Monday, April 19, 2010

Tamon Charles-Activity 7

Activity # 7
For my plaza observation, I took a trip to one of my favorite places in the borough of Brooklyn--- the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza. The Central Library was opened on February 1st 1941 and is the major reference source for the sixty location system of the Brooklyn Public Library system. The Library’s architectural structure is very beautiful and is noted as one of the borough’s landmark and its features that are shared between Eastern Parkway on Grand Army Plaza and Flatbush Avenue resemble an opened book and I really like the golden pillars that surround the main entrance (I have used another entrance in the past due to renovation). "...this classicism was an architecture worthy of the forward looking, rational culture.." (Kunstler, 63).

As its name suggest, the Brooklyn Public Library is used not only for research and study purposes with over one million copies of multimedia material, books , maps, manuscripts, photographs and cataloged books but it also has in its local history division a collection of Brooklyn Dodgers memorabilia and other important items. As a result, there is literature for people of all ages. As mentioned earlier, the renovation implemented the use of the library for concerts during the summer time. There is also the S. Stevan Dweck Center for Contemporary Culture, which hosts readings, lectures and musical performances/events for all ages.

The spaces within the library are definitely used in the way that spaces ought to be used. The library is sectioned off according to various disciplines and people/students are occupying the sitting areas individually or collectively as a group, but more individually at the computer area. The computer area is timed for thirty minutes at a time when your library card is swiped and there is little waiting/easy access in this way. Concerning outside spaces, people can be seen on the entrance steps that lead to the enormous brass doors enjoying the weather and reading a newspaper while others are walking their dogs near the entrance and may sit for a bit; however they are more dispersed since sitting areas are more limited. “What attracts people most, it would appear, is other people…many urban spaces are being designed as though the opposite were true, and that what people like best were the places they stayed away from”(Whyte, 18). The area is also located with mostly huge residential apartment buildings on the Eastern Parkway side so less businesses are within close range of the library and consequently, little number of people are passing by during peak hours such as on their lunch break and the Flatbush Avenue side is occupied by the beautiful Prospect Park and more residential buildings. The busier area is away passed the Grand Army Plaza train stop and near to the Seven Avenue train stop on the Q train as well as Bergen Street by commute via the number two or three trains. Another is that the library is also located at a very heavily trafficked area away from the train lines as both Flatbush and Eastern Parkway are utilized mostly for commute to the Downtown Brooklyn district as well lead to major bridges for entry into New York City.

The surveillance mechanisms are used in terms of security cameras as well as library staff members. Benches are more provided at the adjacent Prospect Park whether at the entrance near to Flatbush Avenue side or on the inside of the park. Some people are even seen stretching or running along the library’s steps as part of their physical workout regimen. I feel as if this public space could have a bit more used in terms of sitting area on the outside, however, I do feel safe in being that space as it is located in one of the quiet and well kept neighborhoods in Brooklyn. I have learned from this exercise that spaces are used in various ways and similarities/differences are based on location and type of services that a facility/plaza provides.

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