Gehry's Design: The Park Slope Perspective
Backing away from his suggestion earlier this Spring that the Atlantic Yards project would be scaled back significantly, architect Frank Gehry presented a plan that was “pared back” a mere 5%yesterday, much to the chagrin of critics, with increased lip service to the landscape design of public spaces. There’s lots of coverage in all the…
Backing away from his suggestion earlier this Spring that the Atlantic Yards project would be scaled back significantly, architect Frank Gehry presented a plan that was “pared back” a mere 5%yesterday, much to the chagrin of critics, with increased lip service to the landscape design of public spaces. There’s lots of coverage in all the papers today of the new plans, but the picture that grabbed our attention most was on a local blog called Gowanus Loung, showing what the current plan would look like to someone standing on Flatbush and St. Marks. Although it was never going to get built, at least there was something inspiring about the shimmering facades of the original design, concerns of context aside; this latest verion just looks like a bowl full of mush.
And…Here’s the View [Gowanus Lounge]
Gehry: Towers Won’t Corrupt Brooklyn Feel [NY Times]
Revamped Arena Plan Unveiled [NY Post]
A Trim for Yards Work [NY Daily News]
Note: this rendering from Ratner is a lie, it says “view from St. Marks and Flatbush” but this is Prospect and Flatbush
I think Gehry is making it intentionally off-putting so that the general public will be intimidated (Boy- he does not know Brooklynites, does he?) and not use the public spaces he used as a carrot. Closing off a huge swath of Pacific St. is disgusting- Since my taxes pay for public roads I don’t see how the city can simply hand it over to AY and it’s residents. Isn’t there something illegal about that?
i moved to brooklyn a year ago, didn’t know much about the AY plans and didn’t have a strong opinion about it… but thought the desolate area between fort greene and prospect heights could use some development and liked the idea of a basket ball arena. probably like most people who don’t know much about the project, i sort of thought that the people apposed to it were just opposed to change in general.
NOW, after living in brooklyn for this past year, and having learned more about ratner, having used the atlantic terminal regularly and become familiar with it’s horrible design– i am so opposed to this project and my disgust for it keeps mounting. i hope the community can fight this like those who fought against robert moses from plowing over the west village. we need something innovative and beautiful and world-class here. i know i’m just saying what so many others have already said- but i’m late to catch on! you guys are right, this is horrendous and needs to be stopped.
The most important input we should make, is not on exterior appearance or even height. The most important is preventing superblocks and stopping projects style gardens around the buildings. If Marty, Gehry, Ratner and co really want to creat a bridge, the area needs to be a destination in and of itself. That means plenty of street level stores and plenty of streets. Otherwise we will just end up with an empty series of gardens a la Peter Stvestant town.
I think Miss Brooklyn is pretty hideous, but this view isn’t all that bad. The main building in view is what would go up at the Dean St corner and its blocking breaks up its scale and gives it a sort of vertical block of brownstones quality. Could be a lot worse.
That’s Flatbush and Prospect Pl.
I hope there is an earthquake the day all this is completed.
I admit it’s sort of fun to chime in with our aesthetic opinions, but they are all completely beside the point. Politicians, financiers and developers really don’t care about what even a chorus of critics think about the design. They rightly believe that it is a question for history. There will never be consensus.
I don’t like the Nets’ uniforms, but that’s not going to stop Ratner from buying and moving the team. Our opinion about Gehry’s design is similarly irrelevant. Sorry.
Ha! Well said, 10:40.
David- that was comparatively speaking, especially since Trump’s taste is all in his wallet, not in his eye. But to his credit he would never go for a monstrosity like the Gehry site is. Which makes the whole thing even sadder- How bad is the NYC architectural environment when you have to compare Gehry and Trump to make your point.