Best Pedestrian Route
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
2007
Best Pedestrian Route is one of three projects selected as part of the RE: Construction Pilot Program sponsored by the Alliance for Downtown New York (ADNY) and curated by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC). Working with the ADNY and the LMCC, and with the support of the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Department of Transportation, we sited Best Pedestrian Route along the north side of John Street between Broadway and Nassau Streets, installed against the south side of the MTA-owned historic Corbin Building. Situated along the southern boundary of a future entry into the new Fulton Street Transit Hub, this route will guide pedestrians across a changing streetscape, immersing them for a few moments in an environment that transforms the familiar symbols of construction into dreamy recollections of summer. Graphic arrow symbols are multiplied and rotated across the length of the iconic orange and white interior cladding, arranged in a flow pattern that transforms the familiar directional symbol into abstract ‘leaves’, guiding visitors through a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. Through these ‘leaves’ passersby can read information about the project, construction plans for the area, and cultural events occurring in Lower Manhattan. The tilted and swooping form of Best Pedestrian Route is possible using digital fabrication technologies to precisely cut all of the components off-site on a computer-numerically-controlled (CNC) mill. The prefabricated parts make the assembly of this temporary structure possible in several hours, not unlike the construction barriers that shift daily. Best Pedestrian Route is conceived as a system of walkways, this being the first of several variations to be located throughout Lower Manhattan. Encompassing more than 80 individual sites, work is expected to be in progress until at least 2012, giving the usually temporary environment of construction a permanence that requires thoughtful design consideration.
KEY PROJECT INFORMATION
Alliance for Downtown New York and Lower Manhattan Cultural Counci
GRO Architects: Richard Garber + Nicole Robertson, Principals; Justin Foster
320 sf
$39,000
May 2007 - November 2007