SITE - RATIONALE - MODELS - FINAL MODEL - MAKING - INSTALLATION - OPENING - PRESS
VAN CORTLANDT - STUDY / SITE EXPLORATION
a) Basic facts
THE SITE is a central position, with access from and to 3 directions, and directly aligned with the Van Cortland Villa/Museum.
THE SCULPTURE is surrounded by trees and can be viewed from all angles.
THE BASE. The sculpture will need to emerge from the existing raw block of concrete, elevated on a green island.
b) Stake Out
M2M 2015 @ VAN CORTLAND – GIFT OF LIFE
c) Meeting with Dennis Burton, Nov 10th. Quick notes.
INTRO
Invertebrates. Now water, theme picked by Margo, his boss. In VC the focus is about art / environment and ecology. Last years concept went from “Insects from all over the world” to “Insects in VC”. VC park is really known for: 1) its sports and 2) its forests.
I. THE FORESTS AND WATER SYSTEM
Look at the map of VC. Several forests. Set in 1888 by the VC family. Lake was stream to Harlem river. Industrial agricultural period.
All water goes down to various watershades. Gather gather gather into an ocean.
Frieght (?) mighty planes, lower bottom of map. Aqueduct. Middle vertical
From upstate (Catskills Rochester) and down... Lots of mechanized systems. Hardscape, cements, buildings, paved trails, etc... And lots of natural, softscape. 220 species of birds.
Wild life activities around the wetlands mostly south of the... Map.
Tibbetts Brook - Master plan - Landscaping Central Park, 1900s...
[[CB guesses he talked about Frederick Law Olmsted (1822–1903) and Calvert Vaux (1824–1895), who won a design competition to improve and expand central park with a plan they titled the "Greensward Plan”]] ... said “not much to do here, compared to central park”.
“Storm water” Piped into sewage, C.S.O. (combined sewage system) in nyc, in case of big rains... Under the huge field near the meeting location, 19 drains !
When C.S.O. gets overwhelmed, overflows to the Hudson River.
Unhealthy so the CPA mandated that the 2 first inches needed to be absorbed locally.
"Green streets" programs in NY... Highly porous grounds and very strong plants...
Philadelphia leads, 80% absorbs! Now they charge on what is coming out of your land! Removing outflow or pay! -> more and more swells, buildings with rain water collectors... Essential because the water has nowhere to go.
II. OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PARK
Athletic center, with various sports and disciplines... 15 millions dollars systems, timers, etc. Highly maintained. Consistent green. Birds? Go straight to the dry part !!
Green grass, only geese and pigeons getting the seeds we put.
Over there, where it looks dry, the other birds get the worms ;-) Drains? Almost ironical because irrigate even if it rains.
NB : Central Park. Sand mostly, almost 100%, and lots of nitrogen and potassium. No real life to it. And water goes down straight. Man made part versus natural watershed.
From west to east, several brooks (ex. Hudson watershed on the West...)
Focus on Tibbetts Brook watershed. Goes underground, towards Staten Island...
III. DRAINAGE PLAN
Daylighting plan... “Blue belt project”... take the water in here and bring it above the ground...
Current discussing with the D.E.C. to have on 87? Street a buffer area (10 feet wide?) between houses etc... Idea : Bring the water up, and brought to Hudson River. Walkways, plants, etc... And dumping naturally... Will take a lot of water away!
Imagine... that 2 inches of rain on 62 acres here is a couple of thousands of gallons !!
See photo.
Make a subtle depression around, not to bother the cricket and other fields... to get the water in our floors before it gets drained.
IV. Q&A
- Big idea : Water is good and water is bad.
- NB We draw water for the city from the reservoir. And won't dry... The water falling on the parks is a different system.
- Vocabulary "Storm water" and "Storm water Management."
- Ground. See photos... "In that little surface, 20 species of plants!".
Ex. "Pat gross"?? chewed by the geese, Durable
Ex. "..."?? (See photos). Very cute and attract the birds...
V. LANDSCAPE PLAN
At the East of our location. Railway (blue bridge), direction...
Pond outflow. Wet area. Plants... Monopoly of that plant, name of a plant (but no trophic value = not eatable... check, if no holes in the leaves... ). Strategy... Put "cattail"?? instead... And all should get healthier. The more invertebrates the more birds.
VI. LIFE IN THE WATER ?
- Turtles
- Frogs green, leopards, tree frogs
- Salamanders, red backs,
Fishes species (List maybe... Online? ): - Catfish - Sunfish
- Blue...
- Bass
Plants :
- Water plants - Water lilies
- Etc.
Birds
- Goose
- Osprey
- Nesting Wood ducks. Very rare near urban areas.
Pretty good system.
Dredged in the 80s, pretty good since. And invertebrates activities Striders (spiders looking sliding on surfaces)
VIII. Q&A
-> Any examples of messages?
Educational and authentic, as priority. Accessible: teachers will explain to kids.
Right questions about water : Value?
Problem?
Renewal?
Solvent (rocks included)
Hydrogen bond, helps go up very very high in a tree...
A column of 2 or 3 cells can pull it up, water has to stretch!!! To be pulled up.... Strength, qualities Gives life, take it away...
-> Museums?
"Philadelphia waterworks" is great.
Shows how water was harvested etc... Dam (?) in the river, huge turbines and pumps...
-> Anything else about our location ? Think vandalism...
Current one, 9 feet high.
Wetland
Was a rose garden never stayed, drowned.
Fountain? no water access, so we'd need to think solar pump generated recycling way... Red hawk story...
Additional research
In the 60’s public works agencies managed water as a hindrance to be removed from parks in relation to storm water. In the 70’s and 80’s public works agencies recognized the importance of water and promoting recapture of water and retention of water on site. In the 90’s public works agencies wrote in law that water is a protected asset, and must be managed effectively in the site such as the park.
The Hudson River flows from Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondacks, (from Lake -Feldspar Brook feeds into Opalescent River which feeds into Hudson River) through New York Harbor to the mouth of the estuary in New Jersey. The Hudson River is as deep as 200 feet in some places and can be as wide as 3.5 miles.
More than 206 species of fish live in the river, and about 220 species of birds are counted in Van Cortland. The Hudson River watershed drains approximately 13,400 square miles and encompasses 11 major sub- watersheds.
Ninety-three percent of the Hudson River watershed lies in New York State. Twenty-five percent of the Hudson River basin is used for agriculture, 60% is forested, and 8% is urban. Almost 60% of the water in the watershed is used for commercial or industrial purposes.
Set in 1888 by the VC family, the park is set around an aqueduct, and a hardscape mechanized maze, under a rich softscape of natural life, with, around water, include Turtles, fishes, goose, ospreys, and even wood ducks, usually so rare near urban areas.
“Storm water” is piped into sewage, C.S.O. (combined sewage system) in NYC, in case of big rains. Storm water Management indeed takes its importance when we realize that 2 inches of rain on 62 acres there is a couple of thousands of gallons.
This is still a major aspect for Van Cortland and New York, with the "Green streets" programs, and the new “Blue belt project” to bring the water above the ground with a very positive impact for the local communities.
The “CAROLINE BERGONZI CREATIVE LABORATORY” represents the vast array of Caroline Bergonzi’s activities, all related to ART and CREATIVITY, through the exploration of various techniques. The artist is based in Monaco and shares her time with her Manhattan art studio, in Greenwich Village. Her 3D sculpture activities are described on www.carolinebergonzi.com and her 2D painting activities on www.atelierbergonzi.com. All copyrights on the arts, photos, website, and texts belong to their author, Caroline Bergonzi, and CREALAB LLC. Contact: email her at : STUDIO@CAROLINEBERGONZI.COM, or leave a message at this # : (+1) 212 592 4500.