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Riparian Architecture

I’m not entirely sure of what project this is an architectural rendering, but I suspect it is an unbuilt project designed by Cass Gilbert for Blackwell’s Island in the East River, later known as Welfare Island and now Roosevelt Island. There were a number of schemes before the First World War (Thomas J. George was the author of one) for the construction of a new civic center for New York on the island, which is located right in the middle of the five boroughs.

Published at 12:23 pm on Tuesday 14 April 2009. Categories: Architecture Tags: , , .
Comments

A fine design, if marred by the besetting sin of that period: giganticism.

— L Gaylord Clark 17 Apr 2009 11:46 am

^Mr. Clark should have ended the comment after “A fine design.” Giganticism is no sin when beautiful Architecture is involved. It’s a sin when it’s crap (e.g. modern era) arch… we live in an ocean of that “sin” today.

Anyway, the design & drawing is by Francis Swales and was part of the Regional Plan of 1929 for NYC. You can find this an many other “woulda, coulda” beaux-arts grand plans for NYC by Swales by googling the actual Regional Plan of 1929 (pdf online

— SWW 16 Dec 2021 4:23 am
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