Exhibitions of Artist-Designed Bronx Waterfront Public Spaces at BRAC

Re-Imagining City Island's Gateway: A Generative Reuse Project Studio by Graduate Students from Rhode Island School of Design INTAR (RISD) 

Comfort in Concrete: A Design Project for the South Bronx Greenway by BRAC's Teen/Young Adult Project Studio - TPS(+2.0). 

Closing Panel Discussion: Waterfront Public Space Design for an Ecologically Changing NYC
August 29, 6 - 8 PM

Bronx River Art Center is proud to present Re-Imagining City Island's Gateway, a research-driven design project by graduate students from Rhode Island School of Design INTAR (RISD). Curated by architect Caterina Tiazzoldi, in collaboration with the City Island Gateway Project, the exhibition showcases the typological potentialities driven by new forms of community space.

This project focuses on historical structures on City Island, yielding designs for new multi-purpose environments that could accommodate a kayak rental concession; art and music studios and presentations; boat repair/restoration; an oyster recycling project, and after-school activities at the Gateway site. Careful attention has been given to reflecting and enhancing City Island's nautical heritage, as well as on educating the public on the Long Island Sound's ecology. 

This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to examine how this small, vibrant community can offer public educational and recreational space, while also celebrating its nautical heritage. Exploring how we mediate the relationship between the creation of a community space and economic sustainability is a key challenge faced not only throughout New York City, but the world today. 

In tandem with the above exhibition, BRAC presents: Comfort in Concrete, featuring designs produced by BRAC's TPS(+2.0) students, led by art instructor Art Jones, a Bronx-based artist in our digital arts program. TPS(+2.0)  is a free, year-long program for high-school youth and young adults ages 14 to 26, which offers a unique chance to experience and learn about the visual arts, design, and the creative industries in an interactive and challenging way. 

The models on display are a response by our TPS(+2.0) students to a competition to produce and install three benches for the South Bronx Greenway. Having won the competition, their designs will be built out of concrete and lumber that has been harvested from sustainably-managed forests, and will recall the classic NYC park benches made out of concrete and wood. This project reflects BRAC's commitment to train Bronx youth and young adults in manual and technological design and fabrication skills, with the added goal of enhancing their character development through collaboration with professional artists.

This represents one of the first projects produced in BRAC's new state-of-the-art computer lab, and in our soon-to-be fully-equipped Maker Space (wood shop). With this expansion, the program is becoming more aligned with the creative industries that can expose students to careers relevant to their talents and skills.

Join us on August 29th at 6PM for a Panel Discussion on: 

Public Space Design for an Ecologically Changing New York City, featuring: Adolfo Carrion, former Bronx Borough President, Urban Planner and Developer; Dr. Paul Mankiewicz, Director of the Gaia Institute and Associate Professor, Graduate Center of Planning, Pratt Institute; Barbara Dolensek, Administrator of City Island Nautical Museum; KaN Landscape design, Designers of BRAC's gardens and greenroof, and Art Jones, Artist, Designer and BRAC TPS(+2.0) Instructor.