Meet "The Urban Umbrella" — NYC's New Sidewalk Shed

For the first time since the 1950s, the city's ubiquitous sidewalk sheds are going to get a makeover. The new scaffolding design — selected after an international contest — is intended to "improve quality of life, reduce construction impacts on businesses, increase pedestrian safety and increase available space for pedestrians on sidewalks," according to the Mayor's Office. The so-called "The Urban Umbrella" will "complement the city's architectural beauty rather than take it away from it," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Sidewalk sheds are a part of New York life, reflecting the face of a city that is constantly changing — yet the sheds themselves haven't evolved at all during the past four decades and its time to bring them into the 21st century."

University of Pennsylvania student Young-Hwan Choi was awarded $10,000 for coming up with the winning design, which incorporates arch-like frames according to the Real Deal. He developed the idea with a team consisting of engineer Sarrah Khan and architect Andres Cortés, both of the Agencie Group. A prototype will soon be installed at a Lower Manhattan construction site. "The Urban Umbrella" is expected to cost about the same amount as other sidewalk sheds, though long-term maintenance and installation costs are expected to be lower, according to the release. Building owners won't be required to use new sidewalk shed, though the city expects contractors to adopt it to "reduce maintenance costs" and because it obstructs less of a building's facade — potentially helping businesses located beneath scaffolding.

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By Ben Muessig in Arts and Events on January 21, 2010 3:52 PM

Comments [rss]

MajorDowner

The new sidewalk shed has a major flaw: those false groin vaults only work if the shed is fairly tall - judging from the renderings, they spring about 8' - 9' above grade, and terminate at about 12' - 14'. Many sidewalk sheds are not this tall, meaning those curvy, frilly bits will become obstructions to traffic.

Other than that, the idea of adding thin, easy to bend decorations to something that gets lugged around in open trucks, assembled with hammers, beat to hell while in use, and stored outside in yards in LIC & Jersey seems like a really great idea.

dudeandahalf

We may have 35,000 or so homeless in this city but at least the roofs we put over sidewalks aren't ugly anymore.

grizzzly

I think that by "NYC" they mean "Manhattan" in this post - I highly doubt you'll see any of this stuff in the outer boroughs.

Shinobi Shaw

I like it, it fits the city's rich Art Deco history!

NewHCE

Hey Bloomie, how about making the landlords actually do their repairs instead of giving them two years to complete a 6 mo. job.

Snoopy

I looked again at the rendering of what appears to be the old A.T. Stewart store on Chambers street and it is total bullshit. It doesn't show any shadowing under the construction shed. Unless they are using clear panels for the decking you would have shadows under the structure. Hidden behind most of those construction fence facades is a staging area for materials, or in some cases field offices. Plus all that lattice work of the lower structure would in real life be more than what exists in present structures.

Snoopy

I assume they are using either glass or acrylic for those transparent panels above the deck. No way are those sidewalk sheds going to be cheaper than what they use now. Plus that area above the deck always has either advertising or the listing of all the project participants along with the permit numbers. How are they supporting the lateral loads? Normally they use cross bracing in the structure.

Don't get me wrong I think the design looks great. It just isn't economical and versatile enough to meet the real world needs.

I liked it back in the old days when they would use the doors they removed when doing a demolition. Now that had character.

NannyState

Nice way to hide those PROJECTS THAT NEVER END.

Trilby16

Nice idea. But when will these actually appear on our streets? My guess is not in my lifetime.

IvoryJive

"it obstructs less of a building's facade — potentially helping businesses located beneath scaffolding"

Except that developers leave the dark ugly sheds up precisely to drive out unwanted commercial tenants

dignam

Great, great idea.

MT

Not to sound too dumb, but is a sidewalk shed the same thing as one of the sidewalk coverings that we have at construction sites?

DanielJ

Scaffolding is what you see going up around buildings above the first floor. Sidewalk sheds are what covers the sidewalk, and what scaffolding is supported by.

MT

Ah. I got it now. I honestly always just thought the whole thing was scaffolding.

Mr Mel

Yes, but I always referred to them as scaffolding.

Spirit of 76

My understanding is that the steel structure you see is scaffolding, including the ground level. When you add a top to protect pedestrians from falling debris, it becomes a sidewalk shed.