The Omnibus Roundup – science barge and waterpod, Concourse, Queens Plaza, moving walkways

Urban agriculture meets the Floating Pool: GOOD Magazine visits the Science Barge, a floating farm and environmental education center where produce is grown through sustainable hydroponics, and visitors are taught how to implement the practice on their own rooftops. No rooftop access? Didn’t stop these kids. They took the parking lot route.

Also off the city’s shore is the Waterpod, a self-sufficient eco-habitat on the East River that demonstrates an alternative to traditional living spaces. The vessel has been docking at various stations since June, hosting events and tours – one of which is happening just hours from now. Head over to Pier 5 at Brooklyn Bridge Park this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. to see our friends at SLO Architecture bring their Bronx Watershed Raft to the Pod. They are kayaking their way down the river now, having launched from Hunts Point this morning.

Speaking of the Bronx, those of you who attended our Grand Concourse meet-up will remember Deborah Marton of the Design Trust discussing the ideas competition Intersections: The Grand Concourse Beyond 100, in which entrants were asked to imagine what the future of the great boulevard should be, and how it could help inspire community and improve quality of life for the area. They received over 200 submissions and have narrowed the pool down to seven. The finalists will be developing their ideas into models, renderings, drawings, and writings for an upcoming Bronx Museum exhibition, but you can take a sneak peek at the winning proposals over on the competition website.

Our recent feature on Queens Plaza got people talking. Neighborhood residents expressed different levels of enthusiasm for the project with conflicting opinions on the viability of the design.  Love it or hate it, the project is moving forward. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined other city officials in Long Island City on Monday for the groundbreaking ceremony. NY1 was there to check it out.

With all of our talk about transit and the streets of the city, it is sometimes entertaining to think of the path not taken. Imagine a complex system of moving walkways across bridges, underground, and along the avenues of New York. The New Scientist gives us a history of the idea, with attempted implementations and records of popular reaction, including someone who appreciated a particular benefit: “…getting trapped with interminable bores would be a thing of the past: one ‘has only to suddenly step on the passing sidewalk to be carried rapidly beyond sight or hearing of his tormentor.’” (via Planetizen)

The Roundup keeps you up to date with topics we’ve featured and other things we think are worth knowing about.