URBP 70000 Seagram Plaza Makeover

Seagram Plaza Makeover

Caitlin Chan Introduction to Planning

The Seagram Building was completed in 1958 by architects Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson. It is located at 375 Park Ave in New York, USA. This office skyscraper is the headquarters of the Seagram Corporation; it originally belonged to Samuel Bronfman, Seagram Distillers CEO, during the Prohibition. While the building was an architectural phenomenon, it did not cater towards the people outside of the building. The plaza where the main entrance is located is filled with cement squares, cement staircases, two water fountains, and a few plants. I focused on how to transform the plaza to create a space that invites the public and focuses on what they need while they go through their busy day in Manhattan.

I asked myself “what is the most cost effective way to turn the Seagram Plaza into a proper public space?” First I had to address the lack of seating spaces and shade. If you take a look at a park there are benches available to sit on, shade from trees help to block the sun and keep you cool. Once you reach a level of comfortability, it encourages you to stay and enjoy your surroundings for hours, it will feel relaxing and time will fly fast. At the Seagram Building and most parts of Manhattan, the environment encourages people to not stay outside and instead go inside without or with very little social interactions. For example, this is difficult for families to travel without having sufficient rest spots and this applies to older adults as well who cannot walk for too long and

would need somewhere to sit. Tourists who want to experience the landscape of Manhattan with its historic buildings and unique architecture, it would be a hassle to constantly stay on their feet for the entire day.

By diverting the foot traffic to sitting spaces we also clear up the traffic on the sidewalk and people do not have to worry about bumping into each other or putting in the extra effort to walk around someone who is in the middle of the street. Trees not only provide shade but they also add an aesthetic to the space that will draw the eyes of people and create an illusion that you are in nature but you glance up and also recognize the skyscrapers.

With an empty space that the public can interact with, this provides a good stage for artists and organizations to promote their art and awareness for a variety of topics. Artists are able to gain exposure and can influence other aspiring artists to understand why they thought a certain way, this can create a new culture and leave a mark on history as it did many centuries ago. For example we see companies like Kaws implement sculptures of their brand mascot however they only stay for a limited time. It would be advantageous to have other pieces of art showcased so it would not be as barren and it can represent different kinds of backgrounds. The main emphasis is again to draw the attention of the people, we must realize that space influences how we as people behave. William H. Whyte produced a film for the Project for Public Spaces, he observed the Seagram Plaza upclose and even from above in a nearby roof. He was able to determine that people relied on the staircases as a place to sit, the sun influenced where they would be sitting or standing.

Throughout the day he would record where people would be found standing and it was mostly on the edge of the plaza. This is where we see all kinds of individuals and we can observe them participating in various activities. These people do not stay for long but they are a crucial part in how we should plan the plaza to become a place where people instinctively want to stay.

There are multiple solutions that I have come up with that will be able to transform the space to become unrecognizable and more inclusive. As mentioned before it would be helpful to

include more greenery like more trees, more seating spaces, more display of art and sculptures, and more accessible space which involves removing the stairs for a ramp. One solution that stood out to me was what was happening in Schouwburgplein, Rotterdam which is in the Netherlands. This public space is able to morph into different fields whether it involves grass turf or not, it allows many different activities to be hosted here. For example, part of the floor is a water fountain where water shoots up from the ground like a sprinkler, other days people can host special events or speeches, with the grass turf people are able to do yoga in the open and children have another makeshift playground. To add on, the night life is very active and people are seen either walking or engaging with the space with ease. By applying this concept to Seagram Plaza we create another mutable space that can turn into endless possibilities. In New York City where there are millions of people with all different interests, this would be a good way to engage with as many people as we can with the help of changing things up if needed.

Key stakeholders would include the Seagram Corporation, NYC Department of Public Health and Sanitation, local councils and community boards, and the local government. These groups will be most affected by this change because now it will have more foot traffic and thus will need more maintenance. The Seagram Corporation will have to oversee the construction and make sure the building itself or the surrounding buildings will not be damaged or impacted negatively. Local councils and community boards will be the ones organizing the events or the types of activities that will be implemented in this space as well as find the funding needed for the necessary tools and resources to carry out each plan. The local government, knowing that this building is both a part of history and a part of the city’s economy, will regulate whether or not this plan will be able to last for many years or remain temporary, whichever they seem reasonable.

Here is the list of alternative solutions: 1. Implement more permanent displays of art and sculptures from all cultures.

Encouraging artists to display their work and become recognizable is both beneficial for the sense of community and it transforms this barren space to one with many colors and shapes. There are many different art styles and many artists in NYC, there should always be something on display for the public to indulge in.

2. Allow for more places to sit or implement softer flooring as well as shade.

Sitting and being able to rest is needed in a busy city like NYC. What better way for people to admire a public space than to sit and chat with fresh air. Softer flooring like grass or cork laminate.

3. Allow for mutable flooring, for example specific blocks of cement can become a different material for a certain amount of time. One month there can be a patch for electronic art or imaging, the next time it could be an interactive display that tracks your footprints as you walk throughout the plaza, there can even be a light display like a disco dance floor.

4. Implement more green space and vegetation, possibly an urban garden or greenhouse.

By growing certain plants, it can create an eco-friendly plaza that could also produce food for local residents or even the homeless population. Currently there are a few trees and two fountains that are on display. It would be nice to reconnect the city to nature and restore the balance.

5. Create a more accessible space where people do not have to take a step up to engage with the plaza. Although the steps are very short, it is easier if everything is at the same level.

The fountains block the corners where people are often passing through. This can be better managed if these corners were not restricted in size due to the elevated corners where the fountains are placed.

6. No Action

Criteria for Best Solution: These factors of Cost, Maintenance, Social Equity, Accessibility, Comprehensiveness, and Speed of Implementation are important criteria because it requires time, money, and labor for a project to be completed. Proper maintenance will attract the public eye, encourage those to participate and even people who were not intentionally going to this plaza feel as if they were searching for it all along. Social equity and accessibility tie to the inclusivity for everyone regardless of income and background. Whether or not they are able to take a look at this space

and be able to see themselves enjoying it. Whether they have second thoughts or if their schedule allows for them to just sitesee. These factors of Political Complexity, Safety, and Security are not needed because this space is meant for everyone so there is no need for political complexity. The community is benefitting as a whole not for any specific power or investment. Safety is guaranteed because it is an open space on private property surrounded by other important buildings. The solutions would only benefit the public and would never intentionally hurt the public. Security would be part of the building itself and some solutions do not need to worry about security.

Best Choice of Action: The most cost effective way to turn the Seagram Plaza into a proper space would be to implement removable grass turf space on the cement floor along with trees for shade and seating that are designed to look like a lime from overhead. Similar to what we saw in Rotterdam, this can also be applied to the Seagram Plaza and it would not cost millions of dollars to achieve.

Simply creating softer flooring saves both seating space and opens up more activities that can be planned here. The artistic seating draws the eyes of visitors and leaves memories in their head to show others and gain more attention for the once barren plaza.

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Ferdous, F. 2013. Examining the Relationship Between Key Visual Characteristics of Urban Plazas and Aesthetic Response. https://doi-org.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/10.1177/2158244013485581 Smithsimon, G. 2008. Dispersing the Crowd: Bonus Plazas and the Creation of Public Space. https://doi-org.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/10.1177/1078087407306325 Abdulkarim, D. and Nasar, J. L. 2013. Do Seats, Food Vendors, and Sculptures Improve Plaza Visibility? https://doi-org.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/10.1177/0013916512475299 Yoon, H. and Srinivasan, S. 2014. Are They Well Situated? Spatial Analysis of Privately Owned Public Space, Manhattan, New York City https://doi-org.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/10.1177/1078087414552457

Kuurne, K., and Gomez, M.V. 2019. Feeling at Home in the Neighborhood: Belonging, the House and the Plaza in Helsinki and Madrid. https://doi-org.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/10.1111/cico.12368 WikiArquitectura. Seagram Building.

✅ Seagram Building - Data, Photos & Plans -

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