On the Hidden Line
Central Park Summer Pavilion New York
Location : New York, USA
Design Period : Feburary, 2016
Design Team: Jinhyun Jun, Minkyung Song
The hidden line of the park
The Reservoir was built between 1858 and 1862 with two pump houses of Manhattan schist with granite facings at East and West of the reservoir. Between the pump houses, 720 meters long and 4.8 meters width of a dam was constructed to control the reservoir's water level and quantity. Most of the Central park visitors and even New yorkers do not aware of the existence of this hidden infrastructure.
May. 2012
Aug. 2012
Feb. 2013
Jun. 2015
Ephemeral landscapes
This hidden line has a huge potential to be the most dramatic promenade of the park. This is only visible during one-third of the season according to the water fluctuation. We propose to utilize this changing landscape to offer not only dynamic but also poetic landscape to visitors.
In the dry season, the line functions as a powerful experiential axis. People can enjoy the view of central park and the Manhattan skyline from the middle of a huge openspace(the reservoir), where used to be a subject of observation. The sequential experiences through the promenade are enhanced by 5 different characteristics of rooms; tilt, quiet, sky, open and floating room.
Except the dry season, the rooms remain isolated, but still imply the existence of the hidden line. In the busiest and the most crowded city, rooms are becoming the most remote, isolated and lonely places. However at the same time, they create a new landscape in relation with the skyline, and those are approached by floating room traveling around the islands.
