NATURE AND THE METROPOLISNEW YORK’S WILD SIDE

J. Garrett Sibinga

Nature and the Metropolis: New York's Wild Side engages utopian fanta-sies and their e�ect on the relationship to nature in New York City. As the premier example of urbanity in the western world, New York provides a backdrop for the study the rapid transformation of a natural landscape into a bustling cityscape.

New York City has had a di�cult and constantly evolving relationship with the natu-ral landscape. Over the course of its history the city has developed into one of the largest urban centers in the world, nurturing a population of more than eight million people. Social movements, technological developments, and a population which is profoundly industrious, have all left their mark on the landscape, and contributed to an intrinsically troubling question.

As the city moves forward into an uncertain future, where climate change threatens the ground(s) on which the metropolis was built, questions are raised about this relationship to the environment. Is it possible for the city to live harmoniously with nature? What is nature's role in the modern city? And how can past relationships to nature inform the way that we interact with our environment as we move forward?

The exhibition attempts to elucidate a fundamental evolution of man's relationship to nature, which is our understanding of its complexity. Over the course of the 20th century science made great strides in demystifying natural complexities, and meth-ods for dealing with complexity. Refuting the simplification of “nature” and “green space” foisted upon the urban populace by architects and planners in the early 20th century, nature has begun to re-insert itself into the city in a way that is localized and informed.

By confronting the issues of complexity within nature, humans are able to design structures, systems, and societies which function harmoniously with the world around them. Catalyzed by the enthusiasm of a youthful population, and the unlim-ited access to knowledge a�orded by the information age, New York has seen the emergence new natural relationships.

PROJECT STATEMENTIntroduction

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SPATIAL LAYOUT Through a linear narrative, structured according to a timeline of major events in New York, and illustrated with an array of utopian futures, the exhi-bition plans to promote discourse on current and historical relationships to nature. Unrealized utopias become a lens for analysis as the city plunges headlong into an uncertain climate, and questions arise about the necessities for change.

STRUCTURE The exhibition is structured according to sub-categories, and through the juxtapositions of linear space, a constructed narrative, and a discursive space with emphasis on contemporary issues.

CONCEPT The narrative of the exhibition begins with an exploration of the concept of Utopia, Thomas More's treatise of the 16th century in which he theorizes an ideal society, including details which specify architecture, social structure, landscape and government. Complementing More's theories on social utopia are wall texts con-cerning the agrarian ideals of Thomas Je�erson, explaining the founding father's personal utopian theories as they pertain to America.

TIMELINE Tying these concepts into a concrete reality, the exhibition uses New York as a case study, displaying a timeline of its development along the wall on the left. Juxtaposing them with the development of Utopian ideas in architecture, visitors can explore the subject matter, and make informed decisions about the utility and relevance of utopian scenario as a method for solving social problems. The exhibi-tion aims to grapple with the notion of utopia as a reflection of the pervasive trends that arise as architects and planners envision a perfect world.

SOCIAL REFORM The late 19th century examines a focus on social reform, spurred by the increasingly dismal conditions found in urban ghettos as density skyrocketed and sanitation and housing infrastructure lagged. Spurred by the rise of photogra-phy as a medium for documenting social inequity, the focused e�orts of reformers to clean up slums and inner cities catalyzed the work of planners such as Ebenezer Howard. By equating light, air, and nature to health, projects like the Garden City Project reinstated nature as a program within the city. Frederick Law Olmsted's and Calvert Vaux's Greensward plan for central park emphasized “nature as the cure for the ills of urbanity”. His engagement with landscape design in American cities pres-ents fascinating theories about the building styles, and appropriateness within an environmental context. His attempts to cohesively integrate landscape design and architecture would influence the fundamental structure of regional architecture in the US.

PROJECT STATEMENTAbout the Exhibition

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SKYSCRAPER UTOPIA Moving through the early twentieth century renderings by Hugh Ferriss display a dark and shadowy metropolis where skyscrapers rule. Ferriss's renderings explore the mood of the city, a celebration of the giant build-ings, where each one has a personality, and they interact with each other. These urban characters are rendered in relation to the zoning reforms of 1916, regula-tions that re-defined the cityscape.

AUTOMOBILE UTOPIA The work of 20th century modernists is displayed oppos-ing images of New York City bustling with tra�c. The proliferation of cars funda-mentally changed the city, and these images positioned next to each other fun-damentally changed the way that the city functioned. This change is reflected in the exuberant way that architects set about making drawings for the ideal future. The change the automobile engendered took place largely outside of the city in the post-war era. The separation of the landscape into suburbs meant that the necessity for nature was removed from the city, as it could be enjoyed privately from single-family homes.

AGRARIAN UTOPIA Coming into the bend of the narrative, visitors are con-fronted with a large mirror, which angles into the exhibition, lying flush against the diagonal wall in the back left corner of the gallery. In the mirror is a glimpse of the future, a city in which architects of the try to reconcile the existence of the automobile, the natural landscape, and urban density.

CONTEMPOARY DISCOURSE The discursive area includes a large amount of open space with models from contemporary firms that deals with issues currently facing New York City. Some of these projects, such as Oyster-tecture, integrate living organisms into the built environment, signifying creative adaptations of natural systems to solve serious environmental problems. This section hopes to engender meaningful dialogue about the possibilities for re-defining the city in relationship to nature.

EXHIBITION STRUCTUREGalleries & Structural Logic

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SOCIAL

UTOPIA

AUTOMOBILE

UTOPIA

INTRODUCTION

SKYSCRAPER UTOPIA

CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE

AGRARIANUTOPIA

TECHNOLOGICAL UTOPIA

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EXHIBITION STRUCTUREGalleries & Structural Logic

GALLERY 1 - SOCIAL UTOPIA

The first gallery introduces viewer to key concepts within the exhibi-tion. Composed of the theory that forms the foundations of the ex-hibit, and the early stages of utopian thinking, first within a broader context, and then specifically as they pertain to New York.

Beginning with the Commissioners plan of 1811, and progressing through the work of reformists, and the planning of Central Park by Frederick Law Olmsted, it provides the undercurrents which tie the exhbition together, and lays the groundwork for the discussions and deviations which would occur in the next 150 years.

TOP: Greensward Plan, 1850 Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux`BOTTOM: Commissioner’s Plan of 1811, John Rutherford, Gouverneur Morris, & Simeon De Witt

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GALLERY 1 - INTRO AND SOCIAL UTOPIA

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GALLERY 2 - INDUSTRIAL UTOPIA

Focusing on industrial aesthetics and the hysteria that ensued follow-ing the invention and proliferation of the automobile, the second gal-lery explores ideas of the city as a playground for cars rather than people, and replacing the need for open space and greenery, with a program for more roads, more parking, and less people.

Many images present the city with the emphasis on buildings and on infrastructure, without any mention of nature or humans. The living city has been superceded by the industrial city.

TOP: Greensward Plan, 1850 Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux`BOTTOM: Commissioner’s Plan of 1811, John Rutherford, Gouverneur Morris, & Simeon De Witt

TOP LEFT: Buildings in the Moderling Project, Aerial Perspective, 1924 Hugh Ferriss

BOTTOM LEFT: Lower Manhattan Expressway Project, 1972 John Rudolph

BOTTOM RIGHT: City of the Future, 1913 Harvey Corbett

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GALLERY 2 - INDUSTRIAL UTOPIA

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GALLERY 3 - AGRARIAN UTOPIA

Following an era in which the speed of the automobile captivated the imagina-tions and the drawing boards of many architects, was one in which an apprecia-tion for nature, was balanced into the equation.

Utopian visions from this time attempted merge the disparate conditions of the urban and the suburban which had emerged after World War II. These two conditions o�ered juxtaposed relations to nature, and architects struggled to realize images where the urban could be wedded with the natural.

BOTTOM LEFT: Living City Model, 1947, Frank Lloyd WrightTOP RIGHT: Highrise of Homes, project, Exterior perspective, SITE ArchitectsBOTTOM RIGHT: St. Mark's-in-the-Bouwerie Towers, 1927, Frank Lloyd Wright

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GALLERY 3 - AGRARIAN UTOPIA

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GALLERY 4 - NATURE/CITY POLEMIC

The alcove of the gallery contains mate-rial which deals directly with the nature/city polemic in architecture.

Theories and work prsented grapple with the idea of man within the city and nature will be displayed in this area. A more focused analysis of the impact of man and urbanism on the natural landscape is explored.

The work of Eric Sandersen and Cedric Price represent tangible examples of the questions raised at the intersection of urbanity and nature.

BOTTOM LEFT: Generator Project, White Oak Florida, 1980 Cedric Price

TOP RIGHT: The Manhattan Tran-scripts, 1977 Bernard Tschumi

BOTTOM RIGHT: Mannahatta Cover Image, 2002 Eric Sandersen

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GALLERY 4 - NATURE/CITY POLEMIC

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GALLERY 6 - TECHNOLOGICAL UTOPIA

The technological utopia gallery o�ers viewers a window into the preoc-cupation with technology that arose in the work of the 1960’s including projects from Buckminster Fuller, Paolo Soleri, and the Metabolist move-ments.

Buckminster Fuller’s ideas of technological supremacy and the creation of ideal worlds through engineering were hugely influential. The metabolist movements attempted to re-imagine cities as organic entities which could grow organically, reflecting their living counterparts.

TOP LEFT: Sketch for Dome Over Manhattan Project , 1965 Buckmin-ster Fuller and Tadao Ando

BOTTOM LEFT: Stadtlandschaft Berlin, 1967 Paolo Soleri

BOTTOM RIGHT: Helix City Project, Tokyo Japan, 1961 Kisho Kurokawa

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GALLERY 6 - TECHNOLOGICAL UTOPIA

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GALLERY 5 - CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE

The contemporary discourse section o�ers visitors a moment to reflect on the material presented and to think critically about the work of contemporary architects to re-integrate nature into the city.

Featuring works from prominent architects such as Diller, Scofidio & Renfro, WorkAC, and Terreform, it provides visions of theoretical futures and the possi-bilities for re-definition of the urban relation to nature.

BOTTOM LEFT: Urbanerring Brooklyn 2110, 2010 Terreform

BOTTOM RIGHT: Model for the High Line, 2006 Diller, Scofidio & Renfro

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GALLERY 5 - CONTEMPORARY DISCOURSE

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WALL TEXTS

Commissioner's Plan of 1811 - JOHN RUTHERFORD

The Commissioner's Plan of 1811 is the most important document in the history of Manhattan. It defined the parameters of development and created a uniform structure through which the metropolis rapidly expanded. The plan marked a monumental change in the way that Manhattan related to its physical environ-ment. Its very essence resists nature and embodies the structural logic of the city. The plan made no concessions for the topography or the landscape of the island, disregarding and devaluing its natural qualities. The presentation of a grid which so vastly over-simplified the complexity of the island's geography was a startling and ambitious proposition. The grid is an egalitarian tool for regulating the chaotic and frenzied development that had taken place up until that point. The grid was an extremely e�ective way to sell property, organize infrastructure, and standardize an otherwise unmanageable cityscape.

The plan is remarkable in its simplicity, and unforgiving conformity. It high-lights a fundamental distrust of the logic of nature, and instead replaces it with the logic of man. Like a cartesian grid, it rationalizes every location, and stan-dardizes every measurement. It provides the structure and the vision for the development of one of the greatest testaments to the will of man to dominate nature. The grid is the anti-nature, everything that is sinuous, seductive, and imperfect has been removed. The serendipitous curves of the city's earliest streets are nowhere to be found.

Without the grid there would be no Manhattan as we know it today. There is a finality to its planning, limited to the tip of the island, it reaches a logical con-clusion, but only after a massively ambitious achievement of human will.

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WALL TEXTS

Commissioner's Plan of 1811 - JOHN RUTHERFORD

The Commissioner's Plan of 1811 is the most important document in the history of Manhattan. It defined the parameters of development and created a uniform structure through which the metropolis rapidly expanded. The plan marked a monumental change in the way that Manhattan related to its physical environ-ment. Its very essence resists nature and embodies the structural logic of the city. The plan made no concessions for the topography or the landscape of the island, disregarding and devaluing its natural qualities. The presentation of a grid which so vastly over-simplified the complexity of the island's geography was a startling and ambitious proposition. The grid is an egalitarian tool for regulating the chaotic and frenzied development that had taken place up until that point. The grid was an extremely e�ective way to sell property, organize infrastructure, and standardize an otherwise unmanageable cityscape.

The plan is remarkable in its simplicity, and unforgiving conformity. It high-lights a fundamental distrust of the logic of nature, and instead replaces it with the logic of man. Like a cartesian grid, it rationalizes every location, and stan-dardizes every measurement. It provides the structure and the vision for the development of one of the greatest testaments to the will of man to dominate nature. The grid is the anti-nature, everything that is sinuous, seductive, and imperfect has been removed. The serendipitous curves of the city's earliest streets are nowhere to be found.

Without the grid there would be no Manhattan as we know it today. There is a finality to its planning, limited to the tip of the island, it reaches a logical con-clusion, but only after a massively ambitious achievement of human will.

WALL TEXTS

HIGHRISE HOMES PROJECT 1970- SITE ARCHITECTS The Highrise Homes project engenders the struggle to incorporate the contra-dictory programs of urban and suburban living. The project calls for an eight-to-ten-story building frame, to be erected in densely populated areas. The developer then sells lots within the frame, and the house and garden style can be chosen by the purchaser. A central mechanical core would service all of the homes. The end result would be an urban suburb, a private home, with access to all the amenities of the city.

Visualizing a utopia where the suburban ideals of privacy and space coincide with the urban ideals of convenience and density, the project questions whether the two notions of habitation are incompatible, or if they can operate simultaneously. Developers considered Battery Park as a possible location for the project, but it was never built.

HELIX CITY PROJECT 1961- KISHO KUROKAWA

Kisha Kurokawa's Helix City Project is a seminal example of the Japanese me-tabolist movement of the 1960's. The metabolists believed that cities could be designed according to organic paradigms, and that biological processes could be programmed to deal with problems of rapid growth.

These designs involved enormously scaled buildings, each representing indi-vidual nodes within a dense living urban fabric. Kurokawa's plan envisions an organic city based on service towers, and connected by an infrastructure of bridges. Residential buildings fill the gaps, and the pattern continues infinitely. The metabolist's faith in the possibility of nature as a formative and functional element of a city presented a radically re-defined relationship of nature and the city.

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ST. MARK’S-IN-THE-BOWERIE 1927 - FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

The design of these apartment towers for St. Mark's-in-the-Bouwerie in New York City (1927) stemmed from Wright's vision for Usonia, a new American culture based on the synthesis of architecture and landscape. The organic "tap-root" structural system resembles a tree, with a central concrete and steel load-bearing core rooted in the earth, from which floor plates are canti-levered like branches. This system frees the building of load-bearing interior partitions and supports a modulated glass curtain wall for increased natural illumination.

The three towers on the triangular park site are positioned apart from other tall buildings to avoid creating the dark urban canyons typified by tenements housing blocks. Although the St. Mark's project was never realized, similar concepts materialized thirty years later in Wright's H. C. Price Company Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

WALL TEXTS

Works Cited

1. Bergdoll, Barry, and Reinhold Martin. Foreclosed: Rehousing the Ameri-can Dream. New York, NY: Museum of Modern Art, 2012. Print.

2. Bletter, Rosemarie Haag. Remembering the Future: The New York World's Fair from 1939-1964. New York: Rizzoli, 1989. Print.

3. Burrows, Edwin G., and Mike Wallace. Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. Print.

4. Chu, Hsiao-yun, and Roberto G. Trujillo. New Views on R. Buckminster Fuller. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 2009. Print.

5. Coleman, Nathaniel. Utopias and Architecture. Abingdon [England: Routledge, 2005. Print.

6. Dahinden, Justus. Urban Structures for the Future. New York: Praeger, 1972. Print.

7. Fein, Albert. Frederick Law Olmsted and the American Environmental Tradition. New York: George Braziller, 1972. Print.

8. Fuller, R. Buckminster, Joachim Krausse, and Claude Lichtenstein. Your Private Sky: R. Buckminster Fuller, the Art of Design Science. Baden: L. Müller, 1999. Print.

9. Koolhaas, Rem. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Man-hattan. New York: Monacelli, 1994. Print.

10. Mumford, Eric. "The “tower in a Park” in America: Theory and Practice, 1920–1960." Planning Perspectives 10.1 (1995): 17-41. Print.

11. Sanderson, Eric W. Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City. New York: Abrams, 2009. Print.

12. Wurts, Richard, and Stanley Appelbaum. The New York World's Fair 1939/1940. New York, NY: Dover, 1977. Print.

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2012