URBAN DESIGN STUDIO I: FALL -1996

Grahame Shane
Brian Mc. Grath
Victoria Benatar

Harlem Empowerment Zone

RE-URBANIZATION

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STUDENT PROBES

East Harlem Arts Corridor:
INTENSIFYING TEXTURES

"The City urges contradiction most.. encouraging you to buy street food when you have no appetite at all; the range of what an artful city can do...city life is street life." The street is a stage for motion, constructions, scenery, actors and landscape. East Harlem is on the verge of casting off the scars of the last few decades. There is both desire and apprehension from the community as to how it will participate, and what the changes will bring. The core of this study is the notion of a break with the immediate past/ a crack in the status quo/ a real canal/ a metaphorical opening/ out of which new possibilities will arise. Historically, there existed an inlet at the East River that extended west to what is now the Harlem Meer. It still exists, and even though the water has been defied, crushed and ignored - like so much human potential, it continuously strives to be felt - literally flooding basements at heavy rains. Once exposed, this natural force could be the source of a link between Central Park and the East River, between the primordial landscape and the present, and between greater NYC and East Harlem. The elements of the plan are intended to seed rejuvination of the neighborhood (protection to existing residents, should the neighborhood real estate become extremely desirable, will be instituted via special zoning measures) . a. Arts/cultural/community The belief in a mutual community based Arts incentive already exists. This groundswell of Arts and Cultural functions has an expectation to build on and include the local community as well as to reach out and engage the city - and the world. b. Ground forms The open terrain, at street level, at mid-tower level, at water level. For cultivation, landscape, playground, unprogrammed air space, community garden. Within the neighborhood; the fluid nature of life, home, homes, homelands, movement - the span, the pulse of cultures crossing. c. Water / art form The canal, cultural link - the Rain forest of Puerto Rico, the dream of a rain forest in NYC. Water as an artistic, oxygenating, sustaining medium. d. Working / living/ production space e. Transportation Ferry stop at 107 Street Pier (La Guardia - to downtown) Completion of 2nd Avenue Subway "...the amazement of throwing open the window and being hypnotized for hours by people on the street below." Toni Morrison

For comments about the project write to: [email protected]

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