WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK
2 week observation: Data Collection & Analysis
Over the course of two weeks, I have been observing everything that happens at Washington Square Park. There are so many things going on at this park, it is open everyday and at every time of the day it’s full. Specially in the summer. I saw many things that were constant every day that I was there. For example; students, workers, police men, food vendors, guards at night, people enjoying the park. After a few days of being at the park I begin to see patterns. Such as the time of people arriving, eating and when they finished work. Also the police or guards taking shifts. The common hours of the day where people are eating. This changes on weekends, where it gets more crowded and there are more artists, musicians and entertainers.
This got me thinking about one system; the city. The city is controlled by governments, police. The role of its citizens is also very important. They buy things to keep the economy. People work, rent, use the spaces. Money is also an important factor in the city system. As seen on the park, people buy many things, and bring them to the park. For example the coffee man earns money and can pay for his rent and food by people buying their morning coffee from him.
The park itself is very important in a city. Public spaces, specially in New York City is where people distress, go after work, take their kids on activities, have a space to read, eat or enjoy. The activities in the park are also very important and part of the system because as people profit by these activities (example: musician) it is also a part of the entertainment factor of this city.
In this park I saw people from all ranges of age. Specially college students from NYU that their campus is also the park. Students obtain their degree from this college, and they work after, sometimes offering work to another students. And the school system is very important for the economy as well.
One of the sounds that I recorded the most was sirens from either police cars or ambulances. This is also part of a system. Security, policeman offer security to people. Ambulances are part of health care which is very important for the citizens. Another thing I recorded was the monuments, there is a monument in the right side of the park, which give a memory to a man. Another Monument is the famous arch. These are part of the history of a city, which is a history of the system.
This park serves as so many things for New Yorkers, people exercise, study, eat, enjoy, rest. And it has an example of every factor that a city system needs to be running. As many other systems can be seen in this park for example, the school system, environmental system. Within this city system there are many others that can be explored. Attached is a list and diagrams I did of the systems that I encountered in Washington Square Park.
