Elevated walkways, a truncated FDR drive, and other proposals for a car-resistant New York

Short Teaser: 

Urban planners and architects imagine the pedestrian city

One plan calls for the removal of the southern portion of F.D.R. Drive to make way for parks and cafes. On top of that, Sorkin proposed converting some streets to serve pedestrians, not cars, and and make room for  "B.R.T.s" (Bus Rapid Transit, clearly a buzzword of the night).

Full Text
Body: 

The former mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, Enrique Peñalosa, was the first speaker to arrive Thursday night at the American Institute of Architects'symposium on urban transportation, part of their Our Cities Ourselves: Visions for 2030 program. Peñalosa is best known for having made vast changes to his city during his term; he implemented an effective rapid bus transit system, widened sidewalks and created an extensive network of bike paths and public spaces, essentially turning Bogotá into a pedestrian-oriented, car-unfriendly city.One of the early-bird attendees, Ben Kosmider, said he was at his second Our City Ourselves event.  A Queens native, Kosmider said that he was there to hear about “smart and sensible city designs, which encompass more than just architecture and planning but also lifestyle.”  Another onlooker said, gesticulating passionately with a pair of horn-rimmed tortoise shell glasses, “I came to see how the concept that New York is trying to apply, pedestrianizing the city, supporting public transit, can beincorporated in city architecture all around the world.” By 6:15, when the first speakers, Wang Hui and Aidi Su of Guangzhou, China, took the microphone, all of the 120 seats in the room were occupied. Most of the attendees were middle-aged, and very stylish; about a third of the audience took notes throughout the program.Wang and Su were representing a think tank called URBANUS, whose mission is to provide "strategies for urbanism and architecture in the new millennium." In their presentation they spoke about the concept underlying their approach to design: “Transportation is not only a way to get from location to location.  Transportation is a way to bring people together.”  To reduce the congestion and “chaos” of Ghangzhou, they have a plan for “elevated linkages” (think of the Highline, but with more utility).  Demonstrated through detailed pictures and illustrations, these structures would serve as pedestrian walkways, nestled into the surrounding buildings, but would not compromise the existing history and feel of the city.Another speaker, Michael Sorkin, gave a presentation about New York City in which he expressed the belief that New York underutilizes its waterways for public transportation. And he talked about other theoretical ways to change the way New Yorkers move around. His plan, for example, calls for the removal of the southern portion of F.D.R. Drive to make way for parks and cafes. He also supports converting some more streets to be pedestrian-only, and to make room for  "B.R.T.s" (Bus Rapid Transit, clearly a buzzword of the night).Finally, Peñalosa took the stage.“The power of dreams is incredible,” Peñalosa began, with the practiced air of a man who gives public speeches for a living.“There is a conflict between cars and people," he went on, articulating what is commontheme for him. (He also said, in the course of advocating the creation of public policy that would make driving more difficult and biking easier, “What is good for the bee is not necessarily good for the beehive.")“Is a protected bicycle-way some cute architectural feature?” he said, pausing for dramatic effect. “Or is it a right?”

Classification
Primary Channel: 

Culture

Tags: 

Our Cities Ourselves

American Institute of Architects

Michael Sorkin

Enrique Peñalosa

Wang Hui

Aidi Su

URBANUS

Johan Fourie

Byline
Authors: 

Zak Dychtwald

Multimedia
Feature Image: 

Images: 

Rendering of Sorkin's plan for Amsterdam Avenue