April 28, 2017 Edited from Article by Barbara Sadick, New York Times
Public Work structures in cities tend to have a uniform reputation : They’re ugly. But a new generation of projects are being designed to weave infrastructure into cities’ social fabric , offering amenities and standing in as works of Public Art.
As cities become more densely populated and land becomes scarcer, it’s hard to hide these eyesores.
Today there is more impetus to get creative with utilitarian facilities and to integrate them into public spaces and neighborhoods…There is also a growing expectation that infrastructure projects ….contribute to a better public realm experience through their design,” says Mary Law Adams , principal Architect in the Boston Landing Studio and a lecturer in urban studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Some of those projects are:
Denny Substation – Seattle built by NBBJ hired by Seattle City Light, under construction
Spring Steet Salt Shed by Dattner Architects with WXY Architecture and urban design, designed to look like a salt crystal.
Copenhill/Amager Bakke Waste to Energy Plant-Copenhagen designed by Bjarke Ingels Group
Sherbourne Stormwater Faciliity – Toronto
Co-Modeco structures are stackable up to three stories without a reinforced grid. They are bolted togwehter and sustain up to a 10 point cyclone. As they can be pre-fabbed andpositioned in a vast number of configurations they can be integrated seamlessly into urban, rural and wilderness settings.
by Cristiane Roget, correspondent-rogetlink@adavenuegroup.com
