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Snøhetta discusses ’’Times Square Reconstruction’’ in Cooper Union

United Kingdom Architecture News - May 15, 2015 - 16:45   12434 views

all images © Snøhetta

Setting the Stage: A Discussion on the Design of Shared Spaces for Public Life

May 19th, 6:30pm, Cooper Union

Creating spaces intended to serve many different communities at once is a tall order; hear from the people working on some of the most heavily used destinations in the city about how they’re tackling the challenge. With panelists Claire Fellman, director, Snøhetta; Regina Myer, president, Brooklyn Bridge Park; Tim Tompkins, president, Times Square Alliance; and Matt Urbanski, principal, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc

In 2010, the New York City Department of Design and Construction and the New York City Department of Transportation selected Snøhetta to lead the design of the new public spaces in Times Square. While the site has long been an icon for entertainment, culture and urban life, the physical and operational conditions of the streets, sidewalks and sub-surface infrastructure such as sewers, have deteriorated over time, detracting from the functionality and safety of this critical crossroads.

Snøhetta's commission came on the heels of the NYC Department of Transportation's “Green Light for Midtown” pilot project in 2009, which used temporary paving and street furniture to close Broadway to vehicular traffic between 42nd–47th Streets, an initiative originally intended to improve safety and alleviate traffic conditions. The hugely-successful pedestrian-only public spaces moved the DOT to permanently re-define Times Square with a three-fold purpose: to upgrade crucial utility infrastructure; provide event infrastructure for new and expanded public events; and make permanent the temporary improvements that the City piloted in 2009. 

The project site, known as the “Bowtie”, forms the heart of the Times Square theater district, and is bounded by Broadway and 7th Avenue between 42nd and 47th streets.  Snøhetta's design is inspired by Times Square’s past and its rich entertainment history – a duality that influenced both the larger concept and the project’s details. The proposal creates an integrated and iconic multi-functional public space that reflects the best of Times Square and New York City.

Tickets available here

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