In New York, the unexpected is just around the corner. This past Wednesday, it took the shape of several hundred protesters chanting just blocks from our studio. Part of the Occupy Wall Street movement, they had marched up Broadway Street to rally at Union Square, stopping traffic the whole way. I myself would never have known if it weren’t for a classmate who had been streaming live footage of the event on his computer. We agreed to go take a look.
The police presence was stunning. A constant stream of patrol cars, SUVs and vans arrived to deposit officers throughout our half hour stay, and these formed a solid line of navy blue uniforms along the edge of the square. I was reminded of the body’s immune response, sending white blood cells to gather at a site of infection or attack. The protest itself was a great example of “groupthink,” walking the fine line between energetic and disorganized. Forty days into the protest, the officers and protesters seem to have developed a routine if uneasy agreement. The police stood ready without intervening, and after setting an agenda for the near future, the protest eventually dissipated.
Confronting a city’s troubles and dissatisfaction is a new experience for me. As a visitor to New York, I have spent most of my time trying to get the most out of its strengths—museums, restaurants, music and art shows, etc. However, architecture is about what needs improving as well as what works already. The protest was a nice reminder that the city is what everyone makes of it and while I’ll continue to explore the city’s highlights, I’ll also try to make it to Wall Street before it gets too cold to see what the protesters are up to.