Body Rooted In Place 

Site: Bryant Park

Location: New York, NY 10018

Bryant Park is a 9.603-acre privately managed public park located in New York City. It is located between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan.

The eastern half of Bryant Park is occupied by the Main Branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL) and the western half contains a lawn, shaded walkways, and several amenities and is located over an underground structure which houses the library’s stacks.

Background information/History

• This space was first created in 1847 as ‘reservoir square’ and was originally used to contain the New York Crystal Palace before it burnt down in 1958. 
• It was named in 1884 for William Cullen Bryant who was an American poet and journalist. Bryant park was rebuilt in 1934 and restored in 1988-1992.
• It is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and is an official NYC landmark, official scenic landmark and is also on the National Register of Historic Places

Key Features

• Monuments
• Large lawn
• The New York Public Library (NYPL)
• Carousel
• Food and coffee stalls
• It is the venue for many big events such as ‘Broadway in the park’ and ‘Bryant park movie nights’.
• In winter there is a winter village’ which also includes the city’s only free admission ice skating rink. 

Why I like Bryant park and chose it as my site partner:

• Bryant park. To me, is very special. it’s a place of quiet and nature among the concrete skyscrapers and busy streets.I spend a lot of time in Times Square and love this park, its a hidden gem and a beautiful little oasis of green in this big city. The fact that it is also where the New York public library is is also fantastic and i adore the idea that every step you take in the park your walking over some of the rarest and oldest books in the city/nation. It’s a lovely escape from the busy bustle and noise of city life, especially when your in such a  crowded place like Times Square. I like it more than some of the other parks in the city because it feels very tranquil and calm, whereas places like Union Square park don’t quite have that same feeling for me.

How I get there:

• I live on 11th street and so to get to the park, I usually take the R, Q, N or W subway train uptown from Union Square to Bryant Park 42nd or to 49th street and walk up Broadway or through Times Square. I take the R, Q, N or W train uptown from Union square 

Interaction with the space 

Sensory relation to the space:

Touch

• Grass
• Paths
• Plants
• Concrete 

Smell

• Fresh coffee and pastries
• Flowers
• Cut grass
• Earthy fall leaves

Sight

• Greenery contrasting and brightening the urban concrete jungle
• Community and the sense of tranquility and play

Sound 

• Birds
• 9-5 rat race, people talking to themselves and businessman rushing across the sidewalk.
• Car horns and police sirens.
• Kids playing
• People talking over coffee and cake, feelings of interaction and togetherness.

No/Yes/Modify

No 

• Sitting on the edge of the fountain. Wrong height and contours means the position is painful and uncomfortable.

Yes 

• Sitting on metal chair
• Sitting cross legged on the grass
•  

Modify

• Move from the edge of fountain to a chair besides it, same interaction with the space but different position.

Other feelings when immersed in the space:

• my position within the space influences the information i gather and the way my senses experience it.
• experiencing nature
• comfort
• sense of self isolation even though i am among people
• tranquility
• my thoughts feel louder
• safety and comfort in nature
• all insecurities are not so important when experiencing something and not focusing on the stress of everyday life
• feel free in the space
• the park is it’s own entity, has its own personality and style