Visiting on a Sunday the students and I (a professor at Brooklyn College teaching Peopling of New York City) had a chance to see the Atrium in action. It is a really impressive privately owned public space where people can mingle or just relax and read a book. Unfortunately the cafeteria was closed on Sunday. I noticed the high prices for breakfast (around $9) and lunch (sandwiches and salads starting at $14). This makes it less accessible to a wide public. It would be nice to see less expensive offerings and some more innovative use of the space as a place for exhibitions perhaps using this wonderful screen in more creative ways.
I would rate this public space 5 stars out of 5. This space greets you with a large sign in the front, clarifying that it is open to all and has a variety of amenities. When entering the space, I am immediately pleased by the visuals which include high ceilings, a plant wall, tons of seating, a water feature, and more. The space is very clean and although it was empty, it was comforting to see all the free space that I was welcome to use. Also, the space had clean and easily accessible bathrooms, with signs that also had braille for visually impaired people. There were also multiple signs that remind the public of surveillance cameras to maintain safety. Overall, I felt safe and would like to visit again as it was very clean, safe, accessible, and visually appealing. -Sara Abdulla (Lehman College)
Has a big sign that says it’s a open public space and specifies what is inside (like how many tables, chairs, etc.)
It’s very nice and quiet, not much people here
They have a nice plant wall (with real plants) and cool water fountain.
They have a video screen that displays videos
They have an elevator and a restroom
There is security and cameras here, so I do feel safe
There are water fountains
It’s inside and you can take shelter if there is bad weather outside
I was able to use the bathroom (even though you’re supposed to use a key to enter)
The bathroom toilet had a way to save water based on the way you flushed (environmental friendly). They also have an emergency handle you can pull just in case anything happens while you’re in the bathroom.
I definitely can see myself hanging out here, eating lunch, or studying.
Overall, this POP seemed to be very accessible where it was even wheelchair accessible. From the images provided, you can tell that it has a very open and inviting. It had a public restroom, heating, and seating. There was music playing and friendly staff which adds to the welcoming ambiance. The only thing that is stopping this POP from getting a 5/5 is that it seems to be a bit hidden from the public eye. As a pedestrian walking the streets of NYC, I wouldn’t really have noticed this beautiful location. Not many people stop to read what are placed outside the walls of buildings and for the sign to be towards the opposite direction if people walk, it seems purposely placed there.
First impression was the space was that it is well designed with high ceilings and plenty of moving space. The starking contrast of the green wall against the relatively muted palette allows the wall to provide its due job of engaging the viewer. The space is wide with plenty of facilities, including but not limited to, a cafe (only open on Tuesdays and Saturdays), moveable tables and chairs, green wall, water decor, water fountain (on a more cramped second floor), restroom (on the second floor but is accessible), video screening, etc. I observed a game of chess being played, proving the comfortability of this POPS. On another side was a couple having a presumable date. There were signs everywhere that declared the space was public, I personally counted more than 4. I liked how the signs made it clear what was inside the facility, including a free show once a week (which we did not have the opportunity to see). My critiques are as follows, the entrance accessible door is partly broken which defeats the purpose of the accessibility button, the space leading into the bathroom is very cramped (but it seems to be gender neutral which is nice), and finally, the cafe is opened at very limited times (this is biased cause I was hungry).
Review and pictures by Selina Zheng (Macaulay Hunter College ’27)
Starting at the entrance of the building there is a large metal sign that makes it very obvious that this area is a public space. There is also a button for disabled people to be able to easily enter into the building, however, the automatic doors only work for the second door inside not the door outside. Maintenance is needed to ensure that those in wheelchairs can be able to access this space.
The second sign that I noticed was that this building is LEED certified which means that they would be environment friendly and cost saving. This is obvious as you walk in and look up into the ceiling, there are holes in the ceiling allowing natural light to come in. Overall, the setting is ambient, calm, and dim it is more reliant on the sunshine that is coming through to give in more light. However, I feel that the light is just right.
I feel that the overall setting is welcoming and I would come visit again if I was around this area. There are a lot of empty tables and chairs for sitting and many people are here doing work or eating lunch. What I was interested in is how they built their green wall. Over the summer I was also trying to build a green wall myself at Socrates Sculpture park however my project was mainly on finishing a green roof so I did not get to finish my side project of a green wall. I wonder how the plants were set up and how the dirt is set into place.
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