More Projects Adopt Pedestrian-Friendly Sidewalk Shed

The sidewalk sheds accompanying new construction have long been a thorn in the side of New York residents. While mandated to protect pedestrians from potential falling objects, they're widely considered obtrusive and unsightly.

Toronto and New York projects are experimenting with an alternative shed designed by Urban Umbrella, which won a design competition convened by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Made of recycled steel, translucent plastic, and LED lights, the product "looks like an umbrella unfolding and allows natural light to hit sidewalks that would normally be darkened and narrowed by traditional sheds," Amanda Fung explains in Yahoo Finance.

It's not the first attempt to aestheticize the sidewalk shed—Zaha Hadid designed one in 2015—but most previous options haven't been cost-effective. Urban Umbrella's model is still more expensive than a standard shed, but creators say the price is dropping as projects in Boston, Québec, and Vancouver join the trend.