Monthly Archives: February 2015

Interactions at Union Square- Small Assignment

All things happen at Union Square. Union square is used to its full extent by the public, even in the most strangest and unexpected ways. I would go as far as to call it the center of Downtown Manhattan. People interact with this park by commuting or traveling through it, by using it as a place of business, by using it to be heard, and finally as a place of recreational interaction.

Not only are people walking through Union Square from above, but also below it thousands of New Yorks use the subway Station to commute to and from other areas in New York. Most of New York’s subway trains stop at Union Square station at some point because it is so central. It is one of the largest Subway Stations in New York City. Many people use Union Square to transfer from one train to the other because it is so large. On the other hand, the commuters passing through Union Square above ground can be differentiated by those interacting with Union Square because like others walking through the streets of New York they are walking from point A to point B and they clearly don’t want to be stopped or delayed. Union Square is definitely a spot used to get from one place to another.

Unlike a lot of other Parks, Union Square is a place of business interactions. Businesses choose to take advantage of this public park, as it is always crowded, and filled with business opportunities. When I say business opportunities I am talking about the Farmers market, the salesmen calling for you, the tables filled with things to sell, and even the chess players. Several tents lie on the west side of Union Square selling what you’d expect to be sold at a Farmers market, which includes things from pastries to fruits to vegetables to meat to home made products, such as jam. Those selling their products at the farmers market choose to interact with the public by not only selling to them, but also choosing to have friendly conversations with them. Those not involved with the Farmers market, but selling things non-the less, sell items such as souvenirs, DVDs, and hippy products. The salesmen at Union Square are another thing. They can get quiet annoying, especially when they want to start up a conversation with you about their products. Walking through Union Square the other day I was asked twice where I cut my hair.

Union Square is a place to be heard, after all it is public, and those who have something to say have the right to do so. There are protests at Union Square almost every day, but other than protests, people also use Union Square to preach their beliefs. They speak and people listen, at least most of the time. Just the other day I saw a lady so touched by a Christian man speaking that she was left in tears.

Union Square, like most parks, is a place for recreational interaction. It is one of the largest empty spaces downtown, and in a city like New York any space is used to its full extent. Not only do kids run around, skateboard, and play around in its playground, which is even tempting for me to play at, but adults seem to enjoy it as well. Whether they choose to sit on the steps and watch performers, have a conversation on the benches, or even smoke marijuana, the park is a place where people interact with one another.

Union Square is a place for the public; it is a place they interact with to its full extent. A place with legal, and illegal interactions, but interactions non-the less.

District 6: Bridge Assignment

   The total percentage of the population in District six under 14 years old is only five percent. Only five percent! Compared to the surrounding districts, district six seems to have the least percentage of people less than 14 years of age.

    Before my walk five percent was only a number; a number that didn’t seem to make sense. I had always thought of my district as a district highly populated with kids, but apparently I wasn’t really looking for kids then because now that I’m really looking I don’t seem to find many, and those that I find are almost like a rare breed. Still, there happens to be many schools located in my district, which obviously means these kids do exist. I also happen to come across some playgrounds, enclosed in a tiny space or land, with barely any room for the kids to run about in. Other places were even less present, such as kids clothing stores, toy stores, and such places associated with kids. Yes, I did find a few kids here and there, schools, and a few playgrounds, but still I never felt like I was walking in an environment made for kids. This is not an environment I can associate with kids. These streets don’t seem safe, at least not without the presence of an adult. These gated parks and playgrounds seem distant and enclosed from the rest of the neighborhoods, almost like cramped zoo cages, displaying the most rare of species. Kids should not have to walk far; in order to be able to run around this does not make sense. The city won’t change, but these enclosed spaces called made for this tiny percentage should, or else this percentage will not change for the better.

    I did live in a city; a city nothing like New York, and on top of that I lived in one of the most suburban neighborhoods there, which is why I am used to seeing so many kids running around the neighborhood. I only realized I had become indifferent to the lack of presence of kids here, when I began my search for them, remembering the many kids I saw running freely back home, and not seeing that same freedom or spirit here. Seeing kids running around is something I want to see more than ever now, at least now that I’ve realized I rarely do see them. These streets are now as dull as the percentage.

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Formal Analysis of a 3-D Object

Like most other dorm rooms, especially those in NYC, this rectangular dorm room isn’t too large. The only unused space is the open path from the door to the other side of the room, where the windows are situated. Two girls occupy this room so most of the furniture consists of doubles. This room is mostly symmetric as both sides of the room almost mirror each other.

On both corners of the room against the back wall on opposite sides of the door are two beds, taking up most of the room’s length from the back wall to the front wall. Below each of these high beds are 3 drawer sets each of which containing 2 drawers. Between the foot of the beds and the front window is a desks followed by a closet on each side. The closets are around half the width of the desks. Beneath each desk sits a chair. Following the closets are small amounts of space, were a coat hanger stands on each side. At the front of the room against a window is a table with up to four shelves. On the top shelf sits a TV screen. This TV screen is directly opposite the door, where the mirror hangs.

This room is almost used to its maximum extent, but it doesn’t feel as cramped as you would think thanks to its large window bringing in natural light, giving the room an open feeling. The light blinds allow a lot of sunlight in, making the room feel almost refreshing.

Nothing in this room is bare. The beds are covered with pink, green, blue, and purple sheets and pillows, bringing this room alive. The desks are covered, from top to bottom with frames, books, papers, beauty products, pencils, and whatever you would imagine an average girl would need. Above each closet sit two transparent boxes consisting of towels and sheets. The coat hangers are covered with multiple coats, towels, and bags. The walls are covered with artwork, posters, and pictures. A colourful rug sits between both beds on the open pathway, giving the room a more homey vibe, breaking the plainness of the room.

This room is lived in, and used well. It doesn’t feel empty, but full of life.

Formal Analysis of a 2-D Object

Think of a mustard yellow car; now picture this car with a taxi sign on top. The image I selected is a vertical and up-close photograph of the taxi, so only part of the taxi is captured. The front and back of the taxi are cropped out of the photo. The taxi lies in the background, while a woman stands in the foreground.

The back door of the taxi happens to be open, and coming out of this taxi, or rather standing by the door, on the left side of the photo is a women dressed in black. She takes up most of the photo. Her arm rests on the door, creeping out of the open window. Most of her arm up until her shoulder is on the other side of the window, while her hand rests just above her hips. Only her left leg is seen. It seems like she is leaning her leg against the car. As the bottom of the photograph is a blurred shade of yellow, it is hard to tell what lies on the bottom of the photo. The woman’s head stands high and tall, at the top left side of the photo. Her face and gaze are directed to the top left side of the photo. She is wearing a black hat, and her hair seems to be short or hidden under the hat. She is also wearing earrings, but only her left ear is visible because the right side of her face is not seen. Below her exposed neck is a black silky dress that covers her body, covering everything from her neck to her knees. Even her hands are covered with black gloves that almost seem to be a part of the dress.

A black and white checkered line lines the top of the taxi, just above the car doors. The taxi sign above the taxi resembles a rectangular shape about 7X2 in in Size with the word TAXI printed in black. Black printed text lies on the front door and is partly hidden.

The photo is dull yet bright. It is set outdoors so it is lit, but not as much as you’d expect a photo taken during the day and outdoors to be. . The woman is dressed in black and everything but the taxi seems to be dark.

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Homeyness

    I, like many others away from home, choose to keep in touch with my home by waking up to a wall of photographs. Photos of those I hold closest to my heart make me feel at home and give me great comfort. In a sense, they make my plain and empty dorm room a place I don’t dread coming home to. This not so personal place couldn’t be more personal thanks to these photos. This room is mine, and it’s my home for the next year. It is a place my family have become a part of in a way, maybe not physically, but to me they are there. I have chosen this photograph because this may be one of the most common strategies of making a space “homey.” Although they may be a reminder of home they are also a reminder that I am not home. If the world was not the globalized place it is today I would not be in NYC right now; I would be attending a local University, and have no clue what Parsons is. I would not have the ability to find out how my family is doing, or how the rest of the world is doing by a click of a finger. The media allows me to feel at home anywhere around the world! As I lay in bed, surrounding by images of my family, speaking to my mother oh the phone, how could I not feel at home?

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