Signe Nielsen, “Parks and Monuments: A Cultural Evolution”

Event Description:

Since the mid-20th century, US parks have evolved from highly programmed recreation spaces to ones that harken back to the 19th century, when strolling in nature and enjoying cultural offerings resonated with urban dwellers. Our monuments – those silent artifacts of history – have evolved along a similar course. As our nation becomes more culturally aware, many monuments are scrutinized for the values, meaning, and individuals they celebrate. Signe Nielsen, landscape architect and former President of the Public Design Commission, which owns all the public art in New York City, will discuss strategies to address controversial monuments in search of a deeper understanding of history. Nielson will highlight one park, Little Island, which embodies recent trends in park design and the intersection of art, nature, and culture.

Speaker:

Signe Nielsen has been practicing as a landscape architect and urban designer in New York since 1978. Her body of work has renewed the environmental integrity and transformed the quality of spaces for those who live, work and play in the urban realm. She believes in using design as a vehicle for advocacy, to promote discourse on social equity and community resilience. She has served on multiple panels to effect positive change. A Fellow of the ASLA, she is the recipient of over 100 national and local design awards for public open space projects and is published extensively in national and international publications. Ms. Nielsen is a Professor of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture at Pratt Institute in both the Graduate and Undergraduate Schools of Architecture and is the former President for the Public Design Commission of the City of New York. Born in Paris, Ms. Nielsen holds degrees in Urban Planning from Smith College, in Landscape Architecture from City College of New York, and in Construction Management from Pratt Institute.

00:00 Introduction by Charles Waldheim
05:25 Lecture by Signe Nielsen
41:39 Discussion and Q+A