Have you ever tried to fold turf? It's not so easy. You see, when you fold turf, you end up with plant material, and soil, and whatever brave microorganisms hang around, at some weird angle - basically defying gravity. And if done improperly, the first rain storm will render said components into one big wet, moldy pile at the bottom of said angle. When it piles up like that, it doesn't really care that the turf is supposed to be on top. It's all quite 'versatile' at that point. Despite these odds, we're still tackling the challenge of folding turf at Lincoln Center.
Lincoln Center is a 16 acre development and home of 12 arts organizations: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Film Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, School of American Ballet, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. It was built under the initiative of John Rockefeller during Robert Moses' urban renewal program in the 1960's. While I was at the Van Alen Institute a couple months ago, I ran across student work from most of the original architects: Max Abramovitz, Pietro Belluschi, Gordon Bunshaft, Wallace Harrison, Philip Johnson, and Eero Saarinen, all of whom at some time or another espoused belief in and practice of the 'International Style' of architecture. More importantly, the landscape is of the late, great, modernist landscape architect pioneer, Dan Kiley.
However, I suspect the only one who would approve of this strange folded turf plane is Mr. Saarinen. His variety of 'folding' was much more materially conducive to it's purpose.
Top image credit: Diller Scofidio Renfro
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