3rd Place - $250.00 prizeSubmitted by:
Synthetic Turf Ballfield
Bronx Academy of Letters at X183
339-353 Morris Avenue
Bronx, New York 10451Owner: New York City Department of Education
Sponsoring Agency: New York City School Construction Authority
Architect: Blumberg & Butter, P. C.
Contractor: William A. Gross Construction Associates, Inc.
Contractor's Artist: G. LynasPLAY BALL FENCE PANELS
Blumberg & Butter, P. C. is an Architectural/Landscape office, designing parks, playground and recreational facilities for various N.Y.C. public agencies.
As a Consultant to the NYC School Construction Authority, who is responsible for design and construction of the schools for the NYC Department of Education, one of our assignments was the reconstruction of the outdoor recreation facility for the Bronx Academy of Letters, a public school in the south Bronx of the City. The neighborhood has a large public housing development across one street, and some low rise structures, e.g. garages, light manufacturing, etc., on the other two streets.
The prime objective was to convert their outdoor school yard, then paved with asphalt and enclosed by a 15?-0? high chain link fence, typical of the standard facility, to a synthetic turf field suitable for softball, soccer practice, etc.
At our first meeting with one of the school principals, Ms. Joan Sullivan, she requested that the field be given some sense of privacy from the neighborhood, to avoid interruptions of their outdoor programs, from the local community. This involved shielding over 600 linear feet of existing perimeter fence. The material needed to be relatively lightweight, to avoid excess load on the fencing, perforated to allow wind to pass through, and as resistant to vandalism as possible. Graffiti was certainly a factor of concern, but we felt that good design might be respected, if it improved the neighborhood appearance.
We considered and discarded less expensive fabrics which could be easily torn or torched, and decided on perforated metal, due to its strength and versatility of appearance, as to openings, to safely "edge" each panel, and the ability to accept painted graphics.
We specified a 20 gauge steel perforated plate with 3/32? diameter holes, spaced 1/4? o.c., staggered. The project required 60 panels - 10?-0? + long by 5?-0? high. They are attached with stainless steel fittings to the existing chain link fence posts and rails with additional horizontal bracing.
The original design concept called for various baseball terms in multiple colors on a black background, to be viewed right reading from the street and the field side. Working with the very capable artist, G. Lynas, hired by the Contractor, William A. Gross Construction Associates, it was concluded that an alternating pattern of words on one side, and a color pattern on the flip side prevented any bleeding of words. The gate figures were painted on both sides. It has now been up for almost two months, is totally intact, with little or no graffiti visible.
The success of the project is due to a team, dedicated to achieve a feature that would sustain the facility by creating a sense of neighborhood pride.
Milwaukee, WI 53214 IPERF.org
