Inhabitat New York City

ART

The XTOOL By Combo Collab Re-Imagines the Milk Crate as Interchangeable Storage and Furniture

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/24/13

filed under: Art NYC,Interior Design,Manhattan,New Jersey,Urban Design

You might have thought that using milk crates as furniture was a long gone memory from your college days. Allow us to reintroduce you to the storage and siting solution making a comeback courtesy of Newark, New Jersey design firm Combo Collab. The XTOOL offers a stackable storage solution complete with plywood seats and legs for outdoor and indoor use. We were able to get up close and personal with the designers who we spotted at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair after having completed a successful Kickstarter campaign late last year. Click through the gallery to see how these stools stack up against your old college crates.

ARCHITECTURE

NYC Beaches Open Tomorrow After Post-Hurricane Sandy Restoration and Improvements

by Yuka Yoneda, 05/24/13

filed under: Architecture,Bronx,Brooklyn,Infrastructure,Long Island,Manhattan,Queens,Staten Island,The Bronx,Water

This morning, Mayor Bloomberg and New York City Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White visited Coney Island to announce the opening of all New York City beaches for the 2013 season. The kick-off was even more special than in past years because it also included beaches in places like the Rockaways, Coney Island and Cedar Grove that were badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. After the storm, there was speculation over whether these areas could be restored in time for Memorial Day weekend, but all doubts were erased this morning with the unveiling of even better, more resilient facilities at these locations.

Bronx Green Infrastructure Project Will Prevent Almost 2 Million Gallons of Stormwater from Entering Sewers

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/24/13

filed under: Bronx,Climate Change,Infrastructure,Sustainability Initiatives,Water

The newly completed installation of a green infrastructure project in the Edenwald section of the Bronx will prevent nearly 2 million gallons of stormwater from entering the sewer system each year. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection invested $300,000 in building 22 bioswale curbside gardens designed to collect and absorb rainwater. By managing runoff from roadways, sidewalks and rooftops, the project seeks to improve the health and cleanliness of the Hutchinson River and New York Harbor as well as the surrounding community.

ARCHITECTURE

The Night Heron: Illegal Speakeasy Pops Up Inside a Chelsea Water Tower

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/24/13

filed under: Architecture,Interior Design,Manhattan,Public Art,Urban Design

Looking up at this nondescript Chelsea water tower, you'd never guess there was a party going on inside! Called "The Night Heron", the illegal speakeasy popped up for just a short time this spring. The private, invite-only fête was dreamed up by Wanderlust Projects, which curates unique experiences that take place at unlikely locations. Click through the gallery below to see more photos of this swinging example of adaptive reuse.

MANHATTAN

World’s Largest LEGO Model: Massive Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter Unveiled in NYC!

by Yuka Yoneda, 05/23/13

filed under: Art NYC,Manhattan

The force was strong today in New York as the world's largest LEGO model - a massive X-Wing Starfighter - was unveiled in Times Square. Much to the delight of Star Wars fans, the replica is life-size and so spot-on that we think even Luke Skywalker would be fooled. 5,335,200 LEGO bricks in all went into the 45,980 pound model, which measures in at 11 feet tall and 43 feet long!

MANHATTAN

Russell Simmons Wants to Open Quality Access Groceries to Combat Food Deserts in NYC

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/23/13

filed under: Bronx,Brooklyn,Food,Health,Helping People,Manhattan,Queens,Sustainability Initiatives,The Bronx

Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons has his sights set on tackling food deserts in New York City by bringing quality food to low-income neighborhoods. Simmons has teamed up with Hajj Hasaun Muhammad and his partner Luanna Williams to launch “Quality Access Grocery,” which will provide underserved communities with access to fresh food at affordable prices. Their ambitious plan to roll out these stores in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods will hopefully keep moms with strollers, little old ladies and other people looking for healthy produce from having to travel miles to find it.

MANHATTAN

NYC’s “Stop Idling” Campaign Cracks Down on Drivers at Schools with Highest Asthma Rates

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/23/13

filed under: Bronx,Brooklyn,Health,Kids,Manhattan,New Jersey,Sustainability Initiatives

NYC is stepping up its commitment to reducing kids’ exposure to pollutants by implementing a “Stop Idling” campaign at some of the city’s most trafficked schools. Commissioner Carter Strickland of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced the new plan to crack down on idling buses and cars in school areas known to have the highest asthma rates. Drivers found parked with their engines on for more than one minute will be warned, but if they’re caught a second time they’ll be slapped with a $350 fine.

MANHATTAN

Antonin Forneau’s Interactive Water Graffiti Display Lets You Paint with LED Light

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/23/13

filed under: Art NYC,Interior Design,Manhattan,Public Art,Urban Design

You may think that mixing water and electricity is a no no, but for French artist Antonin Fourneau it’s a recipe for art. Fourneau wowed us last summer with his LED Water Light Graffiti installation, which lights up when it's exposed to water - and the traveling installation just made its NYC debut last week at the GROHE showroom during New York Design Week. Click through the gallery below to check out this fun piece of interactive art in action.

ARCHITECTURE

School of Visual Arts Offering Co-Working Desks to Work from This Summer

by Bridgette Meinhold, 05/22/13

filed under: Architecture,Green Space,Manhattan

If you're in need of temporary NYC office space for the summer, look no further than The School of Visual Arts! SVA is offering up co-working space in their Products of Design studio in Chelsea, which is conveniently located near several subway stops. Intended for designers, architects, consultants and freelancers, the SVA Co-Working space is a light-filled, architect-designed office with all the amenities you need to accomplish some real work during the warmer months.

ARCHITECTURE

NY Senate Approves Bill That Offers Big Tax Breaks on Environmentally Friendly Homes

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/22/13

filed under: Architecture,Green Building

Yesterday, the New York State Senate approved a bill encouraging the building of more green homes in the state. Initially ntroduced by Senator Mark Grisianti in 2012, the bill would allow local municipalities to authorize a 35 percent tax exemption on environmentally friendly real property for 20 years. Through this legislation, Grisianti hopes to incentivize builders to make the investment in green homes, which may be initially more costly.

INTERIORS

Joe Doucet’s Electrifying Hadron Lamp Contains 20 Meters of Electroluminescent Wire

by Lidija Grozdanic, 05/22/13

filed under: Interior Design,Interiors,Product Design

The black Hadron Lamp is so electrifying that a jellyfish looking for a date might easily be fooled. The brainchild of designer Joe Doucet, the floor lamp is a translucent membrane filled with thin electroluminescent wire. The young NYC-based designer, who currently holds more than 40 patents for his designs and inventions, presented the Hadron during New York Design Week.

GREEN SPACE

ARTLANTIC Transforms Disused Atlantic City Lots Into Public Art and Green Space

by Lori Zimmer, 05/22/13

filed under: Art NYC,Green Space,New Jersey

Atlantic City is known primarily for being the gambling capital of the East Coast, but now thanks to a new redevelopment project, it may become a cultural center. The ARTLANTIC project began last November, and has already reclaimed an empty space sandwiched between casinos, transforming it into a lush public sculpture park to be enjoyed by residents and tourists alike. Headed by curator Lance Fung, the initiative will continue to rehabilitate disused areas around Atlantic City, infusing public art from leading artists like Kiki Smith and Peter Hutchinson, as well as green space, into the beachfront city.

ARCHITECTURE

Can Mayor Bloomberg’s Steel Panels Save New York From Flooding During the Next Super Storm?

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/22/13

filed under: Architecture,Brooklyn,Climate Change,Green Building,Infrastructure,Long Island,Manhattan,Queens,Staten Island,Sustainability Initiatives,Urban Design,Water,Weather

With only seven months before he makes his final departure from his post as mayor, there is speculation that Mayor Bloomberg wants to end his term by building barriers along they NYC waterfront to protect against future storms. A number of sources say that the mayor will propose the installation of several removable steel panels in key flood-prone areas, including a permanent barricade at Newtown Creek, a toxic waterway that sits between Brooklyn and Queens. The verdict is still out about whether the mayor’s possible plans will actually be effective and worth the price tag to prevent major damage to the city during hurricanes to come.

ARCHITECTURE

Clever 425 sq. ft. Manhattan Micro-Loft Stacks Upwards for More Space

by Bridgette Meinhold, 05/21/13

filed under: Architecture,Manhattan,Tiny Homes

When it first started off, this unusually tiny NYC apartment had high ceilings but only 425 sq. ft. of space. Specht Harpman Architects came in and saw the potential to turn the awkward Upper West Side pad into a spacious, light-filled micro loft by taking advantage of the 25-foot ceilings and rooftop deck access. By installing four "living platforms", Specht Harpman turned what was essentially dead space into a really cool multi-level home that hides plenty of great storage. Read on for a tour!

MANHATTAN

Climate Change-Related Deaths Are on the Rise in NYC, Says New Report

by Sherrell Dorsey, 05/21/13

filed under: Climate Change,Helping People,Manhattan,Weather

Enduring a brutally hot summer in New York City may end up killing you. A new study released this week says thanks to global warming and the “urban island” effect, NYC mortality rates due to warming temperatures are likely to increase by 20 percent by 2020 and as much as 90 percent by the 2080s. The report, released this week in the Nature Climate Change journal, was conducted by a team of researchers at Columbia University’s Earth Institute in collaboration with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

MANHATTAN

Airbnb Rentals Deemed Illegal in NYC by Judge

Airbnb has proven to be an invaluable resource for visitors to New York City, but a court ruling is now flipping the short-term apartment rental service on its head. An NYC judge recently found that a local resident who rented out his condominium through

MANHATTAN

Mayor Bloomberg Aims to Boost Recycling and Save Taxpayers Money

During his final months in office, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has his sights set on getting the concrete jungle to boost its recycling. Despite the Mayor’s past efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and get New York residents to start thinking more “green”,

BROOKLYN

Souda’s Luminous Bubble Chandelier is Made From Bottles Collected by NYC’s Homeless

Inhabitat was really excited to see Brooklyn’s own Souda in person at this year’s ICFF. The young collective’s gorgeous Bubble Chandelier is not only made from recycled soda bottles, but also provides jobs to New York City’s homeless population. Souda works with non-profit SURE WE CAN’s homeless-friendly bottle redemption center to source the bottles, giving a portion back to the homeless population that collects them.

Staten Island’s Historic Snug Harbor Botanical Garden is an Idyllic Escape from NYC

For a beautiful escape from the thick of the concrete jungle, there’s no need to leave the five boroughs. The idyllic Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden is only a short bus ride away from the Staten Island Ferry, and it offers a day of galavanting through gardens, checking out museums and art galleries, sampling from an on-site organic farm, or taking in a performance at the century-old auditorium. The 28 building campus was once a home for retired sailors, but it has been transformed into a day-trip destination for New Yorkers and tourists alike.

ART

Imran Qureshi’s “Blood-Splattered” Exhibit Paints The Met’s Rooftop Garden Red

While relaxing on a rooftop garden doesn’t usually conjure up images of a murder scene, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s terrace has combined the two very opposite ideas with its new “blood-splattered” exhibit by Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi. The Roof

MANHATTAN

Help NYC Artist Jim Power Fix His Legendary Light Pole Mosaics That Tell the History of the East Village

If you’ve spent any time in the East Village, you may have noticed the colorful, mosaic-covered light poles that line the streets. Unofficially dubbed the “Legendary Mosaic Trail,” the poles have been a pet project of artist Jim Power for 25 years now. Made from glass, mirror and other recycled materials found on the streets, the poles each immortalize an East Village place, event or person, creating an outdoor history museum in mosaic form. Power has now launched an Indiegogo campaign to help preserve his East Village legacy for future generations to enjoy. Read on to see how you can help!

MANHATTAN

SL Green, Urban Air Foundation and NYRP Plant Trees on Randall’s Island for Earth Day

This past weekend, SL Green Realty Corp., New York Restoration Project and the Urban Air Foundation hosted “Re-Green NYC”, a day of tree-planting on Randall’s Island in coordination with Randall’s Island Park Alliance. SL Green tenants and employees

ARCHITECTURE

Hear Author Bridgette Meinhold Speak at the Academy of Natural Sciences This Week in Philly

This Thursday, May 23rd, Inhabitat’s Architecture Editor Bridgette Meinhold will be speaking at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University about sustainable housing and environmental challenges. Bridgette Meinhold is the author of Urgent Architecture:

MANHATTAN

PHOTOS: MoMA’s “Rain Room” Lets You Walk Through the Rain Without Getting Wet

How cool would it be to dance in the rain without having to towel off after? That's exactly the experience that the Museum of Modern Art and Random International are offering with their "Rain Room", which invites guests to frolic through 1,076 square feet of pouring rain while staying completely dry. Using 3D-tracking cameras, injection-moulded tiles and a water recycling system, the installation follows guests as they pass toward a stark floodlight, turning off each sprinkler as they pass under it, and giving the feeling of being in the center of a rainstorm without getting the least bit wet.

ART

Olafur Eliasson Brings Pieces of Actual Iceland Glacier to His EXPO 1 Exhibit at MoMA PS1 (PHOTOS)

When we heard that MoMA PS1 would be featuring a climate change-focused installation by Olafur Eliasson in its EXPO 1 exhibit, we knew we had to check it out. But little did we know that the work, titled “Your waste of time”, would feature actual shards of Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajökul. While it was figuratively (and literally) cool to be in the presence of such an endangered substance, we have to wonder if removing and transporting the blocks of ice and keeping them in an energy-gobbling refrigerated room really sends the right message...or perhaps that was Eliasson's point?