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Thomas Balsley was born in 1943 and studied at [[Syracuse University]] and then the [[State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry|SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry]]. He moved to New York City in 1970, and within a year founded his own firm, Thomas Balsley Associates.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tbany.com/bio.php |title=Thomas Balsley Bio |publisher=Thomas Balsley Associates |accessdate=30 January 2012}}</ref> Thomas Balsley Associates has designed numerous urban parks and plazas, most notably [[Riverside Park (Manhattan)|Riverside Park South]] and [[Gantry Plaza State Park]] in New York City. Balsley Park, formerly known as Sheffield Plaza, on 9th Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in New York City, has been renamed in honor of the landscape designer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Breathing Life Into City's Barren Plazas |author=Dunlap, David W. |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/16/realestate/breathing-life-into-city-s-barren-plazas.html?pagewanted=all |newspaper=The New York Times |date=16 July 2000 |accessdate=30 January 2012}}</ref> |
Thomas Balsley was born in 1943 and studied at [[Syracuse University]] and then the [[State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry|SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry]]. He moved to New York City in 1970, and within a year founded his own firm, Thomas Balsley Associates.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tbany.com/bio.php |title=Thomas Balsley Bio |publisher=Thomas Balsley Associates |accessdate=30 January 2012}}</ref> Thomas Balsley Associates has designed numerous urban parks and plazas, most notably [[Riverside Park (Manhattan)|Riverside Park South]] and [[Gantry Plaza State Park]] in New York City. Balsley Park, formerly known as Sheffield Plaza, on 9th Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in New York City, has been renamed in honor of the landscape designer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Breathing Life Into City's Barren Plazas |author=Dunlap, David W. |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/16/realestate/breathing-life-into-city-s-barren-plazas.html?pagewanted=all |newspaper=The New York Times |date=16 July 2000 |accessdate=30 January 2012}}</ref> |
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About Gantry Plaza State Park, former New York Times architecture critic [[Herbert Muschamp]] wrote, “The evil spell is broken... The curse that reduced New York’s landscape architects to creating Disney versions of Central Park has been at least temporarily lifted.”<ref>{{cite news |title=ART / ARCHITECTURE; Where Iron Gives Way to Beauty and Games |author=Muschamp, Herbert |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/13/arts/art-architecture-where-iron-gives-way-to-beauty-and-games.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |newspaper=The New York Times |date=13 December 1998 |accessdate=7 February 2012}}</ref> |
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<blockquote>"Plaza had become a dirty word in New York, because they were often so poorly designed," says Mr. Balsley. "I like to think I’ve helped change that."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/gallery/20070501/SMALLBIZ/524009999/5# |title=Thomas Balsley Associates Top Entrepreneur 2007 |publisher=Crain's New York Business |accessdate=7 February 2012}}</ref> |
<blockquote>"Plaza had become a dirty word in New York, because they were often so poorly designed," says Mr. Balsley. "I like to think I’ve helped change that."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crainsnewyork.com/gallery/20070501/SMALLBIZ/524009999/5# |title=Thomas Balsley Associates Top Entrepreneur 2007 |publisher=Crain's New York Business |accessdate=7 February 2012}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:59, 7 February 2012
Thomas Balsley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 |
| Occupation | Landscape Architect |
Thomas Balsley (born 1943) is an American landscape architect. As founder and principal designer of Thomas Balsley Associates, he has created parks, plazas, university campuses, private courtyards, and other public spaces in the United States and abroad, including a great number of projects in New York City.
Life and career
Thomas Balsley was born in 1943 and studied at Syracuse University and then the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He moved to New York City in 1970, and within a year founded his own firm, Thomas Balsley Associates.[1] Thomas Balsley Associates has designed numerous urban parks and plazas, most notably Riverside Park South and Gantry Plaza State Park in New York City. Balsley Park, formerly known as Sheffield Plaza, on 9th Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets in New York City, has been renamed in honor of the landscape designer.[2]
About Gantry Plaza State Park, former New York Times architecture critic Herbert Muschamp wrote, “The evil spell is broken... The curse that reduced New York’s landscape architects to creating Disney versions of Central Park has been at least temporarily lifted.”[3]
Summing up his own work on public spaces in New York, Balsley says,
"Plaza had become a dirty word in New York, because they were often so poorly designed," says Mr. Balsley. "I like to think I’ve helped change that."[4]
Projects
- Riverside Park South, New York, New York.[5]
- Gantry Plaza State Park, Long Island City, New York.[6]
- SUNY Albany Masterplan (Phase 1 completed), Albany, New York.[7]
- Library Green, New Rochelle, New York.[8]
- West Shore Park, Baltimore, Maryland.[9]
- Curtis Hixon Park, Tampa, Florida.[10]
- Skyline Park, Denver, Colorado.[11]
- Gate City, Osaki, Tokyo, Japan[12]
- Kasumigaseki Plaza, Tokyo, Japan[13]
- Main Street Garden Park, Dallas, Texas[14]
- Pacific Design Center, Dallas, Texas[15]
- Beaumont Quarter, Auckland, New Zealand[16]
External links
- Crain's New York Business Top Entrepreneurs 2007: Thomas Balsley
- Thomas Balsley Associates website
- Architizer Profile
- Thomas Balsley's Urban Landscapes Article by Jim Wegener
- Landscape Architecture Magazine April 2011 Article on Balsley
- Herbert Muschamp on Gantry State Park
References
- ^ "Thomas Balsley Bio". Thomas Balsley Associates. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Dunlap, David W. (16 July 2000). "Breathing Life Into City's Barren Plazas". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Muschamp, Herbert (13 December 1998). "ART / ARCHITECTURE; Where Iron Gives Way to Beauty and Games". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Thomas Balsley Associates Top Entrepreneur 2007". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Riverside Park South". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Gantry Plaza State Park". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "SUNY Albany Main Entry Plaza". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Library Green". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "West Shore Park". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Curtis Hixon Park". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Skyline Park". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Gate City". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Kasumigaseki Plaza". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Main Street Garden Park". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Pacific Design Center". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ "Beaumont Quarter". Architizer. Retrieved 7 February 2012.