Whitehall St to Broadway Between Bridge St and Bowling Green
Normally, I would say this entire stretch of street is dominated by the overwhelming presence of the U.S. Custom House. Except in reality it's dominated by double-decker tour buses picking up and dropping off passengers. As a result of all the visitors the street is lined with vendors selling everything from hot dogs to your standard I Love NY shirts. Luckily, as you walk around to the front of the Custom House the vendors clear up and Bowling Green is allowed to spread out without any interruption. The square benefits from the lack of buildings near Battery Park, and thus the abundant sunshine.
This was the first time I had encountered the new Bowling Green Subway entrance. I don't mind it so much, but it does make me wonder what it is about glass and steel that city planners find so interesting as building materials. I guess it's the same concept of 'contrast' that exists in all forms of art and design, but it's use in city architecture has gone way beyond the point of "cliché". New York City in particular has seemingly picked this 'style' as it's official one for all street furniture (see the new bus stops and bike parking stands for a good example). I guess it was only inevitable that the MTA join in. Though, I find this particular re-design to be a bit of a shame. The old entrance at this station had a really charming element which made it appear to be "popping" out of the ground.
For me, glass has never been an interesting building material. I certainly don't think it's any more interesting to look at a glass structure than it is to look at a stone one. Everyone pretty much understands that glass can be and is incredibly strong...they need to stop using it as if they're proving something. The Lever House on Park Ave and the United Nations Headquarters on 1st Ave spearheaded that whole 'Glass Curtain' thing almost 60 years ago...it's almost a little depressing to see how much progress has slowed (at least visually) since then. Even the Freedom Tower, though unique in how it treats shape and form, uses the same glass curtain visual we've seen for decades.
However, I will admit there's something to be said about how the new Bowling Green entrance looks when bookended by a green park and a massive Beaux-Arts building. Now THAT'S contrast.
Monday, January 12, 2009 at 8:00AM
Reader Comments (1)
I don't mind the use of glass as much. They probably like using that material because of its strength and ability to let the maximum amount of light in. However, a new aesthetic for skyscrapers is overdue. I yearn for the return of art deco architecture in the vein of the Empire State Building and Radio City Music Hall, or even something modern and avant garde like the work of Frank Gehry.