COLUMBUS CIRCLE
THE NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY ARCH 4710 | URBAN DESIGN | SPRING 2014 ALINA DEJESUS | ENNY FILPO
LOCATION
MIDTOWN
COLUMBUS CIRCLE IS LOCATED ON THE NORTHERN TIP OF MIDTOWN NEW YORK. IT IS WHERE BROADWAY, EIGHTH AVE, CENTRAL PARK SOUTH (WEST 59TH STREET) AND CENTRAL PARK WEST INTERSECT. IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FOCAL POINT WHERE ALL DISTANCES ARE MEASURED FROM WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. ATTRACTIONS | CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MONUMENT, CENTRAL PARK, MUSEUM OF ART AND DESIGN (ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS 2 COLUMBUS CIRCLE), TIME WARNER CENTER, TRUMP TOWER HOTEL, JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER AND THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. 59 ST - COLUMBUS CIRCLE
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LOCATION
HISTORY D E S I G N P R I N C I P L E S
COLUMBUS CIRCLE WAS COMPLETED IN 1905 AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN RENOVATED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CIRCLE ITSELF WAS DESIGNED BY WILLIAM P. ENO, AN EARLY BUSINESS MAN WHO FOCUSED ON MANY INNOVATIONS FOR ROAD SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CONTROL.
SIGNIFICANCE C H R I S T O P H E R C O L U M B U S M O N U M E N T ERECTED IN 1892 IN CELEBRATION OF THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF COLUMBUS VOYAGE TO THE AMERICAS. CREATED BY ITALIAN SCULPTOR GAETANO RUSSO, THE MONUMENT STANDS AT 70 FEET ABOVE GROUND.
M A I N E M O N U M E N T LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MONUMENT, THE MAINE MONUMENT IS ONE OF THE MAIN ENTRACES TO CENTRAL PARK. IT WAS BUILT IN 1913 TO HONOR 200 SAILORS WHO DIED IN 1848 WHEN THE BATTLESHIP MAINE EXPLODED IN THE HARBOR OF HAVANA, CUBA. IT SIGNIFIES JUSTICE, PEACE, VICTORY, COURAGE AND FORTITUDE.
1933
TIMELINE
1892
1901
1907
1912
1933
1940
1970
2005
2014
TIMELINE COLUMBUS CIRCLE AND CENTRAL PARK
WHEN CENTRAL PARK WAS DESIGNED BY FREDERICK LAW OLMSTEAD AND CALVERT VAUX THEY LAYED OUT A DESIGN THAT INCLUDED A “GRAND CIRCLE” TO FRAME THE ENTRANCE FOR EIGHTH AVENUE. IT REFERENCES ARC DE TRIOMPHE DE L’ TOILE IN PARIS BY HAVING A TRAFFIC ROTUNDA AROUND THE MONUMENT.
1892
TIMELINE C H R I S T O P H E R C O L U M B U S M O N U M E N T PLACEMENT OF THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MONUMENT IN 1901.
1901
TIMELINE L I B R A R Y o f C O N G R E S S THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WAS THE FIRST TO STAND IN THE FOOTPRINT OF WHAT IS NOW TIME WARNER CENTER. IT WAS THEN RECONSTRUCTED AND RENAMED THE NEW YORK COLISEUM WHICH STOOD UP UNTIL 2000. IT WAS BUILT BY THE TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY ALONG WITH CITY PLANNER ROBERT MOSES. UNFORTUNATELY THE STRUCTURE FAILED DUE TO LACK OF DIAGONAL BRACING.
1907
TIMELINE C O L U M B U S C I R L C L E
1912
TIMELINE C O L U M B U S C I R C L E
1933
TIMELINE 2 C O L U M B U S C I R L C L E
THIS IMAGE CAPTURES THE PABST GRAND CIRCLE HOTEL WHICH STOOD WHERE THE MUSEUM OF ART AND DESIGN STANDS TODAY. IT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1874 AND DEMOLISHED IN 1960.
1940
TIMELINE 2 C O L U M B U S C I R L C L E
FROM 1964 TO 2005 THE SITE HAD A 12 STORY BUILDING DESIGNED BY EDWARD DURELL STONE WHICH HE USED TO SHOWCASE HIS ART COLLECTION. THE BUILDING WAS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE “LOLLIPOP BULDING” THE BUILDING WAS MARBLE CLAD WITH VENETIAN MOTIFS AS WELL AS A CURVED FAÇADE.
1970
TIMELINE MUSEUM OF ART AND D E S I G N
COLUMBUS CIRCLE IS BOARDED ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE BY THE MUSEUM OF ART AND DESIGN (MAD). IT HAS REPLACED WHAT USE TO BE THE “LOLLIPOP BUILDING.” TODAY, IT IS COMPLETED RECLADED WITH TERRACOTTA AND LARGE GLASS PANELS ALLOWING FOR NATURAL LIGHT INTO THE EXHIBITIONS.
2005
TIMELINE C O L U M B U S C I R C L E P R E S E N T TODAY, COLUMBUS CIRCLE IS HOME TO MANY ATTRACTIONS INCLUDING TIME WARNER CENTER WHICH DOMINATES THE SITE. IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 2000 AND 2004 REPLACING WHAT USE TO BE THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN THE WORLD HEADQUARTERS FOR TIME WARNER ALSO ACCOMODATING LUXURY APARTMENTS AND GLAMOROUS RETAIL CENTERS.
2014
BEFORE and AFTER
BEFORE and AFTER
BEFORE and AFTER
PRESENT SITE ANALYSIS
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1 | COLUMBUS MONUMENT 2 | MUSEUM OF ART AND DESIGN 3 | TIME WARNER CENTER 4 | THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 5 | TRUMP TOWER HOTEL
COLUMBUS CIRCLE BROADWAY CENTRAL PARK WEST CENTRAL PARK SOUTH EIGHTH AVENUE
COLUMBUS CIRCLE IS A SPOKE WHERE EVERYTHING WAS DESIGNED TO RADIATE AROUND THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MONUMENT.
ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS ASPACE WITHINASPACE
COLUMBUS CIRCLE IS A SPACE WITHIN ITSELF. IT HAS A WAY OF MAKING YOU FEEL AS IF YOU ARE INSIDE ANOTHER WORLD WITH A FEW ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS.THIS IS DONE WITH THE USE OF THE TREES AND SHRUBS USED TO NOT ONLY MUFFLE SOUND BUT ALSO TO REMOVE TRAFFIC VISIBILITY. THE SOUND OF THE WATER FOUNTAIN ALSO HELPS REDUCE THE CITY SOUND MAKING IT A MORE COMFORTABLE ESCAPE FROM EVERYTHING SORROUNDING THE CIRCLE. IT IS A FRIENDLY SPACE BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN WALK RIGHT UP TO THE MONUMENT AND SIT BY IT IF THEY CHOOSE TO.THE CIRCLE IS SUNKEN AT CENTER ALLOWING FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS MAKING IT EASIER TO ADD THE WATERFOUNTAIN THE TREES AND THE GRASS.
GRADE R U B R I C ACCESS TO SITE RELATION TO OVERALL SITE USE OF VEGETATION USE OF WATER ELEMENTS USE OF LIGHTING SEASONS
ATTRACTIONS
ENTRY
SEATING TRAFFIC
A A A A AB+ A AA B-
A-
CREDITS
HTTP://WWW.PUBLICARTFUND.ORG/VIEW/EXHIBITIONS/5495_DISCOVERING_COLUMBUS HTTP://WWW.NYCGOVPARKS.ORG/PARKS/COLUMBUSPARK/MONUMENTS/298 HTTP://WWW.THERAFFON.NET/~SPOOKCENTRAL/LOC_NY_CIRCLE.HTM HTTP://THEBOWERYBOYS.BLOGSPOT.COM/2013/08/THE-INCIDENT-AT-HEALYS-WILD-NIGHTLIFE.HTML HTTP://NYNEON.BLOGSPOT.COM/2012/09/ON-COLUMBUS-CIRCLE.HTML HTTP://WWW.TIMESUNION.COM/ENTERTAINMENT/ARTICLE/NYC-COLUMBUS-STATUE-ENVELOPED-BY-LIVING-ROOM-3815400.PHP HTTP://WWW.DAVIDRUMSEY.COM/