May 04, 2006
Columbus Circle
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Columbus Circle has won its designers, Olin Partners of Philadelphia, an ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) design award. Each year the ASLA chooses thirty or so projects to honor, and there is usually a New York City site somewhere in the mix. Last year Tom Balsley's Capital Plaza was one of the winners.
In its citation of the project the jury said, "Finally, a traffic island worth the effort," and went on to say that Columbus Circle "animates the urban landscape." The jury was reaching. The best thing about Columbus Circle is that it is FINALLY FINISHED, after years of construction and inconvenience. We yearn for more contemporary approaches to landscape design in the city, but this traffic island is considerably less appealing than Herald or Greeley Squares, where the turn of the century Beaux Arts aura has been considerably enhanced by the 34rth Street Partnership's abundant planting.
The newly configured Columbus Circle does not really invite you to bring a book at lunchtime and smell the flowers. The concentric rings of planting, fountain jets, and seating, do provide shelter from the traffic, but they are not enough of a buffer to make the center of the circle an agreeable place to sit. Olin Partners' description of the project refers to it as "a place to pause and refresh in the midst of a busy neighborhood." Perhaps as you struggle across the busy intersection laden with goods from Whole Foods (located in the basement of the AOL Time Warner building across from the circle) it might be a good place to readjust your grocery bags--but anyone with half a brain would trot across the street to Central Park if they really wanted to "pause and refresh." The planting, which is described as "providing concentric rings of beauty," is workmanlike and sensible--but we wouldn't call collars of liriope and cotoneaster "concentric rings of beauty."
Columbus Circle does come alive at night. The slim band of neon light on the exterior of the fountain is very effective as you wiz around the intersection. Lighting was one of the designers' main area of concern and they have done a good job. The lighting is perfectly adequate for safety, but atmospheric enough to make the circle seem glamourous, especially when the panoramic windows of Jazz at Lincoln Center, overlooking the circle, are filled with the silhouettes of Jazz greats in concert.
Link: ASLA
Posted by gardenguidenyc at May 4, 2006 05:28 PM