HUMUS = HUMAN

Frederick Law Olmsted’s Parks, Prospect and Central Parks, are one of the few places in New York City where the original ground with its soil qualities and topography still remains.

The idea for the “ HUMUS = HUMAN ” project comes from the 4th Avenue and 9th Street existing context: we would like the influence of Prospect Park to expand down Park Slope and 9th Street to become an arm of Prospect Park. It is our vision that this street becomes part of this famous Brooklyn park, we see 9th Street as the privileged connection between the Park and the Canal, beginning an alternative network of “green and blue” paths in New York City.

HUMUS = HUMAN, proposes that like the NY parks, 9th Street rediscovers its original ground in continuity with Prospect Park.

The idea is to minimize hard constructed surfaces: we would like the roads to penetrate discreetly and quietly under a green canopy and becomes part of the original ground. Thus the road becomes four thin “rolling strips” using European tramways technics (Brussels, Berlin, Milan, Barcelona, Paris, etc.) themselves inspired by vegetated roof technics. These rolling strips are the materialisation of car wheels traces. They represent 12% of the street surface instead of today’s 55%

Cars and trucks are forced to slow down, as they have to stay on the strips (still large enough and well calculated to welcome all types of vehicules), this system is a natural speed reduction system.
Bicycles and pedestrians paths are supple and go through curtains of vegetation, following its movement.
The intersection is a simple neutral “plate” welcoming those different strips, and becoming a shared space of multiple usages. Pedestrians are not scared to cross the street as cars have been forced to travel at the same speed as pedestrians.

HUMUS = HUMAN, proposes that the ground is a living membrane, and not an impermeable sterile napkin. Allowing for water drainage, animal corridors, air humidification and noise absorption.

HUMUS = HUMAN, responds to the Eco-SOPHY as related by Felix Guattari (Deleuze co writer): Eco-SOPHY = Environmental Ecology + Social Ecology + Mental Ecology.

Environmental Ecology proposes another way of seeing the world, with another system of values: Nature is not strangled in cities, it is part of the urban traffic.Ground remerges as an important surface in cities creating softer and absorbant cities.
Social Ecology: Urban traffic is not made up of just cars but also people who are flowing with it, it is about the shared space of the ground.
Mental Ecology: The impact on people’s mind, on their subjectivity, will be enormous; streets will become narrative paths and not two kerbs splashed against walls separated by a sea of cars.

PS: the etymology of Human is Humus