The urban design competition was juried by famed Danish planner and architect Jan Gehl, NYC Chief Architect Alexandros Washburn and Andy Wiley-Schwartz Assistant Commissioner for NYCDOT (formerly of Project for Public Spaces).
"Streets for Everyone" focused on integrating the infrastructure of the wider Red Hook/Gowanus area by turning 9th Street into an urban stormwater swale that filters runoff on its way to the Gowanus Canal.
The design also places bike lanes in the middle of the street, offers “flex lanes” that can be claimed as neighborhood social space during times of low traffic, and revamps an adjacent overpass as a covered plaza with sheltered bike parking.
"Shared Space" looked at fine-grained boundaries between different user groups. The plan widens 4th Avenue to allow for street trees on each side and a wider, mixed-use median with container-planted trees. Street life is focused on 9th Street, with widened sidewalks, bike paths, lighted bollards, and benches that create a more intimate scale.
"Streets Come Alive" conceptualized the street as public domain, adding civic space, markets, gardens, leisure zones, and water areas. A heavy dose of green—in the form of street trees, gardens, and other organic elements—cuts down on the heat-island effect while providing new spaces for social use.
Winners received a $4,000 cash prize.
Posts
