(IN)VISIBLE by Evelin Fung Zhong

(IN)VISIBLE

Compiled & Illustrated by

Evelin Fung Zhong

Background The Astor Court Garden is one of the many cultural rooms that The Metropolitan Museum offers for its visitors. This project was made possible by the Vince Astor Foundation, as one of the museums trustee, Brooke Russell (wife of Vince Astor) suggested to have a garden court that would provide a change of setting for visitor that has passed by the conventional galleries in the museum. This court garden is the first permanent cultural exchange that the United States and the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of China, and it was built by workers of both nations. In the Chinese garden court culture there are many styles and variations, this specific one was inspired by a small courtyard in Suzhou (a city near Shanghai) and there are various elements that were brought to the United States from this city. There are many elements and concepts present in the garden court, but there is little information present in the museum for visitors to understand the placement of objects or the details within them. This book will serve as an aid for visitors and garden court enthusiasts to understand even more the Astor Court Garden and includes design proposals to further improve the space.

dnuorgkcaB natiloporteM ehT taht smoor larutluc ynam eht fo eno si nedraG truoC rotsA ehT rotsA ecniV eht yb elbissop edam saw tcejorp sihT .srotisiv sti rof sreffo muesuM )rotsA ecniV fo efiw( llessuR ekoorB ,eetsurt smuesum eht fo eno sa ,noitadnuoF rotisiv rof gnittes fo egnahc a edivorp dluow taht truoc nedrag a evah ot detseggus si nedrag truoc sihT .muesum eht ni seirellag lanoitnevnoc eht yb dessap sah taht s’elpoeP eht d na setatS detinU eht taht egnahcxe larutluc tnenamrep tsrif eht esenihC eht nI .snoitan htob f o srekrow yb tliub saw ti dna ,anihC fo cilbupeR saw eno cificeps siht ,snoitairav dna selyts ynam era ereht erutluc truoc nedrag -irav era ereht dna )iahgnahS raen ytic a( uohzuS ni draytruoc llams a yb deripsni .ytic siht morf setatS detinU eht ot thguorb erew taht stnemele suo si ereht tub ,truoc nedrag eht ni tneserp stpecnoc dna stnemele ynam era erehT -ecalp eht dnatsrednu ot srotisiv rof muesum eht ni tneserp noitamrofni elttil rof dia na sa evres lliw koob sihT .meht nihtiw sliated eht r o stcejbo fo tnem truoC rotsA eh t erom neve dnatsrednu ot stsaisuhtne truoc nedrag dna srotisiv .ecaps eht evorpmi rehtruf ot slasoporp ngised sedulcni dna nedraG

Moon Gate 月連們

Yin and Yang is an important way of thinking for the Chinese.We can see the counterbalance between a circular entrance followed by a rectangular one.

The concept of Yin and Yang will be seen in many other areas of the Garden Court. Another example even before entering the court is how the outside is bright,the foyer is dark, light again by the sunlight garden and once again dark in the Ming room.

A very common style of entrance for many Chinese gardens and courtyards. In archaic seal scrip Tan You meaning in Search of Quietude.

esenihC ynam rof ecnartne fo elyts nommoc yrev A .sdraytruoc dna snedrag pircs laes ciahcra nI ni gninaem uoY naT .eduteiuQ fo hcraeS

etaG nooM 們連月

fo yaw tnatropmi na si gnaY dna niY nac eW.esenihC eht rof gnikniht a neewteb ecnalabretnuoc eht ees a yb dewollof ecnartne ralucric .eno ralugnatcer

lliw gnaY dna niY fo tpecnoc ehT eht fo saera rehto ynam ni nees eb .truoC nedraG erofeb neve elpmaxe rehtonA eht woh si truoc eht gniretne ,krad si reyof eht,thgirb si edistuo nedrag thgilnus eht yb niaga thgil gniM eht ni krad niaga ecno dna .moor

Covered Walkway 走道

The Ming Room, designed to go with the Astor Garden Court to showcase Ming style furniture and the way that they interact with each other.

Important element of a Garden Courtyard.

This type of structure guides the user through the important places and gives refuge from the rain and sunlight. Yet, it still gives freedom to the visitor to roam around the area.

More of the Lattice Pattern windows.There are four types at the garden court.

It is not a straight path, it is shaped like a “bamboo shoot”–visual pun of the surroundings around bamboos. This almost zig zag style of path gives the viewer differentperspectives of the place when moving. Railing, gray terratocotta tiles all made in

1978 except pillars on either side of steps as these were rescued from an old garden in China.

a fo tnemele tnatropmI .draytruoC nedraG

yawklaW derevoC

hguorht resu eht sediug erutcurts fo epyt sihT eht morf egufer sevig dna secalp tnatropmi eht modeerf sevig llits ti ,teY .thgilnus dna niar .aera eht dnuora maor ot rotisiv eht ot

nrettaP ecittaL eht fo eroM ta sepyt ruof era erehT.swodniw .truoc nedrag eht

道走

htiw og ot dengised ,mooR gniM ehT esacwohs ot truoC nedraG rotsA eht taht yaw eht dna erutinruf elyts gniM .rehto hcae htiw tcaretni yeht

a ekil depahs si ti ,htap thgiarts a ton si tI dnuora sgnidnuorrus eht fo nup lausiv–”toohs oobmab“ eht sevig htap fo elyts gaz giz tsomla sihT .soobmab nehw ecalp eht fo sevitcepsreptnereffid reweiv .gnivom ni edam lla selit attocotarret yarg ,gniliaR sa spets fo edis rehtie no srallip tpecxe 8791 .anihC ni nedrag dlo na morf deucser erew eseht

Half Pavillon 半亭

Called like this as a normal pavillon would have two entrances facing each other.

This type of curved roof is so rain can fall off easier and more sunlight can enter.This type of form is related an ascending phoenix, a mythical bird that isthe counterpart of the dragon and is associated with prospertity.

This curved chairs are called Beautiful Lady Balustrade, as it makes the female body react in a graceful manner when sitting.

Small pond, water is an important element in any garden court, as most of them are built around this.

Plaque with name of Pavillon: “Leng Quang Ting”, Cold Spring Pavillon. As this represents the desire of having fresh water from streams during spring time.

nollivap lamron a sa siht ekil dellaC hcae gnicaf secnartne owt evah dluow .rehto

nollivaP flaH 亭半

ffo llaf nac niar os si foor devruc fo epyt sihT fo epyt sihT.retne nac thgilnus erom dna reisae -ihtym a ,xineohp gnidnecsa na detaler si mrof nogard eht fo trapretnuoc ehtsi taht drib lac .ytitrepsorp htiw detaicossa si dna

:nollivaP fo eman htiw euqalP gnirpS dloC ,”gniT gnauQ gneL“ eht stneserper siht sA .nollivaP morf retaw hserf gnivah fo erised .emit gnirps gnirud smaerts

dellac era sriahc devruc sihT sa ,edartsulaB ydaL lufituaeB tcaer ydob elamef eht sekam ti nehw rennam lufecarg a ni .gnittis

-tropmi na si retaw ,dnop llamS ,truoc nedrag yna ni tnemele tna dnuora tliub era meht fo tsom sa .siht

Viewing Rocks 太湖石

To create a bigger contrast and create more light within the garden court, bigger windows with the same Lattice Patterns would make the view more intriguing. It would also create a more direct dialogue between the rock and its background.

The Viewing Rocks are meant to be seen and create a sense of introspection to the admirer. But these rocks almost merge with the background.

a etaerc dna nees eb ot tnaem era skcoR gniweiV ehT eseht tuB .rerimda eht ot noitcepsortni fo esnes .dnuorgkcab eht htiw egrem tsomla skcor

石湖太 skcoR gniweiV

erom etaerc dna tsartnoc reggib a etaerc oT reggib ,truoc nedrag eht nihtiw thgil snrettaP ecittaL emas eht htiw swodniw tI .gniugirtni erom weiv eht ekam dluow eugolaid tcerid erom a etaerc osla dluow .dnuorgkcab sti dna kcor eht neewteb

Roof

ĺą&#x2039;é &#x201A;

Getting inspiration from both the lattice pattern and the nature that is present in the garden, a better unity would be created if the roof is made out of organic panels instead of a grid.

By having sinous lines instead of a grid, it would reciprocate the organic and curve lines that constantly appear in elements such as the Half Pavillon and plants.

é &#x201A;ĺą&#x2039;

fooR

ecittal eht htob morf noitaripsni gnitteG ni tneserp si taht erutan eht dna nrettap eb dluow ytinu retteb a ,nedrag eht cinagro fo tuo edam si foor eht fi detaerc .dirg a fo daetsni slenap

ti ,dirg a fo daetsni senil suonis gnivah yB senil evruc dna cinagro eht etacorpicer dluow sa hcus stnemele ni raeppa yltnatsnoc taht .stnalp dna nollivaP flaH eht

MY CHANGES

Moon Gate 月連們 In the opening of the Astor Garden Court there weren’t any figures outside of the Moon Gate. In recent visit to the hall, there are two qilin (麒麟) figures , one at each side of the entrance.

麒麟 - Qilins, are hybrid creatures, mix of a lion, fish and a deer. It is often associated to serenity and prospertity, as they are often seen in pairs, guarding the entrances of important buildings.

們連月 etaG nooM ereht truoC nedraG rotsA eht fo gninepo eht nI .etaG nooM eht fo edistuo serugif yna t’nerew owt era ereht ,llah eht ot tisiv tnecer nI eht fo edis hcae ta eno , serugif )麟麒( niliq .ecnartne xim ,serutaerc dirbyh era ,sniliQ - 麟麒 netfo si tI .reed a dna hsif ,noil a fo a ,ytitrepsorp dna ytineres ot detaicossa eht gnidraug ,sriap ni nees netfo era yeht .sgnidliub tnatropmi fo secnartne

Moon Gate ć&#x153;&#x2C6;é&#x20AC;Łĺ&#x20AC;&#x2018; There are a lot of plants both physically and methaphorically in the court, thus I believe that sculptures of a flower or plant would be a give a better balance to the sapce.

The usage of the qilins are not appropiate to the space, as the court follows the principles of the Yin and Yang, and there is not another element to create the counterbalance to these creatures.

sa ,ecaps eht ot etaiporppa ton era sniliq eht fo egasu ehT dna ,gnaY dna niY eht fo selpicnirp eht swollof truoc eht ecnalabretnuoc eht etaerc ot tnemele rehtona ton si ereht .serutaerc eseht ot

們連月 etaG nooM dna yllacisyhp htob stnalp fo tol a era erehT taht eveileb I suht ,truoc eht ni yllacirohpahtem a evig a eb dluow tnalp ro rewolf a fo serutplucs .ecpas eht ot ecnalab retteb

Moon Gate 月連們

The usage of the qilins are not appropiate to the space, as the court follows the principles of the Yin and Yang, and there is not another element to create the counterbalance to these creatures.

There are a lot of plants both physically and methaphorically in the court, thus I believe that sculptures of a flower or plant would be a give a better balance to the sapce. Or another option, is to use this type of Lotus flower sculpture that can be seen in Summer palaces and courtyards in China. As the Lotus flower is a symbol of hard work as the plant must rise above from the muddy waters to find sunlight and to blossom its beautiful bud.

sa ,ecaps eht ot etaiporppa ton era sniliq eht fo egasu ehT dna ,gnaY dna niY eht fo selpicnirp eht swollof truoc eht ecnalabretnuoc eht etaerc ot tnemele rehtona ton si ereht .serutaerc eseht ot

們連月 etaG nooM dna yllacisyhp htob stnalp fo tol a era erehT taht eveileb I suht ,truoc eht ni yllacirohpahtem a evig a eb dluow tnalp ro rewolf a fo serutplucs .ecpas eht ot ecnalab retteb

sutoL fo epyt siht esu ot si ,noitpo rehtona rO remmuS ni nees eb nac taht erutplucs rewolf sutoL eht sA .anihC ni sdraytruoc dna secalap tsum tnalp eht sa krow drah fo lobmys a si rewolf thgilnus dnif ot sretaw yddum eht morf evoba esir .dub lufituaeb sti mossolb ot dna

Half Pavillon ĺ?&#x160;äş

Ponds are very important as they provide the element of water to gardens and courts. Even more, they give the visitor another point of reflection. Thus, the pond must be make bigger to make this element stand out and create a balance between the rock surface and water surface.

äşĺ?&#x160; nollivaP flaH

fo tnemele eht edivorp yeht sa tnatropmi yrev era sdnoP eht evig yeht ,erom nevE .struoc dna snedrag ot retaw .noitcelfer fo tniop rehtona rotisiv tnemele siht ekam ot reggib ekam eb tsum dnop eht ,suhT dna ecafrus kcor eht neewteb ecnalab a etaerc dna tuo dnats .ecafrus retaw