New York City's The Battery Conservancy announces International Design Competition

The Battery Conservancy announced today that it is launching the Americas Design Competition, an open-call opportunity for designers across North, Central and South America and the Caribbean to propose designs for innovative portable outdoor seating for The Battery, the 25-acre green oasis at the southern tip of Manhattan overlooking New York Harbor. The Battery Conservancy will fabricate the winning design for use in its new Battery Green scheduled to open to the public in 2014 adjacent to the park’s Broadway entrance.

Registration for The Battery Conservancy Americas Design Competition 2012: “Draw Up A Chair” opens July 31, 2012, and submissions are due no later than October 30, 2012. All interested designers are directed to The Battery Conservancy website for additional information: http://www.thebattery.org/competition. More information after the break.

The Americas Design Competition was conceived to promote the flow of cross-cultural commerce and ideas throughout the Americas, and to reinforce the Conservancy’s mission to foster design excellence and innovation in the public domain. The Competition is open to students, artists and design professionals throughout the Americas — Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean — to design an iconic, adaptable outdoor seating element. The winning design will be fabricated for use in The Battery, New York City’s birthplace, which welcomes six million visitors annually. A curated selection of the 50 Top Designs will be featured on exhibition banners around the park and in an online exhibition. Finalists will have full-scale prototypes of their designs developed by The Battery Conservancy, and the Design Miami/ fair has invited The Battery Conservancy to exhibit Finalists’ prototype designs to an international audience of collectors, critics, curators and gallerists. The winner of the Competition will be awarded a US$10,000 cash prize, and their design will be fabricated, estimated at 300 units, for use in the park.

“It is our hope that this competition will energize mayors from the Americas to take a look at their own home grown design talent and bring it to their public spaces.” said Warrie Price, Founder and President of The Battery Conservancy, “This is a unique opportunity to showcase new design from the Americas, on view to the world, here at The Battery.”

“New York City is known for its innovative landscapes and we look forward to improving The Battery Park with a great new design for outdoor seating,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “The Battery is New York City’s birthplace and as the original waterfront park, it has long served as a social hub and a place of arrival for newcomers. This creative competition will highlight ideas on how we can continue capturing the spirit of one of New York City’s most cherished landscapes and meeting places.”

The Conservancy also announced today the appointment of an outstanding jury for the competition. The jurors are Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, Architecture and Design, The Museum of Modern Art; Allison Arieff, design writer, The New York Times, Editor, The Urbanist; Fernando Campana and Humberto Campana, designers, Sao Paulo; Rob Forbes, Founder of Design Within Reach and CEO of Public Bikes; Mario Schjetnan, Co-Founder & Director of Mario Schjetnan/Grupo de Diseño Urbano, Mexico City.

Stephen Doyle, of Doyle Partners, has produced a concept video, titled “Draw Up A Chair,” to inspire awareness of the competition.

About The Battery Conservancy

The Battery Conservancy was created in 1994 as a 501(c)(3) not–for–profit educational corporation to rebuild and revitalize The Battery, the 25-acre waterfront public park at the southern tip of Manhattan, and its major landmark, Castle Clinton National Monument. The Battery remains one of the oldest public open spaces in continuous use in New York City.

The Battery Conservancy, with its partners at the city, state and federal levels, has raised $120M to revitalize the park. Expansive lawns, overarching shade trees, vast perennial gardens, waterfront promenades with sweeping views and cultural programs will soon be complemented by The Battery Bikeway connecting the East and West Sides of Manhattan; the much anticipated SeaGlass ride designed by WXY architecture + urban design with George Tsypin Opera Factory; and a remarkable new Battery Playspace designed by Frank Gehry.

The Battery can be found on Twitter under the handle @TheBatteryNYC.

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Cite: Sebastian Jordana. "New York City's The Battery Conservancy announces International Design Competition" 10 Aug 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/262483/new-york-citys-the-battery-conservancy-announces-international-design-competition> ISSN 0719-8884

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