I have given the structure I designed for my final project the name: The Social Arches. I have chosen this name because, obviously, the pavilion’s main feature is its four consecutive arches, and it is meant to be a place of social gathering. I chose the location of Union Square for my piece because I feel like Union Square lacks something that a lot of other parks have: a social space that is inviting for people to gather in, that makes them want to stay and hang out there. Union Square is home to a subway station, meaning there are lots of people passing through at all times. They also have a vibrant Green Market which attracts a lot of people, but once again, they are passing through on the outskirts of the park. Union Square has a beautiful, large grass area at its center that is widely unused. Most of the time, the lawn isn’t even accessible to the public. I want to change that by putting in an architecturally interesting, sculptural, and multifunctional pavilion that is open to everyone who wants to use it, and that is what I designed. I was inspired by places like The Vessel, which draw people to them because of their unique design. The Red Steps in Times Square and all the other designed seating invites all groups of people to stop and sit and hang out there. My structure is inspired by domed pavilions and gazebos, where people have always gathered and arranged seats within a circular area surrounded by columns. The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco is an incredible example of this. I also took inspiration from the semicircle design of amphitheaters. My design is made up of four arches that perfectly fit into one another. The outermost arch is connected to the base, in the model by a screw on either side, while the three smaller ones are mobile, connected by a metal rod down the center. This design allows the arches to pivot, moving into many possible layouts. The main layouts I focused on were the fully open version that is the pavilion, and the flat closed version that is the stage. While the model is made of MDF board cut on the band saw, I ended up choosing a concrete base with baby blue arches for my final design. Blue is a calming and inviting color. It is not too loud and crazy that it is an eye sore, yet it is still beautiful and interesting to look at. It also mimics the sky, would stand out beautifully against the trees in spring and fall, and still tie into the bare landscape in the winter. I imagine the arches to be made out of some type of metal that is shiny, but not too reflective that it gets blinding in the sun or too hot. I picture the finish to be similar to the paint on a car, reflective, but not mirror-like. Like an ancient Greek temple, the pavillion is accessible on all sides. It is open to everyone, there is no designated front or back. Lightweight folding tables and chairs can be put in, easy enough to move so that people can rearrange them to suit their needs or their group. On a day-to-day basis, people can stop here on their lunch break, eat something they picked up at the Green Market, sit down and enjoy the weather and the park, or simply view the unusual structure. I also imagine art exhibitions to be held on the pavillion, the unique layout giving plenty of places to place easels with artwork on them, or tables topped with sculptures. It will serve as the inviting, designated social gathering space, and usage of the lawn that Union Square lacks. In its stage-like form, people can gather and view almost anything. It can be a stage where people come to watch bands, singers, dancers, plays, speeches…the possibilities are endless. I really love the structure I came up with. I think its design is very unique, and the fact that it is multifunctional and can move to support those functions makes it really special. While the structure was designed for Union Square, I like to imagine that if it were to become a reality one day, it wouldn’t stop there. This pavilion-stage design can be put into any park and people would recognize its design as my own.
Foam Core Model
MDF Board Pre-Paint
Final Piece
Pavilion Mode
Stage Mode
Photoshopped into Union Square
