home.

So as the campus declines into Spring Break I discovered an article, here,  on the blog the Responsibility Project.
Hailing from Staten Island I have always kept in the back of my mind that my home town is notorious for being home to the Freshkills landfill. That was what initially sparked my interest in finding out about landscape architecture. Within the last ten years there has been serious progress in changing the use of Freshkill.
For those not in the know the landscape architect in charge is James Corner, whose firm Field Operations also designed High Line park in New York City. The parks design, phased into a 30 year construction plan, offers users opportunities that at one time were difficult to find in the five borough area. The massive 2,200 acre park is only 45 percent brown field while the majority are wetland, creek and swamp. The design balances the present habitats found on the site while discussion with the community developed roadway circulation patterns and program elements such as a boat launch and promenade. The history of the re-design involved an international design competition which began in 2001. The winning design, by Field Operations, utilized the concept of lifescape. Which uses the ecological setting in the urban sphere as the stage for residents to experience and share life. (courtesy of the NYC Department of City Planning)
The park when completed will host five areas the Creek Landing welcomes visitors into the park as well as being the staging point for canoe and boat launching, the Point is the area for sports fields and event spaces. Also important to the Point is the waterfront promenade hosting restaurants and an open air market. North Park will have trails for nature walking and bicycling. South Park is adjacent to Arden Heights, and can host large scale sport events as well as hosting equestrian facilities. East Park is part home to the Staten Island Express Way whose path will be revitalized into an improved scenic drive. The final West park will host a wild flower meadow and an earthwork sculpture for the remembrance of September 11th. The five parks provide views looking out onto sweeping vistas not normally associated with living in a city. (courtesy of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation)