Maya Lin is an American designer, artist, and architect, most known for her historic memorials. One of her goals in design is to focus on elements and demonstrate naturally occurring phenomena’s in nature which can even be seen right here in Grand Rapids at Rosa Park Circle. Using water as her inspiration for the park, she demonstrates each form that it takes right here in Michigan. Her designs have an incredible ability to encourage people to gather together in open spaces while teaching them through art. Her very first design brings people from all over the world to mourn and celebrate the lives lost in the Vietnam War. Maya’s life personally and professionally is filled with perseverance and appreciation from her earliest work on the Vietnam
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Henery and Julia were both Chinese born immigrants who moved to America in 1948 and 1949 respectively to give their family the ultimate freedoms and opportunities. Her father, a professor eventually became a Dean at Ohio University. Her mother Julia was also a professor at Ohio University where she taught literature. Since both of her parents were professors, much of Maya’s early life was spent in classrooms. A love of education and creativity was fundamental in Maya’s upbringing. After graduating high school Maya left Ohio and moved to Connecticut to attend Yale University. There she would earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981. After taking a brief hiatus to oversee the construction of her first project, the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial, she returned to Yale University and earned her Masters of Architecture in 1986. It wasn’t until after she had chosen her profession and was commissioned for her first piece that she learned of her family’s incredible architectural history. Maya Lin’s aunt, was Lin Huiyin, a celebrated Chinese architect from the 1900’s. Lin Huiyin was even educated and trained in the United States before returning to China. Maya also has an older brother named Tan Lin, who is a very well respected poet and teacher. Like his sister Maya, Tan has also shined in his education and work. He earned his Master and PhD degrees in English Literature from …show more content…
While I always enjoyed the park, I never consensually thought of what made it so great. One of my favorite aspects of the park is how it can be entered from any of the three streets the park is bordered by while still leading you back into its gathering area around the amphitheater. The parks simplest features that I love are the greatest design aspects. The flow and use of limited space are truly extraordinary. My friends and I even set up our cart to sell t-shirts during Art Prize 2016 on the edge of Rosa Park Circle because of the park’s ability to draw in and entertain large crowds of people. Figure 2 below shows us and our cart with one of the wave hills that create the walking path behind us. While the amphitheater is an open and welcoming gathering place, the walking path feels removed from the big city it sits inside. The flexible, welcoming, and symbolic design of Rosa Parks Circle is emblematic of Maya’s entire career. With misting water, water fountains, and shade from trees, it is a beautiful place to spend any summer
Henery and Julia were both Chinese born immigrants who moved to America in 1948 and 1949 respectively to give their family the ultimate freedoms and opportunities. Her father, a professor eventually became a Dean at Ohio University. Her mother Julia was also a professor at Ohio University where she taught literature. Since both of her parents were professors, much of Maya’s early life was spent in classrooms. A love of education and creativity was fundamental in Maya’s upbringing. After graduating high school Maya left Ohio and moved to Connecticut to attend Yale University. There she would earn her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981. After taking a brief hiatus to oversee the construction of her first project, the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial, she returned to Yale University and earned her Masters of Architecture in 1986. It wasn’t until after she had chosen her profession and was commissioned for her first piece that she learned of her family’s incredible architectural history. Maya Lin’s aunt, was Lin Huiyin, a celebrated Chinese architect from the 1900’s. Lin Huiyin was even educated and trained in the United States before returning to China. Maya also has an older brother named Tan Lin, who is a very well respected poet and teacher. Like his sister Maya, Tan has also shined in his education and work. He earned his Master and PhD degrees in English Literature from …show more content…
While I always enjoyed the park, I never consensually thought of what made it so great. One of my favorite aspects of the park is how it can be entered from any of the three streets the park is bordered by while still leading you back into its gathering area around the amphitheater. The parks simplest features that I love are the greatest design aspects. The flow and use of limited space are truly extraordinary. My friends and I even set up our cart to sell t-shirts during Art Prize 2016 on the edge of Rosa Park Circle because of the park’s ability to draw in and entertain large crowds of people. Figure 2 below shows us and our cart with one of the wave hills that create the walking path behind us. While the amphitheater is an open and welcoming gathering place, the walking path feels removed from the big city it sits inside. The flexible, welcoming, and symbolic design of Rosa Parks Circle is emblematic of Maya’s entire career. With misting water, water fountains, and shade from trees, it is a beautiful place to spend any summer