The Urbanism of Greenwich Village Part II - Review Questions

As you watch the video, you can browse by subject using the course outline and timestamps below. As you progress through the units, you can use the below optional (ungraded) questions to help assess your understanding of the material. Please note that these are not the summative assessment questions to be answered at the end of the course. You will also need to complete the summative assessment in order to earn course credit.

0:00: Washington Mews, Jefferson Market, Greenwich Avenue

Review: Complete the sketching exercise of Washington Mews. Which of the following height-to-width ratios is most accurate?

1. 2:1

Incorrect. Watch again as the instructor completes the drawing exercises, paying attention to the shape created by the final street section.

2. 1:3

Incorrect. Such a ratio would be better suited for a square than a mews; what kind of purpose does a mews fulfill?

3. 1:1

Correct! The rough 1:1 ratio seen in Washington Mews is considered to be an ideal ratio for this type of spatial environment; what feeling does this ratio invoke for the occupant?


17:40: 7th Avenue Intervention, Perry Street, Greenwich Village Housing Types

Review: Select two examples of planning principles demonstrated on Perry Street:

1. The use of trees for privacy.

Correct! The trees on Perry Street provide visual interest and a sense of containment for pedestrians, but they also importantly provide privacy for upper-floor residents.

2. The use of stairs as a transitional space.

Correct! The houses on Perry Street have stairs that create a transition between the private home and public space. Additionally, a sense of privacy is created by the fact that the first floor of a building is higher than street level.

3. The use of a foreground building that is attached to the urban fabric.

Incorrect. Perry Street is a primarily residential street. Consider where else foreground buildings are located in Greenwich Village; how would it impact the character of Perry Street to feature a foreground building?


40:44: Bleecker Street, Christopher Street, Waterfront

Review: Select two examples of planning principles demonstrated on Bleecker Street:

1. The use of residential streets in a mixed use neighborhood.

Incorrect. Bleecker Street is mixed use; however, it does retain a residential character in part due to the use of trees along the sidewalks.

2. The use of multiple lanes for different kinds of transportation.

Correct! Bleecker Street features three lanes, but only one for driving, as well as one for parking and one for bicycles; this allows residents to use more transportation options and improves wellbeing by encouraging bicycle use.

3. The use of a foreground building that is attached to the urban fabric.

Correct! The Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church is attached to the urban fabric and acts as a landmark that can guide pedestrians towards the Church or help orient themselves in the neighborhood.