Man on Wire.
characters- Philippe, Jean-louis, Annie, Jean-Francois, David "Donald", Alan "Albert", Mark "the Austrialian", Barry Greenhouse "The Inside Man", Jim Moore.
Beginning scene - World Trade Center blueprint.
-At the age of 17, Philippe was already wirewalking and saw a picture of the Twin Towers and suddenly have a desire to want it.
-Philippe walked on wires at the Notres Dane Church.
-Philippe walked on wires at Sydney then got arrested.
-As the Towers were being built, Philippe planned out his dream and figure it would be possible for him walk on the wires across the twin towers.
-Philippe traveled back and forth many times and investigate the towers. He wants to know every single details about the towers so that he can get into it.
-Philippe then started spying and record data. He met Barry Greenhouse and recoginize him as a street performer.
-Philippe told his idea to his friends and one by one, they come together for the plan.
-They practiced how to get wires across the towers. Philippe practiced on wires for the big day.
-They stuck into the towers using fake IDs. They got to the roof and stood there for hours because of guards until morning.
-They got the wires across the towers and there , Philippe performed. He then got arrested but got no charge if he agreed to the conditions.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Man on Wire
- As Philippe is getting ready, Nixon addressing Watergate scandal in the forefront of the shot.
-“Getting ready to die, to live.” – Jean-Louis Blondeau
- He felt the towers had been built for him to conquer
- against the law but not wicked or mean
- thought of it as a dream
- gives magic to the public
- “If I die, what a beautiful death, to die in the exercise of your passion.” – Philippe Petit
- Shot of The American flags rising at the end of the construction of the Towers
- “Now it’s impossible, that’s for sure, so let’s start working” – Jean-Louis Blondeau
-“Why did you do this, why?” Why= The American question, can’t just allow something to be magically nonsensical
- Americans would ask a practical question about an impractical event.
- was charged with “trespassing, disorderly conduct” by agreeing to do interviews and shows
- He had an affair with a strange woman after he got out of the psych. evaluation. Described it as “Please of the flesh, how disgusting, but how beautiful too.” Ambiguity of the entire circumstance.
- “Our relationship was meant to end here, and it was beautiful that way.” - Annie Allix talking about her break-up with Philippe following his completion of walking across the towers.
-“Getting ready to die, to live.” – Jean-Louis Blondeau
- He felt the towers had been built for him to conquer
- against the law but not wicked or mean
- thought of it as a dream
- gives magic to the public
- “If I die, what a beautiful death, to die in the exercise of your passion.” – Philippe Petit
- Shot of The American flags rising at the end of the construction of the Towers
- “Now it’s impossible, that’s for sure, so let’s start working” – Jean-Louis Blondeau
-“Why did you do this, why?” Why= The American question, can’t just allow something to be magically nonsensical
- Americans would ask a practical question about an impractical event.
- was charged with “trespassing, disorderly conduct” by agreeing to do interviews and shows
- He had an affair with a strange woman after he got out of the psych. evaluation. Described it as “Please of the flesh, how disgusting, but how beautiful too.” Ambiguity of the entire circumstance.
- “Our relationship was meant to end here, and it was beautiful that way.” - Annie Allix talking about her break-up with Philippe following his completion of walking across the towers.
Man On Wire
The film Man On Wire is about a man's dream to tightrope walk across the Twin Towers. The film shows his history of tightrope walking as a young kid and follows through his practice and other major tightrope walks he accomplished throughout his life. He felt like the Towers belonged to him ever since he first saw a magazine article about the Towers being built. He knew he had to follow his destiny to reach this goal, even if it meant getting arrested, or worse, death. The man makes some powerful points throughout the film saying, "It's a wonderful thing to die in the exercise of your passion." Walking across the Twin Towers felt to him and his accomplices like a work of art. After viewing the walk there is no doubt that what he did was a beautiful work of art and meant something more than just a silly tightrope walk across two elevated spaces.
-Tyler Lucchese
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Civic Centers
http://www.pps.org/civic_centers/info/civic_centers_approach
I found this link from the Project for Public Spaces website. It is about how civic centers, like libraries and government buildings can be diverse areas for cultural and social gathering instead of just buildings. This can help with our essay assignment in a few different ways. The points and statements about public libraries and court buildings can be applied to buildings on Temple's campus. Where we eat, where we work, and where we learn can and should be more than just places we go to.
I found this link from the Project for Public Spaces website. It is about how civic centers, like libraries and government buildings can be diverse areas for cultural and social gathering instead of just buildings. This can help with our essay assignment in a few different ways. The points and statements about public libraries and court buildings can be applied to buildings on Temple's campus. Where we eat, where we work, and where we learn can and should be more than just places we go to.
Green Development in High-Transit, Urban Area
I chose this website because it is an example of one of the many efforts that organizations have made toward revitalization of city homes. It speaks specific about revitalization of city homes in high transit areas, which North Philadelphia falls under the category of. This article discusses the effort to revitalize urban homes, for low income families, that are "Green." Green development is an important goal for these development organizations because it takes the restoration process to the next step by utilizing the materials we have today.
Creating Urban Parks
http://www.pps.org/parks_plazas_squares/info/whyneed/newvisions/CreatingUrbanParks
http://www.pps.org/parks_plazas_squares/info/parks_plazas_squares_articles/squares_principles
My essay will propose a modification of the elevated balcony which connects Gladfelter and Anderson Halls. The ideas from these two websites will support my argument that an increase in the attractiveness of this space will increase the usage of this space, and thereby encourage more students to enroll at Temple University, and thus increase revenue from tuition, which is the primary goal behind all campus beautification projects at Temple U.
http://wildgreenyonder.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/greening-the-urban-campus.pdf
I am considering a proposal that the space be constructed as an education center which promotes the values of the global Green Initiative, which would help establish Temple U as a leader in the "green" movement. This article is a study that was done at NYU (whose campus resembles that of Temple's) to determine the financial benefits of "greening" the campus at NYU.
http://www.pps.org/parks_plazas_squares/info/parks_plazas_squares_articles/squares_principles
My essay will propose a modification of the elevated balcony which connects Gladfelter and Anderson Halls. The ideas from these two websites will support my argument that an increase in the attractiveness of this space will increase the usage of this space, and thereby encourage more students to enroll at Temple University, and thus increase revenue from tuition, which is the primary goal behind all campus beautification projects at Temple U.
http://wildgreenyonder.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/greening-the-urban-campus.pdf
I am considering a proposal that the space be constructed as an education center which promotes the values of the global Green Initiative, which would help establish Temple U as a leader in the "green" movement. This article is a study that was done at NYU (whose campus resembles that of Temple's) to determine the financial benefits of "greening" the campus at NYU.
Classrooms of the Future: Thinking Out of the Box
http://schoolstudio.engr.wisc.edu/futureclassrooms.html
This website, I believe can be a good secondary source for the essay. It provides information about the new standard design for future classroom. The author talks about several examples of today classrooms and what are the problems, and the ways they are thinking of improving it. This website can be useful for anyone, who plans to do the essay about classroom in either Anderson Hall or any of the other buildings.
The second website interest me as it talks about a new style of design that classroom can be improve for both living and learning.
http://www.designshare.com/index.php/archives/901
This website, I believe can be a good secondary source for the essay. It provides information about the new standard design for future classroom. The author talks about several examples of today classrooms and what are the problems, and the ways they are thinking of improving it. This website can be useful for anyone, who plans to do the essay about classroom in either Anderson Hall or any of the other buildings.
The second website interest me as it talks about a new style of design that classroom can be improve for both living and learning.
http://www.designshare.com/index.php/archives/901
Study areas
This website is a site that gives ideas of other students in different colleges and what they would like or expect in there study area . The reason I choose this website is because it gives you a better understanding about what a student is looking for and how students feel more comfortable. http://www.usyd.edu.au/courses/?uos=1&uos_sef_id=ARCH9062_Urban_Design___Ideas_and_Methods_636
Architecture
http://home.worldcom.ch/~negenter/
This is a good website to use as a secondary source for the "alternate design of a space" essay.It focuses on "implosion" which explains ideas on "the human condition and the human past".This link will be helpful because it provides articles, terms and essays on humanities, cognitive behavior to space, and theories that could help support our ideas and arguments in our essays.
This is a good website to use as a secondary source for the "alternate design of a space" essay.It focuses on "implosion" which explains ideas on "the human condition and the human past".This link will be helpful because it provides articles, terms and essays on humanities, cognitive behavior to space, and theories that could help support our ideas and arguments in our essays.
International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism
http://www.intbau.org/
I chose this site as a link for a secondary source for my paper because this site covers many ideas of how we can build more efficiently in the future. From the information found on the website, I will be able to use the ideas of more efficient architecture in my quest to redesign the plaza located on the corner of Cecil B. Moore Ave and Broad Street. The site also provides many academic articles which provide useful information on the restoration of space.
New Urbanism
http://www.newurbanism.org/
New Urbanism provides ways for people who live in urban areas to keep their impact on the environment to a minimum. It provides solutions to decrease global warming, to counter peak oil, and deal with climate change. This website explains that by creating urban areas with more interconnecting streets and more narrow roads that trafic will disperse and people will find walking much more feasible. The overall goal of New Urbanism is to create areas that enrich, uplift, and inspire the human spirit and intern the quality of life in areas will grow. Mixing in green transportation and energy efficient technologies the area will lessen its impact on the environment. I think this website is a good concept but will be hard to integrate in large cities like Philadelphia. New Urbanism requires too much change for large cities to be able to accomplish and is likely smaller cities will get a better results
New Urbanism provides ways for people who live in urban areas to keep their impact on the environment to a minimum. It provides solutions to decrease global warming, to counter peak oil, and deal with climate change. This website explains that by creating urban areas with more interconnecting streets and more narrow roads that trafic will disperse and people will find walking much more feasible. The overall goal of New Urbanism is to create areas that enrich, uplift, and inspire the human spirit and intern the quality of life in areas will grow. Mixing in green transportation and energy efficient technologies the area will lessen its impact on the environment. I think this website is a good concept but will be hard to integrate in large cities like Philadelphia. New Urbanism requires too much change for large cities to be able to accomplish and is likely smaller cities will get a better results
Promoting Affordable Housing near Transit
Concerned by the area down Anderson Hall that connects our campus with the train station, I decided the topic of my essay will be “the process of gentrification.” Here I found a useful website directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Human Development and the United States Department of Transportation. Both entities provide in their page an organized and well- constructed project that intends to create livable communities in proximity to transit. This report includes interesting strategies and viable actions for funding affordable housing near a train station. It also enounces possible financial incentives that one might want to consider when running the task.
The link is http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA-HUD_Action_Plan_--__Report_to_Congress_2008.pdf
By: Paola Beltran
The link is http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA-HUD_Action_Plan_--__Report_to_Congress_2008.pdf
By: Paola Beltran
Place and Space- For Real
http://home.klis.com/~chebogue/p.amBio.html
I found the link for this website on the Research on Place and Space website. This website talks about BioRegionalism which talks about how people move into certain areas and how they develop. It's interesting because goes into some detail about how and why people move into certain spaces as far as how accommodating those areas are geographically and economically. Es muy bueno.
Ethnophysiography
The Ethnophysiography Project
The new term 'ethnophysiography' is one to describe the study of natural land forms, from a global perspective. A team of researchers from the Ethnophysiography Project are determined to show the differences between bodies of water or mountains, much like the differences between different plants and animals. The point is to find out whether these land forms have a similar significance between our culture and other cultures.
If you go to the 'publications' section of the website, there are a couple articles that may help you write your essay. They reinforce the fact that while studying an enviroment we are not too familiar with, we need to study it from the perspective of the environment's inhabitants.
The new term 'ethnophysiography' is one to describe the study of natural land forms, from a global perspective. A team of researchers from the Ethnophysiography Project are determined to show the differences between bodies of water or mountains, much like the differences between different plants and animals. The point is to find out whether these land forms have a similar significance between our culture and other cultures.
If you go to the 'publications' section of the website, there are a couple articles that may help you write your essay. They reinforce the fact that while studying an enviroment we are not too familiar with, we need to study it from the perspective of the environment's inhabitants.
http://virtualsociety.sbs.ox.ac.uk/projects/robins.htm
This article discusses the concept of a virtural univeristy. This can be an interesting secondary source because as you think about changing your space, you can think about what would happen if that space was gone all together, and replaced by the virtural relm, would that be better or worse for students.
This article discusses the concept of a virtural univeristy. This can be an interesting secondary source because as you think about changing your space, you can think about what would happen if that space was gone all together, and replaced by the virtural relm, would that be better or worse for students.
Outdoor Retail Spaces
If you are choosing to write about changing a public space on Temple's campus to a Outdoor market for Essay 2, this website is the perfect place for you to get ideas from. On this site there is information about how well outdoor markets are doing in different cities around the world. There is also information about a proposed market in St. Louis, Missouri. The ideas for this market in St. Louis are from college students at Washington University.
Noah Temple - Blog Assignment 2 - Analytical Reading and Writing
http://www.clf.org/
This website is for the conservation law foundation and seems like a really good place to look for articles on green building, which I think is going to be the main focus on my space piece. It will also help me find the right angle to come from with my essay based of what other people are writing about. In other words, I can tackle environmental design issues that are realistic and relevant in today's world.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/skrepostman/envpsych_home.html
This second web site is very interesting to me because it has to do with an environment's effect on the conscious and the subconscious. I will use ideas from this site to also plan the design of my space to make the area the most creatively stimulating it can be.
This website is for the conservation law foundation and seems like a really good place to look for articles on green building, which I think is going to be the main focus on my space piece. It will also help me find the right angle to come from with my essay based of what other people are writing about. In other words, I can tackle environmental design issues that are realistic and relevant in today's world.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/skrepostman/envpsych_home.html
This second web site is very interesting to me because it has to do with an environment's effect on the conscious and the subconscious. I will use ideas from this site to also plan the design of my space to make the area the most creatively stimulating it can be.
Building the Vision
http://www.pps.org/info/services/our_approach/building_the_vision
This segment of the pps.org website deals with how you can make your ideas and visions of your place a reality. This informs you of how you can get your community involved in local projects. this may be helpful for my project of looking at Temple's bell tower. Just as when you are designing any public place, you need to find a way to execute and fund your ideas.
This segment of the pps.org website deals with how you can make your ideas and visions of your place a reality. This informs you of how you can get your community involved in local projects. this may be helpful for my project of looking at Temple's bell tower. Just as when you are designing any public place, you need to find a way to execute and fund your ideas.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Subway
http://apta.com/
I decided that for the project I wanted to use the Subway stop at Susquehannah. I found this wesite and it was particularly helpful because it had many links that led to the various services this public transportation organization offered. It gave me some great ideas to use for the stop.
I decided that for the project I wanted to use the Subway stop at Susquehannah. I found this wesite and it was particularly helpful because it had many links that led to the various services this public transportation organization offered. It gave me some great ideas to use for the stop.
Feng Shui in Business
http://www.fengshui-consultants.co.uk/feng_shui_in_business.htm This website illustrates, in some detail, how a business can thrive within an area, based, in large part, on Feng Shui. Feng Shui is the art of managing a space and place, to create and harness the energies of the universe. It offers a variety of examples of the numerous things one company can do to excellerate their business dealings.
Smart Growth
http://www.smartgrowth.org/
This website explains how Smart Growth is a company that invests all of its time into restoring community and life to center cities and sub-burbs. I believe this website would be very helpful for the project because it talks about plans for restoring space and preserving it rather then letting it rot away. This website would be helpful for people looking at an empty space and seeing how it could be used or preserved, or developed into something far greater. Since there are already many empty spaces throughout the city it seems that Smart Growth would be a great company to help fix that.
This website explains how Smart Growth is a company that invests all of its time into restoring community and life to center cities and sub-burbs. I believe this website would be very helpful for the project because it talks about plans for restoring space and preserving it rather then letting it rot away. This website would be helpful for people looking at an empty space and seeing how it could be used or preserved, or developed into something far greater. Since there are already many empty spaces throughout the city it seems that Smart Growth would be a great company to help fix that.
Hidden Spaces
http://www.kunstkraftwerk.de/hiddenplaces.html
This is an article about German artists coming to an city in West Virginia and taking part in an art installation underground in a church and on Bethany College Campus. I believe that art can aid in improving any space. This article is also a good example of globablization bettering certain places, ie. the artists from Germany and West Virginia worked together. I am looking into using this article because I am planning on writing my essay about the Cecil B. Moore Subway station, and I believe that underground would be a good place to display art, similar to the metro in Paris. I believe this could be especially important because of the presence of our Tyler on campus.
This is an article about German artists coming to an city in West Virginia and taking part in an art installation underground in a church and on Bethany College Campus. I believe that art can aid in improving any space. This article is also a good example of globablization bettering certain places, ie. the artists from Germany and West Virginia worked together. I am looking into using this article because I am planning on writing my essay about the Cecil B. Moore Subway station, and I believe that underground would be a good place to display art, similar to the metro in Paris. I believe this could be especially important because of the presence of our Tyler on campus.
Smart Growth Network
http://www.smartgrowth.org/Default.asp?res=1280
This website explains how Smart Growth is a company that invests all of its time into restoring community and life to center cities and sub-burbs. I believe this website would be very helpful for the project because it talks about plans for restoring space and preserving it rather then letting it rot away. This website would be helpful for people looking at an empty space and seeing how it could be used or preserved, or developed into something far greater. Since there are already many empty spaces throughout the city it seems that Smart Growth would be a great company to help fix that.
This website explains how Smart Growth is a company that invests all of its time into restoring community and life to center cities and sub-burbs. I believe this website would be very helpful for the project because it talks about plans for restoring space and preserving it rather then letting it rot away. This website would be helpful for people looking at an empty space and seeing how it could be used or preserved, or developed into something far greater. Since there are already many empty spaces throughout the city it seems that Smart Growth would be a great company to help fix that.
Libraries For the Future
http://www.lff.org/index.html
This website mainly talks about libraries and how libraries are being used differently today because of the advancement in technology. It discusses new ways libraries can be reinvented and innovated to have a new look and feel that fits in with the 21st century. It helps me with my research paper, on space and location, in particular because of the space I am focusing on. It is located in the Temple library, and this website can give me new insight on new designs and ideas that focuses primarily on libraries. It also gives me different points of views and opinions other people have and feel about it. There are also other links you can find on the website that takes you to other websites as well that analyzes library spaces.
This website mainly talks about libraries and how libraries are being used differently today because of the advancement in technology. It discusses new ways libraries can be reinvented and innovated to have a new look and feel that fits in with the 21st century. It helps me with my research paper, on space and location, in particular because of the space I am focusing on. It is located in the Temple library, and this website can give me new insight on new designs and ideas that focuses primarily on libraries. It also gives me different points of views and opinions other people have and feel about it. There are also other links you can find on the website that takes you to other websites as well that analyzes library spaces.
http://easternmarketdc.com/
This is the site for Washington DC's Eastern Market, a place with long, wide isles and plenty of choices for what to buy, not to mention the pleasant atmosphere. It is what I imagine a Wawa would be much like in place of the 7-Eleven on Liacouras Walk. As well as the market/nieghborhood itself, the site also features information on the positive affect its presence has on the surrounding comminity. Again, this would be very useful in predicting how much nicer the campus would be as a whole with a Wawa at its center instead of that dreary old 'Sev.'
Redesigning Cecil B. Moore Station
http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/environment/planning_environment_226.html
In my second essay, I wish to redesign Temple's Cecil B. Moore Subway Station. I choose this area because I realized that it is used constantly throughout the day by commuters. This source could be useful for my second essay because it speaks of having the public involved (Public Involvement Process) in the construction of public transportation and I think that due to the fact that such a large amount of people use the subway each day, they should have a say on how it is redesigned/constructed. It would be a way to make the space as comfortable and safe as necessary.
In my second essay, I wish to redesign Temple's Cecil B. Moore Subway Station. I choose this area because I realized that it is used constantly throughout the day by commuters. This source could be useful for my second essay because it speaks of having the public involved (Public Involvement Process) in the construction of public transportation and I think that due to the fact that such a large amount of people use the subway each day, they should have a say on how it is redesigned/constructed. It would be a way to make the space as comfortable and safe as necessary.
The Urban Land Institute
Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research organization. Their motive is to promote the responsible use of land. It correlates to my essay topic because that's my prime issue: why the hell isn't there a grocery store within miles of the Temple campus? It's irresponsible in because I feel like they're purposely forcing us to waste our money on fast food by making it the only thing readily accessible to the common student and I'm sure that the Urban Land Institute would agree that there is ample space being poorly utilized within close proximity to our main campus.
The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research organization. Their motive is to promote the responsible use of land. It correlates to my essay topic because that's my prime issue: why the hell isn't there a grocery store within miles of the Temple campus? It's irresponsible in because I feel like they're purposely forcing us to waste our money on fast food by making it the only thing readily accessible to the common student and I'm sure that the Urban Land Institute would agree that there is ample space being poorly utilized within close proximity to our main campus.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Potential for Natural Space
http://www.landandpeople-digital.com/landandpeople/winter2008/?pg=1
This website provides a look into the Land & People Magazine via the internet. This publication provides insight on natural space and how its local inhabitants are best off using the space. The magazine promotes space being used as an active environment. The magazine explores natural space possibilities and potential. Also, how these changes can come into effect and by whom is theorized. This secondary source would provide great explanation on how populations of people use the space around them and how well they maintain it. The digital magazine also provides great ideas for natural space and how it could benefit communities.
This website provides a look into the Land & People Magazine via the internet. This publication provides insight on natural space and how its local inhabitants are best off using the space. The magazine promotes space being used as an active environment. The magazine explores natural space possibilities and potential. Also, how these changes can come into effect and by whom is theorized. This secondary source would provide great explanation on how populations of people use the space around them and how well they maintain it. The digital magazine also provides great ideas for natural space and how it could benefit communities.
The Trust for Public Land
http://www.tpl.org/
The following site has useful information on how different public lands can be given back to the people. It talks about how the organization plans to conserve land for people and how they receive and distribute most of their funds. It also has photos of places that have been saved by the Trust. This can be useful for my project because the turf fields are mostly used by the public and the students at Temple. This could give me some ideas on how I should reconstruct the fields.
Efficient Public Transportation
http://www.carfree.com/pax_trans.html
This website talked about new ways to make public transportation more efficient, specifically trains and subways. This relates to my idea of having an underground passageway from the residence halls Johnson & Hardwick to Gladfelter Hall. Cutting time in half and convenience are the primary goals of my conceptual space.
-Tyler Lucchese
Monday, March 2, 2009
Architecture Affects Meaning of a Space (Blog Post # 2)
The following site has useful information concerning architecture in relation to the meaning of a space and how architecture facilitates use of that space. The title of the site is 'Analyzing Architecture' and it presents information on many topics pertaining to our subject such as the basic elements of architecture, identification of space (which discusses factors that create the most rudimentary architecture, such as towels set down on an empty beach), and how to create architecture using preexisting elements or "things that are there" such as geography or even an empty spot in a building.
http://www.cf.ac.uk/archi/unwins/aawebs/analarch.html
http://www.cf.ac.uk/archi/unwins/aawebs/analarch.html
Sunday, March 1, 2009
PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES
Here are some links via the Project for Public Spaces website (see PPS homepage link at right):
As you'll remember from your readings, William H. Whyte had a strong influence on Paco Underhill.
From the Great Public Spaces webpage (Rittenhouse Square):
What Makes Rittenhouse Square Park a Great Place?
Rittenhouse Park is organic to its surroundings. It is separate from the aggressive hustle and bustle of the Walnut/Chestnut Street shopping areas, and its boundaries are well defined. Yet the park insinuates itself into the heart of these busy streets, separating them from the leafier residences on Locust, Spruce, Delancey and Pine Streets. It is of course accessible by foot, being in the heart of an east coast downtown, and of course by all means of public transport. It is eminently easy to hail a cab from Rittenhouse Park. The park also features some wonderful sculptures and is surrounded by some of the most elegant urban scenery in the United States. The relative compactness of Rittenhouse Park adds to its visual appeal, as does the elegance of its entrances.
Rittenhouse makes an immediate and striking impression for its green-ness and the beauty of the park itself, as well as the neighborhood around it, which features a great diversity of architectural styles as well as a mix of residential and commercial uses. The urbanist Jane Jacobs correctly describes this area of Philadelphia as the perfect urban neighborhood.
Rittenhouse Park features plenty of benches, each (it seems) with a personal dedication. This is truly a park beloved to its community - itself a beguiling mix of old money, new money, no money, Penn graduate students, young professionals and professional hobos. There are probably more women than men in the park. Families and their dogs and babies are plentiful in the park between six pm and nine pm. But there are people here at all hours of night and morning too. It is as safe, I think, as Philadelphia can get. This district, being home to many affluent and well-connected individuals, has a strong police presence. Crime has been falling in the city generally, and in this area is not regarded as a major problem. Rittenhouse Park (unlike lots of other places in Philly) is clean. Not just that, but it is a true public gathering place- a great place to sit and savor the offerings of one of the neighborhood's many interesting coffee places and bakeries, read the paper and people-watch.
Activities are a drawback, I suppose, to Rittenhouse. It is a small park and there are no particular amenities here. But it is green, there are interesting sculptures, and plenty of families and dogs. That said, users do vary greatly in age and gender. It is a favorite place to read the morning paper, sip coffee, or just take a break for all ages. All parts of the park are well used - the park, however, is just the center of an extremely robust neighborhood. Not all the neighborhood is as elegant as the park, but the diversity of options, from tree-lined streets like Delancey, to streets like Spruce, Walnut and Sansom that feature either shops and restaurants, housed either in large buildings, or in brownstones, add immeasurably to the connectedness of the park to its surroundings.
This is of course a favorite meeting place for Philadelphia residents. The community around it is diverse, albeit predominantly quite affluent - with several of the brownstones on nearby streets and several of the condos in elegant buildings such as the Barclay and 1830 Rittenhouse fetching $1 million or more on the market. However, unlike other cities, Philadelphia never seems intimidatingly posh or overly manicured. There are always plenty of down-to-earth people, of all ethnicities, and the concentration of University of Pennsylvania graduate students in the streets to the West of the park prevents this place from acquiring too much of an air of exclusivity. In any case, the park is the pride of many Philadelphians, I feel.
History & Background
In its earliest days, the Square, then called Southwest Square, was a pasture for local livestock and a convenient dumping spot for "night soil". By the late 1700's the Square was surrounded by brickyards because the area's clay terrain proved better suited for kilns than for crops. In 1825 the Square was renamed in honor of David Rittenhouse, a brilliant Philadelphian astronomer, instrument maker and patriotic leader of the Revolutionary era.
By the 1850's a building boom began, and in the second half of the 19th century the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood became the most fashionable residential section of the city, the home of Philadelphia's "Victorian aristocracy." Some of the mansions of that period still survive on the streets facing the square, although most of the grand homes gave way to apartment buildings after 1913.
In its earliest days, the Square, then called Southwest Square, was a pasture for local livestock and a convenient dumping spot for "night soil". By the late 1700's the Square was surrounded by brickyards because the area's clay terrain proved better suited for kilns than for crops. In 1825 the Square was renamed in honor of David Rittenhouse, a brilliant Philadelphian astronomer, instrument maker and patriotic leader of the Revolutionary era.
By the 1850's a building boom began, and in the second half of the 19th century the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood became the most fashionable residential section of the city, the home of Philadelphia's "Victorian aristocracy." Some of the mansions of that period still survive on the streets facing the square, although most of the grand homes gave way to apartment buildings after 1913.
And from the "Campuses" section of the PPS website:
Six Big Issues and Opportunities on Campus
Phil Myrick, director of PPS's growing Campus Program, sees a wide range of major issues and opportunities facing campuses today. "These all point to the value of treating the campus as a single environment," he says, "and not just an agglomeration of facilities."
Phil Myrick, director of PPS's growing Campus Program, sees a wide range of major issues and opportunities facing campuses today. "These all point to the value of treating the campus as a single environment," he says, "and not just an agglomeration of facilities."
1. Bringing people and ideas together
Too often, faculty and students retreat into their own disciplines, each hidden away in its own separate building. This brings natural interaction to a standstill. "We need cross-fertilization and collaboration more than ever," explains PPS president Fred Kent. "Campuses as they are often built today don't allow that to happen. You can no longer isolate one department from the other. In today's world, the business school needs to interact with the medical school and the science buildings. Students need to interact with faculty and in turn the entire university needs to interact with the broader community. You need synergies to naturally occur. You do that with a campus full of strong public spaces."
2. Creating places, not just facilities
Students and professors are no different from the rest of us. They want to live or work in a place that is pleasant, stimulating, attractive and safe. But this has too often been ignored in the way campuses have been planned or adapted in recent decades, says Myrick. "Billions of dollars go into building facilities that hide their assets behind blank walls. If a tiny part of the investment was directed to bringing the building program to the outside, it would make a vast difference on people's experience of the campus."
The key to making campuses more than the sum of their parts is an important idea that PPS calls triangulation. This simply means clustering activities together to create a busy, dynamic place for many different types of people at different times of day. For example, a terrace cafeteria at the student union could "triangulate" with a nearby garden and rotating exhibits from the campus art collection. Combining these elements that would normally be scattered creates a far busier and more exciting place than any one of those uses by itself. One test of how well a place triangulates is to evaluate how long the typical person stays there. If most people stay in a public place for 15 minutes, then what more could be added to lengthen that visit to an hour or more? Another indicator is how many different age groups use a place. If it is only people between 18 and 21, then what other activities could attract those younger and older?
By the same measure, a campus that sits all by itself, cut off from the commerce and life of the local community, solely devoted to classrooms and university activities, is going to be a less rewarding experience for students. Some of America's most beloved campuses feature adjoining business districts that teem with activity. Think of Harvard Square in Cambridge, State Street in Madison, and Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. James Howard Kunstler points to the Savannah College of the Arts in Georgia and the College of Charleston in South Carolina as two of the best campuses in the U.S. because their buildings are actually woven into the fabric of downtown neighborhoods, like many European colleges, rather than standing apart on their own separate ground.
The key to making campuses more than the sum of their parts is an important idea that PPS calls triangulation. This simply means clustering activities together to create a busy, dynamic place for many different types of people at different times of day. For example, a terrace cafeteria at the student union could "triangulate" with a nearby garden and rotating exhibits from the campus art collection. Combining these elements that would normally be scattered creates a far busier and more exciting place than any one of those uses by itself. One test of how well a place triangulates is to evaluate how long the typical person stays there. If most people stay in a public place for 15 minutes, then what more could be added to lengthen that visit to an hour or more? Another indicator is how many different age groups use a place. If it is only people between 18 and 21, then what other activities could attract those younger and older?
By the same measure, a campus that sits all by itself, cut off from the commerce and life of the local community, solely devoted to classrooms and university activities, is going to be a less rewarding experience for students. Some of America's most beloved campuses feature adjoining business districts that teem with activity. Think of Harvard Square in Cambridge, State Street in Madison, and Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. James Howard Kunstler points to the Savannah College of the Arts in Georgia and the College of Charleston in South Carolina as two of the best campuses in the U.S. because their buildings are actually woven into the fabric of downtown neighborhoods, like many European colleges, rather than standing apart on their own separate ground.
3. Balancing concerns about flexibility vs. control on campus
College campuses don’t want to make the same mistake as corporate campuses, where an overemphasis on securing the environment means they are seldom vital places. Universities sometimes fear introducing non-traditional uses, such as farmers markets, bicycle trails or anything they see as encouraging the public to linger on their grounds. Some schools have so many restrictions on what is allowed that they wind up eradicating from the campus anyplace inviting or pleasant. In these cases, students and faculty end up the losers, denied opportunities to enjoy lively public settings.
There are no easy answers to this question of control. But Myrick notes that PPS's experience working with private institutions such as shopping centers and airports as well as campuses shows that if you loosen up a bit, everybody will gain. In the end, success depends on sensible management of public uses, no matter whether it happens in a public space or more private setting such as a campus.
There are no easy answers to this question of control. But Myrick notes that PPS's experience working with private institutions such as shopping centers and airports as well as campuses shows that if you loosen up a bit, everybody will gain. In the end, success depends on sensible management of public uses, no matter whether it happens in a public space or more private setting such as a campus.
4. Improving the town/gown relationship
A university and the surrounding community boost each other when they cooperate on a wide range of matters. The happy result is often a strong local economy with a highly skilled workforce and cutting edge businesses spun off through the presence of entrepreneurial professors and graduate students. But when their relationship is adversarial, both the school and the city suffer. Parking and traffic headaches, colleges’ tax exempt status and rowdy student behavior top the list of community complaints, while universities express concern about poor municipal services and unchecked social problems spilling over into the campus.
Richard M. Freeland, president of Northeastern University in Boston, holds up the collaboration of the University of Pennsylvania and leaders from nearby low-income neighborhoods in reducing crime, improving local schools, fixing up the neighborhoods, and promoting economic development as an inspiring example. Similar success stories happened at Yale in New Haven, Trinity College in Hartford, Marquette University in Milwaukee, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Economist Richard Florida, champion of the creative class theory, which holds that cities attracting the most talented workers will fare best in the 21st Century economy, points to Iowa City (home of the University of Iowa) and Champaign-Urbana (home of the University of Illinois) as vibrant communities with low levels of economic inequality that thrive on their connections with universities.
Richard M. Freeland, president of Northeastern University in Boston, holds up the collaboration of the University of Pennsylvania and leaders from nearby low-income neighborhoods in reducing crime, improving local schools, fixing up the neighborhoods, and promoting economic development as an inspiring example. Similar success stories happened at Yale in New Haven, Trinity College in Hartford, Marquette University in Milwaukee, the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Economist Richard Florida, champion of the creative class theory, which holds that cities attracting the most talented workers will fare best in the 21st Century economy, points to Iowa City (home of the University of Iowa) and Champaign-Urbana (home of the University of Illinois) as vibrant communities with low levels of economic inequality that thrive on their connections with universities.
5. Planting the seeds of sustainability
As incubators of innovative ideas, universities are poised to pioneer sustainable building practices for the future. But Myrick emphasizes that being green is not just about the facility itself but about how the building relates to the rest of the campus. A true green building, for instance, would be sited in such a way that people would typically walk there rather than drive.
This is an issue that Duke University is addressing in its plans for campus expansion. "How do you create a pedestrian environment in an area that is addicted to automobiles?" asks Larry Moneta, Vice President of Duke University, who has been working with PPS on campus improvements. "How do you emphasize walking and bicycles. That's what we're working on."
Myrick observes that too often planners give streets too much priority. "Campuses need to be thought about in terms of destinations, how the various buildings relate, where the gathering places go, where you want walkways--and then fit the streets to that vision. In most cases this will result in a total rethinking of each street's design."
He notes that PPS's upcoming work at Harvard has raised the question of how to extend the pedestrian-friendly assets of the current campus to a new branch of the university in Allston on the other side of the Charles River. "How do we get people to walk from the existing campus to the new one, a walk almost no one would want to do right now? That can't be accomplished with a 20th Century vision of transportation and of campuses. We need a 21st Century vision."
This is an issue that Duke University is addressing in its plans for campus expansion. "How do you create a pedestrian environment in an area that is addicted to automobiles?" asks Larry Moneta, Vice President of Duke University, who has been working with PPS on campus improvements. "How do you emphasize walking and bicycles. That's what we're working on."
Myrick observes that too often planners give streets too much priority. "Campuses need to be thought about in terms of destinations, how the various buildings relate, where the gathering places go, where you want walkways--and then fit the streets to that vision. In most cases this will result in a total rethinking of each street's design."
He notes that PPS's upcoming work at Harvard has raised the question of how to extend the pedestrian-friendly assets of the current campus to a new branch of the university in Allston on the other side of the Charles River. "How do we get people to walk from the existing campus to the new one, a walk almost no one would want to do right now? That can't be accomplished with a 20th Century vision of transportation and of campuses. We need a 21st Century vision."
6. Untangling traffic and parking woes
Transportation in general has become a thorny issue at many campuses across the continent. A school obviously must be accessible for staff and students living off-campus, but not overrun by wide roads and huge parking facilities that destroy the intimate, pedestrian-scaled environment essential to a quality educational experience. Too much accommodating the automobile often results in campuses becoming drab, uninspiring places sealed off from the life of the community around it.
Daniel R. Kenney, a principal of Sasaki Associates planning and design firm, notes that his research shows many students admit to driving from dormitories to classes even when it’s just a five minute walk. "The current orientation toward driving everywhere discourages a sense of community on campuses," he writes in The Chronicle of Higher Education. "Barren parking lots can destroy the character of neighborhoods and perhaps even cause them to decline." He suggests aggressive efforts to promote bicycling (the University of New Hampshire offers free bike rentals), car and van pools (the University of Washington lets these vehicles park free, which has eliminated the need to create 3,600 new parking spaces and saved an estimated $100 million) and mass transit (the University of Colorado boosted bus rider ship almost sevenfold and avoided construction of 2000 parking spaces).
Daniel R. Kenney, a principal of Sasaki Associates planning and design firm, notes that his research shows many students admit to driving from dormitories to classes even when it’s just a five minute walk. "The current orientation toward driving everywhere discourages a sense of community on campuses," he writes in The Chronicle of Higher Education. "Barren parking lots can destroy the character of neighborhoods and perhaps even cause them to decline." He suggests aggressive efforts to promote bicycling (the University of New Hampshire offers free bike rentals), car and van pools (the University of Washington lets these vehicles park free, which has eliminated the need to create 3,600 new parking spaces and saved an estimated $100 million) and mass transit (the University of Colorado boosted bus rider ship almost sevenfold and avoided construction of 2000 parking spaces).
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