Times Square

New York, NY (2006-2007)

Client: Times Square Alliance

Still one of New York’s main draws, Times Square has increasingly been a place where no one wants to spend any time. Tourists, locals, and office workers, are unsatisfied with their experiences there. Times Square offers little amenity or activity beyond its initial visual impact and, therefore, lacks a critical quality of every successful public space—it doesn’t make you want to go back.

Click here for more information on PPS' Times Square user analysis.

The Times Square Alliance hired Project for Public Spaces (PPS), from May 2006 to June 2007, to better understand and reimagine how Times Square performs as a public space. PPS began by gaining a better understanding of the district through systematic observation techniques such as time-lapse film analysis, activity mapping, tracking and user surveys.

A concept plan for new uses and destinations within the Bow Tie area

The general issues and opportunities that emerged from the analysis included:
•Ground floors - Most building bases in the district do not support sidewalk activity, gathering and smaller destinations.
•“No square there” - Demand for use and activity in median is very high yet there are no amenities in square to support this activity.
•Movement and circulation - Street design does not support pedestrian movement – there is a lack of sidewalk space and crosswalks and crossing times are inadequate.
•Flexible spaces - District needs to be able to close Broadway to create flexible, programmable spaces.
•Reach out like an octopus - Not perceived as a district. Side streets (especially theater blocks) are underperforming as destinations in their own right.

With these issues in mind, PPS also conducted comprehensive research of international best practices, drawing specific lessons from how other places have addressed similar challenges.

A cross-section of a more pedestrian oriented Times Square

Working with the client PPS then developed key programmatic recommendations and conceptual plans. Recommendations included reconfiguration of streets to better accommodate foot traffic and reduce the negative impacts of traffic; architectural treatments and amenities to improve the pedestrian experience; retail strategies to diversify the district’s attraction; and new public space programming such as performances and markets.

An early photosimulation concept for a rconfigured Times Square.

A photo simulation of a festival configuration in Times Square

To help the alliance sell this vision to its partners and constituents and take it into a design stage, PPS developed a series of photo-simulations depicting the vision.PPS also presented its observations, best practices research and programmatic recommendations to a selection of leading designers to explore ways that they could creatively respond and respond to and build on PPS findings and recommendations.

In addition to changes being implemented by the business improvement district, the New York City Department of Transportation is now planning a redesign of the streets in this area, informed by PPS’s recommendations. The redesign will include closing Broadway from 47th street to 42nd on a trial basis, with the hope that it may be made permanent.