RIVERSIDE DRIVE VISUAL ANALYSIS OF A GREAT STREET
Rucha Mandlik I URBP 723 I Spring 2014
ABSTRACT Envisioned in the 19th century, Riverside Drive ceremoniously defines the western edge of Manhattan. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted as part of the Riverside Park master plan. Over the years, Olmsted’s idea of ‘a park with a tree lined drive curving around the valleys & rock outcroppings and overlooking the river’ was carried forward by a series of landscape architects including Calvert Vaux, Samuel Parson and Gilmore Clarke. In the early 20th century, under the influence of the City Beautiful movement, a number of monuments and sculptures were added along the Drive. Thus increasing the grandeur and elegance of the street. Stretching from 72nd street till 125th street, Riverside Park and Drive are combined into a synthesized landscape adhering to the topography. In 1980, the New York Landmark Preservation Commission designated this area as a Scenic Landmark. Riverside Drive was designed and intended to be a great street and it is, indeed a street, that lives up to the characteristics of a great street. Apart from its natural beauty & tree lined paths, the drive is lined up with wonderful architecture defining its East edge. Variety of buildings - historic and modern, high rise and mid rise, add to the richness of the Drive. Older smaller buildings give a sense of history and continuity to the street. Building entrances, materials, fences, windows, corner details, gates and ornamentation, together give an eye engaging quality for a pedestrian on the sidewalk. It provides visual complexity without being chaotic. It is a pleasant urban street to walk, stroll, jog, bike and drive. I visited Riverside Drive on a Saturday morning and walked from 72nd street till 103rd street. In my leisurely walk, I observed and documented the characteristics that count towards making it a great street. The following report of the ‘visual analysis’ of Riverside Drive, outlines the general aspects of the street. It describes the key features that contribute to its beauty - Street Design, Buildings, Topography & Trees, Details and Landmarks. 3 out of the many monuments/plazas on the Drive are explained in detail in the last few pages. These are the 3 places which I believe, capture the essence of the ceremonial public space called Riverside Drive.
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General Franz Siegel Sculpture
Reading Riverside Drive
106 th street
visual analysis of a great street
Commissioned in 1873 as a part of Riverside Park Master Plan.
103 th street
Designers: Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, Samuel Parson, Gilmore Clarke. Firemen’s Monument
Riverside Park
100 th street
Park and parkway is combined into a synthesized landscape adhering to the topography. Olmsted's idea - Park with tree lined drive curving around the valleys and rock outcroppings and overlooking the river.
96 th street
Early 20th century - City Beautiful movement Monuments and sculptures were added along the Drive.
Joan of Arc Sculpture
Broadway
Soldiers & Sailors Monument
The dimension of TIME - Evolution of Riverside Drive over time gives substance and adds richness to the street. 1980 - 72nd to 125th street was designated as a scenic landmark.
89 th street
86 th street
Riverside Drive
landmarkwest.blogspot.com 79 th street
Hamilton Fountain
Eleanor Roosevelt Monument
76 th street
72 nd street
timeshutter.com
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STREET DESIGN Designed and intended to be a great street. One sided - one side lined by buildings and other flanked by open space. Curvy and wide - purposefully. Variety of street configuration makes it dynamic
72-79
88-103
Concave: Sense of closure Convex: Sense of curiosity, discovery Straight: Tree lined boulevard Narrow: Change in scale, more intimate Wide: Sense of true public realm.
103-125
79-88
Wide sidewalks with plenty of seating.
Multiple path configurations
Narrow & intimate
Park sidewalk with seating
Convex path
Concave path 4
BUILDINGS Variety of buildings - historic and modern, mid-rise and high rise. Tighter spacing of buildings defines the East edge of the street. Older smaller buildings give a sense of history & continuity. Buildings orient themselves according to the street configuration. They curve with the street.
Corner windows
Buildings elements are designed to address the street - column, arch and recessed entrances,domed and angled corners with windows, strong cornice lines, diagonal corner entryways, stepped entry, direct entry etc. Transition between public and private realm is subtle.
Low and high rise
Rounded corners
Curved facades Old & new
Smaller and older buildings 5
Variety in building design
Different entryways
Stepped & direct
Modern & traditional
Recessed
Angled
Direct & traditional
Direct & modern
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TOPOGRAPHY & TREES Riverside Drive blends seamlessly with the natural topography of the area. Noticeable changes in the elevation throughout the street makes it dynamic. At places the Drive splits at two levels, with different street widths. Tress along Riverside Park define the east edge of the Drive, separating pedestrian and vehicular realms.
Street narrows on a curve sloping down
Trees add movement with constant movement of their branches and leaves. Branches cast different shadow patterns on the street, building walls and sidewalk. Different types of trees add color, shade and ornamental quality. They create places for shade and sun. At places the branches come together overhead creating a canopy of shade. Shrubs and ornamentals on building patios, and window sill act as an extension to the natural oasis across the street.
Riverside Park trees
Topography & elevation changes
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DETAILS Riverside drive is replete with variety of details in window grills, fences, tree pits, building materials, special design features, ornamentation, cornices, canopies, entrances, gates and paving.
Special design features
Fences, grills & gates
Building ornamentation & materials
Cafe entry detail
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General Franz Siegel Sculpture
LANDMARKS: Monuments and Plazas
106 th street
Work as break/pauses in between the street flow. Act as physical markers for street orientation and important social places.
103 th street
Enhance the public character of the street. This is where a path becomes a place. Firemen’s Monument
100 th street
106 th street stepped platform
Riverside Park 96 th street
93 rd street small plaza
Soldiers & Sailors Monument
Broadway
Joan of Arc Sculpture
100 th street plaza & fountain
89 th street
86 th street
88 & 89 th street large pedestrian plaza
79 th street
Hamilton Fountain
Eleanor Roosevelt Monument
76 th street fountain & plaza
76 th street
72 nd street
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72 nd street entry monument
HAMILTON FOUNTAIN 76 th street Hamilton Fountain faces 76th street and acts as a landmark pointing the arrival of Riverside Drive. The sidewalk near the fountain widens and turns into a plaza on a concave street curve. Park sidewalk below
76 th street
The semi circular plaza has benches and a sitting edge that faces the park below.
Hamilton Fountain becomes the focal point Sidewalk widens and becomes a plaza
The two sides of the plaza also mark the entry into Riverside Park by providing gentle and curved steps leading down to the park. 76 th street slopes down to Riverside Drive
Plaza and park below Plaza
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SOLDIERS & SAILORS MONUMENT 88 th & 89 th street The plaza and the monument give a sense of arrival. It sits on a higher level and can be viewed from 2 blocks away. The pedestrian plaza is well developed and provides ample seats. Buildings of the surrounding block respond to the space by angled facades and window openings. Plaza promenade also offers unobstructed long views of the Hudson River for the first time on Riverside Drive. Angled corners with windows facing the plaza
90 th street
Monument is located on stepped terraces. Plaza sits on a concave curve & draws the user in
West End
89 th street
Riverside Drive slopes upwards
88 th street
Public Plaza
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FIREMEN’S MONUMENT 100 th street Firemen’s monument marks the end of 100th street in the form of a solid thick wall with a matching street width.
Lower and wider Drive Higher and narrower Drive
Broadway
Firemen’s plaza at the mid-level between two streets on lower and higher level
100 th street
West End
Gentle steps to Riverside Drive on lower level
However after we take the steps towards the other side of the wall, a spacious plaza with fountain and seating space is revealed. This element of surprise adds richness to this junction. The plaza is located at one of the places where narrower riverside drive runs on the higher level and a wider Riverside Drive runs on a lower level to the West. Firemen’s plaza sites on the middle level. First set of steps to approach the plaza have regular risers while the next wider flight of steps have gentle risers going down to lower Riverside Drive, thus adding variety and communicating the arrival of a wider road and departure from a more intimate setting on the top.
Varied step risers & widths
Monument seen from 100th street
backside fountain
Mid level plaza facing lower Drive
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Hamilton Fountain Plaza 76th street
Hudson River
Henry Green Hudson way Parkway
Plaza
Riverside Park
Riverside Drive
Buildings
Soldiers & Sailors Monument Plaza 88th & 89th street
Hudson River
Green way
Henry Hudson Parkway
Riverside Park
Plaza
Riverside Drive
Buildings
Firemen’s Monument Plaza 100th street
Henry Hudson Hudson River & greenway Parkway
Riverside Park
Riverside Drive
Plaza 13
Riverside Drive
Buildings