Landscape Architecture & Public Welfare

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING SITE DESIGN

RECHARGING MANHATTAN

Figure 3.1 The vision of Recharging Manhattan. An aerial view of Recharging Manhattan.

Recharging Manhattan reimagines how health and well-being can look and feel in Manhattan Kansas’ public spaces. What experiences are Manhattan residents missing related to their health and well-being? What unique opportunities can the design include to enhance health and well-being? After careful research, we determined our site can influence health in three ways: physical, social, and mental. We also acknowledge that Manhattan residents have ample opportunities for “natural” experiences outside of Manhattan’s city limits including Tuttle Creek State Park and The Konza Prairie Biological Station nature trail. Our goal was not to replace these experiences, but provide new, unique opportunities not found in the nearby parks or public spaces. It is our goal that Recharging Manhattan will become a downtown node for social, mental, and physical health for the workers, residents, and visitors of all ages throughout the day and night. It will become a place to see and be seen.

Analysis
Within downtown Manhattan, outdoor areas lack natural vegetation or opportunities for recreation. Additionally, Manhattan’s parks are typical of many cities: they include spaces for specific activities such as blacktops, playground structures, and sports fields, but few opportunities for unique play. Additionally, few existing civic spaces function for all ages, at all times of day or year. Finally, recent redevelopments are not well linked. The project site, sitting in between these developments, can link these segregated developments together through streetscapes and bike lanes. The downtown location enables the design to respond to cultural icons like the “Manhattan” and “KS” limestone signs north and south of the site, respectively. There is an opportunity to improve on each of these existing conditions (Figure 3.1).

Program
Recharging Manhattan includes a vegetated running ribbon which sinuously meanders through the site at various elevations: either on the ground, on a proposed building, or ramping up between the two. The track is located in downtown and therefore is easily accessed on lunch breaks or after work, as well as being in the hub of activity in the evenings and weekends. Unlike a typical track, various experiences and elements surround and engage with the users.

An elevated challenge course runs through the middle of the site. A lower ropes course is also included, and made available to the general public. Two towers anchor both ropes courses and provide views to the surrounding tall grass prairie, neighboring buildings, and iconic signs. That way, various skill levels and fear levels are able to utilize the course. The course promotes “good” stress by challenging individuals in a controlled environment.

A playscape area includes natural elements like water and climbing rocks for creative play of all ages and abilities. Outdoor exercise equipment will also be available for handicapped or older users.

An open turf space can be utilized in a variety of ways: for Frisbee and yoga, picnics, or watching runners & walkers and challenge course users. Other site amenities include swings hanging from the elevated track, slides from the track, and rock climbing columns.

A proposed mixed-use building includes a restaurant, indoor recreation studio spaces, and flexible space for a winter’s farmer market. The studio spaces would be used for yoga, dance, or other activities. The second floor of the building has interior space for restaurant seating and a yoga studio, as well as outdoor seating and patio space. A small building on the south side of the site will house a challenge course office and public restrooms/changing rooms. The office building will be staffed to supervise the elevated ropes course and close the highest ropes course after dark.

Design
Four unique users highlight ways in which Recharging Manhattan enhances Manhattan’s physical, mental, and social health (Figure 3.3). Health and well-being is a problem across all demographics; Recharging Manhattan helps users improve their physical, mental, and social health.

Figure 3.2 Top: Recharging Manhattan defined. The plan diagram showcases spaces for improved physical, social, and mental health. Bottom: Materials and spaces created looking to proposed challenge course. The proposed building includes spaces to see the activity in the central core of the plan.

Figure 3.3 Creating spaces for all: a design strategy utilizing programming for all ages and users. Recharging Manhattan’s typical users – Joey, Eric, Elizabeth, and Nancy, each at a different stage in life – can benefit from the design in very different ways. The overlaps in the plan show how each space can be used by many different people.

Figure 3.4 Programming Health and Well-Being. A variety of health and well-being spaces.

A variety of design interventions create Recharging Downtown. These interventions create not only a multi-use site for all ages and times of day, but also functional and practical site needs (Figure 3.4). Indoor and outdoor programming is balanced to create opportunities for physical, social, and mental health all times of year and in all weather conditions.

Carefully placed lighting allows several of the outdoor uses to continue being used at night—namely the running track. Additionally, the beer garden will be lit by traditional patio string lights for ambiance. Moon lighting will be used to create focused lighting on internal pathways of the site to reduce light pollution and energy waste.

Eidetic photo montages enable designers to capture the sights, smells, feelings, and emotions users of the site will experience. The following series of montages capture these experiences (Figure 3.5) for Recharging Manhattan. Each montage captures an area of the site described earlier and allows you, the user, to imagine your experience on the site and its successful design resolution to increase physical, social, and mental health in Manhattan.

Figure 3.5 Eidetic photo montages (clockwise from top left). [1] A Site to See. The patio space allows people to view the rest of the activity on the site across the large lawn space. Parents can eat and drink in the restaurant while watching over their children. [2] Hanging out in the ropes course. The lower ropes course allows climbing all times of the day. Balance and climb throughout the day and night. [3] A platform to grow (in more ways than one). A quiet, private space to grow and see flowers blooming. Smell the fresh daisies and native plants. [4] Farmer’s market on a busy summer day. The sights and smells of fresh, local produce are abound on the site during busy farmer’s market Saturdays. Small talk and friendly hellos are encouraged.

References
Figure 3.1

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“Furniture Designhouse European Café Folding Bistro Table.” 2015. Wayfair. Accessed April 29. http://www.wayfair.com/Furniture-Designhouse-European-Caf%25C3%25A9-Folding-Bistro-Table-4139-FDB1061.html.

“High Ropes Course-Challenge Course.” 07:49:49 UTC. http://www.slideshare.net/mikecardus/high-ropes-coursechallenge-course.

“Low Ropes at Ardeonaig.” 2015. Flickr – Photo Sharing!. Accessed April 29. https://www.flickr.com/photos/frussell/2808940449/.

Outdoor 6 Foot Pine Picnic Table with 2 Benches Detached – PAINTED- Amish Made USA -Coffee. n.d.

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Figure 3.2
“Flatirons – OPX Biotechnologies.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.opxbio.com/?attachment_id=568.

“Mulch | Holland Mulch Inc.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.hollandmulch.com/?page_id=383.

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“Sculpture in Pacific Tower.” 2015. Flickr – Photo Sharing!. Accessed April 29. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_blue/7990701922/.

Figure 3.3
Joey image: Young Boy Smiling. January 31, 2011. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmcbrien/5406245416/

Eric image: Young man exhibiting a serious expression. 2014. Wikimedia Commons. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Young_man_exhibiting_a_serious_expression.jpg

Elizabeth image: 2008. Picture of Dana D. Nelson taken by her husband Mr. Nelson in May 2008. Wikimedia Commons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_D._Nelson#/media/File:Dana_D_Nelson.jpg

Nancy image: http://saludvital.com.mx/

Figure 3.5 – top left
“Flatirons – OPX Biotechnologies.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.opxbio.com/?attachment_id=568.

“High Ropes Course-Challenge Course.” 07:49:49 UTC. http://www.slideshare.net/mikecardus/high-ropes-coursechallenge-course.

“Preventing Weeds in Flower Beds.” 2015. ThriftyFun. Accessed April 29. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27272697.tip.html.

“Tibialis Anterior Tendon Sheath Inflammation|Causes, Symptoms, Treatment.” 2015. Pain Assist. Accessed April 29.

“Urban Sketchers: Some Sketches at Sogang University, Seoul.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.urbansketchers.org/2012/11/some-sketches-at-sogang-university-seoul.html.

Figure 3.5 – top right
“Daredevils Attempt Tightrope Walk between Hot Air Balloons.” 2015. NY Daily News. Accessed April 29. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/daredevils-attempt-tightrope-walk-hot-air-balloons-article-1.1607597.

Null, Last edited. 2015. “Tree Rings Vector Art | Getty Images.” Accessed April 29. http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/tree-rings-royalty-free-illustration/503785197.

“Promenade Temecula, Williams-Sonoma Show–Farm to Table–How Cooking Fresh Is Done Right at Home.” 2015. Temecula Grapevine. Accessed April 29. https://temeculagrapevine.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/promenade-temecula-williams-sonoma-show-farm-to-table-how-cooking-fresh-is-done-right-at-home/.

“Spot.IM Embed.” 2015. Accessed April 29. https://www.spot.im/embed/thetexturewarrior

“Tibialis Anterior Tendon Sheath Inflammation|Causes, Symptoms, Treatment.” 2015. Pain Assist. Accessed April 29. http://www.epainassist.com/sports-injuries/lower-leg-injuries/tibialis-anterior-tendon-sheath-inflammation-causes-symptoms-treatment.

“Urban Sketchers: Some Sketches at Sogang University, Seoul.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.urbansketchers.org/2012/11/some-sketches-at-sogang-university-seoul.html.

Figure 3.5 – bottom right
“Being a Mom Has Brought Me My Greatest Joys — and My Worst Back Pain.” 2015. The Stir. Accessed April 29.

“Mulch | Holland Mulch Inc.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.hollandmulch.com/?page_id=383.

“Preventing Weeds in Flower Beds.” 2015. ThriftyFun. Accessed April 29. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27272697.tip.html.

“Skyward Summit | Outdoor Play| by Step2.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.step2.com/p/Skyward-Summit.

“Urban Sketchers: Some Sketches at Sogang University, Seoul.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.urbansketchers.org/2012/11/some-sketches-at-sogang-university-seoul.html.

Figure 3.5 – bottom left
“Farmers Markets | Go Local Blog.” 2015. Accessed April 29. https://banklocal.wordpress.com/tag/farmers-markets/.

“Preventing Weeds in Flower Beds.” 2015. ThriftyFun. Accessed April 29. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27272697.tip.html.

“Spot.IM Embed.” 2015. Accessed April 29. https://www.spot.im/embed/thetexturewarrior.

“Urban Sketchers: Some Sketches at Sogang University, Seoul.” 2015. Accessed April 29. http://www.urbansketchers.org/2012/11/some-sketches-at-sogang-university-seoul.html.