Architecture – Page 2 – Writing New Jersey Life

Category: Architecture

“Central Park: A Template of Beauty”

On May 6, 2018

In Architecture, Art, Culture, Gardening, Lifestyle, Park, Travel, US History

Spring ambience, Cherry Hill

“…there is…a pleasure common, constant and universal to all town parks…in other words, a sense of enlarged freedom is to all, at times, the most certain and the most valuable gratification afforded by the park”. Frederick Law Olmsted

The sounds of Central Park: birds singing, children laughing, musicians playing, and water trickling are all the melody of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s harmonious vision of the park. Their artful landscape design draws one into a retreat with nature that inspires painterly artists and sculptors alike. More recent tunes like those of the Delacorte Clock and the Carousel have added to the park’s charm.

Delacorte Clock

Happy park goers at Cherry Hill

The National Historic Landmark in the heart of Manhattan began with a city competition in 1857. The prize went Frederick Law Olmsted, park superintendent, and Calvert Vaux, an English-born architect. The philosophy of Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of American landscape design, was to create parks that instilled a feeling of community within cities. His parks included not just fields, but diverse recreation for wide appeal. Olmsted’s principles of landscape design visually drew in park goers to varied landscape themes that brought a sense of tranquility. Calvert Vaux, co-architect of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, implemented their aesthetic vision of Central Park, to render landscape into art. With this principle in mind, Vaux designed Bethesda Terrace and the park’s iconic bridges.

Cherry blossoms on Pilgrim Hill

Some fun facts about the park: A stroll through the two and a half miles (4 km) from north to south in the park represents traveling from the city, containing landmarks, to the wooded countryside of New York state. Walking all the way around the park’s 843 acres (341 hectares) is a six-mile (9.6 km) trip. Topsoil brought in from New Jersey and Long Island helped create the rolling landscapes of the park. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux created harmonious oases throughout the city, including Manhattan’s Riverside Park and Morningside Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, Fort Greene Park, Carroll Park, and Herbert Von King Park. Frederick designed parks in Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, the grounds of the US Capitol, and Mount Royal Park in Canada. Together with Calvert, he created a plan to protect the natural beauty of Niagara Falls.

Cherry Hill

San Remo Building

The Olmsted-Vaux design

Olmsted and Vaux in the Garden State

With the success of Central Park, other commissions for Olmsted and Vaux followed, including nearby Newark, New Jersey. Branch Brook Park, envisioned by Frederick, was the park of our childhood. Cherry blossom season meant family poses in Easter best beneath branches of flower petals that gently caressed our newly bared arms in the spring sunshine. The breeze carried the crunch of crinoline, the jingle of the ice cream truck, and the rustling of robes as proud graduates also posed beneath swaying blossom branches. The flowering cherry trees were and are the special occasion trees for New Jerseyans, spring in itself celebratory after a long winter. Caroline Bamberger Fuld, who shared the Olmsted-Vaux vision, brought the trees from Japan and nurtured them on her own Orange estate before having them planted in the Newark-Belleville park.

Of the parks and grounds throughout New Jersey attributed to Frederick Law Olmsted and his sons, John Charles and Frederick, Jr., known professionally as the Olmsted Brothers, the Twombly-Vanderbilt Estate, now Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham Campus, Madison, The Lawrenceville School campus, and Cadwalader Park, Trenton, Frederick personally designed. Verona Park, Maplewood Memorial Park, Anderson Park, Montclair, and Warinanco Park, Roselle and Elizabeth were projects carried out by the Olmsted firm. Among the private residences Calvert Vaux planned, the Wisner Estate in Summit, now Reeves-Reed Arboretum on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, is where visitors enjoy scenic walks and gardens. If the rare person does not recognize the names of Olmsted and Vaux at Garden State stops, the mention of Central Park sparks immediate admiration.

Central Park and Verona Park with the Olmsted design that draws us in: curving paths, a varied landscape of rolling hills, playing fields, meadows, and water.

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Hennessey Hall, the former Twombly-Vanderbilt Mansion in Madison

Wisner House and daffodils on the Bowl, Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit

A Lifelong Park

Central Park is a park for our lifetime. The exploration of the big rock by the American Museum of Natural History marked our first family visit, the site summited again on a field trip with young classmates. The late 70’s brought James Taylor and his concert for Sheep Meadow, which may be news to my mother-reader. On city excursions with girlfriends, the 80’s had the fun of JFK, Jr. sightings whether he was tossing a football, throwing a Frisbee, or doing pretty much anything in a boyish way. A walk through the park on visits back to the States in the 90’s felt like officially coming home. The anchor was not only the park’s beauty, but people in harmony with nature in a way that seemed unique by being both within and away from the city.

West 72nd Street entrance

A few years into the new millennium came the unexpected thrill of living in New York City, and the park, a former destination, was now a neighbor. Cozily tucked into a living space, I appreciated Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision of a place for everyone to go and feel free. At one point, I was fortunate enough to walk through the park to go to work, which meant that I arrived with a smile for others and returned home with cares left in green fields. If I completed enough work on Saturday, the reward was a Sunday morning spent in the park, reading the papers by the Conservatory Water, applauding the nearby roller skate dancers in warm weather or the sledders on Cedar Hill in cold, or dropping by the Met or the 92nd Street Y to meet friends in a bounty of good fortune. We all have memories like these with more to come thanks to the Central Park Conservancy, dedicated staff, and volunteers.

People travel the world for bucket list experiences, but there is nothing like passing beneath a fragrant canopy of delicate flowers. The cherry blossoms have given turn to the crab apple blooms in the symphony of spring in Central Park. Welcome spring with a walk in the park.

Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” by Jose de Creeft, commissioned by George Delacorte

Monument to John Lennon, gift of the City of Naples, designed by Bruce Kelly; Strawberry Fields commissioned by Yoko Ono

Cyclists everywhere enjoying spring

Cascading blossoms

Vibrant spring colors

Every view is like a movie still (throwback to last spring)

(Sources: centralparknyc.org, olmsted.org, fredericklawolmsted.com, centralpark.com, nycgovparks.org, nytimes.com, smithsonian.com, branchbrookpark.org, tclf.org, ci.columbia.edu, biography.com, eyeofthedaygdc.com, nps.gov, neh.gov, metmuseum.org, amnh.org, modernfarmer.com, aoc.gov)

“The New York Botanical Garden, Always in Bloom”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On January 23, 2018

In Architecture, Culture, Science, Travel

Haupt Conservatory with clear blue sky and frozen aquatic pool on a beautiful January day. The pool is home to water lilies in warmer weather.

Haupt Conservatory at the Holiday Train Show

The Brooklyn Bridge and a top tier train track

“Do anything, but let it produce joy.” Poet Walt Whitman, with links to both New Jersey and New York, advised as well as inspired with this thought from Leaves of Grass. The delighted faces of visitors year-round at the New York Botanical Garden convey the success of the dedication of the staff. The popular annual Holiday Train Show with New York City landmarks, created by Paul Busse of Applied Imagination, is a family tradition for many. The festive décor at both the NYBG and Haupt Conservatory entrances signals immediate welcome. Within the conservatory, host to the train show, visitors travel from wonder to wonder.

The NYBG, located near Fordham University in the Bronx, is magnificent. Though the 250-acres that comprise the garden are vast and impressive, the expanse creates a warm atmosphere through the beautiful landscape design. Features of the New York City Botanical Garden include: the Haupt Conservatory, 1902, a New York City Landmark, 50 gardens, including the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, a Japanese rock garden, an herb garden, a waterfall, an original 50-acre forest that contains Native American hunting trails, a herbarium, which houses plant specimens, a plant research laboratory, the Stone Mill, 1840, a city and National Historic Landmark, and the Beaux-Arts style LuEsther T. Mertz Library, 1901, the most extensive botanical research library in the United States where Thomas Edison once researched. First-time visitors may find that the garden looks familiar. Hester Bridge was in the opening credits of the 1970’s “Sesame Street” and scenes from “Gotham,” “Salt,” and “Awakenings” were filmed here, fun notes shared in an AM New York interview for NYBG’s 125th anniversary two years ago. With flowers and plants both local and from around the world, spending the day here gives one the feeling of having had a genuine getaway.

Trains run through a display of the Midtown display with the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the General Electric Building, Chrysler Building, and St. Bartholomew’s Church made from all natural materials like bark, twigs, acorns, stones, and leaves.

The canopy above the Midtown display

The New York Public Library

Yankee Stadium

Bethesda Fountain and Bow Bridge, Central Park

The Jewish Museum

Edith and Ernesto Fabbri House, now “The House of the Redeemer” of the Episcopal Church and the Lycee Francais de New York and ladybug train

Little Red Lighthouse, 1880, underneath the George Washington Bridge

An overview of the garden’s background includes vision and common purpose which continues through today: “research, education, and horticulture”. Founded in 1891, the NYBG is a National Historic Landmark with a mission to educate as a “living museum”. Nathaniel Lord Britton, a botanist at Columbia University and his wife Elizabeth, inspired by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London, joined with the Torrey Botanical Club to raise funds to have a similar garden for Americans to enjoy. Through the New York governor and state legislature, the city acquired the land and Calvert Vaux, the co-architect of Central Park, selected the site and designed the first plan with his partner Samuel Parsons, Jr., Superintendent of Parks. The Haupt Conservatory, designed by Lord & Burnham, who created iconic conservatories throughout the US like the Orchid Range at Duke Farms, is similar to The Palm House at Kew Gardens which had impressed the Brittons. These dedicated botanists encouraged scientific research and publishing, which led to the renown of the NYBG as a research institution today. Initial board members and contributors included famous names from US history: J.P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie.

Front view of Haupt Conservatory

With a thought towards other shows, like the upcoming annual Orchid Show, March 3rd-April 22nd, and the major exhibit, “Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawai’i,” May 19-October 28th, NYBG provides scheduled ticketing to avoid overcrowding. Though the train show was well-attended, viewing was enjoyable. Visitors were considerate about letting each other snap photos, livestream, and take in the incredible displays. The train show, the “All Aboard with Thomas and Friends” sing-along, and “Evergreen Express” formed the holiday triple crown for children’s fun. Currently, “Wintertime Wonders” at the Discovery Center offers children creative learning about plants and wildlife that includes the start of a field journal for young naturalists. “Wild Medicines in the Tropics” is on in the conservatory through February 25th and “Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens” by the American Society of Botanical Artists is on exhibit through April 22nd. Concerts, poetry readings, lectures, home gardening, a farmers’ market (June-November) and event weekends like Rose Garden Celebration occur year-round. Valentine’s Day this year features personal poems written by professional poets in tours highlighting the “romance” of the collection.

Victorian Palm Court

Fountain by French artist J. J. Dugal, 1898

NYBG’s adult education program “is the largest and most diverse continuing education program at any botanical garden in the world” with 9,400 plus classes and community outreach throughout New York City. For the more casual visitor, a wonderful guide on the NYBG website is “What’s Beautiful Now” capturing not-to-be-missed highlights of each season like the Conifer Arboretum and the Ornamental Conifers, though you may enjoy taking one of the daily tours. For those who wish to spend the day, there is the family-friendly Pine Tree Café and The New York Times-reviewed Hudson Garden Grill, both supporting the garden.

Beaux-Arts Mertz Library by Robert W. Gibson gleams in afternoon winter light. In front is the Fountain of Life by Charles E. Tefft.

Helpful hints: When visiting a garden longer than 14 city blocks, bring good walking shoes or boots. A free tram regularly runs to create accessibility to the grounds. NYBG is directly accessible by public transportation and is only 20 minutes by train from Grand Central Station. Parking is cash only. The grounds are free to the public on Wednesdays and from 9-10 a.m. on Saturdays. New York City residents with proof of residency may receive a special rate for a grounds only pass as part of the IDNYC program. NYBG also participates in New York City Getaways program, Cool Culture, and Blue Star Museums (Memorial to Labor Day) as well as complimentary admission to American Horticultural Society and other garden and museum members. AAA, WNET Channel THIRTEEN members, Fordham University, and Yankee Stadium tour tickets also bring discounts. For more details on eligibility, events, and ways to support, visit: nybg.org. (Sources: nybg.org, tclf.org, amny.com, nyc.gov, nytimes.com, thirteen.com, smithsonian.com, tripadvisor.com, Wiki).

Mertz Library interior

Orchids, Mertz Library

“Margate Marvel, Lucy the Elephant”

By Kathleen Helen Levey

On November 7, 2017

In Architecture, Culture, Lifestyle, Park, STEM, Travel

Charm as defined is “the power or quality of giving delight or causing admiration”. Margate City with its beautiful beaches, serene marinas, downtown shops, fun and fine dining, stunning and historic architecture is certainly elegant, but its charm is what makes it unique. The warm welcome to visitors is the delight that makes one return. A centerpiece of that charm is Lucy the Elephant.

Lucy the Elephant, the unique and “oldest roadside attraction in the US,” noted in People Magazine last summer, began as a real estate promotion, but became a beloved New Jersey and national icon. Lucy is the vision of Philadelphia entrepreneur James Lafferty, Jr.., son of parents from Dublin. In what was then South Atlantic City, comprised of undeveloped sandy land and shoreline, he envisioned this “novelty architecture” made of wood and tin, the result of his combined talents as an engineer and an inventor. To protect his idea, Mr. Lafferty applied for, and received a patent for Lucy, legally considered an invention. William Free, a Philadelphia architect, brought Mr. Lafferty’s vision to life in 1882.

Ingenuously, people can climb the stairs and peek through her eyes that are ship-like portholes, then ascend to the howdah and enjoy spectacular views of this year-round seaside city with its lively downtown. The remarkable central room was Mr. Lafferty’s office from where he sold the nearby real estate parcels, and the howdah served as an impressive podium for auctions.

Visitors may not know that Lucy was one sibling of triplets. After completing his work in Margate, Mr. Lafferty developed land similarly in Cape May, and then Coney Island. Lucy’s sister promotional elephants suffered demolishing and fire, making Lucy’s preservation all the more important. Over the years, Lucy had numerous roles including “…restaurant, ice cream parlor, tavern and private home”.

The name “Lucy” is from a little girl, the daughter of one of those subsequent owner who named her, affectionately, as children do. Lucy stands six-stories high in Josephine Harron Park, named after one of the local Save Lucy Committee members who kept the beloved icon from being demolished in the 1960’s after it had become “dilapidated”. The committee raised money to have her moved after The Elephant Hotel it was promoting was torn down. Lucy was restored, and in 1976, she became a National Historic Landmark in celebration of the Bicentennial.

Summer fun with Lucy includes watching the Fourth of July fireworks nearby on Huntington Beach as well as celebrating at her annual birthday party, the 136th being held today till 8 p.m. Though her actual birthday is July 20th, tradition has it that the celebration is the following Saturday, so more can join in events like playing miniature golf, climbing a Velcro wall, and of course, enjoying birthday cake.

Lucy is open year-round with no charge for the park, but her surprising interior, “Lucy movie,” and sky-high views are one-of-a-kind and not to be missed on an informative tour. Plus, you will help keep her looking runway ready. Admission and the tour are $8.50 for adults and $4.00 for children (3-12). Children under two may enter for free. US military with ID’s may receive complimentary tours. Summer hours are Monday-Saturday 10-8, Sunday 10-5. Guided tours for Lucy are every 30 minutes, and the last tour is 30 minutes before closing.

If you are planning a visit, Lucy the Elephant and her Margate home are minutes from Atlantic City, near a grille and a gift shop (with an online store) with adorable items. The proceeds also support her ongoing preservation as does an annual “Holiday in NYC Raffle” in early November . For anyone thinking outside the box for entertaining, the celebrity’s “people” note that she is available for events, which also support her upkeep. For inquires, please call: (267) 973-1938. After a visit, stay around for the friendly smiles, swimming and surfing, downtown fun, a farmer’s market, or Thrilling Thursday free family movies on the beach.

For more information about visiting, volunteering, or touring with a group, call: (609) 823-6473 or write: info@lucytheelephant.org and for Margate events Margate Has More. Too cute, Lucy has her own Facebook page and an Instagram account complete with “steppin’ out” pedicure photos @lucytheelephant, still trendy 136 years later.