A HEAVY-DUTY SHED

The winning urbanSHED will meet heavy-duty shed requirements. Heavy-duty sheds must be designed to carry a vertical load of at least 300 pounds per square foot (1465 kilograms per square meter).

Note: Light-duty sheds are not included in the urbanSHED competition and won't be judged.

Sidewalk Shed Materials

The shed should include sustainable materials that are durable, easily-maintained, and corrosion- and graffiti-resistant. The material must not allow any debris, including fine-grade, to flow through.

Sidewalk Shed Dimensions

Pedestrian Passageways:
The shed must provide protection for the entire width of the sidewalk along all three street fronts of 280 Broadway. The design must maximize ease of pedestrian traffic by maintaining an unobstructed pedestrian passage, as well as address store fronts and aesthetics. The following are MINIMUM sidewalk shed dimension requirements:

Minimum Height: 8 feet (2440 mm) from sidewalk to underside of ceiling
Minimum Width: Maintain a 5 foot (1525 mm) unobstructed pedestrian passage way

Existing building entrances must remain clear, and no obstruction is permitted. The design must also allow car access to the garage.

Pedestrians crossing the street must be able to access the sidewalk in both directions at the Northwest and the Southwest corners. If posts are installed, they must allow a minimum clearing distance of 18 inches (460 mm) to the edge of the curb.

SIDEWALK SHED OUTER SIDES AND ENDS

The outer sides and ends of the deck shall be provided with a substantial enclosure of at least 3 feet and 6 inches (1050 mm) high. Such enclosures should be vertical or outwardly inclined.
The shed must allow space to install a 4-foot (1220 mm) wide scaffold above and for workers to operate on the top of the shed.

SIDEWALK SHED ANCHORAGE

Sidewalk sheds are temporary structures. Currently, the City does not issue permits for sidewalk shed installations to penetrate the sidewalk. Anchoring into a building is lawful, but contingent upon a property owner's permission and Landmarks approval where applicable. We encourage competitors to propose innovative, minimally intrusive, alternative anchorage systems.
It should be assumed that the sidewalk and underlying soil can sustain a maximum concentrated load of 15,000 lbs (6,800kg) at the base of the column.

SIDEWALK SHED VEHICLE PROTECTION

We're encouraging new ideas on ways to protect sheds against damage or collapse from vehicular impact. Where stability of the shed requires that braces be installed, they can't obstruct the minimum clear dimensions as above.

SIDEWALK SHED COST

To become the standard shed for New York City, urbanSHED must be cost-effective over time. Judges will consider the following:

• Fabrication: Competitors should strive to design a shed that's practical to fabricate and can be produced by multiple sources. Higher fabrication costs will be balanced with reduced installation and maintenance costs.
• Installation: Installation and wiring ease is important. The installation process should minimize any traffic and parking disruption.
• Maintenance: Designers should use reusable and durable green materials, finishes and details. Proposals should include storage strategies for when the sheds are not being used.

SIDEWALK SHED ILLUMINATION

Illumination must be independent of lighting from roadways or surrounding areas. It must illuminate people's faces, and be adequate for reading, stepping off the curb into a bus and viewing DOT signs and maps.

Light fixtures must be controlled by a system, such as a photocell, to turn lights on and off in response to increasing and decreasing daylight. The fixtures must have a shield that prevents pedestrians and drivers from glare.

Other considerations should include: vandal-resistance; lamp life; and ease of maintenance.

ILLUMINATION TECHNICAL GUIDELINES (NOT REQUIRED UNTIL STAGE II)

Average Horizontal Illumination level, measured at the ground pavement, must be a minimum of 1.0 foot candles for the covered sidewalk area with a maximum uniformity ratio of 10:1 (maximum to minimum). (IESNA RP-33-99)
Energy requirements must be below lighting power densities as defined by ASHRAE Standard 90.1 2007 for "Exterior Canopies and Overhangs."
Lamp sources must have a minimum Color Rendering Index of 70 and a Color Temperature between 2,500K and 4,200K.

SIDEWALK SHED SIGNAGE

Sidewalk shed advertising is currently illegal, even when the shed is located in a zoning district that allows advertising. Two categories of signs are permitted on sidewalk sheds:

• DOT Signs: Designs must innovatively accommodate and ensure visibility for miscellaneous existing street signs. DOT signs include, but are not limited to, Stop, Yield, Do Not Enter, One Way, No Parking, No Standing, No Stopping, school crossings, truck routes, turn prohibitions, speed limit, bicycle usage, street cleaning and bus stops.
• Accessory Signs: Businesses whose lawful signs are obscured may install non-advertising signs onto the sidewalk shed for identification.

TREES

Supporting our urban greenery is a priority and a key point in Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's PlaNYC to build a more sustainable New York City. urbanSHED must contemplate ways to protect existing trees and foliage that would otherwise be damaged by shed construction.