BSLA Fieldbook BSLA 2015 Spring Fieldbook | Page 62

BSLA

/ MEMBER

ELENA SAPORTA, ASLA
I HEARD THE SOUND OF FALLING WATER

trees, movable wire-frame Bertoia chairs, a
handful of bowl-shaped concrete planters
filled with annuals of a single color, sidewalls covered in English ivy, granite steps
and rough-hewn granite pavers. Uniting the
space was the park’s backdrop and primary
focal point, the iconic 20-foot high wall of
vertically cascading water.

I

was seventeen years old, on a visit to New York
City. As I strolled through Midtown, I turned off of
Fifth Avenue and headed east along 53rd Street. Out
of the corner of my eye, I happened to spot a graceful
collection of trees contained within the narrow opening
between two non-descript buildings. I heard the sound
of falling water and voices engaged in conversation. I
stopped, turned around and was instantly drawn into
an extraordinary space. It was my good fortune that day
to have stumbled upon Paley Park; I felt a calm sense of
destiny, and immediately knew that this was the type of
work I wanted to do.
Entering Paley Park, set back and elevated four steps
above the level of the sidewalk, I crossed the threshold
and was transported to a more serene, a more gracious
world than that of the surrounding city. I saw a space
that came together through the use of a remarkably
simple palette of carefully balanced, harmonious,
judiciously placed elements—a sprinkling of honey locust

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BSLA

Paley Park is a place of delightful perceptual
paradoxes. Measuring a mere 40 feet in
width by 100 feet in depth, it is diminutive,
yet feels grand. Clearly designed to welcome
and celebrate the public, it evokes a sense
of seclusion and privacy. Sought out as a
place of quiet, Paley Park is far from silent.
Due to white noise produced by the wall of
water, decibel readings recorded here are
significantly higher than those measured
along adjacent streets. Even when the park is
full of people, this a place where one goes in
order to avoid ‘crowds.’
Zion and Breen, Paley Park’s landscape
architects, worked closely with patron CBS
Chairman William Paley, to create his gift
to New York City, a space that is at once
restrained, serene, and exuberant! Completed
in 1967, almost a full half century ago, the
park continues to be highly cherished by the
public and lovingly maintained by its owners.
Paley Park endures as one of North America’s
most successful urban spaces. It has retained
its seductive powers. I often re-visit this place
where I originally found my “calling.” I am
happy to report the magic is still there.

Atlanta, GA
BFA, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Art and Architectural History);
MFA, University of Pennsylvania (Landscape Architecture)
Elena Saporta Landscape Architecture