M. Schwartz's Javits Plaza - Opinions

[archidose]

For a City College class this semester, I am analyzing the Jacob Javits Plaza in downtown Manhattan -- you know, the plaza that was occupied by this (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/visualarts/tiltedarc_big1.html) but is now occupied by this (http://www.marthaschwartz.com/prjts/civic/javits/javits.html) -- and would like to add some opinions on the current Martha Schwartz design into the mix of observations and history. Here's a previous WiredNY post (http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10643) on the plaza and its adjoining buildings if you want more information.

So, what do you Wired New Yorkers think about the plaza? Is it art? Is it Pop? Is it a masterpiece? Is it crap? I'm open to all opinions but would like you to back it up with some reasoning. And don't worry, any opinions I use in the final report will be anonymous.

Thanks.

http://www.marthaschwartz.com/prjts/civic/javits/javits_2_sq.jpg

[archidose]

Here's a bit of my own take that will hopefully get the ball rolling.

Briefly, I am approaching the plaza's design from the view that it cannot be divorced from what came before, Serra's Tilted Arc. My first impression on seeing images of the project years ago were that it was goofy, a bit too goofy for my tastes, which veer towards something like Serra's piece. Now having spent days in the plaza, watching how people interact with the space, it appears to work, at least in terms of its intentions as a "waiting room" for the Federal Building and lunch spot for employees. The lack of shade means it is not used for long periods, and on weekends the place is empty, perhaps owing to its location in the city but also to its location above sidewalk level.

Given my contention that it cannot be divorced from Serra's minimal work, I think the space went so far in the opposite direction that it's over-designed. I've counted approx. 1,700 linear feet of bench, meaning that with 100 people it still appears empty, especially when people space themselves along lines of personal space. Observing people in the space, some are confused by the curls and have to retrace their steps to get where they're going. That's an ironic twist on a project that's the antithesis of a wall that dictated people's movements; freedom was not the opposite in this case, and the limited usefulness of the space (waiting, eating) reinforces that.

Well, I dont' want to say too much, though I'm sure others have different opinions than my own. In particular I'm interested if people view the design as artistic, or how they see it in those terms. It strives to be art, but functional art, unlike Serra's arc which lacked any useful function.

[lofter1]

The plaza as now designed is a complete failure -- a failure because it originally contained steam which rose from the top of each of the mounds (which were originally covered in suburban grass, rather than the box hedges that are there now). The technology that operated the steam broke down -- or just never worked properly -- so they scrapped that aspect of the design (I think this happened in year one).

What you see now is a compromise of the Schwartz design. The existing design has erased any ironic qualities of the original vision. All that is left is a whimsical pattern of benches and colors. Cute but kitschy.

Perhaps it is now a better place to eat lunch than when Serra's TILTED ARC bisected the plaza -- but beyond that I give this one a zero.

And who knows what other changes will come about as the Feds finish up their work on the "Security Pavilions" at the edges of the Javits / International Court of Trade (while taking the second photo below I just about got busted by a otherwise frinedly Federal Agent who flashed her badge and told me it was illegal to take pictures of Federal Buildings) ...

***

[archidose]

I'm wondering if the new security pavilion will have the added impact of removing a relatively constant stream of traffic from the plaza and therefore negate its use as a waiting room. The plaza could potentially become the back door and even more underused.

[fioco]

Tilted Arc was too visionary, a victim of being before its time. In today's world, duplicates of it would completely surround the entire building interspersed with security gates. Think about it. Serra's statement intentionally impeded freedom of movement in the plaza, but for intellectual and experiential purposes. If Tilted Arc was restored to the plaza, our experience of it - in this location - would be altered by the realities of security in an age of fear and terrorism. Likewise, the compromised Schwart's plaza has to address conflicting needs for security, safety, community, and a pleasant lunch. It comes close. What's needed is a touch of whimsy with an edge of irony.

[BrooklynRider]

Those swirling benches are a ridiculous maze of frustration. I hate them. HATE them. They are ugly and, although they are fun to look at from above, they are not practical at all to park goers.