Manhattan Giants
Hippos were introduced to Central Park in 1910 and then nicknamed Manhattan Giants. Manhattan Giants once again occupy the new Central Park via the known acronym of H.I.P.P.O. H.I.P.P.O. stands for Habitat Loss, Invasive Species, Pollution, Human Population and Overharvesting which are threats to biodiversity globally. H.I.P.P.O. therefore is the conceptual ground upon which the schematic design for the new Central Park is built. Seventy five different regions are newly defined within the park’s perimeter. These regions are constructed from endangered plants and animal species which symbolically represent H.I.P.P.O. urbanism worldwide. Examples of this urbanism occurring within some of the seventy five regions would reflect the overharvesting of salmon and sugar cane. These fish and plants would introduce new generations to both the beauty and consumer driven products which were once wild and can now be witnessed in that state again inside the park’s landscape. The above H.I.P.P.O. urbanism example demonstrates species seemingly displaced, but their relationship within the park is a direct and literal reflection of any and all individuals who were also once displaced into the ecosystem of New York City.
The representations included in the Manhattan Giants proposal are diagrams for the implementation of the biodiversity thesis of H.I.P.P.O. urbanism. These diagrams outline this thesis with colorful, playful patches and vectors of landscapes defining the path, place, pattern and edge conditions with the new park. Paths, places, patterns and edges are circulation access for individuals throughout the park, along with being reservoir areas for excess runoff rainwater. The bloated, fantastical imagery of the final page within the proposal is not a literal rendering of the constructed new park, but instead a symbol of the scale of influence Manhattan Giants will have as a precedent for understanding the ongoing and critical states of H.I.P.P.O. urbanism.
Hippos were introduced to Central Park in 1910 and then nicknamed Manhattan Giants. Manhattan Giants once again occupy the new Central Park via the known acronym of H.I.P.P.O. H.I.P.P.O. stands for Habitat Loss, Invasive Species, Pollution, Human Population and Overharvesting which are threats to biodiversity globally. H.I.P.P.O. therefore is the conceptual ground upon which the schematic design for the new Central Park is built. Seventy five different regions are newly defined within the park’s perimeter. These regions are constructed from endangered plants and animal species which symbolically represent H.I.P.P.O. urbanism worldwide. Examples of this urbanism occurring within some of the seventy five regions would reflect the overharvesting of salmon and sugar cane. These fish and plants would introduce new generations to both the beauty and consumer driven products which were once wild and can now be witnessed in that state again inside the park’s landscape. The above H.I.P.P.O. urbanism example demonstrates species seemingly displaced, but their relationship within the park is a direct and literal reflection of any and all individuals who were also once displaced into the ecosystem of New York City.
The representations included in the Manhattan Giants proposal are diagrams for the implementation of the biodiversity thesis of H.I.P.P.O. urbanism. These diagrams outline this thesis with colorful, playful patches and vectors of landscapes defining the path, place, pattern and edge conditions with the new park. Paths, places, patterns and edges are circulation access for individuals throughout the park, along with being reservoir areas for excess runoff rainwater. The bloated, fantastical imagery of the final page within the proposal is not a literal rendering of the constructed new park, but instead a symbol of the scale of influence Manhattan Giants will have as a precedent for understanding the ongoing and critical states of H.I.P.P.O. urbanism.
Location: New York, NY.
T. Joseph Surjan - design scientist & writer
S. Surjan - project architect & digital modeling
Luca Surjan - creative director
T. Joseph Surjan - design scientist & writer
S. Surjan - project architect & digital modeling
Luca Surjan - creative director