For the last two days, the focus of our landscape tour of New York City has been focused on Manhattan. Today, we were able to travel across the river to see the kind of development that has been going on in Brooklyn, which before today, neither Sarah nor I had ever been to. It was a completely new experience for both of us. Even though Brooklyn and Manhattan are in such close proximity, the feeling of both of these places is quite different, and the dialogue between the two is still evolving today.
Perhaps the reason that Brooklyn was so unique was due to the development and use of the land. It seems that this area was, and still is, much more industrial. We started and ended our day with two sites that are located on the waterfront and have a long history of industry that has been adapted to modern use. The first site was Gantry State Park, designed in part by Thomas Balsley, who we were lucky enough to have give a tour of the park. The day ended at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Building 92, which is a museum dedicated to the history of the navy yard. Both of these locations contained artifacts related to
their respective industries which provide a physical connection to history and help educate the public.
These locations were also easy to access and located along main roads. The entry to these landscapes contrasts with the accessibility of the Newtown Creek Nature Walk. We had to walk through an industrial area, filled with working businesses and truck activity. The cluttered streets did not feel very pedestrian friendly and made us feel like we were going somewhere we shouldn’t be. The physical entrance to the creek walk was tucked away at the end of a small street, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding businesses. This seems like it would not be a place that you would stumble upon accidentally.
Once you enter the park, the industry does not disappear. In fact, it almost became the focus of the park because the actual design is quite simple. Again, the site seems to blend in with its surroundings, as if it was an already existing landscape that was simply repurposed as opposed to actively designed. The limited color palette and the simple interventions faded into the background, and the focus was directed at the water and construction work going on in the distance. At this site in particular, the sound played a very crucial role in the overall character. With the exception of the occasional seagull, all you could hear was the sound of saws, trucks, and in particular, the sound of moving and crushing cars.
This experience at the creek walk serves as a reminder that visual features are not the only elements that influence a space. Sound can have an incredible impact on the atmosphere of a landscape.
Sarah Hoagland and Pamella Selby.
*Note: Due to issues with the sound files, the clips will be posted at a later time
Perhaps the reason that Brooklyn was so unique was due to the development and use of the land. It seems that this area was, and still is, much more industrial. We started and ended our day with two sites that are located on the waterfront and have a long history of industry that has been adapted to modern use. The first site was Gantry State Park, designed in part by Thomas Balsley, who we were lucky enough to have give a tour of the park. The day ended at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Building 92, which is a museum dedicated to the history of the navy yard. Both of these locations contained artifacts related to
their respective industries which provide a physical connection to history and help educate the public.
These locations were also easy to access and located along main roads. The entry to these landscapes contrasts with the accessibility of the Newtown Creek Nature Walk. We had to walk through an industrial area, filled with working businesses and truck activity. The cluttered streets did not feel very pedestrian friendly and made us feel like we were going somewhere we shouldn’t be. The physical entrance to the creek walk was tucked away at the end of a small street, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding businesses. This seems like it would not be a place that you would stumble upon accidentally.
Once you enter the park, the industry does not disappear. In fact, it almost became the focus of the park because the actual design is quite simple. Again, the site seems to blend in with its surroundings, as if it was an already existing landscape that was simply repurposed as opposed to actively designed. The limited color palette and the simple interventions faded into the background, and the focus was directed at the water and construction work going on in the distance. At this site in particular, the sound played a very crucial role in the overall character. With the exception of the occasional seagull, all you could hear was the sound of saws, trucks, and in particular, the sound of moving and crushing cars.
This experience at the creek walk serves as a reminder that visual features are not the only elements that influence a space. Sound can have an incredible impact on the atmosphere of a landscape.
Sarah Hoagland and Pamella Selby.
*Note: Due to issues with the sound files, the clips will be posted at a later time
