Futuristic Enclosure Thingy Proposed for the BQE
It never hurts to dream. Manhattan-based architecture firm Studio for Civil Architecture just released its proposal for a visual and sound barrier between the BQE and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Regardless of what is ultimately built on the waterfront housing, restaurants, ball fields, passive recreation areas visitors to the open space and surrounding structures will be…
Rendering via Studio for Civil Architecture
It never hurts to dream. Manhattan-based architecture firm Studio for Civil Architecture just released its proposal for a visual and sound barrier between the BQE and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Regardless of what is ultimately built on the waterfront housing, restaurants, ball fields, passive recreation areas visitors to the open space and surrounding structures will be subject to relentless, unpleasant, potentially deafening noise at 85 decibels, the equivalent of standing next to an operating lawnmower,” says architect Donald Rattner, who designed the lightweight structure to encase the triple-cantilever of the roadway with Hage Engineering. Evidently this stretch of the BQE is scheduled to be repaired in 2018 and the designers want to throw their idea into the ring now. You can see more renderings and listen to the 85 decibels of traffic noise here. Dig it?
The European welfare system will not work hear because in Europe people are raised on a no credit belief society. You buy when you have saved up. In Europe they have pensions of 7-800 Euros a month. Do you see our seniors living with 800 dollars a month. Then again we have credit cards and never have to pay them back anyway. I love the idea of closing in all the pollution of the BQE, Sort of like what they did to reactor number 4 in Cernoybil. Someone has to pay these architects for drawing?
Parked Slope and CMU;
I think we’re going to have to just agree to disagree. I’ve read the articles you cited, and I remain in my stand. All I can say for myself is that when I was younger, I used to think that they were so much more advanced over there, but close-up experience with Europe has shown me otherwise.
A few points on my side:
-I always get a kick when folks compare crime in Europe to over here, as Rifkin does. This country has taken in more immigrants and downtrodden than the rest of the world combined. It has people from every race on earth here. Will there be problems, as such? You bet. How does “Club Europe” do in this regard? How’s it going with the immigrants France has holed up in public housing on the outskirts of Paris? Let’s not even talk about the raw anti-semitism that is fashionable in many parts of Europe these days.
-You are mistaking past glories and brands -such as Bayer – with the present. Quick question: if you were a venture capitalist today, where would you put your money: aspirins or internet search engines?
-Parked Slope, please note that even Rifkin ackowledges that the UK is trending towards the US model.
-Yeah, I’ll give the Europeans points on luxury brands. Why not? If you’re an old dying society, might as well go out in style.
-CMU: Google and other companies like it have vastly improved the lives of many, many folks, not just those who founded it. I know people who work for Goofle, and they lead a nice existence.
“it will not work here, nor do most Americans want to see it here”
Yeah, bloody unfortunate. The tiny numbers of super-entrepreneurs, CEOs and sports jocks have it better here,no doubt, than in Europe. The upper middle class? It’s probably a wash. But for the rest of the mob which you guys,Benson, sam, 6years, it’s vastly better in Europe than here. That’s incontrovertible.
So yeah, for someone like me, solidly middle-class but never rich, I’d MUCH rather have the safety net, the benefits and the vacations.
The problem with so many people in America is that think (and vote) against their self-interest (hence the lower-income Republicans, all of whom have been screwed by their party for 50 years and are still laying back and convinced they enjoy it.) That and being convnced that they too, may dothe equivalent of winning the lottery and then, dammit, their money is THEIRS and no tax shall be taken, makes us one of the most inequitable of western democracies.
Other countries don’t innovate? Rubbish, evn if true, so what? Is having Google better than having health insurance and an efficient transit system and the arts being subsidized and safe streets and little gun violence?
All these Americans here turning toward the European model (and away from the obvious fact that yes, many things are possible for immigrants to this country that simply aren’t possible in Europe) will soon turn “Yes we can!” into “No we can’t!”. The continental European welfare state might work there. It will not work here, nor do most Americans want to see it here.
Benson -per the IMF, the current severe slow-down in Europe is largely due to their exposure to US financial markets:
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSWAT00928920080409
[“The International Monetary Fund slashed its economic growth forecast for Europe on Wednesday, warning that its financial markets were exposed to the troubled U.S. housing sector and credit conditions were tightening.”]
As for their ‘decades’ of lagging behind us, I suggest you read this very insightful analysis by Ron Rifkin:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,366944,00.html
[“If you measure the economy by GDP, you could say, the US is doing well. But remember, the EU’s GDP exceeded ours in 2003. So if the European Union is moribund and falling apart, if it’s a museum filled with pampered workers, an aging population and inflexible labor, then how come its GDP exceeded our 50 states in 2003? Yes, they have a bigger population, but they also have a sizable GDP.”]
The argument that Europe is some sort of socialist backwater is baloney. I don’t know why you’re quoting Chirac – the current President of France is being called ‘Sarko the American’ precisely because of his desire to change labor conditions in-favor of industry.
Likewise, the UK is certainly part of Europe – not only geographically but politically. They may not be part of the Eurozone, but the UK’s governing style & business models are much more akin to Germany & France than the US. Nice try, but no cigar!
I can’t speak to Milanese subway ridership, but I can vouch that the trains in London, Paris & Berlin are packed during rush-hour!
As for innovative European businesses, think about Vivendi buying Universal, pharmaceutical giants like Bayer [yes, as in Bayer aspirin!] which has its hands in everything from pills to plastics, BMW [or, do you prefer Chrysler?], etc etc etc! And while the French failed to capitalize on their Minitel internet predecessor, they didn’t have our dot.com bubble either.
And speaking of failed US automakers, what do you make of Sweden refusing to take-over Saab after GM essentially ruined that emblematic mark?
> I didn’t coin the term the “Anglo-American sphere”
Got it. I just assumed you were using it in order to counter the entrepreneurial example of Richard Branson, claiming him for “America” rather than “Europe.”
Snark;
I didn’t coin the term the “Anglo-American sphere”, Mr. Chirac of France did. He used this term in his “brilliant” speech in which he said that the internet is a ploy by the said Anglo-American sphere to spread its influence.
Wow Benson, now you’re saying the UK is American?
Step away from the mic, Mr. Jindal, it’s embarrassing.
I would much rather be poor in Europe than in the US.
However I would rather be rich in the US than in Europe.