Response Paper by Darren Panicali
Response Paper: Washington Square and Its Arch
When Cindy and I visited the site of the arch at Washington Square, the park itself was being renovated. Half of the park was green, but the other was torn up into dirt and sectioned off with fencing. Surprisingly enough, the square didn’t lose any of the life it experienced on a normal, renovation-less day: People lounged around, kids played, chess players battled – everything was basically the same. It makes you wonder, “This place looks less-than-perfect. How is all this liveliness still possible?” The answer lies in the architecture.
In terms of the use of space, the fountain as the aesthetically intriguing centerpiece takes up a considerable amount of land as a huge, inviting circle that seems to, almost like a whirlpool, draw people in – sometimes even literally into its wading pool. There are seats lined in arcs around the circle itself, providing a watch-at-your-leisure beautiful, dead-on view of the fountain but also of the people who surround it, and there are always many interesting people that do. The fountain is encompassed by a wide, open space suitable for walking and romping and the like – a plus to any major public attraction. When you walk around, you feel like every step is a breath of fresh air because the space is so huge and refreshing. The bigger circle holding both the seats and fountain within seems to give the park pleasing curves. The arch itself is visible from almost anywhere in the square, but the best spots for viewing are those very seats and space surrounding the fountain. For this reason, it makes sense that the hustle-and-bustle of the square is concentrated there.
The arch itself is majestic, to say the least. Tourists and seasoned New Yorkers alike are drawn in by the intricate Beaux-Arts bas-relief and sculpted details, the stateliness of the massive marble stature, and the two symbolic naturalist sculptures of Washington in peacetime and in wartime. The Beaux-Arts style in the arch blends well with the square because it boasts simplicity with the grand size of the plain main structure yet complexity too with the elaborate details, as does the square, having its simple open central space yet also having its complicated architecture. This duality is kept consistent, and it is delightful to the eyes. The arch is also an appropriate welcome into the square, with sheer splendor emanating from its walls as you pass underneath. Its glorious size and lavishness can actually give you the shivers!
The architects McKim, Mead, and White did have a challenge in making the arch: If it was too luxurious, it would stand out too much, but if it was too demure and less bold, its message would not be as powerful and the welcome and vision it exudes would be compromised. Thankfully, the end result worked out because it does not lack boldness at all, and while it does appear a bit exorbitant in its stateliness architecturally in relation to the meager square, socially it seems that was necessary for the many less-than-affluent people of Greenwich Village to feel that they had something special in their lives that could give them hope and they could cherish as theirs, providing them with sheer motivation, so the architects truly were successful in the end.
Whether you want to have a long intellectual conversation by the fountain or just wish to meander aimlessly about the square, Washington Square with its gorgeous arch is really the place to be. With some good company and a few glances at the colossal marble welcoming sign, you’re bound to have a marvelous time as you stroll down the paths walked by thousands upon thousands of both revolutionary and mundane individuals alike, all sharing common dreams to inspire, to be inspired, and to find their paths in life, just like you. Enjoy!
