The release of the sketchy first plans by designers SOM, Morphosis, and James Corner Field Operations for Cornell's new tech campus on New York's Roosevelt Island kick off the project's public review process.
Matt Chaban discusses how architects and planners are attempting to meet the challenge of designing facilities to house the rapidly changing needs of the world's leading technology innovators, who will be working, teaching, and learning at Cornell NYC Tech. Stated simply by Andrew Winters, director of capital projects and planning for Cornell NYC Tech, "how do you create a tech campus today that is still flexible enough to grow and evolve for the next 25 years?"
While much of the design must still be flushed out, the vision released today for the 12.5-acre project orients all buildings towards a central pathway, called the Tech Walk, and allows for views out to surrounding landmarks such as the U.N Building, the Empire State Building, the iconic Pepsi sign in Long Island City.
"If the entire design of the site is meant to emphasize the river and the
views beyond," says Chaban, "the challenge for the buildings themselves is to be
landmarks, as well, ones that create an unmistakeable presence for the
campus without interrupting or overtaking the island on which they will
rest."
FULL STORY: For Its Roosevelt Island Tech Campus, Cornell Pursues Some Cutting Edge Designs by Thom Mayne and SOM
Cornell's $2 Billion Campus in New York Will 'Bridge' Academia and Corporations
The eagerly anticipated addition of a $2 billion campus for Cornell on Roosevelt Island will include a gesture toward the new model of innovation economy that directly connects universities with their cities.
Splashy New Project Proposed for Iconic Sunset Strip Location
The development on West Hollywood's Sunset Strip would incorporate a new version of the iconic Viper Room music venue, along with a hotel, condos, and retail.
First New Bridge to Manhattan in Decades Proposed Just for Pedestrians and People on Bikes
Introducing the proposed Queens Ribbon Bridge, a $100 million idea to connect Manhattan to Long Island City in Queens, by way of Roosevelt Island.
America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.
Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline
Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.
Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.
Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City
USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’
HUD Grants Total $315 Million for Continuum of Care for the Unhoused
An unprecedented federal grant program, announced earlier this month, will support continuum of care for the unhoused in unsheltered and rural settings.
Seattle Historic District Could Remove Street Dining
Despite the popularity of Ballard Avenue’s outdoor dining pergolas, some district board members argue the patios don’t match the district’s historic character.
Ascent Environmental
California Polytechnic State University
City of Albuquerque Planning Department
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Hercules
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
