Call it a sidewalk shed or bridge: pedestrian protection by any name is viewed as a Big Apple eyesore to many, including local building officials and the New York City chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Through a design competition, they are trying to improve the covers, which they say number 6,000 and add up to more than 1 million linear feet of unsightliness.
In August, the New York City Department of Buildings and AIA NY launched an international design competition called urbanSHED to create a designer shed that improves the pedestrian experience while maintaining or exceeding safety requirements. The goal is to “change the landscape,” said DOB Commissioner Robert LiMandri at the competition’s August 19 launch. LiMandri is spearheading the undertaking with support from other city departments and interested groups. “This can have an impact citywide, and what happens here can be picked up elsewhere,” says Rick Bell, AIA NY’s executive director.
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