New York City sidewalks are constantly covered with construction sheds and scaffolding, and, needless to say, they do little for the Big Apple’s looks. Always dark, somewhat sketchy, and magnets for graffiti, the sheds leave much to be desired, which is why the Department of Buildings hosted the UrbanSHED Competition, asking designers to create a more aesthetically pleasing design for these ubiquitous sidewalk canopies. A prototype of the winning design has just been unveiled, and we must say, the arched steel structure with a transparent top is breath of fresh air. Designed by winner Young-Hwan Choi with architect Andrés Cortés and engineer Sarrah Khan of New York-based Agencie Group, the new canopy is a huge improvement from the standard pipe and plywood shed. Hit the jump to see the shed for yourself!
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I’m currently a MFA Interior Design student studying Interior Design, specifically looking at design as activism and community based projects. I love the idea of bringing great design to common public ‘spaces’ such as urban sidewalks. So often governmental bodies settle for the norm without looking to architecture and design to solve prevalent issues. This project shows that functionality and aesthetic s can harmoniously improve everyday eye sores. Beautiful!!