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Mayor Bloomberg, First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris, and Design Commission President Signe Nielsen and Executive Director Jackie Snyder today announced the 10 outstanding projects honored at the Public Design Commission’s 30th Annual Awards for Excellence in Design. The Design Commission, formerly called the Art Commission, has given awards to exceptional public projects since 1982. The winning projects are selected by the Design Commission members from the hundreds of submissions reviewed each year, and they exemplify the highest standards of design. The Mayor hosted the awards ceremony at the Spruce Street School and was followed by a reception at New York by Gehry on Spruce Street in Lower Manhattan.
“These awards are our city’s celebration of the best and brightest examples of public design,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We are committed to making first-rate design a priority in every project in all five boroughs. That allows our public projects to both improve the quality of life for New Yorkers and exists as sources of pride for our city.”
“These award-winning projects represent the best of what New York City’s great design leaders can do working together with the public sector,” said Commission President Nielsen. “The Bloomberg Administration’s recognition of the importance of excellent design has greatly improved the projects that dot the City’s landscape.”
“For the past 30 years, these awards have honored the projects that make our City a better place to live, work and visit,” said Executive Director Snyder. “We’ve built an extraordinary record of well-designed projects that have improved communities throughout the five boroughs.”
The Design Commission is New York City’s design review agency. Established in 1898, the Commission reviews permanent works of art, architecture and landscape architecture proposed on or over City-owned property. Projects include new construction, renovation and restoration of buildings, such as museums and libraries; creation and rehabilitation of parks and playgrounds; installation of lighting and other streetscape elements; and design, installation and conservation of artwork. The Design Commission is composed of 11 members, who serve pro bono, and includes an architect, landscape architect, painter and sculptor as well as representatives of the Brooklyn Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library.
The winning projects are:
Construction of the Squibb Pedestrian Bridge
Over Furman Street between Brooklyn Bridge Park and Squibb Park, Brooklyn
A Project of Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Department of Parks & Recreation
HNTB
Construction of the CityPoint Retail Facility and DeKalb Market
One DeKalb Avenue and 138 Willoughby Street, Brooklyn
A Project of the Economic Development Corporation, Acadia Realty Trust, and Washington Square Partners
Cook + Fox Architects
Lee Weintraub Landscape Architecture
ORE Design + Technology
Construction of Riverside Park South, Phase V
West 62nd Street to West 70th Street, Manhattan
A Project of the Department of Parks & Recreation and Extell Development Company
Thomas Balsley Associates
Sage and Coombe Architects
Construction of Three Carriage Houses for the Staten Island Historical Society
145 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island
A Project of the Department of Design and Construction, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Staten Island Historical Society
Rice+Lipka Architects
Construction of an Addition to the East Elmhurst Community Library
95-06 Astoria Boulevard, Queens
A Project of the Department of Design and Construction and Queens Library
Garrison Architects
Construction of the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis and Learning
Crotona Park, Bronx
A Project of the Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York Junior Tennis League
Peter Gluck and Partners, Architects
Installation of The Passage: A Moving Memorial by Mary Miss
Memorial Green, Staten Island Courthouse, 26 Central Avenue, Staten Island
A Project of the Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art Program, the Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator, the Dormitory
Authority of the State of New York, and the
Department of Citywide Administrative Services
Reconstruction of the Flatbush Avenue Entrance and Terrace Café
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn
A Project of the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of Parks & Recreation, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
Architecture Research Office
Construction of Governors Island Park and Public Spaces, Phase I, including the Installation of Day Is Done by Susan Philipsz
Governors Island, Manhattan
A Project of The Trust for Governors Island and the Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art Program
West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture
Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects
Pentagram
Tillotson Design Associates
Bard Center for Curatorial Studies
Susan Philipsz
Special Recognition Award:
Central Park Conservancy’s Plan
Since its inception in 1980, the Central Park Conservancy has championed the park’s ingenious design and enduring role as one of New York City’s most idyllic retreats. Its Planning, Design & Construction Division, which is staffed by design professionals working alongside planners and historians, oversees all of the restoration and reconstruction projects in Central Park. Through thoughtful analysis and innovative design, this department has upheld the original design ideals established by Olmstead & Vaux in 1858 while implementing new technologies and best practices to reinvigorate the park’s 843 acres. This talented team has consistently demonstrated extraordinary professionalism and achieved a high standard of design and construction, as exemplified by the conservation of the Bethesda Terrace Arcade, the reconstruction of Heckscher Playground, and the restoration of Oak Bridge at Bank Rock Bay.
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