New York design competition looks to shed the sidewalk shed

Pedestrians are all too aware of sidewalk sheds, the makeshift plywood, sheet metal, and concrete scaffolding tunnels that shield city street walkers from debris from nearby construction projects. While the sheds are functional enough, New York believes they can be aesthetically pleasing, too.

Curbed NY reports that the New York Building Congress will hold a competition where architects and other professionals in the construction industry will submit proposals for alternative sidewalk shed designs. New York, which has nearly 200 total miles of sidewalk sheds, is seeking a concept that is practical but that also looks good.

"In the course of their daily lives, millions of New Yorkers are forced to encounter sidewalk sheds that can best be describe as dark, constrictive, and forbidding. It's time we stopped treating their design as an afterthought," Tom Scarangello, Chairman of the New York Building Congress, said in a statement.

The number of permits for sidewalk sheds in New York rose 25% from 2009 to 2014, and some sheds could stay up for several years whether construction is occurring or not. Local businesses have also been negatively affected by the sheds, and it turns out the structures aren't always safe.

The contest's four winners will be announced in September, and they will receive $10,000.

Now 46 years running, Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report rankings the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. This year a record 519 AEC firms participated in BD+C's Giants 400 report. The final report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.

| Aug 19, 2022

Cuningham appoints Jacqueline Dompe as new Chief Executive Officer

Cuningham, a national design firm, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Jacqueline Dompe as the firm’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

| Aug 19, 2022

Future sea rise could expose 720,000 more people on East Coast to flooding

An analysis by NPR based on modeling from the National Hurricane Center for New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami-Dade County found future sea rise could expose about 720,000 more people to damaging floods later this century.

| Aug 19, 2022

Manassas Museum renovated to reimagine a civic design & engage the community

Manassas, VA has recently added to its historic Manassas Museum.

Architects | Aug 18, 2022

GSA names Charles Hardy, AIA, CCM, Chief Architect at GSA Public Buildings Service

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has named Charles (Chuck) Hardy as GSA’s next Chief Architect, effective August 14, 2022. A licensed architect, workplace strategist, and certified construction manager, Hardy’s career with GSA spans more than 31 years, beginning in GSA’s Great Lakes Region as an architect and project manager.

| Aug 18, 2022

U.S. Treasury moves to boost affordable housing

The Department of the Treasury recently announced new guidance to “increase the ability of state, local, and tribal governments to use American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to boost the supply of affordable housing in their communities,” according to a news release.

Thermal and Visual Delight in Architecture, with Lisa Heschong, FIES

Daylighting | Aug 18, 2022

Lisa Heschong on 'Thermal and Visual Delight in Architecture'

Lisa Heschong, FIES, discusses her books, "Thermal Delight in Architecture" and "Visual Delight in Architecture," with BD+C's Rob Cassidy.

| Aug 18, 2022

The Illinois Institute of Technology restores three Mies van der Rohe buildings

With Dirk Denison Architects and Gilbane Building Company, the Illinois Institute of Technology has recently completed a $70 million housing project that has restored three Ludwig Mies van der Rohe buildings.