Category Archives: Year One

Cooper Hewitt

    Going into the Cooper Hewitt Museum I know I wanted to make some sort of weapon for my tool. I did not want my weapon to be functional, but rather metaphorical. I wanted it to express how I felt about weapons rather than function as a weapon. I want to make an Anti-weapon weapon.

    When I was finally able to stop playing with the machines they had there, I was able to view the weapons on display. The throwing knives caught my eye. What I found most interesting about them was their shapes. Now these were beautifully unsymmetrical and organic shapes. Couldn’t a weapon just be an I’m sure this weapon surveyed it’s people more purpose than just being an object on display, but that’s the only person I’m intrigued by.

    One weapon, I did not see at the Museum was a gun, which I found very strange, as this one tool did in fact change the course of history so many times. Guns frighten people; guns frighten me. They hold too much power. I want to make a gun, a gun that only serves one purpose; to remind people that they are killing part of themselves when they trigger the gun. I’m making a two faced gun!

Throwing Knife Throwing Knife.

“Dos” & “Don’ts”

“Dos” and “Don’ts”

DRAFT NO. 4

By John Mcfee

 

“Dos”

  • Solve writer’s block by starting with a dear mom, dear dad, dear whomever, and then let your complaints and whatever needs to flow. You’ll find that you’ve actually written something you can use. Then delete the Dear whomever.
  • One draft is never enough. Three to four times is better.
  • Always revise your work.
  • Persevere; don’t give up, and something will come.
  • Right in a relaxed manner and (“don’ts”) don’t be overly self-conscious.
  • Draw boxes around words that sound wrong because surely a better word exists.
  • Being ambiguous isn’t always the best way. Try and be clear.

 

“Don’ts”

  • Don’t linger. The words will come.
  • Don’t always go for the complicated sounding word in the thesauruses because the meaning can be fussy; simple words can be better.
  • Don’t just throw facts at the reader. A reader cannot digest too much information at once.
  • Introduce a noun before you place “The” before it.

MOMA visit small assignment

Visiting the MOMA architecture and urban development exhibit, looking at one project proposal after the next I did not see how any of them could possibly be related to the topic of dog accessibility in NYC, but when I looked at the innovative concepts, I started to consider new paths my research project could take. The first project I analyzed was called The Other Side of New York, and what I liked about this project was the planner’s idea to use space, which already exists, but is not being used such as rooftops. Taking a direction such as theirs in my research would be most appropriate seeing as New York barely has space for people let alone dogs. If I could look into ways to give dogs more space in the city, I should consider looking at available unused space. The next project that caught my attention was the project called “The Carioca Way of City Making.” Like the previous project, what I found particularly interesting about this one was its use of what was already available to the public. The innovative ideas of bringing more uses to already existing objects got me thinking about how again I could use what already exists to benefit not only people, but dogs at the same time. How a space can benefit not just all people, but dogs as well is an interesting path to take. My research is about sharing space with dogs, so knowing how to benefit dogs and people in a particular space is crucial.

Research Paper introduction: How dog friendly is NYC?

    There is a lack of space available for dogs and people to collect in NYC. Whether public or private someone is in charge of making decisions, regarding a space. From the department of parks and recreation, making decisions regarding the use of parks, or the owners of private corporations such as restaurants, hotels, or even apartments. Someone is always making a decision. Now, these decisions have many effects on the lives of dogs.

     Policies are the everyday challenges of dog owners. A dog owner wants to be able to take their dogs around the city, and avoid leaving them home alone as much as possible, much like a dog owner I had met who even had to find a job, where she could work at home from, just to avoid leaving her dog Everest at home alone so much.

It is unfortunate that dogs are not permitted on much of human space. Dogs are a part of so many people’s lives; people that have to make all their decisions taking their dogs into account. Walking in New York, you’d be surprised by the amount of people walking their dogs. Now if all of these people were making decisions based on where their dogs are or aren’t permitted, wouldn’t these decisions come in the way of the success of businesses? Which is why I ask this, why create these policies? What caused these policies to come about? Is it a fear of dogs? Will these policies change, as dog culture is becoming more popular? Have the New York policies changed over time? Most importantly, I would need find out if New York really is “the nations friendliest destination” as Animal Fair magazine reportedly claims. To find all these answers I would need to find out who is making these decisions first, as they will hopefully prove to know the most.

Private space includes everything from where you sleep from where to eat. Deciding to go eat at a restaurant may be a small decision, compared to choosing an apartment where owning dogs is acceptable, or “okay” as the brokers or sellers would put it. After having to take that into consideration one would have to look at the surrounding destinations such as restaurants and shops, as some areas in Manhattan may prove to be more dog friendly than others. The apartment choosing process has to become a much more practical decision.

Choosing where you live includes decisions based on the surrounding public space. Do the surrounding parks have dog runs? Dog runs are the only public spaces dogs are allowed to be let loose in, during a specific time period. Are these dog runs too small or over crowded? Choosing the right sidewalks to walk your dog at, or take them out to let loose is even a little decision a dog owner must make. Looking for large and empty sidewalks, and avoiding the hustle and bustle of Manhattans overcrowded sidewalks, makes the dog walking process for a lot of dog owners and their dogs a lot easier. Even public transit is not a guaranteed way to get around the city with your dog. The subway only allows for dogs small enough to be put in a handbag to be allowed in. Not all cabs driver’s pickup or allow dogs into their cabs.

We all come face to face with dogs, whether we own them or not, so decisions of where to share space with dogs really do affect us all.

 

Bridge 3: Housing Unit

Bridge 3 Building Unit complete poster

Research questions:

     Built in the 1960s, during the country’s building boom, after the depression and World War II, Stuyvesant Park Residence, like the ever changing social and political issues we face, has transformed with time. This residence known as a home to New School students since 2009, was once a home to medical residents, and before that may have even been a home for a new generation of civilians fighting for their rights, has almost completely transformed interiorly just like it’s residence.

      Unlike the occupants of this building, the building is here to stay. Made in an era where modern architecture was only just starting to become the new trend, this cement building is deigned minimally, made to fit it’s function, which was housing those that needed a home, such as the young men and women, seeking a place to stay at in NYC. With its plain walls, and minimal furniture this building provides basic needs to its residents. The major changes in the interior have mostly been the interior division of the building, seeing as hospital residents would need more space than average college students, the suites were made smaller, allowing as many college students as possible to live in the building.

     When this building came about the civil rights movement was at its peak! People of all genders and races were taking the streets, demanding basic rights of others and their own, including equal pay. World war II was at its end, and African Americans were not ready to have their economic situations worsen, so they demanded equal pay. Even housing was limited to African Americans, specifically in Stuyvesant Town, close to my dorm, where African Americans were denied to live. On paper everyone had their rights, but in reality they didn’t.

      If you take a look at the New School residents living in Stuyvesant Park, you would say we have come a long way since then. As Stuyvesant Park Residence is nothing like what Stuyvesant Town was. When you look at NYC today unfortunately, not much has changed since then, New York being New York, a place people of all genders, backgrounds, and identities there is always someone being discriminated against. What I want to know is what is the New School’s part in all of this? When did those living in this side of Manhattan finally accept this social change? Is this social change, occurring uptown? Would an apartment uptown have a completely different dynamic? And would those living there be as socially accepting as those at the New School Residence? What I really want to know is if I’m living in a bubble, sheltered from extreme discrimination?

      In order to get the answers I need, I would require more than some research online, I would need to venture it into different areas in Manhattan; I would need to question those who live there, those who have witnessed discrimination first hand or those who have even been the victim of discrimination. I would need qualitative research. Observing people is also a huge part of that; a person interactions with others, especially those of different genders or races says a lot.

Interview:

     With not much to go by, other than word of mouth, and barely any research findings I entered the office of Marsha Dawson, wanting any sort of information about the building I’ve been living in for the past several months. She seemed to be the person that seemed to know most about this buildings past, including the name of the real estate agent, who had bought this building, after the hospital had no choice but to sell it due to the rising, real estate prices in NYC. Student housing was very much in demand, and so this proved to be a good investment opportunity. All I needed was any bit of information that would lead me to the answers I was seeking online. I left her office, knowing one thing; this building was a home for hospital employees, one of which, to this day, lives in the apartment right beside me. With this information in mind I found one answer after another, regarding Stuyvesant Park’s history, formally known as Booth house.

       My first interviewee was no one other than Marsha, as the area coordinator Marsha, a grad student and employee, was provided with a fully furnished apartment, interiorly organized more like an apartment rather than a student suite. When asked how this building accommodated her needs she seemed to have conflicted feeling, saying that she enjoyed the accessibility, being in Greenwich village and all, and the security of the unit, but also saying that knowing ones boundaries was a major challenge, as the line between work, her public life, and home, her private life, was blurred. In order for this building to accommodate her needs more she would need her own entrance or a back entrance to her apartment as an employee. When answering what sort of change she would like to see for the building as a whole she made a few great points, one of which, regarded the lack of sustainability efforts in the dorm, such as the under grown back garden, which I do agree is very unappealing due to it’s neglect. Still, as a young unmarried women in NYC, living and working in this apartment is an appropriate situation for now.

     Other than Marsha’s specific needs her opinions were similar to those of students, especially regarding the location of this building. Zain, a student staying at Stuyvesant Residence found this building to be a suitable place for her lifestyle because of how close the location of this building is to the University Center, and any other necessities such as supermarkets and restaurants. Surrounded by students her age Zain feels like this building was an appropriate choice for her as a first year student, a place she could stay at and be able to familiarize herself with the east village at the same time, but still complained about the lack of space in her actual bedroom, not including the shared suite space. For the dorm as a whole she hoped the gym could be more spacious and open, and that and that a cafeteria be made available to the students, which I agree with completely, seeing as the main cafeteria is a good fifteen to thirty minute walk from the building, and students are required to pay for a meal plan.

      A feature of this building that I am most thankful for is he availability of 24 hour security guards on different shifts, one of which I interviewed. This security guard does not live in the building, but spends a good amount of time in it’s lobby, making her familiar with one of the most important areas of the building. A lobby is a place that gives the building’s visitors, or potential students a first impression. What the security guard seemed to passionately discuss was her hate for the red wall directly in front of her, sarcastically saying how her request to paint the wall blue or green was immediately rejected, which I found funny because the New School have certainly made a strange decision regarding the red theme. Positively, the security went on to say that she liked the area, the surrounding restaurants, and being able to sit in Stuyvesant Park during the summer on her breaks.

       I can surely agree that Stuyvesant Park is located in one of the most central areas in Manhattan, but can also agree that this building does not provide students with as much accommodations as it should, considering the fees students are paying.

Bridge 2: Ethnographic Map

One tends to stick to the area they live in, especially in a city where everything you could need is right next to you. My week consists of classes, grocery shopping, studying, sleeping, eating, and hanging out with friends. My map basically consists of these places; places I spend my weekends at or places I pass by every day.

A place that takes up most of my map is Union Square. A lot of my daily interactions revolve around Union Square; surprisingly, it is the place most meaningful to me. When I’m trying to find out how to get somewhere you would think I would try to locate this place on the map by finding where it is in relation to my dorm, but no I choose to use Union Square to pinpoint where this place lies in relation to it. I pass Union Square every day on my way to class. The subway station at Union Square is how I choose to travel half of the time in order to get to other areas in Manhattan. Now, why would this place be meaningful to me? What Union Square personally means to me makes this place important to me. My friends and I all live in different locations, but Union Square is almost a common ground between us. Whether it’s my friends living in NYU’s dorms, or my friends living uptown, Union Square is where we always choose to meet up. It almost makes us feel like we are living closer to each other than we actually are. Living in a country without your family, friends are a very important part of your life, and feeling like you have people around you is a great comfort.

If I had guessed where most of interactions would occur last year I would not have guessed that they would be occurring at the surrounding supermarkets, including whole foods, Duane Reade, the Food Emporium, and Seven 11. Now, I understand my mother’s constant trips to the supermarket. Whether it is a late night trip, or it’s a stop on my way back to my dorm, I constantly seem to be in need of a supermarket, needing to buy milk, water, fruits vegetables, or whatever seems to run out that day. Having a cafeteria so far away is probably a huge reason why I’m always buying groceries, since I can’t always walk that far and ordering junk food isn’t an option, after I gained the Freshman 15. Whole Foods has become my best friend. A place that sells the most fresh and organic fruits or vegetables, and a place I can buy healthy readymade meals from.

Other than avoiding all the delicious food I cannot eat anymore, I avoid the corner on 1st avenue and 15th street, which is right next to my dorm. Funny enough the corner on 2nd avenue and 15th street seems completely fine, so it is always my chosen path. Even though Duane Reade, CVS, and Chase bank are around the corner from my dorm, I always try going to the other ones a bit further away on my way back to the dorm because that way I can avoid the sketchy corner. Twice, a man followed me on that corner, and that is not including the men that seem to hang out there just to scare people. That corner really becomes a scary area when it starts to get dark, and the people around that corner homeless or not seem to be hiding in the shadows. If only that street was filled with more people and light I would not feel the same way I do about it now.

EthnographicMapMy week consists of more than subway stations, grocery shopping, and avoiding sketchy streets, but when I think about a week in my area these images pop in mind. They are what is constant. I do go to the movies, I do go to restaurants, I do go out with friends at night, and yes I do treat myself to a dessert every now and then, which is why my map isn’t the boring map you’d imagine when hearing about the places I interact with most.

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.

IMG_3195