Category Archives: Sabrina

Uncaging The Bronx Zoo

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The Bronx Zoo provides us with a very important and sometimes forgotten piece of architecture; Landscape design and development. Landscape architecture is relatively as important as other buildings and structures. It is a lot quieter and more subtle than monstrous skyscrapers or massive cathedrals. Landscape architecture portrays the purest form of the environment, nature, and seasons. The trees, flowers, and various other plants bloom in Spring and flourish in the Summer, then become dormant and beautifully desolate in the fall, and snow-capped in the winter. We are in the season of the diminished vibrant greens and other colors that we cherished in the Summer as the cold naturally washes upon us like a massive wave; leaving us with beautifully calm, serene, and peaceful environments.

The Bronx Zoo that we all know and love unlocked its glorious gates of curiosity to the public 118 years ago on November 8 1898, giving 843 animals a controlled environmental home on 250 acres of land which is equivalent to 250 football fields or 4,000 tennis courts. The land was sold to the city for one thousand dollars from Fordham University, their only demand in closing the deal was that the land had to be turned into some sort of zoo/park/conservatory. Now the Zoo houses over 4,000 animals.

The Wildlife Society wanted to implement a new and more animal oriented style of zoo, so in 1940, when the “Lion Island” exhibit open, began a new trend of uncaging the animals. These changes happened gradually but the Zoo found funding to give the animals a comfortable and less confined space, much like their natural habitats; this zoo was the first to have this concept. The Zoo’s general planning was fixed to uncage the animals and somehow gracefully cage the spectators to keep us safe. We are enveloped by the comfort and safety of restraints and gates; the animals getting most the acreage which is how it should be, in order to make the animals more comfortable and ultimately reduce stress.

Plan your next voyage to The Bronx Zoo. They have special waives in prices if you are a student or if you plan your trip on a certain day that they only accept donations at the admission office.

 

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Feelings of Home

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In the spirit of the Thanksgiving Holiday, reminding us of family and our childhoods. I thought it would be a good idea to take a trip down memory lane to a building that I hold near and dear to my heart. When I was a young child my grandmother used to take me and my sisters to this magical library in Greenwich Village known as The Jefferson Market Library. Before I even knew the correct terms to describe a building, I grew to love this structure not only because it automatically symbolized togetherness and family but it also amazed me how greatly defined the structure was; almost like entering those doors was synonymous to stepping into an entirely different era.

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The Victorian Gothic Building started construction in 1875 by architects Calvert Vaux and Frederick Clark Withers and was completed in 1877. The project was funded by the city since the building’s main use was for government and community purposes as The 3rd Judicial District  Courthouse. Vaux and Withers budget for the project was 3.6 thousand dollars, which does not seem like a lot of money in present day, but in the time period was a massive fortune. With a conversion of inflation, 3.6 thousand dollars in 1875 is equivalent to about 7.8 million dollars in 2016 (present day).

They masterfully crafted the place in a Victorian Gothic style which celebrates pointed arches in any form of entrances, stained glass, and other means of ornamentation. The courthouse had three different main floors; the top (second floor) was used as a civil court which now houses DVDs, adult and young adult literature, and CDs, the floor below it (first floor) was a police court and is now the specified children’s area, and lastly the basement (sub-level floor) was used as a holding space for criminals and prisoners, waiting to be transferred to jail is now used for resources. The bell tower was juxtaposed the main floors and was utilized by the community fire department as a watchtower. Also, the large clock that adorns a facade of the building was a necessary means for everyone in the community and all who used the courthouse.

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In 1927 the courthouse was solely used for women’s trials, dismissing its co-ed method of before and only settling women’s cases. After a series of changes of usage came upon the courthouse, it finally discontinued its use for court due to redistricting in 1945 (which was 75 years after it was built). The building was then used by various community agencies; including the police academy, at one point. Slowly the need for the building dwindled as architectural natural selection took place. In 1959 the once, one of the top ten most beautiful buildings in America in the 1880’s, was now completely unused and became a home to the city’s creatures. Something that used to be so beautiful was dejected to the pressure of being demolished to build a new apartment building. The area’s population thought the aging courthouse was an eyesore and depreciated the value of Greenwich Village. But the community officials did not allow this grim fate to occur and fought to keep the previously beloved courthouse. In 1961, it was later announced that the courthouse would be preserved and used as a public library. So under architect, Giorgio Cavaglieri’s supervision, the courthouse was spared and opened for business as a library in 1967; which is how we know the Jefferson Market Library today.

Now, every time I go to The Jefferson Market library, I think of my grandmother and how we would connect through literature and other discoveries. So on this holiday I will happily reminisce of the great times I had with my family in New York City.20160914_121029-220160914_121222-220160914_121418-2

Join in on the holiday memory lane fun. What places in New York City makes you think of family or gives you the feeling of home?

Brooklyn in Ruins: St. Ann’s Warehouse

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Brooklyn Bridge Park is filled with many activities to do down by the East River. Only the bravest of hearts could bare the brisk winds that haunt the area at dusk as the air picks up the cold temperature of the river and flood the atmosphere with bone-chilling gusts in autumn and winter. Unlike the summer months, there are fewer amounts of people that stroll in the park at night as they slowly take in the crystal clear skyline of Manhattan.

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But if the night gets too cold one can venture into St. Ann’s Warehouse. According to Marvel Architects’ Project Site the building was a 1860’s Tobacco warehouse before it was remodeled into a performance center for the arts. The Marvel Architects group helped in the reconstruction of this valued and culturally competent structure that personifies Brooklyn. The building was like, in my opinion, the Colosseum of Brooklyn; decrepit and aging while becoming a beautiful ruin that described the history of its area. Before the renovation the brick was weathered and broken but the shell of structure still stood almost literally portraying that Brooklyn may be old, broken, and weathered but we refuse to give in to adversity and we will continue to be strong and imperfectly beautiful. I like to think that the project managers chose this space because of its rich history and since they also knew that it would become a highly anticipated tourist ground, giving a new audience a peek into Brooklyn and who we are.

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St. Ann’s Warehouse was a program that began in the 1980’s. The overall concept originated from a series of Classical music performances that funded a renovation for the Holy Trinity Church (on Montague Street). The widely appreciated performances then moved to a new location on Water Street where renowned Classic Rock stars, like Lou Reed, David Bowie, John Cale, and many more, performed until it made its latest move in 2015 to 45 Water Street; which is one block across from Brooklyn Bridge Park. At night the neon lights buzz from the walls and illuminate the cobble streets inviting you to come in and enjoy a show while giving us a glimpse of its past and what it has now become.

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Plays, concerts, dance performances, and etc. have been watched by many in this theater, and many more will come. Anyone can join in on the cultural masterpiece by visiting the new and improved St. Ann’s Warehouse.

Explore the St. Ann’s Warehouse website and view the calendar to plan your visit. Performances can be unconventional, wonky, interesting, and wonderful all at the same time. Brooklyn is not an ordinary city and neither are these theatrical works of art.

 

Greetings to all from Sabrina!

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photo credit: Sabrina Vasquez

Sabrina Vasquez is a sophomore studying architecture at New York City College of Technology. As a born New Yorker she has always admired the concrete jungle, eager to know more about these friendly giants that stand erect and pridefully watch over their inhabitants. On her free time, she enjoys exploring NYC and all of its glory, sketching scenes and narratives of the city. She also enjoys capturing portraits that fully embody the incidental beauty of the city with her camera whether it be from a smartphone or a digital camera. She loves reading fiction novels to pass the time on the subway while taking in the city’s culture that happens to surround her. She aspires to be an architect and to someday be a contributor to this generation’s Contemporary architecture style. She is always willing to learn new things about her environment and apply them to her architectural knowledge. But for now, you can find her at a local park, sitting on a bench, sketching or engulfed into an entirely different literary universe. Her main objective is to make New Yorkers fall back in love with New York City and appreciate all it has to offer. She intends to help her readers understand this beautiful city, architecturally; which can really reflect New York’s culture. She plans to personify New York’s architecture and tell the stories that are begging to be told.

Author’s Note:

New York City has a story to tell; it’s written in these walls, on these grounds, and in our hearts. I intend to narrate these stories and share my new findings of this ever-enchanting city with all who share my curiosity of New York’s history. I am excited to share my passion for my hometown through photography and other visual aids as we ultimately learn about New York together. I am extremely anxious to see where my relationship with OpenLab’s the Buzz takes me and how it could possibly enrich myself and others.

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photo credit: Sabrina Vasquez

Where will our curiosity take us next….