Maintaining (2017) Countless acts of routine maintenance shape New York City every day, yet often go unnoticed until something goes wrong. This year, the Urban Design Forum invites you to consider new ways to sustain our public realm. How can we use design thinking, creative financing, new technology, and community organizing to maintain our physical and social infrastructure?
In 2017-18, we invited our Fellows and other experts to consider the question of maintaining New York City’s essential infrastructure: its open spaces, roadways, subway stations, public housing, commercial corridors, and green infrastructure.
Our latest publication, Maintaining: Public Works in the Next New York, pairs bold ideas from leading architects, planners, developers and advocates in New York with informative case studies from 17 cities around the world.
Maintaining Public Parks Adrian Benepe warns that turning over Marx Brother Playground in East Harlem to private development would set a dangerous precedent. “Parks advocates said the decision would send a signal about how the city values common space at a time when every inch of real estate is precious.
About Maintaining ↓ Help us craft a vision for maintaining New York City! Gowanus: A Case Study is the third program of Maintaining, a year-long inquiry into strengthening New York City’s physical and social infrastructure. Share your ideas about how to care for New York City’s public assets. Feature image courtesy of ↓ Tod Seelie
Throughout the year, we invite government officials and private sector leaders to present design and development initiatives that shape the public good. Our goal is to create an open and collegial venue for deeper conversation between the public sector and our network of civic leaders building, caring for, and maintaining our city.