Next Stop, Bushwick Really!

So if it's in the NY Times, its true right?

Last month the NY Times published an article, Next Stop Bushwick, (March 7th, 2012 by Jed Lipinski) on the Bushwick art scene, summed up by this quote : “I feel as if a new gallery pops up every week, either in someone’s basement or inside the new arts center at 56 Bogart,” said Carolina A. Miranda, an arts writer for ArtNews and WNYC who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years. “Bushwick is really at the point where it’s not just some loose arts scene but is transforming into a full-fledged arts district.”

thread collective has been in Bushwick for the past 5 years (wow), and while we thought we were moving to the outer fringes, when we arrived there was clearly a healthy core of artists escaping along the L-line. We are pleasantly surprised to see the art scene thriving and growing throughout the neighborhood. While there are several newer galleries opening up like the blue-chip Luring Augustine Gallery that is now around the corner from our office on Knickerbocker, (see next post) there remains an edgier core that are popping up all over. 56 Bogart is a stop where you can visit nine budding galleries showcasing local artists doing interesting work. Below are a few links to these. Next time you are visiting thread, take a moment and pop in and check out these spots. Below is a map of the locations, via the NY Times.

Interstate Projects
Agape Enterprise
Valentine
Botanic Gallery
Sardine Gallery and Goods

front facade uncloaked

On Friday, the scaffolding and netting came down, revealing for the first time the full finished facade.  Previous posts detail the salvaged Ipe wood that is framed by the steel.  On the left hand side, framing the balconies is a cementitious panel, Viroc.

 

safety fence chair

We met Anthony Di Mari and the Safety Fence Chair at The New New York Street Festival last year when he participated in the Green Design Challenge.  The chair was incredibly comfortable, and Gita spent many moments relaxing in it throughout the afternoon.  We also really loved the way that he met the challenge with a modern, and simple design that uses the everyday construction fabric that we encounter on nearly every job-site.  So thread recently commissioned two of these chairs for our roof-top garden, in our favorite safety orange.  Anthony delivered the chairs last week to our studio and in a few months they will move over to the roof-top.

design proposal for the Green Design Challenge

You can see other interesting design proposals that Anthony has been involved with, featured at Inhabitat, and shiftBoston. His studio is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and he is currently designing and constructing a landscape intervention that combines a youth agriculture community garden with integrated seating and walkways along the Connecticut River in Springfield, Massachusetts. www.anthonydimari.com

Catlain, board member of GreenHomeNYC and Gita enjoy the chairs at The New New Yorks Furniture Lounge

wrapping up the facade

this week the facade was installed, and the wood looks beautiful.  very soon the scaffold will come down and it will feel like a real building nearing its final stages. 

Steel Frame

There was a day when the scaffolding was down while the sewer hookup was completed, so we had a great view of the metal framing on the front facade.  Today the exterior insulation will be done, and then onto the wood slat finish.

Get Closer To the Sun

Finally! The solar system was installed a few weeks ago getting us one more step closer.  The 5kW array sits on a steel frame raised above the roof-top creating a protected area below.  Most solar systems sit directly on the roof, taking up valuable habitable space.  A steel frame is supported partially by the bulkhead on one side and the parapet on the other; so the canopy above double functions as a shade system, and rain screen so people can enjoy the roof in all sorts of weather.

tag it

If you have walked past the Trout House recently you might have noticed the colorful tagging on our sidewalk shed.  Thanks to creative spirit of Josh Freydkis, an NYU student, and fellow San Fran transplant.  We love the idea of taking NYC's sidewalk sheds and having artists take advantage to make public artworks.  NYC has a lot of construction sites, with a lot of potential open wall space.  We can't claim this idea as our own, but actually borrowed it from Hudson Inc, where we first saw it at Third and Bond.  and recently saw another mural at the corner of Atlantic Ave and Boreum Place, where  New York City Arts Cypher uses such mural project to help urban youth..  Hopefully the trend will catch on and these typically drap plywd boxes can be used to create more color and lively streetscapes.  Note, the tagging has already been tagged!