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The Subjectivity of a Stillspot:Where to Find Silence in NYC

Final Project PresentationBy: Maxwell Sokol

GSAPP, Urban Planning

Source: www.flickr.com

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• Morningside Heights (vast majority)• Chelsea• Nolita• Clinton Hill• East Village• TriBeCa• Park Slope• Ridgewood• Hells Kitchen• Astoria• Carroll Gardens• Fort Greene• Gramercy

• Greenpoint• Lefferts Gardens• Midtown West• Crown Heights• Murray Hill• Hamilton Heights• NoMad• Washington Heights• Yankee Stadium neighborhood• Midtown East• Riverdale• Williamsburg• Marine Park

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• Parks (vast majority)– Central Park– Riverside Park– Hudson River Park– Morningside Park– Bryant Park– Madison Square Park– Washington Square Park– The High Line– Battery Park– Fort Greene Park– Prospect Park– “Pocket” Parks

• Other answers– Libraries– Museums– Theaters– Art Galleries– Places of Worship– Public Plazas– Transit / Taxis– Fire Escapes / Rooftops– Restaurants / Cafes– Gyms / Yoga Studios– Spas / Bathhouses– Beach (in summer)

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Less than 5 minutes

Between 5 and 15 minutes

Between 15 and 30 minutes

More than 30 minutes

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Travel Time to Find Silence in NYC

Number of Respondents

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My Subjective Stillspot: The Library• Libraries as Unique Stillspots– Places of Institutionalized/Enforced Silence

{Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh…}

Source: NYPL Digital Archive

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Daily Once a week Once a month

A couple of times a year

Never0

5

10

15

20

25

Frequency of Visits to a Library in NYC

Number of Respondents

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To do work / study: – Few distractions– Big tables– Comfortable– Late hours– Internet/WIFI– Printing

Librar

ies ar

e quiet

.

Librar

ies hav

e colle

ctions o

f books

and re

source

s.

Librar

ies se

rve as

mee

ting plac

es.

I don't u

se lib

raries

in NYC

.

Other (plea

se sp

ecify)

01020304050

Reason for Library Use

Number of Respondents

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• Museums• Places of Worship• Art Galleries• Theaters• Yoga Studios• College Residence Halls• One bar in NYC:

– Burp Castle (7th Street & 2nd Avenue)

• “Quiet cars” on Amtrak

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Online Survey Highlights: Interesting Quotes

• “I don't have a need to ‘escape the noise and find silence.’ ”

• “I usually have to leave the city to experience pure quiet outside of my [apartment].”

• “Silence isn't really silence - there is still noise around me - silence for me is more ‘in my head silence.’ ”

• “The library may be quiet, but there's way too much mental noise going on there when things are busy and there's a lot to do, so I prefer other places.”

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In-Person Surveys at NYPL

Source: knowledgerush.com

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In-Person Survey Highlights

• Interesting Findings:– One-third of respondents were tourists.– Most non-tourists visit this library for its resources, not the silence.

• Interesting Quotes:– “I’m never looking for silence.”– “I can’t think of any silent places in this city.”– “For me, a silent place needs to have Wi-Fi.”

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The Scale of Stillspots

• Are Stillspots confined to individual places?

OR• Can entire neighborhoods be Stillspots?

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Top 10 Most Quiet Neighborhoods in NYC(as rated by locals)

1. Battery Park City (MN)2. Middle Village (QN)3. Long Island City (QN)4. Kew Gardens (QN)5. Pelham Gardens (BX)6. Bath Beach (BK)7. South Midwood (BK)8. Riverdale/Spuyten Duyvil (BK)9. Sunnyside (QN)10. Carnegie Hill (MN)

Source: http://nabewise.com/nyc/overview/r10-top-quiet

14Source: http://nabewise.com/nyc/nabefinder

Most Quiet Least Quiet

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Conclusion

• There is no single definition of a Stillspot in New York City.– What a Stillspot is, and where you can find one,

depends on who you ask.

• To visualize my research process and findings, I created a mind map, entitled “A User’s Guide to Stillspotting in New York City.”

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