March 23rd 2012: The symposium for Parks for the People was held at Ralph Appelbaum Associates. The team presented the project mission and design concept to the Van Alen Institute and members of the National Park Service.
Project Mission: Our mission for the Hopewell National Site is to preserve the existing landscape while integrating an experience relevant to today’s visitor. We call this the park of the future.
Design Principles:
1 Envision a better environment through understanding its history.
2 Inspire a conscious connection between culture and landscape.
3 Utilize existing assets to encourage sustainability
4 Employ a flexible interpretive infrastructure, to remain relevant and encourage visitors to return for new experiences.
5 Fuse the natural experience with the emotional, through activities that inspire and engage the mind.
6 Engage the visitor by stimulating the five senses
7 Integrate artistic components to encourage creative connections between the landscape and the arts.
8 Encourage innovation and idea exchange by sitting new ventures and organizations in the park.
Our presentation was followed by a round table discussion, where we further discussed our project. Olympia Kazi, the executive director of Van Alen Institute and other guests evaluated our proposal according to overall strength and innovation, knowledge of the historic industrial site, and our understanding of the National Park Service design principles. We, the EDI team and the panel engaged in a dialogue where we further clarified our mission and process. We also received highly constructive input and advice. Overall, the presentation was well received.
This was followed by presentations by the keynote speakers where they showcased insightful precedents related to sound production, urban design, and landscape art/design which inspired us to integrate other disciplines into our concept.
The Panel:
Olympia Kazi, Executive Director of Van Alen Institute
Shaun Eyring, Chief, Division of Resource Planning and Compliance, Northeast Region, NPS
Edie Shean-Hammon, Superintendent, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
Jane Clark Chermayeff, Principal, Jane Clark Chermayeff & Associates
Susannah Drake, Principal, dlandstudio
Bill Morrish, Dean, Parsons School of Constructed Environments
Justin Moore, Senior Urban Designer, NYC Dept of Planning and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Columbia University GSAPP
Steven Tupu, Landscape Architect/Ecologist, Principal of Terrain-NYC
Charles Mary Kubricht, Artist, Site/Landscape Art
Steven Laise, Historian and Chief of Cultural Resources, National Parks of New York Harbor
Charles Morrow, Sound Artist/President, Charles Morrow Productions
Rick Little, Vice President, Administrative and Strategic Projects, Friends of the Highline
