(Figure 1: view of the New World Center’s interior from the
building’s green roof)
(Figure 2: East façade during intermission of a Wallcast
Concert)
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The SoundScape park that affronts
the building was designed by urban design and landscape architecture firm, West
8. The park is filled with a vast area of St. Augustine grass and full size palm
trees, interrupted by strategically crossing sidewalks and benches (Figure 3). During
the day, the park doesn’t seem to fit into the context of Miami’s predominantly
humid weather because of its explicit lack of shade. Since the park’s priority
is to provide a large viewing area in front of the building’s projection screen
at night, its focus is directed toward making ways for comfortable views, which
immediately stray from planting luscious trees. The sidewalks not only offer
numerous points of entry into the park, during a performance, they become
excellent seats.
(Figure 3: view of the SoundScape park from the New World
Center’s green roof. A glimpse of the park’s connection to the city and the
scale of one of the audio tubes the at North end of the park)
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People have the choice of sitting
on the sidewalk, the concrete benches that branch from portions of the
sidewalk, or the grass. The sidewalks that run parallel to the projection
screen allow people to sit comfortably side by side. The sidewalks that run
perpendicular to the projection screen are not used for sitting because of
their small size and placement and therefore act as aisles. The directional
pavement along with the tiers of benches that rise as the park progresses away
from the projection screen begin to divide the park creating uniform and
sectional seating very much like a theatre. The grades of people that are
attracted to this event are comfortably situated according to the building by
level of interest. There are the orchestra lovers inside the building, the
regulars in the front with a perfect frontal view of the projection screen, and
then the family’s with the baby along with the newcomers sitting outside of the
audio tubes just left of the projection screen (Figure 4).
(Figure 4: View of the screen
outside of the audio tubes. Less formal, no insecurity of interrupting someone
elses experience.)
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It
can be argued that the experience of witnessing live music, much less an orchestra,
cannot be replicated by an audio/visual system. However, it does provide an
alternative experience, which can be considered in some ways better. The views
of the soloists and the conductor provided by the video on the projection
screen are very difficult to catch during a live orchestra (Figure 5, Figure 6).
Also, the feel of respectfully enjoying live music with other people around you
is still held in the SoundScape Park without the commitment of allotting time
and money to the strict bounds of a ticket. This experimental medium and
thoughtful building and landscape design successfully draws attention from the
popular pedestrian street, Lincoln Road, luring in the nightlife loiterers with
ease to create larger events with each concert as the newcomers make it a point
to return.
(Figure 5: View of the projection screen during a Wallcast
Concert.)
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(Figure 6: The technology providing the projection)
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2 comments:
Your descriptions of the park and the experience are good, but I would love to see more analysis of both. For example, how do the concrete elements (paths and low walls) foster particular seating patterns?
I would also like to see you elaborate on the differences between the performances inside and the simulcasts outside. This is a great observation, and I'd like to know more.
You make some good observations. Now you must analyze how the design of the park creates those conditions. Drawings will show the placement of elements and details will show how the elements contribute to the overall ambiance
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