Human Settlements And Urban Design

Public Realm Case study

Guided by - Prof. Ankita Agrawal.

Presented by - Vaishnavi Padalkar.
Times Square , New York .
CONTENT
● History
● Why it is an example of public realm?
● Before and after
● Project details- urban designer; Architect ; year etc
● Importance of the site for the community
● Changes it has done – social ; physical; economical
● learnings
 ● History
Times Square, square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, formed by the
intersection of Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street, and Broadway.

Known early on as Long Acre (also spelled Longacre) Square, it had an

unsavory reputation as the centre of illicit activity in the 1890s, though earlier
in the 19th century it had been both a commercial and a residential area.
The square was renamed in 1904 for The New York Times, which opened its
new offices in the Times Tower on the square (though it would outgrow them
by 1913). Almost immediately the square became the place where New
Yorkers gathered to celebrate the arrival of the new year. In 1907 the Times
began lowering a huge glass ball down its flagpole at midnight on New
Year’s Eve to mark the occasion. Throughout the years, ever more
sophisticated technology was used for the square ball drop as the tradition
came to include live television broadcasts that shared the experience with
tens of millions of people across the United States.

At the turn of the 20th century, a number of impressive theatres were

established on 42nd Street, and by the second decade of the century the
Times Square and Broadway area had become arguably the most famous
entertainment district in the country, partly because of the square’s central
location and because situated beneath it was a large station for the newly
constructed subway. During this period it earned the nickname “Crossroads
of the World.” Moreover, in short order Broadway became synonymous with
American theatre, especially musical theatre.
● Why it is an example of public realm?

Times Square is also called the heart of New York,

America's town square, and the crossroads of the
world. Times Square is all of these things.

At no other place will one see a greater

cross-section of human beings than right here along
Broadway. The dozens of Broadway shows, hotels,
abundant restaurants and shopping opportunities,
even up-to-the minute news all combine to make it a
constant hub of activity. Yet the single greatest
attraction is Times Square itself.

With its hyper-designed oversized billboards and

countless shining lights, most people come simply to
bear witness to the sheer extravagance of it. So
that's why it is an example of public realm.
● Why it is an example of public realm?

1. Access And Linkages-Thirteen different subway lines can be accessed from Times
Square. Numerous city buses intersect this area. Factor in the walkability of
Manhattan, and Times Square is probably the easiest place in New York City to get
to and explore.

2. Comfort And Image-While not always known for its sparkling image, Times Square
has seen a real turnaround in recent years. At the turn of the 21st century, it is
substantially cleaner and safer than it has been in decades. It is not a place to relax,
though. It is place of extreme excitement, designed to overwhelm the senses.

3. Uses And Activities-Time Square is virtually never vacant. Approximately millions of

tourists visiting annually as many activities happen in Times Square. And people can
experience a whole new adventure.

4. Sociability-Time Square is one the most diversified Square in the world as people
from all over the world come and experience Times Square.
● Before and after
● Before and after

● BEFORE - With an average of 45 million visitors each year—many

of who look up at the billboards instead of the path in front—Times
Square is notorious for its pedestrian traffic. Before the addition of
pedestrian plazas, the exposure to vehicular traffic, slow-moving
pedestrians, and small sidewalks made visiting Times Square an
unpleasant, polluted, and sometimes unsafe experience.

● AFTER - with the redirection of vehicular traffic and the return of

public space to pedestrians, Times Square dramatically
transformed into a welcoming civic space. Pedestrian injuries
decreased by 40 percent and crime in the overall area decreased
by 20 percent. Air pollution has even fallen by as much as 60
percent.
 ● Project details-

PROJECT NAME Times Square

LOCATION New York City , New York

ARCHITECT Snøhetta

CLIENT/OWNER NYC Dept of Transportation & NYC Dept of Design and Construction

PROJECT TYPES Transportation

PROJECT SCOPE Renovation/Remodel

SIZE 269,097 sq. feet

YEAR COMPLETED 2016

SHARED BY Victoria Carodine , Hanley Wood

PROJECT STATUS Built

 ● Importance of the site for the community
In addition to the benefits to public health and safety, surveys show that New York residents, tourists and Times Square Employees
all feel that the pedestrian plaza improves the experience of being in Times Square. For instance, 93% of visitors agree that the
pedestrian plaza makes Times Square a more pleasant place to be, while 88% of New York residents agree that the plaza gives
Times Square a unique atmosphere that was not there before.

Accordingly, the new plaza on Broadway was designed to accommodate multiple speeds of pedestrian circulation with subtle design
gestures that empower people to move in a natural, comfortable way through the space.
● Changes it has done – social ; physical; economical

● Snøhetta modeled and observed where

pedestrians moved and collected in the square. To
keep things flowing smoothly, Snøhetta placed
benches running north and south along Broadway,
and oriented them toward one another to create
room-like spaces. The firm also expanded
crosswalks to 40 feet wide, to keep people from
clustering at corners.
●
● Pedestrian injuries decreased by 40 percent and
crime in the overall area decreased by 20 percent.
●
● with the redirection of vehicular traffic and the
return of public space to pedestrians, Times
Square dramatically transformed into a welcoming
civic space.
● Changes it has done – social ; physical; economical

● Street furniture and other design elements

also create a welcoming space to linger.
● Ten fifty-foot long granite benches oriented
along the Broadway Axis define and frame
the public plaza. These benches manage
pedestrian flow, creating interior pockets or
eddie's for people to stop and gather.
● The design has transformed Times Square
from one of New York’s most notoriously
congested spaces into a radically open
civic square, while also integrating crucial
utility and event infrastructure upgrades.
● learnings

● Design alone won’t do it, but great design is essential for expressing the aspirations and essence of
a place and its surrounding community.

● balance the messy, regulations, cleanliness, safety, order and just the right amount of chaos and
spontaneity. Lose this and you’ve lost the space, no matter how pretty it is.

● Bring it to life – let the space’s assets be reflected in what happens in it, building identity and
audience through repetition and surprise.
Reference
https://www.timessquarenyc.org/times-square-transformation/20-principles-for-cre
ating-change

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Times-Square