Apr 17
2011
Dubbed “NYC’s Playground for the Arts” by the New York Times, Governors Island in New York Harbor is a public space for gathering, recreation and innovative cultural experiences. It is also steward of a landmarked historic district and is accessible only by ferry. Over the last several years the island has welcomed an eclectic array of visual and performing arts, design, food and programs created by non profits, and has seen a dramatic increase in visitation.
What role do public spaces that double as Historic landmarks play in gathering, recreation and culture in a city? What new forms of collaboration, programming, and online connections can be (or already have been) developed for bringing people together in public spaces?
Andrew gave the final word
I find the extension of Borough Hall Plaza towards Cadman Plaza Park to the North to be one of the unsung (and mostly un-programmed though programmable) spaces of this City. It starts and ends at two histori landmarks (Borough Hall and the Bridge), but is hardly one itself. The connection from Dumbo, where our office is located, to Downtown Brooklyn and beyond, is made pleasurable, communal, and restful by virtue of this stretch of land…
Friday, April 22 at 10:09am
I grew up in NYC, and so have experienced the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s here – it’s wonderful to see the transformation that the city has undergone in the last few years, and all of the parks and green spaces that are now open to the public.
Growing up in Manhattan when I did we didn’t have cell phones and the internet as we do today. Everyone would congregate out of habit in places like Union Square, handball courts, or parks that were mainly pavement, and had little or no access to the waterfront.
As for public spaces that are also historic landmarks and play a role in gathering/recreation/culture, I would say the Brooklyn Banks (an area under the Brooklyn Bridge on the Manhattan side) were hugely important when I was young (again mostly pavement). We used to skateboard there, and really it was just kids re-purposing an unused public space for recreation via word of mouth that ultimately became somewhat of an iconic spot for the skateboard-subculture. Later magazines and events brought people there… It’s now a place accessible to a larger audience through photography, social media and the web – and has spurred the development of other skate parks in the city.
I think what makes a place appealing in NYC is that people are out in the parks, on the streets, using local businesses and have a sense of community and bump into people they know, or meet new people while at these places. Also, since there are now so many great programs, events and parks, and some places like Governors Island require that you take a ferry to visit, I think the web is a good tool to keep people informed – but I think we also can’t forget that information on the web serves only a narrow slice of the population in NYC that have access to it.
Thursday, April 21 at 9:09am
Public spaces that are also historic landmarks can uniquely contribute a heightened sense of place and meaning for cultural programs. A reason and context for gathering already exists for such spaces, so adding special programs serves to enrich the experience visitors have of both place and the art performed (or shown) in that space.
Historic landmarks usually have an existing communications operation and presence. This platform can be leveraged to effectively market special arts & culture activities to new audiences. As Carly mentioned in her comment, the Internet (specifically social networks) and mobile location based-applications are absolutely essential to any effective solution.
The “play” element that makes tools like Foursquare so popular can be used to great effect when tied to a historic landmark. Users of Foursquare love unlocking and collecting Badges available only for “checking in” at specific events, places or other qualifying activities. These are digital goodies that people enjoy just for the bragging rights and fun of it.
Historic landmarks can further engage audiences by creating special offers (e.g. admission discounts, free tours for the Mayor). Online such spaces can really take advantage of the long tail, or ability for niche interests to find a large and loyal audience.
Thursday, April 21 at 5:37pm
Andrew gave the Final Word
One example: I find the extension of Borough Hall Plaza towards Cadman Plaza Park to the North to be one of the unsung (and mostly un-programmed though programmable) spaces of this City. It starts and ends at two histori landmarks (Borough Hall and the Bridge), but is hardly one itself. The connection from Dumbo, where our office is located, to Downtown Brooklyn and beyond, is made pleasurable, communal, and restful by virtue of this stretch of land. It is, as mentioned, mostly un-programmed other than a soft track on which to run and a large field for ad hoc sports games. In 1953 Lewis Mumford wrote the following (in an essay entitled “Closed Minds and Open Spaces”, about Cadman Plaza Park:
“Do not think I would have the city forfeit a single square foot of ground now dedicated to parks, gardens, and plazas. But there is a better treatment than a wholesale concentration of open space. A great public square in the center of Brooklyn is certainly in order, but it should be planned for parades and public processions, for ceremonies and celebrations — not as a neighborhood park. Neither the sunken garden nor the plaza, with its long stretch of verdure, suggests that nay such public use was in mind. The plaza will be a pleasant place for nursemaids and mothers with baby carriages, and for public employees during a spring noon hour, but that will be about all.”
Mumford clearly had programming on the mind. And he wanted that programming to be of and for a collective, not individualized. It may have taken nearly 60 years and gentrification, but Cadman Plaza Park is doing quite well in Mumford’s feared state. It is the space nearest to Borough Hall that benefits from what Mumford desired, a space currently energized by civic workers, by demonstrations, farmers markets, by the collective city. The collective that Leslie refers to in her second question seems unnecessary in the garden of Cadman, but supportive in the shadow of Borough Hall.
Friday, April 22 at 10:09am
In my line of work, I collaborate with artists in various industries to program New York City-owned properties. Our portfolio of available properties consists of both the historic and new. The historic sites include the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Kingsbridge Armory, Essex Street Market and Battery Maritime Building, to name a few. Far and away, prospective tenants are more enthusiastic about the historic properties as these sites offer not only a unique aesthetic but also a sense of rootedness. People are attracted to permanency in NYC in particular, I believe, because life is constantly moving and in flux. The stories these buildings tell through the physical layers as well as the oral are engaging. The artists use the specific context to build their exhibition or develop their event and through doing so, add their own layer of history to the site.
Friday, April 22 at 11:21am
Keywords
Selected list of words appearing in this and other conversations.
Carly Hagins
freelance designer
0
I think public spaces that double as Historic landmarks can be host to a very interesting mix of people. Tourists tend to spend a lot of time in these areas while city dwellers may tend to use them as meet up spots, and then move on. I live in Boston and am thinking specifically of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. I haven’t visited Governor’s Island yet, and so I can’t comment on that specifically.
The internet continues to be an amazing tool for bringing people together in public spaces. World pillow fight day was a few weeks ago. The Boston ‘edition’ was mentioned in a few different print papers, but the location was not announced until the day before on the website of the hosts. I participated (so much fun) and was amazed and delighted to be part of a 500+ public pillow fight in a park in Cambridge. It’s phenomenal to think about the fact that more than 500 people showed up when the location was announced only one day prior. It was a bonus that the event drew people to a park many didn’t even know existed.
Monday, April 18 at 8:58pm