Adaptations of Congestion

Adaptation and Congestion

Byron Jefferies

When I think about congestion today and the built environment, I see the many aspects that contribute to the phenomena. In this passage, Rem Koolhaas explores the adaptation of Coney Island and how the movement of congestion and the advances of technology help to form what we know today as Coney Island.

This passage leads me to think that congestion created innovation and human adaption in the built environment or at least helped move it forward in the Coney Island case. The migration of humans to a pristine spot of land that had not been disturb but then that land faces the challenge of hosting thousands of humans seeking to escape the congestion of Manhattan.

I believe that the congestion of people seeking to find the once natural relief of Coney Island created a false sense of the nature that was lost with the introduction of technologies such as electricity. These technologies replace the natural aspects of the island and allow many people to experience a sense of removal from the city during all times of day.

I relief of the city only created a more seasonal migration of the same congestion that the city possessed. Attractions such as the steeplechase replaced the desire of actually riding a real horse that couldn’t be feasible in the now, congested island.

All the adaptations begin to form the island in an urbanistic way that has an interesting layout that is a product of demand. As more people flocked to the island on the weekends, buildings were erected to support the human functions and attractions but were also positioned in a way to allow the movement in and out of the area freely and unobtrusively. Roads were a direct artery to the beach, which was the original attraction of the island, that facilitated the movement of thousands of people back and forth.