CONTEXT
Sidewalk sheds are utilitarian scaffolding tunnels that cover the sidewalk, protecting pedestrians from falling building debris. The structures are omnipresent in New York City. In fact, if the estimated 6,000 sheds currently installed were lined up end to end, you could walk from New York to Baltimore under a tunnel.
Softwalks is dedicated to improving the functionality of sidewalk sheds with incremental improvements. Softwalks believes it is possible to transform sidewalk sheds from an eyesore to a community asset with a Kit of Parts.
PRECEDENTS
Softwalks is informed by the successful pilot projects the DOT has implemented in the last five years to transform various street scrapes from auto-centric spaces into pedestrian plazas, such as the theater district on Broadway. These pilot projects, aided by light, quick and inexpensive amenities mitigate risk and lead to incremental improvements. The reality and challenges of improving sidewalk sheds are significant, and this is why we have determined that building on the existing ecology of sidewalk sheds is an appropriate move forward.