Memories of Central Park

When I went on my tour to the United States in 2008, I was fresh out of architecture school at the time—graduation was just a few months in the past, and I have already landed my first job as Technical Staff (Level 1) in the firm of my mentor, Architect Prosperidad C. Luis. So my trip to the USA was a “Responsibility Escape” (as coined by Nathan Pyle) before actually entering the workforce (this was just a few weeks before I found myself on top of a roof, but I digress).

I already mentioned this background when I blogged about the Staten Island Ferry, but looking at the photos from so long ago (17 years to be exact) makes me remember all the experiences I had in architecture school and the work I did after.

Back then, as a fresh college graduate of architecture, when I would think of New York City, I would recall the skyscrapers that are famous there, like the Chrysler Building, or the Empire State Building, but not really the green spaces. Except for Central Park. (I did visit other parks in my 2014 trip, but in this one, Central Park was something I looked forward to seeing).

You see, in the Philippines, we have a… severe lack of green spaces in urban areas. Decades of this lack of green spaces (or proper urban planning for that matter) result in the damage and destruction you see in the news from here, what with the latest typhoon raging havoc on my country.

So I am so used to seeing concrete in everyday life, with only my university campus remotely having large tracts of green spaces to enjoy. So, going to Central Park was such a experience: I was excited to see a green space that was expansive and cohesive to its function as an oasis of nature in the middle of New York City.

Generally, from an architect’s point of view, these are the elements of Central Park that strike me the most:

1. Wide sidewalks at the perimeter of Central Park. Sidewalks with a width to fit trees, pedestrians, and food amenities were such a treat to me. Here, the pedestrian experience was part of the design of the place, so it was a refreshing experience to walk in such wide spaces.

2. Central location and accessibility. If you live in New York, there are a variety of ways to get to Central Park. Anything from walking to it, taking the bus or the subway or taking bikes or scooters. Central Park is a green space that one can visit conveniently—which makes it more inviting to go to.

3. Variety of outdoor activities. While I was walking inside, I saw all sorts of places designed to accommodate the activities that people of all ages and fitness levels might want to do in it. Places to walk, places to bike and jog, places to hold group activities, and benches everywhere to enjoy the outdoors. It was really designed with the experience of people in mind.

4. Variety of green spaces and water features inside Central Park. Within the park, are a number of smaller parks you can also visit. I went to Strawberry Fields, the park dedicated to the Beatles and John Lennon.

Another thing to note was there were so many water features in Central Park! I visited the Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in the middle of the park, since I heard from other friends that it had a unique view of New York City.

5. Unique photography views. Central Park has that unique element of a very wide green space that is surrounded by dense high rise urban spaces. This juxtaposition creates unique photos that can’t quite be replicated anywhere else.

6. Animal life in the park. Now this was a real fun aspect of the park. Before this trip, I had never seen squirrels, wild ducks, and such wildlife before in my life. I only succeeded in taking photos of the ducks (or are they geese?) but I also saw lots of different bird species around.

7. Architectural elements around the park. Central Park has both architectural buildings that are within the park, and buildings that are visible from its perimeter. You can feel the… age and history of New York City when you look at these structures. It gives a sense of place to the space, as these buildings have been standing there for decades, maybe even centuries in some cases. My architectural history classes felt like they came to life as I walked around the park that day.

One day, perhaps a park like this will be designed and implemented in my country. But for now, one can only hope it happens. In my 2014 trip, I also visited the High Line, which I have blogged about, if you want to read about it, too.

"Going to Central Park was such a experience: I was excited to see a green space that was expansive and cohesive to its function as an oasis of nature in the middle of New York City."