With New York City Department of Sanitation collecting over 12,000 tons of residential and institutional refuse and recyclables a day, many systems have been designed and continuously altered to address this.(1) In 2006, Mayor Michael Bloomberg transformed the system, discontinuing the use of trucks and instead turning to barges and trains to remove trash.(2) This was meant to decrease air pollution and the traffic congestion caused by garbage trucks constantly streaming through the city.
Now, after more debates and changes, marine transfer stations (MTS), where trucks dump their collected garbage onto barges, and the barges themselves are being decommissioned - MTS are left with no use, and barges are left with no where to go. Barges are abandoned to rust, buckle, leak, and sometimes sink to the bottom of waterways.(3) This growing problem has area environmental groups and citizens’ boards aggressively advocating for improved environmental and sustainable structures. Our design will give these barges a renewed purpose - improving the waterfront environment rather than endangering it.
In West Harlem, where this year’s ENYA Design Competition site lies, Community Board 9 speaks of these concerns and their specific hopes for the future development of their waterfront in their Needs Assessment. Regarding the former 135th Street MTS, they emphasize sustainability and making this a potential “green” site for jobs in aqua farming, hydroponics, and other sustainable jobs for local residents.(4) Potential opportunities to teach children and young adults environmental skills, urban gardening, and horticulture bring two striking benefits: 1) economic development – teaching a skill set that stimulates career possibilities; and 2) civic engagement and environmental values – intergenerational activity that brings neighbors together, which develops pride for their community. With forward-thinking design, the 135th Street pier could supplement the area’s struggling education system, while simultaneously contributing to an environmentally friendly, sustainable waterfront. Greener environments, safe spaces for recreation and learning, and neighborhood cohesion have all been shown to improve the health and well-being of a community.
In partnering with Nourish NYC, we designed a site that would draw community members and tourists, young and old, to the pier to see the spectacle of seasonally rotating barges, each with a unique combination of landscape typology, educational programming, and recreational opportunities. The overarching plan consists of a stable pier with 4 docking bays to receive any combination of uniquely crafted barges.
The pier is equipped with environmental demonstrations, observational points, and event venues. Some examples of activities occurring on the pier include: an underwater observation room to show ecological processes below the water’s surface, demonstrations of filtration systems for cleaning water, short videos or personalized guided tours explaining the waterfront’s history and emerging ideas being considered for its use and sustainability (e.g. oyster farming), and summarizing education about how all of this impacts the community’s health and nutrition. On the transition space connecting the walkway access point to the pier, there will be event space for music and arts events as an additional draw attracting people to the site.
Each barge consists of a unique typology demonstrating landscapes that contrast urban NYC, but bring other typical New York State landscapes to view. With the emphasis on environmental education and health, each barge is built for various activities such as gardening, fruit trees and berries for picking, and camp sites to provide urban families a place to experience this rural-type adventure. The aquaponics/greenhouse barge is a great example of an environmental demonstration that can teach young people innovative skills, which will help them enter careers in a growing field, and stimulate economic growth. The main site at the 135th Street pier is ever changing and an interesting spectacle to see because as the barges seasonally dock and alternatively pull away, visitors can expect unique experiences each time they visit.
The site is integrated into the larger city fabric and transportation system in 2 ways: a) when barges are not currently docked here they can spread the educational initiative by docking elsewhere and exposing other urban neighborhoods to their environments and programs; and b) the site can receive already existing water taxis as well as offer a new water taxi program specifically focused on environmental concerns.
References
1. New York City Department of Sanitation. Retrieved January 7, 2012, from
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dsny/html/about/about.shtml#.U1PXUvldV9U
2. Hu, W. (2006, July 20). City Council Backs Mayor’s Trash Disposal Plan. The New York
Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/20/nyregion/20garbage.html?oref=slogin&_r=0
3. von Zielbauer, P. (2008, August 5). Officials Lash Out at Abandonment of Barges in New
York Waters. The New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/nyregion/05barges.html?_r=1&
4. Manhattan Community Board No. 9. Statement of Needs - Fiscal Year 2010. Retrieved on
January 8, 2012, from http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb9/html/district/needs.shtml