The Evolution of Bollards

After 9/11, lower Manhattan became a tangle of makeshift roadblocks and security measures. Architect Rob Rogers was tasked with redesigning the bollards to be more pleasing to the eye while still serving as secure barriers to entry.

1 minute read

January 3, 2011, 10:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


Martin C. Pedersen reports on the redesign process, which meant that Rogers - of Rogers Marvel Architects - had to get approval from a number of city agencies and departments:

"The faceted bollards-some anchored, others freestanding-were shaped by the requirements of the police department and contoured to shed water and serve as street furniture. Called 'NoGos,' they got their name from crash tests conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers, which labels successful trials 'no-gos.'

The bollards are placed on a rotating turntable built into the pavement so they can be rotated out of the way when not needed.

Monday, January 3, 2011 in Metropolis Magazine

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