EAST-SOUTH RESTORED ENCLOSURES REVIVAL

WHAT can  say/write?   I am very excited with this project.  Concrete is not a friendly material to the  body, sight or ears, spirit, humor or temper.
I have been successful hiding, covering it with green roofs, walls, vertical and horizontal gardens.  But it will never be enough. The isle is plastered with it.

The Assyrians and Babylonians used clay as the bonding substance or cement. The Egyptians used lime and gypsum cement. In 1756, British engineer, John Smeaton made the first modern concrete (hydraulic cement) by adding pebbles as a coarse aggregate and mixing powered brick into the cement. In 1824, English inventor, Joseph Aspdin invented Portland Cement, which has remained the dominant cement used in concrete production. Joseph Aspdin created the first true artificial cement by burning ground limestone and clay together. The burning process changed the chemical properties of the materials and Joseph Aspdin created a stronger cement than what using plain crushed limestone would produce.  Mary Ellis,Inventors. about.com

In Puerto Rico, the concrete/cement/cinder block fever took off in the 1940's. A real pity since the logical intelligent materials to construct in this climate would be wood and/or bricks.

If you want to get technical about the pain in the arse concrete is, go research on your own about heat absorption/consequences in cities compared to brick for example. 

One hundred years ago (previous post) the average temperature in the concrete/asphalt isle  was 78 versus 80 now.

The heat during day and night time is intolerable, and gets worse, not better with the destruction of biomass, every imaginable tree/vegetation is destroyed for any particular reason or no reason.

Perhaps, the most irritating defect of concrete/cinder blocks is resonance. Inside any structure sound is amplified. Think of if people in a culture unable to modulate their voices HOLLERING, chit chat, small talk constantly indoors.

Unfortunately, this property of concrete indoors become much more intense outdoors.l Imagine all kinds of vehicles, power tools, music, on and on.

Perhaps the constant, annoying,  intense noise is partly responsible to the high crime statistics. Think of University Sagrado Corazon an institution for profit  with night and day noise pollution. I bet hundred of thousands of people live in similar circumstances.   


So there, concrete makes peoples life in a city a miserable struggle just to remain sane. In your humbleness case, so far so good.


Just put yourself in someone else place. Noise destroys the meaning/sense of privacy, of being alone with your thoughts. That is the why of the second sentence. Concrete destroys all quality of life in the urban context.  However, the average Joe six pack does not notice it.

That is that.

SUGGESTIONS
FOR 
THIS KIND OF PROJECT

You will need: chalk, a tape measure, ruler, masking tape of different widths, 2/12 brush,one inch and 1/4 inch artist brushes, a thirty square feet plastic cover in case of rain, as it just happened, when I was one third into the painting and a cushion for your knees.

Six gallons of paint around 
$300, (it is not cheap) and around 40/60 hours of painting, measuring, taping...
You should always start with the borders with the tape. In case of rain you will not have to mark again!


Make sure you have some stamina. If you can weed on your knees or sitting for twenty or thirty minutes at a time...go ahead....

 
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