Sunday, May 23, 2010

DOT chooses tsunami design for Times Square

From 1010WINS:

New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan Sunday announced the winning design for the temporary treatments that will refresh and revive the streetscape design currently in place at the Times Square pedestrian plazas while the agency moves forward with the separate design process for the area's permanent capital reconstruction project. Submitted by Brooklyn-based artist Molly Dilworth, the selected design is composed of a graphical representation of NASA's infrared satellite data of Manhattan. Titled "Cool Water, Hot Island," the artist's concept focuses on the urban heat-island effect, where cities tend to experience warmer temperatures than rural settings. The proposed design's color palette of striking blues and light hues reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat-improving the look of these popular pedestrian plazas while making them more comfortable places to sit. The colors and patterns evoke water, suggesting a river flowing through the center of Times Square, and they also provide a compelling visual counterpoint to the reds, oranges and yellows of the area's signature marquees and billboards.

The new design is scheduled to be installed by mid-July. The Alliance will monitor and maintain the temporary treatments for up to 18 months as the agency initiates plans for the design and construction of permanent plazas under the Department of Design and Construction's Design and Construction Excellence program. As part of the longer-term project, DOT and DDC are working with a team of experts-from landscape professionals to architects to engineers-to design world-class plazas with ample seating, new paving and underground infrastructure able to accommodate and enhance the signature events that are staged at Times Square throughout the year. The project will also completely reconstruct the roadways in Times Square, which have not been structurally repaired in decades. An announcement is expected later this summer. Construction on the permanent plazas is expected in 2012.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

silly

and unecessary - why not just wait and do the final, permanent plaza?

Queens Crapper said...

Haven't you heard? The City has money to burn. They'll deny park space to kids in Queens and spend like drunken sailors on tourist traps in Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

QC-You took the words out of my mouth!!!

Anonymous said...

I notice that there are no costings being announced for this project. Which fat cats are stealing our money this time????????

Anonymous said...

In the words of Forrest Gump: "stupid is as stupid does".

Anonymous said...

I thought the city had no money. Bloomberg and his gang should focus on the necessities of this city instead of paying wanna-be artists for this crap. My third grader could do better. Whatever happened to asthetics or design? There is none in NYC anymore. Our city is losing all its grace and style at the expense of this madman millionaire who is out of touch with the people of this city.

Anonymous said...

I really want to see some people admit to voting for Bloomberg.

Anonymous said...

For everyone that voted for Bloomberg, you have no one to blame but yourselves. This is what happens when the Democrats only vote for Democrats. I always feel you should vote for the best person for the job. This is why NY politics will always remain corrupt because the city is Democratic and they keep voting the same shit in over and over again. When will we ever learn? Probably when it's too late.

Anonymous said...

Art, NASA satellite's, outer space my ass.
The dumb city bought a reworked swimming pool liner.
How much $$ was it ?

Anonymous said...

There went the neighborhood. I have mixed feelings about the sanitized version of the Times Square pedestrian mall.

Then from what I heard, Mayor Moneybags wants to expand the Disneyland pedestrian mall of Times Square.

I know I'll get kicked in the mouth for this, but I prefer the old Jerry Springer version of Times Square with its peep shows, porn theaters, pimps, boobs, bimbos, and assorted characters.

Gary the Agnostic said...

You couldn't have said it better, Crapper.

Anonymous said...

This at a time when firehouses and hospitals are closing.

Anonymous said...

As part of the longer-term project, DOT and DDC are working with a team of experts-from landscape professionals to architects to engineers-to design world-class plazas with ample seating, new paving and underground infrastructure able to accommodate and enhance the signature events that are staged at Times Square throughout the year.

TRANSLATION: We're going to give our friends HUGE sums of taxpayer $$$ and say it makes the city better. As a poster previously suggested, what about the fire department and hospitals?

M. Bloomturd (from Bermuda) said...

"Our city is losing all its grace and style at the expense of this madman millionaire who is out of touch with the people of this city."

It's BILLIONAIRE to you, honey!

And it doesn't matter what the people of this city are in touch with. I am doing this for the people that I want to replace you with.

Pissed Off said...

Hey! Didn't the Bloomtard administration cut the size of NYC parades in order to save the city money? So what's up with this crap??????????

Anonymous said...

Y E S ! ! !

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/02/bloomberg
_places_restrictions.html

Bloomturd is a dumb fucking hypocrite!

Put the sleaze back in Times Square said...

Why a "tsunami" design? Why not a "bailout" design, or a "derivative" design? After, all they each represent DISASTERS. I thought there was "no money" and Bloombug was going to have to "lay off over 6,000 teachers".

Anonymous said...

the downtown traffic that formerly took seventh avenue and broadway as thru streets ,now takes ninth and eleventh avenues.

the broadway pedestrian mall is an obstacle for the amateur motorist.

9th and 11th is now a mess during rush hours to the lincoln tunnel.

hail d.o.t. progress,appointed by bloomcrap.

Anonymous said...

Urban landscape should develop based around how people and businesses actually use the space. It's public space after all, not city government space. When this disappears, nobody is going to shed a tear.

Anonymous said...

Ugly!!!!

Anonymous said...

Haven't you heard? The City has money to burn. They'll deny park space to kids in Queens and spend like drunken sailors on tourist traps in Manhattan.

I WANT TO HEAR WHAT QUEENS CIVIC CONGRESS HAS TO SAY. MAYBE THEY CAN ASK A LOCAL POLITICAN AT ONE OF THEIR MANY LOVE FESTS THEY HAVE WITH THEM.

Anonymous said...

OMG! it's fxxking ugly... i designed my front garden better. who the hell got paid for this future eyesore? wonder if it's the same dumbass with metal benches.. lmao..

Anonymous said...

This at a time when firehouses and hospitals are closing.

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yes, and a time when our local electeds wants to stay on crissy quinns good side (and keep their lulus) so they keep their mouth shut and refuse to go to bat for us.

Anonymous said...

and keep their lulus
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Did you mean liulius?