The winners of the Construction Shed Design Competition have been announced. The contest was held by the New York Building Congress to create innovative and attractive alternatives to the drab sidewalk sheds, the temporary corridors erected during construction that shield pedestrians from debris. An estimated 200 miles of sidewalk sheds cover the five boroughs.
Of the 33 entrants, four winners were named: Side+Ways+Shed by Francis Cauffman; SCAFFOLDWING by Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects; G-Shed by Gensler; and UrbanArbor by PBDW Architects and Anastos Engineering Associates.
Winning entries are simple to build, use readily-available materials, create a more efficient pedestrian walk flow, and are designed to be light and open. The sheds also meet New York City Department of Buildings requirements and can be used for construction in central business districts, residential, and commercial projects, as well as masonry repair work.
The sheds “best exemplified the goals of the competition of offering practical, cost-effective, off-the-shelf designs that are far more attractive than standard sheds,” said Frank J. Sciame, competition committee chairman and CEO of Sciame Construction, in a statement.
The four winners will share $10,000 awarded by the New York Building Foundation.
Side+Ways+Shed by Francis Cauffman. The structure has LED lights powered by PV panels. Structural columns are wrapped in fabric. Rendering: Francis Cauffman
SCAFFOLDWING by Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects. The scaffold’s wing stretches out across the sidewalk, which directs sunlight to the street level and drains rainwater. The roof is made of translucent polycarbonate panels, which are light and airy. Rendering: Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects
G-Shed by Gensler. The design has modular posts and reduced obstructions. Lighting can be integrated and retail signs can be affixed to it. Rendering: Gensler
UrbanArbor by PBDW Architects and Anastos Engineering Associates. The Y-shaped vertical posts and diagonal braces look like trees. LED lights and solar panels are also installed. Rendering: PBDW Architects and Anastos Engineering Associates
Related Stories
| Jan 20, 2011
Construction begins on second St. Louis community center
O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex in St. Louis, designed by local architecture/engineering firm KAI Design & Build, will feature an indoor aquatic park with interactive water play features, a lazy river, water slides, laps lanes, and an outdoor spray and multiuse pool.
| Jan 20, 2011
Community college to prepare next-gen Homeland Security personnel
The College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Ill., began work on the Homeland Security Education Center, which will prepare future emergency personnel to tackle terrorist attacks and disasters. The $25 million, 61,100-sf building’s centerpiece will be an immersive interior street lab for urban response simulations.
| Jan 19, 2011
Industrial history museum gets new home in steel plant
The National Museum of Industrial History recently renovated the exterior of a 1913 steel plant in Bethlehem, Pa., to house its new 40,000-sf exhibition space. The museum chose VOA Associates, which is headquartered in Chicago, to complete the design for the exhibit’s interior. The exhibit, which has views of five historic blast furnaces, will feature artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution to illustrate early industrial America.
| Jan 19, 2011
Baltimore mixed-use development combines working, living, and shopping
The Shoppes at McHenry Row, a $117 million mixed-use complex developed by 28 Walker Associates for downtown Baltimore, will include 65,000 sf of office space, 250 apartments, and two parking garages. The 48,000 sf of main street retail space currently is 65% occupied, with space for small shops and a restaurant remaining.
| Jan 19, 2011
Biomedical research center in Texas to foster scientific collaboration
The new Health and Biomedical Sciences Center at the University of Houston will facilitate interaction between scientists in a 167,000-sf, six-story research facility. The center will bring together researchers from many of the school’s departments to collaborate on interdisciplinary projects. The facility also will feature an ambulatory surgery center for the College of Optometry, the first of its kind for an optometry school. Boston-based firms Shepley Bulfinch and Bailey Architects designed the project.
| Jan 19, 2011
San Diego casino renovations upgrade gaming and entertainment
The Sycuan Casino in San Diego will get an update with a $27 million, 245,000-sf renovation. Hnedak Bobo Group, Memphis, Tenn., and Cleo Design, Las Vegas, drew design inspiration from the historic culture of the Sycuan tribe and the desert landscape, creating a more open space with better circulation. Renovation highlights include a new “waterless” water entry feature and new sports bar and grill, plus updates to gaming, poker, off-track-betting, retail, and bingo areas. The local office of San Francisco-based Swinerton Builders will provide construction services.
| Jan 19, 2011
Extended stay hotel aims to provide comfort of home
Housing development company Campus Apartments broke ground on a new extended stay hotel that will serve the medical and academic facilities in Philadelphia’s University City, including the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The 11,000-sf hotel will operate under Hilton’s Homewood Suites brand, with 136 suites with full kitchens and dining and work areas. A part of the city’s EnergyWorks loan program, the project aims for LEED with a green roof, low-flow fixtures, and onsite stormwater management. Local firms Alesker & Dundon Architects and GC L.F. Driscoll Co. complete the Building Team.
| Jan 19, 2011
New Fort Hood hospital will replace aging medical center
The Army Corps of Engineers selected London-based Balfour Beatty and St. Louis-based McCarthy to provide design-build services for the Fort Hood Replacement Hospital in Texas, a $503 million, 944,000-sf complex partially funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The firm plans to use BIM for the project, which will include outpatient clinics, an ambulance garage, a central utility plant, and three parking structures. Texas firms HKS Architects and Wingler & Sharp will participate as design partners. The project seeks LEED Gold.
| Jan 19, 2011
Museum design integrates Greek history and architecture
Construction is under way in Chicago on the National Hellenic Museum, the nation’s first museum devoted to Greek history and culture. RTKL designed the 40,000-sf limestone and glass building to include such historic references as the covered walkway of classical architecture and the natural wood accents of Byzantine monasteries. The museum will include a research library and oral history center, plus a 3,600-sf rooftop terrace featuring three gardens. The project seeks LEED Silver.
| Jan 19, 2011
Architecture Billings Index jumped more than 2 points in December
On the heels of its highest mark since 2007, the Architecture Billings Index jumped more than two points in December. The American Institute of Architects reported the December ABI score was 54.2, up from a reading of 52.0 the previous month.
