, colored spotlights, and several screens that unfurled throughout the screening. The viewing room at MCNY was modest. The film was projected onto one screen that viewers watched from several rows of benches. There seemed to be more people, besides our class, watching Timescapes. I didn’t notice the theater filling up when we were watching New York Story. However, this may be because the room at MCNY was smaller so it gave the illusion of being more popular. I wish they had used the theatrical lighting more. In one scene, New York Story, recreated an explosion by flashing a yellow light. That seemed almost accidental because it never used lighting that way again. After all, once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action (in this case, looks purposeful). The cinematography of New York Story was beautiful, but I prefer the contents of Timescapes. It focuses on the story of New York, whereas New York Story tells the history the United States through the lense of New York City. New York Story doesn’t go in depth about the history of New York. It provides a quick history lesson about New York, only elaborating when large national events like the American Revolution, Civil War, and the Great Depression occur. In my opinion, the production overpowered the star of the film – New York.

Central Park & The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Central Park

In the late 1850′s, Central Park was created to give lungs to the crowded and industrialized city. Wealthy merchants wanted a park that would rival the gardens of their European contemporaries. Olmsted and Vaux won the design competition for the park with their Greensward Plan. They planned out every aspect of the park. Every plant was planted so that the landscape would change with the seasons. The rambling paths were heavily influenced from English landscape gardens and the allée of trees were influenced from French gardens. There are four transverse roads that allow cross-town traffic. The design of the park offers a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Besides the incredible works of art, the Met is a pretty incredible work in itself. You can still see some of the features of the original building as you wander through the museum. At the European Sculpture Court, you can see the original red brick facade.

http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/features/2010/the-museum-constructed

This link shows some of the other original features of the museum as well as a short video that shows the chronological expansion of the museum.

Seneca Village

How does knowing about Seneca Village and its history change your perception of the project to build Central Park, its design, and its construction?

In the 1850′s New York City needed a nice public park. Wealthy merchants who’ve traveled overseas and seen the gardens in Europe really pushed this idea. The city decided that the tract of land from 59th to 106th St. between 5th and 8th Ave. (currently Central Park West) was the ideal spot. There were only 1,600 residents in that area. One of the communities, Seneca Village, was a thriving neighborhood of property owning and tax paying families, laborers, and professionals. It was populated by African Americans and European immigrants, who were considered the lowest rung of the social ladder. Through the 5th Amendment, this area was taken away from its residents (with “just compensation”) so that it would be more beneficial to the public. The existence of Central Park came at a cost of the demolition of communities like Seneca Village.

This history is a blight on Central Park. It’s horrible that a park intended to improve life in New York City uprooted communities in the process. I wasn’t surprised to learn that communities were forced to leave in order to build the park. I think that learning this has made me feel more ashamed of the history of racism in our city but, I don’t think that it changes most people’s perception of the park. After all, we had no problem pushing Native Americans out for more land as well.

Queens Museum

The Panorama of the City of New York offers an unparalleled view of the city barring an airplane window seat. Except here, I actually have time to make out landmarks and streets. It was commissioned to celebrate New York City’s infrastructure for the 1964 World’s Fair by Robert Moses. After the World’s Fair, it served as a planning tool for the city. The exhibit was built by Raymond Lester & Associates, an architectural model maker. He used aerial photographs of the city, Sanborn fire insurance maps, and other city documents to ensure that there was less than one percent margin of error. 1 inch on this model is equivalent to 100 feet in real life. It took over 100 full time workers over three years to build. In fact, two of the workers, Bill and Ed, left their names spelled in shrubbery on two islands in Jamaica Bay. At the World’s Fair, there was a nine minute “helicopter ride” that allowed visitors to simulate sightseeing over the city. The helicopter track was replaced in 1994 by the ramps and the glass partition.

I think if the exhibit were somewhere in Manhattan, it would receive more attention. I wish the exhibit had overhead fluorescent lighting. The incandescent lighting only illuminated some areas and left others in the dark. It also made everything look faded and yellow, but perhaps it was simulating a sunny day.

New York Transit Museum

Steel, Stone & Backbone: Building New York’s Subways exhibit explains the construction of the subway system. It’s pretty amazing that millions of people today still use this system that was built in the early 20th century by immigrant laborers. The subway has shaped New York City. The trains connect the boroughs to take New Yorkers to work or to have some fun.

Bringing Back The City: Mass Transit Responds To Crisis exhibit reminded me of my own experiences. I was five during 9/11. My parents sent me to school in the Lower Manhattan but I lived in Queens. Because all traffic was diverted out of the city and MTA shut down the subway system, my mom and I were stranded in Manhattan. Luckily, my grandparents’ apartment was just outside the evacuation zone, so my mom and I stayed there for the night. The next morning, when MTA resumed subways service, my mom and I caught the 7 train back into Queens. There was a suspicious package in Flushing, so we were stuck in the train with hundreds of grim-faced people.

#week 5 #new york transit museum

World Trade Center

Westfield World Trade Center

When people think of New York City, they think of its iconic skyline. Although this building is not that tall, it definitely stands out from the other towering skyscrapers. It reminds me of the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament. It’s as if we are Jonah and the building is the great fish that swallows him. It feels a little weird knowing that thousands of people perished not too far away from this structure but people are here blissfully engaging in retail therapy. The Oculus provides a lot of natural lighting. It seems very sterile but the lighting provides some warmth. I also agree that it’s reminiscent of the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport.

#week 4 #world trade center #westfield world trade center #the oculus #9/11 memorial

Garden City | Mega City

The museum had an exhibit on Singaporean architects, WOHA. Singapore is a small island city with about 5.5 million residents. They implemented programs to create affordable housing and promote home ownership. Environmental sustainability is also important to Singapore as they have limited land and water resources. As a result, many of their skyscrapers are high-density, eco-friendly vertical villages. I like this idea of creating a literal urban jungle, especially since human overpopulation and climate change are growing issues. If the criteria, is to create sustainable, high density living, then I think the architects have succeeded. In addition of residential, office, and retail spaces, most of these building have multiple gardens and parks built into the buildings. They are self-sufficient and contribute to the ecosystem. For instance, the plan for Permeable Lattice City would create 100% energy, food, and water self-sufficiency and fully contribute to the ecosystem.

#week 4 #skyscraper museum

Roberto Burle Marx, a Brazilian Modernist

Marx was a jack of many trades. He was a painter, sculptor, ceramicist, stained glass artist, and a designer of textiles, jewelery, theater sets, and costumes. His work is so geometric and vivacious. His designs for the garden of the Clemente Gomes residence, Fazenda Vargem Grande, Areias; Parque Del Este, Caracas, Venezula; and the garden of the Ministry of the Army, Brasilia remind me of a child’s road play rug or an amusement park map because they are so vibrant.

#week 3 #the jewish museum #roberto burle marx

Timescapes

Timescapes reminds us of our city’s beginnings. It tells the story of New York City. The film condenses 400 years of history into ten sections.

Before 1609, tells us about how the Native Americans used the land.

Colonial City tells us about Dutch colonialism and how New Amsterdam was surrendered to the English who renamed it New York, after the Duke of York.

The Great Port was about New York after the American Revolution. New York developed a grid system and built the Erie Canal so New Yorkers can connect to the west. Combined with the ports at South Street, New York was one of the greatest port cities.

A City of Strangers was the result of the canal. New York became industrialized and immigrants poured in for factory jobs. This influx of immigrants lead to slums and suburbs.

The Metropolis discussed the construction of civic and cultural landmarks and the wealth gap.

The Modern City mostly comprised of the construction of skyscrapers and subway lines.

The Cosmopolitan City was mostly about countercultures in New York and New York’s response to the Great Depression.

The Regional City was about rebuilding the city after the depression. Highways and bridges were built to link the city to the suburbs. During this time, poverty increased and civil services declined.

The Renaissance concentrated on a new wave of immigration and crime reduction. 9/11 marked the end of the renaissance.

The Global City focuses on recovering from 9/11, rezoning, and pedestrianized streets.

I liked that the film does not skirt around the city’s less than pleasant history. When we think of NYC, we think of flashing neon lights, concrete jungles, and a cultural melting pot. We often forget to acknowledge its grim history that shaped the city to what it is today.

#week 3 #museum of the city of new york #timescapes

High Line Park

Because of many train related accidents on Tenth Avenue, The High Line was designed to eliminate street-level train crossings. It opened in 1934 to bring goods to and from warehouses and factories along the west side. But by 1980, the interstate highway eliminated the need of railways. Some fought to have the remaining High Line demolished but “Friends of the High Line” advocated for preservation and reuse as public space. They held a competition to redesign the High Line, and in 2004, Diller, Scofidio, and Renfro’s design was selected.

I liked that the architects have managed to make the park look modern but still keep elements of the original railroad tracks. Its industrial qualities allows it to fit right in with the buildings nearby. I also like how the park went through buildings instead of building around it. It creates a short tunnel between W 15th and W 16th streets. As a result, this area had many food stands and seats for people to eat a snack. It went through buildings again between W 13th and W 14th and between W 12th and W 13th, which provides shade. Although I wish that the path were a little wider in some areas. It didn’t have enough space for two-way walking traffic. The grass and shrubbery took up a lot of room that could have been allotted to the pathway.

#week 2 #high line

Condos of the Living Dead

New York City expresses itself through the evolving architecture of its iconic skyline. Currently, modernity is characterized by “high-design”, “high-concept”, and “high-priced” condominiums. The author argues that buildings with large panes of glass representing “transparency, openness, harmony, and light” are unoriginal and reminiscent of those in Europe and the Middle East. These buildings do not fit the atmosphere of New York because there is nothing distinctive about them. The word “unique” is often used to describe elements of the building, however, this word has lost all meaning because it is so overused. The author argues that this design revolution does not display design and architectural greatness, instead, it is reflective of the new New Yorkers who can afford this lavish but empty lifestyle. They provide a temporary place for one to charge electronics, drink fair trade coffee, and sleep. These condos are a pit stop. It’s not a place where one would want to build a life. “This is simply an investment with sleepover possibilities. It’s a silent, screaming, locked-away loneliness. They’re building apartments for people who don’t have anyone to entertain and wouldn’t know if they did. Their box is not for lifestyle, but for storing an unexplored, unused life.” I somewhat agree. I would be afraid to make a mess if I lived in those condos. It would be weird if it looked remotely lived in and not like it came straight from pages of a magazine. These condos are represent their owners, devoid of life.

#week 2 #condos of the living dead

EXTRA-ORDINARY: New Practices in Chilean Architecture

The MAD Building at The Grange School in Santiago, Chile houses the school’s music, art, and drama departments. It is designed by Max Núñez, who sought to inspire creativity and innovation through learning. This building sits in the center of the school campus and starkly contrasts with the neoclassical styled buildings across from it. Whereas those buildings are firmly rooted to the ground, the MAD Building is lofty and flows with the environment. It has a lower level and an upper level. Because it is elevated, it provides the students with more open space and shelter from the elements.

http://www.maxnunez.cl/Projects/67/MAD_Building/

#week 1 #EXTRA-ORDINARY: New Practices in Chilean Architecture

The Edifice Complex: How the Rich and Powerful Shape the World

As discussed in class, architecture is an unique form of art because it serves a practical purpose. The author, Deyan Sudjic, argues that in addition to being useful, architecture is used to make statements, especially political statements. He opens up with the Mother of All Battles Mosque as an example. Saddam Hussein built this mosque to show that he is the political leader of those who are of Muslim faith. Sudjic says that “architecture is used by political leaders to seduce, to impress, and to intimidate.” We often think of architecture as great works of art but we can forget that architecture conveys power.

The edifice complex is the subconscious desire to express one’s ego through building. By constructing buildings, it not only creates more job opportunities, but also, it is a reminder of a politician’s legacy. Seeing the landscape changing before their eyes as a result of their influence can be very enticing. I’ve never thought about the relationship between demolition and construction. It reminded me of Emperor Vespasian commissioning the Flavian Amphitheater at the site of Nero’s lavish palace. By destroying the palace Nero built for himself and building an arena for Roman use, Vespasian removed Nero’s legacy from Rome. Ironically, the amphitheater is popularly called the Colosseum because of the colossal statue of Nero that stood next to the amphitheater.

#week 1 #The Edifice Complex: How the Rich and Powerful Shape the World

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