TOPIC

Design

New City Critics

A Labor of Love

Up a marble staircase, in the attic of City Hall, a trio of civil servants steward an eclectic archive of city objects.

New City Critics

Three Ways to Reclaim Wood

Brooklyn-based studio Tri-Lox intervenes on the city’s waste stream, repurposing wood to furnish everything from Shake Shack interiors to Shakespeare in the Park.

Designing Mamdani’s New York

At the start of a new mayoral administration promising an urban transformation, eight practitioners discuss architecture’s role in shaping the social democratic city.

New City Critics

No Rest for the Whimsy

Multiple spins on an elaborate underwater-themed carousel reveal the importance of wonder in the public realm.

New City Critics

Can’t We Have Both?

A very short story debates two long-term visions for vital infrastructure in Queens.

The Tempest

As midsummer nights get hotter and wetter, outdoor performance venues and workers are adapting.

Swimming Ahead

What if New York City’s public pools were open all year long?

New City Critics

No Mannequins

The new Telfar store is an event space. The event is we're alive and we did this shit.

New City Critics

Main Character Energy

Since the 1970s, citrus-hued seats in L-shaped arrangements have offered commuters a warm embrace. Where will subway riders find romance when the Tang-toned seats go?

Shelf Life

Design and Deploy

To temporarily transform public space, Street Lab's lending library of outdoor furniture is designed to stand up to regular travel, extreme heat, and children's imaginations.