Allen's Derive
February 27, 2018, by Allan
For my first derive, my starting point was in Battery Park City, at Warren and N End Ave. I have only walked around this area several times, so I was both intrigued and intimidated by this assignment. When it comes to getting around New York, I always have a destination in mind, and I don’t spend much time wandering. Additionally, I usually either know exactly where to go or rely on my phone to navigate me. I always listen to music when I walk, so not doing this was a challenge. However, I found myself noticing the sounds of the city that I usually block out.
My first card told me to find a couple. I completed the derive on Valentines Day, so this seemed like a fitting direction. Just around the block, there was a retirement home, and I discovered not one but two couples right outside. One was an elderly couple, probably in their eighties. The other was a younger couple in their thirties quickly getting into a cab, waving out the window to a relative. The retirement home was surrounded by a feeling of family and warmth, which seemed to contrast the tall, cold buildings.
My second few cards led me towards the water. I was directed to find a conversation to overhear and take a picture of myself in the direction of the conversation. I landed upon two tourists speaking in German, while seated on a bench. Walking along the water was relaxing and had a remarkably slow feeling to it compared to my normal day-to-day interactions with the city. I was also directed to “shoot to impress Instagram followers.”
I was then directed to find cheap street food. I expected to find a hot dog vendor or something in the park, but with no luck, headed back towards the street. I settled on a halal truck. Several business men ate and wiped there face with paper napkins. As I looked around, I noticed that the streets in this area are dominated by neutral greys and blues. Rush hour was approaching and people move through the streets like clockwork. Everything feels a bit more impersonal, especially at this hour, compared to my experiences with other areas in New York.
I am led to the World Trade Memorial, where I stop for a bit of time and reflect on the impact the tragedy of 9/11 had on the city, and how the city has rebuilt itself since. I take some time to watch how different people experience the memorial themselves. I then continue to the Oculus, where I stop to observe various people, most who appear to be in a hurry. However, some of them stop to take pictures and enjoy the architecture.
A few cards later, and I walk around City Hall — the architecture stood out to me in contrast to the buildings that surrounded it. For the rest of my derive I paid attention to the differences in architecture.
When I first went out to complete my derive, I was unsure what I would find upon exploring the Battery Park/Tribeca area. It is one of the areas of the city I am the least familiar with, but I think that this lead my experience to be even more impactful as I did not have as many notions beforehand. It is interesting to consider how every person who experiences the various parts of a city sees it through their own lens. My perspective of this area is influenced by the fact that I have spent the majority of my time around Greenwich Village. My derive reminded me of a lot of the things said in “City Limits,” a reading from earlier this semester. Including, “you start building your private New York the first time you lay eyes on it.” Every New Yorker has their own experiences that make New York their home. The familiarity of different areas and their history plays a big role in this.