Other Nature - Columbia GSAPP Summer Workshop

Other Nature Columbia GSAPP Summer Workshop Instructor: Michael Wang Wenjuan Li May 28, 2021

New York City is one of the most urban areas in the world, also with the highest green coverage. New Yorkers love nature. Influenced by picturesque and sublime in English Paintings, the parks in New York City bring nature back to the city. Using two parks in Manhattan as examples, this photo book intends to show the relationship between nature, artificial nature as well as human interaction in different scopes.

01 Ghost Forest This artwork made by Maya Lin merges within its surrounding context perfectly. Transplanting dead trees from New Jersey to Madison Square Park, Maya Lin uses these dead tree set to call people’s attention on climate change and environmental protection. Seeing a bunch of bare trees in a green park seems surprising for visitors. But people engage with these exhibition really well--it merges into a public space. Even though it’s hard to define whether these bare trees are nature or artificial nature, since they were real trees but not naturally grow here. The way people interact with it makes this project more powerful: it’s not only an exhibition but part of its surrounding context.

Dead Trees

Interaction

Artificial Nature

e Within Nature

02 Bryant Park Bryant Park is one of the most successful parks in New York City. Hidden in the busy midtown area, this pocket park becomes a space for locals to escape from the busy urban life for a while and enjoy nature.

Above the ground, it’s a beautiful park with open lawns, shady trees, and movable chairs. Underneath the park, the City Library sits over there as well as the subway running underground. It’s interesting to see how nature evolves with the park’s history and surrounding context. This photo set focuses on the contrast between “natural” and “artificial”, and human interaction in different scopes.

The Context: Busy Street

The Context: Skyscrapers

The Underground Context: Subway

The Underground Context: City Library

Above the Groun

nd: Public Space

“Green” I

“Green” II

Empty Chairs Collection

Occupied Movable Chairs

Empty Chairs Facing to Nature

Occupied Chairs Facing to Nature

Nature at Different Context

“Artificial” Nature

Zooming in

Zooming out

Artificial

Material

City N

Nature

Interaction

Real nature and artificial nature merge together to satisfy people’s pursuit of nature, which depicts New York City life. The most interesting thing is not to define what’s natural or artificial, but how they interrelate to each other and provide spaces for people to interact.

It’s not only a space for people but also for animals, and other elements in nature as well.