Hasta La Ideas

Architecture firms BIG and WXY have unveiled a masterplan for Downtown Brooklyn that aims to improve the area’s pedestrian experience with playful furniture, expanded sidewalks and improved crossings.

Non-profit organisation Downtown Brooklyn Partnership commissioned BIG and WXY Architects to redevelop the 370-acre (149-hectare) Downtown Brooklyn public realm, an area of the Brooklyn borough that has seen significant growth recently.

Called the Downtown Brooklyn Public Realm Action Plan, the project will extend from Columbus Park to the Barclay’s Center.

The masterplan was created following a comprehensive study of the neighbourhood’s public spaces – including streets, sidewalks, plazas, parks, alleyways, intersections and underutilised sections, according to BIG.

“The plan draws upon the district’s existing conditions, systems, land uses and policies to create a bold design vision that is uniquely Brooklyn, provides a greener, safer pedestrian and bicycle experience, and unlocks projects, initiatives and pilots for a more vibrant public realm,” BIG added.

“Downtown Brooklyn public realm is re-animated into a playful environment largely focused on the pedestrian experience,” BIG added.

“A place where residents, workers and visitors can enjoy gathering outdoors, practice sports and celebrate the diverse culture of Downtown Brooklyn.”

The international firm is working with urban designers from New York firm WXY Architecture and Urban Design and landscape firm MNLA to realise the project. It will also collaborate with Sam Schwartz Engineering on the transportation-related improvements.

Images show pink, blue and green sidewalks and roadways furnished with sculptural benches, chairs, tables and plants. The use of bold colour is similar to that featured in Copenhagen’s Superkilen park, which BIG completed in 2012 with landscape architects Topotek1 and artists Superflex.

A raised walkway and a bright orange bus shelter with potted greenery spilling from its roof are among other features.  A group of public showers and large circular hammock installations are also included in the additions to the neighbourhood’s parks.

“The proposal paints the already lively character of the neighbourhood with a distinct colour palette and new public furniture collections,” the firm continued.

“Brooklynites can enjoy a cohesive streetscape experience, one with improved walkability, pedestrian and cyclist safety, double the greenery and new art beacons.”

Maps of the project indicate which streets will be “demapped” for pedestrian-only use, locations of improved crosswalks and areas where pedestrian space and sidewalks will be expanded.

BIG was founded by architect Bjarke Ingels in 2005, and has offices in Copenhagen, New York and London. The firm also recently unveiled plans to redevelop a parcel on the Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn, which includes a new beach and two skyscrapers.

In 2018, WXY also revealed a masterplan to revitalise a portion of Brooklyn Navy Yard as part of a project that has seen the adaptive reuse of old warehouses and ship-building facilities in the industrial site.

The post BIG and WXY unveils “playful” transformation of Downtown Brooklyn appeared first on Dezeen.

Work is set to start again on Santiago Calatrava‘s Greek Orthodox church in Downtown Manhattan, over two years after it was halted because the archdiocese failed to pay construction fees.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that construction would resume soon on the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center complex, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has reported.

Work commenced in 2014 but site contractor Skanska terminated the project in 2017 due to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America‘s (GOA) “defaults in making payment under the owner contract,” according to Pappas Post.

Cuomo’s announcement came as he welcomed Archbishop Elpidophoros – bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople – to New York City 2 January.

Greek Orthodox Church set to open 1 September 2021

He also revealed that Elpidophoros will serve as honorary chairman of a new 13-member board, called The Friends of Saint Nicholas, which will be responsible for raising money for the construction of the church and conducting audits.

Calatrava was enlisted to design the St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine to replace the community’s former church at 155 Cedar Street, which was destroyed during the collapse of Two World Trade Center. It was initially slated to open in November 2018.

Under the new leadership, the building is expected to be completed by 11 September 2021 – 20 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Spanish architect’s project is already partially constructed nearby at 130 Liberty Street, and near to the 911 memorial that marks where the World Trade Center’s twin towers once stood.

Church forms part of World Trade Center masterplan

Calatrava’s church features a central dome-shaped structure that will be clad in white Vermont marble. The design is influenced by Istanbul’s Hagia Sofia, as well as the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora also in the Turkish city.

“The rebuilding of Saint Nicholas Church that was destroyed on September 11 is a moment of coming together and healing not only for the Greek Orthodox community but for all New Yorkers who lived through that horrific day,” said Cuomo.

“This house of worship will serve as a reminder that our collective faith is something we can always count on to move past our painful memories and build a better tomorrow.”

Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine forms part of a series of redevelopment projects at the World Trade Center site, including Calatrava’s Oculus transportation hub and SOM’s One World Trade Center.

Richard Rogers’ Three World Trade Center and Four World Trade Center by Fumihiko Maki also are part of the masterplan, while BIG’s Two World Trade Center tower and a translucent performing arts venue are still to come.

Photograph is by Jim Henderson.

The post Construction to restart on Calatrava’s Greek Orthodox Church at World Trade Center site appeared first on Dezeen.

If you were previously wondering what carmaker logo that was… Sony stunned everyone today by announcing a concept electric vehicle! Sony’s definitely had a history of launching absolutely weird products from dancing egg-shaped speakers to robotic dogs… and at first glance, its concept sedan, the Vision S would seem like the perfect product to make it to that list, but the more and more I think about it, the more it makes sense. No, Sony isn’t entering the rapidly saturating EV market. The clue to why Sony announced a car at CES 2020, however, lies in its name – Vision S.

The Vision S is Sony’s vision for cars of the future. The company, for long, has developed some spectacular physical and digital products, and the concept car just ties them all together into a cohesive bunch. The Vision S comes with a total of 33 sensors that power its self-driving tech. Sony’s imaging sensors are usually categorized as some of the best in the industry, finding their way into high-end cameras and consumer smartphones. Not to forget the leaps and bounds Sony’s made with the PlayStation Move controllers and the motion-sensing PS4 camera. All these have culminated into the 33 sensors that find themselves inside the Vision S which are used to detect + monitor the presence of people and objects both inside and outside the automobile.

The electric car comes with autonomous driving capabilities thanks to its use of Solid State LiDAR, and features camera-enabled rear-view imaging, rather than traditional mirrors. Vision S comes with a panoramic glass sun-roof, and an illuminating logo light-strip on the front as well as the back. On the inside, it’s all about the experience. A wide, cascading display covers the entire dashboard, allowing you to cycle through and choose car features, whether you’re the driver or you’re riding shotgun. The rear seats come fully equipped with entertainment units too, equipped with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. This proves to be a rather important component of Sony’s automotive offering because with cars now driving themselves, in-car entertainment could be a potential billion-dollar industry, and Sony, with its massive movie, TV, and music businesses, could be a major player.

The Vision S won’t be launching anytime soon, or at all, hints Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida (the lack of any automotive specs confirms it too). Its purpose remains to showcase Sony’s vision and commitment towards innovation in the world of automobiles. So it definitely isn’t surprising that Sony decided to showcase a car at CES 2020. What IS surprising, however, is the fact that they managed to keep it under wraps for this long!

Designer: Sony

In this week’s comments update, readers are looking forward to the world’s first wooden football stadium being completed and are disappointed in Virgil Abloh’s fashion collection with Paris’s Musée du Louvre.

Goal setter: readers are impressed by plans for the world’s first wooden football stadium, which has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects for England football club Forest Green Rovers.

“Marvellous!” praised Michael.

“I know it’s probably still fashionable to bash ZHA,” said Chris.”But I really like the design and look forward to visiting it once it’s complete.”

Paul Puzzello agreed: “If wood is the way to the future, I appreciate seeing practices like Ban, Kuma and Zaha Hadid exploiting the material sculpturally, taking it it beyond columns and beams.”

“Kudos to green-thinking and fluid design, yet does it come with a fire station next door?” joked Sacrecoeur.

This reader had a question:



What do you think of the football stadium? Join the discussion ›

Fashion killer: a fashion collection decorated with paintings by Leonardo da Vinci and designed by Virgil Abloh in collaboration with Paris’s Musée du Louvre, has gotten the thumbs down from readers.

“I bet the fisheye lenses and wonky photography angles are to disguise how unimaginative and hideously-constructed the actual garments are,” wagered Guest.

“There was a time when photographers were barred from using historic sites and museums for fashion shoots,” noted Geoff Bob. “I remember would-be Beatons and Baileys being cleared off such locations as the Parthenon and Loggia della Signoria. Now, apparently, anything goes.”

Zea Newland was also unimpressed: “You would expect something more cutting-edge but this looks like last month’s new arrivals at ASOS. Will be out of fashion in spring.”

“Bad clothes, bad photos, overpriced merchandise. He must have been busy on other projects,” concluded Troy Smith Designs.

This commenter thinks the collection looks dated:



Would you wear one of the hoodies or T-shirts? Join the discussion ›

Survival instinct: readers are struggling to take a survival kit that’s been created for a post-apocalyptic future seriously. Artist Lucy McRae who designed the kit believes that people may react against “the age of the algorithm”, by rejecting digital devices.

“Any journey will require shoes, to show this in socks is silly,” said Chad. “Is she surviving in a post-armageddon shopping mall with smooth floors? Add that this person has never backpacked anywhere – nobody that has would carry a load like that.”

Matt went on: “She wouldn’t look out of place in the background of a scene set in Tatooine.”

“She looks like a stuffed turkey,” added Troy Smith Designs.

Jb was entertained: “Brilliant! It’s my favourite thing of 2020.”

One reader was feeling sarcastic:



Is the survival kit necessary? Join the discussion ›

Future prospects: Design studio Superflux has built a vision of a typical Singapore home in 2219, with features including homemade hunting tools, snorkelling equipment and a mini hydroponic farm. Commenters aren’t convinced.

“I’m not sure if anybody would want to live in something that looks like mixture of a secret drug farm and night club,” said Zea Newland.

“This is a disturbingly twee fantasy,” continued Catcassidy. “The reality is scarcity does not result in studious self-reliance and cohesive social action. We are watching now as scarcity and ecological crisis drives the world into civil unrest, migration, and warfare. It’s not a Wes Andersen fantasy, it’s a Hobbesian nightmare.”

“I guess it’s a dystopian vision rather than their perfect design solution for the future. It is supposed to look a bit uncomfortable and disturbing,” replied Fabian KZ.

“Our climate is changing, as it has many times before. The weather will again change several more times. Debating, arguing, blaming for the reasons why the climate changes is moot at this point. Change happens, one can choose to look at it as extreme, or just change and adapt to it,” concluded Jay C. White Cloud.

This reader agreed:



What do you think of the concept? Join the discussion ›

The post “Does it come with a fire station next door?” appeared first on Dezeen.

Pens are an integral part of our lives, even though we may not always realize it. They’re the mediums through which we capture our deepest thoughts, and make our crucial to-do lists that run our lives (at least mine). However, the everyday ball-point pens aren’t the comfiest to use. Whether it’s removing their respective caps, or unveiling their nib using a rotating motion, there’s always a certain effort to be put in, before you can actually use such a pen. So, designer Jarim Koo designed the Jellyfish pen.

The Jellyfish pen takes huge inspiration from, well, the jellyfish. Its wavy and curvaceous form reminds one of the jellyfish you find flittering through the ocean. Transparent and flexible, the marine creature and this pen have a lot in common. The pen comprises simply of the ink tube made from polyethylene (PE), and the outer transparent body.

The PE lends the ink tube its flexible property, so when you hold the pen, its wave-like form expands, and the ink tube protrudes from the little slot on one side of the pen, exposing the nib, and allowing you to write with it it. However, once you release the pen, it contracts, bringing it back to its original form, with the ink tube tucked away. Koo perfected the form so that it would meld in with our index finger.

There’s a certain fun factor to the Jellyfish pen. I mean, you basically have to squeeze it, to operate it! Not to mention its jelly-like translucent aesthetic is far from the ordinary and has a calming effect for some reason. Its the kind of pen I would love to have owned during my school days, easy to use, with no fear of losing its cap, and finally its quirky looks simply seal the deal!

Designer: Jarim Koo