The Roosevelt Island Community Project, a Participatory Redesign Served by the Cornell Graduate Program in Landscape Architecture
Week 1: Preliminary Research
Week 3: Research Questions
Week 2: Case Studies and Preliminary Concept
Weeks 4-5: Detailed Research
Week 6: Analysis & Revision of Preliminary Concept
Weeks 7-9: Revised Design & Phasing Plan
Week 10: Finalized Design and Details
Weeks 11 - 13: Graphics Research Phase Concept Phase Design Phase
Week 14: Formatting and Finalization
Workflow Diagram and Project Schedule
Preliminary Concept and Directions for the Redesign
Understanding Space: Acquiring a sense Of the Island as a physical place
Team Visits to Roosevelt Island: Sense of Place, Culture, Design, and Community Gathering Maps: Land Use, Topology, Wind, Future Development, Historical, Transportation, Aerial Historical Research: History of New York City & Hog’s Island, Blackwell’s Island Family and Institutions, Nellie Bly & Institution Reform, The ghost town on Welfare Island Ed Logue’s Roosevelt Island and Early Governance: Meeting with Larry Goldman & 1970s Articles, Maps, Blueprints, Periodicals, and Government Documents Case Studies: Garden Cities, Ecocities, and Ed Logue’s Roosevelt Island
Learning from Precedent: Application of Ideals and Designs from Case Studies
Research into Community Dialogues about Space: Roosevelt Island Blogs, Surveys Conducted, the Main Street WIRE, community organization publications, online discussion boards Tour of Southpoint Park & FDR Memorial Sites with RIOC Board of Directors, Jim Bates, President of RIDA, and Matthew Katz, RIRA President
Listening to the Community: Interpretation and Integration of Ideas
Academic Evaluation of Design Process: Reviews with Professor Deni Ruggeri and Capstone Class Peers Activism & Ecology: Meeting with Bonnie Sherk of The Living Library (Community Gardens & Ecological Education Program) Meeting with RIOC Staff: Ms. Abramson, VP of Planning and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr Shane, Mr. Shane Chief Executive Officer, Officer Mr. Mr Singh, Singh RIOC Engineer
Design Constraints: What is Legally, Financially, and Socially Possible
Tour of Coler-Goldwater Hospital Department of Therapeudic Recreation with Ronald Becker, Director Professional Review of Design Process: Meeting with Nicholas Quennell, Landscape Architect of Lighthouse Park and several other open spaces on Roosevelt Island
Power Hierarchy: Who is in Charge, and who has a say in the decisions we make?
FDR Memorial: Meeting with RIDA and the Kahn Memorial Four Freedoms Representatives Design Objectives & Review: Meeting with RIOC Board of Representatives, Roosevelt Islander blogger, and RIRA representatives Matthew Katz and Marc Diamond Tour of PS/IS 217 Public School & Youth Programs & Meetings M withh N Nikki kk LLeopold, ld PTA President P d and d Hasan H W Wazani, D Director off the h RI Youth Y h Program P
Design Scope: Objectives of the Cornell Design Team and Capstone Class Objectives
Historical Preservation and Education: Meeting with Judy Berdy of the Roosevelt Island Historical Society Public Art in the Landscape: Meeting with Tad Sudol, member of the Roosevel Island Visual Art Association
Modernism and Compartmentalized p Landscapes
Site Analysis Maps
Land Use Map
Site Analysis Maps
Transportation Map
Site Analysis Maps
Green & Open Spaces Map (with legal designations)
Site Analysis Maps Green Spaces Map Showing Fenced Areas
River Esplanade & Pedestrian Disconnections
Analysis of Pedestrian Connections
Greenway Connectivity: New Land Use Zones •Greenways are convenient to tram, subway, and red bus stops •Where three greenways overlap, there is an opportunity to create a major community node or link
•The Blackwell Park Link is also the location of a historic community center, the youth center and sports fields, and a possible location of extended community gardens and gardens for educational programs •The Bridge Link (Roosevelt Island Bridge) is also the location of Motorgate and the weekly farmer’s market •The Community Plaza Link is now the location of the pool, community gardens, sports fields, and a historical church, and is a p possible location of a communityy plaza p to connect these spaces and provide a gathering node
Four Public Greenways: Overlapping Paths to Connect the Island’s Green Spaces and Place an Emphasis on a Pedestrian Community
The Historical Greenway – education – tradition – preservation -
Four Public Greenways: Overlapping Paths to Connect the Island’s Green Spaces and Place an Emphasis on a Pedestrian Community
The Recreational Greenway – public health – connecting city parks – healthy lifestyle -
Four Public Greenways: Overlapping Paths to Connect the Island’s Green Spaces and Place an Emphasis on a Pedestrian Community
The Family Greenway – learning – playing – family & community activities-
Four Public Greenways: Overlapping Paths to Connect the Island’s Green Spaces and Place an Emphasis on a Pedestrian Community
The Neighborhood Greenway – convenience – community – commerce -
Proposed Details: Connecting Community Spaces on the Small Scale
•Creating Plazas: Unify areas that contain several disconnected public spaces, using hardscaped, tree-lined plazas that can be used for performances, community events, and educational programs. Redesigning for existing green spaces: Extend community gardens into •Redesigning permanent locations; if a location is available temporarily, a greenhouse and nursery for container plants can be set up for residential, educational, and therapeutic use. Utilize disused spaces for stormwater-managing landscapes and/or native plant educational gardens.
Wind-Powered Lighting System This vertical axis wind turbine has 14 LEDs attached to it. As the wind blows, the LEDs illuminate and optically blend into one another to create light. Th turbine The bi needs d winds i d higher than 3 mph, but the light is correspondingly brighter.
TAK is i a wind-powered i d d light li ht that th t uses the th moving i air from cars zipping by on the highway to generate energy.
Human-Powered Energy JR East recently converted the floor covering from rubber to stone tiles. The total floor space utilized for this power-generating system now encompasses approximately 25 square meters. The company estimates that they will generate around 1,400 kilowatts per day from the system, enough energy to supply all the station’s energy needs. This system will collect the kinetic energy generated by subway travelers entering the turnstile and can power both ticket gates and electric displays.
• 100% wind-powered outdoor lighting • When wind speed approaches 3 mph the long helix shape begins to spin, and 20 LEDs light up in a rotating spiral fashion • 5-7 mph is the optimum speed, but the lighting can also cope with speeds up to 40 mph
Preliminary Phasing Agenda
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Phase One: Safe, ADA-compliant pedestrian circulation & community gardening – –
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Phase Two: Expansion of Community Gardens and Public Plazas –
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Four greenways: four paths to improve existing pedestrian pathways Temporary greenhouse & nursery for container plants: partnership between residents, schools, & hospital for use
Construction of hardscaped plazas, community garden, and landscaping areas
Phase Three: Green Energy Projects – – –
Informed decisions about site-appropriate sources for energy Agreement with power company on an energy cost reduction program for the whole island Installation of green energy projects
Next Steps: Schedule of Feedback, Revision, and Graphics Week 9: Revised Design & Phasing Plan • Monday, April 5th: Presentation and feedback from professors and peers at the midpoint review • Wednesday, April 7th: Presentation and feedback from RIRA at monthly meeting
Week 10: Finalization of Plans and Details • Finish SketchUp model • Draw up final plan (& integrate existing plans for the island) • Create designs for detail areas
Weeks 11 - 13: Graphics • Sections, models, fly-throughs, perspectives, and completion of any other necessary graphics Week 14: Formatting • Wednesday, May 5th: Presentation and feedback from RIRA at monthly meeting
Feedback (Please tear this sheet off and return it to us after this meeting) •
Do you have any questions about this preliminary plan? Are there any features of it that are especially exciting, or especially worrisome?
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What do you feel are the best things about living on Roosevelt Island? What are the worst things about living here?
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Any other comments? Things we have overlooked? Ideas you have for the island’s landscapes?
Please fill in the map of the island as you are able: show us where your favorite places are, where the places that you dislike are and why. Which places are the most important to you?
