An amazing thing happened the other day when I began doing research on Rivington Street. I was taking photos where the street begins at the Bowery, and I by chance turned onto Freeman’s Alley. I had been there a few times in the past and had old photos from there, so I considered just continuingContinue reading “Charlie’s Story”
Author Archives: Elizabeth Pizzuti
Wicked problem
In my presentation last week I presented a “wicked” problem that is closely related to my thesis. I am exploring the integration of our surroundings and its effect on our well-being. I am also interested in the meaning of place and how businesses can plug into the historical and cultural meaning of a community, toContinue reading “Wicked problem”
Interesting conversation
In this class, we are studying design thinking and it’s potential for changing the way business operates. Instead of designers being given a brief after the decisions have been made, designers are brought into the conversation at project conception. This eliminates many of the issues that come from miscommunication and products can be rolled outContinue reading “Interesting conversation”
Graduate Studio: Transformation Design
This is my first entry in what will become my process book for Transformation Design, a new course offering in the new MFA Communications Design program at Pratt. The course will include exploration into the term ‘transformation design’ itself, and mapping the trend by considering historical aspects, major players and influences. Major questions that weContinue reading “Graduate Studio: Transformation Design”
Cittaslow and Girard
I just read a fascinating article by the Italian professor Luigi Fusco Girard. One of his main points is that sustainable conservation and renewable energy usage should go hand-in-hand. “Conservation of urban heritage can be genuinely sustainable to the extent that it revitalizes communities by creating a dynamic, growth-oriented mix of new functions that regenerateContinue reading “Cittaslow and Girard”
Books to Read
Michel de Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life. chapter: “Walking in the City” 1984. Yi-Fu Tuan, Space and Place. chapter: “Architectural Space and Awareness” John Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic: Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday Places. 1998 John Brinckerhoff Jackson, who said: “The older I grow and the longer I look at landscapes and seekContinue reading “Books to Read”
Preserving the environment, historical integrity and involving the community
What is the best way to accomplish these things in a large city? Why do I feel like sustainability is the last thing on people’s minds in New York City. As one of the largest, most cosmopolitan cities in the world, we should be setting the standard not lagging behind with backwards policies and lowContinue reading “Preserving the environment, historical integrity and involving the community”
Berenice Abbott/my obsession with historical images of New York
Over the last few weeks of summer, I created a project using historical images of New York City’s Lower East Side. After a few trips to the NYPL Image Library (great resource btw), I found images organized by street name and neighborhood that would work. I wanted to capture the timeless essence of the neighborhoodContinue reading “Berenice Abbott/my obsession with historical images of New York”
Observation drawings
I’m playing with the ideas of observational drawing and recording details of buildings and the inherent patterns in our surroundings. Also I started to create a personal geography of the Lower East side, so I roughly located points of interest in the area and recorded the most interesting detail I remembered from my experience. IContinue reading “Observation drawings”