The Parks and Open spaces studio was an experimental process of innovative map-making influenced by James Corner's mapping philosophy wherein, "mapping is a creative act revealing possibilities in what exists, but also actualizing that potential. Mapping that is not just for the sake of the finished product, but the process of mapping as a creative activity, and as a design tool."
We were told to be open in the process and explore any detail of the chosen urban environment to map and represent it using methods that were more of an emotional depiction rather than scientific ones. that gave us the liberty to choose from a range of options ranging from memory maps, pictures, patterns and typography.
The study area I chose focussed on the Manhattanville NYCHA settlement between bound by West 125th Street, Broadway, La Selle Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Particularly looking at the open spaces in the NYCHA settlements and noticing patterns in these spaces.
During the first few site visits, we were asked to take photographs and choose a method of Mapping based on what we would like to represent: I chose the mapping technique called "Drift", These maps are created using series of explanations and participatory acts with no rules to it. This helps in mapping some of the hidden topographies and patterns in the city or area of study.
On visiting the site, the most overpowering aspects were the fences, abandoned places of activity and dump sites. I used this as a cue to map out the areas of care and neglect inside and outside these fences.
I incorporated poetry to evoke imagery to the "Signs of Care" and "Signs of Neglect" as I moved through the site. The red boundaries indicate fences and physical edges. The different color codes indicate the nature and degree of use or misuse. The overlaps of these areas provokes further questions on the role of fences and edges indicating which fenced areas have signs of care and how they can be revived first.
A pattern recurring in many NYCHA settlements such as the one in W 125th st, is the fact that they are located in flood prone areas. By overlaying historic topography maps on the current NYCHA property, I depicted the terrain memory and the importance of disseminating these information to the residents to become aware of the landscape they occupy and means to mitigate them. "Once upon a time there was a stream" starts a conversation on resiliency, and planning equity that starts with respecting the natural terrain. As a precedent, on the right is an image of a flood mitigation design at a NYCHA settlement in Redhook.
The final slide of this presentation was meant to identify solutions. Using basic photoshop, I imagined these green spaces to be without fences..and the innumerable possibilities they could present for the community in terms of design and programing. "Imagine there's no fences, its easy if you try" is a rephrasing of on John Lennon's "Imagine" for comic effect.
