480 Unit 2.1

Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City is a Michael Van Valkenburgh project that is currently under construction.  This project is something new for the public of New York city to enjoy, it has taken a previously industrial area and altered it into an accessible waterfront for a city that has a major lack of public park space.  The site of this park is at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.  It is an area that has been reestablished as a public space rather than an industrial area.  It is this new trend of reclaiming underused areas that is changing the way in which we view the potential for areas to be designed.  The process of creating a photo collage perspective works extremely well in identifying and depicting the areas of the project that have multiple uses, lively activities, and are focal points of the design. 

The scale of this project is also depicted very well through the use of imagery.  The site is shown at the human scale.  Above you can see that the site features and design elements all relate to the human scale, and not to the scale of the massive bridge and skyline that dominate the background and horizon.  This human scale is addressed in multiple ways.  There are both open and intimate spaces.  Spaces for public recreation, and also spaces for individual use are found throughout the site.  Pier 1 was the first section of the park to be completed.  It has a variety of terrain that gives a unique sense of access to the water. 

Pier 1 is programmed to induce the enjoyment of the landscape through both direct contact and through distant views.  The large open lawn with an immense uninterrupted view of the skyline is contrasted by the intimate paths that wind down to access the water.  This programming has created a variety of spaces for people to enjoy no matter what type of recreation they are enjoying. 

The images produced in the design process of Pier 1 are extremely successful in showing the dynamics of the space.  The images are made to show the wide variety of activity that can take place.  This type of image shows the elements of the site such as scale and terrain that have influenced the design.  You can also see the cultural elements with the large groups of people all inhabiting a small space.   The ecology takes a back seat in this image, but it is not left out.  This image shows the installations of vegetation, but it is not a focal point in this image.    

These images are successful in showing the analysis, discovery, system, tools, and processes because of the multiple levels of design that they show.  The human figures in all the images give a very obvious depiction to whom and what the site is meant to function to at any time.  Whether it be active or passive recreation, the meaning is clear as to what the space is meant to support. 

The expression of these spaces through these photomontage scenes provides a level of realism to a conceptual design.  The mixtures of photographs and the implanted entourage give a extremely easily read image to what is happening in the space.  The multiple layers including blurs and transparencies blend everything together to create a large image with little seam work that you eye catches.  The perspective is true and well positioned to show multiple layers of design. 

Michael Van Valkenburgh Assoc. show in their perspective photomontages designs that are successful and beautiful with people interacting in them.  That is the major feature that I keep seeing in the photomontages form all of their project images.  The insertion of these vast amount of people make you automatically believe that the space is vibrant, lively, successful, and loved by the community, even though it may not even be constructed yet.  I think that this is a huge accomplishment for a simple photomontage.  The insertion of people interacting seems to be more important than the actual depiction of the minute design details.  I think that the success of these images it to make it obvious in the image that the space that you are pitching or depicting is made to seem useable, loveable, respected, and a focal area. 

When creating these images I think that there is a lot of freedom to really let your creative take hold and express what a space has the potential to be.  Detail and schematic drawings can only get you so far in expressing how a space is intended to feel and be experienced.  With a successful photomontage the character of a space can be expressed.  A detail drawing, and even artistic drawings most of the time, struggle to represent and show the amount of detail that a photomontage can. 

I think that the use of photomontages can easily depict and support the different layers of design such as site, scale, terrain, ecology, culture, analyses, discovery, tools, systems, performance, and can exponentially enhance the ability to communicate ones design to clients and viewers of any education or background.  They are truly a visual tool that, if used correctly, can give views into your design that cannot be achieved in any other form of visual aid.  I think that using a tool such as photo shop to create these images will soon trump the hand drawing process, if it already hasn’t, in terms of effectively visualizing a concept.