New York, New York, USA

Eran Chen has proposed “Beyond the Street. Reimagining the Flower District”—a New York City project centered on the historic flower district – a two-block area a few steps from Penn Station and not far from the Empire State Building.

The project is a proposal that seeks to improve the urban environment, creating what Chen states, “new possibilities to increase the public realm, making the city more equitable and accessible.”

The proposal demonstrates how it would be possible to expand public space beginning by reimagining underused urban voids, in particular the courtyards of the area’s tall buildings.

Implemented in the Flower District, in the heart of Manhattan, the proposal seeks to regenerate the neighborhood dominated by vehicles and Class C office buildings, by working on its livelihood and attractiveness.

With the goal for a sustainable, social, and economical urban fabric, the Beyond the street project envisions “a localized ecosystem, with urban farming, small businesses and a diversified housing program to support this micro-economy.”

Based on a trading system, the concept introduces new zoning regulations that encourage new buildings to include bigger courtyards at the heart of every city block, in return for an increase in floor area and height. 

Through new building codes, morphological changes, and volumetric incentives that favor businesses, Chen’s idea aims to create more permeable blocks and new buildings with wider entrances and courtyards that go from being private to public. A positive business model for everyone.

Functional urban spaces with more greenery and room for recreation could be established in the areas reclaimed for public use, replacing the retail shops, now in decline, with diversified and more engaging activities. 

A way to transform single-use neighborhoods into mixed-use areas, with affordable housing and spaces dedicated to culture, work, and hospitality.

The privately-owned enclosures will then become public, complying with standards and regulations set by the city. 

Aiming to generate with time a green web of connected courtyards as this concept gets adopted around other districts, the public realm will expand qualitatively, and the street level activity will become much more diverse.

Project: Beyond the Street: Reimagining the Flower District
Designers: ODA-Architecture P.C. 
Illustrations: Courtesy of ODA