GREEN ACRE PARK (POCKET PARK)

1. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
AMITY UNIVERSITY
BAR 806 – LANDSCAPE DESIGN
SUBMTTED TO-
SUBMITTED BY-
Ar. Kinzalk Singh Chauhan Sushma,
Vineeta
ASST. PROF ASAP B.ARCH 4th
Year 8th Sem.

2. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
HEDIO SASAKI
A Landscape Architect And Educator Who
Designed Some Of The Country's Best-known
Industrial Parks, Urban Spaces And Campuses

3. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
BACKGROUND
• Born November 1919
• Died August 2000
• Attended U.C Berkeley until WWII
• During WWII was imprisoned in Interment camp
• Received a B.F.A in 1946 from University of Illinois
• Received a M.L.A in 1948 from Harvard University
• Open Sasaski Associates in 1953

4. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
BIOGRAPHY
• Hideo Sasaki was born in Reedley, California, on 25 November 1919. He grew up
working on his family's California truck farm, and harvesting crops on Arizona farms.
• He began his college studies at the University of California, Berkeley during the time
of World War II. Owing to his Japanese descent, he was forced into the Poston
internment camp in Arizona. He was able to leave the camp upon volunteering to work as
a farm hand in Sterling, Colorado. Soon after the war, he moved to Denver, Colorado
where he met his wife, Kisa, a graduate of the University of Colorado. Sasaki then moved
to the University of Illinois where he received Bachelor of Fine Arts and Landscape
Architecture in 1946. In 1948 he graduated with a Master of Landscape Architecture
from Harvard Design School. After graduation he returned to Illinois where he instructed
for two years. For the next eighteen years (1953-1970) he became a professor and the
chairman of the department of Landscape Architecture of the Harvard Graduate School of
Design. n 1953, he founded Sasaki Associates, incorporated in nearby Watertown,
Massachusetts, where he was the president and chairman until 1980. He led the
company's architects and planners in developing many noted commercial areas and
corporate parks.
• During his later years he lived with his family (wife and two daughters, Rin and Ann)
in Lafayette, California. He died on 30 August 2000 in a hospital in Walnut Creek,
California

5. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
STYLE OF DESIGN
• Sasaki helped to modernize the concepts of Landscape Architecture. He
created a practical approach to designing a landscape. In his works, several
characteristics are taken into account, such as the historical, cultural,
environmental, and social use of the land. Sasaki became famous for
developing this concept of interdisciplinary planning. In all of the sites that
he developed, a balance is implemented into the design. One aspect that
Sasaki Associates pays particular attention to is the environmental aspect of
the land. They have taken part in creating several "green designs." These
designs are created to enhance or maintain the health of the environment.
Some prominent examples can be viewed at the Utah State
University Innovation Campus, The Virginia Biosphere, Walden Woods, and
the Manulife FinancialU.S. Operations Headquarters. Another facet of
Sasaki's approach was the modernism that he worked into his college
campus projects.

6. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
MAJOR PROJECTS
• Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, California, 1957
• Washington Square Village, Greenwich Village, New York City, 1958
• Master Plan For Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Circa 1961
• Bell Labs Holmdel Complex, Holmdel Township, New Jersey, 1962
• Consultant For York University, Toronto, 1962
• Master Plan For University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 1962
• John Deere World Headquarters, Moline, Illinois, 1964
• One Maritime Plaza, San Francisco, California, 1964
• One Shell Plaza, Houston, Texas, 1971
• Urban Design For Pearl Street Mall, Boulder, Colorado, 1977
• Forrestal Village, Princeton, New Jersey, 1986
• Waterfront Park, Charleston, South Carolina, 1990
• Euro Disneyland In Paris, France, 1992
• Master Plan For The Arboretum At Penn State, State College, Pennsylvania, 1999
• Performance Hall, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 2006
• Master Plan For The Puerto Rico Convention Center District, 2006
• Redesign And Reconstruction Of The Ithaca Commons, 2015

7. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
GREENACRE PARK
1.Built in 1975, $1.6 mil
2.Problems: Noise, Use, Cost, View
3.Water features to drown out noise
4.Multiple seating options for high use
5.Lots of plants and trees helped make more pleasing view

8. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
CONSTITUTION PLAZA
1. 1962-1964, $42 mil
2. 3.8 acres, 6 buildings
3. 1600 sq ft green roof on parking garage
4. Was seen as opportunity to build home in city with green
space around
5. Part of project never finished, but still have potential today

9. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
DEERE & COMPANY CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
1.Original completed in 1961
2.Additional buildings later added
3.Was built to match the landscape
4.Had to design landscape to incorporate minimal amounts of paving
5. Built to lakes opening up in front of main building from entrance

10. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
• In 1961 President John F. Kennedy appointed Sasaki to the U.S. Commission of Fine
Arts. He held this position until 1971, being re-appointed by President Lyndon B.
Johnson in 1965.
• In 1971 he received the American Society of Landscape Architects Medal, the first
person to do so.
• In 1973 he received the Allied Professions Medal from the American Institute of
Architects.
• Sasaki was member of CU-Boulder's four-member design review board for 33 years.
• He was Chairman of the department of landscape architecture at the Harvard
Graduate School of Design(1950-1968).
• He founded Sasaki Associates Inc. and was chairman and president of the board
(1953-1980).
• He was a Juror for the Vietnam Memorial Competition in 1981, the Astronaut
Memorial Competition in 1988 and the Peace Garden Competition in 1989.
• Sasaki was awarded the Centennial Medal for his impact on landscape architecture
at the Harvard Design School, at a 1999 symposium on his work.
• In 1984 Sasaki was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Colorado
at Boulder.

11. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
GREENACRE
PARK

12. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

13. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

14. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

15. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

16. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

17. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

18. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

19. Amity School of Architecture & Planning

20. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
“[The people of New York] will find here some moments
of serenity in this busy world.”
Abby Rockefeller Mauze
Location
NewYork, USA
ProjectAddress
217 E 51st St, NewYork, NY
10022 USA
Project Type
Publicallyaccessible private park
Area
6,000 ft2 (557m2)
Year ofCompletion
1971
Occupant
Public
Design Team
Sasaki, Dawson,DeMay
and Associates
Keywords
Waterfall
Pocketpark
Awards
BSLA,MeritAward,3rd
Professional AwardsProgram,
1986
AmericanAssociationof
Nurserymen,LandscapeAward,
20thLandscapeAwards
Program, 1972
Biophilic Patterns
Refuge
Presenceof Water
Non-Visualconnectionwith
Nature Mystery
PROJECT SUMMARY
Greenacre Park is a 6,000-square foot oasis nestled among the tall towers of
midtown Manhattan. Inside the park a 25-foot tall waterfall cools the air and
mutes the noise of the surrounding traffic, creating space for quietude—a rarity
in the hectic city center. The park has three distinct levels which provide users
several choices of environmental conditions. The spatial configuration and
excellent use of biophilic design principles imbue this popular park with a sense
of tranquility even during periods of heavy utilization. Greenacre park is
insulated from the surrounding environment by three walls which enclose it in
dense greenery, water, and graystone. The park is raised a few feet from
ground level, further separating it from the noise and commotion of the street.
After ascending the stairs, the first space visitors enter is an open platform
with numerous small tables, partially sheltered by a canopy of honey locust
trees. While this area is the largest and most social of the park’s three distinct
areas, it retains an atmosphere of tranquillity even during the park’s most
popular hours.
Greenacre park provides a hierarchy of places for withdrawal from
environmental conditions or the main flow of activity, in which the
individual is protected from behind and overhead. Along the ivy-covered
western wall, there is a raised platform, shaded by a patinaed steel trellis.
Wedged into the northwest corner of the park, near the waterfall, this area is
removed from the highly social environment of the main level. The refuge
condition increases in intensity as visitors walk toward the northern end of the
platform where the ivy-covered wall joins with a planted area containing trees,
shrubs, and a rich understory of shade plants. An unimpeded view of the lower
areas of the park heightens the sense of security and provides a good balance
of prospect and refuge conditions.

21. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
N O RT H
SITE PLAN
NATUREINTHESPACE
[P1] VisualConnection withNature.
Ivycovering the west wall,abundant trees,
shrubs and herbaceous plants throughout.
[P2] Non-VisualConnectionwith
Nature.The sound of water, the smell
of plants, and the haptic experience
of cool air and rough stone.
[P3] Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli.
Water features, rustling ivyon the west
wallandtree canopy above, birds flitting
inand out of the space, birdsongs.
[P4] Access toThermal&Airflow
Variability. Cool air wafts up
from the water features, shading
provided bytrees, movable furniture
ensures preferred conditions.
[P5] Presence ofWater.Water
trickles through astone sculpture and
relief wallinto the runnel that spans the
lengthof the eastern wall.A25 ft tall
waterfall cascades downthe north wall.
[P6] Dynamic &Diffuse Light.
Light filters inthrough tree canopy; lower,
upper and middlelevels experience different
amounts of infiltration;and movable furniture
provides seating options.
[P7] ConnectionwithNaturalSystems.
The opportunity to observe bird, insect and
plantlife interactions,seasonal changes
incanopy density and plant colors.
SECTIONNATURAL ANALOGUES
[P8] Biomorphic Forms& Patterns.
Not significantlyrepresented inthe design.
[P9] Material ConnectionwithNature.
Roughhewnstone of the east wall,water
sculpture, andwaterfall; roughgranitebenches.
[P10] Complexity & Order.
The varyingtextureand size of the
stone used inthe dripping wall.
NATUREOF THESPACE
[P11]Prospect. The upper level is
elevated above street level.
[P12]Refuge.Three walledenclosure with
acovered entryway, lowerlevel
obscured byplantings, covered upper
level, sounds of the waterfall.
[P13] Mystery.The lowerlevel
where the waterfall empties is not
visible from the entryway.
[P14]Risk/Peril.Not significantly
represented inthe design.
Site Plan:Thisplanreveals
howSasakiusedplants,
water,andtrellises to create
threedistinctareas.A large
T-shapedflower bedserves
aphysical divider. Water
framesthelowerlevelon
thenorthernendof the
park,andtheraised
platformonthewest wall is
demarcatedbyasteel
trellis.
Site Plan:This planrevealshowSasakiusedplants, water,and
trellises to createthreedistinctareas.A largeT-shapedflowerbed
serves aphysical divider. Waterframesthelowerlevelonthe
northernendof thepark,andtheraisedplatformonthewest wall
is demarcatedbyasteel trellis.

22. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
PRESENCE OF WATER
Greenacre park is unified
by water. At the
entrance to the park,
visitors encounter an
abstract stone sculpture,
through which a slow
flow of water trickles.
The pool beneath the
sculpture joins a runnel
that spans the length of
the park’s eastern wall. A
relief sculpture
composed of varying
sizes of stone blocks
runs parallel to it. The
experience at Greenacre
park is enhanced
through the capacity to
see, hear, and touch
water. The sound of
rushing water that
emanates from the
waterfall, accompanied
by the gentle trickle from
the water sculptures,
drowns out the urban
noise and creates a
tranquil environment that
seems miles away from
the city.
NON-VISUAL CONNECTION WITH
NATURE
The immersive quality of Greenacre park is
produced in large part by auditory, olfactory,
and haptic experiences of nature. Visitors are
often observed closing their eyes to take in
these sensations more fully. These non-visual
sensory stimuli engender a deliberate and
positive reference to nature, living
systems, or natural processes, creating a
restorative atmosphere.
MYSTERY
The entrance to Greenacre park does not
announce itself to pedestrians. Unlike many
of the buildings on 51st street, the park
does not have an awning that protrudes
over the sidewalk, instead its stairs and
patinaed steel trellis are flush with the walls
of the adjacent buildings. For this reason,
individuals approaching the park on the
contiguous sidewalk are unlikely to notice it
until they arrive at the entrance. This
inconspicuous entryway can delight visitors
with the experience of happening upon an
unexpected slice of green in the midst of
the city.

23. Amity School of Architecture & Planning
HEALTH BENEFITS
The design of Greenacre park makes it an ideal space to
relax and recharge, or to get some work done. These uses
are supported by the biophilic experience of the space. Key
patterns have the potential to support the following positive
health responses:
Non-visual Connection with Nature Reduced
systolic blood pressure and stress hormones;
Positively impacted cognitive performance;
Perceived improvements in mental health and
tranquility.
Mystery
Inducedstrongpleasure response.
URBAN OASIS
Opportunities for exploration and relaxation are maximized by
the spatial configuration, dense plantings, and water features
at Greenacre Park. Visitors who reviewed the park on Yelp
have described the space as “an escape hatch to peace and
serenity,” a “genuine urban oasis” and “a little bit of Eden in
Midtown East.” The strength of the design is in its ability to
transport visitors from their hectic urban surroundings to a
peaceful and restorative environment. One visitor even wrote,
“it makes me feel like I’m on vacation.” The park’s rare
combination of convenience and immersive qualities makes it
an excellent example of biophilic urban acupuncture, and a
much sought-after amenity in the area.
A common complaint voiced about Greenacre park is the fact
that it becomes overcrowded at popular visiting times, such as
during the workweek lunch hour. The high demand for the park
is evidence of the need for more spaces like it throughout New
York City. similar space about a half mile away, and Peter
Detmold Park on the waterfront. These parks are also much
loved, and at times, overcrowded. Pocket parks like Greenacre
offer strong social benefits because of their accessibility. If more
of these green spaces were created, however, they have the
potential to provide significant benefits beyond use value, such
as reducing the urban heat island effect, improving air quality,
and supporting migrating bird routes.