Gould Plaza – NYU

Not much. But worth a visit. It is free. And it an open space. I call this place my NYU campus visit.

Aside from the occasional food truck, this place is typically just a clusterfluff with some open space and no character.

The sculpture that Liiisa C. speaks about no longer exists.
Located between the Tisch and Kaufman buildings, it actually is the rooftop space above the large lecture hall underneath. Glass, in the form of heavy frosted windows makes up a portion of the space.
Well-​maintained, this space is often the desmesne of students passing through to their classes. Little seating except at the edges.

Right next to Washington Square Park there is small concrete respite for the busy NYU students to gather and relax during their hectic quest for knowledge. I was lucky enough to see a movement performance here last night and was surprised at what a terrific space this is. It was a beautiful spring evening, and I was happy to be outside enjoying the arts, but I also couldn’t help being overwhelmed by the strange calm of the space, amidst the busy downtown bustle. It seems, to me, a great place to hang out and enjoy beautiful weather and friendly company.

Gould Plaza is a vast break in the sea of NYU buildings downtown. Flanked by the university’s Stern School of Business & Tisch Hall, it almost spans the length of a city block. The space seems purposely devoid of benches, trees or anything permanent so it can accommodate large numbers of students uniformly without obstructing their views.
I’m guessing that strict security keeps the area free of skateboarders, rollerbladers & bikers. The lack of ‘formal’ seating + its proximity to Washington Square Park also means that the plaza predominantly sees foot traffic. Why hang out here when you can walk several blocks over to sit under a tree or around the giant fountain?
Jean Arp’s sculpture, Seuil Configuration is a lonely exception in the landscape of symmetry & severe lines. Residing on the NorthEast corner of the plaza, the artwork is a vision of gentle curves.
Whenever I pass by the large, rounded form, I think of one of my ex-​boyfriends & smile. During our second date, I asked the industrial designer what he thought the shape looked like. I don’t remember his answer at the time, but I do recall him later making fun of my «pretentious» question. Our relationship was based on brutal honesty.
By the way, I think the sculpture looks like a mutant rabbit with three ears. Does that sound pretentious to you?