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This lively effort — mapping — is the subject of a rich exhibition organized by the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) and BRIC [...] that pairs the work of 18 contemporary artists with 23 historical maps dating back as far as 1562. For Mapping Brooklyn, BHS opened its collection to the invited artists [...]. The goal of uniting these two components — map and art — is to uncover the common ground: to render, through judgment and artistic process, the world legible. — urbanomnibus.net
Related: Mapping the City: maps through the eyes of street artists View full entry
New York City this week will officially break ground on a spot near the Staten Island Ferry terminal where the world’s tallest observation wheel will rise — unless Dubai builds a bigger one first.
The Dubai Eye started erecting its 690-foot wheel a week ago. [...]
The 630-foot New York Wheel seeks to dethrone the 550-foot High Roller in Las Vegas as the tallest in the world.
— mashable.com
Previously: Mayor Bloomberg Unveils Plans To Build World's Tallest Ferris Wheel View full entry
Times Square has always been about reinvention — in order for the New York Times' headquarters to be built (and give the spot its name), the Pabst Brewing Company's Pabst Hotel had to be demolished. But in the late 1970s, after decades of grandeur followed by decades of decay, imagining the future of Times Square became a particularly pressing project. [...]
Here are some plans for the future of Times Square, some of which never caught on and some of which still have a chance.
— nymag.com
Related:Times Square and the routine of chaosJam to your heart's desire with Stereotank's "Heartbeat" installation in Times SquareIs that a luge in Times Square? View full entry
Though New York can sometimes seem like a drab warren of chain-link fence and oily pavement, the city actually has an impressive number of trees. On the streets alone [...] there were 592,130 at last reckoning, a leafy explosion you can now peruse in this great visualization of tree species.
Jill Hubley, a Brooklyn web developer whose last project involved mapping local chemical spills, made the chlorophyllous cartography with data from the 2005-2006 Street Tree Census.
— citylab.com
The issue of water supply in the context of climate change was the topic for the recent 5KL: Water symposium, organized by The Architectural League and The Cooper Union Institute for Sustainable Design.
Twelve experts in water resource design and management — from architects to geographers to former government officials — addressed the carbon intensity of providing a clean and adequate water supply and how design and planning can contribute to that goal.
— urbanomnibus.net
Norman Foster‘s 88-story tower, destined for the last unoccupied site of the World Trade Center complex, could finally get the legs it needs to move forward. Media giants News Corporation and 21st Century Fox, both headed by Rupert Murdoch, are in talks with the Port Authority and developer Larry Silverstein to make the long-stalled 1,349-foot skyscraper their next home. — 6sqft
The move would give 2 WTC what it needs to resume construction as required by the Port Authority—namely a solid anchor tenant. View full entry
Living with roommates is practically a rite of passage in New York City. It often begins with far too many people sharing too little space and ends with a move into an apartment of one’s own, or with that special someone.
But with rents reaching new highs, single 20-somethings are not the only ones looking for someone with whom to share the rent. Couples are living with roommates even after they’ve tied the knot.
— NY Times
One World Observatory today announced that its official public opening date will be Friday, May 29, 2015. [...]
Positioned on top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere – on levels 100, 101, and 102 of the One World Trade Center building – One World Observatory will provide guests with unique, panoramic views of New York City, its most iconic sites, and surrounding waters from above 1,250 feet.
— One World Observatory
Visitors will board one of five dedicated elevators, termed Sky Pods, to ascend to the 102nd floor in under 60 seconds. Immersive, floor-to-ceiling LED technology in each cab invites guests to experience a virtual time-lapse that recreates the development of New York City’s skyline from the... View full entry
Dressed in reflective yellow construction gear while working under the cover of darkness early Monday, a small group of artists installed a tribute to NSA-leaker Edward Snowden in a Brooklyn park.
But it was gone by midday.
The Snowden bust stood atop a column at the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in Fort Greene Park, a site built to honor more than 11,000 American prisoners of war who died aboard British ships during the American Revolutionary War.
— mashable.com
While the search for a permanent director continues, David Burney, FAIA, will serve as interim Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Center for Architecture, taking the place of former director Rick Bell FAIA.Burney currently serves as an Associate... View full entry
222 Bowery is an Italian-inspired palazzo for the beggars. — Times
JULIE EARLE-LEVINE writes about the artist John Giorno’s home for over fifty years in Bowery."The address housed New York’s first Y.M.C.A. in the 1880s — in what was then one of the worst neighborhoods in Manhattan, frequented by prostitutes and alcoholics. Much has changed since the poet... View full entry
Lewis Kruger, Chairman of the Board of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), today announced the appointment of Shannon Stratton to the position of William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator, effective June 2015. In this role, Stratton will work closely with Nanette L. Laitman Director Glenn Adamson to oversee the Museum’s diverse exhibition program and collections, foster relationships with artists and designers, and develop new strategies to engage contemporary audiences. — MAD Museum
Stratton joins MAD after twelve years as the founding director of Three Walls, "a Chicago-based contemporary arts organization that presents both exhibitions and public programs, and provides grants and resources to artists and other organizers through projects like The Propeller Fund and... View full entry
When the Lambert Houses were completed in 1973 as part of the Bronx Park South Urban Renewal Area, the complex was quickly recognized as a significant architectural and social contribution. [...]
So when UO columnist Susanne Schindler learned that Phipps is planning to demolish and redevelop the Houses, citing structural issues and significant security concerns, she wanted to understand what went wrong at this much-lauded site.
— urbanomnibus.net
The galleries are immense, the Renzo Piano design is arresting and the views of the Hudson River are expansive. As it prepares to open its new $422 million Lower Manhattan home on May 1, the Whitney Museum of American Art is pulsing with anticipation as it plans the inaugural events, including a neighborhood block party.
But behind the scenes the museum is also preparing for the challenge of paying to operate a building that is three times as large as the old one.
— nytimes.com
Previously: Whitney announces opening date of its new home in ChelseaWhitney Museum to Offer Year of Free Admission to Construction WorkersFollow the construction of Renzo Piano's new Whitney online View full entry
Though New York City is expected to surpass its 2020 population projections this year, rest assured that there’s plenty of space for all of these folks—and then some. An amusing and quite informative experiment conducted by Tim Urban takes a look at just how much space you would need to fit the world’s population comfortably—for the most part. The investigation, which puts 7.3 billion folks cozily shoulder to shoulder, hinges on the assumption that you can fit ten humans into a square meter. — 6sqft
