Based on these few days presentation, I get a lot information about MetroTech. In my group was presenting the Urban renewal of MetroTech, and other groups were sharing different areas like economic, population, zoning, transportation and etc. Since I am architecture student, I might more focus on the building’s design or landscape. But after other groups share their perspectives, I more understand architecture and other impact could relate to each other. The changed of areas or buildings could increase or lose the people, and it could effect the neighborhood. Also buildings’ design may invite people come to visit, it also leads to change the economy of that area.
Author: QiuPing Mei
In the third trip, we were more focus on the architecture styles of buildings in Metro Tech. We visited the Offerman building which built by 1890 in Duffield St. The ground floor of the building is used for the retail space and the other floors is used for the loft apartment today. The Offerman House recognized a landmark building right now. It is a kind of Romanesque architecture building, and the design is the symmetry style. Its exterior decorated by limestone, buff-colored brick and soft terra cotta. In the ground floor, each line stone is between the windows, and the arches are decorated above the windows. Also, the windows in the ground floor and arches are different scale. On the left side of the building, the Corinthian order columns is supporting the horizontally lintels in between the double-hung window. We think the window in the retail floor is bigger than others because it could invite people to come inside to visit and shop.
The other things we focus on is the buildings in Metro Tech are changing. The new modern building close to the Offerman house is built with steel and curtain wall. That building is the art work and high-rise building. And based on the map of 1940, we can see many houses and building between Duffield St and Willoughby St. But today, there is only one big masonry building in that block and the JP Morgan Chase takes the entire building. At the left block of the JP Morgan Chase, we still see there are two wood material houses but without people live there.
According all the material we examined in the Metro Tech, we could see there are some old style building renewed and replace for the other stores or apartment, and some building is already gone and built the new style buildings and use new material to instead in some areas. We are glad to find out the cheaper, faster, more convenient material to build the building. We know how to use different material to resolve the heat, light, fire and air problems. But sometime if we destroyed the ancient building, we will hard to rebuild again because of limited material resources and high price.
Everything is constantly changing in this world, but many people don’t realize it. Recently, the project of neighborhood analysis lets me pay attention to my neighborhood. During the process of my research, I have different perspective of place, building and history to more understand about my neighborhood.
I am living near Sunset Park area, in Brooklyn almost eight years. Before I did my research, I already know there are many commercial stores near my house. One of the avenues that Chinese people activate, and the Latinos most activate in other one of avenues. But when I walked outside to do my voice memo, I discovered there are more stores and restaurants around my house then before. More people move into my neighborhood. I feel like my neighborhood has become another China Town in New York City. Except the resident houses, stores and restaurants, there are also clinics, churches, playgrounds and transportations. It is convenient for people’s life by living here. I discovered after the new entrance of train opened, some people changed their circulation in their life too. However, I feel the environment of my neighborhood is getting worse.
I also found out some historical that I didn’t know before. I researched the historical picture of some buildings online, and then tried to walk to the site to compare the past and today. Some of them didn’t have a lot change between 20’s and 21’s. Some of them changed by material, or the new building is next to them. I also saw there are many churches concentrate on 4th avenue, kind like a place of concentration of different religions.
The neighborhood changed could affect the way that people live. Like I didn’t consider Sunset Park is my neighborhood because I didn’t go over there a lot. I might go there few years ago, but just rarely. And more stores and restaurants make more people main activate between 62 street and 50 street.
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