REINVENTING REINVENTING GRAND ARMY PLAZA GRAND ARMY PLAZA A PROJECT OF THE DESIGN TRUST FOR PUBLIC SPACE WITH THE GRAND ARMY PLAZA COALITION REINVENTING GRAND ARMY PLAZA REINVENTING GRAND ARMY PLAZA Visionary designs for the heart of Brooklyn DESIGN Trust FOR PUBLIC Space http://designtrust.org Copyright 2009 by the Design Trust for Public Space. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-9777175-3-8 AUTHORS Megan Canning Stephanie Elson Chris Kannen Deborah Marton EDITOR Megan Canning Book Design Jena Sher Printed and bound in the USA by Printcraft, Inc. Design Trust for Public Space is committed to environmentally responsible practices, including sustainable materials and printing practices for all printed matter. Contents 04 Prefaces TOP 30 ENTRANTS 06 About the Design Trust and GAPCo 27 Themes and Strategies PROJECT OVERVIEW THE EXHIBIT 08 Timeline 63 Designing the Exhibit 09 Numbers 64 Building the Exhibit 10 The Project 66 Opening Day Celebration 11 The Competition 68 Press Conference & Awards Ceremony 11 The Selection Process 70 Press Coverage 12 The Exhibit 14 Ideas Into Reality 72 Acknowledgments GRAND ARMY Plaza THE HEART OF BROOKLYN 16 History 17 The Site 18 Surrounding Neighborhoods 19 The Community Speaks 20 Response from Around the World THE COMPETITION 22 Competition Brief 22 Competition Requirements 23 Selection Criteria 24 Competition Jury 01 Designed in 1867 by Olmsted and Vaux, Grand Army Plaza’s mag- Prefaces nificent 11-acres are home to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch, the elegant Bailey Fountain, the Greenmarket, and the entrance to Prospect Park. Despite its identity as the historic, cultural and geographic heart of Brooklyn, hazardous conditions force pedestrians and cyclists to skirt the Plaza’s edges instead of passing through its spectacular center, impeding access to neighborhoods, cultural institutions, and preventing use of the Plaza itself. Similarly, the 150 years ago, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux transformed Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn’s Central Library, the Botanic Garden, a barren hilltop midway between Brooklyn Heights and Flatbush and other institutions are discouraged from extending programming into a showcase for the burgeoning City of Brooklyn. Here were laid into what is essentially their front yard. the critical elements of any thriving city: modern infrastructure (reservoirs, parkways, and eventually, subways), temples of high culture In 2007, the Grand Army Plaza Coalition (GAPCo) approached the (the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Brooklyn Design Trust for Public Space seeking assistance to help achieve Public Library), space for natural beauty and recreation (Prospect their vision for a safer, more usable, more beautiful Grand Army Park), and newly developing neighborhoods (Park Slope, Prospect Plaza. As the newly formed leader of efforts to improve the plaza, Heights, and Crown Heights). All these centered deliberately on the GAPCo was keenly aware that Grand Army Plaza’s full potential monumental space of Grand Army Plaza. Much like the Brooklyn as one of the world’s great urban spaces has yet to be realized. To Bridge, the Grand Army Plaza area proclaimed Brooklyn to be a world- catalyze Grand Army Plaza’s rebirth, the Design Trust and GAPCo class city, elevated far above its agrarian roots. launched Reinventing Grand Army Plaza, an open, international ideas competition to attract visionary designs for transforming the These elements, which include stakeholder members of the Grand Plaza. The best ideas from the competition were shown at an un- Army Plaza Coalition (GAPCo), still thrive independently today, but precedented outdoor exhibit in the center of the Plaza in September history has eroded their unifying role in cultivating Brooklyn civic and October of 2008. pride—an ethos embodied by the Plaza itself. Regrettably, this dis- unity has rendered Grand Army Plaza into a mere traffic circle. This publication was created by the Design Trust to provide a tool for GAPCo, community members and civic leaders to galvanize Although GAPCo began in 2006 addressing Grand Army Plaza’s support for a reinvention of Grand Army Plaza. It showcases top deficiencies as a traffic circle, we soon uncovered its lost purpose as design schemes submitted to the competition—from the pragmatic the hub of Brooklyn. We determined to restore the centrality of the to the wildly inventive—and recommends steps that GAPCo and Plaza to the life of Brooklyn, to re-animate it not as a facsimile of the community can take to achieve the goal of a new master plan what it was, but as the embodiment of Brooklyn’s 21st century and a comprehensive renovation. By including photos from the identity. The Design Trust for Public Space immediately grasped this exhibition, it also illustrates the site’s latent power as a meeting place vision; their leadership moved GAPCo closer to achieving our goals. for its diverse surrounding communities. While the exhibit was on The incredibly varied concepts in this book all demonstrate how view, people poured into the Plaza like never before to consider thoughtful design modifications and new programming can revitalize and discuss the proposals; spirited conversations amongst interested Grand Army Plaza. The members of GAPCo want a Grand Army citizens could be heard every day. In the end, this kind of productive, Plaza that brings and holds Brooklyn together, and this book attests communal event is what public space is all about. to a tremendous leap forward in our progress. The best public spaces foster a sense of civic optimism by encouraging every individual to become more active participants in their own lives. ROBERT WITHERWAX We are confident that Grand Army Plaza will soon realize its potential Coordinator, The Grand Army Plaza Coalition to be one of New York City’s most vibrant public forums through the efforts of GAPCo and the local community. DEBORAH MARTON Executive Director, Design Trust for Public Space 04 REINVENTING GRAND ARMY PLAZA 05 About the Design Trust & GAPCo DESIGN TRUST FOR PUBLIC SPACE GAPCO The Design Trust for Public Space is a 501(c) The Grand Army Plaza Coalition (GAPCo) is (3) not-for-profit committed to improving an alliance of Brooklyn community groups the quality and understanding of New York and cultural organizations working together City’s public realm—from parks, plazas to improve Grand Army Plaza. GAPCo believes and streets to public buildings and modes that Grand Army Plaza, despite its physical of transportation. The Design Trust is the and cultural centrality to Brooklyn, misses only New York City organization devoted to its potential as one of the world’s great bringing private sector expertise to bear on urban spaces. public-space issues. Since 1995, the Design Trust has successfully completed over http://www.grandarmyplaza.org/ two-dozen projects, improving the urban experience for all New Yorkers. Coalition members include: Brooklyn Botanic Garden Each year, the Design Trust selects research Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and design projects from across the five Brooklyn Museum boroughs. These projects are at the earliest Brooklyn Public Library stage, when targeted expertise can transform Citizens Committee for NYC critical policy and development decisions. Brooklyn Community Boards 6 and 8 We organize teams of top architects, planners, Eastern Parkway/Cultural Row industrial designers, landscape architects, Neighborhood Association graphic designers—whoever may be required Gowanus Community Stakeholder Group to tackle the project—and provide fellow- Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket ships to fund their work. However, we will not Heart of Brooklyn inaugurate a project without the collabora- North Flatbush Avenue BID tion of the city agency or community group The Open Planning Project best situated to implement the designs Park Slope Civic Council and plans we develop. Park Slope Neighbors Project for Public Spaces http://designtrust.org/ Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council Prospect Heights Parent Association Prospect Park Alliance Transportation Alternatives 06 REINVENTING GRAND ARMY PLAZA PROJECT OVERVIEW “GRAND ARMY Plaza IS THE busiest TRAFFIC CIRCLE in Brooklyn. IT is also Parks’ property, originally DESIGNED by OUR nation’S PREEMINENT landscape ARCHITECTS, FREDERICK Law Olmsted AND Calvert Vaux. The Design Trust’S project will help Grand Army Plaza become A thriving gathering space described by Olmsted and Vaux’S original design. THE innovative goals OF THIS PROJECT ARE fully IN line with those of the Parks Department, as well as those of the Mayor’S PlaNYC initiative. WE ARE pleased to be involved.” ADRIAN BENEPE, COMMISSIONER, NYC DEPT. OF Parks AND Recreation Project Timeline SEPTEMBER 2007 Design Trust presents the project to Community GAPCo presents their project proposal to the Board 6 Design Trust’s Project Selection Jury; their project is selected for Design Trust partnership JUNE 2008 Competition Jury convenes at the main NOVEMBER 2007 branch of the Brooklyn Public Library Steering Committee is formed for the Rein- Design Trust presents the project to Community venting Grand Army Plaza project, comprised Board 14 of representatives from the NYC Dept. of Transportation, NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation, Design Trust presents the project to Community GAPCo and Design Trust Board 9 JANUARY 2008 JULy–AUGUST 2008 Design Trust staff conducts neighborhood Center for Urban Pedagogy class at Brooklyn field surveys and on-the-street interviews College focusing on Grand Army Plaza in Prospect-Lefferts