Part 1:

Due to mass industrialization at the turn of the century 843 acres of city-owned land was to be turned into a park after long deliberation on what congested NYC needed. This land was up for grabs in terms of design after it was decided to become a park. Frederick Olmstead’s and Calvert Vaux’s “Greensward Plan” won a competition to design such a park after they presented their design to the American Sociological society in 1870. Central park was designed for many purposes, without recreational activities in mind. It was to ultimately become a place where the elite (or those who acted elitist-like) can go to relax and breath “fresh” air, while being surrounded by “nature”- something that is not seen in an urban city such as NYC. This open space and fresh air was to grant city people a space where they can breath “fresh” air, and limit the amount of disease and illness that they believed resulted from the congested tenement buildings (Ganley 2003, 85-86). This health angle was used to promote the establishment of parks in urban settings.

The design of central park was inspired by Olmstead’s frequent Europe visits. In Olmstead’s design of the park he included picturesque design, formal monuments, and a hint of “wildlife” to give the impression of a pastoral setting. The purpose of the park has changed in many ways. For one- we now know that the illnesses that so rapidly spread are not in fact airborne and so the parks intended use to assist with health is no longer sound. We also know that the idea for this park to not be recreational had changed as well, for there are baseball fields, and other sports designate areas. Olmstead did not intend for recreation to take place in Central park.

Part 2:

In NYC when we watch the news and hear the weather we don’t really think about where these stations get their information. The Belvedere Castle serves as the place where the scientific measurements were put. Since 1919, the National Weather Service has used the Castle for our weather reports. However, before Belvedere Castle was equipped with weather tech, it was simply for decoration. This was created by Calvert Vaux (the co-designer) and was intended “as a lookout to the reservoir of the north” (CentralParkNYC.org). Its location provides the highest views in central park. This change in usage tells us further how the initial perspective, and intention on monuments in the park have changed.

References:

Gandy, Matthew. Concrete and Clay: Reworking Nature in New York City. Cambridge Mass. [etc.: MIT, 2003. Print.; Olmstead, Frederick L. “Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns.” American Social Science Association (1870): 1-36. Print.

“Belvedere Castle.” Centralparknyc.org. 2010. Web. 21 Sept. 2011.

Olmsted, Frederick Law. Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns. Cambridge, MA: Printed for the American Social Science Association, at the Riverside, 1870. Print.