Brooklyn NY

Grand Army Plaza

CLIENT Transportation Alternatives Paul Steely White Executive Director 127 W.26th St.Ste.1002 New York, NY 10001

Brooklyn

CO N S U LTA N T s Gehl Architects ApS Project Managers: Jan Gehl Birgitte Katborg Laursen Grand Army Plaza

Project team: Jeff Risom Frank Pedersen

Brooklyn Pubic Library Brooklyn Museum

Rambøll Nyvig Ldt. Urban and Transport Planners

Botanic Garden

Traffic engineer: Filip Zibrandtsen Zoo GEHL ARCHITECTS ApS

Long Meadow

Gl. Kongevej 1, 4. tv. DK-1610 Copenhagen V CVR-nr.: 25 30 95 29 Tel.: + 45 32 950 951 Fax: +45 32 950 958

Prospect Park

The Boathouse

[email protected] www.gehlarchitects.dk

Concert Grove

Qualitative investigation

Problems

Potentials

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The traffic situation (the general conditions) /conflicts with pedestrian and cycling movements

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Prominent location, close proximity to important local and city wide cultural institutions

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Areas available for pedestrian and recreational uses are difficult to access and uninviting

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Proximity to Prospect Park

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The weekend greenmarket space at the front of Prospect Park is crowded and would benefit form more space

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Grand Army Plaza is home to numerous important landmarks including the newly renovated Bailey Fountain

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The plaza is under used and disconnected from both Brooklyn and Prospect Park

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Vibrant local community is actively striving to reestablish the Plaza as a city wide destination

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Downtown Brooklyn and its surrounding neighborhoods are growing, changing and developing rapidly

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The plaza is unsafe, both in terms of security and protection from vehicular traffic

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Aesthetic quality of the plaza does not reflect its prominent status

Grand Army Plaza’s Proximity in the city

Grand Army Plaza

Link between

Landmark (the Arch) seen from Eastern Parkway

Pedestrian crossing at Flatbush Avenue. Stop at median in the middle, a dangerous place surrounded by bollards.

Prospect Park

Entrance to Prospect Park from GAP (cars allowed during rush hours)

ANALYSIS

1350 feet

Grand Army Plaza: Scale references to London, Paris & New York

900 feet Total area: 75.000 sq metres (18,5 acres)

Place de l’ Étoile, Paris

Place de la Concorde, Paris

Union Square, NY

Trafalgar Square, London

ANALYSIS

Driving out the People? Vanderbilt Ave. Flatbush Ave.

Problem 1: Freeway design

Problem 2: Noisy inner traffic circle

Union St.

Eastern Parkway

Prospect Park drv.

Problem 3: Poor access between The Arch and Prospect Park

Problem 4: Cars driving in the park

Flatbush Ave.

impo R tant traffic flow

analysis

Existing pedestrian environment

Problem 1: Jumping from island to island

Problem 2: No direct connection from Prospect Park to The Arch

pedestrian crossings

analysis

Existing Pedestrian Environment - A sense of danger

No connectivity across the plaza

Very little public activity

No access through berms

No viewing corridors

analysis

Existing bicycle environment Problem: GAP remains an isolated island in the existing bicycle network

t h e secret bike maps of ny

GAP

Class 2, bicycle lane planned / proposed route Class1, greenway /off-street path class3, bicycle lane

cycling map brooklyn 2 0 0 6

analysis

Aesthetic Environment

Planting and water features

The Bailey Fountain in the middle of the Plaza

Street Furniture

Bench by the entrance to Prospect Park

Lighting

At human scale near the Arch

strategy

Goals for GAP - The transition between Brooklyn and Prospect Park

A people place in itself

An accessible extension of Prospect Park

A vibrant and unique part of Brooklyn p e r m e a b l e an d w e ll c o nn e c t e d

strategy

Reorganize and simplify traffic circulation at Grand Army Plaza

Traffic Engineer Filip Zibrandtsen from Rambøll Nyvig Ltd. has participated in outlining the principles for the traffic solutions outlined in this catalogue of ideas for the redevelopement of Grand Army Plaza. The traffic solutions proposed are realistic and reflect the most recent european traffic planning principles. More comprehensive traffic data must be collected to produce a detailed traffic plan for Grand Army Plaza and its surroundings.



strategy

Improve the environment for cyclists

Current traffic conditions

Reorganize traffic in order to improve legibility and create a better balance between cars, cyclists and pedestrians

Copenhageners cycle more than any other city in the world - largely due to quality bicycle infrastructure

In Copenhagen bicycle signals turn green 6 sec. before vehicular traffic signal, to ensure safe crossing conditions for cyclists

Bike lanes are equally prioritized with cars and pedestrians in the street section

Dedicated bike lanes are separated from vehicular traffic by parking

Bicycle environment

Create a high quality public realm that respects the needs for cyclists and pedestrians

strategy

Improve the pedestrian environment

60,000 vehicles and 55,00o pedestrians cross at grade level in Copenhagen’s busiest traffic crossing on a daily basis

Pedestrian movement:

Encourage people to walk by ensuring a safe and inviting pedestrian network

Prioritize the pedestrian:

Rather than interrupting footpaths at side streets, maintain the footpath at one level, extending it over street grade to enforce the importance of pedestrians

Access for everyone:

Barcelona has developed a citywide policy to ensure better access for people with special needs

strategy

Welcome and invite stationary activities

Bus stop in Auckland, New Zealand

Bus stops:

Improve conditions for those who use public transport

Bench in Copenhagen

Places to rest:

Ensure good seating opportunities for people, that are placed to accentuate positive aspects of climate, protected from noise, placed in proximity to people magnets

Ornament and play - fountains in Lyon

Enjoyment:

Encourage physical activities and play

strategy

Improve legibility and way-finding Design for a city - not a freeway

All metro stations in Copenhagen have easily accessible elevators.

Understand connections

Encourage people to cross at traffic intersections by using clear signage and site information

Understand the place

Clear and well marked subway exits and bus stops - using both stairs and elevators

Celebrate monuments

Free access to monuments - create seating opportunities where people can enjoy them

strategy

Creating Three Distinct Urban Spaces

Brooklyn Public Library

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The formal space: Representative and worthy of great monuments

Place des Terraux, Lyon

Prospect Park

The forest: Lush green intimate landscape of trees

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Brooklyn

The savannah: Soft , inviting surfaces for multi purpose use

Waterside Park, Copenhagen

strategy

Concept 1: Tunnel under the Plaza Tunnel entrance

Characteristics Reconquer the majority of space for people, keeping only local traffic at grade while placing all heavy traffic in the underground tunnel Pluses •creates a total people place •strong connections to city and park Minuses •extremely expensive •drastic change •motorists will not experience GAP as the important Brooklyn landmark that it is

wide foot path 1-2 lanes local traffic bike lane

Tunnel entrance

strategy

Concept 2: A Simple Traffic Oval Characteristics Reinvents the oval while placing all traffic on the outer ring. The berms are either reduced to preserve historical traces or removed completely. Pluses •Sophisticated traffic signaling allows for quality pedestrian connections to City and Park (as well as Brooklyn Library) •keeps buffer to neighborhoods either in the form of berms or quiet side streets with extensive planting Minuses •Changes the nature of the space, removing quite a few of Grand Army Plaza’s original design elements Monuments Row of trees wide foot path 3-5 lanes traffic bike lane local access street

Traffic Traffic signals signals

Fountain

Arch

Traffic Traffic signals signals

strategy

Concept 2: A Simple Traffic Oval

Plaza today Pluses •eliminates barriers •opens plaza up to neighborhood •makes GAP more accessible •all in one level Minuses •removes an element of original design

Plaza in one Level - no Berms

Pluses •retains essence of original design intention •improved visual connection Minuses •some visual barrier remains

Reduced berms - left over

strategy

Concept 3: Prioritizing Pedestrian Zones NYC DOT, GAP schematic plan from 1987, showing a better pedestrian experience

•simple and upgraded pedestrian environment •opportunities for a coherent pedestrian and cycle network •increases pedestrian and bicyclist safety

Pedestrian crossing and public art

Pedestrian crossings can also be functional and aesthetically pleasing as in Place des Terraux, by artist Daniel Burren

strategy

Concept 4: Connecting the Park to the Arch and Fountain Characteristics Reinvents the oval, creating a low speed area between park and arch, while placing all traffic on the outer ring Pluses •creates a unified people place •maintain original vision for Grand Army Plaza •very good pedestrian crossing from park to arch Minuses •two closely placed traffic signals could create long lines of traffic during rush hour •the remaining berms could act as a barrier

FOREST / FOUNTAIN

FORMAL URBAN LANDSCAPE

Traffic Traffic signals signals

wide foot path 4-6 lanes local traffic bike lane semi private street

Wide Wide pedestrian pedestrian crossing crossing

strategy

Concept 5: Reorganizing Traffic flow Characteristics No cars passing in front of the entrance to the Park. The Park is closely tied to the Arch and the Fountain, and it is easier to integrate pedestrians and bicycles on the middle of the Plaza. Pluses •creates a great place for the greenmarket •direct access to Arch and Fountain •very good pedestrian crossing from park to arch Minuses •two-way roads in the oval, which will occupy a lot of space •could create more problems •traffic model needs to be analyzed before any scheme can be adopted The GAP Coalition, suggest a re-arrangement of the traffic flow, so one can walk from Prospect Park through the green market plaza under the Arch and to the Fountain without crossing a single lane of through traffic

strategy

Concept 6: Opening up the Berms Characteristics Reinterprets the landscaped “berms” to allow for viewing corridors improving visual contact between street and the fountain area. Pluses •creates a unified people place •respects the historical traces of the original Grand Army Plaza plan •improve pedestrian safety eliminates dark corners •good pedestrian connection from Plaza to smaller side streets Minuses •the remaining berms could act as a barrier

wide foot path 4-6 lanes local traffic bike lane semi private street

Opened Opened berms berms

Viewing corridors

strategy

Concept 7: Hiding traffic in Berms

Characteristics Reinterprets the landscaped “berms” - that were originally intended to reduce traffic noise for people in the plaza, but today reduce traffic noise for those living around GAP. Places all heavy traffic “inside the berms” Pluses •creates a great people place •respects the major elements of the original GAP plan •emphasizes character of landscape and makes new possibilities (e.g. ampitheater with Arch as stage)

Plaza today

Plaza with closed Berms

Minuses •major infrastructure change •the berms could become a barrier physicly as well as visually

Plaza with open Berms

strategy

Grand Army Plaza has the Potential to be NYC’s premier Public Space

Celebrate the Monuments Trafalgar Square, London

Celebrate People

Pioneer Courthouse, Portland

Celebrate Light

Place Charles Hernu, Lyon