#481 - DESIGN REVIEW: NEW YORK CITY ARCHITECTURE
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design discuss the architecture of New York City. They reviewed the World Trade Centre Plaza, the Oculus, the High Line, Little Island Park, The High Line, The Edge, The Shed, The Vessel, Hudson Yards, and more. Enjoy!
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) World Trade Centre Plaza.
“One of the most common pitfalls of architects is the negative space they create with their buildings. There’s a lack of sensitivity to creating a space that is programmed, but also feels right. In some of the spaces, there's a program, but it doesn't feel like it was coherently thought about. That's also one of the challenges when you have a big master plan and a bunch of different architects doing completely different types of buildings. [In the World Trade Center Plaza], we have the Oculus, the Snohetta museum, the performing arts structure by REX, and a bunch of towers. There are a lot of different things happening. I've always felt like in this area and other areas like it, it's hard to make the space between those very different structures feel like it's intentional. It’s also the question of, ‘Whose responsibility is it to build and design it?’” (02:44)
“What does it mean to preserve a historic site? How do we do that appropriately and productively? Productive in the sense that when we preserve it, we're not just putting this thing in a glass box, but somehow its existence still contributes back to the urban fabric and the urban experience. In a lot of cases, we don't really answer those questions successfully. Is preserving an area or building enough to actually honor what it is, and truly preserve it when it does have an objectively negative impact on the experience of the area?” (09:12)
(11:49) The Oculus at The World Trade Center.
(21:12) How to create a profitable program in a historical site.
(25:53) The High Line.
(28:11) Little Island Park Hudson River.
(42:35) High Line The Edge.
(45:12) Indoor markets authenticity.
“When you have a privately owned area that's meant to feel public, it never feels right because they're trying to make it fit into the brand that they're creating. It's like a gentrified, cleansed space, and therefore it doesn't feel real and open to different things and different types of people.” (50:42)
(51:29) The Shed.
(53:17) The Vessel.
(01:04:54) Importance of circulation spaces.
(01:08:38) Hudson Yards.
“I was reminded and amazed at how much money and time are spent building the buildings in New York. But [looking at] the bigger picture outside of just New York, what does this mean? What’s the value of it, except for the very few who could experience it? [For example, at] The Highline, you still have people living in crappy buildings [on one side], and on the other side you have Zaha Hadid’s swoopy, curvy penthouses. It’s a place where the worlds collide. We’re just putting the two ends of the spectrum next to each other, but we’re not really learning and thinking about what would create a better middle ground.” (01:10:50)
“It just felt like all the architects were given an unlimited credit card to spend at a candy store. That's what the Hudson Yards is. As an architect, I felt like I was a bit let down because it’s still missing the soul. The soul of the place is not there. Do I feel like this place is as rewarding and productive compared to just a classic standard public park? They're different, but is this more of an expression of our current downfall as a society and the inequitable situation we're in? Is it more about that than something to be proud of? I think that's the question.” (01:12:05)
(01:13:27) Conclusion.
