Washington Square Park, having languished in a state of benign neglect since its most recent facelift in 1970, is set to be remade. The new $16 million design, with its tranquil lawns and Beaux Arts aspirations, does not necessarily build upon the essential DNA of the park as a culturally mixed and contested public space (it was once a former burial ground) in the heart of Greenwich Village. It is difficult to comment on the nea plan, since most of the changes - moving the fountain, adding fences, and eliminating level changes - are perceived in section and elevation...

Written by SCAPE.