SITE VISIT

On our visit, we saw how the area is bustling because it is a commercial center. There were people of different ages, race, and nationalities, and the location was spotless since it is an iconic tourist attraction. Also, the Flatiron building was one of the biggest and tallest buildings within the perimeter.

The structure and the park were under construction, and a lot of remodeling was being done. Additionally, we noticed that there were various businesses around the building and inside it as well. The bottom level of the building was occupied by T-Mobile and a construction company. The building itself can’t be entered because the inside has not yet been able to be built. There is still a lot of construction within the building, and scaffolding was popular outside the building. There was construction all throughout the place.

We also noticed a “Climate Justice” phrase inside the building being placed throughout the windows to stand towards climate justice. The building also took the shape of the surrounding rodes as it was built to fill in the triangle stop within the rodes. The building will take another 3-4 years to complete, and most of the construction will occur within rather than outside. (We also took pictures of the site with a film camera to fit the aesthetic of the place)

SITE PAST AND PRESENT

Before there was a theater, Lincoln Center was once San Juan Hill–a vibrant community home to the Afro-Caribbean and Puerto-Rican immigrants of New York. However, in the 1940s, the Slum Clearance Act (headed by Robert Moses) approved its destruction in favor of urban renewal projects. Disadvantaged communities of color were forced out to let in patrons of the arts. A thriving community was destroyed to make way for a ‘community building’ that doesn’t cater to the community.

Who Lincoln Center wants to keep in vs. who they’d like to keep out is perpetuated by its design, which halfheartedly attempts to create harmony between public (outside) and private (inside) space. While inside spaces (theaters) are lavishly and intentionally designed for users (the audience–who pays), outside spaces feel like an afterthought. Looming donor plaques along the walls remind you who the space is really for. This maintains systems and cultures of power, class, displacement, and the inaccessibility of the arts.

Looking further into the past, Lincoln Center and New York as a whole have displaced numerous species of plants and animals. Lincoln Center’s concrete and glass materiality heavily discourages nonhuman inhabitants and destroys the land's ecosystem.

As we see it, Lincoln Center fails to establish public space that is purposefully designed for human communities and wildlife.

We ask Lincoln Center to consider the question: Designed for whom? Designs must serve not just those who can afford high arts, not just humans, but the natural ecology of New York as well.

SITE FUTURE

For our future, we have concluded that the flatiron will keep its shape to keep its iconic appearance. We have built a future in which no more cars are due to carbon emissions, and the streets are now walkable throughout New York. However, since there has been a lot of fear towards the building and its construction, we have decided to create a protective parasol.

This parasol is composed of egg shells, gelatin, and water. Since there have been years of fear over the construction of the building and its stance in the surrounding area, we have decided to create a composite that will be able to be given and used by everyone. We decided to go for a half-circle shape because this item will always be open; we don’t want it to take up too much space and disturb others while used in the streets. Additionally, we created it as a stick that individuals can hold for it to be much more accessible than an item to wear on the head. For instance, if someone has their hair styled a certain way or might have hair accessories such as bows, they won’t have to worry about not being able to wear this effectively since they can hold it without having to adapt to its shape.

This essentially will help individuals feel less scared of walking within the area of the flatiron building and will remove all of the scaffolding that has been built throughout the years. Not only that, but this essential can also serve as a great fashion statement.

FUTURE OBJECT