We want to use the theme “ Public mode versus Private mode versus somewhere in between mode” to define our photo grid. All these different kinds of mode revealed by human activities.
Varied activities provide different kinds of scenarios. Through observing these scenarios we separated all the sites we visited into these three categories.
Private mode:
East River Ferry: All the way from the end of Wall street and lead to Pier 15 are different scale of benches. A lot of private activities happen here. There are people fishing, homeless people sleeping, lying on the bench to enjoy the Sun, sitting on the bench to get a panorama view of East River and so on. And I noticed all these different types of activities change follow the transformation of the relationship between bench and railing or it works reversely.
Paley Park: The entire space of this park gives me a impression of private. You follow several steps up pass a gate into a space fenced by high walls. At the end of this space is a big waterfall wall. I feel this as a tranquil space. People would meet their friends or eat lunch here. But they are like in their private group defined by the distribution of table and chairs.
Franklin D Roosevelt Park: The first feeling when I get into this park is solemnity and the strongly direction. I am kind of forced to follow the lead of the tree way and go all the way down to the statue. To me this space is for memorial so we define it as private mode.
Public mode:
East River Ferry: The Public mode for this spot is Pier 15. After a short walk along the ramp, people are directed to the big green roof space supported by two story grassy pavilion, there are several curve shape benches where people gather. Like today we took our group picture there. The decks and steps, mixed together give this roof a sense of city garden.
High Line:
There are two main big terraces sit in High Line. These two nodes are like joints where people could pause here. Because most of the space in High Line are like path way due to the scale. So we call these two terraces public mode. Sitting there together facing the street, it’s like a open outdoor theater people are getting together and watching a big show played by the city.
Time Square Reconstruction:
Similarly to the High Line, there is also a big terrace in Time Square which facing the crowded city background. People will gather here eating lunch, meeting friends and etc. A little bit different from High Line terrace, people who sit on this terrace are watching the performance of the city at the same time themselves are providing a kind of “perform” for the people passing by.
Bryant Park:
Among all the spaces in this park, the big lawn I love most. Maybe because of the weather, after a long winter people are going out and enjoy the sunshine lying or sitting on the lawn. In fact, the whole scenario looks like a “ritual”.
In between mode:
Bryant Park: Apart from the big lawn several tables and chairs distribute regularly around it. I assume this part as in between mode because we could change the distribution of facilities. If it is a private lunch meeting then just on table surrounded by three or four chairs. But if it is a speech like today chairs could be lined up or round up as a public mode. So we call it in between mode.
