01/03

so! i thought about it and its not exactly parasiting. parasiting is a word with too much negative connotation.

this place saves you from the hectic life of the streets. it gives you space to enjoy, air to move and breath in. thats what public space is supposed to do. it is a place of social interaction, or individual rest.
on the way, of course, it profits from your being there.

it cannot be oppresive to the streets, it cannot be massive.
it is a CLOUD.
it effortlessly lies on buidings.
it is light and luminous.
it is heaven.
there is no effort, no suffering, just enjoyment and peace.
the PARADISIAC PARASITE.

so the question is obviously: how do people spend their money in Paradise?
not an easy question. material goods? services? lifestyle?

i could think of some things we, mortals on earth, spend our money on:
-living: rent, food, clothes, education (1st worl mentality of course, essentially should be food... and yeah food)
- transportation: public (tickets), private (car, gas...)
- unecessary:
turism: plane, hotel, eventually souvenirs...
"choice" goods: brands, complements, music, books..... everything really
choice services: headresser, sport, wellness...
entertainment: cinema, eating out / going out (drinks, club), all kinds of games...

i think it's most likely that in heaven people would like to spend money on services. there are no material needs anymore. there is no matter, as a matter of fact (ho ho ho, im so witty making word tricks) following a principle of concentration of activity it should help to make them spend money on other things on the way.

* and then a reflection on the way: the architectural idea doesn't have to be related to the connotation of the program (i mean, it can't but it is not necessary to make a big bluntant metaphor). it is purely architectural, more of a response to the site, situation, size, typology, character.... -so context or structural/metaphysic reflection)

i still have a HUGE structural problem. i really don't know how to solve it. the piece is huge and the idea was to make it all connected. on existing buildings. over the streets. it is really crazy if you think about it (and even if you don't, just from hearing).
i figured it could (maybe, hopefully) work like a spider. there would be a body (the cloud) and these sort of legs arriving to the ground. that would be the way to get in, too.

two more problems coming up after this decision:
1- how far away from each other are these legs?
2- how the f*** is it going to be continuos if it just has the buildings to go over?
as for the first issue, i should detect the holes in the urban texture where i can go down and see if it works. there will not be empty lots (density was the entire point of it in the first place), but maybe some non-occupied room in lots. i know they have most probably used all the edificability permitted by NY law, but im a student. i can disregard law.
and about the second... i really don't know. depends on geometry and structural possibilities, i guess.

for the body is an extension of great length (we can be talking about an entire neighbourhood) it should be able to change program depending on the character of the population. that's why i'd like it to be on a crossroad of different ny "ghettos" (say, east village, tribeca or chinatown). i'll do as much as i can but i saw they are not that close as i'd imagined.

as for the target and program (all i came out with):
- families --> children's leisure, adult relief
- teenagers --> place to hang out + eat, movies, sports, some non-necessary products
- young adults --> music/events, cafés, bars/clubs, restaurants, sports
- adults --> businessmen: quick basics, quick rest, some non-necessary/expensive items
--> generally: cultural/sports events, eating out, chill and going out
- elder people --> wellness, rest, care, guided activities
- economically challenged (omg the american euphemisms) : basic goods, space to hang
- different etnies --> associated cultural needs lacking in the area, common activities

plus:
if there are no shops in the area, sell goods (basic and unnecessary)
if there is no public space, provide it
if there are no leisure spaces (eating out, activities), provide them

and the problem now is
HOW DOES THE TRANSITION BETWEEN ONE AND ANOTHER PROGRAM OCCUR?
at this point i thought it would be common sense (and more operative, too) to focus on main spots well characterized by their particular program. the idea then would be establishing a net of communication (with linkages according to a logic)
the action would be at a LOCAL level or a SPECIFIC level
the first would focus on neighbourhood-oriented goods and services
the latter woul have a bigger program, and would attract people from further away in the city. it would have to be bigger and specific in the attractive, in very accesible spots.

** note to myself: i gotta do some kind of diagram showing 1st: available spaces and 2nd spots of defined program and their level of intervention. for that i have to get informed about the population, kind of families/residence, commercial activity and all. and i have to LOCATE THE ACCESSES!!!

coming back to the idea of light and transparency and the structural problem, some brainstorming:
BUILDING AS THE SACRED LIGHT OF THE CITY (Bruno Taut, Mies and expressionists)
clarity
cleaness
transparency
openess
luminosity
lightness
THE SKY OVER MANHATTAN
making the artifact light (visually and structurally) it is immediately placed on a lower level of architectural hierarchy (and that's why it is a parasite)

structure:
the "legs" work structurally and are the main base points for the entire body, which flyes over and takes some anchor points on the buildings (¿?)
structure should also show transparency and lightness (see Mies -Barcelona, Berlin-, moderns, Ando/Sejima/Ito, Phillip Johnson's Glasshouse...)

"new yorkers lack time and public space" --> provide a place of pleasure and compatible with work


** so now i have an architectural idea (which could contain whatever program inside). i have to work now on the SPACIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROGRAM
(but first goes all this thing of making plans and detecting spots in order to know WHAT program)

(well i guess i could also develop it in abstract and then apply the observations to the real situation)


NEXT STOP: cartography of new york!