PLAYING THE MONUMENT. AN URBAN MANUAL

•

PLAYING THE MONUMENT. URBAN MANUAL

EMPIRE STATE PLAZA, ALBANY NY

EMPIRE STATE PLAZA IS AN IMPORTANT ARCHITECTURAL PIECE. PLAZA WAS MEANT TO HOST GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS, PROVIDE PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL SPACES AND BE THE FACE AND REPRESENTATION OF ALBANY. BUT IN REALITY IT TOOK OVER HALF OF THE DOWNTOWN. MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSES, BECAUSE NELSON ROCKEFELLER WAS ASHAMED BY THE LOOK OF THE CAPITAL, AND WANTED THE CITY TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD REPRESENT THE POWERFUL STATE.

Empire State Plaza, Aerial view from Hudson River

Albany Downtown. Site analysis

TODAY THERE ARE STILL DESTROYED URBAN CONNECTIONS AND EMPTIED VAST TERRITORIES. ALBANY STILL IS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER. FURTHERMORE, DUE TO THE SIZE AND UNAPPROACHABILITY PLAZA HAS THE “FORTRESS” LIKE FEELING. IT DOMINATES OVER THE ENTIRE CITY, GIVING A SENSE OF ALIENATION AND DESOLATION. IT IS RARELY SEEN OCCUPIED, ONLY ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS (FESTIVALS AND CONCERTS). IT HAS PUBLIC SPACES, THE FOOD COURT, THE STORES AND EVEN THE BUS STATION THE FLOOR BELOW, BUT ALMOST ANYONE, WHO DOES NOT WORK AT THE PLAZA DOESN'T KNOW THIS.

AN URBAN MANUAL EXPOSES ISSUES OF THE MODERN MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE. IT DEVELOPS A STRATEGY OF IMPROVING THE MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE AND CREATES A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE USERS AND THE STRUCTURE.

Circulational diagram. 1962.Before Plaza 2019.Current condition 2025.Proposal

AN URBAN MANUAL LOCATES THE WALL ALONG THE PLAZA, THAT RECOVERS OLD CONNECTIONS, CREATES NEW VIEWS TO REEVALUATE THE VISUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE PLAZA. IT CUTS THROUGH THE PLAZA TO EXPOSE ALL THE PUBLIC ENCLOSED SPACES. AND LASTLY, IT REACTIVATES THE PLAZA THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE PLAYFUL SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE ARCHITECTURE.

Axonometric diagram. Empire State Plaza with proposed Urban Manual

Diagram. Wall & Openings: 1.Performance center 2.Concourse 3.Hidden garden 4.Library

Circulation wall attaches to the Plaza's front side. It recovers destroyed urban connections as well as goes through the new openings and reaches the exposed public spaces of the Empire State Plaza.