PROXIMA
latin • (adjective): nearest, next to
An Urban System for Hudson Valley Tourists and Migrating New Yorkers
The emergence of COVID-19 and increased costs of living in New York City caused two major events: a rise in tourist traffic and incoming settlement in the Hudson Valley. This surge in both tourist and migrant populations into the region has a series of positive and negative effects on the region’s economy-- the surge in tourists during the peak of the pandemic caused record-breaking numbers of tourists to explore state parks in the Hudson Valley Region. Conversely, the sprawl caused by migrating New Yorkers creates a higher cost of living for locals, ultimately causing them to pay increased housing and living prices or move out elsewhere.
Proxima is a series of dense Cities that caters to the growing Tourist circulation in the Hudson Valley, but also accommodates for migrants that aim to commute to New York City for work. These two initiatives ultimately work together to give an efficient experience of the Hudson Valley for tourists, but also reduces urban sprawl that would otherwise increase costs of living for locals.
Regional Plan
This regional plan displays the distribution of the Proxima Urban System, which is composed of the the three following cities: Proxima Cor, Proxima Silva and Proxima Machina.
Proxima Cor is the principal city of this urban system— located within present-day Garrison, NY. The location of Proxima Cor is based on proximity from circulation outlets that lead to nearby popular tourist attractions and New York City for Tourists and NYC commuters respectively.
For Tourists, Proxima Cor acts as a pivot for a tourist experience; tourists can stay inside Proxima for residence, then circulate through nearby tourist attractions and cities along the Hudson Valley via Proxima Cor’s outlets of transportation: Skytrain (to other Proxima Cities), Metro-North, the Ferry and Bus.
NYC commuters living in Proxima Cor can use the transportation outlets to get to New York within an hour’s time via. Automobile, Metro-North and Ferry. After working, commuters can return to Proxima Cor to rest for the night.
The other Proxima cities are meant to optimize the tourist experience in the Hudson Valley. For instance, Proxima Silva acts as a pivot just east of the Catskill region, home of many natural parks and the Catskill Ski Region for locals and tourists to ski on during the winter. Proxima Machina acts as a pivot towards tourists attractions closer to the Northern End of the Hudson Valley, while also acting as a place of residence for those working in the emerging Hudson River Tech Valley.
A Heart for Circulation
Proxima Cor acts as a heart (hence the name) within a pedestrian circulatory system throughout the Hudson Valley, pumping people in and out of its infrastructure throughout the day to various locations throughout the region.
The series of transportation that are plugged into Proxima Cor act as veins and arteries in this circulatory system— allowing people to efficiently travel throughout the reaches of the Hudson Valley. Within this collection, there are six main modes of transportation:
Ferry: A system of passenger and cargo ferries that land Proxima Cor’s Passenger Terminal to get individuals and products dispersed throughout the Hudson River/returned to Proxima Cor. This would be the “local” method of travelling to state parks and cities throughout the Hudson River
Metro-North: Replacing the current-day Garrison Station, Proxima Cor would have a station that connects to the Metro-North train, which carries passengers as north as Poughkeepsie and as south as New York City.
Skytrain: The Skytrain is high-speed train system that takes individuals to the other Proxima Cities, which both have different amenities and surrounding Points of Interest compared to Proxima Cor.
Small-Scale Aerial Craft: On top of the terminal portion of the City, there are a few landing zones for small aircraft, such as helicopters and passenger drones.
Automobile: The most localized method of transportation in Proxima Cor, which would circulate individuals to surrounding attractions closest to Proxima Cor.
Proxima Tram (does not lead to the City, but rather to the other components of Transportation): An interior train system that runs throughout Proxima Cor’s infrastructure, leading individuals to key locations throughout the City.
Aside from the Proxima Tram, all these modes of transportation can get commuters to NYC within an hour, and Tourists to varying parts of the Hudson Valley depending on which mode of transportation pursued.
At the center of the circulatory system Proxima Cor acts as the heart itself— housing individuals within its’ vestibules that will eventually be pumped out again, ultimately repeating the process of circulation inside and out of Proxima Cor.
Cutting into Program
Proxima Cor as a variety of programs and amenities, such as (but not limited to) an Indoor Ski Park, vendor galleries that sell Hudson-Valley products, local breweries, residence unit and an internal tram system that carries Proxima’s population to key points in the City.
The program in Proxima Cor aims to make this city a hotspot for tourists to stay in while taking a trip to the Hudson Valley, but also nuance itself from normative programs of New York City in order to persuade commuters to reside in Proxima Cor.
Zoom-in of the Zone of Commerce
Zoom-in of Amenity Ring
Details of Lifestyle
Life inside Proxima Cor, as mentioned before, is a cycle of getting pumped out and back into the City. While in Proxima Cor, individuals can reside in the residence units after returning from work in New York, or ending a day-trip around the Hudson Valley.
Each residence unit has a balcony that gives views of Proxima’s infrastructure, and more importantly, the natural surroundings of the Hudson Valley, which contrast the typical steel-concrete infrastructure of New York City.
However, Proxima Cor is not necessarily limited to being a place for residence. Proxima Cor also hosts a variety of local amenities, most particularly local farmer’s markets, restaurants and breweries can be easily accessed by those residing in Proxima. or those passing by just to get pumped out into another location.
Proxima does not necessarily have automobiles entering through its' infrastructure, only having parking for automobiles in its’ terminal and bus circulation. In compensation for this, Proxima Cor utilizes an indoor tram system, that takes individuals around the City to highlight important locations. This is purposed to promote mass-transportation, which gives off less emissions compared to cars.
Outside of these amenities, Proxima Cor also contains a geothermal power-system, that pumps throughout the system to give energy for the City. This system is intended to develop Proxima Cor to be more of a sustainable City.
